《World Walker Park [Magical Amusement Park Base-Building]》 Prologue: A Not-So Simple Train Ride Three gods and a mortal man sat in an empty train car discussing. They were beings made of golden light or cosmic dust, had seen countless epochs, and transcended boundaries with prayer and worship. They created a world without war, poverty, and illness, and yet, still hogged the armrests like greedy little children. Luka, the human, adjusted in his seat, pressing his body up against the window. He could feel a crick in his neck forming, but the rhythmic jolts of the train soothed his drowning mind. The gravity of the situation was¡­ well¡­ divine, after all. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it,¡± Goddess Tippy said, her ¡®skin¡¯ pulsating like a phoenix¡¯s heartbeat. ¡°Our Little Luka¡¯s big day! Who¡¯d have thought the park would draw a crowd like this?¡± Her brother, God Rion, nodded in agreement, the clouds that made up his head shimmering with metallic dust. ¡°I figured he¡¯d come in, design some new process for engineering, and retire like the rest. Explore the world, I say! It¡¯s not every day you World Walk!¡± ¡°I thought he would have gone mad day one,¡± the third and oldest god said. Luka tore his eyes from the window and glared at the man made of countless stars. He squinted when the god made himself ¡°brighter,¡± purposefully washing the cabin in a supernova. It¡¯s just a few minutes longer, Luka reminded himself. ¡°I heard that!¡± the old man growled. ¡°Stay out of my head! I thought we¡¯d been through that? Or do I have to revoke your High Priest¡¯s season tickets?¡± Goddess Tippy and God Rion stifled their laughter, but they burst out when God Neb¡¯s radiance dimmed as he slumped in his seat. ¡°I¡¯m out of here, good luck Little Luka,¡± Neb said cagily, fading from reality. The sibling gods likewise faded, their laughter remained for a few long, painfully long, moments. Reveling in the added leg space, Luka kicked his feet up and leaned back. Idly, he rolled his artifact ring around his finger, its crude metal cool. As much as he wished to blame the knots in his stomach on the gods, he couldn¡¯t. Not when he could hear the quiet roar of the crowd down the tracks. He cracked an eye open, tracing the self-driving train down the bending railway. He could see the park¡¯s entrance behind the orange forest, the emberwood trees as beautiful as the day he arrived in this world. Briefly, he considered adding a few tuffs of green to the area before squashing the thought¡ªthe dryads would go ballistic if he didn¡¯t ask first. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Sighing, Luka adjusted his top hat and his deep-blue patterned vest. He stood from his seat and slipped his velvet jacket on and pinned two small spinning gears to his collar, startling when the train blared its welcoming whistle. His hands darted to his ears, and with a reflex of magic, the train¡¯s volume dropped a few dozen decibels, leveling out at still incredibly loud, but not deafeningly so. ¡°This is why I wanted another week, Tram. To iron-out the imperfections,¡± he muttered to himself, the empty train car echoing his words. The bells in the train station chimed, their tolls almost lost to the excited crowd. Luka didn¡¯t dare look, instead he took deep breaths. The train¡¯s brakes screeched, easing perfectly into the loading bay. At least the dampener glyphs worked, he thought to himself, snatching up his golden cane. He hated the cane, thinking it was nothing more than a paperweight. But that was the life he lived, one of eccentric. He had to keep up with appearances, after all. With his palm firmly on the opulent paperweight, Luka stepped out of the car, igniting the fuses of countless hidden fireworks. As he meandered to the walkway overlooking the turnstiles, he slammed his cane into the cobblestone, magically augmenting several things at once. First, he removed sound from the area, silencing the cheering crowd. Next, he amplified the clank from his feet and cane, causing each step to bolster his approach. He deepened the shadows and lightened the sun, highlighting his awaiting pedestal like a spotlight. And finally, he duplicated himself, filling the sky with a giant version of his tacky suit and uneasy stomach. I¡¯ve done this dozens of times before, he reminded himself, no reason to feel it now¡­ He trailed off when he saw the crowd. Mayor Tram wasn¡¯t wrong about her expectations¡ªit seemed everyone from Sneerhome and the local provinces had come. This grand opening was shaping up to be an order of magnitude larger than their previous soft openings. He looked over the crowd, spotting park regulars and season pass holders from the sea of unfamiliar faces. The Mayor stood out like a shark, and Franky and Eve like clownfish. The orcish siblings rode their dire-mounts, a wolf and an emu respectively. But standing next to them was Luka¡¯s own mount, a dire-wolf named Leo. The butterflies in his stomach disappeared¡ªhis friends, his family. The people who made this dream a reality. Above, the sky darkened to night¡ªa little help from God Neb¡ªand the fireworks exploded. Brilliant bursts of color lit up the heavens, blooming into emberwood trees and life-like creatures. Pegasi soared in herds, unicorns bowed their horns, sea-serpents dove and leapt from rolling waves. Splendor and echoing spirals filled the backdrop, thunderclaps of glittering trails fell away. Luka threw back his arms, opening his chest out wide¡ªgiant Luka in the sky did the same. He subtly augmented the area again, silencing the fireworks show while allowing the crowd to rekindle their volume. They, however, remained transfixed, all eyes on the World Walker. With a hint of voice-magic, Luka started his ¡°big¡± speech. ¡°Welcome to World Walker Park!¡± And with that, the park opened. Chapter 1: Reincarnation Six Months Before the Grand Opening ¡°What about her?¡± God Rion asked, producing his open palm. Light from a soulstone shone brightly, illuminating the heavenly domain with a set of ¡°greatest hits¡± from the candidate¡¯s life. They played like a video, a video with depth of real life. A movie studio came into focus. A camera rolled, capturing every nuance from a computer-controlled rig. Watching from a set of televisions, a woman leaned forward in her director-chair, studying a duo of actors. They ran across a bridge, timed explosions right on their heels. They leaped, the director¡¯s heart soaring with them, and plunged into murky ocean water. The lightshow skipped ahead, and the director stood with her actors. She pointed back and forth, highlighting a path for them to walk and marks to hit. She then returned behind the camera, pressed her eye up to the viewfinder, and said, ¡°Action.¡± ¡°Who is she?¡± Goddess Tippy asked. ¡°Juliet, awarded movie director and mother of two. Died six Earthen years ago¡ª¡± the video in God Rion¡¯s palm shifted to the woman in a hospital bed. ¡°¡ªfrom cancer.¡± Tippy flexed her divine authority, reading the soulstone in mere heartbeats¡ªan entire life, watched and understood in an instant. She made a sour face. ¡°Good suggestion, brother. But our technology¡ª¡± He held up a hand. ¡°Isn¡¯t advanced enough. I know, I know. She¡¯d have no cameras or editing software to work with. Which is why I¡¯m passing my claim to you.¡± ¡°Oh? Are your dreams of a blessed Hollywood finally gone?¡± Behind her, white paneling flew through the air, landing on a bright green hill. They were just illusions, the God knew, but as the word ¡°Rionwood¡± erected along the hill, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. Then he remembered his sister was mocking him. ¡°Just pick someone who can progress our technology, okay? I¡¯m tired of seeing what Earth¡¯s capable of. Movies would bring our world so much culture.¡± Tippy produced a soulstone of her own. Light flickered to life, showing a man drowning himself in amber liquid and pain pills. She stopped the video before it could progress. Rion studied the man¡¯s tired, graying beard. It peaked unevenly, like a frayed wool sweater beaten one too many times in a washing machine. His gaze shifted down, taking in the hard, metal park bench the man slept on. Snow piled around its legs, a cold wind causing streaks of white mist to flood across the park. The man clutched a half-empty pint of booze, and countless pills littered the ground around a spilled pill bottle. The God homed in on the bottle¡¯s label. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like an ¡®Andrina.¡¯ Are these stolen pills?¡± Tippy nodded. ¡°Meet Luka, engineer. Died three years ago, but his life¡¯s long been over.¡± ¡°You want him?¡± She shrugged. ¡°What can a drunken thief possibly provide our world?¡± ¡°See for yourself.¡± She handed the man¡¯s life to her brother, allowing him to relive the events that led to the man¡¯s death. In an instant, Rion understood everything that pushed Luka into hell and back. And yet, it only made his confusion worse. ¡°He created destruction. What good will he be in our world?¡± The Goddess adjusted the soulstone to show a childhood experience. They watched it together, silence stretching as young Luka laughed and giggled. ¡°We do a lot to rule our home, brother. But there¡¯s a few things we can¡¯t do. I want that¡ª¡± She gestured at the memory. ¡°I want to create happiness.¡± ¡°Our world is happy,¡± Rion quickly said. ¡°It is, but superficially. We give them everything they could ever want, and yet, they¡¯ve stagnated. Why do you think we need to steal the dead from Earth? Because we gods are parasites. Us, and the others.¡± ¡°Parasites that sucks happiness?¡± She shook her head, and for a brief moment, her godly form slipped. ¡°I look at Earth and I see chaos and unrest. And yet, I keep looking. I love experiencing the lives of the candidates. I long to see their triumphs, and my heart aches when they are in pain. I feel strange, brother. And I think something bad is coming for our home, for our people. We need to get ahead of it.¡± Rion stared upon his sister¡¯s mortal form, a body she long abandoned, her statements slipping away. ¡°You kept it? How¡¯d you keep it pristine all these years?¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°It¡¯s just skin and hair. A simple preservation glyph was overkill.¡± He was at a loss for words. ¡°Trust me, brother,¡± Tippy whispered, her voice small. ¡°I want this feeling to go away, and I think Luka is it.¡± He looked up, reaching out his hand. How long had it been since they properly hugged? Did gods even hug? He pulled her in close, wrapping his arms around her. ¡°What would the others think if they saw us now?¡± She laughed, her chin resting on his shoulder. ¡°They¡¯d call us children again.¡± He shivered. ¡°I hate when they do that.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The moment stretched. ¡°What do you think of him?¡± Rion pulled away, locking eyes with his godly sister. ¡°You¡¯ll have to seal his memories. He¡¯s got a lot of trauma, and he¡¯ll be looking to revert to old habits.¡± ¡°Maybe an anti-alcohol blessing then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the safe bet. Can¡¯t have him getting drunk if he¡¯s supposed to ¡®create happiness.¡¯¡± *** Swimming through the bliss of oblivion, Luka felt a nudge. A simple tug, like a child grabbing his sleeve. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, he opened his eyes. A dead man returning to life¡ªa light blinded him. A woman made of stars stood before him. Basking in a golden glow, her form shimmered with the warmth of a cool noon-sun. Her torso radiated a harmonious energy, vibrant and alive, yet aged and wise. Her face read understanding, though her eyes were supernovas bursting among the blackness of space. Cascading down her neck, hair danced and sparkled, each joyous strand eager to sing and giggle for the little human. Luka took her and all of her glory in, the brightness of her presence only highlighting the darkness that swarmed his mind. He stood before a god, he knew, and yet, he cried, every tear boiling with the virtue of self-loathing. She waited for him to speak. ¡°Am I going to Hell?¡± The Goddess considered his question, her hair flowing around her body like a silhouette. ¡°Do you think you should?¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Yes.¡± His hands and chest began to shake, the tremors created by tanks and the backdraft of grenades. The sound of gunfire boomed in his heart, each beat just another dead innocent. He clawed at his skin, anything to take his mind off of¡ª ¡°I see.¡± Her words destroyed the feelings plaguing his mind. It stopped, the pain, the heartache, the guilt. Face still set and eyes still puffy, Luka looked up at the woman made of light while she looked down on him, judging. A smile, one formed from pity, crept across her golden face. ¡°Your memories¡­ I will keep them for now.¡± Luka would have gone another dozen lifetimes without realizing his memories had been stolen. But as soon as she pointed it out, a hole presented itself in his mind. Sections of his past disappeared, locked away like¡­ like¡­ ¡°A murky bog? Is that the phrase you¡¯re searching for?¡± the Goddess asked. A single strain of hair flicked toward the human, an energy condensing around its tip. ¡°Maybe I took too much. Allow me to rectify¡ª¡± Words came to Luka. Lectures, studies, textbooks. He remembered where he went to school, he remembered his classes. His professors were a blur, but their lectures stood out like a lighthouse. He followed the math and engineering, finding another bottomless hole. What did he do with his degree? Actually, what did he do with his life? Most of his adulthood was gone, only scant memories remained. Why did he remember so many television shows and song lyrics? The Goddess said, ¡°It¡¯s not often I stand before someone with such powerful memories as yours. I fear my memory-work is lacking. I¡¯d ask my brother to assist, but his is possibly worse.¡± Luka stared blankly. ¡°If it eases you to know, every life lost directly connected to you has already been returned to the mortal realm. Reincarnation, if you will.¡± ¡°I am in Hell,¡± he muttered. She tilted her head, a single hair strand brimming with elegance fluttering to the forefront. Energy gathered, and in an instant, their location changed. They stood above a blue and green planet, one no Earthling would recognize. It was larger than Earth and similarly covered in puffy clouds and breaking waves. It spun, slowly it seemed, but no doubt at great speeds in actuality. ¡°My home. Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± the Goddess whispered. Luka¡¯s mouth slowly dropped open. ¡°Child of Earth, you¡¯ve done heinous things in your previous life. And for that, simple reincarnation isn¡¯t enough. You spent your adult life destroying, and I think it is time for you to build.¡± His thoughts went to his family. ¡°They¡¯re gone, my Little Luka.¡± She smiled a bit. ¡°Your mom used to call you that, right? Remember her, in this new life you create. Think of her, and the world you¡¯d want her to live in.¡± Luka looked away from the planet, finding the Goddess¡¯ golden light. He flinched when the light looked back. She chuckled. ¡°This world is one born of magic and divinity. The graces of gods run through the streets like rain water, and their wrath crushes the kindling of enmity before it ever reaches the levels of Earth¡¯s wars. Whatever you can think, you can create. As long as you have the materials necessary and no one overtly suffers from it.¡± A strand of her hair touched Luka on the top of the head. It felt like a kiss, a little peck from a kindly grandmother. And yet, his skin burned with the throes of an erupting volcano. His vision faded to a mass of his own dark magical hair. They wrapped and twisted, binding his brain and body until they settled and disappeared. Luka coughed, the pain and irritation disappearing in a flash. ¡°What was¡ª¡° He stopped cold. There, in the periphery of his vision, was a hair. It moved when he tried to look at it, always staying to the edge. The Goddess watched as he rubbed his eyes and plucked at his eyelashes. She cleared her throat, drawing his attention. ¡°That was a gift of magic. A divine blessing to be more precise. Everyone unique like you gets one, think of them as a name tag from me, to you.¡± Her body started to shrink, or maybe it was Luka¡¯s consciousness slipping. Regardless, she continued to speak, ¡°You will keep the name of ¡®Luka,¡¯ but your old body has long been dead. Your new one is created in its image, albeit younger. I hope you like it.¡± Her voice was turning faint and Luka struggled to stay awake. ¡°You will create, but only things that bring happiness. I won¡¯t allow anything less. The rest is up to you. Live well, Luka of Earth, and I hope your story becomes the backbone of something special.¡± And with that, the Goddess disappeared and he fell asleep. Chapter 2: A New World ¡°Hey, wake up. You can¡¯t sleep at the bar.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes rolled in their sockets, his tears mingling with a wad of snot smeared across his face. The room spun as he tried to sit up, the edge of his vision patchy as if he had just stared at the sun. Then, something poked him hard in the lower back. He jerked alert, the cloudiness in his mind disappearing. A groan escaped his lips as he slid off the stool. A dull ache spread from his butt down his thighs, his skin mottled with the pattern of woodgrain and splinters. His hand magnetically hovered to his face, and Luka felt a similar pattern imprinted across his cheek. He¡¯d been using the bar as a pillow, a little pile of drool seeping down a crack confirmed the fact. A dozen candles lit the room, each mounted on metal fasteners parallel to the dry, painted, but chipped walls. Luka stared at the orange flickering flame, finding the light source to bend along the wall¡¯s uneven convex. The fire licked up the wooden wall, yet not so much as singeing it. Was the wall actually metal and just painted¡ª A sharp pain drilled into his hip. He spun, finding a woman poking him with the stick-end of a broom. ¡°Uh, you can¡¯t sleep here, Mister,¡± she said. Flinching at the words, Luka expected to find¡­ well¡­ a human. Instead, a young woman with green skin and wicked tattoos stood before him. He turned back to the candles, expecting to find some kind of flame-retardant coating¡­ Green. Green. The word echoed in his head until his brain finally caught up. He looked back at her. Yup, she was green. He looked away again, then back. Still green. ¡°What¡ª¡± A flood of memories came back. The goddess, standing out in space watching the world spin, and hair, a lot of hair. But something was missing. Something crucial. The question crawled into his forethought from some dark, primal crevasse. Just who was he? Luka, obviously. But the goddess was right. His memories were gone, sealed away for some unknown reason. A strand of hair invaded his sight. He batted it away, only for a second to join. Then a third, and a fourth. He rubbed his eyes, finding the strands to duplicate with every labored breath. ¡°Uh, Mister?¡± the green woman asked, her voice not reaching him. Luka¡¯s vision was entirely consumed by the hairs, and his heart beat wildly. Pain radiated from his chest, clutching, squeezing pain. His lungs, the strands filled them. Streaks of orange flickering light shone through fibers, darkness one step closer to fully taking over. His jaw chattered and his brain leapt into overdrive. He didn¡¯t want to go back to the dark, he couldn¡¯t go back¡ª The strands stopped growing, freezing in place. Then, like a cellar door opening, the hairs darted away like rats. They moved to the corners of his vision, hiding. A serene calm overcame him, one that reminded him of the goddess. His heart rate slowed, easing his breathing. Luka focused on a single strand. It waved at him. ¡°What in the world¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Mister, do I need to call the Shaman?¡± Shaman? Right, green girl¡ªan orc apparently. Slowly, he turned back to her. ¡°Uh, what?¡± She was a bit taller than Luka, but far, far more toned. She wore a sleeveless dark shirt, but stylized renditions of birds sitting on branches coated her arms and shoulders. They circled around her torso and neck, growing up to her ears. The tattoos moved, shimmering with reds and blues where flowers and feathers met. She rolled her eyes at the question. ¡°I know you humans don¡¯t care for our customs, but the least you could do is act sober. A ¡®shaman¡¯ is equivalent to your human ¡®healers.¡¯¡± She paused a moment before adding, ¡°How¡¯d you even get in here?¡± Luka reeled back. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know¡ª¡± She tossed her hands up. ¡°Franky! Can you deal with this guy? He¡¯s stone-cold drunk!¡± Following her eyes, Luka found a burly green man with muscles on top of muscles. They inflated like balloons, sculpting his body into hardened marble rather than jelly-like skin. A set of tusks jutted from his underbite, flicking out and ending just past his nostrils. A set of golden rings pierced through the ivory, jostling as he stepped over to the bar. Luka threw his arms up, putting them before him and the brute¡ªnot that they¡¯d stop him, or anything. ¡°Wait just a second. I¡¯m not drunk, I¡¯m just confused. The goddess said something¡ª¡± He trailed off as the orc bodybuilder stood beside the orc aviary. They stared at him, he stared right back. For some reason, Luka couldn¡¯t help but stare at the man¡¯s head. He was bald, but his skin shined like an iridescent pearl. In fact, his skin was wrinkle free. The woman, on the other hand, had black braided hair that rested comfortably on her shoulder and callused skin. ¡°What¡¯s this about a goddess? Which one?¡± the man, Franky, asked. His voice was as deep as raw iron and he slurred his S¡¯s, the tusks making things difficult. Luka hesitated to answer, he didn¡¯t want to seem crazy. ¡°I don¡¯t know. There was a goddess. She was warm and bright.¡± The orcs looked at each other, the woman asking, ¡°Do you know where you are?¡± ¡°Not in Warsaw, I can tell you that,¡± he said, remembering the last bar he went to. It was new, chic, even. The staff kicked him out¡­ but for what? Why¡¯d they do that? The memories were right there, but the seal¡ªthe goddess didn¡¯t want him to remember. ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Poland.¡± ¡°And that?¡± ¡°Europe¡­¡± ¡°And where¡¯s that?¡± ¡°T-the northern hemisphere,¡± Luka muttered, his heart sinking. ¡°Hemis-what?¡± Franky asked. The woman¡¯s eyes jumped open. ¡°Oh! I think he¡¯s a World Walker!¡± The brute gasped, the sound echoing against the vaulted wooden ceiling. ¡°That¡¯d make sense! I knew I didn¡¯t see him walk in!¡± She nodded vigorously, her surprise fading, turning to tenderness. ¡°What¡¯s your name, friend?¡± He didn¡¯t want to answer. ¡°Luka.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Eve. And if I said I¡¯m an orc from the village of Emberwood within the Kingdom of Embers on the continent of West Valadron on the surface of the great world, Zentarious, does that mean anything to you?¡± Luka¡¯s legs went soft, he fell onto the rough barstool. Eve took that as answer enough. ¡°Wow! A World Walker in the flesh! Never thought I¡¯d meet one.¡± Franky perked up. ¡°He must be thirsty! I¡¯ll get him a drink!¡± He rushed behind the bar, sliding crates of empty bottles and mugs out of the way. At the bottom of a large stack, was a fresh case of brown, short barrels. Franky snatched one up and thrust his middle finger straight through the top. Beer spurted out, frothing around the rim. He then slammed it down in front of Luka, splashing him with an ice cold liquid. Funny, Luka figured it¡¯d be warm. ¡°One of our best, Mr. World Walker! Dwarven rock-beer!¡± The mug-barrel looked fine enough, a bit heavy on the foam Luka thought, but the moment he decided a sip wouldn¡¯t hurt, something in the back of his mind turned sour. The hoppy liquid glistened like greasy rotten cheese and smelled like it too. The foam bubbled like lye on soap scum, wafting chemicals into the air. ¡°Do you have any water?¡± he asked. Franky darted down the bar to a large barrel. He dipped a fresh mug into it, spilling off the excess. Meanwhile, Eve snagged the beer and chugged half of it. She slammed it down, smiling. ¡°So sweet! Mr. Todd really got it right with this batch! Better than any authentic dwarven ale I¡¯ve ever had!¡± The smell disappeared, Luka noted. Franky presented him with the water, and he took a sip. Again, it was ice cold. Were the barrels insulated? ¡°Eve, you gonna share?¡± Franky asked, sliding a mug for himself. She poured him a quarter cup, getting a glare in response. She stuck out her tongue. ¡°Can¡ª¡± The words died in Luka¡¯s throat. He downed a few gulps of water. ¡°Can you explain what¡¯s going on?¡± Again, Eve¡¯s face turned soft. ¡°Sounds like you died and Goddess Tippy reincarnated you here. It happens, not all that often, but it happens.¡± Franky raised his mug. ¡°You must have done something amazing in your last life! Only the greatest people get a chance to reincarnate with their memories!¡± Luka knew his words were wrong. He didn¡¯t have them all. He didn¡¯t know anything about this supposed ¡°amazing life.¡± He only felt guilty. Sorrow and guilt. He must¡¯ve shown it. ¡°None of that matters though,¡± Eve quickly said. ¡°What you did in your previous life already happened. But now, you¡¯ve got to do something even better here!¡± Looking up, Luka found her piercing blue eyes sparkling like an ocean. Franky leaned onto the bar. ¡°My sister¡¯s right. Don¡¯t dwell on¡­ wherever you came from. Or your death, for that matter. That¡¯s basic World Walker survival. As our dad used to say, ¡®the past is for the dead and the nerds in libraries.¡¯ And guess what? There¡¯s not a single library in our village, and you¡¯ve already died!¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. He leaned back, laughing loudly. Eve grabbed Luka¡¯s hand, pulling him to his feet. He swayed a bit, but found his balance. ¡°Come on,¡± she said, ¡°let¡¯s show you your new home!¡± And just like that, Luka stepped into an entirely new world. He didn¡¯t know what he was expecting, but this wasn¡¯t it. While he didn¡¯t think Emberwood ¡°village¡± would have skyscrapers and highways, he figured there¡¯d at least be electricity. Maybe even a car or two. Nope. There was none of that. A road wound past the bar, disappearing into a forest of orange-leafed trees¡ªemberwoods, he supposed. Tall, wilted grass grew between the dirt and gravel, creating thin valleys where carts or wagons left their tracks. The buildings were sturdy, wide huts made of brick and mortar mixed with hand-sawed wooden slats and branches. Straw roofs rounded them off, each ¡°shingle¡± woven together with what looked like animal hair. A few had chimneys, but none puffed smoke. The air was serene, with a perfect spring wind dancing through the trees. The smell of dried leaves and morning dew washed the village with a soft, familiar whisper. Walking through the village street, Eve and Franky greeted everyone they passed. Eve¡¯s warm smile was met with nods and early-morning tired waves, while Frankly¡¯s toothy grin brought short bouts of conversation. The villagers, their skin tones ranging from muted green to faded apple-red, were mostly orcish¡ªat least to Luka¡¯s inexperienced eye. A few figures stood out, ones he didn¡¯t think were orcs. Orcs, he recognized, were all lean or buff, tattooed or pierced with rings and studded jewelry. The other, non-orc people were short, stout people with big bushy beards or average height humanoids made of sticks, twigs, and vines. Luka kept his mouth closed as Franky and Eve led him toward a barn. Instead of cars, wagons were hitched to monstrous wolves or emus, which Eve called dire-wolves and dire-emus. The beasts meandered about, licking up water from a perfectly clean trough or sunning themselves while their riders stacked wares or did business nearby. Luka watched a duo of emus peck at each other, stealing feathers and planting them within their own. The ¡°winner¡± of the battle soon preened triumphantly over the other. They entered the barn and found an open-air warehouse of dried straw and nesting. Dire-animals roamed around inside, grazing or sleeping while waiting for their riders. The wolves lounged on their bellies, sitting in a semicircle around a chewed side of¡­ beef? Luka couldn¡¯t recognize the food, he did count six separate horns, however. ¡°Know how to ride?¡± Franky asked, brushing the pelt of a great beast. It was nearly triple his size, and yet, the wolf¡¯s leg drummed like an excited puppy when Franky petted an itchy spot. Luka flinched at the question. ¡°You want me to ride this thing?¡± Frowning, he asked, ¡°You don¡¯t have beast-mounts on your world?¡± ¡°Not ones that could rip me in half.¡± At his words, the wolves all turned their massive heads around, peering at him. Drops of spittle fell from the one Franky was brushing. It sniffed Luka, hot air flooding from its wide nostrils. Slowly, it opened its mouth, shreds of raw meat tucked in between its fangs. A deep red tongue rolled along its gums, savoring the taste. Luka¡¯s heart pounded as he took an involuntary step ba¡ªit lunged! He squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself. Thick, smelly wetness engulfed him. The beast¡¯s tongue slid from his torso up, slicking his face and waterlogging his hair. Then it licked again, and again. ¡°Aww! He likes you!¡± Eve sang, patting the wolf on the back. With his hands up like a boxer, Luka tried to dodge the licks. He didn¡¯t get very far, tripping over himself and falling on his butt. The wolf took advantage, pinning him to the ground only to continue the onslaught. Franky pulled the snow white beast away by its fluffy fur. ¡°This here¡¯s Leo,¡± he said, beaming . ¡°And it looks like he¡¯s chosen you as his person.¡± He turned to a shelf, rooting through leathers and straps. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got a training saddle down here¡­¡± The wolf tried to lunge again, Eve stopped him with a lazy, outstretched hand, blocking the path to Luka. ¡°Stay Leo. Stay. Good boy.¡± ¡°He chose me?¡± the World Walker asked, slicking his hand down his face, pulling away enough spit to wash a car with. Eve answered, ¡°Dire-beasts mark a person and stay with them until they can¡¯t. I was starting to think poor Leo wouldn¡¯t be able to mark someone before he became an adult-puppy. Lots of people¡¯ve been leaving the village lately, kids and stuff, you know? And the ones that stayed are still too young.¡± Franky popped up from the shelf. ¡°That¡¯s right! Always a shame when a dire doesn¡¯t mark someone as an adult-puppy.¡± Luka¡¯s annoyance withered as he stared into Leo¡¯s big, round eyes. ¡°What¡¯s an ¡®adult-puppy?¡¯¡± ¡°It¡¯s orcish for a fully grown wolf, but still young.¡± ¡°And Leo is not an adult-puppy, meaning he¡¯s still growing?¡± Hearing his name, the wolf barked. It shook the walls of the barn. Franky slipped a leather strap through a set of metal fasteners. ¡°Leo¡¯s the runt of the litter, yeah. Give him a few weeks and he¡¯ll be as big as the others.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll grab Sebby and Olive,¡± Eve said to her brother, stepping away. ¡°Why do I need a mount again?¡± Luka asked. Tossing the saddle over Leo¡¯s back, Franky pulled the straps tight then loosened them a notch. He wrapped a lead around his mane, connecting it on the other side. ¡°To show you the village, of course.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we just walk through the village?¡± Frankly blinked a few times. ¡°Oh right, you¡¯re not local. No, that wasn¡¯t the village, they¡¯re just the outlying buildings. An inn, a bar, a few shops. The main village is closer to the mine and quarry.¡± Leo whined as Franky tested the stirrups. He patted him gently. ¡°I know boy, but he doesn¡¯t know how to ride. You¡¯ve got to help him out, and the saddle will make things more smooth.¡± Leo¡¯s slobbery face went stoic, and he nodded in understanding Luka gawked at that. ¡°He¡¯s very intelligent.¡± ¡°Dires always are. Well, with a few exceptions. Olive isn¡¯t the smartest bird in the shed, if you know what I mean.¡± He, in fact, did not know what he meant. Animals understanding language enough to do simple commands was one thing, but nodding to a wordy comment? Luka decided to drop it. He was in another world, after all. A world with green and red people, and intelligent dire-wolfs. He silently sighed and asked, ¡°Why separate the village in two parts?¡± Franky paused in adjusting straps. ¡°Well, Emberwood used to be a big mining village. Emberore was a hot commodity here, literally. But the mine dried up and the cost to run the quarry for just stone wasn¡¯t worth it. So they filled the quarry with water and tried to turn the land into a lake-side farmer¡¯s paradise.¡± He finished with the saddle and led Leo and Luka outside. ¡°This was when Eve and I were kids, mind you. So I¡¯m a little fuzzy on all the details. But changing to agriculture removed most of the business. Miners just aren¡¯t farmers. So most moved away. Some, like Mr. Todd, our boss, moved closer to the kingdom road to make some money.¡± He patted Leo. ¡°Enough about all that depressing stuff, hop on!¡± Luka hesitated. He¡¯d been horse riding back home as a kid a few times. He remembered riding rocky trails down and around a creek, stopping long enough for the horses to drink. How old was he back then? Nine? Ten? He remembered the family friend¡¯s farm they¡¯d visit. Whatever happened to the farm, he wondered. He couldn¡¯t remember, it was a blur. He squared up to Leo and set his hand on the beast¡¯s soft white fur, stroking him gently. Leo leaned into his hand, bucking into Luka¡¯s hand, scratching himself like a rhino against a tree. ¡°Down Leo,¡± Franky commanded. The wolf dropped to his belly, two of his massive paws sticking out like a pair of loveseats. The stirrups rested at a comfortable height, allowing Luka to get one foot in. He pulled himself up and over the saddle, sitting. Leo didn¡¯t wait for him to get comfortable. In an instant, the wolf got up, trotting outside¡ªhis rider wobbling and squeezing his legs for stability. Luka never considered himself a fit person. A lifetime of doing¡­ He paused, another memory gone. He strained, searching his mind for any clues. Sand flooded his memory, dunes that towered above buildings and far-off mountains dotted with cave entrances. Why was he thinking of a desert? ¡°Watch out!¡± Abruptly, the doorframe of the barn came into Luka¡¯s view¡ªhe smashed his forehead into it. On top of Leo, he was far, far taller than normal. And between him and the beast, neither considered the fact. Luka did, however, have the forethought to clutch the saddle horn. The straps bent backward with him, Franky¡¯s handywork keeping them attached to Leo. ¡°You okay?¡± Eve asked, appearing amidst a plumage of rainbow colored feathers. ¡°Yeah,¡± Luka muttered, rubbing his forehead. He looked down, finding Leo¡¯s petrified face staring at him. ¡°Not your fault bud. I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡± Leo slowly thawed, carefully placing one paw before the other, ducking to clear the barn exit. ¡°Let me look at cha.¡± Franky adjusted a strap, tightening it back to normal. ¡°You¡¯re not bleeding. We can get our shaman to look at you if you want.¡± Eve made a face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Luka said, ¡°Just a bump.¡± ¡°Good! Because I¡¯ve got some pointers. Ease your legs, don¡¯t squeeze too much. Leo¡¯s going to follow what you lead him to do, so make sure you¡¯re decisive. Reins and legs work together.¡± He gripped the reins, pressuring him with his left leg. Leo moved left, walking slowly around Eve. Then he nudged right, circling her, and pulling back gently to stop. Leo barked once. ¡°Leo says ¡®good job,¡¯¡± Franky said. ¡°Did he? Could you actually understa¡ª¡± The tusked orc smirked. ¡°Not at all! It¡¯s more of a vibe, I guess you¡¯d call it. Orcs and dire-beasts have a connection, we were the first to domesticate them way back when.¡± Eve added, ¡°But once you ride with Leo some, you¡¯ll develop a shared bond. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you could understand his barks.¡± ¡°Enough of that! Meet Sebby and Olive!¡± Luka followed Franky¡¯s pointed finger, finding a dire-wolf and dire-emu. Starting with Sebby, a solid black mass of fur sat patiently in the grass, watching the show with round yellow eyes. A sense of age lowered his ears and mellowed his face, masking a graying undercoat like a beard. He was bigger than Leo, trumping him in all but energy. Eve sat on top of Olive the emu. With feathers as long as an orc forearm, the bird stood at the height of a one-story home. Colors polka dotted down her breast as she preened for Luka, hiking her folded wings out wide. A saddle more closely resembling a blanket, draped over her back, snuggly fitting along her puffy tail. When Luka looked away, Olive lost her interest in him, finding intrigue in a patch of grass. She pecked at it, her long neck darting straight down like a viper. ¡°Olive!¡± Eve screeched, teasing the reins. ¡°Back this way! We want to go over there! To talk to the World Walker! Please?¡± The emu snapped her head up, gobbling a grasshopper like it was a jelly bean. She then sprinted back, despite being only a few steps away. She then pecked Leo. ¡°Hey!¡± Eve yanked the reins. ¡°We don¡¯t peck friends! Remember Olive? Leo is a friend!¡± She cowered back, dipping her head toward Leo, hooting two distinct syllables. The wolf gave her a lick. ¡°Wow,¡± was all Luka could say. Olive¡¯s eyes snapped to him, widening. She meandered closer, strutting her thin legs despite Eve¡¯s attempts to stop her. She sneaked her long neck toward the World Walker, gently hissing. She reared back and¡ª Eve yanked the reins at the same time she tried to peck Luka, missing wide. Leo jumped away, landing a few paces away. ¡°What did I just say, Olive!¡± Eve screamed. Olive put her head down, muttering a string of bird noises. The orc sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. I did say not to peck friends. You don¡¯t know Luka¡­¡± She had her palm pressed to her face. ¡°Olive, meet Luka¡ªour friend. And just to be clear for the future, do not peck anyone. You¡¯re too strong to peck non-armored people. You¡¯d hurt them.¡± Olive made another sound. ¡°No! How¡¯d you get that you can only peck armored people from that? Don¡¯t peck anyone!¡± Luka guided Leo back over, ¡°It¡¯s, uh, okay?¡± he said, not sure if it actually was. Franky leaped onto Sebby, sitting bareback. He grabbed a tuft of fur at the base of Sebby¡¯s nape, leading him over. ¡°Sebby, Luka. Luka, my mount, Sebby. Don¡¯t peck him either, Seb.¡± The black wolf leaned in close, letting out a tired growl. Luka blinked a few times, a sense of¡­ understanding crossing in the growl. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯d be tired too if I had to deal with her all day.¡± Sebby nodded his head, and together they looked at her. Olive was enthralled with the patch of grass again, oblivious. Chapter 3: Magically Together Luka, Franky, and Eve rode across slowly descending pathways, their mounts easily walking on the pebbly trails. Sporadic black stone soon found the group, interlaying with the normal gray that poked from under the grass and orange leaves. The forest canopy quickly smothered the bright blue sky, rendering it nothing more than a simple backdrop cresting the emberwood trees. Occasionally they¡¯d pass a grove or clearing, finding evidence of life within the trees. Large blocks of stone rounded a pit of ash, weeds and wildflowers growing from the long-cool coals. A rusted wire rack was discarded in the grass, a rotisserie spit or some kind of roasting tray. Benches made of moss-covered, downed logs sat unused, termites and other insects making them into a new home¡ªa new community. It only took a few minutes on mounts to reach the village proper from the outlying buildings. They slowed from a trot abruptly, causing Luka to lurch forward, his legs clamping Leo tight. ¡°Trust the wolf!¡± Franky yelled, his lack of saddle, reins, or blanket to sit on evident. ¡°No dire-beast will let their rider fall!¡± Leo adjusted under the World Walker, keeping his legs up while simultaneously easing his momentum. Luka leaned over the beast, finding his foot had slipped from the stirrup. He pushed his boot back into the¡ªhe paused, Leo squirming to keep him upright. Luka scanned his boots, his eyes tracing himself to his pants and shirt. His clothes were not his, not from Earth. They were like Franky and Eve¡¯s¡ªa fabric similar to cotton but more scratchy, like unrefined wool. His boots were leather, but again, not typical cow hide. Strange, he thought, taking a closer look at himself. The wool shirt and pants were¡­ soft? Too soft, even. The longer he felt the fabric, the smoother the material became. In a matter of moments, it transformed from scratchy wool to a polyester athletic shirt. Franky and Eve pulled up beside him. ¡°Hey, uh, what¡¯s with this shirt? Why¡¯s it so weird?¡± Eve leaned over Olive¡¯s head, the bird trying to look as well. ¡°Looks like it''s magically imbued. Probably an enchantment.¡± ¡°Magically?¡± he asked. ¡°Magic, like you know, ¡®magic.¡¯¡± She pinched her fingers in the air. ¡°There¡¯s no magic on Earth. ¡°Really? That¡¯s strange.¡± Before he could respond, Franky reached out and touched his shirt. ¡°Feels like a variable softness enchantment. I had some of those when I was a kid. Expensive.¡± ¡°Probably a self-stitching enchantment too,¡± Eve added. ¡°If I¡¯m reading the glyph-residue right.¡± Luka raised both hands, one still clutched tightly on Leo¡¯s reins. ¡°Wait a sec. Why is it strange for my world to not have magic?¡± The siblings shrugged. ¡°Just a way of life here, I suppose,¡± Franky suggested. He took a deep breath. ¡°Fair. And what¡¯s ¡®glyph-residue?¡¯ Do I need to wash my shirt already?¡± Eve smirked, stretching. ¡°Interested in magic, are we? Feels good not to be the student for once. Magical residue is the term for seeing magic that¡¯s supposed to be invisible. And no, you don¡¯t have to wash it. In fact¡­¡± She reached out as well and felt the shirt. ¡°These might even have a self-cleaning enchantment as well.¡± Franky whistled. ¡°Where¡¯d you get ¡®em?¡± Luka tried to think back. Was he wearing clothes while talking to the goddess? Maybe? It was kind of hard to focus on unimportant things. ¡°I think the goddess gave them to me.¡± Eve loudly cursed, Franky¡¯s jaw dropped slightly. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°Is that bad?¡± Even puppy Leo looked at him strangely for the question. Franky answered, ¡°It just means, you¡¯re either a rich man or you¡¯ll have priceless treasures in your hamper.¡± ¡°Or they¡¯ll get stolen,¡± Eve muttered. ¡°Or that. You probably shouldn¡¯t tell anyone else where they came from.¡± Suddenly feeling like the trees had eyes, Luka made himself look smaller. Eve smacked her brother on the arm. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. No one from Emberwood is going to steal them. When you go traveling or boast in a city tavern, sure, but not the villagers here.¡± Nodding, Franky said, ¡°Most living here are too old to care.¡± ¡°Speaking of old, we should find Tram.¡± He groaned. ¡°Can we just¡ª¡± ¡°She¡¯ll want to know a World Walker¡¯s in the village.¡± Rolling her eyes, Eve led Olive forward into the village, the others following. Old, mostly run-down huts dotted the landscape. Built in haphazard rows, foundations of black stone set deep within the ground keeping the rotting wood on top still standing. Weathered paint chipped off in large flecks, each building the same sun bleached yellow. Some of the homes had shattered windows and sagging roofs, others radiated warmth and smelled of cooking breakfast. Orcs and short men and women sat on porches, smoking pipes or staring out past the tree line. Through the woods, a blue-green lake stretched into the distance. Surrounded by a black cliff face of stone, Luka remembered Franky mentioning a filled quarry. Eve pulled the group to a stop in front of the only building made entirely of stone. Two stories and built like a fortress, Emberwood¡¯s courthouse and jail was marked by a chiseled sign near the front entrance. Luka frowned at the words. ¡°Why can I read that?¡± ¡°More World Walker magic, I¡¯m sure,¡± Frany said. ¡°It¡¯d be dumb for the goddess to send you here without blessing you with universal translation.¡± He opened his mouth to ask another question, but an elderly orcish man pushed open the door of the courthouse. Wearing sleeveless robes and carrying a watering can, the man paused at the trio of mounts and their riders. ¡°Is the mayor in?¡± ¡°She¡¯s with the kids by the lake. The boys are getting pretty competitive about swimming, it seems that¡¯s all they¡¯re wanting to do lately.¡± ¡°Thanks Ben!¡± Franky waved to the man, prompting Eve to do so as well. They resumed walking, past the courthouse and toward the lake. ¡°That¡¯s our local judge, not that he practices much anymore,¡± Eve said. ¡°Not much crime around here.¡± The road opened wide, separating the homes from one another. The black pebbles lining the grass increased, and soon they were walking strictly on stone and weeds. They passed more short people and orcs, and another humanoid made of sticks and vines. ¡°Anyway,¡± she continued, ¡°back to magic. Everyone sees magic differently. For example, I see little birds budding off of magical items or nesting in the magic itself. That¡¯s why I have bird tattoos, they¡¯re a part of me, literally. Franky sees weird growths.¡± She flexed her arm, showing off her ink. ¡°Growths?¡± Luka asked with a hint of worry. ¡°Tiny mushrooms,¡± answered the bald orc. He waved his hand, a few of Sebby¡¯s hairs stuck to his green skin. ¡°¡¯Growths¡¯ sounds bad and it¡¯s unfortunate my magical glades developed when they did. I was a youngster harvesting mushrooms out in the deep woods, and for some reason, the imagery stuck.¡± ¡°Uh huh¡­¡± ¡°Do you see anything?¡± Eve asked. ¡°Maybe around your peripheral vision?¡± Luka tried to look. ¡°Yeah. I see¡­ strands? Threads? Hairs? I don¡¯t know what they are, but they get in the way sometimes.¡± ¡°That sounds like magic. Don¡¯t worry about them getting in the way, that happens all the time for novices. You¡¯ll get used to them and learn to control them like a third hand.¡± Franky snorted. ¡°Once Eve tripped down a set of stairs because her birds were ¡®nesting along the floorboards.¡¯¡± His sister glared. ¡°And once Franky sliced off his thumb peeling carrots. Our aunt had to reconnect it while he screamed about how the ¡®mushrooms were growing in his bones!¡¯¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Luka didn¡¯t hide the look of horror plastered across his face. Sebby, likewise, was looking strangely at his rider. ¡°Hey! I thought we said we¡¯d never talk about¡ª¡± ¡°And I thought you understood that falling down the stairs is something all novices of the magical arts have to go through! And yet, you still bring it up trying to embarrass me!¡± ¡°If everyone does it, why is it embarrassing?¡± ¡°Because¡ª¡± Her jaw creaked like a rusty gate. ¡°Because it just is! Especially in front of a World Walker! You¡¯re scaring him!¡± Franky clamped his mouth closed, glancing at Luka. ¡°Are we?¡± he asked after a second. Luka shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure, actually. Is this all even real?¡± The siblings shared a glance. ¡°It¡¯s real.¡± ¡°We¡¯re real.¡± He wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m in a hospital bed dying of infection. Maybe this is a fever dream.¡± Eve¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°You know, there¡¯s a saying about World Walkers: ¡®They have panic attacks for the first two days and slay a dragon on the third.¡¯¡± He stared blankly. ¡°It means, the first few days are rough for everyone, then the sky¡¯s the limit.¡± Luka straightened his back and adjusted his grip on the reins. ¡°I got it. Don¡¯t, uh, worry about me.¡± Franky jumped in, saying, ¡°The goddess wouldn¡¯t put you here if she didn¡¯t think you could handle it. World Walkers are great people.¡± ¡°I think I hurt people,¡± he whispered. ¡°What?¡± Luka didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t remember most of my life. And yet, I know I didn¡¯t deserve to be reincarnated here. I¡¯m no one great.¡± Eve patted him on the knee. ¡°Trust in the gods, Luka.¡± ¡°Faith, huh? Not really my thing.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Trust in yourself, then. I¡¯ve never been a pious one either.¡± The wolf pup growled, his head drooping. Franky translated, ¡°¡¯Stop being upset,¡¯ he says.¡± Rubbing the beast¡¯s snow white mane, Luka said, ¡°I¡¯m not upset¡ªjust scared. Thanks buddy.¡± Soon the group traveled down a slope, arriving at a broken section of the cliff. Perfectly chiseled into the black stone, a staircase led down to a wide landing and lakeside beach. Rounded stones took the place of sand, and large hexagonal basalt columns lined the verticality of the cliff face. People gathered at the top of the stairs, jumping off into the waters or lounging in the sun. ¡°This isn¡¯t a natural formation, right?¡± Luka asked. Eve answered, ¡°Nope! All magical. Who¡¯d cut stone by hand when there¡¯s perfectly good glyphs to do it for you?¡± ¡°Are glyphs like¡­ spells?¡± ¡°Later,¡± she promised. ¡°Right now we¡¯ve got an important meeting, Mr. World Walker.¡± Before them was a band of preteens. Orcs, green and red, leaped from the cliff, flattening themselves out and landing in the water belly first. They disappeared under the gentle waves, reappearing smiling and laughing. Next, a few particularly short kids dove in, jumping the orcs already in the water. They devolved into a mosh pit of dunking, each ganging up on whichever kid was ¡°it.¡± A group of girls sat together, their feet in the water. They took turns braiding each other¡¯s hair with golden rings and ivory sticks woven throughout. But, unfortunately for them, one of the boys splashed them. After a declaration of war, the girls dove into the water, content with rehashing old school-yard wounds. They didn¡¯t so much as notice Luka and the others approaching. Sitting at a picnic table a dozen paces from the cliff edge, an elderly orcish woman sat reading a book. Her once fiery red hair bloomed from her roots like the leaves of the emberwood tree, graying toward the tips. The wind blew against her back, the cold lake air bristling against her worn leather robes and jewelry mounted with bones and gems. Age removed her muscles, but a piercing through the bridge of her nose kept her looking fierce. She looked up, sliding a pair of glasses on with elegant ease¡ªthe piercing not in the way. She scrunched her face. ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± she asked. ¡°Hey, Mayor Tram,¡± Franky said, slowing Sebby to a stop. ¡°This is Luka.¡± She stiffened at her title and gave Luka a hesitant glance. ¡°And what is he trying to sell us?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Eve jumped in. ¡°This is Luka from the planet called Ear-ath.¡± The mayor¡¯s eyes widened as Luka muttered the correct name for his home world. ¡°He¡¯s a World Walker if that wasn¡¯t clear¡ª¡± ¡°I got it!¡± she snapped before flushing all hostilities. Tram took a deep breath, then closed her book gently. She pressed her hands together and dipped her chin. ¡°Hello, World Walker Luka.¡± Luka repeated the gesture, ¡°Hello, Mayor Tram.¡± ¡°Just Tram is fine.¡± ¡°Then just Luka is fine as well.¡± She gave him a once over. ¡°How old are you?¡± Franky leaned over. ¡°She means ¡®how old are you in this world,¡¯ not your actual age.¡± Luka gave a shrug. ¡°An hour, maybe? Unless you count the time with the goddess.¡± Tram nodded absentmindedly. ¡°Which goddess?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she said her name. She was big, made of light, and kept using her hair to do magic¡­ I think.¡± ¡°Sounds like Goddess Tippy.¡± To punctuate the mayor¡¯s words, a butterfly landed on her nose. She froze, her jaw going slack as she stared at the bug perched on her piercing. It then took off, a trail of motes of glittering light following its wake. Luka looked between the orcs, finding Eve and Franky likewise frozen. Even Sebby and Leo watched the butterfly go, their tails tucked between their legs in submission. Olive the emu, however, was looking the opposite way, happy as a clam. Tram loudly swallowed, clearing her throat. ¡°Looks like it was Goddess Tippy.¡± She then stood and stretched out a hand to Luka. He took it and shook, causing her eyebrows to hike-up. ¡°Is this some sort of greeting from your world? I was just trying to help you down.¡± Luka turned red. ¡°That was a handshake, yeah. And I think I can get myself down, I hope.¡± Leo snorted, dropping to his belly to give his rider a fighting chance. Beside them, Eve and Franky dismounted easily, their boots crunching into the pebble gravel. Soon enough, they all sat around the table, Eve explaining the events of the last hour. Luka traced Tram¡¯s blotted tattoos, each one curling around her knuckles like a prizefighter¡¯s tape before a cage match. He recognized the ink as a word, one that stretched across both hands. They read ¡°humble orc.¡± ¡°Gonna stare at me all day?¡± she suddenly asked. He sputtered, looking off to the side and finding the kids watching from a safe distance. ¡°I¡ª¡± Tram burst out laughing. ¡°Humans!¡± she sang, ¡°Even from another world they¡¯re all the same! Nosey!¡± Luka wasn¡¯t impressed. The siblings were. A tiny hand stopped the giggles. A girl no taller than Franky¡¯s knee pulled at the hem of Luka¡¯s shirt. She had the face of a living wooden doll, a pail grain moving with her bark lips and mossy eyebrows. She was covered in leaves and vines, the shrubbery making up her clothes, perhaps even her skin. Tears made of sap welled in her eyes. ¡°Mr. World Walker human,¡± she cried, ¡°c-can you fix Mr. Sticky?¡± She thrust out a humanoid doll made of carved wood¡ªone that looked strikingly similar to the girl holding it. In one hand was the doll¡¯s main section, the other held a broken-off leg. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Luka couldn¡¯t finish the sentence, the girl interrupting. ¡°My m-mom used to tell me about World Walkers before she died! They always have powerful m-magic! Can y-you heal Mr. Sticky!?¡± Mayor Tram kneeled down. ¡°Now, now, Nicole. Luka here just arrived on this world. Before he can do any magic, he has to have enough time to practice, right?¡± The girl, Nicole, wiped away tears. ¡°B-but Mr. Stick!¡± Something burning caught in Luka¡¯s chest. It itched beside his heart, and he almost flinched trying to scratch it. But movement in the sky stopped him. He spotted the glittering motes of light the butterfly had summoned. A message from the goddess to help, he recognized. But what was he supposed to do about a broken doll? Goddess Tippy, if she was so powerful, should help the kid¡ª The itch moved, barreling up his throat and into his mouth. His spit turned to tar, and the whiff of rotten milk flooded his nose. The itch moved higher, reaching his eyes and causing the strands of magic circling his vision to glow. They wagged like on fire, begging Luka to put them out¡ªto use them. An image of roaring flames came to him in the back of his mind. Buildings crumbled in seconds, blown apart by hellfire. Memories, he recognized, but ones he couldn¡¯t fit amongst his others. The butterfly landed on his head, and the flames subsided. As everyone stared at it, Luka said, ¡°I was an engineer on Earth. Let me see Mr. Sticky, I¡¯ll try my best to fix him.¡± Nicole let him take the doll. Around, the other children inched closer until they were surrounding the table on all sides. One yelled something about ¡°resurrecting¡± the doll, only to get twenty shushes in response¡ªone for each of the kids.¡± Luka ignored them, his vision swirling with glowing strands of hair. He thought back; what was the chemical process of making glue? Maybe he could find a natural forming variety? Maybe even¡ª He stopped himself, the strands urging a different solution¡ªa magical one. What had Goddess Tippy said again? He could create anything so long as he had the material and created happiness. ¡°Would fixing Mr. Sticky make you happy, Nicole?¡± he asked, already knowing the answer. ¡°Yes!¡± she answered instantly. ¡°He was a gift from my parents before they died! He¡¯s my only family left!¡± Across the table, Eve whispered, ¡°Luka you don¡¯t have to¡ª¡± He held up his hand. ¡°Walk me through this magic thing, please.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just make magic work. You need spell practice and glyph knowledge.¡± She let out a silent sigh. ¡°It¡¯s not going to work. I¡¯ll go get my aunt. She¡¯ll fix it.¡± Luka bit his lip. ¡°I¡¯m a World Walker, remember? A goddess put me here. She gave me clothes, she gifted me magic.¡± He looked at her. ¡°She made it so I met you and your brother, and she knew Nicole would ask me to fix Mr. Sticky.¡± Eve just stared. He fiddled with the doll, matching the broken leg against the snapped thigh. ¡°I think I already know the spell. I just don¡¯t know how to activate it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still the prerequisites.¡± ¡°All reached, I think.¡± ¡°Then you just do it. Orcs just follow their instincts to do magic. Humans usually have a formula or ritual. I don¡¯t know if that matters for you.¡± Eve gritted her teeth. ¡°I just¡­ I don¡¯t know, okay? I just trust my birds to fly me to the best outcome!¡± Focusing on the strands, Luka watched them elongate and thicken. Warmth jutted through his body like a hot drink on a cold day. It itched, but far from the terrible itching before. It was gentle, it was nice. It was like Goddess Tippy¡¯s radiance as they viewed the world together. She cast magic without rituals or formulas, why couldn¡¯t he? The strands caught the doll, raising it from his hands. He guided them around its broken leg and thigh, holding them in place together. Luka then reached out and touched Nicole¡¯s cheek, gathering a sappy tear on his finger. He then glanced at a twig on the ground, snatching it with a red-hot strand of magic. The twig hovered to the doll, and Luka smeared Nicole¡¯s tear into the break. The twig bent and contorted, flattening like putty and filling the cracks. He then wrapped the doll¡¯s leg in his magic, holding it in place for the sap to set. When he was finished, Mr. Sticky rested in his hand, his leg completely smooth. Chapter 4: Mr. Sticky Standing around a picnic table, Luka wasn¡¯t the only one staring at the wooden doll with their eyes open wide. He rubbed his finger over its leg, finding a thin band of miscolored wood that could easily be written off as an oddity within the grain. ¡°You fixed it!¡± Eve¡¯s voice came out fluttery. ¡°How¡¯d you do that!?¡± Luka held the doll out, giving it gently to its owner. ¡°Here Nicole. Make sure you¡¯re careful with him.¡± The little girl made of sticks and leaves snatched it from him with the speed of a lightning bolt, clutching it to her chest. Sappy tears welled in her eyes, but she kept them from falling. Spinning on her heel, she muttered ¡°thanks¡± and ran off¡ªher friends following close behind, mobbing her with questions. ¡°Well. I thought I¡¯d seen it all,¡± Mayor Tram quietly whispered. ¡°I guess what they say about World Walkers is true.¡± Frowning, Luka said, ¡°I¡¯m nothing special.¡± ¡°Spoken like a true mystic.¡± ¡°A what?¡± Eve answered after composing herself, ¡°A mystic is the orcish equivalent to a human wizard¡ªsomeone who¡¯s in tune with magic on a fundamental level, bypassing simple ¡®instinct¡¯ when casting spells.¡± ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± She made a face. Yes, yes of course it was. ¡°Right¡­¡± Luka trailed off, a wet nose bumping him in the back. He turned, only to receive a mighty lick from the brutish almost-adult puppy. ¡°Thanks, bud,¡± he muttered, whipping a layer of spit away. A few kids meandered about, stealing glances at the World Walker and giggling to themselves. Tram brushed her hands out like a broom, yelling, ¡°Shoo! Shoo! I¡¯m not going to sit out here if you all aren¡¯t going to play in the lake!¡± The kids gasped and rushed to the water. ¡°Now then,¡± she said returning focus to the table, ¡°Do you have a place to stay yet? And do you think you can fix a few things around the village, tools and the like?¡± ¡°He¡¯s staying with us,¡± Franky declared. ¡°We¡¯ve got plenty of room at the bar.¡± ¡°And,¡± Eve quickly jumped in, ¡°you know it¡¯s rude to ask magic-users to do unpaid work. Either pay him to fix the tools or have someone run to Sneerhome and get them fixed there.¡± She locked eyes with Luka. ¡°Do not let people take advantage of your magic. Even if it¡¯s easy for you. Start with a few complimentary things, and soon the village will ask you to find ore in a dried up mine.¡± Anger flashed across Tram¡¯s brow before her age took over and smothered it. ¡°Eve¡­ there¡¯s more to the mine¡ª¡± The orc with the birdy tattoos raised a hand, stopping the mayor. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it. Just pay him if he helps the village.¡± Luka looked between the two women and Franky¡ªwho had his mouth pinched tight. History of some sort? Maybe a grudge? He decided to change the subject. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to do something like that again.¡± Tram took a deep breath, straightening her crooked posture. ¡°Nonsense! Once a mystic, always a mystic!¡± She turned to Eve. ¡°I think your aunt could help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Franky muttered. ¡°Well, when word of Nicole¡¯s doll being fixed spreads through the village, Luka¡¯s magic is going to be in demand. People, of course, will pay for his services. And if they don¡¯t, Emberwood has an annual budget for repairs. The issue, however, will be his lack of experience. Sol¡¯s advice would be welcome, I¡¯m sure.¡± Eve grunted. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need her advice when I¡¯m sitting right here.¡± Tram raised an eyebrow, slowly shaking her head. ¡°Are you two really that much of cowards? A newborn World Walker showed up in your workplace, and you won¡¯t take him to the person with the most magical knowledge from here all the way to Oak point? Disappointing, really.¡± ¡°Newborn?¡± Luka purposefully asked before the siblings could answer. Whoever their aunt was, he didn¡¯t need to talk to her if they had such reservations about her. ¡°Newborn, yes. Something wrong?¡± ¡°I was rather old back on Earth.¡± Waving him off, Tram said, ¡°Reincarnation hardly makes you the same age as before. What would be the point?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of any of this?¡± he countered. Eve cleared her throat. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s come to terms with this whole ¡®World Walker¡¯ thing.¡± Franky quickly said, ¡°It has only been an hour.¡± Tram slammed her hands onto the table, startling everyone. ¡°Alright, boy-o, listen up! This world is large, loud, and full of good people! Whatever you were in your previous life is gone. You can rebuild it if you want, or you can try something new. That magic of yours is going to open plenty of doors, so take it slow. Stop and smell the emberlilies. Understand?¡± Luka said, ¡°That¡¯s practically what the goddess said.¡± She slipped her fingers along the pages of her book, furling them like a deck of cards. ¡°Goddess Tippy. Always refer to them by name, there¡¯s more than one and it''s best to be respectful.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± He glanced around for the butterfly. ¡°No need to apologize. Everything must be confusing and strange. So, now is the time to ask. For the next few minutes, no question is rude, no question is taboo. Anything we discuss won¡¯t be mentioned by anyone here ever again. So, ask away.¡± Luka hesitated, eventually asking, ¡°What is Nicole? I saw a few wood-people in the village but I don¡¯t¡ª Tram raised a hand. ¡°Say no more. The race is called dryad. They live mostly in forests, growing with sunlight and water. Nicole hasn¡¯t even lost her leaves yet, the poor thing.¡± ¡°Also,¡± Franky said, his golden ringed tusks shimmering in the light, ¡°don¡¯t call them wood-people. It¡¯s rude.¡± ¡°O-okay? What about orcs? Green and red?¡± Giving a single, loud laugh, Tram said, ¡°Correct! Our skin color denotes which original tribe we descended from. No one¡¯s sure which tribe was first, but they battle for the title every century or so. Right now, us greens are the first tribe.¡± ¡°Any differences except tribes?¡± ¡°Just bragging rights if your tribe is first.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°And the other races in the village?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see, we have a lot of orcs, a few dwarves, an elderly gnomish couple, a drake, and some dryads. Once we had an elemental, but she moved away with the mine closing.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°No humans?¡± ¡°No humans or elves. They like their big cities, them.¡± ¡°Any other races?¡± Tram made a fluttering noise with her lips. ¡°Too many to name, and too many to remember. Your world have any undead races?¡± Luka recoiled. ¡°Just humans¡­¡± ¡°Ah, a shame. Undead make great late-night conversationalists¡ªdon¡¯t have to sleep, them.¡± Eve jumped in. ¡°Rule of thumb when it comes to races, just treat everyone the same. Anyone around here is mostly similar, it''s not until you get out to the demon continents that the typical characteristics stop applying.¡± ¡°Except for elementals,¡± Franky said, ¡°they¡¯re rather strange the first time you see each of the variants.¡± Luka massaged his temples. Tram sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about races. I doubt you¡¯ll be tricked into selling your name to a fey any time soon.¡± He looked at her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Eh, don¡¯t worry about it. Any other questions?¡± ¡°Nicole said her parents died.¡± The temperature around the table seemed to die. ¡°That they did, a shame. All the kids, actually, even Eve and Franky here. Orphans, all of them. The mine collapsed when the ore dried up, taking everyone with it. At the time, it was decided they¡¯d blast through the dead ends to expand the caves.¡± ¡°It only brought death,¡± Franky muttered, turning away and staring at the water. ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Luka said darkly. ¡°Luckily, they have each other and the village. We all look out for them, and each other.¡± They watched a small orcish boy leap from the stone cliff, landing in the water with a big splash. His friend jumped in after him, then another, and another. ¡°They love the water,¡± Tram said. ¡°It¡¯s a place they can all play together.¡± Her words sparked something in Luka. Memories of his father and mother taking him to the local river flooded his mind, especially how they smiled while complaining about all the steps to reach the top of the only slide. And for a parent, no number of steps would get in the way of watching their kid make everlasting memories. A familiar itch appeared in Luka¡¯s chest¡ªa gentle warmth, like a cozy blanket on a rainy day. An idea sparked in his mind, along with the magic to do it. Orphaned children that loved the lake? Well, why not make them a slide? Why not allow them to create their own everlasting memories? What would he need? Fiberglass, molding, metal for scaffolding¡­ No, that wasn¡¯t right. He had magic, he had plenty of stone¡ªthere was an entire quarry of it¡ªand there was already the topography for a slide. A cliff is as good as any natural scaffolding, right? Not noticing the conversation went dead, Luka stood from the picnic table, everyone else abruptly doing the same. They watched him silently walk over to the cliff, his eyes locked on the basalt hexagonal columns that surrounded the water. ¡°Luka?¡± Eve asked, her words not reaching. A group of kids held onto a stone ledge, kicking their feet and splashing water like a speedboat. A duo gulped water into their puffy cheeks, spitting jets at each other through their front teeth. A few watched the World Walker cautiously, others skipped stones. Yeah, Luka decided. I could do it. ¡°Hey Eve? You think the kids would like a big slide?¡± She stepped beside him, the others waiting back a little. ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®slide¡¯ in this context?¡± Luka squinted at her. ¡°You sit on it, and slide down. You know, a slide.¡± ¡°We used to sit on hills after it snowed and slide down, but that was before we moved to Emberwood. Is a ¡®slide¡¯ something from your world?¡± ¡°Yeah, and big communal swimming areas and plastic tubes that you could float on. People would climb a hundred steps just to slide to the bottom and splash into the pools below.¡± ¡°Sounds fun!¡± Franky yelled from behind. ¡°It was.¡± Luka shook his head. ¡°It is. I think the kids would like it. I¡¯m¡­ going to make one.¡± Tram asked, ¡°Planning to do some more magic?¡± Strands of hair parsed the periphery of his vision, highlighting sections of rock. ¡°Yes,¡± he answered as the strands helped solidify the plans in his mind. He¡¯d need to make it safe. Stone was as good as material as any, as long as it was slick. Heavy, sure, but it wouldn¡¯t easily break. But if a kid slipped and hit their head? He grit his teeth¡ªthe kids weren¡¯t allowed in the water without an adult present, the same rule would have to apply to the slide. He could build the foundation up, add a little staircase leading to the top? More stone would have to be used, and maybe that was a little ambitious if he was being honest. The drop from the cliff was good enough for now. ¡°I can work with this,¡± he muttered to himself. The blueprint was set in his mind, all he needed to¡­ do¡­ was¡­ His magical strands burrowed into the stone, digging through them without so much as a second thought. Rock sheared away, layer after layer like a milling machine, chiseling a perfect slope. Dust and bits fell away, avalanching into the water. The kids dove out of the way, giggling about the ¡°World Walker¡¯s attack,¡± despite Luka making sure no one would be hit. The kids regrouped in the water, treading to keep afloat. Battle plans were brought up, but quickly discarded as they realized just what he was doing. Three designs carved into the stone. First, a gentle slope directly from the top of the cliff down. Luka controlled his magic to add some stone dust near the bottom, solidifying it back into solid stone for a gliding slide into the water. Luka grunted at the sight of recreating stone. No insane heat necessary, no complicated molecular structures. He just wanted it to happen, so it did¡ªjust like with Mr. Sticky. The second design waved up and down like rolling hills, ending with a flared landing that eased the rider into the water. The third dropped at a low angle, ending a meter above the water. The strands continued to mill away, polishing the stone until it glimmered in the early morning sun. ¡°And done,¡± Luka said after a few minutes, finding a group of gawking adult orcs and a mishmash of equally gawking children. They looked at him. He looked at them. Together, everyone looked at the slides. ¡°You just¡ª¡° ¡°How did¡ª¡± ¡°So much for the pretty water line.¡± Luka looked at the last speaker¡ªTram. She was smiling. He smiled himself and said, ¡°I can replace the cliff, that¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°Eh, I¡¯ll get used to it!¡± Shrugging, he stepped onto the landing at the top of the three slides. He stomped around, testing for¡­ something, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure what if he was being honest. It seemed solid, it didn¡¯t feel like it was going to break or crack. He¡¯d have to test it¡ªfor safety, not because he wanted to¡­ But first, a problem. ¡°It¡¯s not as slick as I wanted.¡± He thought back to the water parks of Earth. ¡°We need a stream of water up here, something to wet the rock and push the kids down.¡± But how was he going to do that? Pumps? Could he figure out a way to¡­ magic a pump? Seemed unlikely when he thought about electricity and drive shafts. Materials would be easy enough to gather, the issue would be powering and designing it. Steam engine? Water wheel and mechanical actuation? ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Luka?¡± Eve asked, kicking her boot and knocking off some black dust. ¡°I need a way to bring water up here continuously. Maybe we could cultivate some moss? Wet it every time the kids want to slide?¡± She looked at him strangely. ¡°Your first thought is waterlogged moss and not magic?¡± Luka shrugged. ¡°No magic on Earth, remember?¡± She conceded the point, crouching down at the stop of the slides. Removing an odd short quill from her pocket, she scratched the top of the rockwork lightly. Marks etched deep, carving deep with thick, ethereal patterns. She drew squiggles encircled by, well, a circle, and plenty of strange alphabetic lettering. When she finished, she stepped back and the glyph glowed before fading to black. Against the dark stone, the glyph was hard to see, but it was no doubt there, like a tattoo or an impression in the dirt. ¡°And done!¡± Eve said, copying Luka¡¯s own words. ¡°That¡¯s an infinite water glyph.¡± At her words, a bubble of water breached the center of the circle, then another, and another. Liquid pooled, touching every edge of the etching before popping and spilling out across the rockwork. More and more water spilled from the glyph, eventually spraying out like a leaky lawn sprinkler. Water fell down the slide, waterfalling down the slope or up and over the wavy drop offs. ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± Luka said, feeling like his own magic paled in comparison. Infinite water? That¡¯s something of myth, as far as Earth was concerned. He looked at Eve, wondering just how many hours she spent practicing¡ª ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a basic glyph. I learned how to draw it when I was still a toddler.¡± Luka blinked. Behind, Tram scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s amazed by a glyph yet doesn¡¯t bat an eye at his own terraforming magic? What kind of backward planet did you come from?¡± Franky gasped. ¡°Mayor! Don¡¯t be rude!¡± ¡°Rude? Do you know how miserable my life is going to be now? The children are never going to want to leave this place.¡± Despite the elderly orc¡¯s words, a large smile never left her face. Luka slipped off a boot. ¡°Only one thing left to do,¡± he announced. ¡°Test it.¡± After taking off magically softened socks, he pushed himself over the edge, letting gravity take over. He splashed into the water as all the kids cheered, and for the first time since coming to this world, he understood what ¡°creating happiness¡± meant. Chapter 5: A Few More of them Glyphs? Sibling gods stood in their heavenly domain overseeing the world¡¯s latest World Walker. Time froze as they watched Luka¡¯s magic in action, both critiquing the ins and outs of how his ¡°fabrication magic¡± worked. ¡°Oddly enough, Tutiantian¡¯s Law doesn¡¯t apply to his magic,¡± God Rion said, flipping through a tome twice his size, studying the ancient law. ¡°I think that means most, if not all, of modern-day magic theory needs to be reevaluated.¡± He snapped the book close. ¡°Neb¡¯s going to kill us.¡± Goddess Tippy rolled her eyes, slowly allowing time to rekindle. Luka sat on his butt, inching himself down the slide. ¡°I¡¯m sure Neb¡¯s known about the issue¡ªhe tutored Tutiantian personally, remember?¡± ¡°Did he? Why didn¡¯t he correct such a blatant error?¡± ¡°Who¡¯d have thought one of ¡®us¡¯ would give a mortal fabrication magic?¡± Rion regarded his sister. ¡°You did. After you spouted off about world-stagnation.¡± ¡°And I¡¯d do it again.¡± He turned away, finding the human in question skid across a waterfall and into the lake. ¡°And I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still committed. I think you¡¯ll have to add more limitations to his magic, however. Less we want the others to notice too soon.¡± Tippy reversed time, highlighting the orc, Eve, carving a glyph. Quietly, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not adding or removing anything. His magic is the way I want it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to make concessions somewhere. Even as a good engineer, he¡¯s going to mess something up sooner or later. Safeguarding now will help in the long run.¡± She reversed a bit further, finding the child dryad, Nicole, holding a broken doll. She let time play until Luka fixed it, freezing it on the girl¡¯s smile. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m not changing how his magic works. I¡¯ll just bless the children. Can¡¯t have any of them drowning on us.¡± Goddess Tippy¡¯s eyes glowed bright white. ¡°And done.¡± Rion crossed his arms. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of blessings. What about in the future? Surely Luka¡¯s not only going to fabricate stuff for the children.¡± ¡°I¡­ I have some favors I can call in. I¡¯ll have Sonyettia teach me to bless areas, not just people.¡± ¡°Just a band aid fix. But still, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re such a good goddess.¡± ¡°Stop that.¡± ¡°Stop what?¡± ¡°Stop trying to flatter me. I¡¯m still mad at you from the last time.¡± God Rion snorted, a puff of flames bursting from his nostrils. ¡°That was nearly six centuries ago. I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± She smacked her lips, the sound echoing throughout the heavens. ¡°Apology accepted, not that I remember what exactly you did. And yes, I know it¡¯s a short term fix. I think I¡¯m going to be fixing leaks for a while with him, so anything is worth pursuing.¡± Flexing his wrist, Rion cast a spell on time-frozen Luka, expanding the mortal¡¯s mind. Around, personal memories of Earth materialized, along with Luka¡¯s thoughts. Various types of glues surrounded the gods, along with wood-sanding techniques. But, in the distance, a door made of golden-white chains loomed. Dark mist spilled from the gaps, and dangerous memories bounded around inside, bulging at the seams. They were Luka¡¯s sealed memories, the life experiences that drove him to a drunken grave. ¡°His darkness wants out,¡± Rion said, staring at the door. ¡°And your seal doesn¡¯t look strong enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been the best at sealing magic,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe I can call in another favor to get lessons in that as well.¡± The god bit his lip. ¡°Soon rather than later, it''s going to crack open. Are you prepared for that?¡± If Tippy¡¯s divine body could breathe, she¡¯d have taken a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about that. If he comes to one of my shrines, I might just unseal them for him. He¡¯ll have to ask, however. I won¡¯t do it without his input.¡± ¡°And if the memories kill him?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just hope he creates a good enough foundation for himself in Emberwood. He¡¯s already made a few friends.¡± ¡°We could always pull him from oblivion again.¡± Tippy threw out an arm, banishing Luka¡¯s materialized brain. ¡°No. If he dies, he dies. I¡¯m not sadistic enough to force him to live a third life.¡± Rion sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s hope things don¡¯t come to that.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± *** Bubbles poured from Luka¡¯s nose, flipping and streaming straight up. He waved his arms circularly, keeping his tired body under the crisp cool lake water. With his eyes open, he looked up at the surface of the water, finding the sun¡¯s golden shimmering light breaking through the rough waves of his splash. What did Eve say about World Walkers? That they often had panic attacks their first days in this world? He tasted the water. It was earthy, a slight mineral taste, like the rocks he¡¯d stick in his mouth as a kid. So much had happened in the short time he¡¯d been in this world. A goddess, reincarnation, orcs, dire-wolves¡­ magic. Luka knew he was present for all of it, but was he really? Stuff was happening to him and he¡¯d hardly questioned it. Maybe he was in a coma or lying in a hospital bed with a deadly fever. But then again, maybe not. He sipped the water again¡ªyep, still minerally. It hung in his mind, his indifference. His memories were gone, the important ones, at least. Just who was he? Why did the goddess feel the need to seal them away? What could be so bad that she didn¡¯t trust him with them? He was in a new world, and yet, his thoughts kept that from him. What a miserable existence, he thought, his eyes dropping from the golden light peeking through the waves to the darkness at the bottom of the lake. It¡¯d be easy to just sink. Too easy. He tasted the water again, drawing a bit more into his mouth¡ªinto his lungs. Nicole, the little dryad, came to mind and her bounding cluster of orphan friends. He hoped the slide would ease some of their pain, at least temporarily. He could create more things for them, more happiness. But for that, he¡¯d need to breathe. A hitch stumbled through his chest¡ªthe lack of air. He flailed, pushing himself to the golden light above the water. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He couldn¡¯t do anything about the kids¡¯ parents, so what could he do? Better living conditions? He didn¡¯t even know what their houses looked like. Maybe games? Entertainment? No electricity meant no video games, a shame Luka thought. Maybe he could just steal Earth¡¯s most popular; chess, go, shogi. What was popular with kids on Earth? The question didn¡¯t stir anything in his memories. Did he have kids? Were there little Lukas stumbling around without their father? He breached the water, sucking in a rough breath and spitting out a wet cough. He couldn¡¯t remember, was there something he could do about that? The sight of the kids watching him surface pulled his thoughts back to them. What else was there? A playland, gym equipment, balls of various sorts. They seemed pretty hyper, maybe a place to extrude some excess energy¡­ Sure. That was a good idea, right? He could do that. And with magic, he could make it awesome¡ªa place they could go for years. Maybe he could even convince Eve to hook up some water glyphs and make a splash pad¡­ A splash pad, really? He tossed out that idea, but not after following it. A water park. Slides, pools, wave generators. What else? Diving boards, trampolines? Trampoline parks? Bouncy stuff. Those were always fun, right? Maybe something that spins? Hell, maybe even a rollercoaster. A howl broke his trance. Looking up the slide, Luka found Leo the almost adult puppy dire-wolf with his nose in the air. The wolf then sniffed the slide, stepping a single paw into the water gushing from the water glyph. He found Luka treading water, and fully stepped onto the slide. The slick polished stone pushed the beast past the point of no return, throwing him down the causeway. Luka¡¯s eyes went wide and he dove down, kicking his feet to out run the hulking wolf hurtling toward him. Leo splashed on top of him with the deafening boom of a belly flop and a miniature tsunami wave. Bubbles split the cool water as Leo peddled his way to the surface, where he sat treading, his fur waterlogged. Surfacing beside the beast, Luka found the wolf¡¯s lips curled back smugly. Leo barked, quick and prideful. Somehow, despite only knowing him for an hour, Luka understood exactly what Leo said. ¡°See? I can do it too!¡± Luka patted him. ¡°I never doubted you.¡± Content with that, they paddled to shore¡ªat least, until a bumbling screech sounded from up the cliff. At the top of the slide, Olive the dire-emu stuck her long spindly legs into the rushing water, dipping over the point of no return. The current took her, dropping her down the wavy slide as she flailed her flightless wings. Squawking with panic, she crashed into the lake, her feather tripling in weight from water. Then, like something out of a show Luka would watch as a child, Olive climbed out of the water, and sprinted to shore, shaking her feathers as she did. ¡°How¡ª¡± Leo barked, the message coming across. ¡°Magic.¡± Spotting a soft glow from Olive¡¯s saddle, Luka identified a script language highlighted in silvery-blue radiance. Maybe another glyph of some sort? Maybe an enchantment? Getting back on dry land, Leo shook-out his coat¡ªdirectly onto Luka. Covering his face, the World Walker spotted Franky quietly whispering to Sebby not to go down the slide. Sebby didn¡¯t listen, and threw himself down the stonework. Tram¡¯s voice cut through the splash. ¡°Remember when I mentioned how miserable my life is watching these brats? I think you just doubled it.¡± Luka paused, wringing out his shirt to look at her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can help. Not like I have anything better to do.¡± The hardened fa?ade Tram wore broke apart like ice on the first day of spring. ¡°That¡¯s some creation you just magicked.¡± ¡°Can we try!?¡± one of the kids, a brave one, asked. With stubby legs and a five o¡¯clock shadow, Luka recognized him as a young dwarf. And while surprising to see a kid with facial hair, Luka was more surprised that the question was directed at him. ¡°Sure,¡± he said slowly, glancing at Tram who subtly nodded. ¡°But there¡¯s going to be some ground rules.¡± ¡°I like ground rules,¡± the dwarven kids said. Then as if they were one and the same, the kids¡¯ eyes slowly opened wider and wider, waiting for the World Walker¡¯s decree. ¡°You can only slide when an adult is present. Only one can slide at a time, and you have to make sure the person in front of you is out of the way and has swam away before going down.¡± That was it right? He looked to the others for help, receiving nothing. ¡°And no fighting.¡± Mechanically, Tram smiled. ¡°And if you break any of these rules, then I get to find a punishment chore for you!¡± A few of the kids broke off, sprinting to the top of the slide. The rest waited for more rules. ¡°And no running near the water!¡± The runners slowed, speed walking as fast as their little legs could handle. Everyone else, including the adults, followed. Luka asked Eve, ¡°Think you can add a few more of those glyphs? I¡¯m worried about friction burns as the polish wears.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she answered, ¡°but I could also teach them to you. Anyone can draw a glyph.¡± That got him thinking. ¡°How do they work?¡± ¡°They pull from the area around it. Here, by the lake and with the humidity, there will always be enough. But out in a desert, you¡¯d have to pray to a god while making the inscriptions. Localized humidity is a very common blessing in some places.¡± Luka fell victim to his own thoughts. Magic was strange. So were the gods. Franky then asked, ¡°What¡¯re you going to do next?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°First you fixed a toy, then you built something amazing. What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°¡¯Amazing?¡¯¡± Luka asked, finding Eve nodding to her brother¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s just a slide.¡± Franky shook his head violently. ¡°No, no it¡¯s not. Maybe to you it¡¯s ¡®just a slide.¡¯ But I¡¯ve never seen anything like it, ever. Especially with how you sheared away the stone. Maybe Mayor Tram¡¯s seen something similar, since she¡¯s so you old¡ª¡± A cranky voice cut him off from a few steps ahead. ¡°I can hear you, you runt!¡± Continuing as if he didn¡¯t hear her, Franky said, ¡°So, what are you going to build next? World Walkers are always a source of something.¡± ¡°Something?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Culture, entertainment, fashion, science,¡± Eve supplied. ¡°Stuff for the rest of the world to build on.¡± ¡°You called yourself an engineer, and the only engineers I know of are from the gnomish universities. Are you going to revolutionize arcspanners and arcanatechnoradiators?¡± Luka shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know what either of those are.¡± The siblings looked at him expectantly. Sighing, he asked ¡°What kind of motors are used in this world? Maybe I could make a quick mockup of a combustion engine and the basics of batteries and electricity.¡± Eve bit her lip. ¡°We have all of that here. Again, the gnomes are our world¡¯s pioneering engineers. They powered autonomous golems with only battery and combustion glyphs years ago. I think they¡¯re working on pocket dimension glyphs nowadays¡ªnot that we get much news out here.¡± Luka made a face. ¡°See what I mean? I¡¯m in engineering, but I don¡¯t have a clue how magic ties into any of it. Unless I¡¯m missing something crucial, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be making any waves anytime soon.¡± Franky said something cheery about the situation, but everyone went silent after. They watched the kids take turns sliding, a few almost landing on top of each other in the water¡ªTram marked them down for punishment chores. Luka thought back to his ideas for helping-out with the kids. ¡°Are there rotational movement glyphs?¡± Eve nodded. ¡°And vertical and horizontal, yes.¡± ¡°Can they move large, heavy¡­ things?¡± ¡°There¡¯s amplification glyphs. Unless you¡¯re trying to rotate a mountain¡ªwhich takes an entire team of glyphcrafters and some specialized enchantments to do¡ªyou¡¯ll be fine.¡± She waited a moment before asking, ¡°Why? Got an idea?¡± Luka spotted Franky watching him from his peripheral vision. ¡°Maybe. But I¡¯d need to explore more about magic and what¡¯s possible before I take anything on.¡± The bald orc¡¯s face split with a smile, his shiny white teeth on full display. ¡°Then let¡¯s get going¡ª ¡°Oh no you¡¯re not!¡± Tram interrupted, yelling over the screams of a kid as she plummeted down the slide. ¡°You three are helping me watch these kids until they get bored of this slide thing! I will not be dealing with this alone today!¡± Luka found dozens of eyes watching him. He gave the kids a smile. ¡°Fine with me. It¡¯d give my clothes¡ªand Leo¡¯s fur¡ªenough time to dry off.¡± Hearing his name, Leo barked. Not hearing his name, Sebby barked. ¡°And Sebby,¡± he added. The dire-wolf preened. A hollow bang rang out¡ªOlive pecked a tree, her eyes locked onto a squirrel hiding for dear life within the leaves. ¡°Get away from it!¡± Eve yelled, stomping over. ¡°We do not peck squirrels!¡± Chapter 6: Toad Luka, along with the other adults, watched the kids run, swim, and slide until their fingers turned to prunes and the sun kissed their skin. And yet, when Tram announced it was time to go, the kids begged and pleaded to stay. ¡°This is your fault,¡± she muttered to Luka. Without so much as looking at her, he yelled, ¡°The Mayor said ten more minutes!¡± The kids exploded into cheers, sprinting back to the slide. ¡°Oh, you brat. You must¡¯ve been a petty child back in your world.¡± Luka gave her a sly smile. ¡°Don¡¯t remember!¡± Tram rolled her eyes, leaning against a stone handrail Luka created with magic. It sat along the edge of the cliff, blocking the kids from falling to their doom. ¡°Everyone thank the World Walker before he goes!¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Are you coming back tomorrow?¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± yelled the kids at the same time. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luka yelled back. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to do, but I¡¯ll try.¡± Satisfied with that, the kids returned their attention to the slide and water. ¡°Seriously, Luka,¡± Tram said, devoid of sarcasm. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen the kids that excited in a while. They hide it well, but they don¡¯t fully understand what¡¯s been taken from them. Days like this¡­¡± She trailed off. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. I just did, well, you saw. Magic. I didn¡¯t even break a sweat.¡± The mayor shook her head softly. ¡°You care, and that¡¯s something most take for granted. Ever since the mine collapsed¡­ Bah, look at me getting ahead of myself. Thank you, World Walker, for a morning of fun.¡± She held out her hand¡ªa handshake. ¡°I hope that I¡¯m doing this gesture right,¡± she said. Luka took her hand and gently pumped it up and down. ¡°Perfectly.¡± A large hand clapped him on the back. ¡°You must be hungry after all that magic,¡± Franky said, his smile wide, showing off his pierced tusks. ¡°You like meat? Do humans eat meat? Or is that elves?¡± ¡°Elves are vegetarians,¡± Eve supplied. ¡°The surface ones at least. Humans eat whatever.¡± Luka felt the need to speak on that. ¡°I do not eat everything.¡± ¡°Of course, of course. We orcs don¡¯t eat everything either¡ªlike emu or wolf.¡± Sebby let out a loose growl. Franky translated, ¡°He says he wouldn¡¯t eat orc or human, either.¡± The wolf made another noise. ¡°Unless they started it¡ªHey!¡± Franky turned on his mount. ¡°You¡¯d eat me if we got in a fight?¡± Sebby yipped. ¡°Not me, but someone else?¡± Another yip. ¡°Okay, fine. Poachers you can eat.¡± The walk back to the village only took a few minutes. With some much needed information, Luka connected the dots as he looked around town. A man sweeping his porch with a broom the size of a ruler¡ªobviously a gnome. A woman the size of a hand flying through windows with hummingbird-like wings¡ªa fairy making deliveries. And now that he was looking for it, the magical strands of hair in his peripheral vision loved to point out magical things in his line of sight. From glowing flowers radiating iridescent light to sections of stone perfectly cut, the strands wrapped themselves where they thought his attention needed to go. ¡°Magical sight does that,¡± Eve explained when he asked about it. ¡°It¡¯s part of your subconscious and a left-over from how people evolved on this world¡ªnot that you were born of this world. Magic¡¯s a tool, but in ancient times, it was also a destructive force. Monsters were around every corner, and it wasn¡¯t until the gods got their footing that things got better.¡± ¡°Goddess Tippy made me a new body to fit this world,¡± Luka supplied. ¡°And what makes magic dangerous? Can people shoot fireballs and cause thunderstorms?¡± She gravely nodded. ¡°Those¡¯re among the safest of the dangerous. There¡¯s still monsters out there¡ªnot here, mind you, Emberwood is very safe¡ªbut fireballs and thunderstorms wouldn¡¯t so much as slow them down. Magic had to evolve to kill, not just cause some lights in the sky and burns.¡± Franky quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about dangerous magic being used on you¡ªunless you really piss someone off.¡± ¡°What about wars?¡± A pang of pain whipped through Luka¡¯s face and out his nose. He grabbed the reins, his knees wobbling in the stirrups. ¡°What the hell?¡± The siblings pulled their mounts to a stop, Leo stopping on his own. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He touched his nostrils, checking for blood. ¡°I thought my nose just started bleeding.¡± ¡°Looks fine to me,¡± Eve said. ¡°You¡¯re probably just hungry. Let¡¯s get an early lunch.¡± They resumed, Franky continuing the conversation, ¡°Anyways, war. There aren¡¯t any, the gods make sure of that with specialized envoys. Murderers and thieves? They¡¯re rare, but happen¡ªthe gods can¡¯t watch everywhere at once. Occasionally the gods host wars when their envoys fail but everyone who fights is blessed and aren¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Emberwood¡¯s as safe as you¡¯ll get.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Luka said as they passed a dryad lady painting on a hide canvas in her front yard. The siblings waved, he did as well. ¡°I could see people being really happy here.¡± ¡°Some are, sure,¡± Eve said after a moment of deliberation. ¡°But there are some, like our boss, Mr. Todd, who aren¡¯t. Since the mine closed money¡¯s been hard to come by. Some care for money, others don¡¯t¡ªlike the dryads.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t care about money?¡± ¡°They get food, water, and shelter from the forest¡ªthey don¡¯t need to buy anything. Most don¡¯t even have houses, they just walk into a tree and sleep for the night. Some have favorite trees and would spend money to make sure it¡¯s healthy.¡± Luka nodded to the lady they just passed. ¡°She has a house.¡± Eve smiled. ¡°That¡¯s not a house, it¡¯s a warehouse for her painting materials. She can¡¯t let the canvases get wet from the rain, otherwise they¡¯d shrink.¡± Franky chimed in, ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean us Emberwoodians don¡¯t have means of survival here. We just don¡¯t live in luxury. The village takes care of itself, one way or another.¡± ¡°Yeah, we haven¡¯t had a proper triple-decker peach cake in months,¡± she added. Entering a larger hut with a smoking chimney, the group found themselves in front of a bed of white-hot embers and sizzling meat. Glancing up from the food, an orcish man with deep red skin grunted. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Is that Franky and Eve? It¡¯s been too long, kiddos! How long¡¯s it been!?¡± the man asked, sweat glistening in the candle light. He wore a sleeveless shirt below a stained apron and held a large dull cleaver that mimicked the tattoos circling his thick arms. Franky reached his arm out with force, knocking knuckles with the man¡¯s own. As their bones snapped together, both men smiled, unflinching of the sound or pain. They punched each other again, finishing their greeting. ¡°Clay! We were here just yesterday!¡± Franky then bellowed, the man, Clay, falling into a fit of laughter. Eve thrust her fist forward, hitting against Clay¡¯s twice. ¡°Or was it two days ago?¡± she asked, holding back laughter of her own. The man casually reached over and flipped a piece of meat¡ªwith his bare hand. Juices fell onto the coals, flaming up around his fingertips. One of his cleaver tattoos then glowed bright blue. ¡°Does that not hurt?¡± Luka asked. Clay looked over, his laughter dying. ¡°Huh? Never seen a runic tattoo?¡± ¡°Magical tattoo,¡± Eve said, as if that explained everything. ¡°Absorbs the heat of the grill.¡± The cook quirked an eyebrow. ¡°He¡¯s new to magic,¡± Franky said. ¡°And hungry! Got anything ready to go? We¡¯ve got to see our aunt.¡± ¡°My two best customers are gonna see their crazy aunt? Of course I¡¯ve got something for you, then. But I¡¯ve¡ª¡± ¡°Raised my prices,¡± Franky interrupted, finishing off his sentence. ¡°How many times do you think you¡¯ve said that this year?¡± ¡°Eh, at least a thousand. And somehow, I¡¯m still broke!¡± Smiles slowly stretched across their faces before both fell victim to the giggles. Glancing at Luka, Eve whispered, ¡°Inside jokes. Clay never charges anyone in the village. Best hunter-cook we¡¯ve got.¡± Clay froze at the statement before loudly gasping. ¡°But he¡¯s not from the village! That means I can charge him! You want a skewer of meat? How ¡®bout a grilled ribblelit thigh?¡± Franky rolled his eyes. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any money. How about I give you half-off a drink at Todd¡¯s?¡± ¡°Cheap ale?¡± He mockingly considered for a minute. ¡°Deal! Any preferences, Mr. Penniless?¡± Luka slowly looked around at everyone. ¡°Oh. Am I Mr. Penniless? Good one. Two hours isn¡¯t a lot of time to amass wealth.¡± Franky clapped him on the back. ¡°He¡¯s got you there, Clay! Just give us three regulars and enough for snacks for Sebby, Leo, and Olive.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got me where?¡± the man asked with his back turned. He slammed his cleaver into a hunk of meat before shoving it onto a thick orange leaf, then repeated several more times. ¡°How does what he said make any sense? What happened two hours ago?¡± He held out the platter of food¡ªwhich Franky took with a salivating grin. ¡°Bye Clay! Thanks for the grub!¡± Franky trotted outside. Luka followed closely behind. ¡°Wait! What happened two hours ago!?¡± Eve hesitated in the doorframe. ¡°He was born.¡± She gave a wicked wink. Outside, Franky unwrapped the steaming meat and threw a couple chunks to Leo and Sebby¡ªthe wolves gobbled them whole. Then he tossed one to Olive, who snatched it out of the air then instantly dropped it on the ground, rolling it in dirt. She proceeded to peck at it until it shredded apart from the bones. He held a hunk out to Luka. Gingerly, the World Walker took it and sniffed it. It smelled like salt and thyme, albeit more pumpkin-y than not. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Ribblelit.¡± Luka blinked at him. ¡°Uh, a type of toad I think.¡± ¡°This is toad? This piece alone is bigger than any toad I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Luka held up his other for reference, showing that it was the same size as his fist. ¡°How big does a ribblelit get?¡± Franky tore a bite off the bone, glancing at Leo. ¡°About his size.¡± Eve took a piece off the top of the pile. ¡°Ribblelit aren¡¯t even the largest size of edible toad. Some dire-variants take up entire lakes.¡± Giving the meat a small nibble, Luka paused. ¡°There¡¯s no giant toads hanging out in Emberwood¡¯s lake, right?¡± She wiped her lips of grease and juices and motioned at the food. ¡°Where do you think this comes from?¡± Loudly, and very purposefully, he sighed, taking a bite. When in Rome¡­Ribblelit tasted like canned pumpkin and had the texture of gamey quail. He choked it down. ¡°Does pizza exist in this world?¡± ¡°Pee-za?¡± Franky asked. ¡°Flat bread with tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings?¡± ¡°Maybe? Our local baker usually only makes bread and pastries.¡± ¡°Well you¡¯ve got tomatoes and cheese, right?¡± ¡°The silver or red kind of tomato?¡± ¡°Silver¡ª¡± he stopped himself, ¡°the red, yeah.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got those. If you want the silver, you¡¯ll have to go into the city.¡± Luka tossed Leo the rest of his toad. ¡°I think I know a food the kids would like.¡± ¡°Pee-za?¡± ¡°Pizza, yeah. Maybe they could even make their own. I remember doing that as a kid and having fun with it¡­¡± He thought it over. ¡°I¡¯d need to make an oven for them¡ªbut that shouldn¡¯t be too hard. There¡¯s plenty of stone to go around. Is there a fire glyph?¡± Eve tore her eyes from Olive, who danced on an ant hill and slurped up the tiny defenders as they rushed out. ¡°Sure. Fire, magma, heat, smithing, each with variants in power, space, and temperature. What do you need?¡± ¡°Just one to start a fire. Does dried emberwood have a good taste?¡± ¡°The best.¡± With his mouth full, Franky asked, ¡°So you want to go back to the lake tomorrow?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind. If you two have work, then I think I¡¯d be able to get back there myself. Tram seemed nice enough as a host.¡± Eve hummed at that. ¡°She liked you.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t curse you out the moment you said something dumb.¡± Franky rolled his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve got work tonight at the bar. And of course we¡¯d go back to the lake with you. You won¡¯t get rid of us that easily, World Walker!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Luka said, truly meaning it. ¡°I would probably be stumbling around that bar still if you two weren¡¯t there to help.¡± They entered a grove marked by an overgrown pathway leading away from the village and around the lake. Occasional buildings cropped up among the trees, but most were nothing more than run-down huts or partially caved-in sheds. The dire-beasts followed along, but at some point Sebby and Leo darted off into the bush, returning with a pair of muskrats the size of a ceiling fan. They promptly plopped down and ate a second lunch. ¡°They¡¯ll catch up when they¡¯re done,¡± Franky explained as everyone watched Olive try to steal Sebby¡¯s catch. The wolf growled at her, sending her sprinting to Eve. She peered around the orc, hissing. Eve patted her gently. ¡°You can¡¯t steal food from people, Bird Brain.¡± Olive craned her neck around her rider¡¯s shoulder and ruffled her feathers in a big hug. Franky grunted at the sight. ¡°That bird really is something.¡± He turned to Luka. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t worry about feeding Leo. He¡¯ll hunt his own prey¡ªthen he¡¯ll give you those big ¡®ol puppy dog eyes when you¡¯re eating.¡± Grabbing Luka on the shoulders, Franky locked eyes with him. ¡°DO. NOT. SUCCUMB. If you give him a treat once! You¡¯ll have to give him some of your food every time! Trust me! I can¡¯t even tell you how much succulent, tender meat I¡¯ve wasted on Sebb¡ª¡± A growl echoed through the trees. ¡°Love you Sebby!¡± Franky yelled. The wolf went back to his meal, but kept an eye on the orc. Finishing the journey down the path, a house sat among the orange trees and overgrown shrubbery. Short, yet wide, the home was built from black basalt and magical wiring. To Luka¡¯s eye, the foundation glowed like Eve¡¯s water glyphs and sung with a gentle radiance. The air hummed, a song playing from within. Junk and trash dotted the yard, stacks of worthless material gnawed through the grass like dead cornrows. Deep green vines and crumbley brown leaves filled the space in between, connecting the heaps to one another while blocking the pebble walkway to the door. ¡°All this junk,¡± Eve spit, ¡°is magical. Don¡¯t touch it unless you want to get cursed.¡± Franky rolled his eyes. ¡°Aunty removed all the cursed items when we were kids.¡± ¡°So she says¡ª¡± She cut her words off when the door opened. Basked in the glow of countless glyphs and the piercing light of refracting crystals, an orcish woman stood hunched. With green immaculately smooth skin, the woman was neither tattooed nor pierced. Instead, a headdress built from the stuffed corpse of an obsidian raven hung on her head and dozens of necklaces of quartz dangled from her neck. Charcoal smeared around her eyes and down her cheeks, marking along her neck and down past her shoulders where they disappeared into her robes. The woman eyed the trio, then growled, ¡°Alright fine, get in here already!¡± The siblings glanced at each other before Eve whispered to Luka, ¡°Don¡¯t stare at the raven nor mention it¡ªespecially if she directly asks you about it.¡± ¡°Uh what¡ª¡± A wave of blue light pulsed from the woman¡¯s fingers, silencing his question. She snapped, magic and power following the gesture. The lawn quickly cleared of pots and pans, crucibles and magical artifacts. The junk reorganized, and the trash disappeared as if they were desert mirages. Then, as a whole, the lawn shrunk, pulling Luka and the siblings one step from the door whether they wanted to or not. ¡°Well then. Who is this?¡± she asked, Eve cleared her throat, taming the malice in her tone. ¡°Aunt Sol. This is Luka¡ªa World Walker. We came to talk about¡ª¡± ¡°A World Walker you say?¡± Sol¡¯s voice trembled with the words. She took a step closer, nearly standing on his feet. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day my whole life. Say, World Walker, I¡¯ve always wanted to ask your kind one simple question: Do you like my pet raven?¡± She pointed up at her headdress, Luka¡¯s eyes following. The stuffed bird twitched, then cawed at him. Chapter 7: Sol Luka pulled himself from the two void, black orbs that were Aunt Sol¡¯s eyes. He forced himself to look away, especially from the raven headdress. Luckily, he found an unimpressed Eve. ¡°Was that magic? The way the lawn moved?¡± She gave a shrug. ¡°Mystics can do weird things.¡± Chortling like a dying cat, Sol said, ¡°They musta told you about my bird.¡± ¡°I have no idea what you mean,¡± he muttered. The old, but perfect skinned, woman rolled her eyes, setting them on Franky. ¡°You¡¯ve grown.¡± ¡°That happens,¡± Franky said, crossing his arms. Sol glanced at Eve. ¡°I like the hair.¡± Eve forced herself to ignore the comment. ¡°Sol, we¡¯ve come to talk about magic.¡± ¡°Finally decided to see the light?¡± Jutting her thumb at Luka, Eve said, ¡°For him. He wants to learn, and Tram said to talk to you, despite our best efforts.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t teach him?¡± Sol asked, eyeing Luka from head to toe. ¡°I¡¯ve never taught a human before, what makes you think I¡¯d start today?¡± ¡°I would teach him, but I have to agree with Tram. He¡¯s out of my wheelhouse.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± Pulling from her pocket, Sol held a glass jeweler¡¯s lens to her dark eyes. ¡°What makes you so special that my niece can¡¯t work with ya?¡± Franky opened his mouth. ¡°He¡¯s a¡ª" ¡°From his own lips, if you don¡¯t mind nephew.¡± Franky closed his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m a World Walker,¡± Luka said plainly. ¡°¡¯Born¡¯ two hours ago.¡± ¡°And you want to learn magic. Tall order.¡± ¡°Not learn, understand. I can already cast¡ªGoddess Tippy gifted me a sort-of materialization magic.¡± The darkness in Sol¡¯s eyes disappeared and was replaced by a violet sunrise. The raven on her head cawed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just say so?¡± she asked. ¡°Come on in.¡± Leading them inside, Sol snatched a booklet from a tall, dusty stack, and pushed on a crumbling wall. Her hand imprinted into the paint, sending spiderwebs of magic from her fingertips. Lights blazed around the entry hall, slicing along the dank interior before phasing through reality. In an instant, walls repainted, dust disappeared, a layer of grime and bug droppings faded like snowflakes on a warm day. Luka gawked. What was left was a spotless, pristine house¡ªone with much more space that the relatively small exterior would suggest. Luka forced his jaw closed as a thought of a blue police box came to his forethought for some reason, just another aimless memory in his skewered brain. Sol sat them down at an emberwood circular table, the thing radiated a gentle warmth that tickled Luka¡¯s fingers if he touched it. On a shelf nearby, jars and various glassware hung drying upside down. A cauldron bubbled a step away, and the sickly sweet smell of baking cookies wafted through the air. He didn¡¯t know if he should be afraid or not¡ªthe siblings weren¡¯t. ¡°Magic from Tippy, huh? I didn¡¯t think it was her turn yet. Strange, they musta wanted you.¡± Sol said, flapping the booklet open to a fresh page. A quill appeared in her hand, similar to Eve¡¯s own. ¡°Well, the gods¡¯ will is something I¡¯ll never understand. What I can do is magic. ¡®Materialization¡¯ magic is rather broad. What can you do specifically?¡± Luka went to speak, but Eve spoke faster, ¡°Disintegration and transmutative fabrication. He fixed a broken doll with a stick and some sap, as well as built some things out of stone.¡± ¡°Sap, eh?¡± The raven on Sol cawed. ¡°I think I could have fixed the doll without the sap.¡± All eyes turned to Luka. ¡°What?¡± Eve asked. He shuffled in his seat a bit. ¡°I think I didn¡¯t need the sap. I was imagining glue when I did it, but after the slides, I think I could have just¡­ magiced the stick onto the doll, connecting the leg and body.¡± Sol scratched into the booklet, taking notes. ¡°Could you have connected the leg and torso without an additive stick?¡± Luka thought about it. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± ¡°Uh huh. And what is a ¡®slide?¡¯¡± ¡°Something I milled into the stone cliffside for the kids. They sit on it and Eve¡¯s water glyph pushes them down and into the water.¡± Sol stole a glance at Eve, who was already stealing at glance at her. Both looked away. ¡°Interesting way to put that, ¡®milling.¡¯¡± Sol snapped her fingers, summoning a wicked pair of thick-rimmed glasses to fly off a nearby end table into her hands. She put them on, doubling the size of her eyes. ¡°Is that a common word from your world, milling?¡± He shrugged. ¡°In my field, yes.¡± ¡°And what was your field?¡± ¡°An engineer¡­ though I can¡¯t tell you what I made.¡± Sol wrote all of that down. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll teach you, but on one condition.¡± Luka deferred to Eve, who gave him a limp shrug. ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°All you have to do is tell me if you like my pet raven.¡± Again, Sol pointed to her headdress, and again the stuffed bird moved. It flapped its wings, pulling a gale force strong enough to cause Luka¡¯s hair to flop about. He saw Eve stretch her fingers along the table, clawing into it with her nails. Franky, likewise, adjusted his arms, recrossing them tighter like an annoyed guard at a bank. His lips were pressed into a thin, uncomfortable line. A moment passed, and Luka said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand the request.¡± Eve grunted at his response¡ªthe raven and Sol jerked their heads to look at her. Eve won the resultant staring contest. ¡°Fine. Fine, fine, fine.¡± Sol snapped the booklet closed. ¡°I¡¯ll help, but you have to promise that you won¡¯t tell anyone not to acknowledge my pet. I have to get my entertainment from somewhere and these two¡ª¡± she thrust her two thumbs at the siblings, ¡°only come around when they want something.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I had fun with them today at the lake¡ª¡± Luka cut himself off when both siblings facepalmed. ¡°The lake you say?¡± asked Sol. ¡°Heh, the lake it is¡ªif that is where I must teach you.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me. Thanks¡ª¡± Sol snapped her fingers and suddenly he and the siblings were standing outside. ¡°Gods! That woman is so frustrating!¡± Eve screeched, stomping her foot on a small rock. The rock broke apart, spewing blue sparks. One of the porch lights, a glowing crystal mounted just above head level, went out. ¡°Who sends guests away with teleportation magic? Cranky old hags, that¡¯s who!¡± Uncrossing his arms, Franky said, ¡°Mother would never have allowed such treatment. She¡¯d be spitting fire¡ª¡± He abruptly went silent, two dark orbs peered from the window at them. ¡°I think she heard you,¡± Luka whispered. Eve spun staring back at Sol. ¡°Good!¡± With haste, Luka followed the siblings as they stormed off. ¡°So that was your aunt?¡± he asked. ¡°And the village¡¯s local maniac,¡± Franky muttered. ¡°She breathed in too much mana dust, if you catch my drift.¡± Luka, in fact, did not. With her teeth clenched, Eve said, ¡°More importantly, it¡¯s her fault¡ª¡± ¡°Eve, stop.¡± ¡°Am I wrong, Franky? Tell me I¡¯m wrong and I¡¯ll never bring it up again!¡± He quieted his voice, but it still shook as he spoke. ¡°What happened was a tragedy. I¡¯m as mad at her as you, but we both know her magic didn¡¯t cause the collapse.¡± Scoffing, Eve dashed ahead, disappearing around a bend. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Franky said after a long, deep breath. ¡°Eve is a sweet young woman, but can get hotter than an emberore ingot¡ªespecially when it comes to Aunt Sol.¡± ¡°Can I ask or is it private?¡± Luka asked. Tension leaked from the orc¡¯s shoulders and they popped when he rolled them. He closed his eyes, slowing his walking speed. ¡°Eve, wrongfully, believes Aunt Sol to be the reason everyone died at the mines. Aunt Sol was asked to blast through the mine¡¯s deepest point to look for more ore. They found some, and she left for the day while everyone else mined it. The cave collapsed not long after. Aunt Sol tried to evacuate everyone, but couldn¡¯t¡ªnot in time, at least. She got the bodies back eventually.¡± Luka was quiet for a long moment. ¡°Did Sol make a mistake? Was her magic too damaging to the mine?¡± ¡°Nope, she used a very specific, very safe spell to excavate. All signs showed that the mine was safe to operate. We don¡¯t know what caused the collapse.¡± ¡°Then why did Eve say it was her fault? Doesn¡¯t sound like it was to me.¡± Franky pulled out a small tin case from his pocket, unwrapping its stained fabric cover. Opening it, the very bitter scent flooded the immediate area. Two rolled leaves sat within, each about the size of a thin carrot. Franky put one in his mouth and snapped his finger, creating a flicking candle flame on his finger tip. He lit the cigarette. From the corner of his mouth, he blew out his flaming finger. ¡°Simple cantrip, if you were wondering,¡± he said, puffing iridescent smoke. ¡°I was never one for magic, but I can do a few bar tricks.¡± He took a long drag, leaning his head back to watch the canopy shuffle in the wind. He then passed it to Luka¡ªwho hesitated with it. A rainbow of smoke perfumed the area. It smelled like bitter blueberries. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Aunt Sol¡¯s fault,¡± Franky said as Luka attempted to take an equally deep drag. ¡°But sometimes it¡¯s easier to blame her for the collapse, rather than what she actually did.¡± Luka¡¯s coughing caused the orc to pause. ¡°It¡¯s good, right? Best prismpuff we¡¯ve got around here. I have to take a special trip to Sneerhome to get it.¡± The World Walker glared, shoving the joint back into Franky¡¯s hands. ¡°Why is my nose tingling?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the hallucinogens kicking in. You¡¯ll be fine, they¡¯re pretty mild.¡± ¡°Mild for an orc or a human?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Uh¡­ Not sure.¡± Franky looked away, taking a quick puff. ¡°Anyway, blaming Aunt Sol for the collapse is easier than admitting she didn¡¯t raise us. She was never there for us, after. Both our parents died, leaving us as orphans. She gave Eve some magic lessons, but¡­¡± He took another puff. ¡°Mayor Tram was more of an aunt to us than Sol ever was.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luka said, watching the bark on a nearby tree move in a spiral. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t want to stick my nose where it doesn¡¯t belong, nor do I want to presume anything¡ª¡± Franky held up his hand, waving the smoking joint around. ¡°Aunt Sol was grieving too, she lost a sister and a brother-in-law. She also blamed herself for the collapse, despite everyone knowing it wasn¡¯t her fault. I can understand why she became a shut-in, I can understand why she was reluctant to take care of us¡ªshe never asked for two little kids to be thrust at her. I get all of that, Eve does too, deep down.¡± He held it out for Luka, the Earthling took another drag. ¡°But she abandoned us when we needed our family,¡± Franky muttered, his words causing the trees to stop spinning. Luka breathed out hot smoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, man.¡± ¡°I am too.¡± ¡°Should I cancel my lessons with Sol? I don¡¯t want to make one of the three people I know mad.¡± ¡°Nah. Honestly, Eve needs to grow up a little. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m mad as hell at Aunt Sol, but I know I can¡¯t ignore the woman forever.¡± Luka went silent at that. He wanted to help them, he wanted to help everyone. It was strange, wasn¡¯t it? Just a few hours old in this world, and he already saw Eve and Franky as friends. And what kind of friend wouldn¡¯t want to help each other out? They were already helping him, maybe he could help back. Still, he didn¡¯t want to overstep¡ªat least, not on his first day. ¡°What¡¯s up with the raven?¡± he asked. Franky laughed in the middle of taking a long drag. ¡°When you see it, you¡¯ll know. Until then, try to forget about it.¡± The trees¡¯ bark started moving again. Luka squinted at them, unsure how to feel about it. About everything, really. He took another drag. ¡°This is pretty good.¡± Opening the carrying case, Franky gave him the second unlit one. ¡°Take it, I have a stash at home.¡± Taking it, Luka asked, ¡°This stuff isn¡¯t illegal, right?¡± ¡°Nah, but some people tell you off if you smoke it in public.¡± They rounded the bend, finding Eve and the dire-beasts. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you sitting down before the hallucinogens kick in.¡± ¡°They already have, I think.¡± Franky looked at him, his smirk falling. ¡°I guess ¡®mild¡¯ for an orc was right.¡± *** ¡°Ugh!¡± Franky yelled when the bar came back into view. ¡°Customers!¡± He sprinted ahead, Sebby¡¯s paws kicking up dirt. Eve slowed Olive to a stop, coming up beside Leo and the spaced-out Luka. ¡°Think you can handle getting Leo¡¯s saddle off? Looks like a merchant caravan¡¯s coming through for some after lunch drinks.¡± The little birds tattooed on her skin started flapping their wings. One locked eyes with the World Walker. ¡°You can handle Leo, right?" Luka recoiled at its fluttery voice, nodding in the process. Eve flicked Olive¡¯s reins, rushing ahead. ¡°Did that bird just speak?¡± he muttered, finding Leo looking at him. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s real right now. Did the bird speak, or am I hallucinating?¡± Leo huffed, sending a shockwave of spittle into the ground. The beast walked himself into the barn, his rider not doing too good of a job leading him. When dried hay met paws, Leo lowered himself to his belly. ¡°Thanks, buddy,¡± Luka said, slipping down his side¡ªlike a slide. ¡°Why¡¯d I make a slide when the kids could¡¯ve just slid down your fur?¡± Mechanically, he started to tug at Leo¡¯s saddle. ¡°It¡¯s funny really. It¡¯s like I¡¯m back home taking care of a family pet or something.¡± He stopped. ¡°Our two worlds aren¡¯t all that different, are they?¡± Leo whined as a strap was yanked too tight. ¡°Oh sorry. Let me just¡ª¡± The leather fell through Luka¡¯s hand, disappearing into the forest that was Leo¡¯s fur. ¡°Everything¡¯s just moving¡ªI don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Let me help, child.¡± Luka and Leo stirred at the voice, finding a woman with skin made of sunlight and hair woven from happiness¡ªGoddess Tippy. She wiggled a finger, unleashing the saddle. It fell limp to the side, kicking up dust and hay. She frowned, the small gesture sending a wave of light from her shoulders. The magic cascaded down, rolling into the barn and removing the grit and grime. ¡°Maybe try a weaker strain next time.¡± And like that, the goddess disappeared. Luka smacked his lips. ¡°See, I¡¯m not sure if that was real or not.¡± Leo, who had been breathing in second hand hallucinogenic smoke, nodded in agreement. ¡°I think I need to sit down.¡± His body led the way, his mind reeling to catch up. He¡¯d been here only a few hours, and yet, it felt like weeks. Colors saturated as he snuggled himself into Leo¡¯s fur, the wolf accepting his fate as a pillow. It was strange, right? Magic, orcs, dire-beasts, gods. Earth felt so close, and yet, he didn¡¯t want to go back. Not at all. Life here was different, but also similar. It was nice. It was warm. Mayor Tram and Aunt Sol were¡­ interesting. But Eve and Franky? The kids? He smiled, closing his eyes. The barn was spinning. He was spinning. Was he nervous, was he happy? Tears streamed down his face as he hugged the wolf. The darkness in his vision reminded him of his actual home¡ªoblivion. Of death, his death. He didn¡¯t want to go back there. He wanted to live. He wanted to¡ª War. He remembered war. A memory, a single clear picture of his life before death. He stood in a street overflowing with blood and watched a pair of jets boom across the sky. He was smiling, not so much a spec of dirt on his decorated uniform. The memory faded, as did Luka¡¯s consciousness. He fell asleep, his face buried in Leo¡¯s fur. Chapter 8: The Bar Following his nose, Luka pushed open the local bakery¡¯s door. A worn bell jingled along the splintered frame, a rusty nail keeping it in place by sheer force of will. And yet, a heavenly aroma poured from a trio of blistering hot ovens and still-steaming bread. He breathed in deep, yesterday¡¯s worries¡ªand a ¡°mild¡± case of hallucinations¡ªfading. He was here, in another world, and there was no place he¡¯d rather be. As crazy as that sounded. Come to think of it, what was this world called again? Eve said it once, but he didn¡¯t remember¡­ oh well. A glass display counter held pastries and warm delectables, muffins with craggily sweet bits, puffed dough chock-full of tart fruit, and countless finger foods ranging from familiar to alien. Luka leaned closer to inspect a sliced loaf cake with what looked to be glittering chunks of scarlet crystals inside. ¡°Oh!¡± a shout sounded from the back kitchen. ¡°A customer! Sorry I didn¡¯t hear the bell.¡± The woman, a middle-aged orc with thinning gray hair and a flour-dusted apron, stepped around a bucket of fresh cream. She stopped at the display counter, hooking her arm underneath. With a flicker and buzz, a dozen small glyphs lit up in a neon blaze. The glass became warm, like a low oven or a hot lamp. ¡°Sorry, I always forget to turn on the preservation glyphs this early. Most customers come a bit later, and I¡¯m still setting up,¡± the baker said. ¡°I have a bunch more to bake, but if you want something out already, I can get you that.¡± ¡°Am I that early? The sun¡¯s been up for a while now,¡± Luka said with a smile, drumming his fingers along the display. ¡°Most of my customers come in mid-morning with a hangover. Drinking across the street at Mr. Todd¡¯s all night does that to a person.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t drinking and had a pretty early bedtime. Yesterday was a big day, though. I¡¯m still tired.¡± To punctuate his sentence, a yawn escaped his lips. ¡°I can see that.¡± She gave him a curious look over, especially his enchanted clothes and the fading redness of his eyes. ¡°Prismpuff, huh?¡± Luka solemnly nodded. ¡°It was my first time, and Franky didn¡¯t think about how ¡®mild¡¯ it¡¯d be for a human.¡± The baker reached for a cup and twisted a valve on a tapped wooden barrel. ¡°You know Franky?¡± She asked. ¡°And you can¡¯t go wrong with a morning brew.¡± Thick, dark liquid dripped from the nozzle, filling the cup to the brim. She placed it on the counter. Thinking back to the grilled toad, Luka eyed the drink. ¡°Franky¡¯s a friend.¡± A bubble breached the surface of the liquid. ¡°What is it?¡± She quirked an eyebrow. ¡°You humans sure are strange. Can¡¯t you recognize jrum?¡± Pressing his lips into a thin line, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any money. I was going to haggle some magic repair work for my order.¡± ¡°Take it¡ªfriends of Franky don¡¯t have to pay for something as cheap as jrum.¡± She held out her fist¡ªthe orcish punch greeting. Hesitantly, Luka pressed his knuckles into hers. Again, she stared at him strangely. ¡°Never greeted an orc before?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say that I have¡­¡± She grunted. ¡°Humans are strange. I¡¯m Iop.¡± ¡°Luka.¡± ¡°Well then, Luka, friend of Franky, what¡¯s this about haggling?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like some unbaked bread dough¡ªand cheese and tomatoes if you¡¯ve got them. Oh! And a bit of flour. Enough to feed all the kids in the village and a few adults.¡± Iop shook her head. ¡°Strange indeed. What sort of ¡®magical repair¡¯ can you do? My preservation glyphs work wonders.¡± Luka hiked his thumb backward. ¡°I was thinking that bell. I can fix the splintered door frame and reattach the bell to ring louder.¡± She studied the man before her. ¡°Alright, we have a deal.¡± She reached her knuckles back out. Again, Luka gently touched his to hers. ¡°Franky has some strange friends¡­¡± Iop nudged the cup of jrum. ¡°Drink that. It¡¯ll take me a few minutes to round up your order. How long will it take you to fix the bell?¡± He picked up the cup, smelling the liquid. Slow bubbles popped at the surface, brimming with a floral but bitter scent. He took a sip. It was no coffee, but it wasn¡¯t bad¡­ he supposed. The thickness made it gross, but then again, the warmth in his mouth made up for that. He took a gulp, radiance falling down his throat. He took another gulp¡ªthen another. ¡°This is pretty good,¡± he muttered into the cup. ¡°Of course. I have the best jrum recipe in all of Emberwood village.¡± ¡°I think I have to agree¡ª¡± She smiled at him. ¡°I think fixing the bell will only take me a minute or two. I just have to get the materials. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Luka went to set the cup down, but Iop stopped him. ¡°Just don¡¯t forget it when you come back.¡± And with that, he was outside, the early morning sun still showing streaks of red. Across the street was Mr. Todd¡¯s bar, and beside that, the barn where Leo was resting¡ªor maybe the wolf was out hunting breakfast. Luka wasn¡¯t sure. He found a nice stick a few meters from the door to the bakery and a dropped nail around the side¡ªperfect materials, he recognized. Entering the shop, Luka stood in the doorway with a cup of jrum in one hand and materials in the other. Strands of hair-like magic encroached on his vision, connecting themselves to the stick and nail. Fabricating the wood into framed trim was easy enough¡ªmatching grain structures was a bit harder. Either way, the door took on a new look within moments, its splintered age only needing a fresh coat of paint. Luka split his magical focus between the nail holding the bell and the one in his hand. Half of his strands yanked the old one from the wall, keeping the bell in place, while the others manipulated the new one. In seconds, he merged the two nails while scraping away the rusted layers. The new nail was a bit thicker than the old, but it held the bell up. The only issue was that a dusting of rust littered the shop¡¯s ground. Luka brushed some with his shoe before realizing he was an idiot. He had magic. The strands dragged the rust outside into the grass. He took another sip of jrum and closed the door¡ªthe bell rang perfectly. *** After gathering his order from Iop, following his nose, Luka pushed open the door to Mr. Todd¡¯s bar. The air inside was thick with the scent of bile, sick, and¡­ cinnamon? Adjusting to the low candlelight, Luka found the source for the first two right away¡ªa drunkard dwarf passed out with vomit running down his hairy chest. The man sat on the ground in a small cubby, his head slumped over his lap. A bucket of water and a dirty mop lay beside him, along with various cleaners and gritty sponges. Deeper into the cubby was storage, and¡ªyup, Luka spotted a spilled sack of ground cinnamon. The man had dusted himself in the stuff. ¡°Luka?¡± He turned, finding Eve exiting the back room dragging a dwarven woman by the scruff of her coat. She wasted no time rushing the woman to the door, tossing her out with just a shove¡ªthe woman shouted obscenities as she landed in the dirt. Eve slammed the door, wiped her hands off on her pants, muttered something when she saw the passed-out man in the cubby, collected herself, and put on a big ¡®ol smile. ¡°Luka! We were worried about you last night!¡± He followed her to the bar top, setting his bakery order down. ¡°When we got back from your aunt¡¯s, I just kinda passed out. Prismpuff might not be for me.¡± Eve dunked a mug into a barrel, dropping it before Luka. ¡°Water always helps after a good smoke. That and jr¡ª" ¡°Jrum,¡± he said. ¡°Good stuff.¡± She eyed the bakery items. ¡°Iop makes the best.¡± ¡°Best I¡¯ve ever had.¡± Cracking a smile, Eve said, ¡°Because it¡¯s all you¡¯ve ever had.¡± He took a sip of water. It was ice cold but had a mineral aftertaste. ¡°Anyways, sorry for ditching you yesterday. I just closed my eyes for a minute, and well, here we are the morning after.¡± ¡°Prismpuff can do that to a novice.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how many trees tried to talk to me.¡± ¡°Be careful about that, sometimes the trees actually do talk. I¡¯ve gotten pretty paranoid when smoking before, but I later found out it was a dryad messing with me.¡± Luka laughed at that. ¡°Strange world you¡¯ve got here.¡± Shrugging, Eve asked, ¡°Whatcha got here?¡± Baker Iop had put his order in a burlap sack of sorts. Luka opened it. ¡°I got some uncooked dough, cheese, and tomato sauce.¡± ¡°Pee-za?¡± ¡°Pizza, yeah, for the kids. Figured they¡¯d enjoy making their own.¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Can they? They¡¯re kids.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to it. Trust me, I used to make pizza with my parents as a kid. They always let me toss the dough on my finger like a ball.¡± His eyes glazed over at the thought, the memory coming back to him. But something occurred to him. ¡°Does prismpuff cause nightmares?¡± ¡°No, why?¡± ¡°I just had this nightmare about¡­¡± Pain echoed across the bridge of his nose and temples. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Still having memory problems?¡± Eve asked as she wiped crumbs off the stained bar top. He grunted affirmation, taking another sip of water. ¡°You should talk to Goddess Tippy about it. Maybe there¡¯s something she can do since she summoned you here and everything.¡± ¡°Can I just¡­ talk to a god?¡± Luka asked, the divine butterfly coming to mind. Eve slowed down her wiping to think about the question. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it was in your world, but sometimes the gods will respond here. They have a lot of people trying to talk to them every day, however, so to have the best chance, you could visit one of her temples.¡± ¡°Do I have to make an appointment?¡± ¡°That would help, yeah.¡± ¡°I was joking.¡± Luka muttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t know I could do that.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She went back to wiping. ¡°Emberwood Village doesn¡¯t have any temples. You¡¯d have to make a trip to the city.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in¡ª¡± the door opened. ¡°Luka!¡± He turned. ¡°Franky!¡± The bald orc was crouched over, his wide hands wrapped around the passed-out dwarf¡¯s ankles ready to drag him out of the bar. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± ¡°So are you!¡± ¡°We were getting worried when you never came in from the barn. But we were getting slammed with customers and couldn¡¯t check on you until later!¡± Eve then supplemented, ¡°We gave someone a free beer to make sure Leo didn¡¯t maul you or something. She said you were asleep in the ¡®little wolfy¡¯s fur.¡¯ Ain¡¯t that cute?¡± Luka reddened, but his embarrassment drained away when Franky dragged the drunk guy out, leaving a trail of puke in his wake. ¡°Does it always get this trashed?¡± he asked. ¡°Nah. A dwarven security convoy stopped here for the night¡ªdwarves can drink, let me tell you, but the fighters always leave a mess. They think themselves to be adventurers or something.¡± From the doorway, Franky yelled, ¡°But they always tip well!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Eve said, nodding along. ¡°They love to flaunt their wealth. And what better way than to spend a gold piece on a single drink? The fools.¡± ¡°Is a gold piece a lot?¡± Luka asked. She froze in place for a second. ¡°I always forget you¡¯re new here. A gold piece pays for a round of drinks, not a single drink. But hey, who am I to complain about a massive tip.¡± Mop in hand, Franky said, ¡°Just sucks that security convoys don¡¯t come by all that often. Emberwood is in the middle of nowhere.¡± In the back of Luka¡¯s mind, he wondered if there was anything he could do about that. Chapter 9: Oven "Pee-za?¡± Mayor Tram asked, her nose hunched into her piercings. Luka removed his bakery order from the sack one by one. ¡°Pizza, yeah.¡± The group sat at the same picnic table as yesterday and watched the children endlessly slide into the lake. Sunning themselves nearby, Sebby and Leo laid across a section of warmed black stone, their tails wagging. Olive the emu was digging for grubs to eat. Eve cleared her throat and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s like magnarfalt.¡± Then, for Luka, she added, ¡°Flatbread with a thick stew on top.¡± ¡°What kind of stew goes on peeza?¡± Tram asked. He answered, ¡°Tomato and cheese.¡± ¡°Sounds¡­ interesting.¡± ¡°The kids will get a kick out of it.¡± ¡°A kick?¡± Luka blinked a few times. ¡°They¡¯ll find it interesting.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°I better get to work before the kids start complaining they¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± Franky asked, Leo¡¯s saddle in his hands. He adjusted the straps and belts, resetting them. ¡°Pizza needs a stone oven to be cooked right. And since we don¡¯t have any bricks, I figured I¡¯d just make it out of raw stone.¡± Everyone looked at him. ¡°What?¡± Eve spoke for the orcs, ¡°Can you do that? The slides are impressive, but an oven?¡± Luka hesitated at the question before bending over and picking up a piece of chalky limestone that was mixed in with the black basalt. Holding the rock like a pen, he began to draw. College¡ªaerospace structural design. Countless hours of hand-designing machinery and devices came back to him. Mr. Rossi was a traditionalist when it came to computer-aid design software. In the man¡¯s own words, ¡°Who¡¯s going to sue a computer when a plane falls from the sky because of some integrated bug? No one, because they¡¯ll all be dead!¡± Luka paused his sketching to glance at the sky. Airplanes, huh? I designed airplanes? ¡°Everything okay?¡± Tram asked, studying his face more than the chalk outline. Ignoring her, he went back to work. A pizza oven needed only a few things: a baking stone, a heat source, and an insulating dome. But a good pizza oven needed something a bit more involved¡ªconvenience. Luka drew another line, giving his sketch depth. He leaned back, finishing the design. ¡°Huh,¡± was all Eve said. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell us you were an artist!¡± Franky laughed. Luka noticed a mistake and corrected it. ¡°I¡¯m not. This is just a design sketch. I''d fail if you told me to draw that tree over there. Miserably.¡± ¡°What if I told you to design that tree?¡± He hesitated, causing the orc to adopt a wide grin. ¡°Anyway,¡± Luka said, looking around. A small boulder rested nearby. ¡°I just need the stone. That¡¯d be perfect for the base, but I don¡¯t want the oven too far from the table.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy.¡± Franky hopped up from his seat, rounding the table. He trotted over to the boulder, setting both hands on either side. Breathing out harshly a few times, he bent his knees and lifted. Veins bulged across his arm and up his neck, his previously large muscles inflated, tightening against his green skin. He roared, his tusks looking more like fangs. Dead grass and countless bugs were unearthed, and soon, the rock was two steps from the table. Luka snapped his jaw closed when Franky preened like a proud parrot on top of the boulder. ¡°Best not encourage him,¡± Eve muttered quietly. ¡°He¡¯s a showoff.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s a showoff or not. That was amazing. Franky, can you do that three more times?¡± Franky¡¯s face fell. ¡°Uh, no.¡± Eve burst out laughing. A wet, massive nose pressed into Luka from behind. He turned, finding the two dire-wolves and his shirt soaked. Leo bowed into his front paws, sticking his butt and tail high into the sky. Conversely, Sebby waited like a gargoyle statue, sitting low on all four paws. ¡°They wanna help,¡± Tram said. Luka pointed at another boulder. ¡°Fetch?¡± Both wolves darted away, crashing into the boulder at full speed. They snarled and bit at each other, their teeth soft and their voices playful. In the end, Sebby¡¯s extra size proved vital, and another boulder was added to Luka¡¯s collection, dropping it off like an arcade claw machine. He pointed to two more rocks, Sebby ¡°winning¡± each game of fetch. ¡°Sebby carried three, why couldn¡¯t you?¡± Eve asked her brother, who muttered obscenities at her. Ignoring them, Tram asked, ¡°Are you sure this is going to work? When you made the slides, you removed material.¡± Luka went over his designs one last time. He glanced at her. ¡°This morning I fixed Iop¡¯s door and bell. Should be the same principle, just larger.¡± Chiming into the conversation, Eve said, ¡°Transmutative fabrication.¡± ¡°Yeah, that.¡± The magical strands in his vision reacted to his will, snaking through the air before latching onto the first boulder. Luka closed his eyes, finding their presence like distant stars shimmering in the night sky. Gradually, the strands aligned themselves, bending and twisting together, mimicking the chalk design on the table. He envisioned the structure: a flat base anchored to the ground. The sides curved, spiraling upward in a dome pattern. Thick walls would keep the heat in while keeping the outside cool. And lastly, something to make the design pop. As a final touch, a carved series of simple geometric shapes cut into the edges, adding a bit of life to the otherwise bland oven. He opened his eyes, and the magic surged. The base took form first, the strands easily moving the boulder Franky strained to carry. The rock softened, becoming pliable, like clay. The strands kneaded the basalt, stretching and shaping it until it rose from the ground, solid and stout. Next was the baking stone. A boulder rose into the air, Luka¡¯s magic lifting it without worry. The rock flattened wide, and the top smoothed until it reflected the blue sky. The strands carved into it, etching a checkerboard pattern into it to combat potential sticking. More stones floated up and over, melding together and forming one continuous mass. It bent around an invisible mold, a dome shape with a door cut out to cap the oven off. Luka¡¯s magic ended abruptly, the leftover stone all falling to the ground. He wobbled slightly, the picnic table suddenly becoming a soft sofa. He sprawled on it, sweat dripping from his face and ruining the chalk design. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± he uttered to himself. The orcs openly gawked at both the World Walker and the oven, everyone forgetting how to speak¡ªat least, until the caw of a raven echoed through the forest. The bird swooped down from a nearby branch, landing atop the oven. It cawed again before exploding into a cloud of purple smoke and gangly feathers. The crunch of bone sounded from within the mass as a dark aura filled the space. A giggle escaped the terrible noise, then a silky smooth green hand draped in silver and green bracelets. The smoke blew away, revealing Aunt Sol standing tall, her raven headdress missing the raven. ¡°Very impressive, World Walker, very impressive.¡± She locked eyes with him. ¡°However! Very inefficient.¡± Now, it was Luka¡¯s turn to gape. ¡°Did you just kill that bird?¡± ¡°What?¡± the woman growled. ¡°Did you not recognize a shapeshifting spell?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the raven on your head then?¡± Sol looked up, finding her headdress empty. She cursed to herself, sticking her fingers in her mouth and whistling. The sound shook the trees, summoning the stuffed bird from a nearby branch. It landed on her head, stiffening into taxidermy. ¡°Familiars. Love ¡®em or hate ¡®em.¡± She jumped from the top of the oven, falling with the grace of a feather. Eve sighed and said, ¡°At least we know your oven is sturdy enough to handle someone¡¯s weight.¡± ¡°Would that be a normal issue?¡± asked her brother. Ignoring them, Sol pushed herself into the crowded picnic table seat. ¡°As I was saying, World Walker. Your magic is very inefficient. It¡¯s time for your lesson in magic!¡± Mayor Tram¡¯s nose wrinkled. ¡°Could it kill you to put on some perfume? You smell like a bird.¡± Chapter 10: Learning ¡°First thing to learn about magic: everyone sucks at it! Except the gods!¡± Sol crossed her arms and smirked, staring at Luka like a kid with a trophy. ¡°But! World Walkers are different! Their magic comes directly from the gods. So, in conclusion, you¡¯re going to double suck at magic!¡± ¡°Double suck?¡± Luka echoed. At the same time, Eve spoke, her face locked in deadpan, ¡°Wow, come up with that thesis all by yourself?¡± ¡°Now, now, deary,¡± Mayor Tram patted her on the arm. Give your aunt some respect. She was top of her class at Rok¡¯yr University.¡± ¡°Allegedly,¡± Franky coughed. Squawking on her head, Sol¡¯s raven cawed out a series of bird curse words. Sol ignored the comments and said to Luka, ¡°All magic, even the divine kind, originates from the same basic principles.¡± At his confused face, Eve added, ¡°Like how all cloth is formed by weaving. The threads may change, as well as the detail and quality, but at the end of the day, cloth is cloth.¡± Luka hummed to himself. ¡°I think I understand.¡± Sol scoffed. ¡°No, you don¡¯t. But maybe one day, ten years from now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, crone,¡± Tram calmly stated. The resident mystic glanced at the Mayor and back to the World Walker. ¡°Interesting little get-together we have here, now that I think about it.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve seen the divine butterfly yesterday.¡± ¡°The what?¡± Tram raised her hand and looked over to the playing kids. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Before Sol could respond, Eve interrupted, ¡°Please, Aunty, can we move on?¡± The raven cawed at her. ¡°Children these days are always rushing things.¡± Sol reached over and took Luka¡¯s hands. She held them tight when he tried to subtly slip her grip. ¡°Divine magic is the same magic as normal magic, just better. Simple burlap versus leyberry silk, to use the earlier analogy¡ªboth a form a cloth, just one¡¯s better.¡± ¡°Objectively,¡± Eve crudely added. ¡°Bah,¡± Sol threw her hands up, releasing Luka. ¡°That¡¯s the modern take! Back in my day, all divine magic was better than mortal magic on principle! But these new coming mages and mystics!¡± She scoffed. ¡°I pity your generation is all I¡¯m going to say on that matter.¡± Luka stole a glance at Tram, who limply shrugged. ¡°Uh, okay?¡± he then said. ¡°Where are you going with this, Sol?¡± ¡°Anywhere I damn well please!¡± She held her nose high. ¡°You have divine magic, but you are not divine! Therefore, you double suck since divine magic is ¡®objectively¡¯ better than mortal.¡± Eve rolled her eyes. ¡°Double, therefore, your magic is powerful. But you are not. Hence why you were so tired after making an oven.¡± Franky spoke up, ¡°To be fair, it¡¯s a nice oven.¡± Sol stared at him until he looked away. ¡°It¡¯s a small feat. Nothing compared to what you will be doing later.¡± Tram quickly added, ¡°But a feat, nonetheless. Don¡¯t rain on his gnomish cake, Sol, otherwise you¡¯ll stunt his growth.¡± Luka looked between the two old women, their appearances opposites. Tram was wrinkled and sporting piercings and tattoos, while Sol was fair-skinned, smooth, and without so much as a drop of ink or piercing on her. Instead of interfering with their staring contest, Luka asked, ¡°What¡¯s a gnomish cake?¡± Franky answered, ¡°Gnomes, for some reason, make really good cake. And for it to be rained on would ruin it.¡± ¡°Are they small?¡± ¡°No, why would they be?¡± Luka paused. ¡°Because gnomes are small?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The bald orc¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Huh. Why aren¡¯t they small now that you mentioned it?¡± Sol slammed her hands onto the table. ¡°Back to magic. You¡¯ll have to learn the basic foundations to get better at your divine magic. And all good foundations start in one thing: glyphs.¡± ¡°Will that help with my efficiency?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Immensely.¡± She pointed to the baking stone inside the oven. It was polished and checkerboarded, both to prevent the raw dough from sticking. ¡°That¡¯s the most inefficient part of what you just created.¡± ¡°Really?¡± he leaned back. ¡°It¡¯s just a flat piece of rock¡ªI didn¡¯t do much to it.¡± ¡°Exactly¡ªmuch. You could¡¯ve simply added a polishing or pattern glyph.¡± ¡°I was trying to reduce sticking¡ª¡± ¡°Then a slick glyph. That¡¯s even more efficient. Better yet, imbue the whole oven with a kitchen cluster.¡± ¡°Cluster?¡± ¡°A series of well-defined glyphs that are often used together. Kitchen-cluster has sterilization, non-stick or stick, preservation, self-clean, temperature regulation and retention, scent emitter, and two dozen more.¡± Helpfully, Eve added, ¡°Clusters are very simple to make. Instead of drawing dozens of glyphs, you draw a single one that contains all the others. Essentially, they are premade shortcuts.¡± Luka nodded along. ¡°But how do I learn glyphs? Seems like a lot of memorization.¡± A thick tome bulging with loose papers appeared an inch off the table. It fell hard, expelling years of dust and dirt. Beside Sol, everyone waved their hands before their faces and coughed to the side. ¡°Read this,¡± she said. ¡°It has everything you need to know about glyphs in it.¡± Luka frowned at the leather-bound book. Wooden veneer circulated through the cover and spine, slowly sneaking in a closed loop. Over the course of a few seconds, the wood spelled out the word ¡°glyphs,¡± twinkling as it went. From there, the wood retreated across the cover, inscribing circles and geometric patterns. ¡°Don¡¯t try to memorize it all at once,¡± Eve muttered. ¡°Trust me on that.¡± Looking at her, Luka asked, ¡°Mind adding a fire or heating glyph to the oven? It needs to preheat.¡± Sol snapped her fingers, sending the tome into a frenzy. It wobbled and thrashed, bouncing from page to page until landing upon an early chapter. On the left page, a diagram explained each point of the set of circles and squiggles¡ªa heating glyph. On the right page, the details were expanded along with information pertaining to the squiggles. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Heating glyphs are simple,¡± Sol then said. ¡°A basic elemental base circle and a few limiter additions.¡± ¡°Which are the¡ª¡± ¡°The squiggles.¡± Luka snapped his mouth shut. Eve pointed at the topmost squiggle. ¡°That one deals with temperature.¡± She moved to the next. ¡°Radius.¡± The third squiggle was more rectangular. ¡°This one specifies what kind of heat. Roasting, hot ember, sunlight, dry, and so on. For an oven, we¡¯ll go with roasting.¡± Sol took the last squiggle. ¡°And that one¡¯s the power limiter and timer. You don¡¯t want the glyph to explode if you make it continuously heat up.¡± ¡°Why would you want that?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Weapons.¡± Eve rolled her eyes and stood from the table. From her pocket, she pulled her etching quill. It was pure white and simple like it had been plucked from a cockatoo rather than an albino peacock. She reached deep into the oven and started drawing. Sol said, ¡°Quills are the favorite tool of many for inscribing things with glyphs. And while it''s an art form in and of itself, you¡¯re never going to learn the discipline.¡± Watching thick orange lines cut ethereally into the inside of the oven, Luka asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got divine fabrication magic. When you make something with your magic, you¡¯ll just add the glyph to it. No need to hand draw.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± Sol sighed, picking up a rock. She slammed it down next to the tome¡¯s heating glyph diagram. ¡°Carve the glyph into the rock as thin as you can.¡± Frowning, Luka willed the strands in his vision. They connected to the rock, milling away a layer of stone no deeper than a hair. When it was all said and done, he blew on the rock, sending dust into the air. The rock started to get hot. ¡°Going for the exploding kind of glyph, aye?¡± Sol picked it up and waved it around. Everyone sitting leaned away when it got close. ¡°Destroy the damn thing, Sol,¡± Tram harped. ¡°Before you get one of them killed.¡± Ignoring her, Sol asked, ¡°Do you see now, Mr. World Walker? You carved a perfect glyph into an uneven surface. You¡¯ll never have to pick up a quill.¡± Luka reached his hand out. She casually dropped it into his palm¡ªhe instantly dropped it, letting it bounce off the wooden picnic table. Where it landed, the wood burned, and where it touched Luka¡¯s hand, his skin seared smooth. He yelped in pain. Sol snapped her fingers, and her stuffed raven darted off her headdress, snatching the rock in its talons. It then flapped high into the sky, bringing the ticking time bomb with it. At the same time, a rush of magic circled Luka, coalescing around his hand. Blue light extended across his palm, prying his clamped fingers open and rubbing into the seared skin. Relief flooded the World Walker, and time reverted, healing his wounds. ¡°What was that?¡± he asked. ¡°A simple time spell. Great for wounds!¡± Sol bellowed. ¡°Is it time for lunch¡ª¡± The rock exploded in the sky, blasting a cascade of smoking pebbles at the group. The wind picked up at a flick of Sol¡¯s wrist, sending the pebbles off course. She smacked her lips. ¡°Pee-za, was it? Sounds lovely.¡± Muttering to himself, Luka closed the tome of glyphs and began preparing the ingredients¡­ at least until he saw a man and child approaching. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got more mouths to feed.¡± Franky craned his head. ¡°That¡¯s Judge Ben and¡ª¡± ¡°Ren. The little brat,¡± Tram said, crossed her arms. Judge Ben wore glasses, the only orc Luka had seen to do so. He was relatively skinny, more lithe than lean. A wide-brimmed hat sat on his head, the kind old women would wear on Earth while weeding the garden. Rolling white hair cascaded down his chin and stud-pierced cheeks, wrapping together at the top of his nape. The beard jittered with his moments, the rocky ground causing uneven steps. The kid¡ªRen¡ªwas likewise an orc. Without tattoos or piercings, he looked like the other orc children. His skin was lighter than Franky or Eve¡¯s, pastel green rather than faded jade. He clutched a small book in his hand, one with pictures of stylized hand-drawn food on the cover¡ªa cookbook. ¡°Was he in the kitchens again?¡± Tram asked Ben once close enough. The Judge nodded. ¡°Found him trying to practice julienning.¡± Sighing, Tram looked Ren straight in the eyes. ¡°What did I tell you about practicing knife work?¡± Ren¡¯s eyes found the ground. ¡°That ¡®I¡¯ll cut off my fingers.¡¯¡± ¡°Exactly right. Now go play in the water with the other kids. Lunch¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ren sidestepped around the Mayor and picnic table, finding the stone oven. Tram and Ben both groaned. ¡°It¡¯s a pizza oven,¡± Luka said. Ren¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Pizza.¡± He tasted the word. ¡°Is that from your world?¡± ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t!¡± Tram practically leaped from her seat, grabbing Ren by the armpits and leading him down toward the water. ¡°Stop being nosey and go play! We¡¯ll get you when the food¡¯s done!¡± She dropped him onto the slide, causing him to flail into the water while screaming about ¡°fairness!¡± Judge Ben held his fist out to Luka¡ªthe orc greeting. ¡°Well met, World Walker Luka. We briefly met yesterday outside the courthouse. I am Judge Ben, husband to Tram, please call me Ben.¡± Gently, Luka pressed his knuckles into Ben¡¯s¡ªcausing all the other orcs to frown. ¡°Hi, call me Luka.¡± Franky bit his bottom lip. ¡°Well, that¡¯s odd looking.¡± ¡°You can say that again,¡± Eve muttered. ¡°Humans,¡± Sol huffed in a tone both joking and not. Ben pulled his fist back, looked at his knuckles, then looked back to Luka. ¡°No one¡¯s taught you how to greet an orc properly, huh?¡± Franky shrugged. ¡°He saw me and Clay yesterday. Figured he¡¯d learn by seeing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to punch an orc¡ª¡± Luka quickly said. ¡°I¡¯d break my hand.¡± Ben softly smiled. ¡°Orcs are a blessed race. The gods gave us unparalleled strength, for the most part, and trust me, we revel in the fact. But there is nothing worse when others can¡¯t play along.¡± He put his fist back out. ¡°Go ahead, I promise you won¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± ¡°As hard as you can!¡± Franky yelled. Luka glanced at Eve, who nodded to go ahead. Rearing back, Luka snapped his fist forward, punching Ben¡¯s. Their bones snapped together, echoing against the orange canopy. And yet¡ªno pain. Flexing his fingers, Luka said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Mayor Tram sat back down. ¡°Being strong is fun, but not when others get hurt. The gods made sure we could greet everyone the same way our ancestors greeted each other.¡± Luka just shook his head. ¡°This world is weird.¡± ¡°Not as weird as peeing on za!¡± Franky yelled. ¡°Pizza. It¡¯s called¡ª¡± Luka sighed, causing the table to laugh. A tug at the hem of his shirt pulled his attention from the child-like adults to an actual child. The young dryad Nicole held Mr. Sticky in one arm and glanced from the ground to Luka like her irises were windshield wipers. ¡°Um¡­ Mr. World Walker¡­ Ren said¡­ you were making lunch¡­ we wanted to know when?¡± Behind her, a sea of children watched their bravest soldier speak for the group. Luka instantly spotted a problem¡ªthe single picnic table didn¡¯t have enough spots for all the kids to sit. He leaned over at eye level with Nicole. ¡°Give me ten more minutes; I¡¯ve got tables to make.¡± *** After extending the picnic table with magic to accommodate all the kids, Luka tasked Eve with dividing the dough into equal pieces¡ªone for everyone¡­ well, two for Franky because he complained. ¡°Okay, everyone, follow after me!¡± Luka yelled so the kids at the end of the table could hear. ¡°Press into the dough with all your fingers, knocking all the air out and stretching it into a circle!¡± Sitting on their knees for better leverage, the kids followed along, utterly failing to make anything near a circle. There was also a lot of sticking¡ªnothing a few added slippery glyphs couldn¡¯t fix¡­ except that Luka made them too big, causing the seats to act as if they were coated in oil. Sol mocked him as she fixed it. ¡°Step two is adding the sauce! The Mayor is going¡ª¡± A small arm shot into the air. The kid nearest Luka waved it around desperately. ¡°Yes, Ren?¡± ¡°Is pizza good? I only eat good food.¡± Tram muttered something, ending with ¡°brat.¡± Luka kept a straight face and said, ¡°Well, you¡¯ll be the one to make it. So if it¡¯s bad, it¡¯s your fault.¡± Ren¡¯s face darkened, and he eyed the World Walker suspiciously, taking the statement as a personal challenge. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± he declared. Ben spoke up, ¡°We better. With all your ¡®practice,¡¯ you¡¯ll be able to open a restaurant the moment you become an adult.¡± Ren¡¯s cheeks turned rosy. ¡°I¡¯ll have the best restaurant around.¡± Franky slapped his hand on the table, causing his oblong disks of dough to bounce. ¡°Stop interrupting! I¡¯m trying to focus!¡± Luka went right back to it. ¡°The Mayor¡¯s bringing around the sauce. Spread it to the edge, leaving an inch or so naked¡ª¡± ¡°He said naked!¡± one of the kids down the table said. All the others snickered. ¡°¡ªthen we¡¯ll sprinkle on the cheese and bake it.¡± Luka watched as one kid launched a fistful of sauce at another. Quietly, he said to Eve, ¡°Maybe this was a bad idea.¡± ¡°Are you kidding?¡± she asked. ¡°This is a great idea!¡± She tossed some sauce at him, his enchanted magical shirt holding strong against the stain. Chapter 11: Salt As it turned out, the ability to create a big fancy stone oven did not make Luka a good pizza chef. Also, telling children to ¡°make the dough into a circle¡± and ¡°keep the sauce in the center¡± were not detailed enough instructions for a world without the dish. So, in the end, most pizzas came out burnt and misshapen, with gloopy cheese and dried sauce. Perhaps the saddest part of the affair was that the children loved every second of it. Or that was the best part of it. A trio of young girls giggled together, sharing a polished stone knife to cut their pizzas. They drummed their hands across the table and sang about the cheese and crispy crust. Nicole tried to feed Mr. Sticky a bite, but the doll only ended up with tomato smeared across its face. Sitting at the center of the picnic table, a boy shaped his pizza into a triangle, an act of defiance for sure, but one neither Tram nor Ben cared to correct. Either way, the boy devoured it when it came blistered and spotted out of the oven. Then there was Ren. Luka eyed the child, quirking an eyebrow as the young orc sniffed his creation not once but twice. Ren held the crust up, tapping the underside with a knuckle. He listened to the dull thud of the airy bread, seemingly content with whatever he was listening for. Then all the cheese slipped off, splattering his plate. Curses flew from his mouth a heartbeat later¡ªand a stern Tram snapped at him a moment later. Ignoring the old mayor, Ren spoke to Luka, ¡°I thought you said it was supposed to be flatbread? This isn¡¯t flat.¡± ¡°I made sure to get yeasted dough,¡± Luka replied. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Yeast causes the dough to puff up.¡± Ren¡¯s eyes lit up, and he quickly opened his cookbook to see an early page filled with scribbles. He wrote the yeast-thing down. Ben leaned in close to Luka and whispered, ¡°He asks a lot of questions. All the village bakers and cooks ignore him now, especially after catching him breaking into their homes to ¡®try out a few recipes.¡¯¡± A bit of smoke wafted from the oven. Luka muttered a curse himself, snatching up his magic fabricated peel and sticking it deep into the hot stone. A burnt pizza emerged. ¡°Sorry, Franky,¡± he said to the man, dropping the pizza in front of him. ¡°Burnt it.¡± ¡°Did you?¡± Franky asked. ¡°This looks divine.¡± Without waiting for it to cool, he folded it like a calzone and stuffed one end into his mouth. ¡°I was right!¡± he said, his mouth leaking steam. Luka slipped another pie in, removing another in the process. The oven could hold five at a time but only took ninety seconds to bake¡ªif he didn¡¯t burn them, that was. And with Franky¡¯s second pizza baking, only the other adults were left waiting for their pizzas. ¡°Why cheese?¡± Ren asked, practically yelling. ¡°Why not?¡± Luka retorted. ¡°Why not meat?¡± ¡°You could do meat if you wanted. Pepperoni is popular.¡± ¡°Pepper-oh-knee?¡± Luka didn¡¯t correct the pronunciation. ¡°It¡¯s a cured sausage. A bit spicy.¡± Ren scribbled more notes. ¡°You stick a whole sausage on pizza? That¡¯s weird.¡± Again, Luka didn¡¯t correct him. ¡°Any vegetables also. Other meats, different sauces. Anything you want, really.¡± Looking up, Ren eyed the World Walker suspiciously. ¡°Even sweet things?¡± ¡°Dessert pizza is a thing, yeah. You wouldn¡¯t do tomato sauce, though.¡± Luka took out two more pizzas, dropping them before Sol and Eve. They got to eating right away, completely ignoring the temperature, just like Franky. ¡°What about mutgrins?¡± Ren asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is,¡± Luka answered. ¡°It¡¯s a fritter¡ª¡± ¡°Ren,¡± Tram said in a warning voice. ¡°Leave the man alone; you¡¯ll talk his ear off.¡± The kid deflated. ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Luka said, dropping two more pies off. ¡°Your funeral.¡± The Mayor sampled her pizza. Ben took a big bite. ¡°This is good!¡± Franky echoed the sentiment with a grunt, his mouth full. He pulled his folded calzone back, showing off a long cheese stretch. The other adults grunted as well, agreeing in between bites. Finally, Luka served himself. Some of the kids had finished already and rushed back to the slides after a quick ¡°thank you.¡± Then he took a bite. It was okay. The dough was more cracker-like, the tomato sauce was missing herbs, and the cheese was closer to Swiss than mozzarella. And over all, it was bland. Why was it so bland? ¡°Needs salt,¡± Ren said, working on his second slice. Luka snapped his fingers, startling the boy. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s missing! Salt!¡± Eventually, the novelty of the pizzas ran out, and all the kids were back in the lake or taking turns going down the slide. Even Ren left after forcing Luka to give all of Earth¡¯s recipes to him. Sol also bid adieu, disappearing in a puff of smoke and black feathers. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Eve said, ¡°Could it kill her to walk home normally?¡± ¡°It probably would,¡± muttered Franky as he eyed the remaining dough. Luka tossed the leftovers to him. ¡°Flatten it out and cut them into long strips, then tie them into knots. We don¡¯t have any garlic, but it should still be tasty.¡± Franky instantly got to work, unaware of what ¡°garlic¡± was. ¡°Careful,¡± warned Tram, ¡°if Ren sees, he¡¯ll come running.¡± ¡°Is he one of the more difficult ones?¡± Luka asked. ¡°I got into my fair share of mischief when I was a kid.¡± ¡°No,¡± Tram forced herself to say. ¡°He¡¯s not difficult at all, really. Just passionate. I suppose all the kids are¡ªa symptom of their upbringing.¡± ¡°They¡¯re good kids despite their rambunctiousness,¡± Ben added. One of the kids went down the wavy slide, standing on his feet and crouching low. Another tried to do the same right after, but flipped over and ended up splashing into the water backwards. A few others mocked him for the failure, only to fail themselves when it was their turn. ¡°Is it just you two who take care of them?¡± Luka asked. Tram shook her head. ¡°Everyone in the village does; some have more free time than others, that''s all.¡± ¡°We¡¯re practically retired,¡± Ben said, taking his wife¡¯s hand. ¡°Not much to govern around here. And we always wanted kids, back when we were young.¡± ¡°To what could have been,¡± Tram said, receiving a solemn nod from all the other orcs¡ªeven Franky, who was trying to figure out how to use the pizza peel. Luka mimicked the gesture. ¡°It¡¯s nice here,¡± he then said. ¡°Reminds me of some places back home.¡± Tram and Ben shared a glance, the latter removing a paper from his back pocket. Emberwood¡¯s Judge cleared his throat and straightened his posture. ¡°World Walker Luka, I didn¡¯t come here only to escort Ren.¡± He pushed the paper toward Luka. ¡°I came to present this.¡± ¡°A contract?¡± Luka asked, reading the first few lines. ¡°More like a document of residency. These papers prove you¡¯d be one of Emberwood¡¯s residents and patrons.¡± Ben quickly added, ¡°And you¡¯d be tax-free for the first ten years.¡± Eve and Franky stared at the papers, even as dark smoke poured from the oven¡ªthe knots were burning. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Luka said. Sighing, Tram gently took the paper from him. ¡°We want you to be a resident here. In Emberwood. Full disclosure, World Walkers bring prosperity wherever they go. And well,¡± she gestured at the kids, ¡°we need some of that right now.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?¡± Franky asked pointedly. ¡°Mayor, this is Luka¡¯s second day here, and you¡¯re already throwing this at him?¡± ¡°I expect nothing.¡± Tram tore the contract in half, then half again. ¡°There¡¯s not a doubt in my mind there are better places to live in this world. Goddess above, the wealth bonuses any human city could dangle are many times over what we could ever hope to offer in a year. But you¡¯re right, Franky, we shouldn¡¯t have led with a contract.¡± She paused for a long moment as the others collected their thoughts. ¡°But, Emberwood is where you were placed in this world by the Goddess. That has to mean something?¡± Ben added, ¡°Orcs don¡¯t usually make contracts, by the way. We figured you, as a human, would feel more at home with a contract. Humans love contracts for some reason¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s a World Walker,¡± Eve said. ¡°He might not even know what a contract is!¡± Ben¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Oh, Goddess above! I¡¯m so sorry¡ª¡± Luka chuckled. ¡°I know what contracts are. Don¡¯t worry about offending me. I just¡­ I just don¡¯t know what¡¯s being offered here.¡± Eve answered, speaking far faster than the Mayor or Judge, ¡°World Walkers are, for lack of a better term, valuable. Most of the time, the places they settle down become beacons for culture or the economy¡ªsometimes both.¡± ¡°Like the Golden Well,¡± Franky said, ¡°or the Temple of the Hypothesis.¡± Luka blinked a few times¡ªwere those names supposed to mean anything to him? He glanced around, finding everyone nodding at Franky¡¯s statement. Luka asked, ¡°Why can¡¯t World Walkers just move around?¡± ¡°They can and some do,¡± Eve answered. ¡°They become known as Worldly Vagabonds or Heroes.¡± ¡°¡¯Heroes?¡¯¡± She nodded. ¡°The ones without homes usually hunt monsters and fix problems before they can arise. Like plagues or natural disasters.¡± ¡°They can just stop a natural disaster?¡± ¡°Hero Tide Turner got her name from turning a tsunami away from a cluster of coastal cities. World Walker magic can do some amazing things, sometimes. Especially if the world they originally came from has their own magic.¡± ¡°Earth isn¡¯t the only world World Walkers come from?¡± ¡°Far from it,¡± Tram said, tapping the torn contract. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about answering now, or even this month. Eve and Franky are right¡ªyou¡¯re a fledgling here, and forcing you to live in this village would be the true death of it.¡± Nodding along with his wife, Ben said, ¡°We just want to state it as plainly as possible: we want you to live here. And offering before some other city dangles a fulminating rose topaz as a housewarming present seemed like the best, safest option for us.¡± Luka didn¡¯t know what to say. The siblings didn¡¯t either. ¡°Also,¡± Ben quietly said, ¡°we don¡¯t want to take advantage of you. It¡¯s rare, but there are a few known instances where a World Walker is ¡®taken.¡¯ All their rights as a person are stripped and tarnished. Everything they created is not theirs but rather the city to which they belong. We won¡¯t do that, and we even offer to¡ªif another city piques your interest¡ªgo over exactly what they are offering and what they want from you so that you aren¡¯t taken advantage of.¡± ¡°Oh, okay¡­ thanks¡­¡± Luka said awkwardly. He retreated back into himself, allowing the conversation to teeter out. Eve and Franky gave Ben and Tram angry glares, even as Franky snacked on burnt knots. The elders ignore them. There was no shame in their eyes, not when the rehabilitation of their home could start with the alien sitting across from them. They¡¯re nice people. They care and obviously want what¡¯s best for everyone, Luka thought. If what Ben said was true, then people were eventually going to offer promises of wealth and power¡ªsome with malicious intent. The safest option would be to agree to Emberwood¡¯s terms outright and ignore all future favor attempts. He saw problems, of course, none he knew the full extent of. Luka did like it here though. A quiet, small community bound by deep, deep connections. He had friends already, he had people who made him happy, and he had plenty of kids to give happiness to. He twiddled the chalky rock he¡¯d used to draw on the table between his fingers, slowly tracing the image in his mind onto the woodgrain. He had time to decide, he knew; there was no point in rushing things¡ªnot yet, at least. Few people knew he was a World Walker, and it didn¡¯t seem like news traveled fast in this world. Distantly, he could hear the children laughing and giggling, their splashing like bird song. He continued to sketch. ¡°What are you working on?¡± Luka turned, finding Eve leaning in close. Lost in thought, he¡¯d been drawing a simple design. It¡¯d need some tuning, especially with Mystic Sol¡¯s glyph lessons, but the physics and mechanics all remained the same. He drew gears, pulleys, and simple machines perfectly, detailing their lengths and teeth. He found an issue in sketching the horses, at least until he realized dire-wolves and emus would fit better. ¡°This,¡± he told Eve, ¡°is what¡¯s called a carousel. It¡¯s rather simple; all it does is slowly spin. But, like the pizzas, I think the kids would get a kick out of it.¡± He nodded at the tome of glyphs. ¡°And I¡¯m thinking of using glyphs. Mind helping me figure it all out?¡± ¡°O-of course,¡± Eve said. Luka met Tram¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not going to sign any contracts right now, but I thank you for being upfront with me. Are you alright with me staying as a guest for now?¡± Tram leaned over the table, harshly tapping a single finger into Luka¡¯s sketch. ¡°If you build this, the kids will never let you leave.¡± Maybe that¡¯d be a good thing, Luka thought. Chapter 12: Ceilings The sudden appearance of Sol wasn¡¯t surprising to anyone, not with the entire top of the elongated picnic table covered in design sketches and blueprints. Everyone had finished eating lunch¡ªor was it more brunch? Either way, Sol¡¯s raven swooped down from gliding over the canopy, exploding into a puff of smoke and feathers to reveal the inquisitive Mystic. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy,¡± she said to Luka and Eve. The pair stood beside one another, Eve holding the tome of glyphs up for both of them to read. And while both acknowledged the newcomer¡¯s presence, neither felt like stopping. Luka pointed at a section of chalk drawing¡ªgears of various sizes sat beside unfinished rotational glyphs and spilled pizza sauce. ¡°Unless these glyphs can generate a lot of torque¡ªenough to rotate heavy stone¡ªI¡¯m not testing it until I have better materials. Steal, mainly.¡± ¡°¡¯Torque?¡¯¡± Sol asked. ¡°Is that one of those fancy music words?¡± Eve shook her head, glaring at the woman. ¡°He¡¯s already explained it. If you were here¡ª¡± She bit her tongue. ¡°Torque is how much strength is needed to rotate something.¡± Luka bobbled his head. ¡°More or less. Heavier the item, the more torque is needed to rotate it.¡± He turned thoughtful before flipping the tome¡¯s pages. ¡°Unless there¡¯s a lack of friction. Is there a glyph for that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± both Eve and Sol said at once. Eve gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know them, though. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re in the book.¡± Her aunt nodded along. ¡°I know of one, but the more powerful anti-friction glyphs are property of the Guilds.¡± ¡°A glyph can be property?¡± Luka asked, ending his blind thumbing of the pages. ¡°If they research and create new, modern glyphs, yes. Why would the Guilds tell the public of their accomplishments when they could sell their services or contract their clusters?¡± Eve added, ¡°Selling ¡®custom¡¯ glyphs is a large industry.¡± Luka understood that, at least. But still, at least on Earth, contractors usually worked closely with engineers¡ªat the very least, they formed partnerships. He asked, ¡°So I can buy a glyph from someone?¡± ¡°No. When buying a glyph, they don¡¯t teach it. Someone from the Guilds has to inscribe it for you physically. Full-on buying a glyph is rare and mostly unheard of with regard to the Guilds. You¡¯d have to find an independent glyph trader.¡± Sol scoffed. ¡°Those accursed Guilds¡­ glyphcraft is an art! How they could make ¡®trade magic¡¯ into an industry is beyond me.¡± Eve rolled her eyes and explained, ¡°¡¯Trade magic¡¯ is when magic is outsourced by commission work by the Guilds.¡± ¡°Trade magic is not magic,¡± Sol slurred. ¡°It is when it works! And! There¡¯s no headache involved trying to figure the missing glyphs out!¡± The niece and aunt glared at one another. Luka cleared his throat. ¡°What about magnetic repulsion and attraction glyphs?¡± Like a switch had been flipped, Sol¡¯s hard demeanor softened smoothly. ¡°Those are easy. In the tome.¡± He took the tome from Eve, sitting down at the table, and¡ªsplat. Cursing, Luka held the book up, finding tomato and raw flour coating the front and back covers. ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered, wiping it off with his shirt. Sol waved him off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. The blasted thing is enchanted to be indestructible.¡± Eve¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°To a point,¡± she said hesitantly. ¡°Don¡¯t try to destroy it, please, Luka. Last time, Aunty almost destroyed an entire grove.¡± ¡°Bah¡ª¡± Sol raised a hand, showing off a pulsating orb of dark magic resting casually in her palm. ¡°We could try again. I augmented my explosion spell to be more contained. The shockwave won¡¯t be¡ª¡± Luka¡¯s breathing lurched, his vision went fuzzy, and his mind spun. He remembered the shockwaves¡ªthe devastating ripple that sundered even the air. It tore through camp and blew apart tents, the ridge that sat between the camp and testing explosion not so much as slowing it. Beside Luka, scientists took notes, but that wasn¡¯t what he was thinking about. No, he was thinking logistics¡ªhow to build more bombs and be ready to protect themselves¡ª The tome of glyphs fell from Luka¡¯s hands, landing on the table with a dull thud. It was dirty as it was, but not so much as a single page was stained. The same couldn¡¯t be said about Luka. Sweat poured from his forehead and pits, staining his divine-enchanted shirt. The wetness faded as quickly as it came, the enchantment working as intended, but the enchantment could do nothing for his clammy jaw and white-clenched hands. ¡°What¡ª¡± Franky was there in an instant, guiding him to the ground. Luka didn¡¯t know where he came from. Last he saw the orc, Franky was slipping down the slides, attempting to stay on his feet. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Sol was beside him next, leaning over him as if space itself shifted to accommodate her. She pressed her hand to his forehead, a faint green hue radiating from the connection. She grunted, and the colors came to an end. Tram and Ben were beside Eve, rushing over from overseeing the children. They spoke in hushed but aggressive whispers, demanding answers for Luka¡¯s sudden collapse. But Eve didn¡¯t know anything; how could she? She couldn¡¯t see Luka¡¯s memories. Closing his eyes, Luka went over the memory. Bombs? Efficiency? War? He figured his dream last night was induced by the hallucinogenic prismpuff. Obviously, he was wrong. Did he create bombs? ¡°¡ªka?¡± His eyes focused and he found Sol¡¯s hand glowing deep emerald on his chest. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he asked, his droopy hand and fluttering. ¡°Healing magic. Now quiet,¡± snapped Sol. She moved her hand to his neck, then drifted slowly back to his forehead. ¡°Luka,¡± Eve whispered, ¡°are you alright?¡± He glanced at her, rocks scraping against his cheek. ¡°I¡ªI think I remembered something.¡± He didn¡¯t explain what. How could he explain he used to be a monster? ¡°Quiet,¡± Sol snapped again. ¡°I¡¯m working.¡± Luka watched the green glow pulsate in rhythm with his heart. Wub, wub, wub¡­ it was soothing¡ªlike Goddess Tippy¡¯s own glow. Eventually, Sol backed off, saying, ¡°You¡¯re fine. My magic found no issues, physically at least. Mentally, that¡¯s another story. Mind sharing what you ¡®remembered?¡¯¡± Luka thought about it, but shook his head. ¡°Not right now.¡± He sat up, groaning. ¡°And thanks for healing me¡­ I don¡¯t really know what that means, but you acted quickly. So thanks.¡± Sol looked toward the lake, her gaze falling on a specific ridge along the far edge of the water. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± she said distantly. Tram clapped her hands. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough action for the day. Why don¡¯t you go rest? Take a nap, find a nice bed to lay in. Not everything needs to be done today, especially this ¡®carousel¡¯ of yours.¡± Franky whistled, calling over the dire-beasts from where they lounged with their front paws in the water. A half-dozen kids climbed all over them, leaping from their backs like personal fuzzy diving boards. Olive, the emu, was off doing bird things nearby. Soon, the two orcs and one human said goodbye to the elders and were off to the bar. *** Luka lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Little light seeped between the dark curtains and wall, the noon sun still high. Mr. Todd¡¯s bar was connected to an inn through a single rock pathway. Inside was nothing special, just square undecorated rooms in a rectangular three-story building. It was a place meant for drunkards to rest from their hangovers or travelers and merchants to stay on the cheap¡ªcity inns were exuberant compared to what Mr. Todd¡¯s inn cost to rent a room. Luka¡¯s room was no different than the others. A cot sized for an orc pushed against the wall, and the paint where the frame touched rubbed clean off. A single pillow and scruffy blanket was all there was¡ªno bed sheet, no pillowcase, no comforter. Three small steps from the foot of the bed, a wooden desk the size of a modest book open wide collided with the room¡¯s door. If swung open, the door and desk would hit, providing each with a dent. Trying to take Tram¡¯s advice to ¡°take a nap,¡± Luka instead found himself alone for the first real-time since coming to this world. He wanted to sleep; he sure was tired, and his head sure did hurt¡­ but he couldn¡¯t. He was like this on Earth, too, he remembered. Sleepless nights were common. Unfortunately, his mind just never wanted to rest. Maybe we were testing the safety of a project? Maybe we weren¡¯t creating bombs¡ª He cursed at himself. Close your eyes and fall asleep. The shockwaves¡­ they aren¡¯t me anymore. Someone outside the inn yelled something, a patron no doubt arriving for the evening. The clop of horse¡ªor perhaps a dire-beast¡¯s¡ªhooves trotted across the grass, each step echoing in Luka¡¯s room. He heard the rider flick their reigns, dragging the beast and a full cart of wares about. Within minutes, more voices appeared, along with the grunts and moans of laborers moving crates and boxes. Maybe Mr. Todd is getting a delivery? Boxes and barrels of alcoh¡ª Luka gritted his teeth, there he was again, his mind stirring at nothing. With a deep sigh, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep¡­ ¡°Gah,¡± he slurred, flipping off the scruffy blanket and letting it fall to the dirty floor. He flung his legs over the edge of the bed and stopped. Bombs, shockwaves, war¡­ that¡¯s not me, Luka thought. It can¡¯t be. He eyed the tome of glyphs sitting on the much-to-small table. It seemed to loom, mocking him, its countless pages of alien knowledge. Luka sucked on his bottom lip¡ªhe wanted to read it. To study it. To learn the secrets of his magic and how to produce something that was better than his dreams¡ªor memories¡ªof death and destruction. Little Ren and Nicole came to mind. Mr. Sticky¡¯s owner and the prodigal chef. What about the others? Were they as innocent as Nicole? Were they as opportunistic as Ren? Luka stood from the bed and pushed it three small steps to the table. The room didn¡¯t come equipped with a chair¡ªthough Eve assured him he could request one. The bed will work just fine, he thought, opening the curtains slightly. Light spilled in, illuminating spots on the tome where he missed clearing pizza sauce. The beginning of the book was boring, supplemental information to the lesson Sol, and Eve, had given him. He skipped around, stopping on a page that described a glyph that secreted a type of wyvern venom. He stopped reading partway down¡ªmedical practices were not his specialty. Another page was blank other than a crude drawing of a glyph with no title, explanation, or given description. There was no way he was testing that one. Soon he found the water glyphs. Fresh, salt, pure, and the many, many accompanying fixtures and symbols that dealt with pressure, volume, speed the water was created at, or even color and transparency. Glyphs worked like hamburgers. First you pick what the bun needs¡ªwater, fire, etcetera¡ªthen you add the meat¡ªa singular large variation that dictated the rest of the toppings¡ªthen everything else you wanted on it¡ªthe smaller things, the things that make the meal. He continued reading, looking for alternatives to supplement Earth¡¯s large-scale engineering. Mimicking electricity would be a problem but with glyphs and magic? There was no doubt in his mind the sky was the limit. The sun began to set by the time Luka finally stopped reading. He had blueprints in his mind, but that¡¯d come tomorrow. First, he had to make sure Leo was fed dinner. And as he escaped the small, square room and checked on the dire-wolf, an idea formed. ¡°Smash burgers¡­ the kids would love ¡®em¡­¡± Chapter 13: Todd’s ¡°This is a problem. It¡¯s too soon,¡± Goddess Tippy said to her divine brother. God Rion slowly shook his head but agreed all the same. ¡°We both knew it would be.¡± ¡°But so soon? I thought years¡ªnot hours.¡± Their shared domain flickered, changing from the normal white landscape to the room Luka sat in studying. The World Walker read about an oddity in glyphcraft, the Pierre Theory. In essence, glyphs have more power when utilized within rocks. In reality, unknown to most of the world, glyphs worked more efficiently in dense materials, just like the passage of sound waves through matter. Goddess Tippy saw no reason Luka wouldn¡¯t figure out the truth; he understood the physical world more than most. But then again, she had no qualms about his magical progress¡ªit was his mental state she worried about. ¡°If he starts to remember his old self¡­¡± She just shook her head, the outcome not needing to be said. Rion looked to the side, eyeing the strains of the universe¡ªstrains that only the gods could see. ¡°I¡¯ve never been the best at reading fate, but¡ª¡± Tippy raised her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve already read them. Three days is the most conservative outcome.¡± ¡°Another memory patch, then, right? At least, until he visits a temple.¡± The Goddess took a deep breath. The feeling of breathing was something long lost to her. But with this newest World Walker, she and her brother had realized just how far they¡¯d wandered from the humanity that they were created from. Breathing, a simple, often overlooked function, was safe. It was comforting. It was¡­ it was calming. ¡°Yes,¡± she eventually said. ¡°I will¡­ edge fate to push him to me. If the patch fails before then, I only hope my limiter ceases whatever hell he tries to create.¡± Rion smiled. ¡°Your limiter; happiness, was it? Bombs are creations of greed and arrogance¡ªLuka won¡¯t fall. I trust him.¡± Tippy regarded her brother. ¡°You trust a mortal?¡± ¡°Only because you do,¡± he said with a smirk. And when Tippy thought about it, she supposed she did. *** Luka woke up before Eve and Franky again. After checking on the still-sleeping Leo, Luka ventured into the oddly unlocked bar to find some paper. Taking a seat at the counter, he started sketching. Last night, while reading the tome of glyphs, Luka realized just how wrong his preliminary ideas about the carousel had been. The mechanics all made sense, though importantly, magic wasn¡¯t anything like ¡°mechanics.¡± Rotational glyphs rotated. Simple enough. But they didn¡¯t necessarily translate that motion into whatever it was inscribed into. A gear can rotate in two directions, but those directions can be in any direction¡ªso long as it rotates around an axis. Rotational glyphs¡ªand nearly all other movement-based glyphs Luka researched¡ªdidn¡¯t account for axes. The fix was simple, however: an axis glyph. Of course, there¡¯s an axis glyph, Luka mused to himself as he made his adjustments. The trick now was connecting the two glyphs. Maybe there was a cluster that already did¡ª ¡°Oi!¡± Luka flinched and swiveled on the bar stool. An irate older orc with tattoos of foamy mugs across his muscular arms stood in the doorframe, staring. He was short, half the size of Franky, and closer to Ren¡¯s height than not. The man, obvious from his wicked beard, spewed hot exhales from his flared nostrils. He stalked across the bar, presenting himself like some kind of messiah. Luka immediately recognized Mr. Todd, although he¡¯d never met him and had only seen him sling bubbling ales and dropping off chewy hunks of meat. ¡°Hello,¡± Luka said, slowly sticking his fist out in greeting, ¡°we haven¡¯t met yet. I¡¯m L¡ª¡± ¡°I know who you are,¡± Todd snarled, a dirty rag and a half-smoked cigar behind his ear. ¡°And don¡¯t think for a second that you being from another world gives you the right to steal my PAPER!¡± He screamed the last word, splattering Luka with spittle. Luka turned away, scrabbling up his horde of blueprints and notes. ¡°Sorry¡ªI didn¡¯t think¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, of course, you didn¡¯t think you were stealing. Humans, can¡¯t trust the lot of them.¡± Do humans steal a lot? Luka wondered. He hadn¡¯t met an alien-human yet, only orcs and the like. Or maybe Mr. Todd is just being racist¡­ speciesist? ¡°Riggght,¡± Luka drew the word out, ¡°I¡¯ll buy the paper from you and the pen. I don¡¯t have money¡ª¡± Todd loudly scoffed. ¡°¡ªbut I can trade for them. Need something fixed? I¡¯m good at that.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The orc rolled his eyes. ¡°Paper¡¯s expensive here, you know that, right? This ain¡¯t one of those fancy human cities, now is it?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t know. Only been here two days. Emberwood¡¯s all I¡¯ve seen.¡± Todd¡¯s eyebrows twitched, some anger draining from his face. ¡°Yeah, well, you shouldn¡¯t be stealing regardless. What kind of world did you come fr¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to pay with magic.¡± Luka watched Todd stew on that. He didn¡¯t know how much a few pieces of paper cost here, but he felt sure it was cheaper than repairs. But then again, he didn¡¯t know how much anything cost. Maybe paper was expensive. Todd rapped his knuckles across the bar top. ¡°Does your magic work on beer?¡± That was¡­ not what Luka was expecting if he was being honest. And as he thought about it, he didn¡¯t see why it wouldn¡¯t. Food was made of material, and he could work with any material, right? Hopps, water, yeast, flavorings. Was it possible? In the end, Luka said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Never tried. I can fix and create things¡ªhaven¡¯t done anything else.¡± Todd chewed his lip. ¡°I need new beer to attract new customers¡ªsomething to get customers from the city to stay here for the night. Not that I¡¯d make much money, for how cheap I¡¯d sell a mug.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Luka mused, understanding, ¡°you don¡¯t need a new beer. You need marketing.¡± Todd growled, ¡°I need what?¡± ¡°You sell cheap drinks here, right?¡± ¡°Watch your mouth¡ª¡± Luka held up a surrendered hand. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that, your customers are tired patrons wanting to get off the road and rest, right?¡± Todd nodded. ¡°Then you don¡¯t need new beer¡ªI¡¯m sure customers will drink anything. What you need is marketing. A sign by the road to attract the tired and thirsty.¡± The short orc glare lessened. ¡°You can just¡­ build a sign like that?¡± ¡°If I have the materials, yeah.¡± ¡°What kind of materials?¡± ¡°Wood, metal. Whatever¡¯s available and sturdy.¡± Todd glanced at the paper and pen. ¡°A sign for what you¡¯ve stolen, aye?¡± Luka shrugged. ¡°So long as you¡¯ve got the materials.¡± Smiling like a cat, Todd held out his first. Luka punched it as hard as he could, not so much as feeling the impact. ¡°Come with me.¡± Exiting the bar, the two men walked only a few steps. It was early morning, and yet, the highway at the end of the road was already bustling with traffic. Carts, mount-drawn carriages, people on foot¡ªeveryone rushed by, not so much as looking at Emberwood. ¡°That work?¡± Todd asked, nodding toward a half-collapsed barn. It was made of faded offcuts of emberwood. The usual orange amber color all but gone, looking more like dying embers than roaring flames. Nails jutted from the edges and overlapped, each rusted and bent. Shingles of rotted bark and straw draped over the top prime real estate for decomposers and bugs. Luka watched a greenish raccoon exit the shed, scampering tiredly into the woods. ¡°This¡¯ll work perfectly. Mind if I keep the extra wood?¡± Todd shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t care. The woman who owned it long moved away after the mine collapsed.¡± He spat onto the ground. ¡°Coward.¡± With some experience under his belt, Luka didn¡¯t move the wood by hand. Instead, he deconstructed the barn into a few piles based on rot levels. The strands in his vision had no issues with the task, ripping nails and tossing slats. But a thought occurred. Can I just remove the rot? The quick answer, the one that came to Luka first, was no. But the longer he thought about it, why couldn¡¯t he? Wood was wood, and rotted wood was rotted wood. Separating the two was like scraping mud off the rocks from yesterday, as far as his magic was concerned. Sure, some wood would be lost from the process, but rot wasn¡¯t usable in buildings. Luka commanded the strands to peel away the rot, dropping it in the grass for snails and termites to feast on. The wood lost its dullness, revealing the golden-orange hue of fresh emberwood. From there, the wood ¡°melted¡± together, forming proper slats. Pieces fused at the grain, becoming one as if cut directly from the tree. Luka grunted at that. Worked better than expected. ¡°What in the Goddess¡¯ name,¡± muttered Todd as he watched pieces of the barn jump from one pile to another. ¡°Where do you want the sign?¡± ¡°By the highway¡­¡± Luka turned on his heel and strolled off, the wood following. The piles bounced along, moving as if yanked by marionette strings. Starting with a proper foundation, Luka dug wooden spikes into the soft grass. From there, he grabbed a few buckets full of loose gravel, melting the rocks together for added weight. An added durability glyph¡ªone of the few Luka memorized¡ªetched lightly into the framework only a hair deep. Slats of emberwood connected to each other, bending slightly to fit into a perfect cylinder. Luka mounted it onto the base and foundation. Thinking of Earth¡¯s signs, Luka decided Mr. Todd¡¯s bar needed a nice symbol for people to recognize. He stole a glance at the man himself. Orcish tattoos were personal and heartfelt. Eve¡¯s little birds sang about her loving nice character while Mr. Todd¡¯s cheersing, frothing beer mugs spoke of the man¡¯s love for the drink. Luka made the symbol from thinned out dark rocks so that they would pop against emberwood orange. He told the strands to hoist the thing after a few finishing glyphs. The sign loomed over the highway, inching into one of the lanes of traffic. It was double-sided, calling attention from both those leaving the city and those approaching. Two cheersing mugs clashed at the top, each foaming with thick bubbles. A wooden arrow curved down from the top, pointing toward the bar. Lastly, highlighted with a trifecta of colored light glyphs was the establishment''s name. Todd¡¯s The strands of magic in Luka¡¯s eyes danced happily when all was said and done, especially after seeing Todd gawk. And while Luka¡¯s legs slightly wobbled and his head hurt from magical exertion, the fruits of the situation already started to bloom. A two-person cart veered off the highway, turning into the outer section of Emberwood. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve got customers already, Todd.¡± The orc looked at the World Walker, horror plastered across his face. He started pacing, muttering curses about Luka and ¡°the Goddess.¡± Despite this, the barkeep was smiling largely. Is that blasphemous? Luka wondered, smiling himself. Two more faces soon found the massive overhand sign¡ªEve and Franky. They appeared from the bar, both finding the sign before they found Luka. They quickly rushed over. ¡°Hey guys,¡± Luka said. ¡°I bought a few pieces of paper and a pen. Did I overpay?¡± Eve¡¯s eyes were glued to the small lighting glyphs. Franky had no problem saying, ¡°By about a thousand times.¡± Mr. Todd shook his head and pointed. ¡°I was expecting a sign like that one.¡± Luka and the others looked, finding a rectangular slat of wood nailed to two posts. Written in black pain was ¡°inn,¡± along with a crude drawing of a bottle of ale. Slowly, Luka turned back to the sign he created. ¡°Oh. I think I went overboard.¡± Chapter 14: Meat Luka watched as it took a few minutes for Todd to fully deflate. The sign, while massive, was going to bring in a swell of customers. Realizing this, Todd reinflated. ¡°I¡¯m going to have too many customers now. Thanks a lot,¡± Todd said, oozing sarcasm. Luka nodded along with the statement. ¡°I can make it smaller. Maybe remove the lights?¡± ¡°No!¡± Todd practically jumped. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ªdon¡¯t change it. We¡¯ll deal with it, World Walker.¡± ¡°Good doing business with you then, orc.¡± Franky laughed at that, Eve slowly shook her head and rolled her eyes. ¡°Paper for a sign,¡± she muttered quietly. Soon they were back in the bar, Mr. Todd slinging drinks to the customers already brought in by the sign. They were a couple with large packs on their backs and snubbed noses¡ªLuka didn''t know what race they were. They were pleasant, though, and ignored Todd¡¯s rambling about this and that as he served them. ¡°Hey Luka, what¡¯s that?¡± Eve asked, pointing to the blueprints sprawled across the bar top. ¡°The plans for the carousel. I redid them.¡± Looking over them, she marked one of the glyphs with a star. ¡°This one¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Luka asked. It was one of the rotational gear glyphs, the driving one that powered the whole thing. ¡°I mean, not if you wanted the thing to spin faster than the world itself.¡± He slacked his jaw. ¡°No, suppose that¡¯s not what I was going for.¡± Eve chuckled. ¡°Limiter markings are important for movement-based glyphs. It¡¯s an easy enough fix but an important one.¡± She adjusted the blueprint. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re here. I had an idea I couldn¡¯t quite figure out.¡± Luka moved another piece of paper front and center. A small box was drawn on it. ¡°I want to design a control box¡ªsomething simple with an on/off button to turn the carousel, well, on and off.¡± Eve studied the drawing. ¡°You¡¯re on the right track. But I don¡¯t know of a ¡®remote glyph.¡¯ What¡¯s it do?¡± Luka bit his lip. ¡°It¡¯d connect two things together invisibly through the air instead of with wires.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a thing here. What¡¯re you making invisible? Wood? The air doesn¡¯t conduct glyphs.¡± ¡°Infrared waves.¡± Eve made a face. ¡°Yeah,¡± Luka quietly said. ¡°I thought so. Any ideas then?¡± That¡¯s one thing I could ¡°invent¡± for this world, he thought. Waves were never my area of expertise. I don¡¯t think¡­ Franky exited the kitchen with three nice, steaming hot mugs of jrum. ¡°Anyone thirsty?¡± he asked with a singsong voice. Luka gladly took a mug as he and Eve got to work. *** ¡°Ground beef is how much?¡± Luka asked, bewildered. He and Franky were at the only raw meat vendor in the village, a tiny inner village shop run by a mother-and-son duo. The building had an accompanying mud pin with various farm animals within it. Pigs, in this world, were green and speckled like Dalmatians. There were also more exotic beasts like feathered mammals the size of rabbits but standing on three legs or large-breed centipedes that produced drinking milk. Apparently, cows were a thing here, and even more surprising¡ªconfirmed by Franky¡ªthey were not monstrous or a surreal color. Cows were cows, it seemed. The shop¡¯s owner¡ªHern¡ªwas a dwarf. She, like the other dwarves Luka had seen, had a beard that stretched from her chin to her knees. She kept it braided tight and behind a stained smock and glared when Luka looked at it. ¡°Seven silver for two chunks,¡± she replied, a gruffness in her voice, ripping a cleaver from a butcher¡¯s block. Luka didn¡¯t know how much that was or what a ¡°chunk¡± even was, but from the price of a mug of beer and Franky¡¯s reaction, he assumed a small fortune. ¡°That can¡¯t be right,¡± the bald orc said. ¡°Is that the price you¡¯d give me?¡± Hern let out a growl, thumping her cleaver back into the wood block. ¡°I¡¯ve known ye since ye were in wee diapers. Ye¡¯d cost eight silver!¡± Franky recoiled. ¡°So seven silver is the price you give him and not me¡­¡± he leaned in closer to the woman¡ªshe leaned in as well. ¡°What if I told you he was a World Walker?¡± Both slowly leaned out, locking eyes the whole way. Hern scoffed. ¡°Sonny, I care not ¡®bout home rock. What matters to me is the coin for the cow. Expensive. Pig is three copper a chunk.¡± Assuming ¡°home rock¡± meant ¡°home world¡± and assuming ¡°chunk¡± was volumetric and not based on weight, Luka theorized pork smash burgers might not be so bad. ¡°Look, sonnies, I can discount cow to five silver per chunk for ye two¡ªbut only ¡®cause I changed ye diapers!¡± Hern said to Franky. ¡°Got me a rip few chunks in the preserver.¡± Gruff attitude and bloody apron, Luka thought, but still looking out for the villagers. People here are nice under their rough edges. ¡°How big¡¯s a chunk?¡± Luka asked. Both Hern and Franky gave different approximations using their hands to show volume. ¡°Right,¡± Luka placidly said. ¡°Four chunks of cow, then.¡± Hern nodded¡ª ¡°Though I don¡¯t have any money.¡± She stopped cold. ¡°I can pay in magic, though.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Hern scoffed. ¡°Typical. What kinda magic, eh?¡± ¡°Fixing things, creating things from raw materials.¡± ¡°Can ye create cow from cow?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± The butcher scoffed again. ¡°Follow me.¡± Franky and Luka did and entered the cutting room. Beside strange meats hung from the ceiling by thick, curved hooks, a middle-aged dwarf shoved a cleaver through a thick bone with a cleaver. He had a beard as well, but it ended at his bellybutton. ¡°This ¡®ere my son, Gern,¡± Hern said. ¡°He claims his cleaver¡¯s haft be wobbling.¡± Gern stumbled back when he saw Luka. ¡°World Walker¡ª¡± Luka gave Franky a look. ¡°Tram¡¯s been telling the villagers about you. Some take it better than others.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t gawk; he¡¯s folk like ye or me,¡± Hern chided, smacking her son lightly on the shoulder. Well, lightly was subjective. It was a full-on punch. ¡°Can I see the knife?¡± Luka asked, holding his hand out. Gern unceremoniously wiped the cleaver off on his apron, handing it over. The handle was indeed wobbly. With a grip made of wood, the slotted blade sat sandwiched within, held together by two pins with a slot for a third. ¡°Should be easy enough,¡± Luka said, rifling through his pocket. Starting from yesterday, he had picked up bits of material in case any small magic was needed. A snapped stick here, a nice rock there, maybe even a hunk of broken brick. In this case, he only needed a small twig. In a matter of seconds, Luka¡¯s magic melded the twig into a perfect cylinder and formed the pin pinhole. He wiggled the handle, finding it perfectly stiff. He gave the cleaver back. Gern gave the knife a few test swings before grunting loudly getting back to work. Hern raised an eyebrow. ¡°Magic, eh? Spooky stuff.¡± She shook her head, walking away. Luka and Franky followed. ¡°Four chunk it be,¡± she continued, reaching into a wooden box similar to an ice chest. With her hand, she scooped four massive piles of ground beef out, portioning them by eye rather than scale. Soon, a sack full of meat was ready to go¡ªtoo much meat. ¡°That¡¯s too much,¡± Luka pleaded. ¡°No, it ain¡¯t. I know how much magic is worth. Four chunk beef.¡± She slapped the sack. ¡°Now be off! And come back later with money!¡± Luka chuckled and heaved the bag over his shoulder. Four ¡°chunk¡± was nearly twenty kilos. Franky said goodbye to the both of them as Luka struggled to open the door. ¡°She was nice,¡± he said quietly as some village residents eyed them¡ªeyed him. Franky nodded along. ¡°Keeps to herself, that one. But everyone¡¯s friendly with Hern and Gern. Good people. Where to next?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to buy some cast iron.¡± ¡°The smithery, then.¡± The smithery was on the outer edge of the inner village, away from trees and grass. Heat poured from the building like an open volcano, even with heat-dampening glyphs etched into the walls. Luka studied the glyphs for a few moments before entering. ¡°Feels like I¡¯m being roasted in here,¡± Franky said, tugging on his shirt after they entered. ¡°I¡¯ll make this quick then,¡± Luka said, tapping a handbell sitting near the door. A chime rang through the whole shop, ringing especially loud in the next room over where the forge was. The door to the forge opened, letting out a brutal puff of heat. An orcish head poked out. He was younger than Franky by a few years, but had similar muscles all the same. He came out of the forge room with a dirty shirt wrapped around his waist and with thick, padded leggings on. Sweat poured from his chest and face, falling off of him and sizzling on the hot bricks under his feet. ¡°Hey Cam,¡± Franky greeted, holding out his fist. The forger''s apprentice, Cam, punched Franky with greasy, soot charred knuckles. ¡°Hey, bossman, who is this?¡± ¡°Luka, World Walker.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re the one that¡¯s got the village in a stir.¡± Cam held out his fist. Luka punched it. ¡°Nice to meet you. And have I?¡± The smithing apprentice nodded, sweat cascading. ¡°Got the Mayor running around putting in dozens of orders across the shops.¡± He nodded toward the forge room. ¡°Even got the bossman doing commissions for all kinds of random materials. Iron, steel, bronze, you name it.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Luka muttered, going thoughtful. ¡°Materials, you say?¡± Cam nodded. ¡°Hate to rush ya, but I¡¯ve got to get back to work. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for cast iron.¡± Cam¡¯s eyebrows lit up like a neon billboard. ¡°¡¯Cast¡¯ iron? Never heard of it. That from your world?¡± Luka nodded. ¡°It''s heavy and thick. Retains heat well.¡± ¡°What color?¡± ¡°Black, usually.¡± Cam pointed to a shelf by the entrance. ¡°Those fence posts¡ªwrought iron.¡± Luka didn¡¯t have to look. Wrought iron was an old name for virtually the same metal. It¡¯d work for his needs, at least. ¡°Perfect, I¡¯ll take a few.¡± ¡°You need fence posts?¡± ¡°No, not particularly. But I can use the material with my magic.¡± Cam dabbed his forehead with a rag. ¡°You need any molds, then?¡± ¡°No¡­ but do you have any aluminum?¡± ¡°Never heard of it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s shiny, often shiny. Real malleable and doesn¡¯t retain heat but also doesn¡¯t melt.¡± ¡°Sounds like a perfect metal. Don¡¯t think we got anything like that on this world, bossman. Unless the Guilds discovered it in secret, or maybe one of the dwarven kingdoms.¡± ¡°They like metal,¡± Franky helpfully said. When Luka thought about it, it kind of was. Aluminum was used exceedingly often on Earth, only iron and titanium came close. That wasn¡¯t to say it didn¡¯t have its own flaws, however. Any flaw could be overcome with enough planning and forethought. ¡°What do you need it for?¡± asked Cam. ¡°Nothing yet, just thinking about the future.¡± Luka paused for a moment, glancing at the iron fence posts. ¡°I have a proposition.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening, bossman.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you and your¡­ bossman figure out the process of making aluminum for a few of those posts.¡± Cam hummed loudly. ¡°You know about the forging process?¡± ¡°Not exactly, but¡ª¡± But what? Luka asked himself, thinking back to Earth. His memories were scrambled, but hedging into his focus were highly detailed reports about various kinds of aluminum tensile strengths and compression ratios. He could picture the report. It was only a few pages long, stapled together in the corner and marked throughout with a pen. Plastered across the top page was a coversheet, along with the warning: TOP SECRET. ¡°Bossman?¡± Cam asked. Luka shook himself. ¡°Sorry, got lost in¡­ something. I know a lot about aluminum. I think I can help two forging experts figure out the process, yeah.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, bossman. This seems like something the Forgemaster would want to discuss.¡± Luka shrugged and showed off his sack of meat. ¡°Then come down by the courthouse later today when you two are done. I¡¯ll be making smashburgers and I¡¯ve got plenty of meat¡ªprobably enough to feed the whole village if I¡¯m being honest. If your boss doesn¡¯t like the deal, then I¡¯ll pay for the posts some other way.¡± ¡°Lovely,¡± Franky muttered, predatorily staring at the sack. ¡°Love me some good meat.¡± Cam wiped his dripping sweat again. ¡°Yeah, sounds good enough for me, then.¡± He paused. ¡°What¡¯s a smashburger?¡± ¡°Beef,¡± Franky purred. ¡°I love beef!¡± They departed a moment later, two fence posts in hand. Once they were following their noses to Iop¡¯s bakery, Franky leaned in close. ¡°Be careful of what you share from Er-arth. People would harm Cam and Forgemaster Adam if this ale-you-in-tium stuff.¡± Luka frowned at the statement but took the words to heart. It made sense when he thought about it. As Tram was saying before, people would be coming to him to take ideas and steal riches¡ªwhy wouldn¡¯t they do the same for people around him as well? ¡°Want me to carry that?¡± Franky asked after a short stop in the bakery. Luka gladly passed over the sack of meat. ¡°Hey, does this world have mayonnaise?¡± The orc scoffed. ¡°What kind of question is that? Of course, we do! We¡¯re not heathens!¡± Chuckling, Luka said, ¡°We should get some eggs and oil then.¡± ¡°And a bit of gra¡¯mak¡¯lish¡¯lem for flavor!¡± The word sounded like a chainsaw. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Franky said. ¡°That was Orcish for lemon.¡± Chapter 15: Grillin Luka and Franky found Eve sitting in the garden outside the courtyard. Judge Ben had a green thumb, meticulously pruning and planting the overgrown area. Bushes, each with budding colorful flowers, lined the stonework around the side closest to the lake and wrapped around the back. Creeping up the walls were thick-stemmed vines, each with ripened bean pods growing between the leaves. Flowers mixed in with vegetable roots and fruiting plants, lining various mulched rows. Some fruits were big, others small, but most, if not all, were varieties Luka had never seen before. Most were unripe, stuck in purgatory green and waiting for their flesh to sweeten or their seeds to become blazing hot. Regardless of what was growing, two pairs of annoyed eyes glared at Luka and Franky as they entered the garden. Sebby and Leo stuck out from the greenery like fish in the desert. Their gray and white fur clashed against the brown dirt and blooming purple flowers, though the beauty didn¡¯t soothe them in the slightest. ¡°Sorry, bud,¡± Franky said to Sebby, dropping off the sack of meat. ¡°You know shopping is boring for wolves.¡± Sebby growled. ¡°I know, I know. But no one will give you samples anymore. You¡¯re too big.¡± Leo perked up at that. ¡°You are too,¡± Franky said to him. Leo deflated. Luka chuckled at the scene. ¡°If it makes you feel better, Leo, I¡¯ll take you along. But Franky¡¯s right, you¡¯re just too big to fit inside the shops.¡± The pup whined, long and low. Luka brushed his neck tenderly. ¡°I wish you could shrink and grow whenever you want.¡± Out of the corner of his eye, Luka spotted Eve and Franky sharing a glance. He turned and stared, Leo doing the same. Eve sighed. ¡°Most orcs want their mounts to be as large as possible. Strength in size, you know?¡± ¡°No?¡± Luka crossed his arms and lifted his chin at her. Leo mimicked the stance the best he could. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯d want to permanently change Leo¡¯s size. But I¡¯d be nice for him to be able to enter the bar with me or curl up on the bed with me and take a nap.¡± Franky squirmed a bit. ¡°This must be a World Walker thing¡ªor maybe a human?¡± Luka frowned. ¡°I take it from your expressions Leo changing size is possible. What I don¡¯t understand is why you two are being weird about it. If Leo wanted to change size, then more power to him. If not, it¡¯s all the same. What¡¯s wrong about that?¡± The sibling and Sebby collectively said, ¡°Ohhhhh.¡± Eve chuckled to herself. ¡°That makes a lot more sense.¡± She waved a hand. ¡°Miscommunication. We thought you wanted the ability to change Leo¡¯s size and not let him dictate¡ªwhich is horrible and is outlawed almost everywhere.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to hire a magical beast trainer,¡± Franky added. ¡°Someone who can speak to animals as well as cast the required spells. And Leo would have to agree, of course.¡± The wolf barked, wagging his fluffy tail. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like that¡¯ll be an issue,¡± Luka said, smiling. ¡°Know where I can find someone like that? Sol?¡± The siblings made a face. ¡°She¡¯s not a beast trainer,¡± Eve answered, ¡°let alone a magical beast trainer¡ªdon¡¯t let her raven confuse you. That thing is actually dead and stuffed.¡± Franky glared at her. ¡°I thought we agreed to make it a surprise.¡± ¡°I¡ªwell, yeah. But you know as well as I do Sol is not the one to go to for beast companion advice.¡± ¡°If not her, then who?¡± Luka asked. ¡°You¡¯d have to go to the city. Or maybe one might book a night at Mr. Todd¡¯s.¡± Franky added, ¡°We used to have one living in the village, but she moved to the city years ago. She¡¯s great. I can introduce you.¡± Luka gave Leo a great big scratch. ¡°The city it is. I do want to see it, though I doubt it will compare to the beauty out here. What¡¯s it called again?¡± ¡°Sneerhome,¡± Eve said the word slowly, almost painfully. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of moving to the city, right?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Nope. I do want to visit the sights and soak in the culture. But like I said, I¡¯m staying here for the foreseeable future. It¡¯s cozy here.¡± ¡°That it is, that it is.¡± Frank pushed Sebby¡¯s massive nose away from the bag of meat. ¡°What¡¯s the plan for lunch?¡± ¡°Lunch and dinner,¡± Luka said tiredly. ¡°I get the feeling we bought way too much meat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably true¡ªthough I think Hern gave you more than she was supposed to.¡± ¡°Oh, well, that was nice of her. I¡¯ll think of something to pay her back later. For now,¡± Luka held up the fence posts, ¡°I¡¯ve got a griddle to make.¡± ¡°Not in the garden,¡± Eve quickly said. ¡°Ben doesn¡¯t like people messing with it. Come on, follow me.¡± She led them around the front to a set of stone tables. Olive the dire-emu stood nearby, stock still between two fern-like plants. ¡°What¡¯s with her?¡± Luka asked. Eve gave a dejected sigh. ¡°Ben yelled at her like a year ago for eating a row of fireflamelilies, and now whenever we come by the garden, she hides. Just ignore the bird brain.¡± Luka grunted and found a nice spot to build. Just like the pizza oven, he told himself, foundation, base, and griddle. A horde of nearby rocks reacted to Luka¡¯s will, flying over with strands of magic connected to them. The stone melted together, forming a perfect rectangle just over waist high. Rough texture caved into it, replenishing the natural look while hollowing the inside. Franky and Eve did say I could use any rock that wasn¡¯t already in use, he thought to himself as he revealed a patch of dead grass and earthworms. Meanwhile, the fence posts devolved into a rounded lump, fusing together before flattening out smoothly. Luka added a cured edge and grease trap, two things no burger grill could go without. The strands filled his vision, meshing the griddle top into the stone base, fitting them firmly. Luka pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket. It held several need-to-know glyphs, but he only needed one right now. Etching it into the wrought iron, he made sure to add a small additional function¡ªan off/on switch. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. In theory, a switch was an easy addition to a glyph, and for the most part, they were. They worked by cutting the power segment of the glyph from the rest of itself, thus rendering it inert until someone reconnected the ¡°battery.¡± But it was in that simplicity Luka hesitated¡ªthe exploding rock from yesterday coming to mind. It¡¯s just an extra circle with a triangle inside, he reminded himself, carefully carving the glyph into the iron. No need to worry¡­ His magical strands made quick work of the glyph, easily creating it perfectly. Luka took a deep breath, double-checked his hand-drawn glyph, and then tapped the ¡°on button.¡± The iron warmed, soon growing hot. Eve leaned over, inspecting it. She hummed and hmmed, touching her fingers directly to the iron. ¡°I think you messed up the temperature regulator section of the glyph. It¡¯s not that hot.¡± ¡°Not that hot for me or an orc?¡± Luka hesitantly asked. She blinked a few times, touching the griddle again. ¡°Both, I think.¡± Sighing, Luka held his hand over the heat. She was right; the griddle would never get hot enough to properly sear meat. ¡°Can I adjust a glyph after creating it?¡± She slowly nodded. ¡°Under normal conditions, yes. But you directly added the glyph to the metal using magic. You¡¯ll just have to test it.¡± Cutting the power from the glyph, Luka did just that. His magical strands reconnected to the plate of iron, smoothing¡ªerasing¡ªthe temperature-regulating section. ¡°So far so good. Mind helping out?¡± he asked, holding out his folded paper. Eve took it, eying his work. ¡°Yeah, I see the problem. Do you have a pe¡ª¡± Luka held out his pen. She took it and adjusted the scribble. ¡°Simple fix. Just elongate this and divert more power to it.¡± She¡¯s just pointing to arbitrary lines in the glyph, Luka thought, how does¡ª ¡°You¡¯ve got to remember,¡± Eve said, ¡°heating-based glyphs are far more difficult than light-creating glyphs. They¡¯re more organic and less structured. You¡¯ll get a hang of it. Everyone struggles with the elemental variants when they first learn.¡± ¡°Mind if I check my work with you from now on?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Please, I¡¯m glad to help.¡± Eve smiled big. ¡°Now come on! I¡¯m dying to try this smash ber-ger of yours!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Franky yelled. Sebby then barked, then Leo. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Luka laughed. He turned his attention to the iron plate, controlling his magic to make the changes. He tapped the on button and¡ª Eve touched the griddle and yanked her hand back. ¡°It¡¯s hot!¡± Luka threw his hands up in the air. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Eve!¡± ¡°Me?¡± She pointed at the grill. ¡°What about this? This is amazing!¡± ¡°Stop flirting!¡± screeched Franky. ¡°Get to cooking!¡± In the blink of an eye, Eve punched him in the stomach. Luka chuckled, adding the finishing touch to the griddle¡ªthe kitchen glyph cluster. Contained in a single premade glyph, functionality like self-cleaning, non-stick, disinfectant, and scratch resistance, the cluster was one of the most used clusters in the world¡ªif the tome of glyphs was to be believed, at least. ¡°And done!¡± he announced. ¡°The meat, please, Franky.¡± With a greedy smile, Franky hoisted the sack to the nearby table, opening it. ¡°The kids aren¡¯t here yet,¡± Eve reminded. Franky froze. ¡°Do we have to wait?¡± Luka didn¡¯t have to think about the question. ¡°Nope! I¡¯m starved.¡± He reached into the sack and grabbed half a fist full. ¡°And besides, we have to dial in the portion sizes before the kids get here¡ªand everyone else for that matter.¡± He dropped the ball of meat on the griddle, proud of the sizzle that instantly sounded. Franky¡¯s eyes lit up. He reached in and grabbed a full fistful of meat, dropping it on the grill. Eve rolled her eyes, doing the same but taking a more reasonable amount than her brother. ¡°And now, for the magic,¡± Luka said, holding his hand outstretched. The strands in his vision connected to some rocks, pulling them over while molding them into utensils. In seconds, a circular meat pounder and spatula found his hand, ready to be used and inscribed with the kitchen cluster. Luka smashed the balls of meat flat. A beat passed. ¡°I forgot the salt!¡± Franky lurched, eyeing the griddle. Then, as if he understood his duty as apprentice-smash-burger-maker, he whistled loudly at Sebby. ¡°Come on, Seb! We¡¯ve got to run to the bar and get salt!¡± The wolf leaped from his sunning spot, landing right beside Franky. The orc grappled onto him, and the pair rode off with dust kicking up in their wake. Eve and Luka watched him go, the grill sizzling away. They both started laughing. ¡°Franky¡¯s a good guy.¡± ¡°The best brother I could have ever asked for.¡± Luka smiled as he flipped the three burgers and added some crumbled cheese. ¡°Where are the kids, anyway?¡± ¡°School.¡± ¡°Emberwood has a school?¡± ¡°Of course, the gods wouldn¡¯t allow it any other way.¡± Eve pointed at the courthouse. ¡°They¡¯re right inside¡ªthey can probably smell the meat cooking.¡± ¡°What kind of stuff do they learn?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Cause schooling on Earth, in most places, was top-notch.¡± ¡°Every school in this world gets the same education¡ªsame chances for the kids, too.¡± Luka cut open a few of the buns. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Long time ago, the gods enacted a ¡®Divine Decree,¡¯ making it so that every kid had the chance to go to school. If the kid couldn¡¯t or didn¡¯t have the means, a divine familiar will find them and teach them personally.¡± ¡°Kids can be taught to read and write by the gods?¡± Eve pointed at her head, or rather, her brain. ¡°Smart realization. At first, the divine familiars taught things most schools never would¡ªadvanced things, too advanced in many cases. So, the gods got together and created another Divine Decree, setting a universal standard of education. Of course, some schools¡ªthe expensive ones¡ªteach more or teach differently, but all kids get around the same education.¡± Luka slid the meat patties onto the mayonnaise-slathered buns. The baker, Iop, luckily had some fresh tomatoes that were also added once sliced. He held out a burger to Eve. They took a bite at the same time. ¡°This is good,¡± she mumbled, chewing. ¡°Needs salt!¡± Luka said with a smirk. They both glanced down the road¡ªFranky wasn¡¯t back yet. ¡°What¡¯s a divine familiar like?¡± he asked. ¡°Birds, mostly. Owls, specifically.¡± Luka recoiled at that. I was thinking they¡¯d be a bit more¡­ divine. Like a dragon or hydra. But then again, would those be good teachers? ¡°Tram teaches the kids here,¡± Eve continued. ¡°Though sometimes others take over depending on the subject. Tram¡¯s famously bad at geometry and spelling.¡± ¡°Huh, I wouldn¡¯t have guessed.¡± ¡°I know right? Tram¡¯s a basket of oddities.¡± ¡°What about where the kids live?¡± Luka asked. ¡°They all live together?¡± ¡°The courthouse was retrofitted for a bunch of kids, yeah.¡± Eve pointed at one of the building¡¯s windows. ¡°That window used to have bars on it from the jail inside. But there¡¯s no real crime here, so now kids live there.¡± ¡°Convenient. And¡­ kind of sad.¡± She gravely nodded. ¡°Terrible tragedy, their story. Our story, really.¡± Eve took another bite. ¡°There¡¯s Franky. That might be a record time from here to the bar.¡± Luka chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to give Sebby a nice-n-large patty.¡± A loud bark caught his attention. ¡°And one for you too, Leo.¡± The dire-wolf wagged his tail. ¡°The salt!¡± Franky yelled, leaping from his mount¡¯s back. He landed in a crash, kicking up loose rocks and denting the soft ground. He held out his closed fist. Tentatively, Luka reached his open palm under the orc¡¯s. Franky opened his hand, letting fine-grain salt fall like sand. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have brought it in a cup or something?¡± Franky blinked a few times. ¡°Oh. Yeah, I could have done that.¡± Luka and Eve shook their heads, the former sprinkling some salt onto Franky¡¯s oversized patty. Franky grabbed it with both hands, taking a massive bite. ¡°Hey, this is pretty good,¡± he said through smacking chews. He finished it in three bites, licking his fingers clean. Throwing two more patties on the grill for the wolves, Luka asked, ¡°Can I build the carousel near the courthouse?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why not,¡± answered Eve. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mess with Ben¡¯s plants.¡± ¡°He really does love them,¡± Franky added. Luka pointed to a flat spot near the edges of the main street leading across the village. It was close enough to the courthouse the kids could be seen from the outside tables, but far enough, their screams wouldn¡¯t annoy anyone in the garden. ¡°That good?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Seems fine to me.¡± ¡°Alrighty, then,¡± Luka said. ¡°Once these patties are done, I¡¯ll hop on Leo to move the materials over.¡± Chapter 16: Ideas Luka, Franky, and Eve¡ªon their mounts¡ªwalked through the village slowly, a dozen stacks of timber following closely behind from the deconstructed barn by Todd¡¯s Bar. The stacks moved as if they were a giant¡¯s feet, ¡°stepping¡± in short bursts of magic and moving a few meters at a time. I could move them faster, Luka told himself as a headache started to form, if I controlled less at once. Maybe next time, then. As they crossed Emberwood, quizzical villagers stepped out on their porches or peered through their windows, watching the¡­ show? Oddity? World Walker? Eve and Frank waved to everyone, even stopping to talk to a few. Luka gladly took a break when this happened. ¡°¡ªAnd so, Luka here is building something special for the kids,¡± Eve explained to an old married couple. ¡°And he¡¯s cooking meat for anyone,¡± Franky added. The couple eyed the World Walker. Luka tried to smile at them, but sweat poured down his face, and he hunched over Leo¡¯s reigns. If he did smile through the magical exhaustion, it looked more vile than not. ¡°He has a bad headache,¡± Eve said to his defense. ¡°Moving timber like this may be above his magical abilities.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Luka quickly said, the words slurred. ¡°I can handle this¡ªfeels like I¡¯m lifting the perfect ¡®weight¡¯ for myself.¡± Franky flexed his massive muscles. ¡°Good analogy, bro. Did you lift on Err-ph?¡± Luka glared, as did Eve. The couple wished the World Walker good luck and left, promising that they¡¯d be by the courthouse later to see the ¡°special thing¡± for the kids. The group continued walking, the stacks of timber following. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Eve asked as Luka slumped further into the saddle. ¡°No crime in admitting you need rest.¡± Strands crisscrossed Luka¡¯s vision like a quilt, blanketing his vision. The village turned several shades darker as if he was wearing sunglasses made entirely of magic. The strands connected on either side of every piece of timber, thus defining the number of objects he was moving. I wonder if I can connect the slats into groups, then move each individual group, rather than a few hundred individual slats, Luka asked himself. ¡°Hellooo?¡± Luka glanced up, finding Eve. ¡°What? Oh, yeah, we should stop for a minute.¡± She snorted. ¡°No shame in going slow.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I think I¡¯m doing this wrong.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Am I straining myself because of the number of items I¡¯m carrying or the ¡®weight¡¯ of the items?¡± ¡°Weight, I¡¯d assume.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d assume, too.¡± Luka ¡®let go¡¯ of the slats of wood, instead taking control of a few hundred fallen leaves. ¡°But I think I may be wrong.¡± He tried to lift the leaves. And failed. He let go of half, then retried. The leaves rose to knee height¡ªbut he noticed something. The strands of magic in his vision, each one connected to a single leaf, unlike earlier with the rocks used to make the griddle base. Back then, a handful of strands rushed around the yard, collecting the rocks and depositing them into a small pile where a single strand then moved the pile around. Luka eyed the leaves. They are a single entity¡ª¡®fallen leaves.¡¯ A single strand connected to the few hundred, lifting them high with ease. Luka laughed to himself and dropped them. The trio and their mounts watched the leaves fall like snow in the wind. With the concept in mind, Luka thought, The slats piles are each a single entity. He picked each pile up, holding them level above the ground¡ªno ¡°walking¡± necessary. ¡°Okay,¡± he announced, ¡°I¡¯m ready to go.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Eve glared while Franky laughed. They arrived back at the courthouse without any more issues. Luka, still sitting on Leo, unfurled the folded pieces of paper from his pocket. They had many glyphs sketched into them, but a singular page was fitted entirely with a single blueprint. Magic¡¯s amazing, Luka told himself. Construction is as easy as design. No vendors to deal with, no harsh labor to organize around, and miss measuring something? A thing of the past. The base of the carousel was, by far, the easiest section of the ride. It, like all other foundations, was just a flat surface pinned to the ground and level with the dirt. One by one, Luka pulled together a few slats of wood and random rocks. Both materials melted into each other, devolving into a lumpy form before stretching against an invisible mold. Thick teeth formed on the edges of cylinder and rounded cones, creating dozens of sets of gears, varying in size and toughness. The massive, load bearing gears had a stone center. If they snap, I¡¯ll rebuild them out of metal. I wonder if Cam and Forgemaster Adam will make a deal with me for more than just those two fence posts? There¡¯s not a lot of metal I can just have around here. Luka eyed a small pile of nails¡ªthe rusted ones that held together the old barn. He¡¯d need more than that if the gears broke. Eve appeared without Olive, the emu, thrusting a mug of water into Luka¡¯s hands. ¡°Thanks,¡± he muttered, taking a sip and wincing at his headache. ¡°Magic fatigue is no joke.¡± ¡°You still got that last prismpuff cig?¡± she asked. Luka nodded. ¡°You may want to smoke it tonight. I get the feeling you¡¯ll need it after today.¡± Strands of magic connected the gears together in a test fit. They slotted between one another, from the base to where the carousel¡¯s horses would move up and down. Luka glanced at his notes on rotational glyphs¡ªEve was right; non-organic glyphs were far easier to draw than organic ones. Hair-thick glyphs etched perfectly into the main driver gear. The contraption of connected gears all moved, spinning and galloping. ¡°So far, so good,¡± Luka said, moving all the gears to the foundation. From there, he meshed together the spinning platform¡ªwhich was a simple flat donut shape completely made of wood¡ªthen built-up the inner spine. He added designs and patterns, equipping the spinning section with very small light glyphs, each different colors and with timer effects. Colors started flashing, each a dull glaze rather than a powerful, focused light. ¡°Wow!¡± Eve said, her eyes wide. Then, a thought occurred. ¡°Did you remember to add the control box glyphs?¡± Luka gasped, flipping his papers over to the glyphs in question. Quickly, he added the on/off switch, as well as a plethora of glyphs Eve drew for functionality. A few spikes of wood jutted into the foundation and connected to the driver gear. Acting like a wire, Luka kept adding spikes until they lead a safe distance away from the carousel. From there, he built a small platform with a singular glyph on top. ¡°Want to do the honors?¡± Luka asked. Eve didn¡¯t answer with words, instead, she took a step forward and tapped the glyph. Instantly, the magical power spinning the main driving gear stopped, slowing the ride to a stop. ¡°Works like a charm,¡± Eve said, smiling. ¡°Of course, it does, you designed it,¡± Luka said, adding another on/off glyph to the main spine of the ride. If someone needed to stop the ride while on it, they could. ¡°Now, let¡¯s just hope the rotational glyphs keep up with the needed torque.¡± Eve forced herself not to blush. ¡°They should. Glyphs are magical, remember? They¡¯ll rotate.¡± During their conversation, Luka had been constructing the roof of the carousel. It was rounded with an angled top, decorated with wooden details like many of the carousel¡¯s from Earth. The roof fit perfectly. ¡°Last thing to do is make the wooden mounts people¡¯ll ride on,¡± Luka said, slipping off of Leo. ¡°And I can think of no mount better than our fluffy little buddy right here.¡± Leo tilted his head as if asking, ¡°little?¡± Eve gave him a mighty scratch as wooden slats started flying through the air. They melted together, forming a large block about a fifth of the size of Leo. From there, Luka removed sections from it until Leo¡¯s profile was made¡ªall six of them, top, bottom, and all four sides. ¡°That¡¯s you, bud,¡± Luka said. ¡°You like it?¡± Leo sniffed the finished creation hesitantly, eventually giving it a slobber lick. Eve and Luka laughed as three more dire-beasts were created. Soon enough, Sebby¡¯s wooden counterpart was finished, as were two copies of Olive, the emu. ¡°Think the kids will like it?¡± Eve turned on him. ¡°Are you kidding me? They¡¯re going to love it.¡± The carousel spun, and the wooden seats bobbed up and down, galloping. Lights flickered as well, the only thing missing was a song to with. It wasn¡¯t fast by any means, but it didn¡¯t need to be. It was made for kids, kids who¡¯d never heard of a waterslide. Slow would be fun until it wasn¡¯t, but by then Luka knew he¡¯d have something else to entertain them. What¡¯s next, Luka wondered. A simple roller coaster? Maybe one of those rising swings? Hell, why stop there? Why don¡¯t I just build an entire amusement park? What was stopping him? Materials, he supposed, and the place to build it. But that got him thinking. The village could use the money. Tram said she wanted me to become part of Emberwood for just that. And there¡¯s plenty of land to build on if I get her permission. Luka packed the idea away. ¡°Hey, um¡­¡± Eve didn¡¯t know how to broach the topic. ¡°Want to ride it?¡± he inferred, tapping the off switch. He turned, finding Franky across the yard at the griddle and eating another freshly made burger. ¡°Want to ride!?¡± he yelled. ¡°Hell yeah, I do!¡± Franky screeched, tossing his unfinished food to Sebby¡ªwho snatched it from the air. Chapter 17: Neighbors After spying on the World Walker, Goddess Tippy asked her brother, ¡°Hey, do you think you could¡­?¡± Rion sighed, magic pulsing from a flick of his wrist. In mere heartbeats, a replica of Luka¡¯s carousel appeared in the divine realm. It rotated slowly, two dire-wolves and two dire-emus bouncing up and down in alternating sync. Rion took one of the wolves, Tippy one of the emus. They rode a few times around, both completely silent. ¡°Well, that was fun,¡± Tippy said, stepping off. ¡°Indeed it was,¡± Rion added. They stared silently at the magical machine, watching it slowly, slowly rotate, and the colorful lights flicker¡­ Tippy coughed, then looked away. ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± she flatly said, ¡°this invention is less dangerous than those slides. My blessing¡¯s already saved two children and one twenty-something-year-old orc from drowning!¡± A chuckle escaped Rion¡¯s throat. ¡°At least he¡¯s creating happiness. Those burgers he¡¯s flipping look divine.¡± Together, they peered through the fabric of the heavens down at Luka. The World Walker stood among a gaggle of orcish peers, smashing ground beef into a heated metal sheet. In the backdrop, the carousel spun screeching children in circles. The kids came in two kinds: first, the kind who chose to wait in line for their turn, and second, the ones who didn¡¯t care for waiting. There were only four mounts to ride but plenty of places to stand. Kids hung off the rotating floor or ran backward, staying in place physically but dodging wooden wolves and emus. The godly siblings watched as one kid tripped over his own foot and rolled off the spinning contraption. Blood pooled on his scraped knee, and soon, the adults converged, setting ground rules for riding the carousel. The kids, of course, listened, but everyone knew few would actually follow said rules. Goddess Tippy sighed, flexing her long, slender fingers. ¡°There. The carousel is also blessed. No more kids falling off and hurting themselves.¡± God Rion chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re such a good divine power.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°But speaking of ¡®the divine,¡¯ do you mind?¡± Sighing, Tippy reached through the metaphysical heavens with an ethereal hand, snatching two dressed and steaming smashburgers when Luka and the red-meat-hungry orcs weren¡¯t looking. Luka would notice soon enough, but who¡¯d ever think a god stole a mortal¡¯s meal? And more importantly, who¡¯d be able to prove it? The godly siblings laughed at the prospect, snacking on the Earthen food. In between bites, Rion asked, ¡°Mind filling me in on your plan, now? The memory patch worked for the moment, but I¡¯m not sure¡ª¡± Tippy glared, cutting him off. ¡°There is no ¡®plan.¡¯ I¡¯m trying to remain as hands-off as possible for as long as possible.¡± Rion looked between the burgers and his sister. ¡°You literally just stole food from him. Is that hands-off?¡± ¡°And I also took his dead consciousness and placed it into a new body in a different world.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, and you know it. What are your plans for getting him to your temple?¡± Tippy went silent for a moment. ¡°I think one of our brothers noticed him. I can¡¯t push him toward my help without signaling the oddities in his¡­ acquisition. But! I don¡¯t believe I need to.¡± Before the two gods, Tippy recreated a moment in time from just a few hours ago. Luka stood with Franky and Eve, discussing the dire-wolf Leo. In essence, Luka wanted Leo to have the ability to size-change¡ªsomething that would require a trip to the nearest city. A city that had a temple dedicated to Goddess Tippy. Rion smiled. ¡°This is great news!¡± The god then paused. ¡°Wait. Which brother noticed him?¡± Tippy slurred the name. ¡°Neb.¡± He groaned. ¡°Literally anyone other than him would have been better.¡± *** ¡°This is so much easier than making pizza,¡± Luka muttered to himself, the scent of sizzling meat wafting through the air. ¡°Needs toppings, though.¡± Ren¡¯s eyes lit up. The little chef stood beside the grill, taking notes. ¡°What kind of toppings?¡± he asked, pen ready. Luka chuckled at the scene. A few dozen steps away, the world¡¯s first merry-go-round spun the village¡¯s kids like no tomorrow. And yet, here Ren stood, more interested in the Earthly smashburger than the marvel of amusement entertainment. ¡°Lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, tons of sauces¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like onion,¡± Franky sneered. ¡°¡ªonion rings, fried onion, onion bacon jam, caramelized onion, pickled onion.¡± Luka forced himself not to smile as Franky¡¯s frown stretched. ¡°Just about any onion condiment you can imagine goes on burgers.¡± ¡°Did you say bay-kon?¡± Ren asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Smoked pork belly.¡± Ren wrote it down. Near the carousel, Mayor Tram and Judge Ben stood together, watching over the playing kids with a burger in their hands. They spoke quietly to themselves, occasionally yelling at one of the kids for doing something dangerous¡­ at least until Luka waved to them. ¡°Alright, kiddos!¡± Tram yelled, her voice carrying. ¡°Go to Mr. Luka and get a smashburger!¡± The aroma of beef broke the orcish children from their fun, each leaping from the carousel and rushing over. The others took a bit more goading from Tram and Ben to leave the ride. Eventually, the tables were full, and each kid devoured a burger. ¡°Needs more seasoning!¡± Ren declared, receiving nods of agreement from a few of the kids. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± Luka crossed his arms. ¡°Salt is all a good burger needs. Anything else and you''re broaching into uncharted territory.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Ren¡¯s eyes sparked, and he quickly jotted everything down. ¡°Hey, Luka,¡± Franky whispered, pointing down the street. ¡°There¡¯s Eve.¡± He turned, finding a cascade of straightened black hair. Eve walked backward toward the courthouse, talking to a half-dozen villagers. She gestured with her hands, explaining the carousel¡¯s movements to them as they openly gawked at the village¡¯s newest¡­ thing. If everyone hates it, I¡¯ll just get rid of it or move it, Luka told himself. Spinning, strobing lights aren¡¯t the best on the eyes. ¡°Might want to throw some more balls of meat on the griddle,¡± Ben said, stepping around a duo of kids looming over a line of marching ants. ¡°Looks like Eve¡¯s done her job.¡± Eve¡¯s job¡ªtasked by Tram, was to tell the whole village to come over for an impromptu lunch party to celebrate the carousel¡¯s creation. But Luka didn¡¯t think that was the real reason. No, he suspected the lunch party was a front for all the villagers to meet him. What better way was there to meet people than at a neighborhood barbeque? Regardless, Luka was planning for extra mouths anyway. He had too much ground meat, after all. He balled another ten portions, dropping and smashing them onto the griddle. ¡°Can I help?¡± Ben and Luka both turned to Ren, the little orc standing on his tippy toes to see the food. The adults shared a glance, the local judge shrugging. ¡°You¡¯ll need a step stool,¡± Luka said, flexing the strands of magic in his eyes. They crisscrossed and rushed across the yard, snagging loose pebbles and decent-sized rocks. In seconds, a cube of stone was created and placed before the griddle. Ren stepped up, and Luka handed the kid the spatula. Ren instantly flipped a patty. ¡°See how it¡¯s still gray?¡± Luka asked. ¡°You want to flip it after it turns brown and develops a crust.¡± Ren nodded vigorously, flipping the patty back over. ¡°How do I know it¡¯s ready?¡± ¡°You can peel up an edge and peek under.¡± Ren did just that. ¡°Good job. Just, uh, don¡¯t burn yourself¡ª¡± Luka cut himself off, a groan echoing through his mind. Movement caught his eye¡ªa small butterfly, Tippy¡¯s butterfly, landed on the heated edge of the grill. It didn¡¯t care about the heat and instead sat there, staring at him. ¡°It can¡¯t be that hot,¡± Ren firmly said, touching the griddle. Nothing happened. No burned fingerprints, quick-forming blisters, or even a smidgen of pain. ¡°See?¡± Ren held up his unharmed fingers. Luka ignored the kid in favor of the butterfly. It took off; its job was apparently done. Hesitantly, Luka touched the grill. Ren was right¡ªit wasn¡¯t hot. And yet, the meat sizzled with wicked hot grease. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Ben asked. ¡°I think¡­ I think Goddess Tippy just blessed the grill¡­¡± Luka connected the dots. ¡°And I think she stole two burgers from earlier! I blamed Leo and Sebby!¡± A few steps away, both wolves gave him an ¡°I told you so¡± look. Judge Ben coughed. ¡°The Goddess didn¡¯t steal your food. And even if she did, you can¡¯t prove it. Trust me, I studied the courts my whole life.¡± Luka blinked at that. ¡°You can sue a god?¡± ¡°Sue? I was thinking ¡®arrest.¡¯ But yeah, you can do both here.¡± ¡±H-has anyone ever won?¡± ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware.¡± Distantly, Luka heard laughter. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Now I know she stole my burgers.¡± Ben clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the best advice I can in this situation: get over it¡ªshe¡¯s a goddess.¡± Luka gave him a flat stare. ¡°Um, Mr. World Walker?¡± a middle-aged orc asked, stepping around the boys watching the ants. ¡°Might I inquire about what you¡¯re cooking?¡± ¡°So formal, Quinn,¡± Ben warmly said, ¡°ease up. Luka¡¯s not going to bite.¡± The middle-aged orc, Quinn, gravely nodded. ¡°Might I still ask¡­ Luka?¡± ¡°This,¡± Luka held up a burger, ¡°is smashed meat with cheese on a mayo-slathered and toasted bun. It¡¯s from my home world, Earth, and is called a ¡®smashburger.¡¯ Inventive, I know.¡± The small crowd Eve had gathered was suddenly behind Quinn. ¡°Meat?¡± one asked. ¡°Yeah, beef.¡± ¡°Ohh, I like beef,¡± another purred. ¡°Is it seasoned? I¡¯ve eaten too many unseasoned ribblelit legs,¡± a third asked. ¡°You love my cooking, and you know it!¡± a fourth, Clay, the ribblelit vendor, declared. ¡°With salt¡ª¡± Luka couldn¡¯t finish the word before Ren interrupted. ¡°And only salt!¡± he screeched. The crowd didn¡¯t look impressed. ¡°The mayonnaise has gra¡¯mak¡¯lish¡¯lem in it,¡± Franky helpfully added from the side. Luka felt the need to defend his creations. He held a burger out to Quinn. ¡°Try it, please.¡± Quinn didn¡¯t need to be asked twice. He sunk his teeth in, and instantly, his eyes lit up. He ripped off another bite, moaning at the succulent, juicy patty and creamy, tangy mayo. The floodgates opened, and the rest of the crowd begged for one of their own. ¡°Can I have seconds?¡± asked Quinn, his hands empty except for crumbs. Luka hesitated, glancing at his supply of meat. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have enough for everyone to have seconds.¡± Quinn looked around. ¡°There¡¯s only a few of us.¡± Ben patted his friend on the back. ¡°The whole village is coming down. Did you think young Eve was just getting you lot? What¡¯d make you so special?¡± Quinn frowned and turned back to Luka. ¡°Beef, you say? Hern owes me a favor. I¡¯ll get more meat, enough for all of us three¡ªno four, times over!¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Oh. That¡¯d, uh, be very kind of you.¡± ¡°Can I get extra cheese on my seconds?¡± Clay asked. ¡°And mine with extra mayonnaise?¡± another asked. ¡°Get it yourself!¡± A voice bellowed from the nearby tree line. ¡°Quit mooching!¡± ¡°Me?¡± the other villager asked. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°No arguing,¡± the voice said, appearing among the leaves. A tall dryad stood, body made of wood grain and clothes made of mossy vines. ¡°I will purchase the cheese. Money is no issue as long I get the opportunity to ride the ¡®cara-sell.¡¯¡± Luka frowned at her. She¡¯s willing to pay? ¡°Sure¡ªyou can ride. Everyone can¡ª" ¡°How much for a ride!?¡± Clay asked. ¡°I¡¯ll pay three copper coins!¡± ¡°Four!¡± the woman asking about the cheese said. ¡°Five!¡± Clay instantly said, as if bidding. ¡°Everyone, everyone!¡± Luka yelled over the growing volume. ¡°You can ride as much as you want for free. I¡¯m not charging for¡ª¡± ¡°Hogwash!¡± someone new shouted. It seemed Eve brough another group of villagers. ¡°What are you trying to pull? How can that¡ª¡± he pointed at the carousel, ¡°not be a scam if it¡¯s free!?¡± Clearing his throat, Luka said, ¡°Because money isn¡¯t the goal, only happiness. And If I started charging, none of the kids would get to ride.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Ren quietly muttered. ¡°I have money.¡± Luka ignored him. ¡°But I can understand the distrust¡ªthat¡¯s why the Mayor wanted everyone to come by today to meet me. I¡¯m from a different world, and I don¡¯t know any customs or social norms here. Would it be normal to pay a stranger to ride something they randomly built in the middle of town? I don¡¯t know, you tell me.¡± The man grumbled something inaudible. ¡°Look,¡± Luka continued, ¡°if you want to pay to ride, then fine. But I don¡¯t want money. I need materials for my magic. Brick, planks of wood, large stones, whatever. That will get you a ride, no money.¡± Ben caught his eye and nodded to the watching children. ¡°Oh! And kids don¡¯t have to pay anything.¡± ¡°What about the food?¡± the dryad asked. ¡°Do you require payment for the food?¡± Luka thought about that. ¡°Well, no¡ªbut since we¡¯re having a community barbeque for today, if you want to bring food as payment to ride the carousel, I¡¯ll accept that as well.¡± The village critics discussed among themselves. A thought occurred to Luka. ¡°If the material you want to trade for a ride is too heavy, just leave it, and I¡¯ll come by to get it later. No one hurt themselves, please.¡± All the orcs in the crowd scoffed, even Franky, Tram, and Ben. ¡°What do you need materials for?¡± someone asked. ¡°Well,¡± Luka glanced at the carousel, ¡°for more things like that.¡± Chapter 18: More Salt Ren sat beside Nicole, his dryad classmate, after getting kicked off grilling duty. How was he supposed to know cheese would melt and make a mess like that? Whatever. Nicole was¡­ okay, he supposed. She was kind of annoying, especially around her doll, Mr. Sticky. She carried it everywhere and sobbed when the other kids would take it from her¡ªshe just couldn¡¯t take a joke. But after the World Walker, Luka, fixed it, she hadn¡¯t let anyone steal it, joke or not. Even when Ms. Tram told her to put the doll away and pay attention in class, Nicole wouldn¡¯t separate from it. I guess it¡¯s even more special to her now, Ren thought. Luka can change things¡ªlike food! Earth was an untapped culinary influence, and yet, Luka didn¡¯t seem to care. Ren did, however, and these last few days had been nearly sleepless for the little orc. How was he supposed to sleep at night knowing that the few unique recipes he needed to become a successful chef were planted inside a World Walker¡¯s head? Ren shook his head. Pizza? It was a fine start, he supposed. Smashburgers? They were simple yet delicious. Ren eyed Luka as the man sliced a link of sausage and threw it onto the grill. The village had been bringing food to the World Walker, practically tossing cured meats and aged cheeses at the man¡ªand yet, Luka didn¡¯t so much as glance at what exactly he was cooking. Nineteen years aged lioncurd cheese? Ren scoffed at the money and culinary art wasted on something as simplistic as a topping for a ¡°smashburger.¡± ¡°Um, Ren?¡± He turned, finding Nicole. She held her chin high, showing off her wooden vocal cords. They stretched and pulled as she moved and were only visible because she was losing her leaves. Buds would form soon, and after a while, they¡¯d bloom into a full suit of moss and flowers. The metamorphosis was alleged to be beautiful, but Ren had never seen it. Most dryads ventured deep into their forests for the process. ¡°What?¡± Ren asked. Nicole looked away, finding the grass and pulling Mr. Sticky in close. She did that a lot, especially when talking to Ren. ¡°Do you¡­ um¡­ want to ride the carousel with me?¡± ¡°Maybe later. I¡¯m doing something really important right now.¡± Nicole eyed his hand-made cookbook. ¡°More notes?¡± Ren frowned but turned to face the World Walker. ¡°They¡¯re important to me¡ªjust like Mr. Sticky is to you. I can¡¯t let his secrets get away.¡± She shuffled the doll in her hands. ¡°My mom always told me to be forward when I want something.¡± Ren¡¯s shoulders slumped at the mention of ¡°mom.¡± Every kid here, and a few of the adults, didn¡¯t have moms. They didn¡¯t have dads. They didn¡¯t have families, nor did they really understand why. ¡°My mom was quiet. Yours sounds loud,¡± Ren said, cagey. ¡°I don¡¯t think I would have liked your mom.¡± Nicole frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think I would have liked your mom either.¡± Ren turned. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Cause she¡¯s a smelly orc!¡± He recoiled. ¡°Rather be smelly than a tree!¡± ¡°Nuh-uh!¡± ¡°Uh huh!¡± The pair scowled at each other, neither backing down. But¡ªlike a hairline fracture¡ªNicole smiled, Ren followed suit a heartbeat later. They giggled quietly, the other kids, and some adults, eyeing them. Ren took a deep breath and scanned the area. Most of his classmates were off by the carousel, hanging off the roof or leaping between wooden mounts. Others were standing near Luka and the grill, hoping to get seconds or thirds, in some cases. Two were playing with an ant pile. But something caught Ren¡¯s eye. A man carried an open crate filled with vegetables. Ren recognized him as a fellow villager but not one he knew the name of. ¡°Where do you want these?¡± the man asked once close enough to the World Walker. Dozens of other villagers stood around, most eating but all drinking mead¡ªexcept for Luka. He sipped a citrus juice the Mystic¡¯s niece, Eve, had brought over, claiming ¡°he doesn¡¯t drink.¡± The declaration didn¡¯t do great for the scrutiny of the villagers. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t drink?¡± someone asked, not that Ren thought it mattered. Chefs don¡¯t drink while cooking for people. Everyone knew that, Ren said to himself. Luka looked around. Most of the tables outside the courthouse were already filled with various foods¡ªall except one. ¡°On Ren and Nicole¡¯s table.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The villagers dropped the crate off. Vegetables. So many vegetables. Ren peeked at Luka. What¡¯s he going to do with them? he wondered, slyly reaching for a head of¡ª ¡°Ren, get your hand out of there!¡± He froze, recognizing the voice¡ªMs. Tram, the Mayor, and his teacher. Where was she? Behind? Slowly, he turned, looking for her imposing shadow. Why did she always scold him? The other kids were literally swan-diving from the top of the carousel. Why wouldn¡¯t he look through the vegetables? Ren found Tram leaning out of a second-story courthouse window, watching over the ¡°barbeque¡± like a mother duck tending to her playing ducklings. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tram,¡± Luka yelled. ¡°I was going to ask him to chop them.¡± She scoffed. ¡°Your funeral, then.¡± The World Walker rolled his eyes, gesturing lazily with his left hand. Instantly, a dozen pebbles snapped up from the grass and rushed together. They seeped into one another, forming a small paring knife. Luka then controlled the knife to hover through the air to Ren. ¡°Mind cutting those for me?¡± he asked. ¡°For burger toppings.¡± Ren¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t get wider. ¡°Yes!¡± Nicole cleared her throat. ¡°Um, Mr. World Walker, can I help? Ren promised to ride the carousel with me, and if I help, we can go faster.¡± Another dozen pebbles formed into another knife. ¡°That¡¯s very sweet of you. Ren¡¯s lucky to have you as a friend,¡± Luka said. Ren pressed his lips flat when Nicole gave him a triumphant smirk. Two can play that game, he thought. ¡°Luka!¡± Ren yelped. ¡°I don¡¯t need any help! I need the practice!¡± Luka studied the pair. Ren crossed his arms while Nicole beat her eyelashes like a puppy dog. Slowly, he said, ¡°If you let Nicole help then ride the carousel with her, I¡¯ll tell you a recipe from Earth.¡± Ren¡¯s hand darted into the crate, snagging two vegetables, one for him, the other for Nicole. ¡°Don¡¯t cut yourself¡ª¡± Luka stopped himself when a butterfly landed on the pairing knife then flew over to the other, tapping it with one of its legs. ¡°She so stole two burgers.¡± Ren and Nicole both asked, ¡°What?¡± Luka just waved them off, going back to the grill and speaking to the other villagers. ¡°I hate onions,¡± muttered Nicole as she peeled the skin of one. Ren gritted his teeth. ¡°I do, too.¡± It was hard to say. Orcs were supposed to show strength, never relent, and always speak their mind¡­ but onion? What good was strength when a vegetable could taste so bad? Ren spun his knife through his fingers and chopped a section of a savory silver fruit called a ¡°torrid.¡± And sliced. And diced. Similarly to an onion, the torrid made people cry when cut. It dried the eyeballs, forcing them to water. But orcs were supposed to be strong, right? Ren gritted his teeth and cut. He¡¯d never cry because of stinking fruit. The sound of sizzling meat guided him. The aroma of charring beef soothed him. His dry eyes were only a hurdle on his path¡ªthe path of becoming the world¡¯s greatest chef. Ren sliced the torrid perfectly, each and every time. A hand reached past him, snagging a few rings of torrid. A villager slapped them on his burger, saying, ¡°Thanks, kiddo.¡± He then grunted as he took a bite, happy with the meal. I did that, Ren thought. My torrid slices made the meal perfect. He grabbed another vegetable from the crate, one he didn¡¯t recognize. He cut off a sliver, sampling it. It was bitter, far too bitter for the simplest burger. Ren fished for another veggie, finding a head of lettuce. He got to cutting. ¡°Luka?¡± Ren asked. ¡°Can I have another burger? I want to try it with all the veggies.¡± In minutes, a steaming burger sat before him. He loaded it up with mayo and cheese, Nicole¡¯s onion, his torrid, and a few leaves of lettuce. Then he sunk his teeth into it. He chewed, then swallowed. The pain of the torrid¡¯s dryness went away. The confusion around Luka disappeared. Heck, even Nicole¡¯s annoying streak fell away to a wondrous bliss. School? His parents? Again, both were gone, replaced with a perfect dish. I was wrong. Three words. They echoed in Ren¡¯s mind. He was wrong. The smashburger wasn¡¯t just ¡°simple, yet delicious.¡± It was far, far beyond. He took another bite, this time savoring the experience. He chewed slowly, allowing the meat juices to soak into the pungent onion and dull torrid. The crisp lettuce and mayo kept everything moist, even as the bun dried his tongue. The cheese gave everything a little extra funk, too. Refined, Ren thought, the single word describing the whole dish. It was perfect. It was maddeningly good. It has to go on the menu. Ren flipped his notebook to the last page. It was a special page, one reserved for only the best of the best¡ªthe dishes he¡¯d serve at his restaurant. So far, it only had one entry. But now, now it had two. He could see it now, people from far and wide would come to eat his burgers. Candle light would illuminate their meal, elevating the romanticism of the evening. Dripping fat would sizzle against hot coals, wafting throughout the room as he and his staff worked inside the open-air kitchen. Sharp cheese would cut through the heaviness of the night, daring customers to experience something new. Only the softest buns would be served, each expertly toasted in artisanal local butter. Ren could see his herb and veggie garden, one he¡¯d invite customers to stroll through while they waited for their table to be ready. Daily, hand-picked assortments would be the fuel of the restaurant, each dish¡ªeach smashburger¡ªtopped with only the freshest extras imaginable. Heck, he may even build a chicken coop for quality eggs. It¡¯s going to be glorious, Ren told himself. ¡°Good, huh?¡± the father of the burger, Luka, asked. Ren almost scoffed at the question. Good? What kind of question is that? It wasn¡¯t just ¡°good,¡± it was a masterpiece. It would serve as the foundation of an empire¡ªa culinary empire of cookery and fine dining. It¡¯s a catalyst, Ren said internally, Earthen food¡¯s reputation will only grow from here. I have to jump on this. I have to¡ª Ren realized Luka was waiting patiently for an answer. But how could Ren describe something transcendent? He peered around, most of the nearby villagers watched him. So he said the one thing he could think of. ¡°Needs more than just salt.¡± Chapter 19: Potentially As the day wound down, Luka grilled the last two burgers of the evening. It had been long and hectic, but from the smiling, giggling children and Emberwood¡¯s ever-pleasant weather, Luka didn¡¯t think he¡¯d change a thing about it. Meeting most, if not all, of the villagers was a plus, too, especially surrounding the carousel and burgers. It was like Tram said a few days ago¡ªpeople find World Walkers interesting. Earth is as alien of a world to them as the one Luka currently stood on to him. Stories, marvels, culture, technology, everyone wanted to hear a piece of a truly ¡°fantastical¡± place, even if Luka felt the term to be lacking about Earth. ¡°Sorry I can¡¯t make them doubles,¡± Luka said to the recepients of the last two burgers. ¡°I can add some grilled sausage to the top, if you want.¡± Forge Apprentice Cam stood beside his teacher, Forgemaster Adam. Both were shirtless, and both glistened with sweat. Both had padded coats tied around their waists, and both stood with their arms crossed, eyeing the grease-soaked griddle. Cam, while chiseled like a lean Olympian, didn¡¯t compare to that of his master. Adam stood out among all the other orcs, his deep red skin tightly covering his massive muscles. Compared to Franky¡ªa barkeeper¡ª Forgemaster Adam¡¯s muscles were two, maybe three, times larger. And yet, he moved with the dexterity of a ballerina, swatting at mosquitoes or scratching his sweat-drenched skin. ¡°Sounds good, bossman,¡± Cam said, nudging his master in the ribs. ¡°He¡¯s the World Walker I told you about.¡± Luka couldn¡¯t help but feel small as he stuck out his fist in greeting. Adam studied him, eyeing him up and down. At some point through the evening, one of the villagers brought Luka an apron¡ªone that was now stained with grease and melted cheese strands. ¡°So this is the conman.¡± Adam lifted his chin as he said it, glaring. Both Cam and Luka recoiled¡ªbut for different reasons. ¡°Bossman?¡± Adam crossed his arms. ¡°Your secrets hold no value here, conman. The metals you speak of are useless.¡± Luka held up his hands, surrendering. ¡°Can we restart this conversation? I think there¡¯s something I¡¯m missing here.¡± ¡°Me too, bossman,¡± Cam added. ¡°We¡¯re talking about aluminum, right?¡± Adam grunted. ¡°Aye, ¡¯Ale-u-inium,¡¯ dainty iron, weak steel, fool¡¯s metal¡ªwhatever you want to call it, it¡¯s useless, conman. You¡¯d need dozens of enchantments to make the stuff worth using.¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. ¡°I think we¡¯re talking about different metals. Aluminum is one of my home¡¯s most utilized metals. It¡¯s literally everywhere.¡± ¡°Bossman, you never told me about this metal,¡± Cam said. Adam glanced at his apprentice. ¡°It¡¯s worthless.¡± ¡°No, it''s not,¡± challenged Luka. ¡°Sure, some alloys are far less practical than others, but aluminum is¡ª¡± Adam raised a hand, silencing the World Walker. ¡°You know the alloys?¡± Luka hesitated, a haze flooding his mind. ¡°It¡¯d take some tinkering, but I think I remember the formulas for a few alloys. yes.¡± ¡°You some kind of smithy?¡± ¡°Engineer, actually. I can¡¯t remember all of the details from my life on Earth, but I do remember talking to several manufacturers about aluminum¡ªweight, density, tensile strength, that sort of thing.¡± Adam subtly smirked. ¡°None of those help with alloy formulas.¡± ¡°Not implicitly, no. But part of my job was finding the cheapest material that fit¡­¡± Again, Luka hesitated. He could feel the memory wanting to come out. It banged against his mind, like a rowdy dog clawing at the door, ¡°certain parameters. And some materials were more expensive than others¡ª¡± Adam interrupted, ¡°Thus the tinkering. You know the approximate materials used in your ¡®special¡¯ aluminum based on how much each alloy costs.¡± ¡°Exactly. But what you¡¯ve got to remember is that my world had billions of people in it. Aluminum wasn¡¯t created in small forges like yours¡ªaluminum was created in massive foundries, produced at speeds that far surpass what any person could.¡± Luka slid the burgers onto the buns, sliced sausages included. He tapped the ¡°off button¡± glyph, depowering the griddle. With a lazy gesture to follow, Luka led the smiths to the condiment table. ¡°Pick of the litter for toppings,¡± he said. ¡°Litter?¡± Cam asked. ¡°Bossman, I don¡¯t want any litter on¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a phrase,¡± Luka interrupted. ¡°Everything here was brought over by other villagers and cut up by Ren and Nicole.¡± He pointed toward the carousel, specifically the two kids. On the other side of the yard, kids and adults alike lounged in the grass, quietly talking or playing amongst themselves. Mayor Tram and Judge Ben stood at the carousel¡¯s control box with Eve and Franky, timing ride intervals down to the second. The previous timing schedule of ¡°burgers¡± wasn¡¯t working out so hot. Designed by the kids, a timer was worked out for as long as Luka cooked a burger. Once the burger was done and a new one was put on the griddle, another four got to ride. As Cam and Adam ate their burgers, Luka continued talking, ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t want to work out a deal with me. But like I told your apprentice, I can pay for my two fence posts, and we can have a normal business relationship. Thought¡­¡± He took a breath before saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to need a lot of metal soon.¡± Adam quirked an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Luka nodded at the carousel. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of stuff I could build, but not all of them can be made out of wood. Tram¡¯s already asked me to take up residence here in Emberwood, and I¡¯m edging toward that. But I¡¯ll need to make money, and I want to help revitalize the village if I can.¡± ¡°Bossman?¡± Cam asked. ¡°You want to what?¡± ¡°Goddess Tippy placed me in Emberwood for a reason. What better than to create something here¡ªsomething that all the villagers can take pride in.¡± Forgemaster Adam frowned despite the good food in his belly. ¡°You are an outsider here, World Walker or not.¡± Luka nodded. He knew that more than anyone. ¡°And yet, I think I¡¯ve fallen in love with Emberwood already.¡± Adam scoffed. ¡°Something a conman would say.¡± He grit his teeth. ¡°It hurts to admit, especially with my memories the way they are, but I don¡¯t think I was a good person on Earth¡ªmy home. Either I hurt people, or I made things that hurt people. Regardless, from the moment I took my first step into this world, my chest felt wrong. There¡¯s this dull ache right here.¡± Luka thumped his heart. ¡°And I just know it¡¯s cause of my past.¡± Neither Adam nor Cam spoke, they just waited. ¡°But here, tonight?¡± Luka threw out his arms wide, gesturing all around, ¡°I didn¡¯t feel it. This evening¡¯s been tiring. The kids have been hellish, and some of the adults. My feet hurt, I smell like grease, and I think I have a sunburn.¡± He chuckled a little at that last bit. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t change it. Today¡¯s been perfect. Look at all the smiling faces.¡± Cam and Adam did¡ªnearly the whole village was here, each and everyone smiling, laughing, and talking. Something that hasn¡¯t happened since before the mine collapsed. ¡°I¡¯ve created happiness here,¡± Luka said quietly. ¡°And as much as I hate saying that¡ªmainly cause it sounds so egotistical¡ªbut I did. And that¡¯s exactly what Goddess Tippy wanted me to do. She resurrected and reincarnated me on this planet to create days like today¡ªdays everyone will remember, even the two sullen smiths that showed up late.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sullen, bossman!¡± Cam snapped. Luka just smiled at him. For a long moment, Adam stared. Then, he relented. ¡°Come by the forge in a week. I¡¯ll have to order materials from the city in special.¡± With that, the smithy duo departed, both licking the burger fat from their fingers. Luka packed up the topping bar and went to find his friends. Stolen story; please report. Eve and Franky were arguing with one of the villagers about carousel ride time and how the villagers thought Tram and Ben were rigging it so that the kids had longer rides than the adults. The argument came to a head when Tram grunted at the villager and said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m giving the kids a longer ride. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± The villager growled something obscene and stepped away. Luka chuckled. ¡°Making friends, I see,¡± he said to Tram. ¡°Everyone wants a fair piece, but the kids deserve a larger slice,¡± she replied. ¡°I can¡¯t agree more.¡± A glance to the far end of the yard reminded Luka of his ¡®payments.¡¯ Materials, all kinds, and states of repair, sat in a large pile. He¡¯d have to sort it later and collect the heavy stuff people couldn¡¯t carry, but from a cursory estimate, there was enough to build another special something for the kids¡­ and villagers, for that matter. A meaty hand clapped Luka on the shoulder. Franky grinned at the World Walker, thick bags under his eyes. ¡°Luka, friend, please, if you make something else for the kids, add automation to it.¡± Luka quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Automation?¡± ¡°A ride timer. Please hard inscribe it into the ride. I can¡¯t keep arguing with people about what¡¯s been a complete ride or not.¡± Eve stepped up beside her brother and handed Luka a slip of paper. ¡°Here. I sketched a timer glyph out. Essentially, it cuts power after a certain amount of time.¡± Luka studied the paper. ¡°And this would be added directly into the main on/off glyph?¡± She nodded. ¡°I have it set to a minute and a half before cutting out. Should work fine, my aunt checked it for me.¡± Looking around, he asked, ¡°Sol¡¯s here? I¡¯ll cook her a burger if¡ª¡± Eve held up a hand. ¡°She¡¯s indisposed at her cottage. We talked via raven.¡± A terrible frown slipped across Franky¡¯s lips. ¡°Indisposed doing what?¡± ¡°Something no one asked for and something no one particularly needs¡ªher specialty.¡± Tram scoffed and rolled her eyes. ¡°Your aunt does more for this village than either of you two know. And if you must know, she¡¯s working on a project for me.¡± ¡°Speaking of projects,¡± Luka said before the siblings could respond, ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Eve! Franky! Hello! Anyone here, Eve and/or Franky!?¡± Everyone turned, finding a human approaching from the outlying section of the village. She wore leather belts and hiking boots, both worn thin and cracked from age. A thick, long-sleeve shirt was pulled up past her elbows, showing off multiple thick rope burns across her arms. Her hair was tied back, but she swayed like a drunkard only a few drinks into the night. ¡°Whose that?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Caravanner,¡± Tram answered, waving the middle-aged woman over. ¡°Must be staying at Todd¡¯s.¡± The statement made both Eve and Franky flinch. ¡°Uh oh,¡± they said in tandem. ¡°Hi there,¡± the woman said. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Eve and or Franky. I¡¯ve got a message from a ¡®Mr. Todd.¡¯¡± ¡°That¡¯s us,¡± Eve flatly said. She cleared her throat and said, ¡°The bar¡¯s full, and your boss needs you.¡± ¡°That was the message?¡± Franky asked. ¡°I simplified the colorful language for the kids. But there was something about a new sign¡­¡± The woman trailed off, only now seeing the carousel. It pulsed with colorful lights, the evening sun causing the thing to sparkle. ¡°What¡¯s that thing?¡± ¡°Something for the kids,¡± Franky said with a sigh. ¡°I guess we¡¯ve got to work, Eve.¡± Together, the siblings walked off, both with their heads hung. ¡°Sorry!¡± Luka yelled, calling after them. ¡°If I knew the sign would¡¯ve trouble, I¡¯d have made it smaller!¡± Eve spun, walking backward and yelling, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it! The extra tip money¡¯s going to be good!¡± ¡°Mind bringing Sebby and Olive over when you come in for the night?¡± Franky asked. ¡°They look like they¡¯re having fun!¡± Luka turned, finding the mounts. All three sat around with the other mounts brought in by various villagers ¡°talking¡± in beast-tongue. There was a giant toad, some sort of cat-thing, and even a lion with snow for a mane. ¡°Will do!¡± Luka yelled. The quieter, he asked Tram, ¡°Can the beasts understand each other?¡± ¡°Dire-beasts, sure,¡± Tram answered curtly as she eyed the intruder in the village¡ªthe caravanner. ¡°You need something else?¡± The woman startled at the question, tearing her eyes from the spinning carousel. ¡°I can¡­ can I try the spinney thing?¡± Luka only now recognized the woman as human. Well, obviously, he recognized her as human, but he only now realized the oddity. She was the first human he¡¯d met in this world. He¡¯d seen some from the window of his inn but never interacted. And luckily for his peace of mind, humans here didn¡¯t have gills or scales or anything crazy. They looked just like Earth¡¯s humans. ¡°Suuuure,¡± Tram said, elongating the word and smiling like a cat. ¡°You¡¯ll have to pay and wait in line like everyone else.¡± Luka gave the Mayor a strange look. She only grinned at him. The woman didn¡¯t need to be told twice. She fished through her pocket, grabbing hold of some loose coins. ¡°How much?¡± she asked. ¡°Five copper pieces.¡± The price was a mystery to Luka. ¡°Five pieces¡± didn¡¯t seem like a lot, but at the same time, how much was a copper even worth? Regardless, the woman had enough money on her and gladly paid, slapping the money in Tram¡¯s open hand. The woman then joined the back of the line. Tram quietly said, ¡°This may be the best night this village has had in years. Thank you, Luka.¡± She jostled the coins in her hand, tossing them to the World Walker. ¡°When you head in for the night, buy something cold from Todd with those. Should be worth two drinks.¡± ¡°Five copper pieces are worth two drinks,¡± Luka echoed, ¡°good to know. And don¡¯t thank me. Anyone would have done this if they had my magic.¡± Tram snorted. ¡°No, they wouldn¡¯t have. You have a good heart, even if you smell like beef.¡± Luka sniffed himself, frowning. ¡°How much does a shower cost at Todd¡¯s?¡± ¡°Todd only has baths¡ªfour copper for one. However, you could easily magic yourself a temporary shower somewhere with a water glyph. Or you could jump in the lake.¡± He hadn¡¯t considered using magic to clean himself. What an interesting world, he thought. ¡°Anyway,¡± Tram continued, ¡°with tonight being such a success, I¡¯d like to sponsor your next creation.¡± ¡°Sponsor?¡± ¡°As Mayor of Emberwood Village, I oversee the treasurey¡ªlittle as it holds. And I¡¯ll pay you to build something else here.¡± Luka shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not taking payment. I¡¯d build something here anyways.¡± He sighed loudly. ¡°I want to preface this by saying I may change my mind later, okay?¡± Tram nodded vigorously. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to take you up on your residency offer.¡± Ben, standing a few steps away at the carousel''s control panel, gasped, obviously listening. ¡°You¡¯d be free to leave whenever you want, World Walker,¡± Tram said. ¡°No way we¡¯d try to trap you here.¡± Luka took a deep breath. ¡°Good, and thank you.¡± Tram patted him on the back with a wrinkled hand. ¡°Enough sappy stuff, let¡¯s get back to business: the village is nearly bankrupt and is slowly declining.¡± ¡°I thought it was only stagnated?¡± She shook her head softly. ¡°That¡¯s what we tell people. Can¡¯t have people worrying, you know?¡± Tram nodded toward the human woman waiting in line for the carousel. ¡°But that¡¯s something special.¡± ¡°Five copper for a single ride,¡± Luka said, seeing where the conversation was going. ¡°Exactly. What we need is a way to make some money¡ªsomething the whole village can be a part of. So, the sponsorship. Any material you need, within reason, we¡¯ll get for you. Just whatever you decide to build, it needs to be in the outlying section of the village¡ªby Todd¡¯s and his new sign.¡± Luka got thinking. ¡°Something big, something that¡¯ll draw crowds.¡± ¡°That woman is going to go back to her friends and tell them about the carousel. They¡¯re going to all come over here and each pay five copper. Then, most likely, they will inquire about food¡ªget¡¯s hungry after an evening of drinking, after all. And they¡¯re not going to want crappy bar food. They are going to want¡ª¡± ¡°Burger,¡± Luka said, finishing her thought. ¡°And they are going to pay for them. Which is also going to prompt me to buy more ingredients from the villagers.¡± Tram nodded along. ¡°A trickle of money, all stemming from your creations here. Tomorrow, you are going to create something new, something made for paying customers¡ªnot something sweet and nice for the kids¡ªbut something to rekindle Emberwood.¡± ¡°We¡¯d need to make a food stand out there,¡± Luka added. ¡°And drinks, bathrooms, extra space for wagons and stuff.¡± He paused. ¡°Wait. Maybe we should build it here, not in the outlying village. That way, people come in and have access to the¡ª¡± ¡°The village shops,¡± Tram said, finishing his sentence. ¡°They¡¯re old, and most haven¡¯t been touched in years, but besides ore, Emberwood used to be known for trinkets and handmade woodcraft.¡± ¡°Emberwood orange is beautiful.¡± Luka pondered for only a second more before conceding. Tram was right. ¡°I¡¯m sold. I¡¯ll make another attraction.¡± She smirked. ¡°¡¯Attraction,¡¯ I like it. ¡®World Walker Attractions.¡¯¡± She chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d definitely cover the cost of a sign that says that!¡± It took a while, but everything the Mayor predicted came true. The woman rode the carousel, wandered off back toward the bar, then promptly returned with nearly twelve other patrons, each eager and willing to pay five copper for a ride. By this point, most of the kids had their fill of riding, which caused the line to shorten significantly. Some of the new patrons rode twice. From there, with alcohol swirling in their bellies, hunger stuck, and the call for food echoed around the courtyard. All eyes fell on Luka. With Hern and Gern restocking the beef, Luka got to cooking. Ren suggested six copper pieces for a double smash burger, something every villager, including Tram and Ben, thought was outrageous. But the drunk patrons paid for the price with smiles. ¡°They should be more expensive,¡± Ren whispered to Luka. ¡°But a lack of seasoning¡ª¡± Luka glared at him until he quieted down and sat with Nicole. And where there was food, drinks also needed to be served. Tram exited the courthouse with a few corked bottles of mead¡ªwhich she promptly sold to the group of outsiders. Another dozen or so copper found her hand with that. Eventually, the group left and went back to Mr. Todd¡¯s, but not before a few paid for another ride on the carousel. Ultimately, Luka and Tram couldn''t wipe their smiles off their faces. And neither could Ren¡ªthough that was only because Luka let him grill the burgers. And it was a few hours later, as Luka laid in bed staring at the ceiling after half a prismpuff joint, he thought of what to build next: a Feris wheel. He dreamt of fighter jets and flames. Chapter 20: Sneerhome A bright-eyed, but hungover, Luka sat with a bleary-eyed but sober Eve and Franky the next morning. They sipped on jrum and snacked on triangular-shaped salted nuts called ¡°trinuts.¡± A fitting name, Luka thought, listening to the siblings talk about the wild night they had. As it turned out, the new sign brought in much, much more business than anyone expected¡ªto the point they sold out of alcohol completely. ¡°Oh no,¡± Luka said, taking a long sip. Jrum really did hit the spot after a night of smoking¡ªespecially after dreams like that. ¡°So, what happened?¡± Eve grunted out a scoff. ¡°A few of the drunks got agitated. Belligerently, blaming Todd for something. Luckily, an outer guard patrol stopped in for a round. They handled the situation before Todd could get his mallet out.¡± ¡°Mallet?¡± Franky laughed at the question, tossing a trinut in his mouth. ¡°Mr. Todd has a mallet under the counter. Anytime someone gets physical, he grabs it and beats the living ribblelits out of them! Usually works.¡± Luka hesitated. ¡°Usually?¡± ¡°Well¡ªthis one time, Mr. Todd tried to fight off a drunk dullahan. But you can¡¯t knock out what doesn¡¯t have a brain! You shoulda seen his face when the dullahan loomed uncaring over him!¡± Franky grabbed his sides in laughter, shaking the table with his bellows alone. Eve suppressed laughing, clamping her lips tight. Luka didn¡¯t get it. ¡°What¡¯s a dullahan?¡± he asked. ¡°A race of immortal undead people. They don¡¯t have heads, hence the brain joke.¡± Eve explained. ¡°Immortal? Headless? How were they drinking if they don¡¯t have a head?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve still got mouths, Luka.¡± Eve looked at him like he was stupid. He didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. ¡°And they¡¯re immortal cause they are employed by the god¡ªsoul ferries. If a soul gets lost in the shuffle after death, the dullahans are dispatched to collect it and help it move along.¡± Luka thought about that for a moment. ¡°So, there was a lost soul over here¡­¡± He trailed off, seeing Eve and Franky¡¯s faces. They looked away, their breathing light yet tense. Oh, Luka thought to himself, the dullahan was here for the people who died in the mine. Luckily, the door of the bar swung open and Mayor Tram stepped in. Instantly, the air cleared, and Franky yelled, ¡°We¡¯re closed!¡± Tram gave him an unimpressed glare, strolling right in and sitting at the table. She held a stack of papers, fanning herself with them. She plopped down beside Franky, grabbed his mug of jrum and downed it all in a single gulp. She smashed the mug down, still glaring at the other orc. Eve started laughing as Franky wilted. ¡°What a power move,¡± Luka said with a thumbs up. ¡°What can we do for you, Mrs. Mayor?¡± She drummed her fingers on the table and chewed on her lip a bit while staring at the World Walker. She then turned to Eve. ¡°I heard you ran out of booze last night. You¡¯re going to Sneerhome to resupply today, right? I need a favor.¡± Eve shook her head and jutted her thumb at Franky. ¡°Not me, him. Drew the short straw. Today¡¯s my day off.¡± Tram practically growled, ¡°Fine. Franky. I need a favor.¡± ¡°Name it,¡± Franky adopted a wicked grin. ¡°For a price, of course.¡± ¡°The price is me not kicking your ass for being a twit.¡± Again, Tram glared. The two devolved into a battle of intimidation, Franky promptly losing. ¡°Fine. What do you need?¡± he asked. ¡°Take Luka with you and swing by the government building and¡ª¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Luka interrupted. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°Paperwork,¡± Tram said grimly. ¡°Building permits as well as food vendor certificates.¡± He furled his eyebrows. ¡°You need paperwork to build at Emberwood?¡± She hesitated. ¡°Sort of. Technically, Emberwood Village is an independent village. But the forest around Emberwood isn¡¯t. And the city of Sneerhome, in all its glory, is a right bag of pencil pushers.¡± ¡°Sneerhome¡¯s run by humans,¡± Eve said plainly. ¡°Sticklers for contracts, boundaries, laws, rules, you get the picture. They make a fuss if the village does something they don¡¯t like. Trust me, I¡¯ve seen Aunt Sol get in trouble enough to know it''s not worth messing with them.¡± Luka took another sip of jrum, not knowing what to say about any of that. But then again. ¡°Why do I have to do it? I¡¯m not really the most knowledgeable when it comes to this world¡¯s laws¡­¡± Tram nodded. ¡°Paperwork¡¯s all filled out. You just have to pass it off.¡± ¡°Then why¡ª¡± The mayor sighed, long and hard. ¡°I wanted to give you one last chance to back out of that special little thing we talked about yesterday. And visiting Sneerhome might give you closure or change your mind.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Becoming a resident here, Luka inferred. You¡¯re a good woman, Tram. ¡°And besides,¡± Franky said, ¡°we can take Leo to get magically trained.¡± That caused Luka to perk up. ¡°When do we leave, then?¡± *** After a forty-minute ride on Leo and Sebby, Luka and Franky could see the city between the trees. As it turned out, the Kingdom of Embers had several ¡°highways¡± stretching across the continent. Six total highways converged into the city of Sneerhome, making it a hub of trade, import, and export. And massively bogged down by traffic. Made of enchanted clay and dirt, the road was nothing more than a flattened, packed, straight line. It was four ¡°lanes,¡± though no markings dictated where carts and wagons could be¡­ nor was there a definite barrier between directions of traffic. Yet, there wasn¡¯t an ounce of hesitation. Orcs rode on beastback, humans on horses, merchants held the reins of scaled creatures pulling massive hauls of product. The wind pulled Luka¡¯s hair back, Leo trotting along at speeds akin to a horse in a full gallop. He clutched the saddle with his legs, bending them around the dire-wolf¡¯s ribcage-like hand on a mug. Luckily for Luka¡¯s stomach and his anxiety, the ride slowed to a crawl once close to the city. ¡°Why¡¯s it called Sneerhome?¡± Luka asked, scanning the stone and wood skyline. Made of orange emberwood and black basalt, the city appeared like the setting sun. It disappeared behind a large cobble wall, mimicking the horizon. Buildings jutted tall with smoke billowing from chimneys or flags flying on tall metallic poles. The Kingdom¡¯s flag¡ªa black and orange series of motes depicting embers in the night sky¡ªwas everywhere. From draped in large banners across the wall to small emblematic crests attached to the various signage along the highway¡¯s edge, the flag flew with obvious pride. ¡°Cause the founder was scared by a magical beast when he was young,¡± Franky answered, guiding the pair and their mounts toward an express entrance lane. ¡°He had a big scar across his face, which made him look as if he was always sneering. The name ¡®Sneerhome¡¯ stuck.¡± The express lane was for non-carted individuals¡ªsolo riders, mainly, not large caravans and wagons. As they passed the carted lane, Luka couldn¡¯t help but glance at some of the people. Races he had yet to meet came into focus, such as ogres with their hulking size and gnomes with their¡­ not hulking size. And yet, it wasn¡¯t any of the people that drew his attention. Instead, it was electricity. Powering the gnomes'' ¡°mounts,¡± electricity sparked and popped from wires and glass bulb transistors. Shaped as oxen with a long unicorn horn, the mounts were completely mechanical. They chugged and boomed, their engines combusting within. Copper wires ran the length of the mechanical beast, electro-charging the entire thing. Why? Luka asked himself as he watched a young man in dirty clothes stalk toward the gnomes. Luka craned his neck to watch as the man tried to steal something from the gnomes, only to get shocked by the wires he touched. The gnome driving the machine, a man the size of Luka¡¯s shin, mocked and pointed at the would-be thief. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with gnomes,¡± Franky warned. ¡°How aren¡¯t they electrocuting themselves?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Gnomes are blessed followers of God Liss¡ªwho just loves everything mechanical. So, he blessed the entire race to be resistant to nearly everything. That¡¯s why their capital city is in a poisonous swamp. Apparently, the rarest precious metals are under it.¡± Eventually, they arrived at the city gates. Two human guards flanked them on either side, each sporting the Kingdom¡¯s crest and long spears. ¡°Reason for your visit?¡± one asked. Franky answered, ¡°Paperwork from Emberwood.¡± The second guard groaned. ¡°Paperwork¡¯s the worst.¡± ¡°Agreed, agreed. We¡¯re also putting in some beer orders. Ran out.¡± The first guard eyed the orc. ¡°You¡¯re not from that new bar, Mr. Todd¡¯s, are you?¡± Franky snorted. ¡°New? That place is older than me!¡± ¡°But the sign¡ªI don¡¯t remember ever seeing it on my patrols.¡± ¡°That¡¯s new, but not the bar. Brings in a lot of customers, hence the beer orders.¡± Both guards grunted at that, waving them in. Once they were out of earshot, Luka asked, ¡°Why have guards if they let us in without a fuss?¡± Franky smirked. ¡°Both were using magic, didn¡¯t you notice? Truth-detection and identification of contraband¡ªare the spells, I think.¡± Luka turned around, focusing on the strands of magic in his peripheral view. Franky was right, magic leaked from the two guardsmen, especially from their eyes. ¡°Alrighty, paperwork first. Follow me,¡± Franky led the way, expertly guiding Sebby through the crowds. Luka kept up, but that was mostly due to Leo understanding the request and weaving around people himself. Whoever designed the city did so with mounts in mind. Wide walkways were common, and points of interest were spaced out. And while some people moved out of the way of the massive dire-beasts, they were far and away not the largest mounts out there. Just in a few minutes of walking, a lizard beast the size of a whale but the width of a horse slithered by with a rider, sitting calmly on its head. ¡°Dire-snake,¡± Franky explained, seeing Luka''s expression. ¡°Somewhat rare around these parts. Probably raised from an egg.¡± They stopped in front of a nondescript trio of buildings made of emberwood and stone. On one end, a bakery with a glass front with steaming pastries in the window served a line of customers. On the other end, a glass etching shop housed decorated carved and colored glass murals. And in the center sat the building Luka and Franky were looking for. It was bland, uninspired, and rundown. A wood-carved book and quill sat in the window beside a city emblem, explaining what was inside¡ªboredom. This was a government building, there were no doubts about it. And yet, there was a line. There¡¯s always a line, Luka thought. Franky clapped him on the back. ¡°Okeydokey, that¡¯s your line to wait in. Just hand off the paperwork, and you¡¯ll be good to go. In the meantime, I¡¯m going to find a brewer to put Mr. Todd¡¯s order in.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving me?¡± Luka asked. ¡°You¡¯ve got Leo.¡± The white wolf craned his head back, locking eyes with his rider. There was a softness hidden amongst the fur like an older brother or that one cool uncle everyone had. Luka felt safe with Leo, something he showed by scratching Leo under the chin. The line moved¡­ moderately quickly, even though it started outside the shop. With only a dozen people ahead of him, Luka eventually had to get off Leo and enter by himself. The wolf watched him the entire time he was inside from the window. ¡°Papers please,¡± a woman behind the only desk in the entire place said. ¡°Hi,¡± Luka said, pushing the stack of papers into her hand. ¡°From Mayor Tram of Emberwood Village.¡± The woman gave him a bored look, dropping the stack into a pile labeled ¡®completed.¡¯ She then yelled, ¡°Next!¡± ¡°Wait, that¡¯s it? You didn¡¯t even check if they were filled out right.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t care if they are.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Next!¡± Luka walked out, stupefied. Leo licked him in the face right as Franky and Sebby showed up. ¡°All done?¡± Luka just nodded. ¡°Good! Now for the fun part of the city, come on!¡± Chapter 21: Time The ¡°fun¡± part of town was the markets. The crowded streets opened to a series of shops and stalls stretching multiple blocks in length. Around the periphery, buildings housing guilds and service centers drew in crowds while the center was packed with people. Shuffling up and down the rows of stalls, people and mounts purchased items of all kinds¡ªfrom cooked food to jewelry or magical weapons. A gnomish woman sold spanners and buckets of bolts, a dwarven family traded cash for old necklaces and rings to smelt. Heat radiated from a man made of lava¡ªan elemental¡ªwhile a few stalls down, the air froze over as a merchant explained to a young sorcerous how a blizzard wand worked. Near the edge, a bidding war commenced, a stalemate pushing the price into the triple digits¡ªwhat they were bidding on, Luka didn¡¯t know. ¡°Buy one, get one free! Muscle Toxin! Strengthen your muscles faster with only minimal poison to your body!¡± a teenager shouted, drawing people to his booth. Franky gravitated to the storefront. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Ninetee¡ª¡± Franky scoffed and kept walking, the teenager dropping the price with every step. Guess the price is too high, Luka thought. But did he say minimal poison to the body? They spent an hour looking through the bits and bobs, slowly making their way up and down the stalls. Franky bought a few small things¡ªmostly items that dealt with muscle gain or baldness. Apparently, he wasn¡¯t bald by choice. ¡°It just doesn¡¯t grow on my head!¡± Franky told Luka as they stepped away from the main market down an alley. Luka eyed the shine of his friend¡¯s green skin. ¡°I think it looks nice. Really highlights the definition in your arms and chest.¡± Franky¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Sure. Without hair to be distracted by, all I notice is your muscles.¡± The orc beamed as they traveled to the edge of the city. The cobble ground turned to dirt, and the shops transformed into beast-related¡ªa leather worker selling saddles, another trading in buckles and fasteners, and a third selling both. Buildings stretched from one another, giving room for dire-beasts and regular animals alike. Luka recognized the usual farm animals from Earth¡ªall of which were slightly off compared to their Earthen counterparts. Pink cows, mutated pigs, chickens that could actually fly. Then there were the other animals. Luka stopped and stared at a slithering creature made of void black eels. It made his stomach churn as he looked at it, and his heart beat faster. ¡°Never seen an eldritch horror?¡± Franky asked. ¡°Gross little guys, but they¡¯re great at keeping barns clean from vermin and pests.¡± Luka¡¯s mouth went dry. ¡°What kind of vermin warrants that thing?¡± ¡°Rats, cockroaches, occasional snakes. The usual.¡± Franky scratched his chin. ¡°Anyway, come on. Zora¡¯s is right over here.¡± They entered a gated building¡¯s courtyard¡ªand were instantly swarmed by two dozen dogs of various sizes. They jumped up on Sebby and Leo¡¯s legs, barking and licking. Franky laughed to himself, slipping off his mount and wresting a rubber ball from one of the dog¡¯s mouths. He threw it¡ªand all the dogs rushed to fetch it. The dogs fought for control of the ball, eventually bringing it back. This time, Luka threw it, and again, the dogs ran off. As a kid, he remembered playing fetch with his dog¡ªWalter. Walter was a good boy, albeit too stupid to understand that ¡°fetch¡± meant to bring the ball back. Luka smiled at the memory. ¡°Gak!¡± he yelled, warm liquid dripping down his pant leg. A dog! A dog had just peed on him!¡± He kicked his leg out, waving it around in the air. Luka practically growled at the dog¡ªa pug-looking thing that looked wayyyy too happy and content with itself. ¡°I see you¡¯ve met Leaker,¡± a voice said. Turning, Luka and Franky found a middle-aged orcish woman. She wore overalls and had plenty of tattoos¡ªvarious breeds of dogs mixed in with glyph-like etchings. Soft, kind eyes gave Luka a sorrowful look before she turned to the dog. ¡°Bad Leaker,¡± she cooed, her words stern but her tone loving. ¡°Leaker?¡± Luka asked before considering his wet leg. ¡°Good name.¡± The pug sauntered over, sitting at his feet without a care in the world. It flopped against him, even as Leo bent over and sniffed the wayward pup. ¡°Leaker,¡± the woman cooed again. The dog put his paw on Luka¡¯s boot. ¡°Good boy!¡± ¡°That means ¡®sorry¡¯ in dog-sign-language,¡± Franky said to Luka. He then turned back to the woman. ¡°Zora! So good to see you again! The village just isn¡¯t the same without you.¡± Zora punched Franky¡¯s fist hard. ¡°You were just a teenager last time you came by! How come you and that sister of yours never visit?¡± ¡°Todd works us to the bone!¡± She laughed. ¡°Same old prickly walrus?¡± ¡°Walrus? More like short finned rainbow!¡± The pair laughed. Franky then clapped Luka on the shoulder. ¡°Zora, allow me to introduce you to someone special¡ªthis is,¡± he leaned in close and whispered, ¡°World Walker Luka.¡± Slowly, Zora¡¯s eyes widened. Luka thrust his fist out. ¡°Hello,¡± he said. It took a moment, but the orcish woman eventually punched his fist. ¡°H-hi.¡± The horde of dogs dropped the rubber ball at her feet. She picked it up and tossed it, overcoming her stupor. ¡°What can I do for a ¡®World Walker?¡¯¡± She mouthed the two last words. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°I want Leo here,¡± Luka gave his mount a nice scratch on the chin, ¡°to be able to change size by his own will.¡± He made sure to emphasize the last part to avoid confusion. ¡°And does Leo want that?¡± Zora asked. The giant white wolf nodded his head vigorously. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s easy enough¡­ Sorry if this comes off as rude, but why are you hanging around Franky here?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Franky demanded with fake outrage. Luka laughed. ¡°He and Eve were the first two people I met in this world. We became instant friends.¡± ¡°He¡¯s joining the village,¡± Franky added. Zora raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why? When I left¡­ let¡¯s just say, I stuck around as long as I could after the mine collapsed.¡± Luka didn¡¯t have to think about the question. ¡°I like it out there. The people are all great, the area is beautiful, and the kids¡ªthey¡¯ve grown on me. And it¡¯s quiet, unlike here.¡± She nodded in agreement to that last one. ¡°Sneerhome is very loud, yes. But Emberwood was a failed village when I left. I can¡¯t imagine how it is now.¡± ¡°Mayor Tram¡¯s got a plan for that,¡± Franky said, adding a hint of mystery. ¡°She has her own World Walker on retainer, remember?¡± Luka smiled at the theatrics. ¡°I filed paperwork with Sneerhome earlier today¡ªbuilding permits and vendor license.¡± ¡°Emberwood¡¯s ditching the mine-economy?¡± Zora asked. ¡°That might work¡­ what¡¯s your export going to be now?¡± ¡°Entertainment, thrill, magic.¡± Luka shrugged. ¡°We¡¯re still figuring things out¡ª¡± Warmth cascaded down his leg again. ¡°Leaker bad!¡± Zora yelled at the pug. The dog slowly put his back leg down and tapped Luka¡¯s boot with his front paw. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re sorry! Not this time!¡± Leaker barked and sprinted off toward the pack of dogs fighting over the rubber ball. Zora rubbed the bridge of her nose. ¡°Come on, Luka and Leo, let¡¯s get you two sorted out before Leaker pees on you again.¡± She led them around the back of the yard and into a large concrete glyph. ¡°Keep talking about your plans for Emberwood, please.¡± Luka wagged his leg around, drying it. ¡°It¡¯s all going to start with a Ferris wheel¡­¡± *** Eventually, they left Zora¡¯s house of dogs. Franky rode on top of Sebby, yet Luka walked beside a shin-high Leo. A deep green tattoo crested around the wolf¡¯s neck, hidden beneath his fur. It glowed whenever Leo changed sizes; the magic connected to Luka as a sort of siphon. Leo didn¡¯t have magic, but his rider did¡ªand that was enough for the spellwork to change his size. Luka felt a small drain on his magic reserves as Leo changed his size again, this time growing to waist tall. Then¡ªthe wolf decided he wanted to be small again. Then big. Then smaller, but not so small people might step on him. But then a local¡¯s dire-beast sniffed Leo predatorily as they passed, which meant Leo just had to grow to his real size and intimidate the creature. ¡°Alright, alrighty, bud,¡± Luka pleaded, a headache forming. ¡°Pick a size and stick with it, please. I¡¯m not made of mana.¡± Well, he might have been. Goddess Tippy built him a new body, after all. Leo licked him on the face, then shrank to the size of a Pomeranian. ¡°Is that everything we needed in the city?¡± Franky asked, smirking at the dynamic of rider and mount. They passed an intersection, the beast district of the city a few streets behind them. Luka glanced down the crossroads, finding spraying fountains and manicured trees and bushes. It was crowded in that direction, dire-beasts and people alike pushed their way through the traffic in a similar manner to the market stalls. ¡°What¡¯s down there?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Divine district. All Sneerhome¡¯s churches are located on that singular block.¡± Franky slowly rubbed Sebby¡¯s fur. ¡°Want to check it out?¡± A sparkling butterfly flew past Luka, catching his eye. ¡°Does Goddess Tippy have a church here?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The orc hesitated. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I think she wants to speak to me.¡± Luka started down the road, mini-Leo dancing around his steps. Franky followed as well, but slowly. Religion, back on Earth, meant little to Luka. As a kid, he remembered wearing boxy clothing to church, but after his teenage years¡ªnothing. Between busy parents and girlfriends and school, religion just fell away. Especially after college and the deep questions his professors demanded of him. What was life? What was sin? However, here was different. Here, in this world, he still didn¡¯t know the names of gods who were real. They were tangible. They helped people; they blessed races. They showed their faces, proud of the world they¡¯d created. Luka followed the butterfly into Goddess Tippy¡¯s church, little Leo right beside him. A feeling nagged at him: familiarity. The Goddess¡¯ presence was throughout her holy home, her essence seeped into the marble floor and cream walls. Priests and priestesses walked around the main hallway, guiding their flock to side rooms and/or in prayer. A man in robes the color of snow nodded to Luka, gesturing to a large set of double doors at the end of the hall. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here!¡± Franky called from the entrance. Luka turned long enough to wave to his friend, but the sound of opening doors kept his attention. The double doors swung open, leading to a black landscape with speckles of light. The butterfly flew in, and Luka and Leo followed. The doors closed behind them. They were in space, standing on magic just like Luka¡¯s first moments of his new life. Below, the world slowly spun, greens and blues masked by fluffy clouds and rolling rains. They were in the realm of the gods, Tippy¡¯s domain, watching the lives of everyone¡ªof everything. As Luka stood there breathing, the air in his lungs grew heavy. Fluttering thoughts accosted his mind, memories splintered like broken glass. As he watched this world, his world came to mind. Earth¡ªhis life, his sins. What was life? He had been reborn; a goddess took care of that for him. What was sin? He didn¡¯t know. His were hidden from him. The reason for this meeting became ever more apparent to him at that moment. He was here because of his shrouded past. ¡°You want to remember your previous life,¡± Goddess Tippy said, appearing beside him and Leo. ¡°Despite my attempts.¡± Leo barked at her, but a summoned hunk of meat quelled his outrage. The wolf graciously accepted the Goddess¡¯ bribe, plopping down on his belly to eat. Tippy chuckled softly at the sight. Luka studied the goddess. She was light. She was life. She basked in golden rays and radiated magical excellence. She stood akin to a giant, although her size was hardly taller than Luka, and yet, she didn¡¯t flaunt her power. She could easily dominate him and force him to do her bidding, but she didn¡¯t. Instead, she fed his wolf and blessed his creations. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± The two words didn¡¯t shock Luka. With as much as he remembered about his previous life, he knew there were bad, bad things he¡¯d done. Bombs, jet fighters, death. Sadly, those were just the tip of the iceberg. He didn¡¯t want to remember¡ªnot when he caused it all. It was hard to admit, but Luka knew¡ªhe was a harbinger of destruction on Earth. An engineer of death, a person befitting of hell a million times over. He killed innocents¡ªor his creations did¡ªand he was paid to do it. Luka whispered, ¡°But I think I have to.¡± He knew he had to remember. Not for himself but the people around him. They deserved to know what kind of person he actually was. ¡°So be it.¡± Three words from the Goddess. Three words was all it took for Luka to remember. And as his memories came flooding in, he knew he¡¯d made a mistake. ¡°Take as long as you need, Luka. Time is infinite here,¡± Tippy said as he crumbled to the magical ground, tears pouring down his face. Leo abandoned the hunk of meat and snuggled into his rider¡¯s arms. Luka squeezed him gently. Chapter 22: Ferris Wheel Franky, Sebby, and Leo followed Luka through the outer village and into the town square. Traveling back from Sneerhome had been silent. The World Walker lost in his own head. He has only said a few words, Franky thought to himself, What could have happened inside Goddess Tippy¡¯s church? As they passed Mr. Todd¡¯s bar, Eve poked her head out and quickly joined up with the group. Luka walked ahead, his head drooping past his shoulders. ¡°He okay?¡± Eve asked. Franky regarded his sister carefully. On the one hand, he¡¯d known her all his life. On the other, despite their blood relation, it was hard to read exactly what the young woman wanted. Eve was the subtler sibling, a fact Franky knew quite well. And yet, when she was around Luka, she acted differently¡ªstrangely, even. ¡°Don¡¯t really know,¡± Franky answered. ¡°He said Goddess Tippy was calling him and entered her church. He exited less than a minute later, his eyes puffy and his cheeks streaked with tears.¡± Eve arched an eyebrow. ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything?¡± ¡°Just a few one-word answers.¡± He nodded at Leo¡ªwho reverted to his real size for the ride back to the village. ¡°Leo went in with him, but he won¡¯t say anything either¡ªto me or Sebby.¡± Leo twisted his head to the side and locked eyes with Franky. The wolf then lifted his chin, trotting off to catch up with his rider. ¡°Leo is just an adult puppy. Maybe he doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± Franky shook his head, cutting off his sister. ¡°Leo¡¯s smart. He¡¯s purposefully not telling me.¡± Eve crossed her arms as they walked. ¡°Luka will talk when he''s ready.¡± Quietly, very quietly, Franky said, ¡°He¡¯s reminding me of Dad before the accident.¡± ¡°Dad was sick, Franky. His mind was poisoned, and he shouldn¡¯t have been in the mine at all.¡± ¡°I just wish he talked to us more. I miss him¡ªand Mom.¡± ¡°I do, too.¡± The group arrived at the courthouse and found a decently large crowd surrounding the carousel. Luka only glanced and walked on, the siblings and mounts followed. ¡°Where¡¯s Olive?¡± Eve groaned. ¡°In the barn. A garden snake slithered over her foot, and now she won¡¯t come out.¡± Luka walked a single lap around the village, magically picking up his ¡°payments¡± from the villagers. Riding on the carousel wasn¡¯t free, but it wasn¡¯t exactly paid for either. The villagers gave him their scraps¡ªpiles of trash and/or desolate structures long abandoned. After the mine collapsed, most of the village left, leaving their homes and huts behind. Some were adopted, others were torn down. But now, all unclaimed structures had an owner¡ªthe World Walker. Materials followed behind Luka in large piles, floating inches from the ground. Impressively, he added more and more to each pile, sorting the dilapidated structures by quality and material. Wood was commonplace, and so was stone. Metal came in next, full fences and countless nails joined the piles. Rot and rust fell away, trailing in the dirt as Luka walked. Wood meshed; grain structures reformed. Metal melted into a cool liquid, bending together into one singular block. ¡°You want happiness?¡± Luka muttered despondently, his eyes locked on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll show you happiness¡­destroy my life¡­ lie to me? Happiness, happiness, happiness¡­¡± The siblings watched him walk by. Eve turned to her brother. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°You can say that again¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Luka screeched, his back turned on his friends. He stomped off, still muttering. Franky quietly whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s fine.¡± Eve gave a soft smile. ¡°Me neither.¡± They followed. Luka gestured at a nearby basalt boulder, ripping it from where it sat mostly underground. With a flare of magic, stone melded like dough, flattening and stretching wide. A series of holes poked through at precise intervals, cutting across the width. He dropped it onto the ground, pressing it deep into the soil. ¡°Reinforcement?¡± he rambled to himself. ¡°Rebar? No. Yes¡­ happiness. Right, happiness.¡± A blob of metal flew off one of the piles. It reshaped midair, Luka¡¯s magic taking over. The metal formed into long tubes, each ribbed for extra surface area. They plunged into the stone foundation like it was water, slicing right through until set in place¡ªthe stone then hardened over the metal inserts. ¡°What in the world?¡± Eve asked her brother. ¡°Can metal fuse to stone like that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Franky whispered. ¡°Divine magic, remember¡ª¡± A curt raven¡¯s call cut him off. Swooping in from a nearby tree branch, Aunt Sol¡¯s familiar exploded into a cloud of smoke and feathers. Sol herself emerged from the effect. The old woman¡ªwith oddly perfect skin¡ªregarded her niece and nephew for a moment before turning to Luka. ¡°What¡¯s with him? Did a god give him some bad news or something?¡± Eve groaned at their aunt¡¯s sudden appearance. ¡°H-how¡¯d you know?¡± Franky asked, assuming that was the case. He shivered when his aunt glanced at him¡ªthere was a twinkle in her eye, one he¡¯d noticed years and years ago. She was crazy, that much was apparent to anyone who¡¯d share a meal with her, but Franky knew there was more to her than not. It was one of the reasons he hated her so much. Eve hated Sol because she blamed her for the mine¡¯s collapse. But Franky knew better. Accidents happen, especially when magic¡¯s involved. No, what really irked him was Sol¡¯s incessant arrogance. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Sol was a magical prodigy in her younger years¡ªthe kind that only appeared once every few generations. She classified herself as a ¡°Mystic,¡± a title renowned by orcs for orcs. And yet, she played the fool. Mystics¡ªFranky remembered the stories his mom told him¡ªwere people of renown and intrigue. They were tuned into the magical elements like dwarves were to mead. And yet, Sol played the crazy old loon. And Franky just didn¡¯t get it¡ªespecially after the mine. ¡°How do you think?¡± Sol retorted, sniffing her nose real loud. ¡°That boy smells like the divine, and he¡¯s moping like a depressed spriggan.¡± Franky clicked his tongue. ¡°He walked into Goddess Tippy¡¯s church.¡± ¡°Ah, that explains it then.¡± A flash of heat burst across Eve¡¯s face. ¡°Explains what?¡± she demanded. ¡°Why the boy is fuming mad.¡± Sol flanked around the gathering crowd. It seemed Luka¡¯s magic drew eyes¡ªsome of them outsiders, not a part of the village. Likely people who had come to ride the carousel. Word of mouth traveled fast. ¡°Can¡¯t blame him. The gods are a twisted lot.¡± Franky bit his tongue. There she goes again, Crazy Aunt Sol. Always mouthing off about the gods or adding ill commentary to the situation. ¡°Is that mine?¡± Luka yelled, his right hand thrust out and pointing. The siblings and Sol followed his gesture, finding two wagons full of materials. Mayor Tram said she¡¯d front the cost of a new attraction, and this was it apparently. Laid in stacks bound by metal twine or resting within wooden chests, raw materials sat in every sense of the term. Metal ore¡ªstill held together by the dirt in which it grew¡ªand entire logs of wood¡ªsome emberwood, though there were also darker, less orange species¡ªfilled the wagons to the brim and stressed their suspensions. It would take an ox or a dire-beast, to pull the wagons from the soft dirt impressions they sat in. ¡°Yes!¡± Eve yelled. ¡°Came when you and Franky were in Sneerhome.¡± Luka didn¡¯t respond, instead he stole a glance back. Something in him shifted. He gritted his teeth, however, and got back to work. The logs split into thin slats, the metal twisted into long, hollow poles. Two, six, eighteen, thirty-six, poles formed in a matter of seconds. The entire supply was mostly gone, only crumbs remained in the wagon. Each pole was identical, though some were a half or quarter size. In Luka¡¯s hands, fasteners and bolts materialized, each carefully inspected for discrepancies. He pocketed the small metal pieces. Slowly, as if Luka was only distantly thinking about them, the wooden slats piled side by side, bending into a rounded shape. Housings were formed, large enough for four people to sit within after closing the attached door. They were topped with a slanted roof but had large glassless windows. The orange of emberwood mixed well with the darker species, the colors acting like compliments. Some of the huts were orange with dark trim, others were dark with orange trim. Luka removed a small piece of paper from his pocket and studied it. In seconds, a miniature dust storm befell the construction as he etched glyphs into the surface of his creations. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of glyphs,¡± Eve said. Franky squinted at Luka¡¯s work. He hated magic if he was being honest, but Aunt Sol had trained him herself when he was younger. Inscribed in each hut and along each metal pole, a dozen glyphs had been carved. They were simple¡ªjust durability, rigidity, and lightened weight. But they were perfect! Franky shivered at the memory of tracing countless glyphs until his hand went numb. And yet, here Luka was¡ªhis hands unharmed. I¡¯m glad for him, Franky thought as he opened and closed his hands. The metal poles began to fit together. They formed an imperfect octagonal shape, something closer to a circle than not. Spokes formed, like a wagon¡¯s wheel, connected the circumference of the not-circle. The shape became rigid, stiffened by a collective pulling force from each of the spokes. Luka repeated the process with most of the other poles, creating a duplicate. He set them off to the side for the moment. Set in the stone foundation, a thick pole of metal fused with a wooden shell rose toward the heavens. It reached into the sky, sticking out above the tree canopy like a middle finger beside the pointer and ring. Aunt Sol laughed at it. ¡°He¡¯s reaaaaaaal mad at that Goddess!¡± Larger, more involved glyphs were carved into the main pole. Rotational, along with Eve¡¯s cluster of controlling glyphs. A control box erected at the edge of the stone foundation, an on/off button front and center. Luka tested it a few times, making sure everything worked perfectly. Then, the two massive wagon wheels of metal rose into the air, connecting to the center pole at the rotational glyph. They started to spin. Extra connection poles fused into the circles, turning the twins into a singular wheel with depth. One by one, Luka added the wooden huts. The fasteners and bolts in his pocket came in at this point, each used to connect the huts in such a way that they slid gently back and forth with the rotation of the wheel. The huts rose with the rotation and lowered back down. And then, well, the ride was done. ¡°Want to get on?¡± Luka asked, frowning. He visibly steeled himself and gave a tired smile. Franky and his sister practically ran over¡ªAunt Sol opted to stay put. The trio, and Leo, got in one of the huts as it moved. An entrance/exit sequence would have to be added to the control box later, but that¡¯d take hours to design. The Ferris wheel didn¡¯t move fast, but it crested the trees by a dozen meters at its peak. Flocking birds, green tree-tops, an endless orange forest in one direction, the familiar skyline of Sneerhome in the other. A cool breeze cut through the hut¡ªbungalow¡ªcausing the group to snuggle up to the fluffy and still small Leo. ¡°Is that Mr. Todd?¡± Eve screeched. ¡°I know he¡¯s small, but he looks like an ant!¡± The group looked over, finding the half-orc. Franky ignored his sister. ¡°You okay, Luka?¡± It took him a moment, but he nodded. ¡°The Goddess removed the block on my memories.¡± He hesitated but eventually locked eyes with his friends. ¡°I created weapons of war. Weapons that have killed millions.¡± ¡°That was your previous life,¡± Eve tenderly said. ¡°None of that matters.¡± ¡°I know¡ª¡± Luka shook his head. ¡°Tippy said the same thing. I was in her church for days, you know? She had to keep feeding Leo hunks of meat.¡± ¡°What were you doing during that time?¡± ¡°Crying.¡± Both siblings grunted. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Luka,¡± Franky whispered. ¡°What made you leave?¡± Eve asked. Luka whipped away a welling tear. ¡°Ren and Nicole, if you believe it. Tippy showed me a¡­ memory-video-thingy of the two of them sneaking out after bedtime and riding the carousel. Nicole was so happy¡ªRen too, but he was also annoyed he wasn¡¯t getting to sleep¡­¡± The siblings smiled at the thought. ¡°Then,¡± Luka continued, ¡°Tippy showed me an orphanage on Earth. It was destroyed, blown to bits by one of the bombs I helped design.¡± Eve gasped. Franky didn¡¯t dare make a sound. ¡°Tippy then mocked me. She taunted me, asking if that¡¯s what I wanted my ¡®legacy¡¯ to be.¡± Luka gently pet Leo, his shoulders tense. ¡°She then showed me the Emberwood Village¡ªand all the orphans who live here. She asked, ¡®they need someone to help pick up the pieces from their own ¡®bomb.¡¯ Are you going to be that man?¡¯¡± Franky patted him on the knee. ¡°She put you here for a reason. Now we know.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°To create happiness for the people around me.¡± ¡°More than that,¡± Eve said, smiling. ¡°To create happiness for yourself and those around you. Don¡¯t forget yourself, Luka.¡± He went stock still. ¡°Yeah, that too.¡± His words were barely a whisper. Franky leaned his arm out the glassless window and slapped the outside of the bungalow. ¡°And with this giant beasty, we¡¯re going to have plenty of smiling faces visiting in the coming days.¡± Eve laughed. ¡°It¡¯s going to get crowded here. This massive thing¡¯s going to attract a lot of people.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the point?¡± Luka asked. ¡°This is an attraction.¡± She snorted. ¡°Better fit a few dozen flashing light glyphs to it then¡ªreally bring in a crowd.¡± Chapter 23: World Walker Park Goddess Tippy and her brother, Rion, sat patiently on a conjured replica of Luka¡¯s Ferris wheel. The attraction slowly rotated, raising them up, allowing them to see all of Tippy¡¯s divine domain. For them, the view wasn¡¯t impressive¡ªafter all, they could create far better views with a simple flick of the wrist. And yet, both were smiling greatly. ¡°Your golden boy seems to be making waves already,¡± Rion said, eyeing a particular fastener connecting the bungalow to the mechanical wheel. ¡°This little piece of metal alone is going to revolutionize the door industry.¡± Tippy rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes, yes, you and your doors. Can we talk about something other than¡ª¡± She stopped herself. ¡°Apologies, brother. I¡­ am not myself today.¡± Rion regarded her empathetically. It wasn¡¯t every day that a god invited a mortal into their domain and couldn¡¯t get them to leave. Such was life, he supposed, when World Walkers were involved. ¡°Just how long was he here?¡± he asked. ¡°Nine years.¡± Tippy sulked. ¡°I had to enchant his, and the wolf¡¯s, mind so they didn¡¯t go insane. Then, when he finally left, I had to rewind the cosmic clock in here so that he wouldn¡¯t be time-skewed.¡± That was¡­ far longer than Rion had expected. ¡°Just what was he doing all that time?¡± ¡°Crying, mostly. Then snuggling with the wolf and asking me what happened to Earth after he died the first time.¡± She slowly shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, brother, sometimes this whole ¡®Goddess¡¯ thing is taxing.¡± Rion nodded in agreement. ¡°I know exactly what you¡¯re talking about. My head priest won¡¯t leave me alone. His daughter just had a child, and he wants me to bless the child with ancient swordsmanship. He thinks the kid will be a professional duelist fighting in the colosseums.¡± Tippy tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Seems reasonable for a head priest to request such a thing from you.¡± The god glared at his sister. ¡°The child is an infant¡ªit has no idea what a rapier even is!¡± ¡°Then why¡ª¡± ¡°My head priest saw the child waving around a twig, thinking it was a sign from me!¡± ¡°Was it?¡± ¡°No! The kid just found a twig and was waving it around.¡± Tippy chuckled. ¡°Just bless the kid¡ªat the very least, you¡¯d score favor with God Griss. Griss sure loves his duels. It¡¯s almost as if¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªas if God Griss is the God of the Duel or something, aye sister?¡± Rion finished her statement with a glare. He leaned back in the bungalow, the Ferris wheel cresting the peak. ¡°I was always going to bless the child. I just wish the boy had chosen a path for himself, you know?¡± ¡°Just because you bless him doesn¡¯t mean he has to do anything with the blessing.¡± ¡°I know¡ªit¡¯s just¡ª¡± Rion stopped himself. He didn¡¯t know where he was going with this; just some things didn¡¯t feel right. Everyone wanted something¡ªmortals, gods, everyone¡ªand yet, sometimes, the thing they wanted wasn¡¯t correct for them. But then again, Rion supposed that was the way it usually was. Greed and need were two different things. He watched his sister closely. The World Walker had changed her. Nine years speaking to him? Even if he himself didn¡¯t remember all of it, Tippy surely would. Nine years may just be a blink of an eye to her, but Rion knew better¡ªshe had placed all her chips on Luka. If the World Walker was successful, everything would change. If not, well, Rion feared for Tippy¡¯s divinity. None of the other gods would challenge her, of course, that wasn¡¯t how the heavens operated. No, Rion feared Tippy would strip herself of divinity if Luka was unsuccessful. Nine years was nothing to her, but it was also everything. No other god¡ªhimself included, would have sat with the mortal that long. A few vague words of wisdom, an esoteric prophecy, and a recommendation to speak with a priest or priestess¡ªthat would have been all Rion would have done for the lad. But again, Rion knew he and the other gods were different compared to his sister. She kept her mortal body all these years, after all. How did Tippy phrase it again? ¡°Our world is happy, but superficially.¡± Rion looked at his sister carefully. She¡¯s happy, but superficially, too. He cleared his throat, the Ferris wheel finally descending. Luka would pull through¡ªhe just knew it. Sitting in the World Walker¡¯s attraction, Rion knew the mortal would save his sister¡¯s life. Could he help in any way? Maybe. Rion took Tippy¡¯s hand softly. At first, she protested, but a gentle smile removed her annoyed fa?ade. She practically melted into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Millennia of stress and fatigue seemed to disappear in that moment¡ªfrom both of them. They may be gods, but they were family first. And family helped each other. *** Three days after Luka built the Ferris wheel, Emberwood Village was to ¡°open¡± to the public. Night and day, twenty-four-seven, the attraction spun, illuminating the starry sky with pulsating light glyphs of all colors. It towered over the tree line for all of Sneerhome to see, especially those riding to and from on the highway. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. There were three reasons Mayor Tram delayed Emberwood¡¯s opening by a few days. First, to drum up intrigue. Todd¡¯s Bar was, officially, the hottest bar in the area, serving up ten times its normal nightly sales to a completely packed house. People, merchants, and Sneerhome locals mostly sat at the bar¡¯s sticky tables discussing what was behind Emberwood¡¯s freshly created gate¡ªand the mystique that was to come. Eve and Franky were paramount in this endeavor. They whispered rumors to the drunk patrons, explaining how even they¡ªEmberwood residents¡ªweren¡¯t privy to the happenings inside the village. This was, of course, a lie, but a lie fashioned by the mayor to create even more excitement. Eve and Franky knew exactly what was going on, even adding their two cents to the planning. The second reason Emberwood¡¯s opening was delayed was because of Luka¡ªthe World Walker needed time to create something befitting of such guile mystique. And towards that end, he gathered needed materials, money to buy more materials, and garnered the other villagers¡¯ blessing. A lot of changes were coming to Emberwood Village, and Luka would only create if every resident agreed to the plan: Emberwood Village was going to become an amusement park. One created gradually. It wouldn¡¯t happen in a day, week, or month, but eventually, as Tram and Luka discussed earlier, Emberwood would become a hub for entertainment, local retail, dining, and something truly unique¡ªsomething alien. The third reason was to give time for the villagers to prepare. They needed time for merchandise, ¡°merch¡± as Luka called it, to be sewn together or chiseled from an old stump. Small things, like wooden trinkets designed to look like one of the five first-day attractions, were easy to create. Shirts with designs and words embroidered across the front? Those were a bit more labor-intensive. Luckily, Emberwood had nearly three centuries of combined experience when it came to the needle and thread. All tallied up, the elders of the village were masters at sewing. The designs themselves held a bit of contention. Some elders went the traditional route, opting for simple tunics of burlap color and texture. Others took the modern route, the World Walker approach, choosing to revolutionize the graphic-tee industry. Luka was especially proud of the flagship shirt design he had dreamt of. It was a simple shirt that only said, ¡°I conquered the WHEEL!¡± ¡°The WHEEL¡± was the name for the Ferris wheel, and in his mind, the shirt brought a thrill to the uniqueness of the attraction. Where else could you find a mass of rotating metal that loomed over the trees? Riding it, as some of the villagers confessed, was the scariest thing they¡¯ve ever done in their lives Luka got a good laugh at that, thinking of rollercoasters and drop towers. Booths and stalls were set up around the attractions, as well as covered narrow walkways for line entrances/exits. Some booths sold merch, others sold food. Smash burgers, pizza, bakery pastries, and grilled ribblelits were the staples, along with juice, jrum, and¡ªoddly enough¡ªtomato juice. The red liquid was a fan favorite of many orcs. During all of this, Luka created three new attractions to go with the WHEEL and the tentatively named carousel, ¡°Dire Run.¡± The newest attractions were simple, created to quell the estimated crowds. The first was a teacups-style spinning ride. Luka designed a simple version that sparkled with light glyphs and could house two dozen riders per ride cycle. Riders would sit in four-person ¡°teacups¡± and rotate a centralized disk that would spin them. The floor the teacups sat on also spun, albeit in a different direction than the teacups. Dizziness was no joke, especially with the strength of an orc. Franky made himself puke twice before Luka added a limit to how fast the teacups could be spun. The second new attraction was a spinning swing set that raised riders a few dozen feet off the ground. Paired with the speed the ride moved at, as well as a simple buckle and lap bar as means of restraint, and the ride gave a significant thrill. The villagers who said riding the Ferris wheel was the scariest thing they¡¯ve ever done quickly changed their tune. The third and newest attraction was a simple lighthouse slide meant for kids. A staircase inside a lighthouse fa?ade wound in a circle, leading kids to the top, where they could then slide down an outer spiral slide. A stack of cut burlap sacks the kids brought up the stairs with them and slid down on made the attraction more interesting and faster. And it was in these last three days that Luka finally came to terms with his previous life. The tears had dried out, and the smiles started to come back. Little Leo slept curled up in his bed every night, and seeing Ren and Nicole walk around the village together reminded him of the reasons for all of this. Guns, planes, missiles, war, none of it mattered anymore, Luka thought on the second day. He rested under an emberwood tree, snacking on a sandwich Ren had made and brought him. It was good¡ªa bit heavy on the mayo, but good. He stood up and flexed his magic, completing the roof of the teacups ride. None of it matters, not when I¡¯m here, alive, today. Goddess Tippy was right to mock me. Luka thought of his last memory of Earth. He was drunk, his crimes of countless deaths weighing on his old soul. He had been kicked out of the last bar in town that would still serve him. He had pills in his pocket, and he was homeless. That night was colder than usual. I¡¯m alive today, he silently told himself, and I¡¯m going to do better than last time. Then hesitantly, he thought, for myself and those around me. Eve had devised the mantra, and Luka knew he had to adopt it. People relied on him now, and he had to live for himself first and foremost¡ªlest he let them down. He worked into the night that day. On the third day, an hour before the gates opened, Tram found Luka and walked over with him. The conversation started with simple pleasantries, but both were busy people; business quickly followed. ¡°We need to talk about buying materials from Sneerhome. I¡¯m all out of the rusted, rotted stuff the villagers had lying around,¡± Luka said. After the Ferris wheel was built, and the prospects of opening an amusement park were raised, Tram had convinced the villagers to fork over any unneeded materials they might be hoarding. Which, as it turned out, was the perfect amount to create three new attractions. Tram smiled at the World Walker. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the day¡¯s over. Who knows, maybe today will pay for itself and then some.¡± Luka chuckled at that. Tram would be right, he knew. In the limited time he¡¯d known her, she hadn¡¯t been wrong once. ¡°Done worry so much,¡± she added. ¡°The gold will be rolling in.¡± They continued discussing and joined the growing crowd at the gates. The planned opening wasn¡¯t for an hour, but Tram thought it wise to hold a small meet and greet with the early arrivals. She stopped Luka before they mingled, however. ¡°I thought of a name for the park.¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. ¡°Emberwood Park not good enough?¡± It was the name he¡¯d been calling it. What better than the name of the village¡ªeveryone already knew it. Tram shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re forgetting the most interesting part of this whole thing¡ªyou. You¡¯re a World Walker. For that reason alone, people are going to come. So, the smart move isn¡¯t to name the park after Emberwood.¡± He could see the logic. ¡°What¡¯d you have in mind, then?¡± The mayor of the dwindling village smiled greatly, a glimmer in her eye. ¡°World Walker Park¡ªfitting, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, it is.¡± Chapter 24: Soft Opening A white dire-wolf the size of a large chihuahua squared off against a dire-emu the size of a small tree¡ªa showdown for the ages. A cold spring wind blew in from the west, whisking away the early morning fog. Around, a crowd of people waiting to enter Emberwood Village watched on, their hearts heavy¡ªit would be a battle to the death. The wolf lowered his front paws, stalking low. Slowly he circled the emu, lightly growling. Conversely, the emu stood stock still, her head twisted sideways, a single eye following the mutt. The growing crowd didn¡¯t know it, but the emu¡¯s heart beat at a speed far exceeding normal. Olive was a dumb bird, and recognized her pal, Leo. And yet, the wolf was small. How could this be? What trickery were the riders playing with? Leo barked once before sprinting as fast as his stubby legs could go. He ran straight at Olive, the bird¡¯s slow reflexes allowing him to reach nearly half-way before she reacted. Olive did the only thing she knew of to do in this situation¡ªshe ran. The little chihuahua wolf yipped after her, chasing her in a wide circle around the crowd. Some of the onlookers cheered him on, others cried for Olive. Either way, Leo, with his tongue out and flopping, smiled¡ªhe was having fun. It didn¡¯t take long for the dire-wolf to corner the dire-emu. Wolves were smart, birds, not so much. Leo slowed his ascent, the bumbling Olive looking for ways out. Slowly, he closed the distance, stalking right up to her towering form. Then¡ªwith the deviousness of an imp¡ªLeo gave her legs a wet lick. Olive¡¯s trembling stopped. She looked down, finding her beasty pal. Oh, the single thought glazed her tiny mind, friend. She craned her head, lowering it to the ground. Leo looked into her eyes, and she looked back. Leo then barked in tandem with a short little hop¡ªhe wanted to play. Chase me, he practically said. So, Olive did. With a single, wagon wheel sized foot and claw, she tried to stomp the poor adult-puppy. Leo yelped, missed me! She tried again, and again the wolf was too quick. Again and again, she tried, growing more frustrated, especially when Leo added sarcastic licks. Leo barked and yipped, smiling like a sunrise. Olive, likewise, smiled, but more like a toddler with a new toy. Maybe a tiny pal isn¡¯t so bad, thank you riders, she thought, albeit more conceptually than actual proper thought. Nearby, a few in the crowd clapped at the show. *** Luka was one of the people clapping. He stood in line with tourists and travelers, speaking to them as if he wasn¡¯t the architect of the newly minted ¡°World Walker Park.¡± They, of course, didn¡¯t know who he was, by design. That would change in the next few minutes, but for now, Luka wanted to hear what people were saying. ¡°Any idea what they¡¯ve got back there?¡± a middle-aged man who introduced himself as Henry asked. ¡°One of my mates said she rode a wooden wolf here a few days ago.¡± Someone else snorted dryly. ¡°A wooden wolf? What kind of nonsense is that?¡± Henry pointed to the Ferris wheel. ¡°She said it was like that big wheel, but flat.¡± Luka raised an eyebrow at the description. He supposed it was accurate. The conversation quickly devolved into name calling¡ªapparently others thought Henry¡¯s description was bad as well. Moving on, Luka listened in on a conversation about him. ¡°I heard a new World Walker was born,¡± a person said. She was decked out in laborer clothing, dirty overalls with a bandana tied around her shoulder and a thin utility belt strung around her waist. ¡°Who told you that?!¡± another demanded. The woman waved her hand, showing off a shiny ring. ¡°My husband¡ªhe¡¯s got a friend in the church district. Apparently, the clergy around Goddess Tippy¡¯s church have been talk¡ª¡± ¡°Your husband¡¯s friend says there¡¯s a new World Walker? How could that information be wrong!¡± Luka tuned out of the conversation, finding another¡ªthis time from a gaggle of kids. ¡°I heard there¡¯s a lava pool back there. That big wheel dips people into the heat like a torturer¡¯s chambers,¡± one of the bigger kids said, his voice low and slow like telling a campfire story. ¡°No¡ªno way,¡± another quickly said. ¡°My mother wouldn¡¯t allow me to come¡ª¡± ¡°Always do what mama says, eh?¡± laughed another older one. ¡°I¡¯m going to go see that lava and my mom won¡¯t be the wiser.¡± ¡°I just hope there¡¯s food,¡± another said. ¡°I had to leave home before my da made breakfast.¡± ¡°Sneak out, eh? Naughty boy.¡± Chuckling softly, Luka strolled forward. He passed people of all sorts, some human, others not so much. Dwarves were among the most prevalent, along with orcs. A few races he hadn¡¯t seen before, such as a family of feathered lithe people with bone piercings through their noses and ears. To Luka¡¯s surprise, there were two distinctly separate groups of gnomes. The first, recognized by their spiky mohawks, tossed broken gears and dice on the grass, gambling. The second wore welding goggles and leather gloves and carried around small electro-magical mechanical creations. The issue, and why Luka quickly diverted from their presence, had to do with Tram¡¯s warning. Apparently, gnomes were not the ¡°touristy¡± type, and instead were most likely present to steal the inner workings of the Ferris wheel¡ªand whatever else they could analyze. Intellectual property theft was, apparently, a big deal here, and one of the reasons the Guilds clamped down on the selling of magical spells and glyphs. There was money to be made everywhere, when it came to magical ¡°things,¡± and anything not tied down, was surely likely to be taken. And unfortunately for gnomes, the stigma had stuck to them like flies on dire-wolf dung¡ªeven though all races were just as likely to steal. Luka continued on. Nearest the gate was a family. They looked like humans, but as he studied them, they also didn¡¯t? He wasn¡¯t sure¡ªonly that the family had iridescent scales along the back of their necks and down their backs. But that wasn¡¯t what caught his attention. ¡°Hello,¡± Luka said, stepping before the group. At once they looked at him, their eyes flickering from normal iris to slitted¡ªlike a lizard¡ªthen back. ¡°Can we help you, friend?¡± one asked, an older gentleman. His voice was slippery and stretched, especially around the ¡®S¡¯s. ¡°Well met,¡± he said, copying a common greeting he¡¯d learned over the last few days. ¡°My name is Luka, and I work here in Emberwood.¡± ¡°What can we do for you, Luka of Emberwood?¡± Luka turned to the member of the family that had caught his attention¡ªan elderly man in a crude wheelchair. The man was missing a leg, which, as Luka understood, was somewhat uncommon. Healing magic was a thing here, as well as free clinics hosted by the divine churches. The man¡¯s leg could easily be regrown. ¡°Just wondering, Sir, if you are interested in riding the WHEEL today.¡± Luka gestured at the Ferris wheel. Over the last few days, Eve and Franky had made sure to spread the rumors of the WHEEL and how it operated. Drunk patrons at Todd¡¯s Bar were saps for an interesting story, and branding the attraction as thrilling had been easy enough for the sibling duo. By this point, everyone waiting in line to enter Emberwood surely knew what the Ferris wheel did. ¡°I am,¡± said the elder, his chest puffed out a bit. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but I don¡¯t think your chair will fit in the bungalows.¡± The man shifted his jaw a few times, a slight clicking noise echoing from his throat. ¡°Fine. I can hobble¡ªmy sons will be my support.¡± Luka nodded happily. ¡°Very good¡ªand I am sorry about not designing an accommodating attraction. I¡¯ll add fixing this to my list of needed upkeep and changes. In the meantime,¡± he pulled a few slips of paper from his pocket. They were precut squares no larger than a skipping stone, and each sported a picture of a mug and signed by Mayor Tram. ¡°These are drink vouchers. Just show them to any of the park¡¯s booths or stalls, and you¡¯ll receive a free drink of your choosing.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. One of the sons raised an eyebrow. ¡°Even mead?¡± ¡°Mead, beer, wine, whatever we¡¯ve got for sale.¡± Luka held out his hand¡ªthe old man didn¡¯t take the vouchers. ¡°Something wrong?¡± ¡°You say you designed this¡­ attraction?¡± the man asked, gesturing at the spinning ride. ¡°I did, yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the World Walker.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, but a statement of fact spoken in a muted hush for only the immediate conversationalist to hear. Luka thought about his answer before speaking. In the end, the cat would be out of the bag today one way or another. ¡°I am.¡± When the family stared wide-eyed at him, Luka apologized about the inconvenience again, handed off the voucher, and moved on. It was time to open the park. At the gate, Luka inspected the welcome sign and closed fencing. It was bland, uninspired, and frankly an eyesore. All of it would have to be redesigned¡ªhe made another mental note. Lava huh? he thought, thinking of the kids. If ¡°lava¡± was what the youngsters of this world thought of as imaginative, molten rock had to be part of World Walker Park in some form or another. When magic makes the world go round, simple decorations just won¡¯t cut it, huh? He made another mental note. Mayor Tram and Judge Ben were standing beside Franky and Eve on the other side of the gate. And, at Luka¡¯s appearance, they began. Tram held an enchanted stick to her throat. Designed by Aunt Sol, the ¡°stick¡± was literally a stick from her front yard. But to anyone with an eye for magic, the stick was absolutely brimming with glyphs and spell matrices. The design went over Luka¡¯s head in terms of magical involvement, but hey, results were results. The stick worked stunningly. ¡°Welcome¡ª¡± Tram¡¯s voice silenced all conversation. Around the crowd and gate, coming from the grass, her voice resonated, allowing all to hear. Luka eyed the tens of thousands of blades of grass¡ªeach one working in tandem with the magical stick as linked speakers and microphone. How Aunt Sol possibly enchanted the grass, no one knew, not even Eve. The crowd locked on to Tram instantly. She stood on a riser step, something akin to a podium on a stage, waving. She cleared her throat, keeping the stick close. ¡°My name is Mayor Tram of Emberwood Village, and I welcome you to our newly refurbished home. Now, the gates will open in a matter of minutes¡ª¡± there was clapping, ¡°¡ªbut I wish to defer to the creator of this¡­ park.¡± This was¡­ not part of the plan. Luka went white as a sheet¡ªhe didn¡¯t have a speech prepared. Tram was clapping, the magical stick pinned between her thumb and palm. Each clap echoed softly across the tens of thousands of grass blades. Boom, boom, boom. A memory surfaced¡ªone no longer hidden by Goddess Tippy. There was death. The bombs had fallen, the tanks had rolled, the infantry sorted through the destruction, and the fat cats who oversaw the operation sat in tents far from the action. He was in the tents as well, receiving pats on the back and hearing whispers of commendation medals for his outstanding work. Luka remembered this day clearly¡ªopening day for his creations on Earth. The day the war started. And now, today, here on this world he still didn¡¯t know the name of, was another opening day. Luka couldn¡¯t move his feet. Tram¡¯s amplified clapping echoed like exploding bombs, the growing crowd staring at him like the generals in the tents. His heart rate spiked; his brain throbbed. What am I doing here? he asked himself, a question he didn¡¯t think of back on Earth until it was too late. Tram¡¯s clapping slowed and he watched, in agonizing slow motion, her bright smile falter. Beside her, Eve and Franky¡ªthe two people he knew best in this world¡ªalso realized something was wrong. Eve pushed open the gate and grabbed him as Franky blocked a few overzealous guests from entering. Eve had Luka¡¯s hands in hers¡ªso warm, so full of life, compared to his clammy and cold ones. She whispered something, the sound drowned away by the gasping crowd. What are they gasping at? he wondered, Me? A giant wet nose nudged him from the back. Luka turned, finding a full-sized Leo. The wolf licked him in the face¡ªand the bombs stopped. Luka blinked widely, the moment finally catching up. Behind, the crowd clapped, the little white wolf they watched dart around the giant emu¡¯s feet was now a giant himself! They were gasping at Leo changing in size. ¡°You okay?¡± Tram whispered, leaning in. Luka swallowed. He was here, he was now. Today was opening day, but not for war and death. He reminded himself of his recent time in Goddess Tippy¡¯s domain. He wasn¡¯t the same man anymore from Earth. He¡¯d been reborn, he¡¯d been put here to create happiness. Gently taking the microphone stick from Tram, Luka stepped up on the podium. With a quick peek at a paper stuffed in his pocket, he turned his attention to the crowd as strands of magic rolled beneath his feet. In just a moment, several glyphs were etched into the podium and surrounding area. Fog rolled in. The glyph was simple¡ªand Luka sure was glad he got it right the first time. Around the crowd, pebbles started spewing in the opaque air, rising just high enough to mask everyone¡¯s feet¡ªor in the case of the gnomes, their waists. Happiness, Luka reminded himself, and a bit of mystique. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, mystics and mages, adventurers and explorers, welcome to our humble slice of the extraordinary¡ªWorld Walker Park!¡± The crowd was dead silent, the rumors were true! The man speaking before them was a World Walker in the flesh! ¡°Today,¡± Luka continued, speaking directly into the stick, ¡°isn¡¯t just the beginning of something new, but it is the day ¡®new¡¯ is redefined. I stand before you today as a man who¡¯s seen the best two worlds can offer. My home, Earth, and this one. And yet, they bore me.¡± He let the words sink in, especially the white lie. He had not seen the best of either world¡ªthough he did think Emberwood was at least in the top ten. The fog continued to roll in, and the blades of grass continued to resonate with his words. But a murmur ripped through the crowd. What did he mean the worlds ¡°bore¡± him? The question sparked some outrage, even. A few heckles came from the back, closest to Todd¡¯s bar. Luka then said, ¡°Yes, ¡®bore,¡¯ you heard that right. Can you believe it? Me, a World Walker, is bored. On this world, there is a lack of proper, thrilling entertainment. On Earth, there¡¯s a lack of magic¡ªa lack of mystique.¡± What had Eve and Franky said his first day here? World Walkers were mysterious eccentric figures, who¡¯d done amazing things in their previous lives¡ªsuch amazing things that the gods of this world plucked them from the void and reincarnated them. While Luka didn¡¯t think his previous life was worth the praise, he understood what the people of this world already thought he was. He was a World Walker, and he had to act like it to draw visitors. No one wants to meet a dull World Walker, he told himself as the crowd¡¯s outrage grew. Before anyone could yell something obscene, Luka continued his speech. ¡°So, listen now and listen well! Today marks the day ¡®new¡¯ is redefined. My world plus yours, the best both have to offer, are going to be here¡ªat World Walker Park.¡± The crowd digested the statement, until someone yelled, ¡°What¡¯s back there!¡± Luka tried to find the voice but gave up quickly. Instead, he chose to answer. ¡°What¡¯s back here?¡± he echoed. ¡°Why? Are you interested?¡± He chuckled softly to himself, the grass blades doing the same. ¡°Behind me is the start of a new world. It¡¯s still in its fledgling state, but it¡¯s magical. Some have said that the area behind me houses two of the most thrilling things they¡¯ve ever experienced. Others, well, you¡¯ll just have to wait and see.¡± Murmurs went through the crowd again¡ªthey weren¡¯t fully convinced. ¡°Let me be frank,¡± Luka said, tapping the side of his head. ¡°This¡ªeverything beyond these gates¡ªis just the beginning. Goddess Tippy put me on a path to bring happiness to this world. In my previous life, I was the opposite. I hurt people. And¡ªI will never forgive myself.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°So, here and now, I promise the people of this world that my creations will only bring happiness. The miniature world I create beyond these gates will be nothing but the best I have to offer. And if I ever break this vow, I ask the gods to smite me down and call me a liar¡ª¡± His words triggered something in the air. In the blink of an eye, the fog tripled and the sun waned out. A ripple, a dash of divine honesty and essence appeared. It came with a howl, muting the crowd¡¯s gasps and yelps. The sky grew dark, yet the world only warmed. Bliss roused across the land, touching hearts and mending faults. Luka recognized the feeling instantly¡ªGoddess Tippy was here. The crowd knew it too. Light, flowers, and butterflies heralded her presence, and soon enough She appeared from the ripple in the air. Tippy looked over the crowd, momentarily locking eyes with the one-legged lizard man. She could regrow his limb instantly, if she wanted, just like in her countless churches. And yet, she didn¡¯t. The man didn¡¯t want her to, and who was she to ignore the will of her people? A god who did as they pleased was no God. Goddess Tippy then locked eyes with Luka. She raised a single hand, silencing everything. ¡°World Walker Luka. I hear your request and agree. If you ever create something intended to harm, I will smite you down personally.¡± Luka gravely nodded. ¡°But!¡± Tippy yelled. ¡°Accidents will happen, especially with something as unique as your creations. These will be no fault of your own, but I can empathize with the pain you might feel for such an event. That is why, I, Goddess Tippy, shall bless these lands and World Walker Luka¡¯s creations.¡± From her raised hand, a waterfall of light spewed, splashing into the foggy ground. Divinity sprouted from the liquid, quickly growing into massive golden trees. In seconds, the trees parted with their leaves, the wind spreading them far and wide. Holiness gleamed from the highway and Todd¡¯s bar to the opposite end of the lake and all the surrounding land. The leaves set into the ground, fertilizing it. Soon thousands of golden trees littered the forested landscape, growing amongst the emberwoods as if they¡¯d always been there. Blinded by the goddess¡¯ magic, the crowd gawked like simpletons or children. Prayer lifted from their thoughts directly into the air, turning the area thick. Some sung hymns, others fell to their knees, a few¡ªlike the one-legged man¡ªcarefully studied the showing before them. Either way, divinity had turned these lands¡ªand the fallout would be nothing short of legend. Before returning to the heavens, Tippy said one final thing, ¡°I declare World Walker Park now open!¡± She disappeared, only her golden trees left as evidence. And finally, the gates opened. Chapter 25: Bathrooms Goddess Tippy¡¯s sudden arrival¡ªthen sudden disappearance¡ªsowed chaos into the opening day¡¯s crowd. People screamed into the air, others prayed on their knees, and yet, a majority pushed and shoved all the way into the village. Thinking fast, Luka and Franky hopped aboard Leo and Sebby, quickly sprinting to the front of the crowd. They then slowed the pace of the group, reducing the dead sprint to a speed-walk. ¡°That was some speech!¡± Franky said, leaning in for Luka to better hear him. Behind, the crowd gawked and stared, the World Walker was within arm¡¯s reach! He summoned a goddess with the simplest of words alone! What could his creations be, to garner such divine attention? ¡°I flubbed the middle and end part,¡± Luka replied. ¡°When I said both worlds ¡®bore me,¡¯ I realized I messed up. My pause right after was me panicking.¡± Franky shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t seem that way to us. If anything, it all seemed planned.¡± ¡°None of that was planned.¡± Luka craned his head, trying to find Tram¡ªinstead, he found nearly four hundred eyeballs staring back at him. ¡°Tram should have warned me she wanted me to make a speech.¡± ¡°She told me, and I was supposed to tell¡ª¡± Franky snapped his mouth closed. ¡°Oh. Sorry.¡± Luka glared at his friend. ¡°I would have prepared something special if I had known! I had to call on the Goddess because I couldn¡¯t think of a better ending!¡± ¡°You were just so busy!¡± the bald orc pleaded. ¡°It was right when you, Eve, and Aunt Sol were trying to figure out the glyphs for the teacups! I didn¡¯t want to interrupt and just kinda forgot¡­¡± Legends and tales would be spread about this day¡ªa day hardly planned and mostly improvised. The duo led the group into the village edge before stopping. Slowly, they turned toward their guests, the crowd nipping at each other¡¯s heels to see what was in store for them. Luka cleared his throat and held the microphone stick to his lips¡ªand as he spoke, the local grass blades spoke with him. ¡°Welcome to World Walker Park.¡± People started clapping. Luka raised his hand after a moment, silencing everyone. ¡°Now, since this place is unlike anything in this world, allow me a simple explanation.¡± He jutted a thumb toward the WHEEL. ¡°That there is an ¡®attraction¡¯ or ¡®ride.¡¯ Today, there are four rides, with a fifth only for children¡ªyou¡¯ll see what I mean in a few minutes. Outside each ride, there is a sign stating the cost per rider in copper. Or, for an upcharge, you can purchase an unlimited daily pass at one of the designated booths. Buying this pass is only for the day it is purchased, okay?¡± The word ¡°unlimited¡± got a round of muttering¡ªthe excited kind, thankfully. ¡°Food, drink, and merchandise can be purchased around the park. All rides have their queues marked, and cutting will result in you and your party being sent to the back of the line.¡± Luka leaned in to say the next part. ¡°And since the park is part of Emberwood Village, you must be respectful to the land and inhabitants. You will be thrown out if not. Other than that, listen to the ride operators¡ªthey¡¯ll tell you how to ride and what to do.¡± Luka mentally shuddered at the ¡°teaching¡± he had to go through to train the villagers how to operate the rides. For as simple as the ¡®pre-programed¡¯ control boxes made operations, the concept of telling riders to ¡®keep all hands, arms, and legs inside the ride vehicle¡¯ made things especially challenging. For some reason, orcs liked to live dangerously. With that, the crowd bypassed the World Walker and entered the park. Since the WHEEL towered over the trees, most if not all, ventured straight for the ride. They funneled into the roped switch-backed queue, eagerly pushing their way through¡ªthen they were stopped by the ride¡¯s operator. The man¡¯s name was Gr¡¯rok, a middle-aged orc who prided himself on orcish heritage and traditionalism. When he and Luka met at the smashburger cookout, Gr¡¯rok explained he used to live in the ancestral Dominion Plains¡ªwhere it was said the first orc was born. But, after a lifetime of tribal politics, Gr¡¯rok left his home in search of a place to set his feet and retire. Emberwood Village was his choice. Gr¡¯rok was the village¡¯s biggest orc. Standing just over two and a half meters, he loomed like the very attraction he operated. Muscles fitted with tattoos and scars bulbed from under the man¡¯s sleeveless park uniform¡ªa simple T-shirt that read ¡°World Walker Park¡± on one side and ¡°Employee¡± on the other. Luka chose to place the man on WHEEL duty for a single reason: because the man was intimidating. The anxious crowd shied away as Gr¡¯rok halted them with a set jaw and fierce stare. The orc crossed his arms and glared, then jutted a finger at a sign. The sign, highlighted by a ring of low-intensity light glyphs, explained the pricing structure for the WHEEL. For a single rider, it was seven copper pieces. For a party of two, it was thirteen. For a party of three, it was seventeen, and for a group of four¡ªa single bungalow¡¯s maximum occupancy¡ªit was twenty copper pieces. Payment was simple. A handoff of cash to Gr¡¯rok allowed the riders in, and the big man dropped the coinage into a magically locked box, courtesy of Aunt Sol. All payments were final. If someone held an all-day pass, Gr¡¯rok would simply allow them to ride without payment. As the line filled the cattle-pen queue, people at the back of the crowd left for other adventures. The teacups were an instant hit. As it turned out, people, regardless of the world, liked to spin themselves until they hurled. Conversely, the spinning swings were oddly desolate. After the park had been open for a few hours, Luka stood near the swings and watched for problems. Groups of people, be it families or friends, would approach, watch the swings spin for a few minutes, then turn around and join the line for teacups or the WHEEL. ¡°I just can¡¯t figure out why people aren¡¯t riding it,¡± Luka complained to Eve. She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Because it¡¯s terrifying.¡± ¡°Is it? Ren and Nicole¡ª¡± ¡°Are children and follow you around like lost dire-puppies.¡± Luka gave her a look. ¡°You rode it.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°After goading from you, yes. If I didn¡¯t know the ride¡¯s creator, I wouldn¡¯t have.¡± Thinking back a day, Luka went over the events of the ride¡¯s inception. It was the last of the five opening-day rides and by far the ¡°cheapest.¡± Without a massive bottom foundation, the main material cost of the ride was the ¡°arms¡± connecting the swings to the spinning mechanism. Truthfully, the attraction was lacking. Out of the five, it held the least number of flashing light glyphs and carved wooden paneling. And yet, Luka assumed it would be the most popular ride in the park! It was far and away the most thrilling, he thought at least. Maybe Eve is right? Luka questioned himself. The people of this world aren¡¯t used to rides, let alone thrill rides. What was the solution then? Was it worth the materials if no one was willing to ride it? Could it be saved by dumbing down the fear factor? Luka and Eve watched as a pair of teenagers departed the swings, both laughing loudly. They exited the ride, only to return right back to the entrance, joining what little line there was. ¡°Excuse me a moment,¡± Luka said, stepping away from Eve. He stalked right up to the boys, joining the line right behind them. They were speaking to the people in front of them, explaining the utter ¡°freedom¡± the ride inscribed in them. Apparently, spinning through the air with their legs dangling made them feel as if they were birds¡ªor, in one of their cases, a powerful mage flying through the sky. ¡°This is the best ride here, man!¡± one of them said. ¡°Trust us, we¡¯ve done all five¡ªeven the kiddy one.¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming back tomorrow and only riding this one!¡± the other added. Luka studied the duo, finding both of their legs shaking like jelly despite their smiling maws and blusterous attitudes. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he called to them. They turned, going wide-eyed when they recognized it was the World Walker speaking to them. ¡°Mind if I ask you two a few questions?¡± The first gaped like a fish. ¡°A-are we in trouble, man?¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t do it!¡± the second practically screamed. Luka paused. Teenagers, he thought. ¡°No, nothing like that. I wanted to ask what your thoughts on the ride are. As you can see, the line for this one isn¡¯t very long compared to the others.¡± ¡°Yeah, man,¡± the first said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! Isn¡¯t it awesome! We can ride back to back to back!¡± The second smacked his friend in the arm. ¡°No, you idiot. Of course, it¡¯s not awesome for him. He¡¯s like, the king of the place and this ride¡¯s not making as much money or something. Right dude?¡± Luka nodded slowly. ¡°Something like that¡­ any idea why it¡¯s not as popular? You two seem to like it.¡± ¡°Cause it¡¯s too scary!¡± Luka could hear Eve snort from a dozen steps away. ¡°The swings are like spooky, dude. Like nothing we¡¯ve ever done or seen before.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the first quickly added. ¡°Everyone¡¯s afraid to try.¡± The party of three directly before the two teenagers went stiff then muttered ¡°excuse us,¡± and exited the line. Luka and the teenagers watched them go. ¡°Exactly like that!¡± the second said. ¡°But I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Luka stopped himself. ¡°It¡¯s not that scary of a ride, at least not compared to some of the rides in my world.¡± The first nodded. ¡°But like, dude! It¡¯s the scariest one here!¡± ¡°What should I do then?¡± The second plopped his hand on Luka¡¯s shoulder like a proud father. ¡°Nothing, my man. Just let my world figure it out.¡± Luka visually traced the kid¡¯s arm. ¡°Uh-huh. Thanks¡­¡± Fishing his pocket, he handed the duo a few drink vouchers and quickly departed. He rejoined Eve. ¡°I think they might be on the puff.¡± She laughed. ¡°You think!? Get any sage advice?¡± He gave her a flat look. ¡°Maybe. Let¡¯s wait a few days to do anything drastic with the ride. Maybe they¡¯re right, and people just need a while to adjust to thrills.¡± He considered for a moment. ¡°Although, I do have a name for the ride now.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°¡¯Freedom.¡¯¡± Eve shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t like it. How about something to do with the Goddess? Her showing up was something, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Luka shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡± She practically sputtered, ¡°W-what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°It means Goddess Tippy stole two smashburgers.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± ¡°No¡ªshe admitted it when I was in her church.¡± Eve just stared. ¡°Anyway,¡± Luka continued, ¡°have you noted any other improvements we need to make for tomorrow¡¯s opening?¡± She took out a folded piece of paper from her pocket. There, written in chicken scratch, was a list. ¡°A few, mostly minor¡ª" ¡°OI!¡± a deafening voice yelled, cutting her off. Luka and Eve turned to find a man dragging a young kid toward them. The kid, a boy, clutched the hem of his shirt, his knees pinched together. ¡°Can I help you¡ª" ¡°What kind of establishment are you running here, World Walker!?¡± The way the man said the title felt like a slur. ¡°No bathroom!? What kind of ¡®other world¡¯ did you create here!?¡± ¡°Bathroom¡­?¡± Luka glanced from the man to the kid. The kid looked away, his face red and his knees squiggling with the pressure of a full bladder. Oh. Oh shi¡ª Luka froze, a pain blooming in his chest. A force squeezed against his heart, mental rather than physical. How could I have forgotten bathrooms!? How could Tram or Ben? ¡°Luka?¡± Eve cooly asked, locking eyes with him. He turned, finding the orc sibling to be like a light in the darkness. She smiled softly, keenly away from the father¡¯s growing ire and the child¡¯s growing misery. Eve gave him a gentle shove, pushing him off toward the lake. ¡°Sir,¡± she began, ¡°you¡¯re absolutely right. An oversight on our part. The World Walker will get right on that. In the meantime, why don¡¯t you two follow me. I¡¯ll take you to one of our resident¡¯s homes where you, little one, can have some privacy.¡± ¡°I want a refund!¡± the man screamed. ¡°Of course, sir. We¡¯ll get that taken care of after we deal with the little one¡ªcome on, follow me.¡± Luka watched her guide the pair away and took a deep breath. His mind was reeling, and his legs were shaking like the two teenagers from earlier. But why? Was it the yelling? Was it the scrutiny of forgetting something so necessary like a bathroom? Or maybe it was the realization that, since arriving in this world, Luka had not gone to the bathroom. The Goddess remade my body; it seems peeing isn¡¯t something I have to worry about now¡­ Luka quickly ventured to the lake. Some of the village kids were sliding down the stone slide, one of the village adults watching them. He waved off their attempt to make small talk, instead he found a series of boulders. Tram explicitly said she didn¡¯t want to take excess materials from the quarry right now¡ªexplaining Sneerhome technically owned every stone around the lake. Luka made the executive decision to ignore her. Bathrooms were a must. As he magically carried the boulders over to the park, Luka thought about the man, his son, and the pain in his chest. It was anxiety, he recognized, the same as earlier at the gate. I need to talk to somebody, he thought as a non-divine butterfly drifted past. And not a god. Chapter 26: Plumbing Plumbing, in this world Luka still didn¡¯t know the name of, wasn¡¯t like Earth¡¯s. Where a lack of magic made Earthlings develop piping systems and gravity-powered flushing mechanisms, that simply was not the case here. Instead, bathroom-cluster glyphs flushed toilets with the use of specialized water glyphs, thus cleaning bowls and removing filth. But where does the dirty water go? Luka had to ask Eve once she returned from showing the boy and his father a bathroom. ¡°What do you mean ¡®where does it go?¡¯¡± Eve asked, staring strangely at him. The two were in World Walker Park¡¯s newest building, a rectangular prism made with basalt stone. It was, for sheer efficiency alone, a box. The park, as far as Luka was concerned, couldn¡¯t be run without a bathroom. And just because it wasn¡¯t a pretty bathroom, didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t work as one. An eyesore, yes, for now at least. Currently, Luka and Eve stood in the ¡°men¡¯s¡± side of the box, a thin wall separating it from the ¡°women¡¯s.¡± Luckily, on this world, bathrooms worked the same general way as on Earth. And yet, despite the familiarity, Luka couldn¡¯t help but stand there confused, wondering what Eve meant by asking what he meant. So, in the end, he just asked. ¡°What do you mean ¡®what do I mean?¡¯¡± Luka pointed at the trough he¡¯d created. It was not the styling of urinal he wanted, but necessity deemed it so. Again, later, he¡¯d change it. ¡°Where does the pee-water go?¡± Eve blinked rapidly at the crassness of the question. ¡°The glyph cluster takes care of it.¡± Luka leaned in an inch. ¡°What does that mean? Sounds dangerous.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s teleported into the oceans.¡± He leaned back out. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The bathroom-cluster of glyphs utilizes a space-bending subset of glyphs to remove¡­ dirty water from¡ª¡± Luka held up his hands, smiling despite the oddity of the situation. ¡°You know what, never mind. I don¡¯t want to know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually quite interesting,¡± Eve retorted, smiling herself. ¡°Normally, space-bending magic and glyphs are locked behind the Guilds and the Gods, but the bathroom-cluster is an exception.¡± ¡°I feel that can be exploited. What¡¯d stop someone from adding a bathroom-cluster to a safe and stealing whatever¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°The fact that the teleportation is set to a random location somewhere out in the oceans. Whatever was stolen would be lost at sea.¡± Luka considered that. ¡°But there¡ª¡± ¡°Ask Aunt Sol, she loves to talk about magical hypotheticals. In the meantime, let me sketch out the cluster¡­¡± The pair spent the better part of an hour trying to get the cluster to work. As it turned out, space-altering glyphs were finicky at best and disastrous at worst. More than once Luka had to bring more stone over because a section of the bathroom was ripped apart and deposited somewhere in the oceans. ¡°See, this is why most people hire someone from the Guilds to do these kinds of things¡ªthe dangers of messing it up are sky high.¡± Luka gave Eve a flat look before defrosting. ¡°How¡¯d we forget the bathrooms? Out of all of us planning today, surely one of us should have remembered.¡± Eve shrugged. ¡°Most of us orcs just go in the woods.¡± ¡°Uh huh. Right-o.¡± He smacked his lips as he added a few white-light glyphs to the ceiling. The inside of a black stone box was absolutely horrid to properly illuminate. ¡°I think this is a good wake up call for us¡ª¡± ¡°¡¯Wake up call?¡¯¡± she asked.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°It means¡ª¡± Luka frowned. ¡°It means¡­ like now we¡¯re aware of a problem.¡± Eve raised an eyebrow. ¡°What problem?¡± ¡°Planning.¡± ¡°I think today is going rather well, don¡¯t you?¡± Luka removed his list of things to fix for tomorrow. ¡°I¡¯ve got a list, number one of which is to make it easier for people with disabilities to get around and ride things.¡± Eve took the list, reading it over. ¡°Most of these are easy fixes.¡± ¡°Exactly¡ªbut they are things that should already be in place.¡± ¡°What does ¡®add lava¡¯ mean?¡± Luka chuckled at that. ¡°I was listening to some kids talk about what they thought was going to be in the park.¡± ¡°Lava?¡± ¡°And searing hot torturous traps. Apparently, they expected me to be an evil World Walker or something.¡± Eve smirked. ¡°But why¡¯d you write it down?¡± ¡°Because it was their expectations. They, without knowing what the park held, imagined lava traps. On Earth, those same kids, had they grown up there, would have imagined something completely different¡ªsomething more akin to what the park is now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not following.¡± Luka added another glyph cluster to the next toilet, silently praying that it didn¡¯t disappear into the void. When it didn¡¯t, he moved onto the next. ¡°I¡¯m trying to say that this world has different expectations of imaginative entertainment. On Earth, there were a few world-renowned amusement parks that, especially for kids, could teleport you to a different world the moment you stepped through the gates.¡± Eve asked, ¡°Seriously? I thought you didn¡¯t have magic.¡± ¡°Metaphorically.¡± Luka waved off. ¡°But on this world, with actual magic, who knows¡ªAND that¡¯s exactly my ¡®lava¡¯ problem. Currently, World Walker Park is not imaginative enough, not for this world at the very least. Besides more attractions, we need to think bigger, bolder, and with more creativity.¡± ¡°A park where ¡®new¡¯ is redefined,¡± she said, recanting his opening speech. ¡°I think I see where you¡¯re going. What do we need to do?¡± Luka thought for a moment. ¡°Concept art.¡± ¡°You lost me again.¡± ¡°On Earth, before any ground was broken or tree cut down, artists would meticulously create artful depictions of whatever was being built¡ªhouse, city hall, Ferris wheel, everything. And only once a concept artwork was presented that the leaders were happy with would they start the groundwork and get the ball rolling.¡± ¡°So, you want someone to draw you a picture of what your park might look like?¡± Eve asked. ¡°More than that. I want them to paint a world they would want to visit. A place with attractions people can only dream of. A home of entertainment unlike any other. Where spectacle is the norm and the architecture is completely alien. We need artwork depicting what World Walker Park could¡ªand should¡ªbe.¡± ¡°You want to set a precedent for the future.¡± Eve didn¡¯t need any more convincing. ¡°Mrs. Leafsong¡¯s a great artist. Though, you¡¯ll have to pay her in paint and brushes.¡± Luka knew the resident dryad well. She painted in her lawn daily and practically oozed naturalistic regalness. She was, after all, a being of the tree. ¡°Hopefully, after today, the park pays for itself¡ªpaint and all.¡± He thought for a moment, adding another series of glyphs to the bathroom. ¡°So, I was thinking World Walker Park should have six distinct lands.¡± ¡°¡¯Lands?¡¯¡± ¡°Themed areas. For example, ¡®Permafrost Kingdom¡¯ where the snow is abundant, and the ice elementals love to hang out.¡± Eve nodded along. ¡°Or the ¡®Bestial Grove¡¯ where exotic beasts from myths and legends sleep.¡± Luka snapped his fingers. ¡°You¡¯re a natural.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m learning from the master of the park, after all.¡± He halted at the compliment, his skin tingling. Luka stared at her, his fractured mind recovering a dozen or so forgotten memories. The Generals, he remembered, called me the King of Bullets. His eyes drifted down, shame shrouding. And I liked it. I felt¡­ regal and worthy of my cost. ¡°Luka, you¡¯re doing it again,¡± Eve commented quietly as she gently squeezed his arm. He looked up shamefully. Eve, his friend, stared at him as if he was a broken little kid. She knew somewhat of his past, he¡¯d explained as much as he was willing to her, and yet, he couldn¡¯t tell her more. Luka knew he had to speak to someone about his history, his conscience wouldn¡¯t allow his sins to go without being known. And yet, Luka didn¡¯t want to burden her¡ªnor her brother. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m fine,¡± he whispered before straightening his posture. ¡°An old memory resurfaced, again.¡± Slowly, Eve rubbed his arm, nice and tenderly, reminding him she was here and only wanted the best for him. ¡°Eve¡­ World Walker Park has to work out.¡± Luka said, his voice fleeting between tears and hardened steel. ¡°It just has too¡­¡± Quietly shushing him, Eve wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. Both would be embarrassed if anyone saw, but here, in the as yet finished bathrooms, they were safe and secure. Chapter 27: Weenie Flipping through his stack of semi-completed blueprints, Luka searched for a particular design. ¡°This one,¡± he said to Eve as they stood in line for lunch. She leaned over, plucking the crude drawing from his ink-stained fingers. There were a few people in line for smashburgers, which seemed to be a fan favorite¡ªboth with the villagers and park guests. Compared to the nearby line for grilled ribblelit, the Earthen food stall had double the foot traffic. Clay¡ªthe grilling master, along with another villager, worked tirelessly, slinging patties and dressing buns. Luka made a note for extra helpers during the lunch and dinner rush. Eve hummed as she inspected the drawing. A crude wooden ship connected to a centralized rotational axis via large, metal rods. Multiple arrows pointed the directions, explaining the ride would swing up then fall back down. ¡°A pendulum swing,¡± she correctly identified. ¡°That¡¯s what you want to build next? Seems a little¡­¡± ¡°Scary?¡± Luka inferred. ¡°Maybe¡ªbut I think it¡¯s the next logical jump in thrill.¡± Eve mulled it over. ¡°If you say so.¡± ¡°There are other rides if you don¡¯t like it. But a pirate ship swing is a classic¡ªall parks should have one.¡± The line moved forward a person. Grilling, Clay spun on his heel, adding a flare to his cooking as he flipped burgers. The closest few people in line gently clapped at the show. ¡°Not to mention,¡± Luka continued, ¡°It has a smaller footprint than the Ferris wheel while also accommodating more guests¡ªby my count, it¡¯ll have nearly six times the ride capacity per hour than the WHEEL.¡± Eve shrugged, handing the blueprint back. ¡°Where do you want to put it?¡± Scanning the area, Luka eyed the shops and stalls. A hundred or so meters away was the line for the teacups and carousel, and past that were the swings, bathrooms, and the WHEEL. Behind him was the kiddie slide, as well as the lake. Two hundred-odd people wandered around, shopping or eating, buying all-day passes, or hiding in the shade. Luka couldn¡¯t see near the park¡¯s entrance nor the people waiting in lines, but he roughly guessed another one hundred and fifty guests were within the park, which was far above expectations. ¡°I think this new ride should be the start of a ¡®land.¡¯¡± Luka said, referring to their previous conversation. ¡°So, I think it needs to be built a bit away from everything else. Of course, as more are built, the distance won¡¯t seem so far¡ªmore shops, points of interest, and decorations. Things to look at and be entertained by.¡± ¡°By the lake?¡± Eve asked. ¡°A waterfront land would be nice¡­¡± Luka turned around, looking past the line of hungry guests and at the lake. Directly behind the courthouse were the stone slides and pizza oven. To the right of that was open, unclaimed land as far as he was aware. ¡°We¡¯d have to make sure with Tram first,¡± Eve quickly stated. ¡°Of course.¡± Luka mentally plotted it all out. ¡°We could have a main street that passes the village and most of the merch shops. From there, one path would lead to the lake, and the other would branch into the forest.¡± ¡°Something would need to be put at the end of the main street.¡± Luka looked at her. ¡°I told you you were a natural at this.¡± Her green skin reddened slightly. ¡°The term is ¡®weenie.¡¯ It¡¯s a term used to identify ways to draw gues¡ªWhy are you laughing?¡± With her hand stuck to her face, covering her giggles, Eve forced herself to choke down the bubbles in her belly. ¡°Nothing¡ªnothing, it¡¯s just¡ª¡± She burst out laughing when she locked eyes with Luka. Like a contagion, her giggles transferred to the World Walker. And for several moments, the pair laughed all the day¡¯s stress away. Around them, guests looked strangely at them, some recognizing Luka from his opening speech, others wondering who this strange human was since they arrived later in the day. ¡°Weenie!¡± Eve finally said, admitting the cause for her laughter. ¡°You said it with such seriousness!¡± ¡°Well, yeah. It¡¯s the term,¡± Luka said, rubbing his wettened eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me why¡ªthe man who coined it was an eccentric.¡± Eve calmed down. ¡°What does it mean again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the term used to draw guest attention. So, in our case, the attraction or point of interest at the end of main street that¡¯ll pull guests toward it, and thus into the rest of the park.¡± ¡°¡ªSo that they don¡¯t just stand around the entrance wondering where to go?¡± ¡°That, and to ease bottlenecks.¡± ¡°Weenie,¡± Eve said, tasting the word. ¡°We should add sausages to the menu here. What did you call them again? Hottiedogs?¡± ¡°Hotdogs, yeah. Selling those alongside smashburgers would surely speed things up¡­¡± Luka peered around the line, finding Clay grilling away, dancing as he did so. Luka spotted the problem instantly. ¡°Excuse me a moment.¡± He departed Eve and walked around the back of the booth. The booth was nothing special¡ªjust a wooden hut with fabric walls and ceiling, giving the place a tent-like shape. A heated wrought iron grill sat along one edge, and a table filled with prepared sliced or diced vegetables beside it. An enchanted lockbox sat near the front, with a glyph access code only the stall operators and Mayor Tram knew. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Clay stood at the grill, flipping burgers while the other villager, Raci, took orders and the customers¡¯ money. ¡°Hey Clay, how¡¯s it going?¡± Luka asked, popping his head through the fabric door. ¡°Good! These smashed burgers are fun to cook! Everyone seems to love them as well!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great to hear. You¡¯ve got a pretty long line¡ª¡± ¡°I know! Biggest line in the park!¡± ¡°Yup, congratulations! You¡¯ve been doing wonderful.¡± Luka paused. How did he say this without sounding rude? ¡°But I think we need to move the line a bit faster, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree more with you,¡± Clay practically sang the words. ¡°But the burgers got to cook!¡± ¡°True¡ªwe don¡¯t want to pre-cook our food. But maybe, at least during the rushes, stagger a half-dozen patties so we can crank you the orders in batches.¡± Clay flipped a patty. ¡°We¡¯d have to take more than one order at a time, then.¡± ¡°How many burgers do you think you can handle at once?¡± ¡°I reckon I can fill the grill, so twelve. Simple stuff, flippin.¡± ¡°Raci?¡± Luka asked, grabbing the villager¡¯s attention. ¡°Start taking a few orders at once. Try to keep ten patties-worth of orders rolling at all times during the rush. Guests can wait a few steps over here to receive orders¡­¡± And although Luka didn¡¯t know it, he had just introduced the fast-food model to this world. *** They ate lunch on one of the two dozen or so park benches Luka had created. Eve took small bites of her smashburger, savoring the buttery toasted bun. Luka, on the other hand, devoured his in four total bites. ¡°Hungry much?¡± Eve asked, shaking her head slowly. ¡°Too much stuff to do, too little time to sit around eating.¡± Eve kept her sarcastic comment to herself. But then again, she thought, he¡¯s always eaten fast. Between grilling and sliding pizzas in and out of the oven, maybe there really wasn¡¯t time to eat¡­ The thought was sad, and her face must have reflected the notion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luka asked, reading her like a book. Eve glanced away, again shaking her head slowly. He¡¯s building an amusement park practically single-handedly, of course, he¡¯s overworked. Tram¡¯s wiggled her way into his head, manipulating him in that special way only she could. What better way to get a World Walker to work for you than to harp on his emotions and explain the village would fall into economic peril if you didn¡¯t help? ¡°Luka¡­¡± Eve hesitantly said. ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to be here, right? In Emberwood, I mean.¡± ¡°Of course, I do¡ªbut I want to be.¡± He gave her that lax smile, the one he gave everything. She hated that smile. It felt fake, forced even. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Hold the weight of the world on your shoulders.¡± Eve remembered just a few days ago, sitting on the WHEEL while Luka explained his past to her and Franky. She remembered the fear in his eyes¡ªthe look of trauma. A trauma that, even with the park¡¯s opening, was still present. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Eve spoke over him, ¡°You pause sometimes, did you know that? Like you are lost in deep, deep thought. Franky¡¯s noticed; I¡¯ve noticed. Hell, Tram¡¯s noticed, but she thinks you¡¯re a ticket to¡ª¡± Luka held up a hand. ¡°Eve, it¡¯s not like that. Tram¡¯s direct, yes. But she and I want what¡¯s best for everyone in the village. You guys gave me a home when I was lost and afraid.¡± Eve didn¡¯t answer right away, so he just continued talking, ¡°And about the pausing¡ªyes, I¡¯ve noticed myself. They are¡­ memories. Everything is back in my head, but not everything is available to me if that makes sense.¡± She shook her head gently. Luka fumbled how to explain, eventually he just started saying stuff. ¡°It¡¯s like a foggy pane of glass or, well, fog. I know my memories are there, but it¡¯s all a haze. Then, whenever someone says something or I think about something related to a memory, the memory presents itself front and center¡­ and I have to relive it. In its entirety. Good or bad.¡± ¡°Luka that¡¯s horrible.¡± Eve said it quietly, her mind wandering for something, anything to properly say. Something profound? Something wise? Her dad would always know what to say when she was feeling down. Gods, I wish he was still here. ¡°It is, but I¡¯d rather know than not. Tippy said everything was normal for me now and that she couldn¡¯t fix my mind any better. Apparently, getting reincarnated does some weird stuff to people¡ªsince, you know, we were dead and all.¡± Again, Eve was at a loss for words. ¡°You can always talk to me about it.¡± Luka just shrugged. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. Anytime, anywhere.¡± Leaning back, stretching his arms across the back of the bench. He gazed over his little world, spotting things only he, as its creator, would notice. Eve watched him for a long time, her smashburger suddenly bland. What was he looking for, she wondered. And can I look for the same things? If the world was on Luka¡¯s back, why couldn¡¯t she take some of the weight? She was his friend and a villager, after all. Everyone in Emberwood should be taking some of the weight¡ªTram especially. Eve decided, at that moment, to look out for the opportunistic Mayor. Village prosperity was not worth a candle when it came to Luka¡¯s health. ¡°Luka,¡± she quietly said. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He said it too quickly as if he had expected it. Or, maybe he was worried, too. ¡°Then how about this? One meal a day, you eat slowly with either me or Franky¡ªor both of us. Thirty minutes of relaxation before venturing out into this hellscape.¡± Eve gestured at the park. ¡°No matter how amazing it might be.¡± Luka adopted that same fake smile. ¡°If that would make you worry less, then sure.¡± Eve felt her spine go straight. If that would make me worry less? What kind of¡ª Her internal rant was cut off by an angry bellow. Across the clearing, near the food stalls, a man carrying a sword yelled at one of the villagers operating the ribblelit stall. Both Eve and Luka recognized the villager straight away¡ªone of the elderly orcs. She went by the nickname ¡°Momma Nan,¡± because she considered herself the grandmother of all the village orphans. She was old, older than Tram or Ben, and yet, like Tram, could knock down a tree with her bare hands¡ªif her curved back allowed it¡ªand stare down a rampaging bear. ¡°It¡¯s raw!¡± the man with the sword on his hip yelled. ¡°Look at how pink it is!¡± Eve was on her feet one heartbeat after Luka, her burger abandoned for the worms. Chapter 28: Is There An Issue? Luka and Eve practically sprinted across the clearing, Momma Nan¡¯s face turning from green to red. Veins bulged across her neck and temples as the swordsman continued to spit about the ¡°raw¡± food. Before the building pressure caused Momma Nan to explode, Luka intervened. ¡°Hello there!¡± he called, the distance between them causing many heads to turn. The swordsman¡¯s head jutted to the side, a faint sizzle of electricity coursing across his chest and down his legs. The blue sparks dove into the ground, disappearing just as quickly as they came. The man twitched, his arms and legs zipping like bolts of lightning. Magic of some sort? Luka wondered as he watched the strands in his vision hover around the man like static around a balloon. ¡°Magic swordsman,¡± Eve whispered to Luka, one step behind him. ¡°Adventurers are a rowdy bunch¡ªwe have to deal with them all the time at the bar. Don¡¯t let him intimidate you.¡± Luka briefly paused. Maybe I should just let Eve deal with this, then¡­ No. I¡¯m the one who needs to¡ªit¡¯s my park, my responsibility. ¡°You¡¯re the World Walker. The boss,¡± the swordsman said, spitting a wad of dark chew in the dirt. ¡°Maybe you can fix this and not this peon.¡± The man nodded toward Momma Nan¡ªwho just scoffed and looked away. Most of her anger had drained now that Luka and Eve were here. No longer did she have to deal with this¡­ ruffian. Instead, she could watch the show. ¡°Is there an issue?¡± Luka placatingly asked, doing his best to mime the blissfully calm voice of Goddess Tippy. Was he close to achieving such a tone? No. But he was close, for a mortal. ¡°This is bloody raw!¡± the man screeched, wagging a leg of meat. Ribblelit meat reminded Luka of both goose and wild elk. It was a dark protein, a sort of local giant toad as far as he understood. He¡¯d tried a single bite a few days ago and had not touched the stuff since. He did, however, know what World Walker Park was selling¡ªall booths, drinks, food, merch, tickets, and more. ¡°May I see?¡± Luka asked, holding out his hand. He heard Momma Nan scoff at the question. The swordsman dropped the leg of meat¡ªwhich resembled the size of a hormone-pumped turkey leg¡ªinto Luka¡¯s hand. ¡°See how red it is? Raw, I tell you!¡± Luka bristled at the man¡¯s volume. Adventurers really knew how to yell, apparently. ¡°It¡¯s not raw. It¡¯s been smoked. The red color¡¯s from the wood we used¡ªshine elm, imported from the Shiney Forest and great for grilling and smoking.¡± A flicker of lightning bounced around the man¡¯s shoulders and down his back into the ground. He twitched, taking on a predatory grin. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know raw from cooked? I eat smoked meats every day on the road!¡± Luka held himself steady, even when he got a face full of spittle from the man¡¯s yelling. ¡°Momma Nan, if you wouldn¡¯t mind showing our guest the smoking box?¡± The village elder grunted, standing from her padded seat. She pulled back on the back tent wall of the stall, showing off a wrought iron cube about the size of a small car. On one end, an offset tinderbox blazed with glowing red shine elm embers. A set of double doors clamped closed with a wooden spoon between a latch leaked gentle, almost invisible, blue smoke¡ªthe proper color for smoking meats. ¡°Those have been smoking since before sunrise today,¡± Luka casually said. ¡°I know because I had to practically drag the village¡¯s little chef away from the box and to school. He didn¡¯t want to mess up the seasonings.¡± ¡°The little runt,¡± Momma Nan muttered. The swordsman stared at the box before biting his teeth down and glaring at the World Walker. ¡°No¡ªthis is raw! I demand my money and time back!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re willing,¡± Luka said, ¡°then I¡¯d like to give you another smoked leg. If that one¡¯s not to your liking, then I¡¯ll refund you for your meal. Or I can give you a free voucher for a smashburger¡ªa food from my home world.¡± Lightning crackled down the man again. ¡°And my time?¡± Before Luka could answer, Eve said, ¡°Two free drinks at Mr. Todd¡¯s Bar.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The man considered for a moment before nodding harshly. ¡°Voucher and free mead.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Luka said, handing out a slip of paper for the food. ¡°Just tell Todd ¡®Eve sent me,¡¯¡± Eve said for the free drinks. The swordsman growled something too low for anyone to hear before walking away. Luka turned to Momma Nan. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°A little terp like him can¡¯t ruin my mood,¡± she said. ¡°But Goddess above, if you give everyone free stuff every time they complain, you¡¯ll run us out of business.¡± He had to agree. ¡°We need some security then. I didn¡¯t want to duel a swordsman in the middle of the park or something. How do these events usually play out?¡± Eve answered, ¡°Either they give up, a drunkard punches them in the face and starts a bar brawl, or they rob the place. An adventurer walking away with just a meal ticket is a win in my book.¡± ¡°And two free drinks,¡± Luka added. Eve gave her own predatory grin. ¡°Mr. Todd¡¯s not going to honor that. No way he¡¯d give two free drinks away at my whim.¡± ¡°Then what¡ª¡± ¡°Todd hired a new muscle head yesterday. If, and when, the adventurer makes a scene over there, it will be taken care of.¡± ¡°That¡¯s devious, girl,¡± Momma Nan said, half listening to the conversation and half dealing with new customers. ¡°When did Todd do that?¡± Luka asked. ¡°You were building the swings and teacups,¡± Eve said. ¡°Sent Franky to Sneerhome with a help-wanted flier. Why do you think I¡¯m out here in the park? I don¡¯t have to work the day shift anymore.¡± ¡°Todd hired someone to fill your position? Did he fire you?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare. No, with the bar¡¯s popularity, he hired a whole cluster of new help.¡± ¡°Oi,¡± Momma Nan interrupted. ¡°Why is my line so much shorter than the burger line? I¡¯m going to lose the bet at this rate.¡± Luka and Eve looked between the lines. Smoked ribblelit had a few fans but nowhere near the intrigue smashburgers produced. They paused. ¡°What bet?¡± ¡°The other elders¡ªwe bet who¡¯d make the most money today. I chose a staple, ribblelit.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Eve said, ¡°I think it¡¯s because smashburgers are a World Walker food.¡± Momma Nan scoffed. ¡°Then turn mine into ¡®World Walker food¡¯ as well!¡± ¡°How am I¡ª¡± Luka stopped himself, an idea forming as well as a memory. Once, when he was first hired by his home world government and before he made bombs, he and his mentor took a trip to the great ol¡¯ United States¡ªTexas specifically. The state held a few military defense contractors, one of which Luka and his boss had to meet with. During the trip, a multi-million-dollar deal was made, as well as multiple barbeque feasts. ¡°What makes it ¡®Texas¡¯ barbeque?¡± Luka remembered asking. The Texan he was with smiled greatly, and said, ¡°Because it just is.¡± At the time, Luka felt the answer was both undefining and a cop-out. But after tasting the beautiful, succulent meats, he understood. Texas barbeque just was. Strands of magic fluttered around Luka¡¯s eyes, connecting to a few dozen pebbles around the area. Quickly, they melded together and reformed into thin block letters. He then connected the letters to the wooden sign for the stall in such a way the stone popped out of the two-dimensional frame. ¡°World Walker Barbequed Ribblelit?¡± Eve asked. ¡°What¡¯s a barbeque again?¡± ¡°Means different things in different places. But here,¡± Luka gestured to Momma Nan¡¯s stall, ¡°it means smoked succulent meats.¡± ¡°How does this help sell more ribblelit though? Everyone knows smoked ribblelit isn¡¯t new.¡± Now, it was Luka¡¯s turn to take on a predatory grin. He turned to Momma Nan. ¡°You want to win the bet?¡± She nodded. ¡°Then you¡¯ve got to sell.¡± ¡°Sell?¡± ¡°There was a term on Earth, ¡®captain of industry.¡¯ It was a self-made person who excelled in their chosen field. They, for example, could resell you the clothes off your back or purchase your priceless family heirlooms for cents on the dollar, then turn around and sell them for millions. World Walker Barbeque means nothing. I made it up on the spot. But it could also mean everything.¡± ¡°Depending on how I ¡®sell¡¯ it.¡± Momma Nan carefully studied Luka. ¡°You¡¯re more devious than her.¡± Luka just smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Eve said. ¡°He wants me to use ¡®World Walker Barbeque¡¯ as a way to sell meat.¡± The elder considered for a moment. ¡°He wants me to sell the ¡®story¡¯ of World Walker Barbeque, actually.¡± ¡°Bingo,¡± Luka said with a smirk. ¡°People love a good story. Entertainment is what we do here, after all. However, we are probably going to have to tweak the recipe. Can¡¯t be selling boring food if World Walker Barbeque is so special.¡± ¡°Get that little squirt, Ren, over here then,¡± Momma Nan muttered. ¡°After school.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll find his way over on his own.¡± The village elder took a deep, calming breath¡­ then yelled at the top of her lungs, ¡°GET YOUR LUNCH FROM THE WORLD WALKER¡¯S SMOKER! TRY ANOTHER WORLD¡¯S CERTIFIED BEST TECHNIQUE TO COOK MEAT! BUY ONE GET ONE HALF OFF!¡± Eve and Luka stood stunned. Quietly, Momma Nan said, ¡°I¡¯ll make up the details as more people buy. I can¡¯t be yelling all day.¡± Chapter 29: Blessing Twenty minutes later, Luka and Eve found themselves at one of the merch booths. ¡°Are these them?¡± he asked the villager currently stationed within. Luka placed his hands on either side of a wooden box, his fingers tapping along the edges as a smile crossed his face. He paused and thought, Eve said I need to work on my smile. He flared his lips, showing teeth. ¡°Did you get punched in the mouth?¡± asked the villager. Luka¡¯s smile disappeared. ¡°No. Is this the box?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Great. How are sales?¡± ¡°Surprisingly good. I think I¡¯m going to win the bet.¡± Eve chuckled. ¡°I dunno, Momma Nan¡¯s smoked meats is drawing a crowd now.¡± The villager muttered something inaudible before calling to passing guests, offering deals on all the merch. Luka and Eve walked off toward the WHEEL. Mayor Tram had come up with the idea of free shirts for those who braved the Ferris wheel. Since the manufacturing of all merch was in-house, the cost was practically non-existent. Giving away a few free ones was well within profit margins. And besides, was there anything better than free advertising? Someone walking around Sneerhome wearing a World Walker Park shirt would surely draw eyes. For the next thirty minutes, Luka and Eve passed out shirts and chatted with guests until they were all out. Then they rounded the park, checking on villagers and making sure everything was in order. At the far end of the park, past the stalls, a range of various Earth games sat. They were cheap and easy yard games, the type people played at parties while drinking¡ªand as luck would have it, the closest drink stall was a beer hut! Guests stood around short, angled sections of wood with a hole cut out in the center. They tossed small bags of sand into the opposing player¡¯s section of wood, receiving points if they made the shot. Families sat around drinking and snacking, soaking in the nice atmosphere and beautiful landscape. A few had small children, but most were teenagers and their parents. A few couples walked around arm in arm, cuddling into each other¡¯s shoulders as they ventured about. Jungle gyms, Luka told himself, adding it to the list of stuff to create. The sun eventually started to set, and the guests slowly started to dwindle. World Walker Park had no hours of operation, but Mayor Tram estimated most would leave by dark. Apparently, that was usual in this world¡ªespecially for the laborers and day workers. A night sleep and an early morning were commonplace. Luka and Eve took a spin through the teacups ride, both looking for issues with the attraction itself. The hunk of metal and wood was lame if Luka was being honest. After imagining what the park could be, flashing carnival lights and woodgrain just wouldn¡¯t cut it. It was too cheap and horribly tacky. Reminds me of those traveling fairs in Germany, Luka thought. The Germans really did like their carnivals for some reason. Is it Oktoberfest I¡¯m thinking of? Or was that just the beer festival? Either way, the teacups were lame and needed a facelift as soon as possible¡ªas well as the swing ride. ¡°You¡¯re doing it again,¡± Eve said, yanking on the central spinning disk of the teacup. The ride vehicle spun them quite fast, even though Luka refused to help, claiming his stomach couldn¡¯t take going much faster. ¡°Doing what?¡± he asked. ¡°Spacing out like we talked about earlier.¡± Having a memory flashback, Luka translated to himself. Slowly, he shook his head. ¡°Not this time. I was just thinking about the park.¡± ¡°I¡¯d call today a success.¡± ¡°As would I¡­ I just know it can be more.¡± Eve nodded thoughtfully, easing off the spin wheel and allowing the ride¡¯s momentum to die. ¡°I can and will. Just give it some time.¡± The ride cycle ended, and the two parted beside a dozen and a half dizzy guests. The exit queue led directly onto the main drag of rides. Nearby, along the edges, a few piles of sick matted the grass. ¡°We need a janitor.¡± ¡°A magical janitor.¡± Eve made a disgusted face. ¡°I¡¯ll ask my aunt to make another magical stick that zaps puke away.¡± ¡°Where is Sol, anyways?¡± Luka asked. ¡°I wanted to talk to her about a large-scale microphone stick so we can have some music playing around the park.¡± ¡°She¡¯s still working on that project for the mayor. Apparently, she¡¯s in Sneerhome right now protesting the Guilds.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Something for you, I suppose. Rare glyphs¡ª¡± Eve cut herself off as a scream echoed across the park. All heads turned, finding a gnomish woman floating mid-air near the spinning swings. The ride was spinning, and guests aboard were terrified, watching the show in horror as they continuously rounded. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Luka spotted a single empty chair in the otherwise at-capacity ride¡ªin other words, the gnomish lady floating in the air had fallen out of her seat. A gently blissful golden glow radiated from the woman¡¯s skin, highlighting her silhouette against the twilight air. She drifted like a leaf in the breeze, her screams petering out as she realized she wasn¡¯t about to die. Then, summoned from cracks in reality, a horde of hundreds of divine butterflies took to the sky, circling around the woman. They swam through the air like a school of fish surrounding a bait-ball. But instead of nipping at the woman, they produced a faint, but reflective, golden dust. Soon the whole area was consumed, divine essence front and center¡ªGoddess Tippy¡¯s protective blessing. There were few who understood what was happening. Luka was one, and the gnomish woman was the other. Everyone else¡ªeveryone else in the park¡ªsimply enjoyed the light show, yet knew something strange was afoot. Luka practically sprinted to the woman¡¯s side as she gently landed in the grass. As the swings came to a stop, the riders were hesitant to depart while new riders hesitated to enter. ¡°I fell out,¡± the woman muttered. ¡°A-and¡­¡± ¡°Hi,¡± Luka said, trying to sound as casual as possible, ¡°my name¡¯s Luka, the World Walker who built this place. Mind telling me what happened?¡± Above, the dancing butterflies continued to swim higher into the air, their dust befalling the whole of the park. ¡°I slipped out¡­ the chair¡¯s leg gaps were too big¡­¡± Shock and concern crumpled the woman¡¯s face until tears threatened to leak out. ¡°How am I¡­¡± Luka cleared his throat and produced the magical microphone stick from his pocket. When he spoke, the grass amplified his words, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, mystics and mages, adventurers and explorers, for those of you who were not here this morning, I welcome you. I also would like to recount the events that led to the park¡¯s opening.¡± Luka spoke about Goddess Tippy showing up and blessing the park. Few guests had been around for the opening, so a recounting was needed in his eyes. ¡°In essence,¡± he continued, speaking into the mic, ¡°an accident just happened, and Goddess Tippy intervened. And for that, I am sorry.¡± The crowd grew in a matter of seconds. They stared at him with confusion. ¡°I am sorry for failing to safely design my attractions.¡± He turned to the gnomish woman. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you almost got hurt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± she quickly stammered out. ¡°The Goddess, praise her, saved me.¡± ¡°That she did. But allow me to be the first to say that we here at World Walker Park do not want the Goddess to have to save anyone. The ride should be safe regardless of divine intervention.¡± He held the mic away from his face and said to the woman, ¡°I promise you; I will make sure to design all future rides so that gnomes are safe. I¡­ just didn¡¯t think about your safety, and that¡¯s on me.¡± She just stared. Luka continued, ¡°For that, I¡¯d like to offer you some compensation. A lifetime of free ride passes as well as a couple of free shirts. Sound reasonable?¡± The surprise of the evening rekindled for the woman in that moment. A goddess directly intervening in her life? Wow! What an amazing event! A World Walker offering his apologies and giving away free stuff? Now that was cause for celebration! ¡°Two passes¡ª¡± she eked out. ¡°For me and my wife.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes followed hers, finding another gnomish woman watching the scene play out with wide, tear-ridden, fearful eyes. ¡°Of course,¡± he said. Just then, Eve leaned into his ear and whispered something. He echoed her words into the microphone stick. ¡°Drinks are half off until closing!¡± *** Night fell, along with the dark, starry sky. Mayor Tram was wrong: the park rekindled with guests instead of draining away. Most were in line for the WHEEL, the ride offering the best night-time views of the forest and beautiful sky. Luka sat on a bench alone, his arms strung across the backrest, and his head flopped back. He stared at the twinkling light show; Goddess Tippy¡¯s golden light show long gone. Here, in this world, light pollution wasn¡¯t really a thing¡ªcompared to Earth, that was. He remembered heading into the mountains to visit an astrologer friend at an observatory once. The night sky without a modern city¡¯s lights was something akin to perfection. The stars here were big, bright, and slowly pulsed like a gentle heartbeat. Nebulous gasses, greens, purples, and indigo spiraled across the darkness, lit up by the very galaxies that inhabited them. The dark of space seemed deeper as well, like it truly was a void up there, and the colors and lights were speckles on a great big canvas. ¡°Like the stars?¡± a voice asked. Luka startled, snapping his head to the left and finding an old wrinkled man. Plenty of people had made the journey from Sneerhome to the park or ventured in from a long day¡¯s travel across the highway. Some were adults and children, others teenagers or elders. And yet, none seemed quite as old as this man sitting beside Luka. People at the park were also hardened or magical. Day laborers looking for a fun evening or mages trying to find some non-magical fun. But again, this old man was neither. He simply was just an old, old man. ¡°I do,¡± Luka said. ¡°They say God Neb created the stars. Or, at least, brought them closer to this world so the residents could gaze upon something truly breathtaking.¡± The man chuckled softly. ¡°I like to imagine God Neb did it so the people could have something to inspire them during the blackness of the night.¡± ¡°They sure do,¡± Luka quietly said, speaking from his own experience if he was being honest. The man nodded softly, turning gently toward the World Walker. ¡°The gnomish woman who fell out of the swing¡ªshe wasn¡¯t properly riding. She was attempting to understand and steal the mechanism behind the ride. And in doing so, slipped from the seat¡¯s restraints.¡± Luka made a face. ¡°How do you know that?¡± The old man stood, craning his back and creating a tidal wave of cracks through his spine. ¡°When you¡¯re as old as me, you tend to watch events rather than experience them. Age gives an objective eye.¡± With that, he walked away, disappearing into the park. Luka sat for a while longer, his eyes magically finding the stars again. Did he act on the old man¡¯s information? Did he revoke the woman¡¯s free pass? No, even if she was trying to steal, she found a fatal flaw that needs to be fixed. She can keep the pass¡­ unless I catch her trying to steal in the future. Luka loudly sighed. So much had happened today, and he spent the next fifteen minutes absorbing it all. At least, until another voice called to him. Eve shouted and waved him over, ¡°We¡¯re closing soon! Mayor Tram wants you to walk everyone out!¡± He looked at the slowly exiting mass of people. There were more people here now than in the morning at opening. Obviously, word had spread about Goddess Tippy¡¯s blessing, which pulled more and more people in. Luka took one more glance at where the old man had disappeared among the crowd before standing and walking over. It was time to count today¡¯s profits and plan the next steps. Chapter 30: Park Meeting With Eve and Franky off to work at the bar, Luka sat alone with Leo in the school-courthouse¡¯s main room. Together, they watched as various villagers filled the room, taking up tables and chairs meant for the kids. Tired-eyed children lined the furthest wall, sitting with their legs crossed and with small jars of paint beside them. They practically played in the paint, drawing with their fingers or stamping with their palms, completely oblivious to the reason why their school was filled with adults. Luka recognized everyone, though some names still eluded him. Clay and Momma Nan sat toward the front, Ben and the dryad, Mrs. Leafsong, near the side. Extra benches had been shuffled in, the kind used in court for extended family or interested parties. Some villagers were missing¡ªsent off to Sneerhome with a grocery list of items for tomorrow¡¯s opening. Apparently, the booths ran out of beer and mead¡ªwhich was a serious problem as far as Luka was concerned. Selling alcohol was like printing money. Flat. Out. Profit. At the far end of the room, a small stage held a busy Mayor Tram. She bent over the stage¡¯s accompanying table, going over a stack of notes and trying to ignore the whispers from her residents. Luka wondered where the elderly orc wandered off to during the day, the answer was apparently to do paperwork. After a few more villagers entered, Tram cleared her throat and addressed the room. ¡°Well, everyone, congratulations. Today went far more smoothly than I anticipated. Everyone pitched in, everyone acted with tact and grace. So, let¡¯s have a round of applause for us!¡± The villagers clapped, and Luka did as well. She continued, ¡°Now, I¡¯m sure everyone wants to get off to bed before we restart today, tomorrow, so I¡¯ll keep this brief. Today was a success in more ways than one. First off, there were no complaints about any of the attractions not being worth their price. In fact, I expect we could increase prices for the WHEEL and not see any issues. ¡°Moving on from there, there were complaints about the food¡ªbut nothing some tweaking can¡¯t fix¡ª¡± ¡°I can help!¡± little Ren shouted, jumping to his feet, his fingers coated in teal paint. Tram replied in stride, ¡°I¡¯m sure you could, tiny chef. Cook times, recipes, that kind of stuff needs improving. The smash burgers were far and away the most popular, with pizza oddly the least.¡± She looked at Luka, who replied, ¡°I think it will catch on.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± the mayor murmured. ¡°Past that, beer, mead, and wine all sold similarly¡­ until someone announced half-prices, and wine was all but forgotten. For some reason.¡± Again, she waited for Luka¡¯s response. He simply said, ¡°It was Eve¡¯s idea.¡± Tram didn¡¯t glare, but she did stare disappointedly. ¡°Moving on, we sold out, even after buying what we thought would be enough for three days. Plans have already been set to rectify that. Next is merchandise.¡± She glanced at a piece of paper. ¡°¡¯I survived the WHEEL!¡¯ shirts sold the most but were also given away for free the most. ¡®Opening day¡¯ shirts sold second best, while ¡®World Walker Park¡¯ shirts sold third best. Not many trinkets¡ªor as Luka calls them, souvenirs¡ªsold.¡± ¡°They will, give it time,¡± Luka added, gently stroking tiny-Leo¡¯s fluffy fur. ¡°And as for the shirts, I think we need to give more away. Relatively free advertising is always¡ª¡± ¡°We already gave enough advertising!¡± someone shouted, an older orc named Flee. ¡°Goddess Tippy blessed the park herself! There¡¯s no reason to give away any more free stuff!¡± Mayor Tram smiled as the man spoke. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you so passionate, Flee. Reminds me of the good ol¡¯ days, eh?¡± Flee tugged his lips down into a frown. ¡°But to answer your point, yes, the Goddess blessed the park, and yes, that¡¯s going to draw people here. And yet, regardless of divine intervention, the shirts given away for free today are going to recoup their cost by tomorrow. And the shirts given away tomorrow are going to recoup their cost by the next day. And so on.¡± Tram held up a hand, silencing the budding outrage from her statements. ¡°Allow me to show you all.¡± She shifted some papers around, finding a relatively blank one near the bottom of her stack. She read directly from it. ¡°Costs: fifty-three gold pieces, four silver. Most of that was for infrastructure, the benches, the WHEEL, the gate, etcetera. The rest was food, drink, and fabric.¡± Tram paused, edging on dramatically. ¡°With that said, the park made four hundred and seventy-one gold pieces¡­¡± the room lit up with hoots and hollers, ¡°and seven silver.¡± Tram let the cheering go for a few short minutes. ¡°Here¡¯s to the World Walker!¡± ¡°Huzza!¡± ¡°The village is saved!¡± were among the things they shouted. Loudly clearing her throat, Tram said, ¡°We¡¯re not out of the wolf house yet. One day of profit does not make us successful. With that said, Mrs. Hills was kind enough to sit at the park¡¯s entrance and tally guests. Four hundred ninety-one guests entered, meaning, on average, everyone spent just over one gold piece for a full day¡¯s entertainment.¡± From the back of the room, an orcish woman, Mrs. Hills, stood and addressed the room. She was pregnant, her belly wide and bulbous. She, in just a few weeks, would be the first new mother in the village since the accident. ¡°I also wrote down additional information,¡± Mrs. Hills began, ¡°regarding when certain people entered and left the park. For example, I talked with another pregnant lady for a few minutes when she entered the park. She was here with her son and was interested in riding the WHEEL after learning about it. I had her promise to say bye to me when she left so I could note how long she stayed in the park.¡± Mrs. Hills checked her notes. ¡°For her, she stayed for just over two hours. Another person I made note of stayed for four hours. Another for three hours and fifteen minutes. I noted a family of six, they only stayed for thirty minutes after their youngest threw a temper tantrum.¡± She locked eyes with Luka. ¡°I have a long list if you want to see it.¡± ¡°I do!¡± Luka said, giving his best¡ªhopefully Eve approved¡ªsmile. He was never big on data crunching, but sometimes, a number set was a godsend when it came to things like this. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. But still! Luka thought. Almost five hundred guests? That far exceeds what I expected. And a gold piece per person? Seems high¡­ Apparently, the villagers agreed. ¡°A gold on average?¡± someone asked. ¡°Preposterous!¡± ¡°A gold? That¡¯s more than I make in a week!¡± ¡°How do people spend that much!? The food I was selling wasn¡¯t expensive at all!¡± Tram raised a hand, silencing the chatter. ¡°The WHEEL was the biggest ¡®seller,¡¯ and always had a full queue.¡± She looked at Luka. ¡°That reminds me, can you make the line longer? We were spilling out into the walkway.¡± He nodded. ¡°Anyway,¡± she continued, ¡°people rode multiple times¡ªand didn¡¯t buy the all-day pass.¡± ¡°We need the passes to sell more,¡± a voice said. Luka turned, finding the big hunk of muscle that was Gr¡¯rok. Surprisingly, the man¡¯s voice was more akin to a scrawny teenager¡­ at least, when the man wasn¡¯t trying to intimidate a line full of rowdy guests. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Tram asked. ¡°I can¡¯t, in good conscience, watch people spend the amount of money they did for single rides.¡± Gr¡¯rok held his arms crossed, his brows furled. ¡°I felt dirty, like I was scamming people.¡± Tram glanced at Luka, who was already glancing at her. ¡°Can we explain?¡± she asked. ¡°Parents dipped into their coin purses to pay for all their youngsters, then did it again a few minutes later. We profited on children.¡± Luka loudly hummed. ¡°On Earth, most amusement parks were pay to enter, not pay per ride. But I think that the payment model only works if the park is big enough. Without enough attractions, people just won¡¯t pay to enter regardless of price.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Tram asked. ¡°If the price is low enough¡ª¡± ¡°Then we won¡¯t make a profit. Unless you all don¡¯t want to be paid for your work here. Because soon labor is going to be our biggest expense.¡± ¡°I want to be paid¡­¡± someone muttered. ¡°We¡¯re going to be paid?¡± asked another. ¡°Of course, everyone¡¯s going to be paid.¡± Luka gestured to Gr¡¯rok. ¡°But I can see the issues, especially with large families. We are a small village, and you all know what the cost of living is far better than I do. So, if people are spending too much money, we need to lower prices. Otherwise, people won¡¯t come, and no one wants that.¡± ¡°How do we fix it then?¡± Gr¡¯rok asked. ¡°The all-day passes are one way. Maybe people just didn¡¯t know about them well enough? We can highlight the passes better in several ways: word of mouth, signage, we could even put the booth at the entrance to the park, so everyone must walk by it when they first come in. Then, we can also give discounts on kids, as well as larger parties.¡± They discussed for another hour, but many of the conversations turned into rehashing previous statements. All in all, everyone was excited¡­ and tired¡­ but mostly excited. ¡°I think we should call it here,¡± Tram announced. ¡°Now, materials should be arriving soon. Luka, do you need help?¡± ¡°For what?¡± he asked. ¡°For creating a new attraction before the park opens.¡± Luka hesitated. Now that he had thought about it, nighttime, when the park was closed, was the best time to create new rides. He mentally sighed, Guess my plan to smoke some puff and go to bed early wasn¡¯t to be. ¡°I need Eve and/or Aunt Sol to help, but I¡¯ll get it done.¡± ¡°Good man,¡± Tram said. ¡°You¡¯ve got till sunrise.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Luka interjected. ¡°Mrs. Leafsong, are you still here?¡± ¡°I am,¡± a dainty, elegant voice said. ¡°I have some painting commissions I need done. Are you interested? I will provide the paint.¡± The dryad crossed her long, bark-covered, stick arms. ¡°And what do these paintings contain?¡± ¡°Nature, and how the future of the village and the park sits within it.¡± She tilted her head to the side, studying the Earthling. ¡°Oil or watercolor?¡± ¡°Maybe both?¡± The artist nodded. Tram clapped, summoning everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Okay! I think this meeting is over! Tomorrow I¡¯m expecting double the guests, just so everyone knows.¡± That got everyone¡¯s attention. Soon, as people started exiting, the room devolved back into excited mutterings. As the doors opened and the kids waddled out, a sharp scream echoed against the courthouse¡¯s tall ceilings. Beside Luka, Leo started barking before leaping from his lap and shifting in size. Luka rushed outside, finding the dire-wolf growling and rapidly shaking his head. Leo was full size, his mighty maw easily engulfing his prey. A mousey human covered in dirt and grime sat within Leo¡¯s frothing teeth, his arms and torso pinned. The man flailed his legs, fervently screeching for his life. Yet, Luka noticed something strange about the scene. It was as if Leo was missing fur and teeth, or rather, the man was causing his fur and teeth to disappear. But then Leo would thrash, and his teeth and fur would reappear, only for his gums and tongue to disappear. ¡°Ahhh,¡± croaked Gr¡¯rok, appearing beside Luka and the rest of the village. ¡°An invisibility cloak. Rare.¡± Luka strained his eyes, especially the magical receptors within his vision. Strands connected to the man and Leo, highlighting a section of fabric along the man¡¯s shoulders and draped down his chest. There was something there¡ªand yet not, as if the very fabric wished to hide itself from his vision. The man, fighting for his life in Leo¡¯s maw, screamed, ¡°Get it away from me! Please! I¡ª¡± ¡°Leo!¡± Luka boomed. The wolf paused; chew toy held firm. ¡°Good boy. But let¡¯s drop him, yeah?¡± Leo dropped the man without any niceties, then happily trotted over to his rider, receiving a mass of scratches from every villager he passed. Mayor Tram pushed through the crowd. ¡°And what do we have here? An invisibility cloak, I see? Strange how these are illegal in these parts. And yet, here you have one.¡± The man got to his feet, dusting himself off. The crowd surrounded him, he wasn¡¯t going anywhere. Through clenched teeth, he muttered, ¡°It¡¯s an invisible poncho. Very legal, thank you very much.¡± The hunched village elder snorted. ¡°Good one. It¡¯s still illegal, regardless of what shape it¡¯s woven in.¡± Then, with the subtlety of a headless bat, all jovialness fled from her face. ¡°Who do you work for?¡± A raven fluttered through the air when the man failed to answer right away. It landed directly on his head, peering down at him. Then, with an ounce of fear, it whispered, ¡°Answer the question. I didn¡¯t, and they turned me into a raven.¡± It was obviously Aunt Sol¡¯s voice, and yet, the man didn¡¯t know that. Sputtering, he fell to his butt. ¡°D-don¡¯t hurt me!¡± Hand against her face, Tram said, ¡°Stop trying to help, Sol. You always go overboard. We just have to peel a few fingernails off¡ª¡± ¡°Batty Barns!¡± the intruder yelped. Tram smiled like a lioness. ¡°Double B? How¡¯s the kid doing these days? I knew him back when he was ¡®Brave¡¯ Barns. But he was just a young one back then. He wanted to be an adventurer if I remember correctly.¡± ¡°Y-you know him?¡± Maybe it was subconscious, maybe it wasn¡¯t, but the man was inching himself away from the mayor and closer to the dire-wolf. Tram said to Luka, ¡°We may have to budget-in an allowance for security. Spying is one thing, but thieves may already be looking to score here.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s this ¡®Barns¡¯ guy?¡± he asked. ¡°No one you need to concern yourself with. Trust me, Luka, Mr. Double B will be sorry he tried to mess with us.¡± With that statement, Tram started giggling. Chapter 31: Crunchy On Earth, Luka remembered the work-related concept of a ¡°time crunch¡± rather well. Specifically, he thought about a time long before joining up with the military. He worked at a small engineering firm that focused on servo motors and all the accompanying parts. Truth be told, the job was not fun. From long hours and a grueling internship process, the job was little more than a means to pay for school. And yet, somehow, every ¡°crunch time¡± at this firm just so happened to coincide with exams and/or finals. In reality, two-to-three-month project completion rates were rather common, which also happened to be the length of time needed to learn a couple of testable subjects in school. In other words, it was just unfortunate timing that made Luka¡¯s crunch-time was leagues worse than normal. That was why he looked for jobs elsewhere, eventually accepting a position his professor introduced to him¡ªand thus joining the military side of things. And yet, here, standing before a plot of land designated the ¡°pirate-themed area¡± on an alien world he still didn¡¯t know the name of, Luka couldn¡¯t help but look back on that first firm fondly. They got him through school and taught many real-world lessons. One such lesson: preparation. Luka shuffled his ever-growing stack of crudely drawn blueprints, eyeing each one. Each design was a pendulum swing ride and rather similar if he was being honest. How many different ways could a simple machine¡ªa pendulum¡ªbe engineered? Luka counted thirteen practical ways, only a few of which would go well with the whole amusement park thing. Next, Luka shuffled through his blueprints of various pirate ships, stopping on his favorite. He could see it now¡ªfamilies, friends, loved ones, each riding the pendulum, smiling, laughing, and simply excited. Communities were coming together here; he¡¯d seen as much during the park¡¯s opening. And, in a way, Luka knew he was the glue that stuck it all together. Imaginative, whimsical, and creative, he reminded himself. A far cry compared to my old life. Cheap, mass-producible, and deadly¡ªthe trifecta any General wanted to hear. ¡°Ready?¡± Eve asked, stepping up beside him, just arriving from the bar. Luka slowly nodded, checking his math one more time. Pendulum swings were really simple. A force pushed on a mass, swinging it. A counterweight moved opposite the mass, keeping it moving without significant worry. In other words, so long as the math was right, the ride should work. At least, if he estimated how much weight would be in a ship filled with riders correctly¡­ then again, he didn¡¯t really need to. Magic had him covered. ¡°Let me check this over one last time,¡± Luka said as he stared at his pages. Eve nodded, crossing her sleeveless arms on this chilly night. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Aunt Sol is being her usual late self¡± A screeching raven tore through the air like a bat launching itself from a cave. It swooped through the nearby trees, weaving around them before halting midair. The raven threw out its wings just as the crack of bones echoed through the forest. At that point, the bird burst into a puff of purple mist, revealing Aunt Sol in all her mysticism. ¡°I¡¯ve been here, girl,¡± she announced as she slowly floated to the ground. She spat out a dark feather. Eve rolled her eyes. ¡°Always an entrance with you.¡± Sol didn¡¯t grace her niece with a response; instead, she turned her attention to Luka. ¡°Did you decide yet?¡± ¡°Pendulum ¡®A.¡¯¡± Luka remarked robotically, numbers flying through his mind. What I wouldn¡¯t do for a calculator. ¡°¡¯Ay?¡¯¡± Sol asked. ¡°I understand numbering your designs, but what is an ¡®eyh?¡¯¡± He glanced up. ¡°The first letter of one of my world¡¯s alphabets.¡± ¡°Did you see my notes?¡± ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m not going to add any of them.¡± Luka found the Mystic¡¯s notes on the back of his blueprint. The woman had taken it upon herself to list out ideas that vaguely matched up with the theme of pirates. These included¡ªin no particular order¡ªan ¡°ocean of illusions,¡± ¡°illusionary sharks,¡± ¡°storm magic,¡± and finally a bulleted item that simply read ¡°rain.¡± ¡°And why not?¡± Sol asked, her eternally present smirk dimming. Luka took a moment to gather his thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to begin if I¡¯m being honest. What even is an ¡®ocean of illusions?¡¯¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°It¡¯s an ocean made from illusion magic.¡± He scratched his head. I guess that makes sense. Eve loudly scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s just leading you on. Don¡¯t fall for her tricks.¡± Sol¡¯s dim smirk rekindled. ¡°Am not! An ocean of illusions is not off the table here, nor a trick.¡± ¡°Shut it, hag. Luka and I have both had a long day. We want to get to bed, and playing your games just isn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had a long day too, Eve. I was at the Guilds, remember?¡± ¡°Oh no!¡± she quickly mocked. ¡°You were standing around a bureaucratic fortress all day talking to people about gaining access¡ª¡± ¡°Ladies!¡± Luka snapped. ¡°I can do this myself if you two are going to argue all night. Eve, you¡¯re right, I do want to get some sleep. And Sol, can you please just explain things to me? If you remember, I¡¯m a newborn in this world.¡± Eve¡¯s face crumbled before rebounding into a hardened mask of irritation¡­ before quickly thawing into a guilty frown. ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªour familial problems aren¡¯t yours to deal with. Sorry.¡± A low hum echoed from Sol¡¯s throat, one that sounded akin to a bassy bird call. ¡°You¡¯re right. No tricks, no misleading. I will be¡­ the Mystic my family wants me to be for the evening, even if it pains me.¡± ¡°Pains you?¡± Eve quickly asked. ¡°What¡ª¡± She stopped herself, gritted her teeth, and turned to Luka. ¡°Illusion glyphs create illusions of whatever the glyph master can imagine. But, for obvious reasons, the Guilds restrict all versions except for the smallest, most basic type. So, yes, Sol is technically correct. You could create an ocean of illusions, but with the limitations, the illusion would be the size of your palm.¡± ¡°Unless,¡± Sol said, her smooth green skin reflecting the moonlight, ¡°you have access to Guild-restricted glyphs.¡± Eve sucked in a breath. ¡°That¡¯s what you were doing today in Sneerhome? You convinced the Guilds to let Luka¡ª¡± ¡°Nope! My business was for something else.¡± Eve clenched his fists. ¡°Then why bring it up at all!¡± ¡°Dear niece, do you know why the Guilds restrict certain magic?¡± Luka answered in hopes of quelling Eve¡¯s growing ire. ¡°So, they can hold a monopoly on certain things, such as glyph services.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one reason yes, the other is so that they can better police themselves. Illusions may be fake, but without a discerning eye, people will believe them to be real.¡± Eve slowly shook her head. ¡°But once they find out its an illusion, anyone can dispel it by thinking ¡®go away.¡¯¡± She looked at a confused Luka. ¡°The gods changed illusion magic after someone exploited it a thousand years ago,terrorizing a city. Now, regardless of magical prowess, anyone can dispel an illusion by simply wishing to.¡± Luka ignored the ¡®gods changing an entire aspect of magic¡¯ thing and asked, ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that make illusion magic useless? If anyone can dispel it, what¡¯s the point? Someone would just have to reset the glyph and¡ª" ¡°Let me stop you¡ªif you dispel an illusion, you only dispel it for yourself. The illusion¡¯s still there, just ¡®hidden¡¯ from you until you want it to reappear.¡± Eve sighed. ¡°But still, Illusions are useless without the Guilds. My aunt is just being herself here and isn¡¯t suggesting something practical.¡± Sol¡¯s smirk disappeared at her niece¡¯s statement. Her eyes found the dirt, her shoulders slumped. On her head, her raven headdress cawed, flapping its wings wildly at the other orc. Then, without her usual heart, she said, ¡°Luka can create perfect glyphs simultaneously across a wide area. Enough palm-sized glyphs over an area and an ocean of illusions is very possible.¡± Eve froze, her mind wandering. Luka regarded the pair. There was far more history between the two than he knew, but Eve, his friend, was coming across as someone he wouldn¡¯t normally associate with. How can the sweetest girl in the village be so hostile? he asked himself. And how could the quirkiest outcast in the village sit there and take it? ¡°That could work¡­ maybe,¡± Eve finally said. ¡°But sticking illusions together is a tricky endeavor.¡± ¡°It is, normally,¡± Sol said. ¡°Unless you happen to know the augmentation used in the mass-illusion cluster.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s only for Guild members.¡± ¡°Normally, yes. But back in my day, the Guilds were a bit more lax. I have a few ¡®restricted¡¯ modifiers memorized from when I hired a Guild technician way back when.¡± ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you just have started with that? Why did we have to deal with you¡ª¡± ¡°Eve!¡± Luka yelled. ¡°I get you two are family, but I don¡¯t think you should be treating her like that. Either of you.¡± She bit her lip, glaring at her aunt, then at Luka. ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me¡ª¡± ¡°I know I don¡¯t! But Sol¡¯s, if I understand everything correctly, is offering up a Guild-restricted glyph modifier to me and the park. I don¡¯t know what the ramifications of using the modifier will be, but they surely are going to all fall on your aunt¡¯s shoulders.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be so bad,¡± Sol quietly said with a strained calmness. ¡°The Guild will sanction me, likely attempt to force me into their courts. But they won¡¯t try to confiscate the glyphs.¡± Luka watched the anger in Eve drain away. She continued to glare, mainly at him and not her aunt. Good. Eve sees her error, he thought, and now it¡¯s her pride holding her up. Is there something I can say? Tentatively, Luka said, ¡°We¡¯re all a team here. World Walker Park may be named after me, but I¡¯d be lost without the village¡ªwithout either of you. So please, I know you two have issues. But please¡­ just please.¡± He didn¡¯t know how to finish the statement without coming across as way out of line. Telling them to hug and make-up was obviously out of the picture. No, fixing their problems¡ªand Franky¡¯s¡ªwould take a while. Luka just hoped the park¡¯s success would ease things. ¡°Sorry, Aunt Sol.¡± Sol stood shocked, her eyes locked on the ground. ¡°Thank you, Eve. And I¡¯m sorry as well¡­ for everything.¡± Chapter 32: Uncharted There was an old wooden galley Luka remembered visiting once in secondary school. The point of the trip was to ¡°learn¡± the history of the port he lived near, which just so happened to contain a half-sized replica of a trading vessel that once graced the docks. It was a relatively flat ship, one that sailed by wind and oar and carried lightweight wares¡ªproduce, wood, and animals. Frankly, Luka remembered goofing off with his friends during the field trip. And yet, here he was, recreating it on an alien world because it stuck out in his mind. Mayor Tram had sent a few villagers to the city with a¡ªpractically¡ªunlimited budget to buy materials. At least an unlimited budget of the park¡¯s proceeds. And yet, a few hundred gold pieces were far and away enough to build a single half-sized galley. Hell, Luka thought, looking over the stacks of wood, metal, fabric, and leather, I can start on the fa?ade of this area with all this. A pirate-themed area is as good a place to start as any¡ªwell, once I see the concept art for it. ¡°Why pirates, again?¡± Eve asked, studying a drawing of her aunt¡¯s modified illusion glyph. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Earth was pirate run.¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. ¡°¡¯Pirate run?¡¯¡± ¡°She means, did the pirates run the world?¡± Sol interpreted. ¡°Did they overthrow the governments and reign over the seas!?¡± Now, that got a smile out of him. ¡°No, nothing like that. Pirates were more of a fantasy than real. Don¡¯t get me wrong, they existed. But modern-day pirates were nothing like what I have in mind.¡± Sol grunted. Eve asked, ¡°Are you sure you want to be associated with celebrating piracy?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be. World Walker Park will be a place of adventure. What¡¯s better than an attraction promising an excitement-filled expedition across the swirling waves, deep into uncharted ocean, all in hopes of finding long-lost treasure?¡± ¡°You¡­ you may have a point with that,¡± Eve said with a sigh. ¡°How is it a long-lost treasure if people know about it?¡± Sol asked. ¡°Seems fake to me.¡± Luka didn¡¯t have a response for that if he was being honest. Nor did he care to truly think of one¡ªnot when he was so tired. It was a long day behind him and an even longer one in front of him, if he didn¡¯t get some sleep soon, that was. Does this world have energy drinks? He wondered, his mind falling back to prismpuff and jrum. Surely, they must, if they have hallucinogen smokes and coffee. He sighed and, without further ado, built the galley. The stacks of materials melded together, Luka¡¯s magic taking effect. He gathered everything up in nearby piles, stripping them apart as needed. First was the foundation for the ride. With the experience of a few foundations already, a rectangle of reinforced stone was deeply embedded into the ground without much issue. The ship had to be sturdy¡ªfar sturdier than the real one Luka modeled the attraction off. Real ships were held together by joinery, glue, and metal rivets. Besides the wood¡¯s natural strength, very little kept the wood from breaking. The joints and seams would hold, but if a ship scraped a rock or reef, catastrophic damage could and often did occur. Luka didn¡¯t have that problem here. He had others. Pendulums swung with force. There was the weight of gravity and the tension force holding it in place¡ªwhich equated to the metal arms attached to the ship and set into the ground. The problem wouldn¡¯t be making the ship strong, rather strength was needed at these stress points where the forces collided. But luckily, magic existed and reinforcement, strengthening, and hardening glyphs were readily available. Sprouting from the foundation, Luka created four metal legs as wide as a barrel and as tall as an emberwood tree. They angled slightly in, coming to a gapped point, where he installed another metal beam. Connected to this beam, four metal arms dropped down and hung above the ground. The ship would eventually be connected to the arms and held in the air. ¡°So far, so good,¡± Luka told the two women beside him. ¡°I¡¯d hope so,¡± Sol said, with a hint of attitude. ¡°You¡¯ve built four of these ¡®foundations¡¯ already. If you suddenly forgot how to, we¡¯d be calling for the shaman.¡± Eve gave her aunt a tired glare but conceded the point. ¡°Yeah, or Goddess Tippy.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Luka heard Sol snort, but he was too busy looking for divine butterflies to respond. He took a deep breath and continued working, checking his glyph notes as he went. With his magic, Luka didn¡¯t need to use joinery or glue; instead, he could simply make the ship into a single piece. The piles of wood molded with his touch, deforming into blobs before stretching out the length of sixty seated people. The edges bent up and formed a hull, one that could easily chop through the wave. The inside of the ship did not receive any design¡ªthere was no need, after all, it wasn¡¯t a real ship. Luka formed a rudder and attached it as other strands of magic worked on a figurehead that would capture Emberwood Village¡¯s beauty. The orange wood twisted and deepened, hardening into a mangled root system of the very trees it represented. The roots stretched at their top, forming into a long bowsprit akin to an orc¡¯s arm. And from their bottom, the roots grew into the ship as if the roots themselves were the very slats that made up the hull. The whole thing was a single piece of wood but chiseled and stretched to look authentic. Luka imagined whipping off the excess grout on a tile to create the small gaps between the wooden slats. He mimicked the cut rings of the emberwood trees, he inserted fake rivets where they made sense, attaching them with little more than a flick of the wrist and a forethought of magic. This is getting easier, he thought as the world felt wobbly. Though the headaches still suck. ¡°Something¡¯s missing,¡± Eve said, watching the show. ¡°The sails,¡± Sol answered. ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah. I¡¯m working on it,¡± Luka muttered. Mayor Tram had told her minions to ¡°buy some of everything,¡± so Luka had plenty of types of fabrics to work with. All were thick¡ªnot quite the machine-woven type he remembered from Earth. Each was scratchy, handwoven by loom or magical loom¡­ which was apparently a thing. All the fabric was nonmagical in nature as magical fabric was too expensive to warrant purchasing for such a use. Luka did his best to match the colors, but unfortunately, the stacks of fabric were all different. Some were pale green, others more white cream. None were dyed, which only added to their cheap price. Regardless, three sails emerged stuck to the main mast and foremast. Ropes would look nice, Luka thought, eyeing his material reserves. No ropes¡­ unless¡­ With a bit of caution, he tore some fabric asunder, reducing it into thin, but long, threads. Then he started to weave. They didn¡¯t need to look good, nor act functional, they just had to mimic braided and frayed rope. Luka stifled a grunt, his head feeling like a blender. All the strands of magic he controlled wove ropes, hundreds of them, all at once. He closed his eyes, knowing the agony would be so, so worth it. That was a concept he¡¯d learned long ago: details mattered. Whether it was adding artificial tree rings to a wooden hull or inspecting every drone to make sure the technicians applied the counterweights to the propellers correctly, details mattered. The ropes strung across the masts, sails, and to the figurehead. The whole of the ship was then attached to the metal arms, which were magically fused together with enough reinforcement glyphs to protect a safe from a team of robbers. ¡°Moment of truth,¡± Luka said, ¡®releasing¡¯ the ship from his ¡®hold.¡¯ The weight of the ship pulled against the metal arms, legs, and foundation. And held. ¡°Nice!¡± Eve shouted. ¡°Good work, kid,¡± Sol said with a pat on his back. ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot more to do,¡± Luka quietly muttered, plopping down on a chair he created from the pile of wood. He created two more for the others to sit as well. ¡°But I need a few minutes of rest.¡± ¡°Well deserved rest.¡± Sol sat, holding out her hand and showing off a palm-sized ocean. Waves rolled against a white sand beach, gulls swam through the air, dark shadows in the water came and went. Luka would have gawked if he wasn¡¯t so tired. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. It¡¯s like a mini world.¡± Sol said, ¡°I took a trip to the boundary isle of Sandcastle, once. Swam with the fish and ate some shark, the usual things bachelorette like me get up to. This illusion is my memory of the place.¡± Ignoring the implications of whatever things ¡®bachelorette¡¯ Sol got up to, Luka focused on the other part of her statement that surprised him. ¡°There¡¯s an isle called ¡®Sandcastle¡¯ here?¡± ¡°Indeed. It used to have the largest sandcastle in the world before another was built in the Sea Queen¡¯s Hoof.¡± ¡°Just how big is this sandcastle?¡± ¡°Oh, some sixty rooms or so. Rather small for castles, nowadays.¡± Luka flinched at the statement. That was¡­ not what he was expecting. ¡°The entire thing was made out of sand?¡± ¡°And shells, yes,¡± Sol mused. ¡°Here, let me show you.¡± In just a few minutes, she augmented her illusion to show her memory of walking into the Sandcastle Isle¡¯s castle. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of sand,¡± Luka said. ¡°Took a grand mage and six months to build it, I heard,¡± Eve added. Sol crushed the miniature world in her palm, dispelling it. ¡°Enough of that. We¡¯ve got work to do. Get up, boy, it¡¯s time to cast some real magic!¡± ¡°He was casting magic, Aunty.¡± The old, perfectly smooth-skinned woman chuckled. ¡°Building a ship is neat and all, but as our esteemed World Walker said earlier, it¡¯s time to create an experience everyone will remember. That, Eve, is what true magic really is.¡± Luka pushed himself to his feet. ¡°We¡¯ve got to name it first¡ªand give it a paint job¡­ and seats! We can¡¯t forget to add the seats.¡± ¡°How about the ¡®Walker,¡¯¡± Eve suggested. ¡°Fitting,¡± Sol agreed. ¡°I like it.¡± Then, with a flare of magic, Luka chiseled the ship¡¯s name into the stern. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long night,¡± Sol muttered with a sigh. Chapter 33: Investigation Junior Associate Editor for the Sneerhome Chronicle, Stell Metus, joined the back of the crowd forming outside Emberwood Village. He pushed his way to the front, passing humans, orcs, and the occasional gnome. Lazily slung around his shoulder with a frayed strap, a leather box containing his lumen recorder rested neatly against his hip. It was a pricey piece of equipment, one his boss would kill him for if it was destroyed. Luckily for Stell, most people got out of his way¡ªfearfully, even. Such was the way for the demon race, for Stell and his people. The reporter could understand it, he supposed: it was the eyes. His, like many other demons, were solid black with a thin, haunting, red-slitted iris. Every race in this world had unique gifts. The gnomes were practically immune to lightning, the orcs held immense strength, the elves were practically immortal. Then there were the demons. Their ¡°gift¡± was more akin to a curse, as far as Stell was concerned. Their eyes induced fear in all who dared stare back. A terrible gift for getting people to trust me, Stell thought to himself, arriving at the gates to World Walker Park. Why did I choose a profession built on trust, again? He took a deep breath, slowly looking around. There were a few hundred people around, but not enough to warrant a proper story. Maybe the second page, if he was lucky. Third if not. I¡¯m going to be living on scraps again this month. Stell sighed and shook himself from his stupor. His boss had sent him here for a reason¡ªto investigate a sighting of Goddess Tippy and a newly born World Walker. There was one thing Stell had learned working for the Chronical over the years: whenever his boss sent him to do something, it was because his boss didn¡¯t much care for the story. Why send an Associate Editor when a Junior was so much cheaper? Stell rolled his eyes at that, briefly catching a kid looking at him. Stell snapped his eyes closed instantly¡ªbut it was too late. The kid started screaming, tears pouring down his cheeks like a deluge. His wails drew many more eyes, all of which suddenly landed on Stell. He could feel them, they made him squirm. So many eyes, so many people he could reduce to sweltering, blubbering fools. It would only take a glance, and their judgmental glares would all fade away¡­ But no. Stell kept his eyes closed. Even when the mother of the crying kid muttered, ¡°monster¡± under her breath as she dragged the poor kid away. Stell prayed for this day to end. And yet, the park hadn¡¯t even opened yet. Nearly an hour later, the grass started making noise. A gentle flute song wafted from the soil, filling the air at the same time a weak fog rolled in. Stell looked around. Is there a mage around? he wondered. Stell kept his eyes low as he scanned the area. Eventually he found one of his interview targets¡ªEmberwood Village Mayor Tram. She stood beside a villager who was playing a hand chiseled flute. Or maybe it¡¯s a recorder? Stell questioned, making a note on his paper pad. Does it really matter? As the villager played, the crowd turned oddly silent. From talking and laughing among themselves to all facing forward into Emberwood Village, the crowd stood in tandem, watching and listening. Stell glanced around suspiciously, finding a few others like him¡ªthose wondering just what was going on. It was then Stell noticed the shirts. Oddly shaped tunics with words! What a curious idea! He leaned around one of his neighboring crowd members, reading, ¡°I survived the WHEEL,¡± ¡°World Walker Park,¡± and ¡°Goddess Certified Park¡± on three various people. That last one made Stell pause. He took note of the shirt, writing the words down. If the crowd wasn¡¯t currently enthralled with the flute and fog song, he¡¯d have gone over to the woman and inquired about her shirt. But no¡ªsomething was happening. The mayor moved to a small podium, stepping up so she was a few heads taller than even the lankiest elves in the crowd. She smiled to herself, eyeing the crowd as the song came to an end. The villager flutist handed then handed the mayor a¡­ stick? Then trudged off back into the village¡ªor was it the park? Just where did Emberwood Village end and World Walker Park begin? Stell scribbled down more notes but stopped when the mayor started speaking. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, mystics and mages, adventurers and explorers, welcome to our humble slice of the extraordinary¡ªWorld Walker Park!¡± A murmur echoed through the crowd. Apparently, there was some issue with her words. Stell wondered why. ¡°Now,¡± the mayor continued, ¡°I know I¡¯m not the one you were expecting to welcome you into the park. Normally, that job goes to the creator of these lands¡ªWorld Walker Luka.¡± Guess that confirms he¡¯s real, Stell noted. Still unknown about the Goddess. ¡°Why is the World Walker absent on the second day of the park¡¯s life? It¡¯s simple, really. Because he¡¯s sleeping!¡± Tram paused just long enough for the crowd to begin talking amongst themselves. ¡°But not because he¡¯s lazy or ignorant. No, our World Walker is a bit eccentric, you see. He stayed up all last night until the sun rose this morning, working on a new¡ªamazing¡ªattraction.¡± Stell noted her statements got a rise out of the crowd¡ªa bump in outrage and/or admiration. The jury is still out on which, he thought. ¡°To those of you who were here yesterday: first, I thank you for coming back so soon. As a token for our appreciation, we¡¯ve prepared a small token of our thanks for your continued patronage.¡± The mayor held up a small wooden coin. ¡°These are commemorative ¡®souvenirs¡¯ to celebrate the opening of ¡®Rogue Wave,¡¯ our newest flagship attraction.¡± She flipped the coin off her thumb. One side held a burnt-wood drawing of a galley, the other a strange symbol Stell had never seen before. He made a note, jotting down the exact engraving ¡°2.¡± ¡°The ship is the attraction, the symbol is World Walker Luka¡¯shome world language for the number two¡ªas in, the second day of the park¡¯s opening.¡± Tram rolled the coin through her knuckles like a seasoned gambler. ¡°For any returning guests, please find any of the park¡¯s employees and offer proof of attendance yesterday. They will give you a coin.¡± Stell made a face at that. How are they going to police that? What counts as ¡®proof?¡¯ But the longer he thought about it, the more he decided that they didn¡¯t care. They were going to give the coins to anyone who asked, regardless of yesterday¡¯s attendance. Why? Because everyone loved free stuff, and acquiring a rare token was always a good feeling. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Stell made the note ¡®the park seems to be utilizing strange, almost esoteric ways to drum-up interest in their services.¡¯ The mayor continued, ¡°As some of you know, Goddess Tippy blessed the park. She implicitly, as it seems, trusted in what Luka is building here. Last night there was an accident. A young gnomish woman fell from one of our attractions, only for the Goddess to intervene. Divine interference!¡± She practically yelled the two words, the strange stick resonating with the grass. ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it? World Walker Park may have some thrilling attractions, but remember! Your safety is always guaranteed!¡± Stell made note of the Goddess¡¯ apparent actions. He¡¯d need witnesses before the story would ever get anywhere. Tram cleared her throat. ¡°One last thing before we open our gates. The newest attraction, Rogue Wave, will be opened at noon by the World Walker himself! Come one, come all, for, in my long life, what might be, the most amazing, thrilling thing I¡¯ve ever had the opportunity to experience.¡± That got a pop of excitement from the crowd, Stell noted. Cheers, whistles, clapping. Tram started to step off the podium¡ªbut stopped herself. Clear as day she spoke into the stick, her words echoing across the entire crowd. ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention. Today, as it¡¯s grand opening, Rogue Wave will be free¡ªno payment necessary.¡± The crowd exploded with excitement. ¡°Welcome! To World Walker Park!¡± Stell clutched his lumen recorder closely and followed the crowd as everyone entered the park. *** Stell sat on a bench, chomping down on a ¡°smashburger.¡± To his demonic palate, it was good, not great. It needed to be bloodier! Rare and far fresher. Yet, Stell, in his years as a journalist, had grown used to reviewing food based on the local palate. This smashburger would be the best meal a normal person had in a week. He scribbled down his thoughts, taking up an entire page on his paper pad to explain his thoughts on World Walker Park¡¯s food offerings. Pizza was up next when the line died down some. Stell finished off his food and reviewed his other notes. So far, he¡¯d failed to speak with the mayor, Tram, nor the World Walker, Luka. He did, however, interview a few villagers¡ªpark employees¡ªas well as a few guests who¡¯d been in attendance yesterday, after some eye-related troubles. All confirmed it, the Goddess did appear and bless the park. A smile crept across Stell¡¯s face. Front page may be an option after all, it seems. Especially if this ¡®Rogue Wave¡¯ attraction lived up to the hype. So far, Stell had ridden all the ¡°basic¡± attractions. ¡°Basic¡± was the term he was going with, despite each attraction being anything but. The WHEEL, the teacups, the spinning swings, and the carousel were all basic. Other than the magical glyphs running the rides, they were simply common thrills. They were great. Unique, even, as far as Stell was concerned. But not ¡°magical,¡± his other coined term. Rogue Wave was supposed to be leagues better¡­ whatever that meant. Each employee he spoke to claimed the same thing: Rogue Wave would mark the standard for what World Walker Park would become. Big claims, Stell thought, but if the Goddess really is involved, then maybe they¡¯re legit? He pocketed his notepad and removed a small wooden coin¡ªthe special, super limited, commemorative souvenir Tram had shown off. He was right¡ªall Stell had to do was say he was in attendance yesterday. The employee gladly gave him one with a smile, no checking, no proof, just word of mouth. And yet, despite the coin obviously being a gimmick to create some kind of artificial positive emotion connected to the park, Stell couldn¡¯t help but feel centipedes in his stomach. Awe was a feeling the demonic rarely felt¡ªand yet, here he was, staring at the ¡°2¡± burnt into one side of the coin, feeling the strange symbol¡¯s mysticism. It was an alien symbol, a simple number, yet it tugged at Stell¡¯s sense of wonderment¡ªhis sense of the unknown. Just what was the World Walker¡¯s home world like? Where did the man hail from, what kind of mystery did his mind hold, how many untold secrets did he witness, and how many had he long forgotten? These questions and more swirled in Stell¡¯s head. I¡¯ll get that interview, he decided, and I¡¯ll get my rightful front-page spot¡ªabove the fold. An interview with a Goddess-touched World Walker? Stell could see the headlines now¡­ The grass suddenly vibrated, a gentle flute song echoing across the park. Stell stirred, looking around. Careful, as to not lock eyes with anyone, he found a peculiar scene playing out across the way. Two dire-wolves and a dire-emu trotted down the path, two orcs and a human on their backs. Behind them, Mayor Tram strolled, alongside a strangely smooth orcish woman wearing a raven on her head. Behind them was the flute player, and the accompanying magical stick. Stell watched as an impromptu parade appeared behind them¡ªone that drew from the attendees. Everyone began to follow, including Stell. He looked at the sun. It was noon. The parade looped around the entire park before coming to rest before a strange magical oddity. With his demonic eyes, Stell noticed a dozen out of place trees. They looked like any other emberwood but reeked of magical fumes. To him, magic appeared as a deathly red essence¡ªthe lifeblood of demons. To others, he knew, magic looked like birds or snails, strands of hair or even musical song. In the case of the trees, red essence danced across the bark and down through the roots. Stell pushed away his magical sight, viewing the trees as they were¡ªtrees. Again, they looked like normal emberwood trees¡­ and yet, he just had to take notes on them. Strange grouping of trees, the World Walker and his entourage, stopped before them. It was then Stell realized he had yet to actually see this new attraction. Just where was it? Behind the trees? The flute song ended, and the magical stick was passed to Luka. He held it to his mouth and addressed the park. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, mystics and mages, adventurers and explorers, welcome to World Walker Park. I apologize I missed opening the gates, but alas, I needed to rest my eyes.¡± Stell quirked an eyebrow at the man¡¯s strange, almost whimsical tone. Such is World Walkers, I suppose. ¡°And for my actions, I declare half-priced wine for the next two hours!¡± That got a cheer from the crowd. Luka continued, ¡°Behind me lies an adventure I fear this world is not yet ready for. I can already hear the screams of thrill, the shocked eyes of fear, the flipping stomach of excitement¡­ Yet I believe the explorers here today can, and will, take part¡ªif for no other reason than to brag.¡± Around, fog rolled in, covering everyone¡¯s feet. ¡°Behind me lies a journey, one cast in sea mist and salt. Behind me tells the tale of an illegal voyage across deadly oceans. Behind me is a prize worth risking life for.¡± Luka slowly extended his arms, presenting the area behind him. The odd trees rumbled and flickered. Faux water sprinkled from their leaves; a rushing wind battered across the area. The World Walker continued to raise his hands¡ªuntil! He ceased all movement, turning still like a statue. The wind cut off; the rain stopped. Luka leaned forward, his mighty mount lowering to his front paws. ¡°Behind me,¡± the man whispered, the grass resonating with his words, ¡°is the journey of a lifetime¡ªa smuggling run across the wicked seas, all to deliver vital supplies to a Hero defending our very lives¡­¡± He slowly leaned back, his mount standing tall. ¡°Behind me, is Rogue Wave!¡± The flickering trees exploded into a shower of seafoam, rain, and howling winds. The crowd cheered and clapped, their enthrallment latching on to the World Walker¡¯s every word! The trees were gone, and in their place, a long wooden galley swung back and forth between rolling thunderclouds and indomitable waves. The ship crashed against the water, sending a spray across the immediate area. Sea creatures leaped from the deadly waves, careening parallel to the ship, or jumping across its bow. Some landed on the deck, others were battered away by the hull. Either way, barrels and crates fell overboard, splashing into the murky depths and swallowed by the frightening gale-force. Stell¡¯s demonic eyes opened wide. The term ¡°magical¡± was correct. His hand slipped into the leather box at his hip. Slowly, carefully, he extracted his lumen recorder, held it up, and activated the some-seven hundred glyphs that controlled the apparatus. The risk of breaking the device was high every time he removed it from its enchanted box¡ªand yet, Stell knew this magic warranted its use. The front page needed to have a photo of what was going on here. Chapter 34: First Voyage Stell, with his lumen recorder safely back in its box, followed the crowd led by the World Walker. The alien man rode his snow white dire-beast slowly, allowing both the music and excitement to labor on. From the grass, a song played, one fast paced and snappy. Stell looked for the flute player, but instead found the same villager playing a crude fluted horn of some sort¡ªthe song reflected the instrument. Ahead, the galley chopped through the waves, its rolling swing slowing to a crawl before stopping completely. As if controlling the magical ocean, once the ship stopped moving, the rough, terrible waves did as well. It was then Stell realized his folly¡ªthe whole scene was an illusion. With a simple declaration, he dispelled the near-perfect magic, finding what was actually there. The ship was real, as well as a loading stage on either side for guests to enter and exit the attraction. A switch-back style queue with a shaded tent covering it from the sun extended from the ride¡¯s entrance. Stell was never good at magic nor glyphcraft, but he recognized hundreds¡ªthousands even¡ªof etched glyphs. They were faint, hardly carved into the wooden hull and/or the tent that covered the queue, but Stell¡¯s demonic eyes allowed him to see. That was the true ¡°gift¡± of the demonic race¡ªthey could perceive things, magic namely, others couldn¡¯t. As a result, their eyes also induced fear into those who locked eyes with them. Stell¡¯s jaw slowly opened as he scanned the floor of the queue¡ªmore glyphs. He studied the fence posts separating the switches in the line¡¯s direction¡ªagain, more glyphs. He found multiple¡ªseemingly random¡ªpoles jutting from the tented cover¡­ again, more glyphs. Sprouting from the ship¡¯s giant metal arms, a web of branching metal reached out for seemingly no reason, and yet, they were covered in glyphs. The branches gave no structural support, no additional strength¡ª Stell allowed the illusions to return. The branches of metal and random poles were gone, in their place, an eternal lightning storm of rolling dark clouds and silent echoing thunder. He didn¡¯t know what to say. How could he? In all his years in this world, he had never seen anything like this¡ªever. Are there even illusion glyphs that stretch this wide? Stell wondered. Is this the magic of the World Walker, or is this something the Guilds have been hiding all these years? ¡°Everyone!¡± Luka shouted from his mount. ¡°Please enjoy the ride! And make sure the Hero gets his delivery!¡± With that, the dire-wolf stepped to the side, allowing the first guests into the queue. With illusions, the outside of the switchbacks simply looked like a continuation of the magical water surrounding the ship¡­ but that was hardly the case inside the queue. Stell stepped in and was transported to a different world. Rays of light cut through the top of the ocean, highlighting the underwater world. Reefs, as far as he could see, stretched into the distance, disappearing into dark waters. The park¡¯s emberwood trees were gone, replaced with rocks covered in coral and thriving barnacles. Fish of all shapes and sizes swam about, disappeared behind rocks or into the distance. Other creatures roamed, from crustations to octopi, each living their lives as naturally as could be. There was an equilibrium, an actual ecosystem, here, one neither fabricated nor imagined. As Stell watched a turtle the size of an orcish adult swim overhead, bubbles slowly forming from its nose, he finally understood what World Walker Park was. It was magical. There was no rhyme or reason for this¡ªthere was no explanation for it either! Demonic eyes or not, Luka and Emberwood Village was¡­ was¡­ Stell lost words when a trio of mighty manta rays swam by, their hulking bodies creating a wake in the water. He watched the wake hurtle toward him, subconsciously holding up his arms¡ªand yet, the wake didn¡¯t hit. It phased right on through, creating a wave of gasps from everyone it passed through. No one spoke in the line, the new world they currently inhabited did that for them. Stell, unfortunately, was close to the front of the line and was waved forward by a smiling young orcish woman wearing an ¡°EMPLOYEE¡± shirt. ¡°Come on mister, there¡¯s one more seat open this round¡± she said, beckoning him forward. She stood at the edge of the underwater world, one foot in, the other on the start of a wooden dock. Again, the dock wasn¡¯t real, it was just an illusion, but Stell felt wood under his feet. With a quick dispel of the magic, he confirmed that fact. What amazing detail, he thought. Illusions held no tactile feel, so when walking on an illusion, the real material mattered. In this case, where a wooden dock started, so did a wooden path. ¡°Last seat is three rows back on your right,¡± the woman said, giving him a slight nudge. Stell stepped forward and crossed the short dock. He was back outside, the dark rolling clouds overhead. The dock perfectly connected to the deck of the ship, almost as if both were created with the other in mind. He took a deep breath and stepped onto the Walker. It looked like a ship, Stell had to give them that. But where a ship was practically a hive of irritated sailors, the Walker was filled with strange seats. On either side, rows of these seats sat facing the main mast, each filled with chattering guests oohing and aweing, pointing and laughing. Stell went to the right, stepping up three wide stairs until he found his seat. He sat, his lumen recorder snuggly in his lap. Before him, and everyone for that matter, was a ¡°T¡± bar protruding from the back of the seat in front of them. From the watery world, the orcish woman yelled, ¡°Everyone! Pull down on the lap bar as far as it goes! If it doesn¡¯t lock, raise your hand!¡± Stell did as told, moving his recorder out of the way. He wiggled a bit, finding the ¡°lap bar¡± snug against his, well, lap. He coiled the strap of his recorder around his arm, protecting it the best he could. ¡°Check!¡± a gruff voice yelled. Stell looked to the side, finding a dwarven man wearing a park-employee shirt. ¡°Check!¡± the same orcish woman yelled back. The man then tapped the top of a podium disguised as a barrel¡ªand the ship started moving. ¡°Have a safe trip!¡± the woman said to the riders, a smirk on her face. She pointed to a barrel on the far end of the deck. ¡°And don¡¯t forget to deliver the goods! The Hero needs them!¡± Stell didn¡¯t like that smirk. Just what had he gotten himself into? The ocean on either side started to move as wind ruffled the wide sails. The ship moved away from the dock, and the orcish woman disappeared along with the underwater world. Soon the dock was but a small blip in an infinitely large ocean. The ship continued gaining speed. A wave slammed into the hull, and Stell felt his stomach lurch. His eyes briefly met the dark thunderclouds¡ªthey didn¡¯t cower in fear, if anything, they only grew. A bolt of lightning flashed from the heavens, crashing into the murky, rough waves as rain began to fall. A couple of barrels started sliding across the deck. A wave lifted the ship, tipping it until Stell was looking into the deathly ocean. People were screaming! Each clutching their lap bars as if their lives depended on it! Stell held his lumen recorder tighter. But¡ªin between the waves, when the ship lulled, Stell could hear the excitement. Giggles, laughs, cheers, and whatnot. It was there, hidden behind the mask of fear¡ªhidden behind the illusions of a watery death.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A smile broke across his demonic face. His eyes went wide when a shark flopped from the water onto the lower deck! Fish leaped from the waves, giant tentacles sprouted from either side of the ship, clawing their way from the depths¡ªa flash of lighting bolted down, smiting the creature! Sizzling black smoke wafted amongst the rain, and Stell thought he could smell grilled octopus. Overhead, one of the sails caught on fire, ropes snapping from the diabolical heavy winds. Stell might have screamed a little at that. Yet, a ray of light stopped him. It burst from the dark clouds like a hymn against evil. It eased the waves, it sent the fish and sharks back to their homes, it slowed the ship down, it¡ª The dock suddenly appeared, along with the smiling orcish woman and the gruff dwarven man. They both smiled and waved, careening the ship into port. ¡°Welcome back!¡± the woman cheered, when the ship came to a rest. ¡°Glad you all are alright! Did you deliver the goods?¡± Stell paused, glancing around. The barrel was gone¡ªhis stomach sunk. ¡°No¡­ it must have fallen out,¡± he muttered loud enough everyone on the ship could hear. His ¡°crewmates¡± all nodded along, dire expressions on all of them. The orcish woman gave them a sympathetic look. ¡°Must¡¯ve been a mighty storm, huh! Well, it¡¯s a good thing we¡¯ve got plenty of willing people to try again!¡± She jutted a thumb toward the guests waiting in line. Then, she said, ¡°Please exit to the right!¡± Stell stood gawking. Three words came to mind about this whole experience. This. Is. Epic! *** Luka, Eve, Franky, and Mayor Tram quietly discussed Rogue Wave as they watched smiling guests exit the ride. ¡°I think you¡¯ve outdone yourself,¡± said the mayor. ¡°Thank Sol and Eve¡ªthey taught me how to stitch illusions,¡± Luka replied. The ride was¡­ not perfect in his mind. But it was a good foundational start, very good. Just exiting the ride, a mother held her son¡¯s hand, the kid practically skipping down the illusionary dock. Behind them, an elderly woman strolled forward, her cane all but forgotten and youth filling her bones. Behind her, two teens held each other in their arms, their eyes wide but now holding memories they¡¯d never forget. ¡°That was all Aunt Sol,¡± Eve reluctantly said. ¡°As much as it pains me to admit, she came through last night.¡± Above them, a raven cawed. Eve glared at the bird. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I don¡¯t care what you say.¡± ¡°I just hope next time doesn¡¯t take so long,¡± Luka darkly said. ¡°How many hours of sleep did I get again?¡± ¡°Five,¡± Franky answered with a shiver. ¡°Waking you was hard¡ªI thought you were dead at first. Can you imagine little Leo curled up across your chest, sleeping on your dead body? Because I can.¡± Leo, fully sized, barked. Luka scratched his buddy on the neck. ¡°Good boy. Next time someone tries to wake us, just growl at them until they leave us alone!¡± Eve frowned at the same time Tram smirked. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± the latter said. ¡°Nothing like a guard pup!¡± Rolling her eyes, Eve said, ¡°Yeah, real nice¡­ until you¡¯re the one waking them¡ªwhich will be me or Franky. Luka stretched, feeling his spine pop several times. ¡°Let¡¯s just make it so this situation never has to happen again. Next attraction we build, we need to properly plan it out.¡± ¡°Indeed¡ªand I have a few ideas about that.¡± Tram had that glimmer in her eye. ¡°Of course you do.¡± ¡°Obviously, a single night isn¡¯t enough time, which is why we could use your building as a marketing gimmick.¡± She stretched her arms out wide. ¡°Imagine this: ¡®Come one, come all, come see the World Walker¡¯s divine magic in action! What¡¯s he building, no one knows! Only that it¡¯s going to be magical!¡¯¡± The three others blankly stared. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, Mayor,¡± Franky muttered. ¡°It¡¯s the money,¡± Eve added. With a sigh, Luka said, ¡°Yes, Tram, I like the idea. And I can understand the theatrics of it all. If we are going to do that, we¡¯d need to set specific times I¡¯d be working, then work for a few hours, then finish the rest the next day or at night.¡± ¡°Like one of them stage shows,¡± Tram said. ¡°Exactly. Once we find when off-hours are, we can hold the shows then, thus drawing more people to the park during those times.¡± The next round of guests exited the attraction. They dispersed back into the park or rejoined Rogue Wave¡¯s queue, with smiles on their faces. Eve growled something incoherent and removed a handful of coins from her pocket. She practically threw them at her brother. Franky smirked like a preening goldfish. ¡°Thanks, sis!¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± ¡°We had a bet. She bet in the first two full rides, a guest would throw up. I bet not.¡± ¡°Eve!¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°When we finished last night and rode it, I almost threw up! I thought someone surely would, okay!?¡± ¡°Sucker,¡± Franky said under his breath, receiving a dower glare. Shaking his head slowly, Luka looked across the area. So far, Rogue Wave had a long line. The switchback queue was completely filled and spilling out past the fences. The line would need to be extended, at least temporarily. But then again¡­ if today¡¯s attendance numbers were anything to go off of, tomorrow World Walker Park was going to see even more guests. Maybe an extended queue was the smart thing to do. Oh! And more bathrooms. Can¡¯t have enough of those. Luka carefully watched the next round of riders exit. Again, all were smiling and loudly discussing the ride with their friends and fellow riders. None, so far, seemed too scared¡ªsomething Luka was afraid of himself. If the swings were too scary, the pirate ship ride surely was as well. But that was what the illusionary underwater queue was for, to ease anxiety. Seems to be working, Luka thought, Hopefully, in the future¡ª He cut himself off abruptly when he locked eyes with a man watching him in the distance. Briefly, for as long as it took to blink, Luka felt a terrible sensation roll down his spine. Sweat built and dripped down his back and brow, his knees went limp, his hands shook. ¡°Guys,¡± he harshly said, cutting off the banter between siblings, ¡°that man over there¡ªwhat¡¯s he doing? I think he just did something to me.¡± Everyone looked over, finding a demonic man standing down the way. He shifted his weight around his feet anxiously. ¡°You scared of him?¡± Tram asked. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Luka said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. That happens with demons. Don¡¯t look them in the eye, and you¡¯ll be fine. They¡¯re nice people, in my experience, they just have some oddities.¡± Tram eyed the man. ¡°Although¡­ that man does look suspicious now that I think about it.¡± Eve and Franky studied the man as well. ¡°Yeah,¡± Eve said. ¡°What¡¯s that box he¡¯s holding?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a bomb, is it?¡± Luka hesitantly asked. ¡°Nah,¡± Franky said with a laugh. ¡°The Gods would smite him down if he was carrying a bomb and intended to detonate it here.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean the box still can¡¯t be holding a bomb.¡± Franky paused. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. Wow! That guy really might have a bomb! We should do¡ª¡± Tram thumped him on the back of the head. ¡°Shut up, child. That¡¯s not a bomb¡ªit¡¯s a lumen recorder box. That man¡¯s a reporter from Sneerhome.¡± Eve¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That might be worse than a bomb!¡± Franky laughed but stopped when Luka didn¡¯t laugh with him. ¡°Eve, trust me. Nothing is worse than a bomb.¡± ¡°Melodramatic, much?¡± Tram asked before waving the demonic man over. The man quickly looked away, keeping his eyes low as he practically dashed across the walkway. He stopped just before the group and introduced himself, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Junior Associate Editor for the Sneerhome Chronicle, Stell Metus. Would you mind if I asked you, Mr. World Walker and Mrs. Mayor some questions for tomorrow morning¡¯s issue?¡± ¡°A newspaper?¡± Luka asked, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°This world has the press?¡± ¡°Of course it does,¡± Tram replied. ¡°After all, it was one of your own that created the industry.¡± Stell jumped and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. World Walker Pulitzer, if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡± ¡°Pulitzer?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Pulitzer was reincarnated here?¡± The demon hesitantly nodded, his eyes still cast low. ¡°You know of him¡ª¡± The man gasped. ¡°Was Pulitzer from your world?¡± ¡°From Earth, yeah. Wow. Which God reincarnated him, and how long ago did it happen?¡± ¡°That would have been God Uin some hundred years ago. I wasn¡¯t alive at the time of Pulitzer¡¯s death¡ªor should I say second death¡ªbut as I understand it, he was very celebrated on this world.¡± Luka couldn¡¯t believe it and looked to Tram for confirmation. ¡°Sounds about right,¡± she said. ¡°All you World Walkers are celebrated when you second-die¡­ And what better way to secure your legacy, Luka, than a well-made front-page article in the Sneerhome Chronicle!?¡± ¡°Well, uh, the front page is heavily contested,¡± Stell said. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee¡ª¡± Tram slapped the man on the back. ¡°Front page or no interview!¡± ¡°Mayor¡ªI can¡¯t just¡ª¡± ¡°Sure, you can! Front page or no interview! Simple as that!¡± Luka loudly sighed before this went any further. ¡°I¡¯ll do the interview regardless of the page. What¡¯s your first question?¡± Stell glanced up, making sure not to look Luka in the eye. ¡°My first question is, would you mind having your picture taken?¡± He patted his leather box. ¡°Oh! A picture is a¡ª¡± ¡°I know what a picture is, and yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°Okay¡ªah, uh,¡± he fumbled with the box. ¡°While I set up, how about you tell me about yourself?¡± Chapter 35: Helpful Suggestions Day two came to an end. With the sun down and dinner in his belly, Luka sifted through scraps of paper, sorting them like stone and gold. He, and most of the villagers, again sat in the courthouse school listening to the mayor. And yet, Luka found her words fleeting, the filled box beside him practically enthralling. Earlier in the day, he had created a small wooden lock box and placed it near the entrance to the park. Throughout the day, hundreds of guests all passed the box¡ªand a small sign that read ¡°SUGGESTION BOX.¡± Some left suggestions, others ignored it completely. ¡°Costs: eighty-one gold, nine silver. Again, most of that was for materials, food, and drink. However¡ªand this is a big ¡®however¡¯¡ªthe park made seven hundred and thirty-three gold. Which makes our profit¡­¡± Tram trailed off, the room already erupted in cheers and hollers. The park made more money today than yesterday? After spending more money than yesterday? And without charging for its newest flagship attraction? Celebrations were in order, rightfully so. The ceiling of the courthouse vibrated with cheers, clapping, and stomping. Villagers grabbed one another hand in hand, dancing. They sang from one partner to the next, everyone chanting rhythmically to a song everyone knew by heart. Luka cracked a grin at the sight, his hands clapping to the beat. Briefly, he looked for Eve. She wasn¡¯t here, not yet. Why am I looking for her? I know where she is¡­ Did he want to dance with her? Was that it? Luka stowed the thought, resuming his sorting. Tram waited for the dancing to stop before saying, ¡°After last night¡¯s interruption, I feel the need to hire security earlier than anticipated¡ªespecially since there were some six-hundred guests here today.¡± She was referring to the invisible man eavesdropping last night. And while her plans were hidden to most of the village, Luka was privy to her and Judge Ben¡¯s thoughts. The problem wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to hire outside help, the problem was that they had to. There was only a finite number of villagers, and security wasn¡¯t something anyone here was proficient at¡ªeven Gr¡¯rok. ¡°With that being said, any volunteers for the position of head of security?¡± Tram asked, reviving grumbles from around the room. ¡°It will be strictly managerial. You yourself will not have to interfere with the guests or whatnot. You¡¯d just oversee hiring, scheduling, and payment.¡± A meek green hand was raised. An orcish woman, one of the few who wore glasses, slowly stood. Luka recognized her as Ginna. ¡°I can¡­ Who am I to hire?¡± she asked. ¡°Tomorrow, go to Sneerhome and make a job listing with the city guard and adventuring guild. If no one bites, we¡¯ll look into other options.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to interview applicants, right?¡± Tram nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this when the meeting¡¯s over.¡± Ginna sat down, looking, frankly, anxious. Luka found her eye and gave her a smile; she froze like a ribblelit in front of the full moon. ¡°Okay!¡± Tram said, changing gears. ¡°Let¡¯s continue then. Before Luka speaks, did anyone have any problems they wished to discuss?¡± ¡°A kid ran off into the woods,¡± an orcish man announced. ¡°Franky and Sebby had to look for him.¡± Franky stood. ¡°We found him a little ways in. He was fine and thought he was on an adventure.¡± Luka glanced up from his sorting. ¡°I¡¯ll put a fence around the park.¡± The mayor drummed her fingers on the podium. ¡°Alrighty, then. Franky, did you offer a ¡®skip-the-line¡¯ pass to the family of the kid?¡± Someone shouted, ¡°SPEED PASSES!¡± ¡°Rapid tickets!¡± another added. ¡°Walker passes?¡± a third hesitantly asked. Apparently, with their inception into this world, a ¡®skip-the-line¡¯ pass needed a name¡ªat least according to Luka. And, apparently, the village had taken it upon themselves to think of a name for him. Tram snapped her fingers. ¡°That one! Who said it?¡± The same meek orc, now head of security, raised her hand. ¡°Well done, Ginna! Drinks are on the park for you tomorrow.¡± Grunts and groans echoed from the room. Ginna practically preened. Franky cleared his throat. ¡°I did give them a pass. They promptly skipped the line for Rogue Wave.¡± ¡°Smart,¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good line to skip,¡± ¡°Walker passes hold too much power,¡± were among the villagers¡¯ commentary on the subject.Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Luka?¡± Tram asked. ¡°Ready?¡± The World Walker stood and wrapped around the podium, his stack of paper in his hands. He set them down and collected himself before speaking. ¡°As some of you know, I placed a suggestion box at the front of the park. And while some suggestions¡ª¡± he tapped the smaller pile ¡°¡ªare useful, most¡ª¡± he tapped the larger pile, ¡°¡ªwere not. All I have to say is no matter the world, teenagers are still teenagers.¡± ¡°What do the useless ones say?¡± asked Franky. Luka held up the topmost suggestion. ¡°This one just says ¡®balls.¡¯¡± He held up another. ¡°This one also says ¡®balls.¡¯¡± Franky, like most of the villagers, forced himself not to smile. The World Walker continued, ¡°This one says to make the sky red. This one says something about women I¡¯m not going to read. This one, again, says ¡®balls.¡¯ So¡ª¡± Various voices whispered throughout the room. ¡°So,¡± he said louder, piercing the discussion, ¡°as you can see, this is what we¡¯re dealing with. So, let¡¯s move on to the real suggestions.¡± He took the first of the pile. ¡°¡¯More food options, especially vegan and vegetarian.¡¯¡± ¡°I know a few recipes!¡± All eyes turned to the corner of the room, where little Ren had leaped to his feet, shouting. Ren quickly added, ¡°Please? Please, Mr. Luka?¡± Luka deferred to Tram, who patiently said, ¡°Make a recipe list, and I¡¯ll make sure it gets to the right people.¡± Ren¡¯s eyes went as wide as his smile. He dropped to his butt, snatching a colored stick of wax and getting to work. ¡°Continuing on,¡± Luka said, ¡°There¡¯s a few about more drink options. This one wants retheming for the WHEEL, teacups, and swing¡ªI¡¯ve got plans for that already, so don¡¯t worry.¡± He went to the next one. ¡°A better, grander entrance and pathways.¡± And the next. ¡°This one says, ¡®more toilets.¡¯ Again, easy changes.¡± Luka paused at the next one. ¡°This one says ¡®more space to park my wagon.¡¯ Is that an actual issue?¡± Tram answered, ¡°Sort of. People park their wagons by Todd¡¯s bar and inn. The issue is that most of the area is overgrown. I¡¯ll get someone to grab a scythe and start cutting. Past that, we¡¯d need another permit from Sneerhome to clear more trees.¡± ¡°Well, okay, keep me in the loop.¡± Luka went to the next suggestion. ¡°This one asks us not to cut down any trees¡ª¡± ¡°I wrote that one,¡± Mrs. Leafsong, the resident dryad, said. Tram rolled her eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this¡ª¡± ¡°And I am re-talking about it now.¡± Luka quickly asked, ¡°Would replanting what we cut down be fine? Or instead of cutting them down, we excavate and move them elsewhere?¡± ¡°The forest will not like either option,¡± Leafsong said firmly. ¡°What about¡ª¡± ¡°Luka,¡± Tram interrupted. ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about it for right now. Unless you were planning to cut some trees down?¡± ¡°Actually, I might have a good idea. I know it doesn¡¯t quite fit what you, Mrs. Leafsong, are trying to protect, but how about this: briefly, we talked about the idea of a section of the park being themed. How about one dedicated to the conservation of nature? Trees, animals, whatever you need to make the area beautiful and a proper sanctuary.¡± ¡°Me?¡± asked Mrs. Leafsong. ¡°Sure, you¡¯re the concept artist for World Walker Park, after all. You design the overarching area, and I¡¯ll make sure it is built properly¡ªand with as little destruction to the surrounding forest as possible.¡± The dryad didn¡¯t respond and only stared at the man. Luka sighed internally. ¡°How about this? Start making a list of all the types of plants, trees, and shrubbery you think would look great in the section, even if they are expensive and must be imported. In the meantime, start painting! Come to me with a few different designs, and I¡¯ll give you some notes.¡± ¡°What about animals?¡± ¡°Them too.¡± ¡°How large of an area?¡± ¡°You know how big the park is right now? Rides, paths, and open areas?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied Leafsong. ¡°Double that.¡± ¡°All for one section?¡± Her chin made of bark hung open. ¡°That¡¯s very large.¡± ¡°Nature¡¯s worth it. What do you say? You like the idea?¡± ¡°I do¡­¡± ¡°Great! Let¡¯s talk more outside this meeting. For now, we¡¯ve got more suggestions to go through.¡± Luka waited a moment before moving on to the next slip of paper. ¡°This one¡¯s talking about souvenirs. They want us to sell something called an ¡®artifact.¡¯ Can we make¡ª¡± Several groans and scoffs rippled across the room. ¡°Go on to the next one,¡± Tram said with a huff. Luka blinked once. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m missing some context.¡± ¡°Artifacts are magically enchanted god-made items. They are usually weapons that warriors use to defend their villages or stationary constructs that bring water to deserts. For someone to suggest World Walker Park sell items of such value is well¡ª¡± she nodded to the larger pile of rejected suggestions, ¡°¡ªthe suggestion should be in that pile.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ well, if the gods make them, why don¡¯t we just ask for some? Maybe they¡¯d like to sell them at the park?¡± Luka received confused, or outright incredulous, stares. ¡°Goddess Tippy stole two of my smashburgers, guys. The least we could do is ask.¡± The stares changed to bewilderment. He sighed and looked up toward the heavens, ¡°Um, Goddess Tippy¡ªor any other gods for that matter¡ªwould any of you like to give us some artifacts to sell¡ª¡± A hand darted across Luka¡¯s mouth, clamping it closed. ¡°You are not going to blasphemy in this village!¡± she snapped. ¡°Especially not with the children present.¡± Luka looked over, finding all the kids watching with interest¡ªexcept for Ren, the boy couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°He doesn¡¯t understand, Tram,¡± Franky said. Luka quickly nodded. Tram released her hand. ¡°Such prayers are considered sacrilegious. We need no help nor an artifact to properly run the park! Wasting the goddess¡¯ ear for personal greed when others might actually be in need of her help is a terrible sin.¡± Luka held up his hands in surrender. The crowd defrosted. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is prayer is okay, so long as it isn¡¯t begging for selfish greed.¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Franky said, removing a familiar cigarette case from his pocket. He wavedit at Luka, who understood the gesture instantly. Smoke-up after this? ¡°Alrighty,¡± the Earthling said placidly. ¡°Sorry everyone, won¡¯t happen again.¡± Someone stood near the back of the courtroom. ¡°What is this about the Goddess stealing your smashburgers? Was that a joke?¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± Luka cringed as he said it. ¡°That was true.¡± The stares changed and returned to bewilderment. Chapter 36: Candy Rings Two gods sat on the back row of a recreation of World Walker Park¡¯s newest attraction. ¡°He seems to be doing well,¡± God Rion said, pulling the lap bar down. ¡°Better than I was expecting, yeah,¡± Goddess Tippy muttered, adjusting her own lap bar. It was hard for her to express that someone other than herself could be right, even in divinity. But here they were, brother and sibling, both right to a degree. Clouds rolled in overhead, the brewing storm swallowing the recreated Walker. The godly duo indulged in the mortal wonder of ¡°rain,¡± the illusionary weather reminding both of memories long past. They sat in silence for a few moments, simply enjoying the mortal amusement attraction. When the shark landed on the deck, both gods flinched. ¡°Was it always this realistic?¡± Rion asked. ¡°Magic has truly evolved since we were kids.¡± ¡°You know we can¡¯t talk about that.¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t it amaze you? Look at what they were able to achieve! Forget about your pet project¡¯s creation magic, and look at what Sol made!¡± Tippy found herself agreeing. The Guilds keep so much locked away¡­ She shook her head and flicked her wrist. ¡°Sol¡¯s magic is amazing, but it breaks so easily.¡± Around them, the illusions failed, cracking into dust like sand hit by a hammer. Rion gave her the look. ¡°You have no imagination.¡± ¡°And you have too much imagination.¡± They both glared at each other as the ride came to a stop. The restraints released, and they stepped off. Tippy sighed, supposing she¡¯d be the first to speak¡ªRion was childish like that. ¡°Neb made a move.¡± The god hesitated, then glanced up at the stars. ¡°I noticed that as well. Some of the constellations shifted over the park.¡± ¡°That old fool is looking for any¡ªand everything¡ªto do. Why does he have to involve himself with me? Luka¡¯s mine, can¡¯t he see that?¡± ¡°Neb¡¯s a god like you or I,¡± Rion reminded. ¡°He can do what he wants¡­ mostly.¡± Tippy grunted, which sounded more akin to a growl, and said, ¡°Is he so bored of his stars that a small village is worth his time? He¡¯s rarely interested in mortals¡¯ personal lives. Why now? Why Luka?¡± ¡°Because Luka is interesting. And well,¡± Rion gestured between himself and his sister, ¡°we are interested in Luka. You¡¯ve appeared before the boy several times now and influenced events to unprecedented levels¡ª¡± ¡°You steal two smashburgers, and everyone starts to think poorly of you.¡± Rion smiled softly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to bring it up.¡± Tippy just glared. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted them!¡± ¡°Was I? I remember the event differently.¡± He flicked his wrist, materializing a long couch as he sat down on it. ¡°Come now, sis, let¡¯s forget about such troubling thievery and instead discuss Luka¡¯s most recent prayer.¡± Tippy sat down as well. ¡°I¡¯ve handled it already.¡± ¡°Have you?¡± Rion¡¯s eyes went deep, magic allowing him to see the future. ¡°Oh wow, that¡¯s devious sister. Are you sure that¡¯s a gift and not a curse?¡± ¡°For most, a curse. But for a man like Luka?¡± She left the rest unsaid. *** Luka sat with Ren, Nicole, Mr. Sticky, and several of the other children out by the lake and water slides while on an hour-long break. The park would run without him, he reminded himself, and working to the bone was good for no one. Spending every waking moment thinking about rides, attractions, and guest satisfaction would only get him so far. Eve had already forced him to agree to a sit-down daily mental health lunch or dinner with her and/or Franky. Luka was glad about that, in all seriousness. Just knowing someone was looking out for him, made his insides feel all warm and fuzzy. In his hands, Luka held the newest issue of the Sneerhome Chronicle¡ªthe front page reading ¡°A WORLD WALKER OR A WORLD MAKER?¡± The article then went on to describe the reporter, Stell¡¯s, day at the park and the absolute amazement he, and the other attendees, felt while riding Rogue Wave¡ªthe park¡¯s newest, and most enticing, attraction. Then, at the bottom of the article almost like an afterthought, Stell wrote about Goddess Tippy and her divine involvement in the park. Apparently, Stell wanted the park to speak for itself, goddess or no. And he only had positive things to say. On page two of the newspaper, Luka and Mayor Tram¡¯s interview took up nearly half the page. Sitting and reading the newspaper felt strange to Luka. Honestly, he felt as though he was back on Earth. If you stripped away the strange races, magic, and cultural differences, this¡ªstill unknown named world¡ªwas incredibly similar. People worked, people ate, people had fun, and people eventually died. Passions and goals were at the forefront of the masses and religion kept everyone in line. Still. People were relying on Luka¡ªhe knew that. A yawn escaped his lips. But working the graveyard shift then opening, operating, and running the park just wasn¡¯t sustainable. A few hours ago, he and Tram had ironed out a tentative schedule for his involvement, especially related to when he would build new sections of the park. People would come far and wide to watch his magic in action, something even Aunt Sol agreed with. It wasn¡¯t every day that someone hosted a divine magic showcase, especially a World Walker. And it was in these few moments of relaxation that Luka was glad he chose Emberwood Village. No one was pushing him, no one was forcing him to do what they wanted via contracts or manipulation. Mayor Tram, in all her earnest goodness, was, at the end of the day, a good person. Luka could see that, so could every other villager¡ªand even the kids. Speaking of the kids¡­ ¡°What about apples?¡± Ren asked. Luka took a deep breath. ¡°Apple sauce, pie, strudel, cake. Cinnamon and apples are an amazing combo, so is apple and pork sausage with sage.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s probably thousands of pastries using apples, though most are variations of each other¡ªtypes of dough, sweetness, sourness, etcetera.¡± Ren¡¯s eyes were as large as saucers as he wrote down the World Walker¡¯s home-world foods. Soon, the page was filled. Information about cashews, apricots, bell peppers, and salmon were the first few entries. While crossed out local fruits and vegetables took up the rest. Apparently, Earth didn¡¯t have those, or if it did, Luka didn¡¯t know about them. ¡°What about hymnberry?¡± ¡°Never heard of it.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯s popular at parties. Give the eater a ¡®divine voice¡¯ for a few minutes like musekale.¡± ¡°Never heard of that either.¡± Ren scoffed, muttered something about ¡®Earth being weird,¡¯ and wrote some more notes. Beside the boy, Nicole manipulated Mr. Sticky to mime him working through an invisible kitchen. The doll sauteed and chopped, flipped and grilled¡ªquite vividly, if Luka were honest. Small, whittled pots and pans sat strewn across the table, along with an open-air concept stove Luka built from a hunk of wood and a memory. ¡°When are you going to open Ren¡¯s restraunt?¡± Nicole asked, looking up from her doll.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Ren¡¯s green face instantly turned red. ¡°Shut it, Nicole! I told you not to bother him about that!¡± Luka frowned at the boy. ¡°Be nice, Ren. And have I said I¡¯d make Ren a restaurant? I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Mmhmm!¡± Nicole hummed. ¡°Ren said you said it was going to be three stories tall with two large kitchens. The top floor was going to be the expensive menu while the lower two were going to be for peons!¡± Luka blinked at the girl. ¡°I definitely would have remembered using the word ¡®peon.¡¯ Got something to say, Ren?¡± The boy looked to be on the verge of imploding. ¡°I¡ªI¡ª¡± He swallowed a wad of spit the size of a skipping stone. ¡°So¡ªno hymnberry, huh? How would you make lemonade, then?¡± The World Walker rolled his eyes. ¡°With lemons.¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­¡± That got a chuckle from Luka. A dozen or so paces ahead, a group of kids linked arms and whipped down the slide, splashing into the water like a jet ski wipeout. They giggled and hollered when they resurfaced, each blaming one kid in particular for ruining the group¡¯s balance. Apparently, the kids were playing a modified version of ¡°Ah! There¡¯s a werewolf among us! Run!¡± a social deduction game where one kid is randomly chosen to be a ¡°werewolf¡± and tries to ¡°turn¡± all the other players into werewolves with subterfuge and lies. ¡°What about chicken?¡± Ren asked ¡°Way too many dishes to list.¡± ¡°The highlights?¡± Thinking about it, Luka suggested, ¡°Fried, grilled, and roasted, all with sauce. I like sauces.¡± ¡°Fried? Like in oil?¡± ¡°With a seasoned flour breading.¡± Ren considered this. ¡°I¡­ think for my restaurant, it¡¯ll need to be taller than three stories. There are just too many dishes to make. And the first rule of creating a menu is to keep it small.¡± Nicole looked strangely at her friend. ¡°You made that up.¡± ¡°Nuh huh! Tell her Luka!¡± Luka stole a glance at the young dryad. She was timid when she looked at him¡ªbunny staring down a hawk, timid. And yet, the girl did stare. Ren, likewise, wasn¡¯t intimidated by the title of World Walker, something most, if not all, of the other kids failed to mimic. Hell, even some village adults walked hesitantly around Luka. They bother me, Luka told himself. It wasn¡¯t Nicole or Ren¡¯s outgoingness nor their willingness to ignore their friends to sit with him, but rather the darkness that hid behind their eyes. Eve had told Luka his smile was fake¡ªa faux crutch to hide the sadness in the back of his mind. And while Luka didn¡¯t see it himself, he did see it in Nicole and Ren. Ren¡¯s outspoken love for cooking, and Nicole¡¯s following around Ren like a lost puppy. On the surface, neither were that strange. But with the village¡¯s morbid history? Luka shivered at the notion. Guilt and sorrow smothered his own problems in his mind. The park? Bombs and war? They were nothing compared to the problems plaguing the kids¡ªthe orphans. Is Ren¡¯s obsession with cooking the first signs of trauma? Could Nicole¡¯s reliance on Mr. Sticky and Ren be hitting the same notes? Or am I just imagining things? Hell, am I projecting my own trauma onto them? Luka shook himself out of his own head. Pessimism will get me nowhere, he thought. It was then, he decided, that all of his work¡ªthe park itself¡ªwas for the kids. The profits, the investments, everything would go to them, they deserved it. ¡°Tell me about the food of this world, Ren,¡± he said, his voice quiet. ¡°Maybe start with your favorite?¡± ¡°Smashburgers,¡± Ren said after thinking for a moment. Luka shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s from my world. Tell me about this one. For example, my mother used to make me toast with cinnamon and sugar on it with lots of butter. When I imagine it, I can still taste it.¡± Ren breathed slowly and Nicole looked strangely at him. Then, as if the floodgates broke inside of him, words spilled out. The boy started rambling, long winded, nearly incoherent, statements about his mom, his dad, and the food they used to share. ¡°And then, this one time, she cooked this meat pie thing that¡ªI don¡¯t know its name¡ªbut it tasted like dirt, but the more I ate it, the more I liked it, but not because it was good, but because my mom made it and she loved me and my dad, and because it tasted like dirt, she promised to make better food, and then the next thing she made I helped, and it was good, like really good, and from then on I liked cooking, and also it was nice because my mom got better at cooking too. Then she died and that makes me sad. Dad, too.¡± Luka flinched. ¡°Uh¡ª¡± He subtly looked around for Tram or Ben or someone. No other adults were around. ¡°Thanks for sharing, Ren. And I¡¯m sorry they died. My mom also died.¡± ¡°Did she make good food?¡± ¡°The best.¡± Ren locked eyes with Luka. ¡°That¡¯s not true. My mom made the best food.¡± Luka held up his hands, surrendering the point. ¡°Okay, okay. Your mom made the best food. I trust you, little chef, to know what¡¯s good or not.¡± Ren puffed his chest out with pride, his eyes falling on something past Luka¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Your wolf is peeing on the pizza oven.¡± Luka turned, finding a miniature Leo with his back leg up. ¡°Leo!¡± he snapped. ¡°You couldn¡¯t go anywhere else? We use that to eat!¡± The dire wolf jerked his head over, finding his rider and a few of the children. If animals could be abashed, the way Leo¡¯s tail dropped between his back legs was it. But then, realization came over him. He was a wolf. Using magic to make himself larger, he grew to his true size, shadowing the picnic table and blotting out the sun for those sitting. And finally, Leo let out a loose, deep groan. It wasn¡¯t a growl, but Leo had to show dominance. He had to! HE could pee wherever he wanted¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t you make that sound at me,¡± Luka chided. ¡°People eat off the oven, that¡¯s gross.¡± Leo¡¯s groaning became louder. ¡°Hey! Stop that! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m going to tell Olive she can peck you whenever she wants.¡± Leo stopped in his tracks. Without missing a beat, the wolf shrunk his size down to that of a kitten, promptly skipping over to his rider and hopping into his lap. He gave Luka a few licks for good measure. ¡°Good boy,¡± Luka said, petting the childish wolf. But on the second stroke, he stopped, noticing a ring on his finger that was definitely not there this morning. ¡°What the?¡± He held up his hand for Ren and Nicole to see, showing off the weathered silver band in all its glory. A butterfly then landed on his nose, appearing from seemingly nowhere. ¡°Uh¡ª¡± ¡°You ask for an artifact, your wish shall be granted,¡± a voice said smoothly, as if her words were silken drapes. Luka and the children flinched, finding Goddess Tippy sitting with them at the picnic table. She was made of sparkling energy, magic made physical. Skin the color of harmony, stretched across bones made of pure wisdom. Her dark, luscious hair draped around the area, touching debris and cleaning the lakeside. Rocks, sticks, and fallen leaves all disappeared. The grass was cut short, the bushes trimmed back¡ª Leo barked. The Goddess chuckled. ¡°Yes, I agree, little wolfy.¡± Leo barked again. ¡°Uhhhhh¡ª¡± Ren cut himself off, Nicole grabbing his elbow. ¡°Do not worry, children, I come only to speak to this one,¡± she nodded toward Luka. ¡°But I do bring gifts.¡± She motioned with her hand, light bending around it like a prism rainbow. Candies of all types appeared, some even vibrantly pulsing with magentas and golds. Ren¡¯s hand darted out, snatching a lollipop. Tippy laughed again. ¡°Make sure you share. There is plenty for all of you children.¡± Only now noticing the goddess in their midst, the children hunting for werewolves stopped and stared, their jaws almost on the grassy floor. But despite the children¡¯s stupor, their guardian wasn¡¯t so surprised. ¡°I figured you¡¯d leave me alone after all the time we spent together,¡± Luka said. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± ¡°I got the feeling I was annoying you.¡± Tippy frowned at him. ¡°Nothing ¡®annoys¡¯ me, Luka. Nothing mortal, at least. I experience time differently than you¡ªour time together was needed, regardless of my ¡®annoyance¡¯ or not.¡± ¡°Then why are you here?¡± ¡°You left my domain quite upset. I am checking on you and making a delivery.¡± She nodded to the ring on his finger. She then hesitated for a moment. ¡°I also come to warn: one of my ilk has noticed you and the park. God Neb, of the stars and constellations.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Am I supposed to be worried?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Depends on if he talks to you again.¡± ¡°Again?¡± ¡°He was a guest in the park.¡± ¡°I think I would remember another god appearing in the park.¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t as,¡± Tippy snapped her fingers, sending rainbow sparks across the area, ¡°colorful. But enough about that. We should discuss the ring.¡± Luka spun the band of metal around his finger. ¡°An artifact.¡± ¡°An artifact, yes.¡± Tippy sighed. ¡°For reference, I would not have given it to you. But you prayed, so here I am. The ring will assist you in creating, both materially and with the more metaphysical aspects of glyphs and magic.¡± ¡°Metaphysica-whatty?¡± Ren asked. The Goddess and World Walker ignored him, the latter opting to ask, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you have given it to me?¡± ¡°The same reason I don¡¯t just tell you what to do and what not to do. The moment we remove free will is the moment we gods become something else.¡± Luka¡¯s thoughts stopped. ¡°Is that sentiment in the same vein as reincarnating someone without consent? ¡°Yes. And before you get mad, your soul did consent. My brother can attest, you wanted to have a second chance at life. Dying on that frozen bench on Earth, all you thought about is the ways you¡¯d fix your mistakes.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t. But are you going to sit and whine, or do something productive?¡± And with that, she poofed away in a burst of spotlights. A moment passed in silence, but then one of the kids standing by the waterslide yelled, ¡°Jenny is not going to believe this! The one day she decides not to come with us to the lake, and a Goddess visits!¡± ¡°Sucks to be her!¡± another yelped. Luka shuddered. ¡°Kids are ruthless,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°And so are the gods.¡± He had a lot to think about. Chapter 37: Artifact Eve and Franky quietly conversed as Rogue Wave swung back and forth, only part way through its ride sequence. But when a man approached via the exit, Eve¡¯s face split into a smile¡ªLuka was finally around. ¡°I heard you had a special visitor a few hours ago!¡± she said as the overhead illusionary clouds poured rain and the illusionary coral reef enthralled beside them. It was just past noon and well into her and Franky¡¯s shift. As it turned out, to the surprise of no one, the park had brought in significantly more people than yesterday. Rogue Wave, Goddess Tippy¡¯s involvement, and maybe most importantly, a wonderful article by a certain demonic reporter were the causes. From park opening to now, Rogue Wave¡¯s line was always full and spilling out into the walkway. ¡°You¡¯ve got to build a secondary queue for us here,¡± Franky said to Luka. ¡°People keep coming up the exit thinking it¡¯s the line since the entrance is so muddled.¡± The World Walker nodded toward the entrance to the box of illusions that was the underwater reef. In reality, the ¡°box¡± was simply a covered queue, but with the illusions, it was as transparent as a building. ¡°Already done,¡± Luka said. ¡°I added a snaking fenced line leading from the path over. Should be good now, but we may need to expand it more later.¡± He doesn¡¯t give himself credit, why does that bother me so much? Eve asked herself, pausing at his words. Luka always said ¡°we¡± or ¡°us¡± when referring to things only he could do. Who else, besides the gods themselves, could do what he¡¯d done so far? Could Sol, she wondered? Maybe, given enough time and preparation. Could I? The answer was evident¡ªno. Behind Luka, Leo and Sebby wrestled over a particularly gnawed-on tree stump. Leo used his size-changing abilities to his advantage, shrinking and growing at will to dodge a chomp or defend a body-check. A little further away, Olive, the emu, watched from the cover of the bushes, her head sticking out of the leaves like an axe in a log. ¡°We need to build the area for beast companions,¡± Luka said, watching the wolves. ¡°A big open area with chew toys and plenty of sunning spots.¡± There¡¯s that word again, ¡®we,¡¯ Eve thought. She glanced at her friend, finding the Earthling to be¡­ to be¡­ It was hard to equate if she was honest with herself. Luka seemed less guarded? Or maybe he was more relaxed? She could tell he was stressed¡ªeveryone in the village was¡ªbut not like two days ago near the bathroom. Maybe the success of the park took something off his shoulders. Maybe he¡¯d realized the villagers are in it with him, and he doesn¡¯t need to supervise all the time. Either way, I¡¯m glad, Eve told herself, meaning it. Franky agreed with the idea. ¡°We should add a watering hole and a treat dispenser!¡± Luka turned, a glimmer in his eye. ¡°And a ball-throwing machine. One of the automatic ones the beasts can operate themselves.¡± ¡°Add it to the ever-growing-list of things to build!¡± Franky said with a laugh. Holding out his hand, Luka showed off a crude-iron ring. It was bland, dented, and warped, and yet, shimmered with an almost iridescent sheen. ¡°Hopefully this will help.¡± Eve leaned in, taking his hand. It was clammy. ¡°From the goddess?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± he gave her a strange look. ¡°How¡¯d you hear about that?¡± ¡°One of the kids,¡± Franky said, waving him off. ¡°Came by like a news crier.¡± Luka gave an annoyed sigh. ¡°You know, when you get a whole group of kids to take a vow of secrecy, you¡¯d think they¡¯d respect the terms.¡± ¡°What were the terms?¡± Eve found herself asking, Luka¡¯s hand still in hers. Suddenly, the weight of the ring felt¡­ infinite. Saying a ring was from a goddess was one thing, but Luka actually trying to keep it a secret? Just what was this ring? ¡°I told them if they could keep Goddess Tippy¡¯s sudden arrival and present,¡± he nodded at the ring, ¡°a secret, then they could have all of the other presents she left.¡± ¡°How¡ªhow many presents did she leave?¡± ¡°Oh, like a hundred or so¡ª¡± Eve and Franky gulped audibly. Luka then said, ¡°Can you believe that? A goddess swooping down from the heavens to drop off plain sugar? What kind of goddess wants to rot the teeth of¡ª¡± ¡°Luka, stop,¡± Eve snapped. She lurched on her feet, a cold sweat running down her back. ¡°Just what did the goddess gift?¡± He gave her a strange look. ¡°Candy. Like my grandmother would¡ª¡± He stopped himself, seeing the siblings¡¯ expressions. ¡°What¡¯d I say?¡± Franky exhaled as if breathing for the first time. ¡°We thought you were saying she left a hundred presents similar to that ring.¡± Beside them, Rogue Wave came to a stop. Guests filed off the ship, exclaiming praise for the ride. A moment later, a new set of guests filled the seats, all petrified about what was to come¡ªand if it was anything like the queue¡­ well, they¡¯d just have to wait and see. Eve quickly went through the ready checks with her brother, and the ride restarted. Luka gave an impish grin. ¡°Sorry, I thought the kid would have told you. Tippy arrived, handed out candy and the ring, talked with me for a minute, then left.¡± The siblings stared. ¡°What kind of candy¡ª¡± Eve smacked her brother on the arm. ¡°Ignore him. Is the ring an artifact? And before anyone tells you differently, you should keep it.¡± Luka smirked at Franky, but asked Eve, ¡°People are going to tell me to sell it?¡± ¡°Most of the village, I¡¯d wager. But that kid didn¡¯t tell us about the ring and candy, so maybe there¡¯s hope yet.¡± ¡°What?¡± Franky jumped in. ¡°You¡¯re going to want to keep that ring hidden. People will kill for an artifact, especially if it¡¯s a good one. Others will tell you to sell it and buy a private country for yourself and retire.¡± ¡°An entire country?¡± ¡°A small one¡ªyes,¡± Eve muttered darkly. ¡°The Amulet of Aprac is traded around nations every few years because if one nation ever held it too long, the others would go to war to get it back. Some artifacts are simply that powerful.¡± Luka lifted an eyebrow. ¡°I thought war wasn¡¯t a thing on this world.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not. But the gods would allow a war for the amulet. Though they¡¯d do everything they could to assist in solving things peacefully first.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°No one knows. Just that it does something.¡± Franky quickly added, ¡°That¡¯s going to be the case for most artifacts. The owners don¡¯t often tell the public what they do, or even that they have one, for that matter. The Amulet of Aprac is a national secret for the nine nations that share it.¡± ¡°Ah, well, okay¡­¡± Luka looked off into the distance, his eyes unrousing. There he goes again, Eve thought. Another memory from Earth breaking through his brain-fog. She studied his face¡ªwhatever the memory was, it made his lips twitch and the skin around his nose to crinkle. Was that bad? Was that good? Was he remembering the secrets of the universe or reliving more death and destruction? I could just ask him, Eve thought, knowing he¡¯d share even if it made him uncomfortable. ¡°What¡¯d you remember?¡± asked Franky. Eve quickly shot him a glare. Luka flinched, blinding back into focus. ¡°Oh, uh. Weapons from my world. I was touring a silo. Don¡¯t ask, please. Weapons like those don¡¯t deserve to ever be mentioned in this world.¡± Eve shared a look with her brother. Luka¡¯s memory was triggered by the amulet¡­ just what kind of weapon could stack-up to the amulet? ¡°Anyways,¡± Luka said, holding out his hand and ring. ¡°What¡¯s this do?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know already?¡± Franky asked. ¡°Should I?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Eve said at the same time as her brother. ¡°Oh¡­ how do I¡­¡± ¡°Connect your magic to it¡ªHold on, the ride¡¯s slowing down.¡± The next cycle of guests came and went, and Eve resumed her tutorial. ¡°Connect your magic to it and¡­ uh, I don¡¯t actually know.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Luka said, snapping his fingers and pointing at her. ¡°Something about magic you don¡¯t know! I never thought I''d see the day!¡± Eve rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh please, any other magic question you might have, I¡¯d be able to answer. Artifacts are too esoteric.¡± ¡°Yeah? Well, what about magic¡¯s role in smithing? Is that even a thing?¡± ¡°Sure, it is. Magical smiths are a well-paying profession if you join the guilds.¡± Luka made a face. ¡°Seriously? What do they do?¡± ¡°Make magical metal and stuff made from magical metal¡ªor, in the more interesting side of the profession, they make stuff into metal. Like clouds or lava.¡± ¡°Run that by me again?¡± ¡°Magical smiths can forge anything into a metal-like state, well, nearly everything.¡± ¡°Clouds?¡± ¡°Ever seen a cloud castle?¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± ¡°Well, you should. They¡¯re neat.¡± ¡°¡¯Neat.¡¯ Cloud castles are ¡®neat.¡¯¡± Luka looked like he wanted to say more. ¡°They are.¡± ¡°I believe you.¡± ¡°They are!¡± ¡°I truly believe you!¡± He held up his hands, surrendering. Eve¡¯s eyes magically found the ring. ¡°So what¡¯s it do?¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Luka''s shoulder tensed-up, an idea for the park forming, Eve recognized. ¡°Are there ¡®pocket dimensions¡¯ in this world?¡± Eve and Franky looked impressed. ¡°Your world had pocket dimensions?¡± ¡°Well, no¡ª¡± ¡°Who told you about them then?¡± ¡°They were theorized. But with magic, I thought maybe they were real?¡± ¡°They are,¡± Franky muttered, dejected. ¡°But expensive.¡± Eve gave her brother a knowing look. ¡°Maybe your next birthday.¡± ¡°Really?¡± he asked. ¡°With the park¡¯s profits, who knows?¡± Luka studied them both. ¡°Context, please?¡± ¡°Franky has wanted a storage ring for as long as I can remember. Oh, storage rings are small pocket dimensions directly inscribed into a ring or other piece of jewelry. Essentially, they allow the wearer to store stuff in a personal stasis.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re expensive?¡± Luka concluded. ¡°Immensely.¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, maybe this artifact ring is a storage ring?¡± ¡°Doubtful. You would have space around you acting strange already.¡± Luka glanced around, eyeing the ¡®space¡¯ around him. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t personal storage be amazing? I¡¯d always carry around all our materials. Then¡ªboom! Inspiration strikes, and I can instantly build a decorative thing or dark ride. How do you even make a storage ring¡ªGAH!¡± The siblings flinched as Luka yelped. ¡°What is this?¡± he bellowed, thrashing his arms out in front. ¡°Ah! Go away!¡± Franky grabbed him and held him steady. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There¡¯s words¡ªwait¡­¡± Luka¡¯s eyes scanned as if he was reading something invisible. ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ recipe card?¡± Eve tilted her head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Sixty space anchors, twenty-five space expanders, thirty-one meters of reality thread¡ª¡± Luka¡¯s unfocused eyes rounded on Eve. ¡°Eve! I know how to make a storage ring!¡± She gasped. ¡°The artifact tells you how to make things?¡± He looked back at the invisible words. ¡°Uh, well, no. It just tells me what and how much stuff I need, including what kinds of glyphs.¡± Eve¡¯s eyes went wide. Then she froze. A moment passed. ¡°Luka¡ª¡± She said his name coldly, very coldly. ¡°Stop talking.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± He looked up, finding a pair of dark bags under her eyes. Bags that were not there five seconds ago. ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand what¡¯s on your finger.¡± ¡°I¡ªI guess I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Tell the ring to tell you another recipe for something else.¡± Luka looked away, blinked a few times, then scanned over another set of invisible words. ¡°I now know what¡¯s needed to make jrum¡­ And guys, why didn¡¯t you tell me what¡¯s in it? Some of these ingredients are exotic.¡± ¡°What?¡± Franky asked. ¡°Nine grams magical essence per one-hundred grams jrum beans? Soul fire heated to precisely ninety-three point three degrees?¡± Eve held up her hand. ¡°What did you tell the ring to show you?¡± ¡°¡¯The best jrum recipe in the world.¡¯¡± She bit her lip. ¡°Tell it to show you a ¡®normal¡¯ jrum recipe.¡± He looked away, scanned the invisible words, then looked back. ¡°Oh, I see. This recipe just says, ¡®boiling water¡¯ and ¡®ground jrum beans.¡¯¡± ¡°Luka. Do not tell anyone you have that or what it does. If Tram asks, tell her I told you not to tell anyone.¡± *** ¡°I¡ª¡± Luka studied her eyes. ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t.¡± Eve gravely nodded, Franky doing the same. ¡°Good. Now then, don¡¯t ever take it off¡­ and,¡± she gritted her teeth, ¡°can you tell me what is needed for Aunt Sol¡¯s famous r¡¯tok¡¯ull dessert?¡± Luka looked from her to the ring, thinking about the strange Orcish name. But no words came. ¡°It didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Sol doesn¡¯t have a famous r¡¯tok¡¯ull recipe. How about this: what¡¯s needed for Judge Ben¡¯s sweet loaf recipe?¡± Again, Luka conferred with the ring. Words appeared this time, and he read them aloud. Requirements for Judge Ben¡¯s sweet loaf: 1 kg of butter. 1 kg of sugar. 1 kg of flour. 1 kg of soured cream. Pinch of salt. Large pinch of baking powder. 4 eggs. Heated oven. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Franky asked incredulously. ¡°Ben always said it was a complicated recipe! What¡¯s complicated about that!¡± Eve shushed her brother. ¡°Okay, so. Now we know the ring gives you ¡®recipes¡¯ so long as they exist¡ªeven if they are personal and secret.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes went wide, the ring suddenly weighed three tons. ¡°Oh Jesus, what¡¯d Tippy get me involved in?¡± ¡°She¡¯s future-proofed World Walker Park.¡± Eve and Luka both looked at Franky. ¡°What?¡± ¡°She¡¯s given you a ring that can practically create gold. You need to find a recipe we can make here in the village for the cheap, then sell it here at the park. Goddess Tippy¡¯s given us a way to ensure the park will always have enough money to expand.¡± Eve gawked. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Luka hesitated, however. Was that really why Tippy gave him the ring? Surely that was too shallow. There was something he was missing¡ªjust like Tippy¡¯s reasoning for sending him here to Emberwood versus anywhere else¡­ An idea sprouted; the ring took care of the rest. Requirements for a Potion of Reincarnation: 30,000 motes of life. 30,000 motes of death. 1 phoenix heart. 1 drop of liquid undeath. 1 meaningful possession of the deceased. 1/1,000 divine teardrop. Luka¡¯s heart swelled. Was this it? Was this the reason Tippy gave him the ring? To reincarnate the villagers who died in the mines? But before he could worry about any of that, he had a job to do. Chapter 38: Sally Her name was Sally, and she had just turned six years old. She arrived at the park sometime after opening, much to her annoyance. It was her mom¡¯s fault if she was honest. Her mom was older and liked to take tiny sips of her morning jrum while reading. ¡°We¡¯re not leaving until I finish today¡¯s paper. And for that, I need silence.¡± The words played in Sally¡¯s head all morning¡ªbut eventually, they departed Sneerhome. They passed neighbors and guards, caravanners and dire-beast. Hitching a ride from a trader her mom knew, Sally inwardly shouted with glee¡­ at least, until the trader made a stop and traded. The process only took fifteen minutes¡ªselling fresh bread to the outer barracks was like that¡ªbut for Sally, it felt like an eternity. But eventually, Sally walked through the gates of World Walker Park with her mom. Yesterday¡¯s paper raved on and on about the park, the World Walker, and the amazing curiosities inside. And for her birthday present, Sally demanded a whole day walking around the park. So, her and her mom did just that. They rode the WHEEL¡ªSally gawked at the view, her mother doing the same! They rode the teacups¡ªSally spun them in circles so fast! They didn¡¯t ride the spinning swings¡ªthose were too scary for Sally¡­ and maybe her mom too. They rode the carousel¡ªand Sally thought that ride was only ¡°okay.¡± Her mom watched her slide down the lighthouse slide several times¡ªeach time with a new friend. The park was absolutely swimming in children, some with families, others not. Sally¡¯s mom commented about the unsupervised, specifically wondering how a parent could be okay with their kids running amuck! Sally ignored her mom and slid down the slide several more times. But there were whispers. Her new friends spoke of a new ride, one that was better than all the others she¡¯d already ridden. She practically dragged her mom over to the ride. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Sally, this one¡¯s more expensive than the others,¡± her mom quietly said, stopping at the back of the line. ¡°We don¡¯t have the money for it.¡± Sally felt her heart sink. And together, the small family walked away. Her mom rubbed her back gently, yet the tears rolled down her cheeks like hot lead. Sally had just turned six, but, maybe better than most, understood money. Sally¡¯s father worked the lumberyard for the season, chopping trees at a survivable income¡ªan income that couldn¡¯t afford many luxuries. Sally knew this well and had long grown numb to the situation. Kids at school mocked her for her secondhand clothes, flaunting their own enchanted garb like lions on the prowl. They joked about the lumberyard and how Sally rarely got to see her father. They fed on her trepidations and laughed when she tried to play off their teasing. So¡ªSally understood why she couldn¡¯t ride the new ride her new friends told her about. She understood why her mother gently patted her on the back like some layman cat. She even understood why her father couldn¡¯t be here for her birthday. And yet, she cried. ¡°Come on, Sally, we¡¯ve got to get back to the bar before Mr. Ticks leaves for his next stop.¡± Sally¡¯s shoulders continued to fall as they walked closer and closer to the exit of the park. She wanted to stay, she wanted to play, to have fun, to make new friends, and to¡­ to¡­ What¡¯s that? Sally drifted from her mom¡¯s side, veering off to the back of a gathered crowd. Vaguely, she sensed her mom notice her departure and reach to guide her back onto the path. But for one reason or another, her mom instead followed, even assisting the small girl to the front of the crowd. ¡°We can watch for five minutes, Sally. We can¡¯t be late.¡± Sally nodded so greatly her small head felt as if it would break from her shoulders. Before them, a man dressed in plain tan clothes controlled magic. Wood, metal, leathers, and stone swam through the air like a pond vortex mixing lily pads and duckweed. The materials melted together and transformed, shedding layers of bark at the same time rust fell away to the dirt. The crowd clapped at the display, and Sally and her mom did the same. The materials stacked and played, pantomiming a story about marching men made of sticks and an evil sorcerer¡¯s hat made of metal. One by one the stickmen marched to their doom, the hat swooping through the air, breaking them apart at the joints. But, as stick limbs broke apart, something shimmered across the area. A gentle fog rolled in, along with a sparkling haze of iridescent light. Sally was enthralled. Slowly, the iridescence coalesced among the broken stickmen, connecting them to one another through faint lines. The metal hat soon triumphed over the broken army¡­ until the stickmen rose again. Their wooden bodies meshed, knitting and bulking. The army of thirty stickmen soon became an army of one¡ªone hulking, giant of a beast. It roared, a silent war cry echoing against the foggy landscape. Iridescence poured from its gaping maw as teeth the size of branches sprouted. The hat cowered¡ªthe stick monster leagues above it in size and scope. The monster charged, and the hat found itself cornered. With a singular snappy bite, the hat was no more. The villain was defeated! And the stick monster broke apart, their confluences not needed anymore. Stickmen reformed from their communion, each eagerly hopping through the fog, off to live another day. The crowd erupted, and the magician bowed. He dispelled the fog and turned to his materialistic dolls. Wood, metal, leathers, and stone flew high into the air, mixing and transforming into a colorful display. They formed into words; big, thick, bulky words. Light glyphs exploded with various colors as mist glyphs oozed their namesake. The words conjoined across an aerial foundation held into the air by two thick columns. When all was said and done, the park had a new entry sign: ¡°WORLD WALKER PARK!¡± ¡°One more thing,¡± the mystery man said, addressing the crowd. ¡°I need a volunteer from the audience.¡± Sally¡¯s hand shot straight up. *** Luka scanned the crowd, finding a young girl. She wasn¡¯t human, he recognized, but did that really matter here? She had dulled blue skin, almost like a cut sapphire before it was shined and polished. She was dusty, her clothes old and worn. Scabs crusted her elbows and knees, obviously from falling in the dirt one too many times. Luka remembered his own childhood¡ªhe, like many of the neighborhood kids, had the same scabs. Thinking back on it, he only had happy memories around that time. So young, so carefree, so imaginative. And yet, the girl looked sad. Dried tear lines streaked across her cheeks¡ªshe¡¯d been crying. And from the look of her mom standing behind her, it wasn¡¯t because the kid was throwing a tantrum. Somehow, Luka understood the distant look in the mother¡¯s eyes. He could imagine himself standing in her shoes, watching his daughter¡¯s fun come to an end. Soon, they¡¯d be back home, back to the monotony of their usual lives.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You!¡± Luka said, pointing at the girl. The mother pressed her lips into a fine line, yet when the girl jumped with joy, the mother couldn¡¯t help but smile. But Luka hesitated for a moment¡ªhe wasn¡¯t actually planning to call for a volunteer. Tram had told him to take an hour and make the park a better entrance sign¡ªsomething he could have done in five minutes if he wanted to. He already had the design, all he had to do was make it. But the World Walker was supposed to appear before the masses and put on a building show once a day. So, Luka had. And he also had found a sad little girl exiting the park. The girl skipped across the grass, planting herself one step from Luka. She beamed up at him, her eyes sparkling. Slowly, she leaned back and forth between her heels and toes, waiting for orders. Luka internally cursed. I really should have thought this through! Then, a memory appeared: He was a kid, sitting in his school¡¯s gymnasium. A speaker was explaining simplistic physics concepts by way of fun examples. Bubbles soared through the air, the speaker inhaled helium and sang a song, chemicals were mixed, producing elephant paste. The presentation was what got Luka into the world of science all those years ago. ¡°What is your name, little miss?¡± ¡°Sally!¡± the girl said before abruptly blurting out. ¡°Today¡¯s my birthday!¡± Luka blinked a few times. ¡°Today?¡± ¡°Well, yesterday! But today¡¯s when I received my present!¡± ¡°And what was that?¡± ¡°To come here!¡± Sally hesitated. ¡°Though I wish my dad would have been here for it¡­¡± The crowd chuckled at the first sentence but abruptly stopped at the second. Luka glanced up at the mom. She had her arm crossed across her chest with her other firmly locked on her lips. She was shivering, her eyes glassy with tears. ¡°Did you ride all the rides you wanted to?¡± Luka asked. ¡°No¡ªwe don¡¯t have the money to ride the new one.¡± Luka pursed his lips, cursing internally. No wonder she was crying! He silently screamed. He glanced at the mom¡ªa single tear fell down her face. ¡°Well, Sally, we can¡¯t have that, can we?¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t!¡± someone shouted from the crowd, receiving agreement from several others. Sally¡¯s eyes were still twinkling. ¡°Tell you what, kiddo: for being so brave and volunteering right away, I¡¯ll make a bet with you.¡± Luka held out his arms, bringing forth a series of wooden planks. He manipulated them, stretching some and flattening others. ¡°If you can break these boards with a kick, I¡¯ll give you something special.¡± ¡°A kick?¡± she asked. Luka held out a board, cupping it by the edges. He lowered it level with Sally¡¯s knee. ¡°Go ahead!¡± The girl inspected the wood for a long second before kicking it. Her shoe bounced off it with a thud. ¡°That¡¯s okay!¡± Luka quickly yelled. ¡°I forgot to say, you have three tries. Try again.¡± Sally did, throwing her foot out as if kicking a ball. Again, her shoe bounced, leaving the board unharmed. Her face fell. Luka hummed loudly. ¡°Well, I think I see the problem!¡± ¡°You do?¡± she quietly asked. Nodding vigorously, he said, ¡°On my home world, there¡¯s a strange concept¡ª¡± ¡°Your home world?¡± Sally interrupted. ¡°Yeah¡ªI¡¯m a World Walker.¡± Several in the crowd gasped, either not knowing about him or not knowing what Luka looked like. Sally just looked at him strangely. He knelt beside her. ¡°On my world, there was a super-duper secret only a few very smart people understood. Do you want me to tell you?¡± Her eyes were wide, and she nodded very faintly. ¡°There is a concept called potential energy.¡± Luka tucked his finger against his thumb as if he was about to flick something. ¡°You can think of it as stored energy just waiting to be expended¡­¡± Sally frowned. ¡°Okay, okay, let me rephrase that. Potential energy is like¡­ a great big magical fireball. Imagine the most powerful mage creating a ball of fire in their palm. There are two options. First, the mage could throw it and kill a horde of monsters. Or, second, he could simply let the spell fade. Now, the ball of fire in both cases has the potential to explode and save the day, but it also has the potential to simply fade away.¡± Sally nodded, her eyebrows tight and focused. ¡°You, me, and everyone here have the same potential inside of us.¡± Luka stood up and extended a leg. He waved it around, bending it at his knee. ¡°When I kick with my knee, I use the potential energy in my knee only. But¡ª¡± he threw a kick using his hips, back, and knee at the same time, ¡°¡ª when I kick using my whole body, I can kick much harder because I¡¯m using more potential energy.¡± He glanced around the crowd. Every adult nodded along. Even without knowing the name of the concept didn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t understand it fundamentally. Sally and the other kids¡­ not so much. ¡°Your first two kicks were weak because you weren¡¯t using your full body,¡± Luka said. The girl¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Do a couple practice kicks. Stand on one leg, lean back slightly, raise your other leg up, then, at the same time, extend your knee, flick your hip out, and push your back backward.¡± Many of the other kids practiced as well, even a few adults. ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Sally suddenly announced. Luka knelt and held the board¡ªa flying foot crashed into it, sending splinters into Luka¡¯s chest. He flinched. ¡°W-wow!¡± The crowd erupted into applause. Luka stood and brushed himself off. He had planned to break the board for her if she couldn¡¯t do it, but was pleasantly surprised that he didn¡¯t have to. The kid understood potential energy for sure, now. Luka addressed the crowd. ¡°Let¡¯s give our young volunteer a great big ¡®hurrah,¡¯ okay? On three. One, two, three¡ª" The crowd screamed, ¡°Hurrah!¡± ¡°Amazing, Sally, amazing!¡± He reached into his pocket and pulled out three small rectangles of wood. A pattern was burned into them, along with the English letters ¡°WWP.¡± He handed them to his daring volunteer and waved over the mom. Then when she was close enough not to be overheard, Luka said, ¡°These are lifetime free passes. Every ride currently built, every future ride to be built. All free.¡± Sally and her mom stood shocked. ¡°I¡ªI¡ª¡± The girl started crying, crashing into his leg with a crushing hug. Through blubbering lips, she sang, ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, Sally. You¡¯re the one who helped me explain potential energy and it was your super powerful kick that won the bet.¡± Luka glanced up at the mom. ¡°You¡¯ve got a good kid, here.¡± The mom was beaming as she pocketed the passes. ¡°Do you have kids, Mr. World Walker? Because you handled her excellently.¡± A memory appeared: An Earth hospital. Flowery wallpaper. A waiting room¡ª ¡°No,¡± Luka said, shoving the memory away. ¡°But the village does. And I¡¯ve spent some time with them.¡± He ruffled Sally¡¯s hair. ¡°And I¡¯d say Sally handled herself excellently¡ªnot me.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my pride and joy,¡± the mom muttered as tears began to roll. ¡°H-happy birthday, Sally.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Luka said, shifting so he¡¯d be in between the mom and the dispersing crowd. ¡°Happy birthday, kiddo. Come see me again when you can.¡± Sally swayed on her feet. ¡°Do you think Dad can come, Mom? Do you? Do you?¡± ¡°When he¡¯s back from work, of course.¡± ¡°Best birthday ever!¡± Sally yelled. An idea came to Luka. ¡°Hey, Sally, out of these three designs, which do you like better?¡± He handed her a stack of ride sketches. The girl went through them one at a time, carefully studying the papers as if her life depended on them. She stopped at one in particular. ¡°This one says, ¡®water ride.¡¯ What does that mean?¡± Luka glanced at the paper. ¡°Ooh, the log flume, yeah, those are cool¡ª¡± ¡°¡¯Log flume?¡¯ Like daddy works at?¡± Sally asked her mother. The older blue lady hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± ¡°A log flume ride is where you sit in a ¡®log¡¯ and travel down a water track like a log traversing a river.¡± Luka tapped the paper. ¡°You like the idea?¡± Sally vehemently nodded. ¡°Good, ''cause that¡¯s the next attraction I¡¯m building,¡± Luka said, activating his artifact ring. Requirements for a large log flume: 9,000kg of hardwood. 5,500kg of metal supports. 90kg of softened leather. 25kg of hard rubber. 85 water creation glyphs of various degrees of power. 50 strength and durability glyphs of various degrees of power. Various glyphs. 1 large log flume blueprint. ¡°And you know what?¡± he then asked. ¡°I think we have all the materials we need for it. I can have it built by next week!¡± Sally¡¯s eyes sparkled. Chapter 39: Stuffed Animals ¡°Hey, do you know where Ren and Nicole are?¡± Luka asked Iop, the village baker and current villager running World Walker Park¡¯s newest food booth. Churros were quickly becoming a fan favorite due to their cinnamon sugar coating. As logistics would have it, cinnamon wasn¡¯t the easiest spice to procure in these parts. It was cheap, but also underutilized¡ªcriminally so, in Luka¡¯s opinion. And thus, the park¡¯s newest booth was opened, proudly selling the Earthen food, churros. Iop looked up from the frying oil, quiet pops and sizzles lost against the backdrop of talking guests waiting in line. The baker utilized the ¡°spiral¡± method of making churros. Instead of several long lines of dough, she pressed a singular large spiral from the custom-made star dispenser. The massive churro took up the whole frying pan and soon crisped up golden brown. Iop then removed it, chopped it into portions, and tossed them all in cinnamon sweetness. ¡°By the carousel, I think,¡± she said to Luka. ¡°Why? Are they in trouble?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Luka said with a smile. ¡°Just need to talk to them. How¡¯s it going here?¡± ¡°My back¡¯s hurting!¡± Iop loudly declared, laughing as she put a hand on her waist. She craned her back, sending cracks down her spine. ¡°I¡¯m a baker, for gods¡¯ sake. My back hasn¡¯t hurt since I was a wee apprentice.¡± Luka studied the woman, finding her words did not match her happy tone. ¡°If you¡¯re in pain, I can send someone else to fill¡ª¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t send anyone else. Pain¡¯s a good thing to us orcs. It means we¡¯re not acting complacent in our craft. Trust me, these churros have already taught me a lot about fried dessert items. I¡¯ve never been one for using oil, but here we are with these delicious beauties!¡± Iop held a churro out to the next guest in line, eagerly accepting payment for the item. Luka¡¯s eyes wandered to the stuffed lockbox. Iop wasn¡¯t sorting the payments, instead, she just thrust the coinage in without a care in the world. Which may have been a problem if it was any other booth. But churros were cheap and sold at a denomination that didn¡¯t require change. Money in this world was strange. Utilizing precious metals was one thing, but without bills amounting to sequentially larger amounts, most people simply paid with exact cash¡ªor coinage, in this case. ¡°Okay, well,¡± Luka hesitated. ¡°Just don¡¯t overwork yourself. I¡¯ll make sure to send someone over in a few hours to relieve you. Just wave someone from the village down if you need a break sooner.¡± Iop gave him a winning smirk, returning to her duties. Walking through the park, Luka stopped at several more booths to check-in. He did repairs as he went, fixing splintering tabletops or uneven bench legs. How is there already this much wear? he asked himself as he inscribed durability runes everywhere¡ªliterally. The rocky paths he walked on, the booths he visited, the tented umbrellas hung over the picnic tables. Sol was right. Using my magic to inscribe large areas is as easy as inscribing a singular item. I guess I should start adding maintenance glyph clusters to everything. Luka stepped up to Momma Nan¡¯s booth. Today, the village elder was selling knickknacks whittled from wood. They were replicas of the carousel¡¯s dire-beast mounts. ¡°Hey there, how¡¯s it going? Need anything?¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± the woman said coarsely. Luka pursed his lips. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Momma Nan glared up at him, her hands clasped firmly in front of her body on the head of her cane. She was sitting, but her skirt completely hid the chair she sat on, giving her the illusion that her cane was holding her upright. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy, boy?¡± Luka slowly looked around. The booth was empty beside a few curious guests inspecting the wooden toys. ¡°Real busy,¡± he flatly said. ¡°Real busy,¡± the elder echoed. Previously, Momma Nan had made a bet with several of the other villagers about selling the most items. Luka wondered if there was another bet going on. He tested the waters. ¡°I don¡¯t think these toys are selling all that well. What do you think of overhauling the booth with Earthen toys?¡± Momma Nan¡¯s eyes went wide before she quickly averted them. She tapped her finger on her cane. ¡°Yes, I think that would do nicely.¡± Luka chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Tram, then. Do you know where she is?¡± ¡°Sneerhome with Ginna.¡± ¡°Ginna?¡± Luka remembered the timid orc well. She was World Walker Park¡¯s new head of security. ¡°What¡¯re they doing in Sneerhome?¡± ¡°Blackmailing a local gang.¡± Luka didn¡¯t miss the couple browsing the toys nearby glance up¡­ then slowly walk away. He sighed. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Remember that invisible spy from the other night? She¡¯s forcing his gang to come work for us.¡± Momma Nan scoffed. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I think this is a bad idea. That boy was a troublemaker before he left the village, and surely, he¡¯s worse now.¡± ¡°Batty Barns?¡± Luka asked, remembering the invisible poncho wearer¡¯s leader¡¯s name. Vaguely, he remembered the man held a connection to the village, but Tram told him not to worry about it, so he hadn¡¯t¡ªat all, in fact. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°The very same. Got himself a petty crime gang and now Tram¡¯s hiring him out.¡± ¡°I thought you said something about blackmail.¡± Nan raised an eyebrow. ¡°How do you think she¡¯s going to hire him?¡± Luka considered that but gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You know what? I¡¯m not going to think about it.¡± ¡°Good man,¡± she said with a laugh. *** Luka found Nicole and Ren sitting by the carousel in the shade. Since school was over for the kids, most spent their time in or by the lake. But not these two. After Goddess Tippy¡¯s arrival, subsequent candy delivery, and sudden disappearance, Ren and Nicole followed Luka away from the water. But when he started doing ¡°boring¡± work for the park, they promptly left him to do their own thing. That thing was, apparently, drawing. Ren, of course, was drawing pictures in a journal of the dishes he would eventually be selling at his restaurants. There were multiple angles of grilled meats, smashburgers, pizza, and even a basket of churros. His drawings were crude and scratchy, as if he drew each dish in the time it took for a single cycle of the carousel to end. Nicole, likewise, drew in a journal. But she took her time, carefully shading her drawings with a gentle touch. She worked on a realistic portrait of her doll, Mr. Sticky. For a kid, the drawing was amazing. Layers of detail clung to the page, exemplifying Mr. Sticky¡¯s wood grain texture and natural luster. As she drew, she hummed quietly to herself¡ªbut when Luka approached, she stopped. ¡°Why¡¯d you stop¡ª¡± Ren cut himself off, finding a shadow looming over him. ¡°L-Luka! When did you get here?¡± ¡°Just now.¡± The World Walker watched the little orc cover his drawings with his hands and forearms, his green skin turning a shade red. ¡°Don¡¯t be embarrassed¡ªI couldn¡¯t draw when I was your age.¡± Ren went still. ¡°What do you mean ¡®couldn¡¯t draw?¡¯ I don¡¯t want you to steal my menu ideas.¡± Luka squinted at the kid. ¡°Uh-huh, sure.¡± He sat beside them. ¡°Are you two okay?¡± Nicole shifted through her pocket, removing a piece of divine candy. As if specially tailored for a dryad, the candy was covered in rich moss and a caramel drizzle. As she popped it into her mouth, it simply melted away as it dissolved into sugary goodness. Smiling, Luka said, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a ¡®yes.¡¯¡± Ren made a face. ¡°I already ate all of mine¡­¡± ¡°Maybe pray to the goddess for more?¡± Luka shrugged. ¡°Or maybe not. Tram got mad at me for paying attention to greedy things.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Anyway, I wanted to talk to you both about earlier with Tippy¡ª¡± ¡°Goddess Tippy,¡± Nicole corrected. ¡°Right¡ªGoddess Tippy.¡± Luka held out his ringed hand. ¡°She gave me this, an artifact¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± Ren asked. ¡°Not telling¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, come on!¡± ¡°Please tell us?¡± Luka sighed. ¡°No. Just¡­ I can¡¯t. People are going to want to steal it as it is. If they find out what it does, more people are going to want to steal it.¡± Ren glared suspiciously. ¡°So, it does do something?¡± ¡°Of course it does, it¡¯s an artifact.¡± Ren continued to glare suspiciously. ¡°So, it does do something amazing?¡± Luka hesitated. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Will it help with my recipes?¡± When Luka didn¡¯t answer right away, Ren thrust out his finger. ¡°It does! Doesn¡¯t it!? Give it here, I¡¯ll keep it safe.¡± The little orc reached for it, but Luka just extended his hand into the air. Ren glared. ¡°Not fair,¡± he snapped, ¡°I¡¯m short¡ªhow am I supposed to get it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Luka said. ¡°It¡¯s mine, remember? Tippy gave it¡ª¡± ¡°Goddess Tippy,¡± Nicole corrected. Ren sat down. ¡°Fine. Just¡­ you¡¯ll help me with recipes, right?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Luka confirmed. ¡°But I need you two to keep the ring a secret, okay? Very few people know about it.¡± ¡°But everyone knows the Goddess gave us candy. All the other kids ran around the park telling everyone,¡± Nicole said. ¡°Right¡ªbut apparently, they haven¡¯t told anyone about the ring. So, either they don¡¯t know about it since they were near the water and not at the table, or they understand to keep it a secret.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡± ¡°Thank you, Nicole.¡± They both looked at Ren. ¡°What?¡± he asked. When both continued to stare, he raised his hands. ¡°Okay, fine, fine. I¡¯ll keep it a secret, too.¡± ¡°Good kids!¡± Luka patted Ren on the head. When the boy hmphed and crossed his arms, Luka chuckled and turned his attention to the little dryad. ¡°You like drawing?¡± ¡°Mmmhmm!¡± she hummed, wiggling her pencil at her depiction of Mr. Sticky. ¡°Can I see what you¡¯ve been working on?¡± Nicole hesitated but eventually relented. She passed over her journal. Luka slowly went through the pages, finding multiple amazing sketches. A flower on one page, a drawing of Ren on the next. One page even held a picture of him riding on the back of Leo. But on one of the more recent pages, Luka stopped and stared. It was a picture of a beast of sorts. But where slender legs meant for powerful bursts of speed for capturing prey were supposed to be, he instead found fat, stubby limbs. Where vicious fangs were supposed to sit, instead, he found a bright smile. And where a lithe torso was supposed to stretch into a flute tail, only a pot belly and fluff were found. ¡°You¡¯re drawing stuffed animals?¡± Luka asked, flipping to the next page where another cartoonized beast was drawn. ¡°Stuffed what?¡± Nicole asked. ¡°I was just drawing what I thought some cute creatures would look like.¡± ¡°Cute?¡± Ren asked, looking revolted. ¡°You call the legendary creatures ¡®cute?¡¯¡± ¡°Well, yeah¡­¡± Luka looked up. ¡°Legendary creatures?¡± ¡°From the myths and legends¡­¡± Nicole explained. ¡°My mother used to tell me their stories before I¡¯d go to sleep.¡± Ren turned thoughtful. ¡°Same for me.¡± An idea formed in the back of Luka¡¯s mind. Whittled wooden dire-wolves and emus weren¡¯t selling? Well, he¡¯d already told Momma Nan he was going to overhaul the toy booth. And, since this was World Walker Park, after all, it made sense to adopt Earth¡¯s toys. Stuffed animals, to be precise. ¡°Hey Nicole, would you be interested in a job for the park? We need a new toy line, and I think your cute legendary creatures could be a hit if we turned them into dolls.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it, Nicole!¡± Ren suddenly shouted. ¡°He¡¯s trying to get you to work for free! Don¡¯t do it!¡± ¡°Not for free¡ª¡± Luka quickly clarified. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d pay you with, if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Nicole ignored the boy. Her eyes were sparkling. ¡°You want to make my drawings into dolls?¡± ¡°Not just any dolls¡ªdolls from Earth.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it!¡± she declared. ¡°Alright, great¡ª¡± ¡°For one-hundred gold pieces and not a copper less!¡± Luka suddenly felt the vein in his temple throb. ¡°You¡¯ve been spending too much time with Ren,¡± he muttered darkly. Chapter 40: Not Really My Thing Requirements for a large log flume: 9,000kg of hardwood. 5,500kg of metal supports. 90kg of softened leather. 25kg of hard rubber. 85 water creation glyphs of various degrees of power. 50 strength and durability glyphs of various degrees of power. Various glyphs. 1 large log flume blueprint. The oddly even numbers annoyed Luka. A log flume seriously required nine thousand kilograms of hardwood¡ªand only nine thousand? Not like nine thousand and six? And also, what was considered ¡°various glyphs?¡± Would a single glyph cluster cover it? Or would he need to break out the tome of glyphs and get to studying? Luka slowly rolled the artifact ring around his finger. It was a simple dented band of metal, one that fit his index finger perfectly¡ªalmost as if it was made for him. Which, when he thought about it, it was. Silently sighing, Luka picked up his dinner and shoved it into his mouth. It was a few hours after sunset here in World Walker Park, and the day was coming to a close. Very few guests hung around, and those that did found themselves standing in line for the WHEEL. It was the nighttime views, he knew, which was why he¡¯d suggested closing the park an hour after sunset while keeping the wheel, teacups, carousel, and swing open for a little while longer. The fact that only Rogue Wave was closed wasn¡¯t lost on Luka, however. But as the park expanded, more rides would be put on the closed early list, thus limiting where guests could hang out in the park after dark. Funneling everyone to the exit and eventually going to bed was the goal, after all. With reckless abandonment, Luka chewed and swallowed his food¡ªonly then giving it a proper once over. The meal was¡­ not from Earth. It was a wrap of sorts, if instead of a tortilla the wrap part was created from woven grass. Kinda a lettuce wrap? Luka asked himself. But since when do orcs eat vegetables like this? In his short experience in this world, Luka could only describe the Orcish race as meat lovers. Grill, fried, smashed¡ªany and all meat was good¡­ and bakery items, now that he thought about it. Iop¡¯s pastries were very popular. ¡°What is this?¡± Luka asked, holding the wrap. ¡°Our newest vegan option,¡± Eve answered. She sat across from him working on a glyphs booklet for future ease-of-use. But, while one of her hands held a pen, the other gently squeezed her own wrap, allowing the ¡®juices¡¯ inside to ooze out. Luka made a face at the waterfall of silver liquid. Inside the wrap was... something¡­ that resembled chopped beef and rice. But while normal food was dull, the insides of the wrap glowed. ¡°So¡ªI know you answered my question, but like, I have no idea what this is.¡± Eve glanced up, quirking a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s seasoned roasted moonfall mushrooms and split barley, wrapped in dewleaf.¡± ¡°What makes it glow?¡± ¡°The mushrooms. At night, they glow ¡®as if the moon is full¡¯¡ªregardless of whether the moon is actually full.¡± Eve took a massive bite. ¡°Huh. I was expecting more grass taste, but this is actually pretty good.¡± Luka also took another bite. ¡°On Earth, veganism was exploding in popularity. Companies fought like hell to produce a good plant-based meat substitute. Which I never understood. Why would vegans want to taste meat? Doesn¡¯t that defeat the point?¡± She loudly chewed, the dewleaf wrap loudly crunching. ¡°I mean, not every vegan is a vegan because they don¡¯t like meat. Some just don¡¯t like the idea of killing animals for it, especially when the animals are raised solely to be slaughtered.¡± The wrap tasted like venison, if Luka closed his eyes and imagined a deer prancing through the woods. Eve did have a point, however, one he hadn¡¯t thought of. I suppose all of that goes double for this world, since there are literal people made of sticks and magic that allows people to talk with animals. Luka didn¡¯t dwell on the latter thought very long, instead taking another bite. ¡°Well, whatever,¡± he said. ¡°I give the wrap my stamp of approval. Who came up with it, anyways?¡± ¡°Mrs. Leafsong.¡± Eve shifted the paper she was sketching on and glanced at the one below it. ¡°Speaking of our resident dryad, she came to the ship earlier and left a message for you.¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. ¡°Could she not find me? I¡¯ve been walking around the park doing stuff all day.¡± ¡°And no one wants to bother you while you do whatever you¡¯re doing.¡± Eve glanced at the paper again. ¡°She¡¯s not the only one that left you a message, by the way. Apprentice to the Forgemaster, Cam, said the supplies for your ¡®project¡¯ arrived, and Forgemaster Adam will be ready to work on ale-umni-uhm when you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Aluminum,¡± Luka said, enunciating slowly. Eve practiced the word a few times. ¡°What¡¯d Mrs. Leafsong want?¡± ¡°Oh! That she was thankful for the paint you left at her hut and is ready to discuss when you are.¡± ¡°I left paint at her hut?¡± Eve gave him a tired look. ¡°No¡ªTram did. She¡¯s on top of everything. Almost too on top of things, if I¡¯m being honest.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I heard Tram was in Sneerhome fighting some local gang or something.¡± ¡°Sounds like her.¡± ¡°Does it?¡± ¡°More or less. Did I ever tell you about the time she kicked a lava elemental in the ass for wandering into the lake naked?¡± Luka didn¡¯t know what face he was making, but he was definitely making a face. Eve snorted. ¡°Maybe wait for Franky to tell it, then. His stories are always more theatrical than mine.¡± Luka just sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea that everyone¡¯s going to you to leave me messages. Will you tell them just to find me? That, or I need an official assistant.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind. People have also been talking to Franky about you as well, so the workload is split.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s on top of your shifts in the park, the bar, and making sure I don¡¯t step off the tightrope.¡± Eve¡¯s rather jovial expression darkened into that of a quagmire. ¡°You think you¡¯re walking a tightrope?¡± Luka tried his best to give her a reassuring smile¡ªdid it work? No. ¡°We both know I am. You¡¯ve already called me out on hiding it, but I sometimes feel that any minute, I could just start crying.¡± Eve leaned in. ¡°Is it because of the war?¡± He¡¯d long told her and Franky about his previous life, specifically his role in the total destruction of a large section of the continent. The ¡°war,¡± as he called it, was just the tip of the iceberg, however. Sure, thoughts of his life and his role would never not be in the back of his mind¡ªbut Goddess Tippy¡¯s harsh words had scared him enough to keep his mind narrow¡­ despite the war looming over him like an infinite skyscraper. No, what really pulled the rope taut was everything else. The park, the lives he now influenced, the massive weight on his finger. The war was part of that, sure, as well as the dark spots in his mind. Tippy had assured him those weren¡¯t her fault but rather Luka¡¯s own. Apparently, decades of alcohol and pill abuse did that to a person. So much of his life was simply unknown to him. Tippy offered to show him everything about himself through something called a ¡°soulstone,¡± but Luka wasn¡¯t ready for that. One day, yes, but not today. He just wasn¡¯t ready for more guilt. ¡°Not entirely,¡± he replied to Eve. ¡°Talking like this helps, though.¡± Eve raised her head proudly. ¡°Good!¡± Then, more quietly, she said, ¡°If it ever becomes too much responsibility with the park, I¡¯m sure we¡¯d survive you taking a day or two off.¡± Luka didn¡¯t have to consider that¡ªit was simply true. The villagers had exceeded all his expectations in work ethic, customer service, and adaptability. In their shoes, if a mystery man from another world showed up in his village, decided to open an amusement park, then promptly hired the villagers to run it, he knew he¡¯d run as fast as he could¡ªbecause that was crazy. ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± he said. ¡°Enough talking¡ªwe need to finish these before the village meeting.¡± Eve vigorously nodded, getting back to work. Likewise, Luka went back to the drawing board. The park¡¯s next attraction was going to be a log flume; that much had already been decided. Track layout, storyline, and theming¡­ were a different story. Before him, a quartet of blueprints rested on the table. The first was incredibly basic: a simple lift, a few turns, and a big splashdown. The second and third were progressively more interesting, utilizing more lift hills and drops. The fourth was the most complicated out of the lot, a bit too complicated if Luka was honest. Rogue Wave was one thing, but creating a ride several magnitudes larger? That was a different beast entirely. On the flip side, Luka didn¡¯t want the ride to be lame. Illusions were a cheat code; he could acknowledge that. But if the ride itself was boring¡­ what was the point? He decided: the second blueprint. The track layout was twisty, allowing for more ¡°story scenes¡± to be added. Luka sighed, flipping the sketch over. He started a list of story ideas. Pirate battle, treasure hunt, rough seas¡­ These are so lame, he thought. What happened to lava spires and imagination? This world had everything Luka could ever want when it came to adventure. Magic was real, so were artifacts the gods would allow kingdoms to go to war over. So, what did that leave the park? A treasure hunt didn¡¯t fit the bill, neither did a wide scale battle. Pirates were real in this world, and scaring guests with an actual threat wouldn¡¯t be making any positive headlines. No¡­ what the ride needed was adventure¡ªthe kind of adventure even the gods would like to partake in. Luka continued writing down ideas when a presence approached from the crowd, he whirled around to see the old man from opening night kindly smiling and giving a little wave as they locked eyes. He slowly made his way over, inviting himself to sit beside Luka. ¡°We meet again, Mr. World Walker.¡± Something about the man made Luka smile. He hadn¡¯t really thought about the man since their interaction but was glad to see him return to the park. ¡°Did you see any more gnomes spying on us?¡± Eve looked up. ¡°Uh, what?¡± The old man¡¯s lips turned into a smirk. ¡°No. But I did notice some line cutting and a few kids with very interesting candies in their pockets.¡± Luka squinted. ¡°You¡¯re very observant.¡± ¡°I am¡ªwhich is why I also know you¡¯re struggling.¡± He raised a crooked, wrinkled finger and pointed at the blueprints. ¡°Ideas are copper a dozen and yet worth their weight in gold.¡± He then slid that same finger over and pointed directly at Luka¡¯s head. ¡°And you¡¯re also struggling in there¡ª" he lowered his finger to Luka¡¯s heart, ¡°and there.¡± Luka just stared. The man patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Sometimes the mind and heart are at odds. That¡¯s okay, that¡¯s human. Trust me, I would know.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Luka asked. The old man just took a deep breath and said, ¡°The stars are really beautiful today, huh?¡± Luka and Eve both looked up¡ªjust as a shooting star sprinted across the heavens. Thinking back to earlier in the day, Luka remembered Tippy¡¯s words. He¡¯d apparently met another god without knowing it. ¡°You¡¯re Neb,¡± he said, his mind making the connection before he fully understood the ramifications. Eve gasped, then squinted, then reeled back in confusion. ¡°Uh¡­¡± she trailed off, snapping her jaw tight. ¡°I wonder how long you would¡¯ve taken if Tippy didn¡¯t give you a hint,¡± the old man¡ªGod Neb¡ªsaid. ¡°I think I would have figured it out by the time I finished my dinner,¡± Luka said, nodding to his wrap. It was half eaten. Neb raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really? Because I read fate just this morning, and you didn¡¯t make the connection for another three months.¡± Luka let out something between a hum and a grunt. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like me.¡± The god rolled his eyes. ¡°I can see why Tippy likes you¡ªnot very many would talk to us like you do.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªI¡¯m as petrified as Eve is. I just don¡¯t have the context about how to act in front of a god. Tippy¡¯s seen me cry more times than my own mother, so like¡­ yeah¡­¡± ¡°And she rebuilt your body, gross bits and all.¡± Luka ignored the statement and pivoted subjects, asking, ¡°Mind helping out with our next ride? I want it to be an adventure even the gods would like to partake in.¡± God Neb was here for a reason and specifically pointed out the issues Luka was having. Was it a stretch to think he¡¯d help with at least one of them? Neb¡¯s gaze returned to the stars. ¡°Maybe in the future¡­ pirates aren¡¯t really my thing.¡± Luka looked up as well. ¡°How about a rollercoaster through the stars?¡± The god hesitated before smirking. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea, actually.¡± Chapter 41: Themed Just after opening the next day, Luka got to work on the park¡¯s newest attraction. Before him, a plot of clear forest stood roughly two hundred and sixty square meters with a long protrusion leading down toward the rest of the park. All things considered, the area wasn¡¯t massive, but it was large enough for the project. On one side, the lake¡¯s rocky shoreline eased into the clearing, on the other, a lush forest of Emberwood trees sat calmly. After de-rockifying the tall grass and shearing the weeds low, Luka removed his blueprints from his pocket and activated his artifact ring. Requirements for custom log flume ¡°A¡±: 9,133kg of hardwood. 5,883kg of metal supports. 12,417kg of dirt. 121kg of stone. 87kg of softened leather. 24kg of hard rubber. 89 water creation glyphs of various degrees of power. 54 strength and durability glyphs of various degrees of power. Various illusionary glyphs. 1 large log flume blueprint. Earlier, Luka realized the ¡°perfect¡± numbers of previous ring-related recipes were simply because they were basic recipes. But since he now activated the ring based on blueprint ¡°A,¡± the ring produced something far more accurate to what he actually had in mind. Now, would he realistically use nine thousand one hundred and thirty-three kilograms of hardwood? No, Luka didn¡¯t think so. His blueprints weren¡¯t perfect, he knew. If anything, they were hardly blueprints and more akin to a basic layout sketch. Luka was under no illusion that once he started building, things were going to come together differently. Another thing of note was the lack of concrete. On Earth, if someone wanted to build a log flume, the first step would be pouring a concrete foundation and supporting pillars. But not in this world. No, in this world, with the use of magic, the hardened properties of concrete could be recreated with common stone and glyphs. Reshaping rocks was as easy to Luka now as creating the sketches he tinkered with nightly. However, reshaping rocks was nothing, if not a crutch. The real magic, in Luka¡¯s mind, would be the ride itself. If it sucked, then no matter how good he was at shaping rocks, the ride would still suck. Behind him was Rogue Wave and a small crowd of guests. Since the pirate ship ride marked the entrance to the pirate-themed section of the park, this new log flume ride would likewise be nautical-themed. In fact, the entire area would be¡ªbut that was for a different day. Right now, Luka only had one thing in mind. With a flare of magic, stacks of materials came to his beck and call. Mayor Tram, every day since opening, had sent someone to Sneerhome to retrieve materials. Like a present on Christmas day, Luka would unwrap the straps holding his prepared hardwood, leather, and metal, sort them like brand new toys, and promise himself to play with them later. Well, now was the time. The stones he¡¯d picked from the clearing pressed together, righting all wrongs in their hardened form. Cracks sealed up, imperfections dripped out, bugs and critters fell into the grass, and the stain of dirt washed away as if scrubbed with a rough sponge. Soon, the floating mass of stone was perfectly homogeneous. In Luka¡¯s mind, buildings always had a full foundation¡ªmeaning, the entire square footage of a building had a solid base to sit on. Was this always the case? No, not at all. But for the sake of simplicity, something this big would. Calling it a ¡°standard practice code,¡± Luka decided that, for every building this size and up in the park, the foundation for it would be a full one. Many people were going to walk through this building, best to create it right. Foundations were an interesting concept. How was it possible to build an incredibly heavy structure on soft materials such as dirt, clay, and soil? The answer lay in buried footing and reinforced walls. Luka created several walls of stone, each shaped like the letter ¡°T.¡± They were inserted upside down into the ground, compacting the dirt as they went. Several durability, strengthening, and reinforcement glyphs were added to each, and soon, small bumps of stone jutted from the ground. Next, a sheet of stone covered the grass and dirt, becoming flush with the bumps. With a similar concept as a bed of nails, the sheet of stone would disperse the weight of the structure along the ¡°T¡± walls. So, unless the ground shifted significantly, the building wouldn¡¯t go anywhere. I wonder if there are glyphs to harden the ground, Luka asked himself. They might solve some future problems. ¡°What¡¯re you making, sonny?¡± Luka flinched, spinning on his heel and dropping all magically held items. Rocks and metal fell to the ground, sending long cracks through the foundation. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A few steps away, an obviously drunk dwarven man stood with his son. Both were sipping on a mug of frothy mead, and both had dark gray beards. The bottom of the adult¡¯s beard tucked into his belt, disappearing behind his pants. The son¡¯s, however, was more akin to something Luka could grow. The kid was young, and soon enough, his facial hair would be just as long. As the materials flopped to rest, the dwarven kid¡¯s face crumbled with guilt. Despite drinking, the kid was not drunk¡ªyet. He could see the damage his father had caused. The father¡­ not so much. ¡°Well? Ye deaf, ain¡¯t ya?¡± Luka pressed his lips into a firm line. ¡°Sir,¡± he said, as calmly as possible, ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you to head off back into the park. It¡¯s not safe around here, with me using my magic.¡± ¡°Ye, pa, we sho¡ª¡± The father clapped his son on the back. ¡°Neh, sonny, ya feeling alright? I asked ye a simple question.¡± ¡°A new ride,¡± Luka answered, his eyes darting past the duo and finding the crowd. He searched for anyone who could help¡ªnamely Franky¡­ or hell, Tram would grab the man by the ear and drag him off. ¡°What kind er ¡®ride?¡¯¡± ¡°A log flume.¡± The man struggled to keep his eyes open, the booze making his short legs wobble. ¡°Will d¡¯ey be selling beer in dis ¡®log flume?¡¯¡± Luka took a breath. Until a security team was fully implemented in the park, he supposed he¡¯d have to deal with people like this himself¡ªespecially if he was going to walk around the park for everyone to see. He took a second to think about his options. Was there any reason to hide the plans for the upcoming area? Besides maintaining the mystique and creating a park-wide opening event, no, not really. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a harbor,¡± Luka said. ¡°And beside the log flume, one of the centerpieces is going to be a great big tavern.¡± In fact, the tavern was going to be the log flume. The entrance for the ride would be inside the tavern, especially down through the barrel cellar and out around the back. Everyone would have to walk through the tavern, however, where actual drinks were going to be sold. The dwarf raised his chin, eyeing the World Walker. ¡°Ye, that seems nice.¡± Luka nodded along. ¡°It will be, but I¡¯ve got a long way to go. Mind stepping away and letting me work?¡± The son dragged his father away after an apology. Luka knew the feeling. More than once, he¡¯d had to apologize for his father on Earth¡ªbeing rude to waiters, customer service people, and even neighbors. Such was life, however. You couldn¡¯t complain about the people you loved. Briefly, Luka thought about his father. The man had died long before Luka did, and well, Luka didn¡¯t think about him after a few years all that often. Birthdays, holidays, the anniversary of the man¡¯s death¡­ but past that, his father wouldn¡¯t have wanted Luka to think about him. The dead, in most cases, should remain dead. Did that make Luka a hypocrite since he got to live even after his own death? Luka honestly didn¡¯t dwell on the question. He had enough on his plate already and held enough introspection on his first life to fill his second. He had better things to do, anyway. Case in point: fixing a foundation¡¯s cracks and adding more glyphs across it so that if something heavy was dropped on it again, it wouldn¡¯t crack. With the foundation of the main tavern complete, Luka switched gears and worked on the surrounding shops and rooms. Essentially, this stretch of the park would be a harbor. On one side, buildings would hold restaurants, gift shops, and vendors, on the other would be a dock leading into the lake. Behind the buildings, the forest would extend untouched. Until Luka had permission to start removing trees, he would be doing no such thing¡ªless the dryads and Tram came down on him. Speaking of dryads, a few hours into the park¡¯s expansion, the resident village dryad approached, her fingers licked with colorful paint. Mrs. Leafsong was a peculiar woman. She, for better or worse, was a recluse, opting to live among the trees instead of at her cottage like the other villagers. She was also made of sticks, moss, and leaves. ¡°I was told to speak to you directly,¡± she said, her voice smooth like silk. Luka watched her vocal cords shift in her throat, each a vine wrapped in tiny budding flowers. ¡°Yup, talking and working¡¯s no problem for me. I see you got your paints.¡± Mrs. Leafsong held up her fingers. ¡°These are part of my own collection¡ªoil, with natural pigments. The kind you provided for me is¡­ cheap.¡± Frowning, Luka laid another stone cylindrical foundation support for the log flume track. They wove through the trees at one point and crossed a shallow section of the lake before arriving back to the loading station foundation. ¡°If you need better or more paint, let Tram know. I¡¯m not trying to con you out of anything¡ª¡± She gestured lazily at him, silencing whatever he was about to say. ¡°The quality of paint does not matter. I may test new techniques with them so that I don¡¯t waste the expensive stuff. But yes¡ªI received your paints.¡± Luka nodded slowly, studying the woman. Nicole, who was also a dryad, was much easier to read and relate to. A kid was a kid, regardless of race, it seemed. ¡°Well then, good.¡± He held out one of his sketches of what the section of the park he was working on would eventually look like. ¡°This area is going to be called ¡®Stormcorsair Harbor.¡¯¡± Leafsong scanned the paper. ¡°I assumed those grotesquely large blobs of ink are supposed to be thunderclouds?¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°They are¡­ the entire area is going to be under some shifting weather illusions. Rolling clouds, fake rain, terrible thunder and lightning. Hopefully, the overcast theming will add some extra ambiance.¡± She hummed, which sounded more like two shucked logs rubbing together. ¡°I can see that. But I have a better idea. Ambiance is rarely dictated solely by weather, but the details are labored in the rest of the artwork. It¡¯s the shadows, or lack thereof, it¡¯s the tone, it¡¯s the frowning faces, the tired buildings, the wet roofs, the windy streets. Dark paint does not necessarily make the painting ¡®dark.¡¯¡± Luka smiled at her. ¡°Good thing we have a concept artist on retainer. How about I explain my vision of this area and the others and let you get working on some preliminary paintings?¡± Mrs. Leafsong hesitated. ¡°I worry about the oversight¡ªI¡¯ve never painted for someone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. Paint as you see fit, there are no wrong answers here, only happy little accidents. Who knows, maybe my prattling will only get us so far and your imagination will be the seeds that eventually bloom into the park.¡± She studied the World Walker. ¡°Do not think that a few nature-related references are enough for me to like you.¡± Luka gave her a strange look. That wasn¡¯t his intention at all, despite her crass tone¡­ ¡°But,¡± the dryad continued, ¡°if you can actually sow your promises to this village, then maybe your vision will take root.¡± She then gave a knowing smile. The look on Luka¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. ¡°You just make a nature-related joke, right? You could have easily phrased that in a normal way, right?¡± Mrs. Leafsong softly chuckled. ¡°Just work hard for my village ilk. We may be in the minority, but some of us still are hesitant about you and this park.¡± Luka jutted a thumb at the watching crowd. ¡°Seems to be going well to me.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, it does. That minority is shrinking every day.¡± ¡°Well, hopefully, after we get you some better paint, one more will join the majority.¡± She smiled at that and walked off. Chapter 42: Ignored Luka held a ¡°U¡± shaped section of log flume ¡°track¡± in the air, inspecting the curved bottom. The section of track was waterproof, and essentially an elongated curving trough. But importantly, the log vehicle needed to glide through the track without scraping the bottom. The easiest solution would be to simply make the track deep enough. But, with a lack of materials, Luka had to get creative. Technically, the log would only need a few centimeters of clearance to successfully glide through the water. But with the weight of riders, it was unlikely that approach would work. Instead, Luka decided to angle the vehicle in a similar shape as the track. Buoyancy wasn¡¯t something he often thought of while designing bombs on Earth, but he did assist with a few submarine blueprints over the years. Unfortunately, the physics behind submarines wasn¡¯t quite as applicable in this situation as Luka wanted. But luckily, he knew of something that was: block coefficient¡ªthe identifying ratio of water displacement to volume. There were nuances, of course, like the term technically requiring a rectangle, but Luka ignored all of that in favor of what he remembered. The shape most effective for a ship to maximize buoyancy was a cigar bottom with a fluted sidewall. Luckily for Luka, all his worries about the log flume¡¯s shape were unfounded. As it turned out, the troughs were deep enough¡ªhe had enough wood for the track. ¡°Working hard?¡± Luka turned, finding the elderly mayor, Tram. She looked like a raisin, if raisins were speared with bone-piercings and tattooed like a prison gang member. He made a face and ignored her question, instead asking, ¡°I heard you were in Sneerhome blackmailing a group of criminals.¡± Briefly, he wondered about her tattoo and the local gang¡¯s connection but brushed it off once he remembered Tram was an orc. Tattoos were very common fashion here. Case in point Eve¡ªwith her little bird tattoos. ¡°Calling it blackmail is hardly fair,¡± Tram said as if her words were perfectly normal. ¡°Think of it as dragging a wayward teenage villager back to the village by the ear.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he come back on his own¡ª¡± ¡°The kid¡¯s ego is massive. Without a little force, he¡¯d live in that gutter he called home until he dropped dead. No, Barns needed a little tough love, as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡± ¡°And he got it?¡± Luka asked. Tram had a twinkle in her eye. ¡°Him and his ¡®gang¡¯ start working here in a few days. The great big bad Batty Barns will be a security guard for the time being. If it turns out he sucks at the job, then we¡¯ll find something else for him.¡± She then paused, a thought washing through her mind. She bit her lip and added, ¡°Unless¡­ unless you have an issue with him. Some of the others expressed their hesitance to bring a criminal into our workforce here at the park, and so far, I¡¯ve told them all off. Barns is one of us, even if he fell off the path.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll kick him out if I say so?¡± Luka asked, not fully understanding. Tram stared at the ground as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯m not a perfect person. I¡¯ve made mistakes, even though I act like I¡¯m infallible. But even I can see hiring a criminal is¡­ a risk. Call me sentimental or blinded, but I believe in this village and every son and daughter it produces.¡± ¡°And you want me, a relative outsider, to tell you you¡¯re wrong¡ªif it comes to that.¡± She meekly nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll believe your words on the matter. You hold a level of objectiveness that the others simply don¡¯t.¡± Luka shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have the history or context.¡± ¡°Not yet¡ªbut you will.¡± ¡°Alright, Tram. I can do that for you.¡± He pointed to the log flume track. As they spoke, sections of track floated through the air, mounting themselves on the foundation columns. The outline of the ride was more or less finished. ¡°What do you think of the new ride?¡± ¡°Looks¡­ hilly?¡± Luka watched as the mayor¡¯s eyes traced the lift hills and the drops. There were three in total, each of varying size and steepness. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯m excited about it,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe because I was sleep-deprived at the time, but when we worked on Rogue Wave, I couldn¡¯t appreciate the design and craft. Working on this, however, has been an eye opener for what future attractions can and will be.¡± Tram patted him softly on the back. ¡°I¡¯m glad, then. You know what¡¯s a real ¡®eye opener¡¯ in my mind? That you asked a god for help, and he told you ¡®later.¡¯¡± Luka smirked. ¡°God Neb reminds me of you, actually. I get the feeling the pair of you would get along rather well.¡± ¡°If you remember, I¡¯m married, and God Neb is a god!¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I meant, and you know it.¡± Chuckling to herself, Tram nodded towards his ring. ¡°You know, I was gone for a day, and I came back and you¡¯ve got a priceless ring on, spoke to another god, and even managed to increase profits despite the park buying massive amounts of materials.¡± Luka rolled the dull metal around his finger. ¡°What can I say? Things just fall into my lap.¡± Tram shook her head. ¡°No¡ªno they don¡¯t. Do you think the gods would be interested in you if World Walker Park was a bust on day one?¡± ¡°I get where you¡¯re going with this, but I haven¡¯t really done much. I built a few things and introduced a few concepts. Nothing special.¡± ¡°¡¯Nothing special,¡¯ you say.¡± Tram pointed backward toward the park. ¡°How do you explain all of that, then?¡± Luka knew what she was hinting at instantly: the smiles. Just about everyone¡ªguests, villagers, men, women, and children¡ªwere smiling. They walked around eating greasy foods and sipping on foaming mead. They laughed and joked and gawked at underwater illusions. Parents created memories with their children, while children had the time of their lives running from attraction to attraction. But maybe most importantly, the villagers smiled and interacted with guests¡ªtheir lives rekindled for the first time since the mine accident. ¡°Who cares if you ¡®didn¡¯t actually do that much¡¯ because you¡¯ve already done more for us than not.¡± Luka didn¡¯t know what to say. Maybe he¡¯d done good, maybe not. The smiling faces and laughter was¡­ something, but not something he was comfortable in measuring success with. Silence stretched before he asked, ¡°Have you seen Sol?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Tram said with a sigh. ¡°My trip to Sneerhome wasn¡¯t only to drag Barns back. I also visited the Guilds and vouched for you.¡± ¡°My person?¡± ¡°Sol¡¯s been trying to petition the Guilds to allow you a high access membership. Before you asked, I was never interested in the mage portion of the Guilds, so I don¡¯t know everything the membership has to offer. But I do know you¡¯ll have access to more glyphs than that tome Sol gave you a week ago.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°That tome held like hundreds of glyphs. How many more could I need?¡± Tram adopted a smirk. ¡°Oh, you sweet innocent child. You have no idea what kinds of magics are locked away by the Guilds.¡± He wasn¡¯t impressed. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°Does Earth have the concept of adaptive space?¡± When Luka didn¡¯t respond right away, the mayor continued, ¡°Adaptive space is the making and usage of spatial magics to ¡®adapt¡¯ a space into something unnatural. Or at least, unnatural except in magic.¡± ¡°Spatial magic,¡± Luka said the words like a skeptic. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me there are glyphs that make the insides of buildings larger while keeping the outside the same size.¡± That same accursed smirk found its way onto Tram¡¯s face again. ¡°So innocent, so sweet. Size adapting space glyphs are just the start of what Sol is trying to get you access to.¡± He sighed. ¡°And you had to vouch for me?¡± ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t exactly have a teacher, master, or boss to offer a reference in my stead. So, I filled in as¡­ let¡¯s just say, a technical advisor.¡± Luka didn¡¯t hide his eye roll. ¡°Sol should¡¯ve just asked Tippy for the reference. I bet she would¡¯ve shown up in person to vouch for me.¡± ¡°Goddess Tippy,¡± Tram corrected. ¡°And it would be a cold day in the village before Sol went to the gods for anything. They aren¡¯t exactly in her good graces anymore, as far as she¡¯s concerned.¡± The mine, Luka reminded himself. Sol must¡¯ve prayed for help and was ignored. ¡°But yes,¡± the mayor said with her thumb jutted behind her, ¡°I have seen Sol. She¡¯s just over there, chowing down on a smashburger. Let her eat lunch before you start hounding her with magical questions¡ªshe¡¯s rather tired from all the arguing, I¡¯m sure.¡± Luka nodded along but paused at the word ¡®arguing.¡¯ ¡°Wait, what do you mean?¡± The elder once again adopted the smirk. ¡°For the past few days, our resident mystic has been holding her own in front of the upper echelons of the Guilds. Think of it as a court with one side explaining why a man from another world should have access to secrets while the other much larger side says ¡®no¡¯ in a thousand different ways. Eventually, one side must cave, and let¡¯s just say it wasn¡¯t Sol¡¯s side.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I should thank her?¡± Tram snorted. ¡°What do you think?¡± Luka rolled his artifact ring around his finger. ¡°Would a present suffice?¡± Chapter 43: Harmed Eve strolled through the park beside her brother. Their shift at Todd¡¯s was over, and they weren¡¯t scheduled to work in the park until sunset. Eve would have her first shift in a souvenir shop while Franky volunteered with janitorial work. They¡¯d close out the day working, like most nights. Eve had long grown used to working. As the oldest orphaned ¡°kids¡± in the park, she and her brother understood the value of money more than anyone else in the village. Most villagers had lived in Emberwood their whole lives, and those that remained lived by bartering and trade¡ªnot with money. Unfortunately, Eve and Franky didn¡¯t have that luxury. They didn¡¯t own any land, nor raised any farm animals. Neither were hunters, trappers, or adventurers. Franky moonlighted as a barn hand, but that was mostly because Todd needed someone to tend to the bar¡¯s overnight customers. While their riders drank the days away, mounts were often dropped off where they rested and/or played with Sebby, Leo, and Olive. Eve thought back a few years ago, specifically to the months following the mine¡¯s collapse. Aunt Sol took them in, selling their parents¡¯ home for a cash influx. The plan, as Eve understood, was to ship her and Franky off to a boarding school for magic. Sol didn¡¯t know how to raise kids, and both showed the signs of proper mystic talent. But Franky wouldn¡¯t go, he had no interest in magic¡ªand Eve wouldn¡¯t abandon him. She wouldn¡¯t abandon anyone, ever. Then, in the years to come, Eve and Franky learned the truth behind the mine, their parents¡¯ deaths, and Sol¡¯s direct involvement. They left their aunt¡¯s home, finding their own prospects, slinging beers to weary travelers. Until now. ¡°Oh wow, he¡¯s done a lot today,¡± Franky said, as they approached Luka¡¯s newest project. Eve gazed at the strange building. It was short and wide, made completely of wood, but purposefully weathered around the edges and trim. It was unpainted, but emberwood orange gave the area a tenderness akin to a pile of autumn leaves. A second story was capped with a squat roof, one that carried a rickety balcony across the front, facing the water. The building was built near the water, a few dozen steps at most. It would have been a lovely fishing shack except for its large size. It would easily hold double the number of customers than Todd¡¯s Bar, perhaps even more since the second level served as more seating area. Along the water, the first steps in creating a dock were present¡ªthick posts that dug deep into the rocky beach and out into the water. The posts lined the shore for a little way, ending abruptly as if Luka had run out of materials. ¡°I thought he was building a flume or something¡­¡± Eve trailed off as she and Franky stepped across a boundary. Like the doorway into a cellar, the air turned cold, the sky turned gray. Overhead, clouds appeared as if summoned by divine intervention. Darkness consumed the docks and tavern, shifting shadows and highlighting the decayed fa?ade. The worn building suddenly made sense¡ªthe salted air was like sandpaper against the thin strips of wood that made up the trim. They took another step; rain fell. ¡°Aunt Sol must be back,¡± Eve casually said, as if the sudden change of weather was perfectly normal. ¡°Luka said he was going to wait on her before doing the illusion work.¡± As far as Eve could see, everything was going as planned. Last night, Luka, God Neb, and herself planned out Corsair Harbor¡¯s newest attraction, Whirlpool Plunge. She shuddered at the thought of the god sitting at the table with them, calmly explaining his ideas and innovating on Luka¡¯s. More than once, God Neb read Luka¡¯s mind and pulled the images from his head directly into interactable illusions. The feat of magic was nothing short of divine, as far as Eve was concerned. The siblings entered the tavern and followed the construction. Briefly, they stopped to inspect the inside of the bar, but it was evident Luka had hardly touched the interior yet. Instead, they headed down a ramped decline, entering the cellar located in the corner. Mr. Todd¡¯s Bar had a similar cellar, and Eve wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if this cellar was modeled directly off of Todd¡¯s. But where Todd¡¯s cellar was a small stone room primarily used to store fresh barrels of beer, Luka¡¯s was carved into the ground, tunneling it out like some kind of escape route. Illusions of cobwebs, dirt, sand, and saltwater filled the tunnel, turning the cellar into something more¡­ desolate. The flooring was completely dry, and yet Eve kept picking her boots up to avoid puddles. What am I doing? she asked herself and trudged through the fake water. Franky, however, skipped from patch to patch of ¡°dry¡± floor, happily joining in on the theming. They entered an antechamber lit by crackling torches. Again, in reality, a specialized type of light glyph illuminated the room, but paired with illusionary touches, the room felt genuine. Across the floor, an etching on a compass dug troughs into the cobble, each filled with water leaking in through the walls. Sectioned evenly across the antechamber were four statues. Each were of the same man¡ªa pirate fitted with a boisterous hat and a beard that would make even the hardest dwarves jealous. The four statues each held a separate item, a cutlass, compass, shovel, and a small chest brimming with riches. ¡°He did a great job with these,¡± Franky remarked while leaning in to inspect the chisel work. Eve thought so as well, but with Luka¡¯s divine magic, she knew it only took him seconds. A pang of jealousy rushed across her face before she smothered it like a dying fire. Emotions like that were only trouble. Near the exit of the room was a fifth statue, but where the others were easily identifiable as human, this one was not. This statue was crumbled, broken apart at the base and other weak points. A cracked head sat on top, along with a chunk of a familiar hat. The other statues held unique items, but this one was strange. Eve studied the rocks, coming up short¡ªshe couldn¡¯t tell what it held. ¡°Through here, I think,¡± Franky said, pushing Eve out of the antechamber. Cold air ripped through the next tunnel¡ªthis time real air, likely from a glyph. Water leaked from the ceiling, falling in even, large drops or cascading down the rough walls. Hallways extended from either side of the tunnel, but each was closed off by collapsed rubble. The path Luka wanted guests to take was obvious. Eve peered down one of the closed hallways, finding a skeleton past the rubble and dust. It was made of stone, but with a few choice glyphs, the lighting gave the hallway a terrible sheen. Metal chains bound it to the wall, and with frayed fabric covering the skeleton¡¯s chest and legs, the setting became obvious. Eve and Franky were strolling through a pirate dungeon. ¡°I think he¡¯s going to have to tone down the scary aspect of this,¡± Eve said to her brother. ¡°The kids, and parents for that matter, are not going to like this.¡± Franky rubbed his chin. ¡°I dunno, I kinda like it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re an adult. Kids won¡¯t find it fun or spooky. They will cry until their parents drag them out of here.¡± Ignoring her, Franky skipped ahead, checking each hallway¡¯s ¡°scene.¡± It was a concept Eve was unfamiliar with, but one all Earthen amusement parks used. The idea was simple: create an engaging storyline that all guests could enjoy, and suddenly, waiting in line was part of the attraction. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. In a similar vein to Rogue Wave¡¯s underwater queue and storyline about delivering much-needed supplies to a Hero, Whirlpool Plunge had its own story. But where Rogue Wave was a relatively short experience and had a relatively short line, Luka estimated Whirlpool Plunge would be incredibly popular. ¡°I bet, if we get popular enough, people will wait in line for an hour or more just to ride once,¡± Luka had said to Eve and God Neb last night. Frankly, that notion surprised Eve¡ªbut when Neb nodded along in agreement, she started to rethink her understanding of amusement parks. Waiting that long just seemed silly to her¡­ until she and Franky started walking down Whirlpool Plunge¡¯s queue. The line itself was part of the attraction, like the prologue to a story or the comedy act before one of Sneerhome¡¯s plays. ¡°I think I get it now,¡± Eve muttered to herself, drawing an eye from Franky. ¡°Say something?¡± he asked. Eve smirked, shaking her head and walking ahead. Down the tunnel, the enclosed walls turned once before opening into a ramp leading up. Together, they ventured into the light of day, finding themselves behind the tavern. The same wooden building towered over them, the balcony and docks tugging them away. They followed the path, twisting down to the shoreline, where they found Luka and Aunt Sol. ¡°And I¡¯m telling you, the ancient elementals should be orange, not green! Why would they be green?!¡± Luka practically yelled at Sol, who was a few paces away. Both were weaving magic, but in completely different ways. Luka controlled several sequential glyphs at once, etching them into any nearby surface. Sol, however, twisted her fingers and drew with her magical quill, writing on both air and water. Her work was slow going, but such was adding magic to odd elemental surfaces. Sol twisted her head to glare. ¡°How does orange make sense for an underground race of ancient elementals? What are they, lava elemental?¡± Luka snapped his fingers. ¡°Exactly! This far under the surface, the pressure and heat from the world¡¯s core would produce pockets of lava more often¡ªhence orange elementals.¡± Sol pressed her lips firmly. ¡°But they¡¯re underwater¡ªif anything, they should be based on modern-day ocean elementals.¡± ¡°And ocean elementals are green, not blue?¡± ¡°Why would they be blue!?¡± Frustration eclipsed Luka¡¯s face until movement drew his eye. Eve gave a little wave, stepping up and through a wide trough similar to an elongated bathtub. They were outside, but countless illusionary glyphs told the tale of a late-night excursion. The moon was hidden behind the clouds, a rough wind kicking waves into the fake dock they stood on. As far as the eye could see was empty ocean and a budding thunderstorm and behind was the tavern and only the tavern. From where they stood, the illusions hid World Walker Park completely, despite Eve knowing they should be able to see it from where they stood. The longer she looked, the more confusion and anxiety bubbled through her belly. *** Luka softly smiled at Eve, but unfortunately, that smile died when he saw terror build. One moment, she was gleefully looking around, the next, she panicked. Her hand shot out, death gripping Franky¡¯s arm. ¡°Eve?¡± Franky asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luka and Sol were at her side in a flash, the latter flicking her wrist to dispel all of the illusions. The magic instantly cut out, disappearing faster than the blink of an eye. The raven on her head cawed at Eve before leaping from Sol¡¯s head and flapping off toward her cottage. Franky eased Eve to the ground as Luka asked, ¡°Eve, talk to us. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eve visibly forced her head to stay still, her eyes rolling around her head. She snapped them closed and allowed her brother to lay her head down. ¡°Illusion nausea,¡± Sol casually said. ¡°Like vertigo but a bit more forgiving.¡± Luka watched Eve gently¡ªever so gently¡ªnod her head in agreement. Franky made a face, almost as if he was disappointed in his sister. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Luka said, shooting a glare at Franky. Sol raised a palm up into the air, holding it steady. Meanwhile, she said, ¡°Her mind was telling her the illusions were fake, but her body wasn¡¯t listening. Happens to novices often enough. No big deal.¡± Luka waited for Eve to confirm her aunt¡¯s words with another nod before he asked, ¡°This won¡¯t happen to guests, right?¡± Still, with her hand in the air, Sol gave a shrug. ¡°Maybe. But for that to happen, the guests would have to know there are illusions to begin with. If they think everything is real, their minds won¡¯t try to tell their bodies it¡¯s fake.¡± Suddenly, Sol¡¯s raven swooped overhead, dropping a vial. It hurtled through the air, landing perfectly in Sol¡¯s hand. She clasped her fingers around the glass, smoothly uncorking it with her other hand. Then, in one curt motion, tossed all of the liquid inside at her niece. Green ichor splashed against Eve¡¯s face¡ªwho then jumped to an upright position as if kicked in the butt by a horse. She blinked and rubbed her nose, the liquid evaporating into a thin green steam. Tears came to her eyes, but the pain and anxiety were gone. She blinked them away, then pulled-on Franky to stand up. ¡°That stuff always burns,¡± Eve muttered, eyeing the glass vial. Sol scoffed. ¡°Well, you wouldn¡¯t have to smell it if you didn¡¯t fall victim to something as simple as illusion nausea.¡± Franky nodded to his aunt¡¯s words. ¡°Really had us worried there, sis.¡± Eve gave an unimpressed look. ¡°Sorry, my body got confused when I couldn¡¯t see the rest of the park with the illusions active.¡± The raven landed back on Sol¡¯s head, freezing like it was stuffed. ¡°Is that why? Because you knew something should be there, and it wasn¡¯t?¡± Begrudgingly, Eve nodded. Sol and Franky both groaned. Luka looked between everyone. ¡°Um, forgive me for not understanding the context behind this conversation, but to me, it feels as if you two are giving Eve too hard of a time.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not,¡± Eve replied. ¡°Illusion nausea is¡­¡± She bit her tongue and tried again. ¡°When someone is afflicted by illusion nausea, it¡¯s generally kids or novices. It¡¯s a rite of passage for them but embarrassing for anyone beyond their age or station.¡± ¡°So that gives them the right to give you irritated glares?¡± Franky and Sol both recoiled, looked at each other, then at the ground. ¡°Sorry, Eve,¡± the former muttered. ¡°What he said,¡± the latter whispered. Luka rolled his eyes. ¡°Eve, are you alright?¡± ¡°I am,¡± she said, proudly standing tall. ¡°Sol¡¯s concoction woke my senses up.¡± ¡°Yeah, looked like you breathed in smelling salts.¡± ¡°Smelling what¡ª¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Luka held up a hand, not wanting to get off topic. ¡°Illusion nausea: do we have to worry about it for guests?¡± The three locals all looked at each other, each making a face or a subtle movement. Then, as one, they all looked back to Luka. ¡°I¡¯m going to take that as a yes,¡± he said. ¡°No¡ª¡± Sol quickly said. ¡°Not really, at least.¡± ¡°If people were going to have issues, then Rogue Wave¡¯s underwater line would have done it,¡± Eve added. ¡°Or the rain during the ride,¡± Franky said. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling too reassured,¡± Luka flatly said. ¡°Look,¡± Eve tried, ¡°I¡¯m already embarrassed as it is, can we just move on?¡± ¡°No!¡± Luka snapped. ¡°I am not going to continue working on something that will cause people to become sick! That goes against everything I promised before creating the park!¡± Sol squinted at him. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between illusion nausea and people becoming nauseous after riding Rogue Wave or the swings?¡± ¡°The difference is,¡± he whipped a finger at Eve, ¡°people who have illusion nausea look like they¡¯re about to die! Eve looked like a vein burst in her head or something!¡± ¡°Nothing so dramatic,¡± Sol deflected. Luka jerked back, his eyes going wide¡ªthen snapping shut. He opened his mouth to retort, but nothing came out. Flashes of different things crossed his brow and lips, dark things, things that drilled their way from the deepest recesses of his mind. His fingers tightened into his palms, and his shoulders set straight. Then quietly, so, so quietly, he whispered, ¡°This isn¡¯t what I promised or agreed to. Eve, you, of all people, should know that. I don¡¯t want to hurt anyone, and I just hurt you.¡± He walked away. Eve moved to follow, but with a flex of magic, the surrounding stone came together and formed a perfect square. She pushed against the stone but found her path blocked. Chapter 44: Off Luka sat with his legs dangling off a particularly tall cliff with little Leo in his lap. Below, dark water rippled into the tall basalt columns that made up the remnants of Emberwood Mine, the lake¡¯s surface rough from the breeze. A question had long fluttered in his mind since Goddess Tippy stole his soul from oblivion: why? Why him? Why now? Why here? Why, why, why? He thought he knew. To build happiness. It was the goddess¡¯ mission statement, her divine decree for his second life. He fought through the terrible memories of his past, he adapted to his new home, he even made friends and touched lives¡­ And yet, now, sitting with his legs dangling off a cliff and his mind filled with unanswerable questions, happiness seemed so far away. His illusions hurt Eve¡ªand as much as she, Sol, and Franky promised it wasn¡¯t a big deal, it was. Luka had asked for very few things since arriving in this world, one of which was not to devolve into Earth Luka, the King of Bullets, the weapons creator, the supplier. And yet, seeing Franky gently ease Eve to the ground, all Luka could think about was Earth. There was a moment, years before he died and years before he realized the fallout of his actions, that Luka walked the streets after his creations rolled through. He remembered the scorch marks; he remembered the bullet holes and the mortar craters. He remembered the laughing generals sipping drinks in their tents; he remembered a clap on his back for ¡°a job well done.¡± And most importantly, he remembered the catalyst: the image that would forever be seared into his mind, the scene that, eventually, made him question who he was and what he was creating. He remembered a raven-haired woman, a woman whose skin was both charred black and whiter than snow¡ªash did that to a person. She was dead, her eyes locked firmly open, her skin frozen to the touch. And yet, she stared at Luka through time and space, judging, guilting, and forcing him to remember. Luka didn¡¯t know her name, but she would never be forgotten¡ªnot until his last breath. ¡°She looks like Eve,¡± a voice said, sliding beside Luka and recounting the dead woman. He didn¡¯t flinch at Goddess Tippy¡¯s sudden arrival, in fact, he expected it. Prayer was interesting in this world¡ªthe gods sometimes actually materialized. And boy, Luka had been praying. The question was, was he looking for advice or penance? ¡°Advice, I¡¯d say,¡± Tippy mused, reaching out to give Leo a pat all the while reading Luka¡¯s mind like a book. Luka picked up a rock and tossed it into the murky depths, shifting his legs and Leo. The wolf hopped up, let out a tongue-curling yawn, then trotted over into the goddess¡¯ lap, promptly falling asleep. It was late, far past the village¡¯s bedtime. Luka had missed the park¡¯s closure, not that they needed him to shepherd guests out¡ªin fact, he was having a hard time seeing why they needed him at all. The park could be built by Sol. It would take longer, and likely be more expensive, but Sol was an expert magic user. Eve understood the vision of what amusement parks could be, and Tram¡¯s village management translated well enough into park management. They didn¡¯t need him. And he was okay with that. ¡°No you¡¯re not.¡± Luka ignored the goddess and tossed another rock. Out of his peripherals, he spotted Leo¡¯s tiny eyes peering up at him. Apparently, the wolf wasn¡¯t as asleep as he seemed. ¡°Go to sleep, Leo. Tomorrow, you have another full day entertaining the guests¡¯ mounts.¡± The little wolf had taken it upon himself to play with all the mounts that came to the village. The barns and forest around Todd¡¯s Bar were perfect for hide and seek, wrestling, and even fetch¡ªif someone passing by threw the ball. Luka¡¯s words caused Leo to sit up and pant. The goddess stroked his white fur, but Leo wasn¡¯t dumb¡ªhe understood Luka¡¯s intentions quite well. And if he had to stay up the night with him, so be it. Tippy chuckled. ¡°Who¡¯s a good boy?¡± she asked, scratching Leo with her fingers made of rose petals and supernovas. Leo¡¯s back leg started thumping, that super itchy spot getting scratched juuuuust right. Luka tossed another rock. ¡°Really? Even the wolf couldn¡¯t pull you out of this funk?¡± He turned and glared at her. ¡°You think this is funny?¡± ¡°No,¡± Tippy said casually as if her divinity was a perfect mask. ¡°I hate it when any of my people are sad. It breaks my heart.¡± Luka ignored her tone and expression, instead throwing another rock. Just like prayer, the gods of this world were interesting. He had met multiple at this point, and so far, none of them had so much as genuinely smiled at him. Neb gazed at his stars like an elder waiting to die, and Tippy adopted a placated grin, one used more to ease the mortals she spoke to. ¡°Is that what you think?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s true,¡± a new voice said. Luka glanced to the other side of him, finding God Neb sitting. The man appeared as if he had always been there, his age showing in the deepness of his eyes and the hunch in his back. Neb wore the skin of a mortal but breathed the air of the divine. The god was a fa?ade, a mask, a fake. He sat beside Luka on that bench nights ago to manipulate and familiarize. Luka saw through it now. The showmanship, the mystique, the immortal arrogance. Tippy waited long enough to read Luka''s next few thoughts before saying, ¡°It¡¯s not. I do care about¡ª¡± ¡°Save it, Tip,¡± Neb said with a yawn. ¡°The kid doesn¡¯t believe it, and he¡¯s not going to just because you say so. He¡¯s not one of your devout, and he¡¯s a hell of a long way from becoming one.¡± Leo hopped off the goddess¡¯ lap to inspect the newcomer. He gave Neb a few cautious sniffs before sitting between him and Luka. ¡°What a brave little pup,¡± Neb mused. Luka tossed another rock and counted the time it took to splash into the water. ¡°They couldn¡¯t do it without you,¡± the old man then said, ¡°build the park, I mean. Trust me, I can peer into the future.¡± Which one? Luka thought. ¡°All of them. Tricky magic, but with some practice, even you could look. Learning to interpret what you saw is a whole other business.¡± Luka rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you this to manipulate you¡ª¡± Neb stopped himself when Luka twisted his head and stared unimpressed. ¡°Okay, I am. Sue me. Just hear me out.¡± Luka wasn¡¯t going anywhere¡ªand it wasn¡¯t like he could refrain from listening if he tried. They were gods, after all. Neb tapped his crooked, arthritis-ridden fingers against his cartilage-free knee. He made a face before sighing and holding out his hand. ¡°The ability to read the future means I already know what to say to get you out of this ¡®funk¡¯ and back to living your life,¡± he then said, much to Tippy¡¯s irritation. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The goddess groaned and snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t tell him that! Now it¡¯s not going to work.¡± Luka turned his head and eyed the goddess. He mutely shook his head and tossed another rock. Neb, likewise, gave her a withered glare, like a parent trying to get their child to shut up in front of the police. ¡°As I was saying,¡± Neb continued, holding out his hand, ¡°just¡­ watch.¡± From his palm, a burst of magic flashed. Luka recognized the spellwork as an illusion. A picture-video formed; a stifling stone castle came into view. Like a bird soaring through the sky, the illusion wove through the clouds and descended toward a spire window. It hesitated to enter, instead highlighting the room. A young woman¡ªa girl, really¡ªsat at the foot of her bed, lamely eyeing her breakfast. Luka instantly understood, just from watching the illusion, that the food was the same as yesterday, and the day prior. It was a special breakfast, one the girl¡¯s parents deemed necessary for growth and development. The girl audibly sighed, departed her bed, and grabbed a stack of paper from the nearby table. She then climbed out of the window, magically augmenting her fingers and toes to magnetize to the tower¡¯s outer wall. She spider-climbed to the top, where she sat on the spire roof and began to read. Neb¡¯s illusion zoomed in on the papers, showing off a familiar local newspaper. The girl read the article titled ¡°A WORLD WALKER OR A WORLD MAKER?¡± by Stell Metus of the Sneerhome periodical. ¡°The papers are a few days late this far from Sneerhome,¡± Neb explained. ¡°The royals used to teleport the papers in, but that was a grossly inappropriate use of magical funds.¡± ¡°Royals?¡± ¡°Indeed. You are currently looking at the youngest princess of the Kingdom of Embers¡ªin other words, the first ¡®VIP¡¯ World Walker Park ticket holder.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a VIP ticket,¡± Luka slowly muttered. ¡°Not yet, you don¡¯t.¡± Luka twitched his hands, the gesture about what he was feeling on the subject. A princess was coming to the park? He honestly didn¡¯t care. ¡°See, Neb?¡± Tippy ruefully said. ¡°This is why we go with the future-proven things to say instead of winging it.¡± The other god simply shook his head. ¡°And I¡¯m telling you, this will be better. Luka¡¯s not stupid, and he¡¯s a divine skeptic. He saw through your and my masks instantly. We look at the future and say whatever will get what we want the fastest. That won¡¯t work here, not for Luka, not for the long term.¡± ¡°Long term?¡± Luka asked. ¡°If we had this conversation Tip¡¯s way, then you would kill yourself six months from now after the park¡¯s grand opening.¡± Luka didn¡¯t react, but Tippy¡¯s eyes turned ablaze. Magic pooled around her, turning the immediate area to day. The moon hung overhead, the sky was pitch black, and yet, the light emanating from the goddess was like the glow of a sunny wheat field. Tippy¡¯s ire suddenly hitched, then drained. The light dimmed; her posture slumped. Leo barked at her. ¡°She just looked at the future,¡± Neb commented. ¡°We gods might be gods, but we are not infallible. Sometimes, we forget to look farther into the future to see the outcomes of our shortcuts.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Luka,¡± Tippy whispered. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Luka tossed another rock. ¡°What happens to the park?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°After I off myself, what happens to the park?¡± Tippy hesitated to answer, but Neb had no problems. ¡°The park is a smashing success. It innovates and expands, creating an entertainment empire spanning multiple continents. A monument of you is built at the entrance of each park where everyone entering has to look at it. Some take the time to read the plaque, others don¡¯t.¡± Luka grunted. ¡°Seems about right.¡± Tippy¡¯s mouth opened and closed several times, the words just not forming. Neb held out his palm and produced another illusion. A gruff middle-aged man was walking through a vault. ¡°This next person is the crime lord in the Kingdom of Embers. After Mayor Tram removes a small-time street crew from Sneerhome and deposits them into the park¡¯s employment, the crime lord investigates. He¡¯ll like what he sees and attempt to take it over.¡± Neb flexed his fingers, producing another illusion of a person. An elvish woman stood at the top of a tree several times taller than Earth¡¯s tallest building and a few magnitudes larger in width. ¡°She hears the trees whispering about World Walker Park in a few months because of the park¡¯s newest sectioned land called ¡®the Bestial Grove.¡¯ She is the Elvin Consort to our world¡¯s tree and likes what you will be doing with nature conservation.¡± Neb flexed again, producing the illusion of a young, blue-skinned woman. Luka instantly recognized her as the girl from the other day, Sally, all grown up. ¡°Sally, here,¡± Neb whispered, ¡°was inspired by your physics lesson and enters a prestigious magical university and studies natural law and how it relates to magic. In her lifetime, she will revolutionize the field and attract scorn from the oldest and most traditionalist of mages.¡± He crushed the illusion with his fingers, then leaned in. ¡°And she will prove them all wrong.¡± Tears fell silently from Luka¡¯s cheeks. ¡°You will, or have already, touched each of these people¡¯s lives. Most will end positively, but one won¡¯t. In fact, you¡¯ll hurt them¡ªjust like those people you hurt on Earth. But you¡¯ll learn from it, grow from it, and continue to inspire.¡± Neb held out his hand one final time, summoning forth an illusion of the future. It was World Walker Park¡ªwhat it would look like in a few months. It was glorious. Luka¡¯s eyes sparkled as the illusion swept through the attractions, lines, and guests. But¡ªthe thought of a raven-haired dead woman with piercing, haunted eyes stopped him. ¡°I can¡¯t hurt anyone anymore,¡± he muttered. ¡°Sure, you can,¡± Neb replied instantly. ¡°It¡¯s called being human¡ªwhich is a phrase in this world, by the way. Everyone knows what you mean, even if they aren¡¯t human.¡± Luka shook his head. His hand reached for another rock, but he didn¡¯t throw it. Instead, he held it in his hand, the weight pressing into his skin. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt anyone anymore,¡± he said. Neb nodded. ¡°Then don¡¯t.¡± ¡°But you said¡ª¡± ¡°Tippy also implied that the future will change if you know about it.¡± ¡°How will I know who I¡¯ll hurt? I can¡¯t know the future for every guest that comes into the park.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about illusionary sickness, right?¡± ¡°Illusion nausea,¡± Luka said. ¡°Right, that.¡± Neb scratched his wrinkled chin. ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t Tippy¡¯s blessing cover it? She did say she¡¯d protect everyone from getting hurt on your rides.¡± Tippy¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± she declared. ¡°I¡¯ll recreate the blessing to include esoteric, magical illnesses as well.¡± Neb rolled his eyes. ¡°You know, Luka, I get the feeling that illusion nausea isn¡¯t the real reason you¡¯re in a ¡®funk.¡¯¡± He didn¡¯t react to that. The god continued, ¡°I think you just used the illness as an excuse to punish yourself. For as much time as you spent with Tippy in her heavenly domain, your past isn¡¯t something you just get over. It¡¯ll stay with you, just like Tippy or my past will stay with us.¡± Darkness shrouded the man¡¯s face. ¡°You don¡¯t become a god without a few skeleton-filled closets. Trust me on that.¡± Luka rolled his ring around his finger. Neb was wrong. It wasn¡¯t that his past was derailing him, it was that his future was¡­ was¡­ He gritted his teeth and went over all of his responsibilities. The park, the village, aluminum, Eve and Franky¡¯s relationship with their aunt, and finally, the resurrection of everyone who died in the mine. What am I missing? he asked himself. ¡°The orphans¡¯ happiness,¡± Tippy suggested. Luka nodded. ¡°Back on Earth, despite everything, I could see my path forward. But now, here, I¡¯m blindly sprinting forward. Then I trip over something like Eve¡¯s illusion nausea, and I¡¯m reminded that I¡¯m a terrible sprinter.¡± Neb patted Luka on the knee. ¡°Then slow down.¡± ¡°Easier said than done.¡± ¡°Is it? How¡¯d you sprint on Earth without tripping?¡± Luka thought about that. How did he do it? Did he trip at all? Ignoring the fact he ignored the implications of his work, how did he keep up with everything? After college, after his first engineering firm, after the government hired him, after the militia work¡­ nothing stuck out as a tripping hazard. The worst he could think of was burn-out, but a three-day weekend of relaxing was all he needed to get back on his feet. ¡°You¡¯re forgetting something important, Luka,¡± Neb advised. ¡°I watched your entire previous life the moment you stepped onto this world, and there¡¯s something you haven¡¯t thought of once that was a huge part of what happened to you.¡± Luka pressed his lips firmly. ¡°It¡¯s hard to think. Tippy¡¯s mind-altering magic did¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Neb slowly, ever so slowly, said, ¡°Tip¡¯s magic is completely gone.¡± ¡°But I still can¡¯t remember everything. I¡¯m missing huge chunks of my life.¡± ¡°Those were there before I did anything to your mind,¡± Tippy said, speaking for the first time in a few minutes. ¡°You blocked those memories out.¡± ¡°Memories of what?¡± The divine pair didn¡¯t answer. Instead, they stared at him. Luka¡¯s mind went to a blue-skinned adult woman¡ªthe mother of the future mage, Sally. ¡°Do you have kids, Mr. World Walker? Because you handled her excellently.¡± A memory appeared: An Earth hospital. Flowery wallpaper. A waiting room. Nurses and doctors running around. A wife in labor¡ª ¡°I have a daughter,¡± Luka said, the memories coming back. Horror stretched across his face. ¡°And she hates me.¡± ¡°Well, technically,¡± Neb announced, ¡°she¡¯s dead, so she doesn¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°NEB!¡± Tippy screamed, the night air turning to day again. ¡°What?¡± the old god asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like the kid doesn¡¯t have a way to reincarnate people sitting right on his finger. The only question is: should he?¡± Chapter 45: Annie ¡°What do you mean ¡®dead?¡¯¡± Luka asked God Neb. His hands were shaking, his stomach was doing backflips. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should see each other anymore,¡± the memory of Luka¡¯s daughter, Annie, said two decades before Luka¡¯s death. ¡°Mom¡¯s not well, and you¡¯re making things worse. You have to leave.¡± Tears poured from Luka¡¯s face as he remembered his response: ¡°Drive me to the airport, then?¡± He didn¡¯t even try to defend himself¡ªhe was fine with leaving; his ex-wife and daughter didn¡¯t want him¡­ and it wasn¡¯t like he wanted them either. The daughter he never wanted, the ex-wife he married because of the daughter¡­ his family. Tears turned to wailing when he remembered Annie¡¯s reply: ¡°I¡¯m too busy.¡± His own daughter wouldn¡¯t even drive him to the airport after kicking him out¡ªand Luka of the past still didn¡¯t fight back. He didn¡¯t put his foot down and demanded that they fix their relationship. He didn¡¯t attempt to understand the issue. He didn¡¯t care if his ex died in that hospital bed. He didn¡¯t care if his estranged daughter hated him. He didn¡¯t care because he knew they were right¡ªLuka, King of Bullets, savant of death. They knew his titles; they knew what he was. And at this point in his life, Luka agreed. His daughter and wife hated him¡­ and he hated himself. There was no fixing his past; there was only means to forget. Bothering them any longer was only punishment. Alcohol at first, then pills. Homelessness came later. Luka remembered the cold, snowy bench he died on. Alone and long gone. ¡°Annie died on Earth well after you did,¡± God Neb said. ¡°Tippy didn¡¯t reincarnate you that soon after your death¡ªeveryone you ever knew on Earth is dead. You have great-grandkids that are still alive, but you never met them, and they don¡¯t know anything about you.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes looked and felt as if he¡¯d been punched. They were swollen, puffy, and a shade of crimson that shined even in the moonlight. Tears leaked down his cheeks, and snot oozed from his mouth and nose. Leo licked and brushed against him, but even the white ball of fluff stayed out of the splash zone. This time, Neb picked up a rock and threw it. But while Luka¡¯s were pebbles that could fit in the palm of his hand, the god magically picked up a boulder and hurled it across the lake. The mortal in the group couldn¡¯t see it splash, the darkness too thick. ¡°So, now you know,¡± Neb then said. Goddess Tippy glared. ¡°Is this conversation going as you envisioned?¡± The old man shrugged. ¡°He hasn¡¯t thrown himself off the cliff yet, just rocks. So, yeah.¡± Luka looked up and blinked away the tears. ¡°Is that what you think I¡¯m going to do? Throw myself off the cliff?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why do you think we¡¯re here?¡± He recoiled. ¡°That thought never even crossed my mind.¡± The gods looked at him as if they didn¡¯t believe him¡­ because, after all, they could read minds. ¡°Stop reading my mind,¡± Luka muttered with a tone so dark, both gods removed their magical probing. Their presence slipped away, disappearing with little more than a brush. His mind equated their magic as a blade of grass touching the sole of his foot¡ªsubtle, a feeling so minute that unless Luka actively felt for it, he would have never noticed. But now, now he knew what mind-reading magic felt like. And from now on, he¡¯d be on the lookout. The gods had screwed with his mind enough¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t allow them to peer into his thoughts any longer. ¡°I like that look in your eyes,¡± Neb declared. ¡°Your mood has changed from sadness to ire. And while I¡¯d rather your ire be targeted at someone else, I will settle for this outcome.¡± ¡°You people are disgusting,¡± Luka slurred. ¡°Treating us mortals like playthings¡ª¡± ¡°Luka, no!¡± Tippy interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s not what we are doing at all! You, and all of the other World Walkers, are the only people keeping our world alive. Without you all, this world would have stagnated¡ªeven with us gods interfering.¡± Neb reluctantly nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not something we like to advertise, but Tip¡¯s right. The World Walker program is something we gods thought up in hopes of pulling this world out of this endless era. Think about Earth: how quick did humans go from cavemen to nuclear power? A few, a handful of myriads? Would you believe it¡¯s taken this world nearly twice that to go from cavemen to what Earth would call ¡®medieval?¡¯¡± ¡°Then the World Walker ¡®program¡¯ failed,¡± Luka said. ¡°No¡ªin fact, just the opposite. World Walkers are a relatively new idea for this world. We¡¯ve only been doing it for a few centuries.¡± ¡°And look at what we¡¯ve accomplished already.¡± Tippy was smiling, her lips made of fine rose petals. ¡°Our world is more connected now than ever. The gnomes are creating cutting-edge mechanical inventions modeled with Earth¡¯s motors. Very recently, we¡¯ve redone our public education, and whatever child is guaranteed to have¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not even accounting for World Walkers from worlds other than Earth,¡± Neb interrupted. ¡°One recent milestone is how connected the elves are to the trees. It¡¯s been a cultural marvel. And we can thank a World Walker from Grovin for that.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Luka hesitated, then asked, ¡°Why me?¡± Neb sealed his lips, allowing his younger coworker to answer. Tippy took a long while to speak. And when she did, she spoke quietly. ¡°My brother asked me the same question when I showed you to him. At first, he didn¡¯t get it either¡ªand maybe he still doesn¡¯t. But my answer is the same to you as it was to him: because I¡¯m scared.¡± Luka stole a glance at Neb. Apparently, the god was just as confused as he was. Tippy continued, ¡°I worry that my time as a goddess has made me blind. You hit the nail on the head earlier, Luka. We are distant, we do manipulate to get what we want, and yes, sometimes the outcome causes pain because we can¡¯t relate too. ¡°But don¡¯t ever believe we don¡¯t care. Immortality is a long and lonely road. And as narcissistic as it sounds, being a god is a selfless position. We don¡¯t claim to be saints¡ªwell, most of us at least¡ªbut listening to all those prayers? All their problems? All their wants, needs, and feelings? It¡¯s¡­ hell. A hell that, if we were to quit, would destroy the world as we know it. ¡°So yeah, I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared for the world, for my people, for you, for my brother, and the other gods. I¡¯m scared for the future¡ªa future I can read, mind you¡ªand I¡¯m still scared¡­¡± ¡°But how does that relate to me?¡± Luka asked in the lull. Tippy looked up, locking her eyes with his. ¡°Because you¡¯re scared too. I searched Earth and all the other worlds we reincarnate from to find someone who was scared like me. I searched for someone who could feel mortal pain but also was pragmatic enough to understand immortal anguish. I looked for someone desperate for a second chance in life, no matter how much they told themselves they didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I searched for you, Luka.¡± He pressed his teeth together, halting his voice. He mulled over his word choice before finally saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think you have the right guy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tippy asked before jutting a thumb back toward the park. ¡°How do you explain that, then?¡± ¡°Anyone could build an amusement park.¡± Neb chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s not what she¡¯s pointing at, kid. Here, let me help¡­¡± Magic flared from the man¡¯s tired hands. A shimmering vortex appeared like a hazy early morning. Swirls of color magnified the park, producing a remote image of a pair of orcish siblings and their crazy aunt. Eve and Franky sat on the bench, looking in Luka and the gods¡¯ general direction. Eve chewed her nails raw; Franky absentmindedly scratched a gash into the metal and wood seat¡ªboth lost in thought. Sol sat cross-legged, eyeing a piece of paper filled with illusionary glyphs. ¡°Sol¡¯s been working on a solution to illusion nausea,¡± Neb said. ¡°And while she hasn¡¯t been successful, I¡¯m sure a few¡­ divine insights would fix the problem.¡± Luka found himself nodding along with the god¡¯s words. But then his mind caught up. He slowly faced the old man. ¡°See, that¡¯s the problem right there. You¡ªa god to these people¡ªhave a solution to fix illusion nausea. But you don¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°They have to figure it out themselves¡ª¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s the point in being gods if you can¡¯t help keep kids and apprentices from being sick while dealing with illusions? What kind of sadistic god sees sick kids and refuses to simply tell them how to fix it?¡± ¡°Luka,¡± Tippy calmly said, ¡°telling the people the solution to their every problem is exactly what got us into this problem and is exactly the reason why we created the World Walkers. Magic and us gods are the reason the world has stagnated.¡± ¡°Then you should all stop being gods.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve talked about it,¡± Neb said, ¡°and decided that we are too influential. Think of it as the sunken cost fallacy. If we simply stop being gods, then everyone who looks to us will fall into despair. And since that¡¯s most of the world, well, you can see where I¡¯m going, right?¡± ¡°You two always seem to have the perfect answer,¡± Luka darkly said. ¡°We do. But sometimes our definition of perfect isn¡¯t the same as yours.¡± Luka pointed at the vortex mirror showing off his friends and their aunt. ¡°How long have they been sitting there?¡± ¡°Since ten minutes after you stormed off. They told Tram first.¡± ¡°What about their shifts?¡± Tippy answered, ¡°They asked another few villagers to cover. It wasn¡¯t a problem.¡± Luka bit his lip. ¡°I¡¯ve been sitting here for hours.¡± ¡°And they¡¯ve been worried for hours.¡± Neb theatrically sighed. ¡°You got upset that Eve was hurt. They got upset because you were upset. You all are upset because you all care for one another and don¡¯t want to see each other hurt. So¡ªwhile you¡¯ve been out here kicking yourself, they¡¯ve been over there kicking themselves. You blame your past, they blame themselves.¡± Neb destroyed the magical mirror, turned, and locked eyes with Luka. ¡°And yet, the sun will rise tomorrow, the park will open again, and people will continue to create memories riding your creations.¡± ¡°Am I wrong for feeling the way I do?¡± Luka asked. ¡°No,¡± Tippy answered before Neb could. ¡°But you are wrong for letting the way you feel dictate what you do. When you¡¯re emotional, you don¡¯t always see the whole picture¡ªyou don¡¯t always see the future will be okay.¡± He looked at her. ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from the scared goddess.¡± ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it? Neb already told you we aren¡¯t perfect. That must be one of my flaws.¡± Luka nodded at that. It made sense, and honestly made him feel a little better. He turned to Neb. ¡°What¡¯s Sol doing wrong?¡± The god didn¡¯t keep the answer secret. ¡°She¡¯s not considering the basic illusionary glyph is wrong. Tell her to look at the power functionality of the scripting. It¡¯s too high and is causing ill feedback in the minds of confused people.¡± ¡°The basic glyph is wrong?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ which is one of the reasons we didn¡¯t want to tell people how to fix illusion nausea. Once the glyph is fixed and the problem is solved, people will start looking for new illusion magic. There¡¯s going to be a gold rush, and when the dust clears, people will start looking for other basic glyphs to ¡®fix.¡¯ Magic as we know it will evolve, all because of a simple momentary nausea.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s fine, right?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Sure, you tell them how to fix one issue, but after they fix it, they¡¯ll be the ones innovating on all magic. I don¡¯t see how that is stagnation. Seems like progression to me.¡± ¡°Maybe it is,¡± Tippy said. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not. Either way, the future¡¯s going to change.¡± ¡°For the good?¡± She hesitated. ¡°Too early to tell.¡± ¡°Speaking of ¡®early,¡¯¡± Neb said, changing subjects. ¡°I¡¯ve procured the payment for my rollercoaster.¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. ¡°Which was¡­?¡± ¡°The required materials, remember?¡± Vaguely, he did. He, Eve, and Neb were talking about log flumes and star-themed rollercoasters. Did he make a deal with the god? ¡°You don¡¯t remember? Maybe we didn¡¯t, then.¡± Neb asked. ¡°My mistake.¡± He paused long enough that even Tippy lurched forward in anticipation. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll just leave all this metal here, then. I¡¯ve got no need for it. You take it.¡± Suddenly, a mountain of steel appeared beside Neb. Luka gawked, slowly closing his mouth. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. Chapter 46: Sunk Cost Luka dragged his feet during the walk back to the park. The moonlight reflected against Leo¡¯s white fur, the little wolf leading the way back to civilization. Behind the pair, the gods disappeared in a plume of silence¡ªfading through reality as if they were never there. There was a lot to unpack from tonight¡¯s divine conversation, and as much as Luka wanted to curl up and digest everything, he had a log flume to construct. Leo yipped and trotted around him, keeping an eye out for the nighttime sounds. A branch scraping against another here, a garden snake cutting through the brush there. Leo was both protector and guardian, dire-wolf and friend. Cute little guy, Luka thought, once again glad he met the little beast. At some point along the way, Leo, however, decided he didn¡¯t want to walk anymore. He jumped up on his back legs, pawing his way onto Luka¡¯s chest. The human picked up the little wolf and slid him between his arms. ¡°Spoiled,¡± Luka said, giving the pup a smirk. Leo, in turn, gave Luka a lick to the face. Whether due to carrying Leo or the cool night air, Luka picked up his pace. The bench Eve, Franky, and Sol sat on was the furthest bench in the park from the entrance. In other words, it was the closest bench to the lake, but not exactly close to the lake. The park diverted around the left side of the courthouse, yet the kids¡¯ slides and pizza oven were off toward the right. Luka created the park this way so that the villagers had a place to retreat to. They wouldn¡¯t be living in the park with the guests, the rides, and the loudness of everything. The village would eventually be isolated¡ªa forest and countless gift shops and vendor huts acting as a barrier. As Luka walked, he couldn¡¯t help but think about his estranged¡ªand dead¡ªdaughter, Annie. He last saw her was after he left the war machine, but still worked in the industry. From building jets to an administrative role. It was that role that caused him to eventually break down and fall from the graces of society. Drugs, drinking, guilt¡­ by then, he wasn¡¯t a father any longer. He hadn¡¯t really been a father since Annie was a toddler. Work was too straining, too busy, too needy. Annie had her mom¡ªand Luka thought that was okay. How could I ever have thought that? he asked himself, Leo shifting in his arms. I was a terrible person on Earth, but was I always that bad? He could only shake his head. His past was¡­ what it was. That was hard to admit, but here¡ªin this new world he still didn¡¯t know the name of¡ªLuka had to live in the present. Everyone told him that: gods, friends, himself. Maybe it was finally time to listen. But Annie. Luka rolled his ring around his finger. Requirements for a Potion of Reincarnation: 30,000 motes of life. 30,000 motes of death. 1 phoenix heart. 1 drop of liquid undeath. 1 meaningful possession of the deceased. 1/1,000 divine teardrop. Ignoring the fact he didn¡¯t have any meaningful possessions of Annie¡¯s, Luka hesitated on if he should reincarnate her. She hated him, likely had lived a fulfilling life of her own, and, importantly, was dead. Luka didn¡¯t like to think about it, but the bliss of oblivion floated into his mind on occasion. The peace, the quietness, the lack of worries. Goddess Tippy ripped Luka from oblivion for her own selfishness¡ªeven if that selfishness was shrouded in pragmatism. But could Luka do the same for Annie? No¡­ he didn¡¯t think so. He couldn¡¯t reincarnate her. It wasn¡¯t fair, it wasn¡¯t right¡­ no matter how much he wanted to right his wrongs of the past. Luka stepped from the darkness and around the edge of the bench. Under the light of a rod of wood with a light glyph on it¡ªa poor man¡¯s streetlight¡ªhe sat beside Franky and Eve, with Aunt Sol cross-legged in the grass beside them. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Luka wasn¡¯t sure who asked the question, if he was being honest. He shook out his thoughts, focusing on the here and now. ¡°No,¡± he answered honestly. Leo tilted his head at the declaration. ¡°But I think I needed tonight to happen. Better in the long run, I¡¯d say.¡± Eve chewed on her lip, mulling over an appropriate reply. Franky had no such qualm and said, ¡°What happened tonight? We¡¯ve been arguing since we left the flume. Obviously, Eve¡¯s¡ª¡± Luka raised his hand, silencing the orc. ¡°I think the final piece of my past finally surfaced. Something had been hovering in the back of my mind since I came back from Tippy¡¯s church. I thought it was a remnant of her magic on my memory, but it turned out it was all me.¡± Sol quirked an eyebrow. She held a dozen pieces of scrawled-on paper, each filled to the brim with notes on illusionary glyphs. ¡°What does that mean?¡± she asked. ¡°It means I locked some of my memories away. Painful ones, maybe even worse than all of the deaths.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°The what?¡± Sol demanded. Luka blinked at the woman. ¡°Oh, I thought you knew. Back on Earth, I was an engineer of destruction. I created bombs and weapons that were used to slaughter hundreds of thousands, maybe more.¡± Sol stared. ¡°Anyways.¡± Luka took a deep breath. ¡°I pushed away the memories of my daughter. But Tippy and Neb helped me remember.¡± Eve was the first to react, but only after a string of palpably long seconds. Hardly louder than a distant whisper, she corrected, ¡°Goddess Tippy and God Neb.¡± Orcs were green or red, depending on their bloodline tribe. Yet right now, Eve¡¯s skin was more akin to a ghostly orc. She was pale, haunted even. Franky wasn¡¯t much better, his muscles seemed to have deflated. He looked weak, as if, for the first time in his life, strength wouldn¡¯t solve his problems. Only Sol seemed to take the news well, but even then, not very¡ªthe raven on her head hunkered down like it was weathering a hailstorm. Luka carefully studied each of their reactions and came to the same conclusion Leo did: confusion. The little wolf tilted his head back and forth before propping himself up from Luka¡¯s arms and sniffing everyone. ¡°Uh, I was expecting a reaction, but not this one¡­¡± Eve answered, albeit slowly, ¡°There¡¯s a common issue with World Walkers¡ªan issue with reincarnation, really. Only the World Walker gets reincarnated. Not their family.¡± Franky swallowed before adding, ¡°When you first arrived here, you never mentioned your family. So, we figured you didn¡¯t have any. But now that you remember your daughter¡­¡± Luka read through the lines. ¡°You expect me to become more depressed than I already am because I won¡¯t ever get to see her again.¡± ¡°Yeah, pretty much.¡± Sol recoiled. ¡°That¡¯s why you two are acting like that?¡± Eve furrowed her brow. ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± ¡°I thought he was telling us he and his death engineering killed his daughter!¡± The siblings slowly turned from their aunt; their expressions reverted to haunted. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her,¡± Luka said plainly. ¡°Oh, thank the gods.¡± ¡°Really had us going there, Aunty.¡± Sol rolled her eyes. ¡°People really need to speak more clearly. I¡¯m old, remember?¡± ¡°With your skin, I¡¯d never have guessed,¡± Luka said. Sol really, really was smooth. Magically smooth, even. The woman was not impressed. ¡°Moving on. Are their worries founded? Are you going to become more depressed? I¡¯ve been trying to solve illusion nausea, but so far, no luck.¡± Eve groaned. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this¡ªyou¡¯re not just going to ¡®solve¡¯ illusion nausea.¡± Before anyone else could speak, Luka relayed God Neb¡¯s advice. ¡°Check the basic glyph for too much magical power in the functionality script. It¡¯s causing a negative feedback loop.¡± Before, the orcs were shades lighter. Now, their pigment returned with force. Franky¡¯s muscles reformed as he stared at Luka. Eve¡¯s expression shifted through confusion, wonder, and more confusion. Sol, at first, gave the novice magic user a glare¡­ but then thought about his advice. She quickly sifted through her papers, finding the illusion glyph in its most basic form. She stared at the paper as if it was a puzzle, then set it down. ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°Neb.¡± ¡°God Neb,¡± Eve quietly corrected. Sol extended and curled her fingers, tension building as the seconds ticked on. ¡°There are some implications here. If what God Neb said is true, then the magical community will have to reevaluate all basic glyphs for mistakes.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Luka said. ¡°That¡¯s what Neb said as well. Maybe you can use all of that as leverage with the Guilds or something. I¡¯m not sure but may as well profit from it.¡± Sol silently gathered her notes, stood, then started walking away. Mid step, she exploded into a bundle of raven feathers and ash, flying away as a raven herself¡­ or something. Luka wasn¡¯t sure how her magic worked. ¡°Guess she wanted to get a head start on that,¡± he said, stretching himself. Then, with a yawn, he added, ¡°I think I¡¯m going to skip tonight¡¯s meeting and finish the log flume.¡± Eve took a second to keep up. ¡°But what about the illusion nausea? It will take some time for Sol to solve the problem even with God Neb¡¯s hint.¡± Luka waved her off. ¡°Tippy said her blessing will cover nausea from now on.¡± Franky blinked slowly. ¡°That¡¯s convenient.¡± ¡°Yeah, apparently, there¡¯s some sort of cost fallacy with World Walkers, and the gods all try to keep them happy and on the right path.¡± ¡°Cost fallacy?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Fancy term for saying the gods want me to succeed.¡± Franky then uttered three words that, under a microscope, wouldn¡¯t draw too much attention. But with the context of Luka, his ring, and Goddess Tippy¡¯s blessing, someone noticed. ¡°All of them?¡± he asked, the question reaching the ears of all of divinity. *** A nameless god stirred at the question. Long thought dead, this god raised from his tomb and listened. Fate, destiny, and karma all sang a harbinger hymn. Silent to all but those who knew how to listen. What did the song say? It announced the nameless god¡¯s return. God Neb appeared in Goddess Tippy¡¯s heavenly domain. His eyes scanned the infinite area for only a moment before zeroing in on the goddess and teleporting himself to her side. ¡°Good, you both are already here,¡± he said, announcing himself to Tippy and her brother, Rion. ¡°Neb? How did you get in here?¡± Tippy asked with a frown. Ignoring the child¡¯s question, Neb said, ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. It seems our conversation with Luka tonight had unintended consequences. Something woke up.¡± ¡°Something?¡± Rion asked. Tippy¡¯s eyes glazed over as she looked across past, present, and future. ¡°Uh oh.¡± ¡°¡¯Uh oh¡¯ indeed,¡± Neb said. ¡°We need to prepare.¡± ¡°Prepare?¡± she asked. ¡°We need to warn Luka!¡± The old god shook his head. ¡°Remember to fully look through the future. Don¡¯t just stop when you see something you like or don¡¯t like.¡± Tippy returned to her magic, viewing events like a sped-up movie. After viewing as far forward as she could, she returned to the present and looked to Neb for answers. The old man, however, was silent. ¡°What did you see?¡± asked Rion. ¡°Nothing,¡± Tippy said. ¡°The future just¡­ stopped being.¡± Neb gave her a pat on the shoulder, a kindred one, one with more meaning than she could ever have known. ¡°You, my dear young goddess, just witnessed a calamity.¡± ¡°H-how do we stop it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing; you don¡¯t. Only the people who are directly involved can.¡± ¡°And who¡¯s that?¡± Rion asked. Neb summoned an illusion of a familiar bench at a familiar amusement park. There, two orcs and a World Walker sat with a dire-wolf. Chapter 47: Security ¡°Batty¡± ¡°Double-B¡± Barns sulked the whole caravan ride to Emberwood Village. It was a crowded ride, the Crew stuffed into the small wagon like cattle to the slaughter¡ªand in a way, they were off to the ¡°slaughter.¡± Sneerhome had been Barns¡¯ home for the last few years, ever since the Emberwood Village mine collapsed. But now, because of one mistake, everything he¡¯d built in the bustling city came crashing down. So yes, in Barns¡¯ mind, he was marching to his execution. But he straightened his shoulders, fixed his posture, and adopted his devilish smirk¡ªeven if he didn¡¯t feel like smirking internally. He had to; not for himself, but for the Crew. He was their leader, their gang boss. They were friends, they were family. Barns scanned his eyes over his family. They were an odd bunch, a group of nobodies and has-beens, street trash and the discarded. They were scarred, left to die, and ridiculed. But each member, each family member, had their own story, their own reason to get up and try. And it was that exact notion that Barns founded the Crew on. To get up. To not let the world beat you down. To take hold of every opportunity as if it was your last. But as Barns now knew, fly too close to the sun, and the sun will swallow you whole. ¡°Stop moping,¡± a voice to Barns¡¯ right said. He turned, finding Erin, the Crew¡¯s very own half-elf. ¡°You tried, you failed, and your conquest of Sneerhome will be talked about for generations.¡± Erin was shorter than a human by a head, a fact that that, in a vacuum, didn¡¯t mean much. But in the case of elves, meant the world. Pure-blooded elves were terribly confrontational toward any non-pure elf. Most half-breeds hid their faults to the ends of the world or purposely flaunted them like a peacock¡¯s feathers. Erin wasn¡¯t allowed to choose. Her height marked her as a half-breed from a glance since no self-respecting elf would dare allow themselves to be shorter than an average human. What that meant realistically, Barns didn¡¯t know¡ªand it wasn¡¯t like Erin would tell them either. The Crew might be a family, but everyone had their secrets. Erin¡¯s parents were hers and hers alone. ¡°I¡¯m not moping,¡± Barns said to her, crossing his muscular red orcish arms and flashing a hint of teeth through his smirk. He wasn¡¯t as buff as some of his fellow Emberwoodians, but then again, he didn¡¯t care to be. He was a thief by trade, a profession that needed speed more than brawn. ¡°Your eyes lie,¡± Erin said with a hint of bitterness. ¡°You¡¯re upset.¡± She always had a thing about eyes. Something about her lineage, no doubt. Barns held his tongue on that fact and simply shrugged. ¡°I just¡­ didn¡¯t expect it to end this way.¡± A new voice drew the attention of everyone in the wagon. ¡°This ¡®way¡¯ being because of a failed mission courtesy of Arlo?¡± Barns gritted his teeth, his smirk waning for a fraction of a second. The speaker was Million, Mel for short. As the sole goblin of the Crew, Mel always spoke his mind. According to him, that was just the way goblins were, and since no one else had ever met another goblin, the fact stuck. Of course, everyone had their own thoughts on the subject. Glancing to Arlo, Barns watched the teenager sink into himself. Arlo was the youngest of the group, and the newest member of the Crew. He was human, a fact Mel mocked incessantly. ¡°Arlo¡¯s only human.¡± ¡°Arlo can¡¯t help it, he¡¯s human, after all!¡± Goblins were unmistakable by way of their oblong heads and crooked chests. They looked as if an elf and a halfling had a baby, and that baby was sucker punched as a newborn and grew backward instead of up. Mel was no different. ¡°Arlo didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Barns said, drawing a hesitant eye from the kid. ¡°It was my fault. I should¡¯ve given him more intel on Emberwood Village. I knew the mayor would be an issue, but I just didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be so spry. She was ancient when I still lived there.¡± The statement wasn¡¯t good enough for Mel. ¡°They have a fricken World Walker! Of course, they¡¯d catch him!¡± Barns blinked. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°And apparently, they¡¯ve been breeding dire-wolves and magical ravens. Arlo failed the mission, and you, Double-B, failed to gather proper information.¡± The goblin shrugged, his awkwardly shaped shoulders flexing under his thick pale skin. ¡°Happens.¡± And there¡¯s the Mel I know, Barns told himself. The man is blunt, but also fair. Arlo¡¯s taking his role in all of this unfairly, the blame is solely on me. ¡°Chin up, Arlo,¡± whispered the fifth member of the crew, Wail, the banshee. Her voice carried across the air rather than through it, giving everyone in the wagon a shiver. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault, nor was it Barns¡¯. And besides, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re dead or captured or anything.¡± Barns reluctantly agreed. Everyone was hale, everyone was free. And yet, the Crew was dying like a doe with an arrow through the heart. This next chapter in life was up in the air, but at least they had each other. Wail shifted the air currents in the wagon, touching Arlo¡¯s cheek as if she physically touched him. Arlo bristled under the touch, fluttering into a proper sitting position. A smile crossed his face, the tickle of the air magic too much for any mortal man¡ªa fact everyone in the crew knew well. Banshees, in their ethereal grandness, were beings of magic. They flowed with the wind; they parted the clouds. They were, technically, immortal, but only because they were, technically, undead. Cut off Wail¡¯s head with a sword, and she¡¯d die. But as long as there was air, she would never age¡ªnever die of old age. Shifting the air currents around, Wail fixed her short black hair at the same time she adjusted Arlo¡¯s collar and dusted his coat off. Everyone in the wagon quirked an eyebrow at the scene. ¡°You smitten or something?¡± Mel flatly asked. Wail froze, the wisps of air surrounding her turning opaque. Her currents departed Arlo, drifting back to her with haste. She then sunk into her seat, a puff of air covering her like a cocoon. Heatless blazing steam hid the cocoon in a field of blur, blocking their stares and Barns¡¯ smirk. ¡°Play nice,¡± Barns said. ¡°If Wail is interested in Arlo, that¡¯s her and Arlo¡¯s business, not yours.¡± ¡°Nooooooooooo¡­¡± whispered from the cocoon, filling the enclosed area. If there was one thing to say about banshees, they had impeccable volume control. Arlo turned red and said, ¡°I¡ªI wouldn¡¯t mind trying it¡­¡± Everyone in the wagon froze. Erin was first to thaw. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be, look at you go Ar.¡± She glanced at Barns, giving a little wink. Barns blushed. Their relationship wasn¡¯t hidden from the Crew, but it also wasn¡¯t on display. Privacy and secrets meant more to this group than the beds they slept in¡ªso advertising that he and Erin slept in the same bed wasn¡¯t on his or her daily explanation dockets.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. The cocoon of air dispelled, and a wide-eyed Wail stared at Arlo. ¡°You mean it?¡± The kid shrugged. ¡°I mean¡­ yeah?¡± ¡°Is that a question?¡± Mel demanded. Arlo tucked his chin and thought. Then, like a Hero from the legends, he puffed out his chest and locked eyes with Wail. ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡± Before Wail could respond, Mel said, ¡°Love to what?¡± The sixth and final member of the crew leaned up from the back of the wagon and wrapped his meaty hands around Mel¡¯s mouth. Cyclops were known for their silence as much as their wicked eye¡ªsingular¡ªsight. Tank, whose real name was not ¡°Tank,¡± stood just taller than the wagon and half as wide. He took up four seats all by himself and groaned with annoyance when Mel started gnawing his palms. ¡°Stop.¡± The single word shook the wagon and caused Mel to surrender. Another fact the Crew had long grown accustomed to, once Tank spoke, whatever he said was gospel. He was smart like that¡ªhe chose his words carefully, so when he said to do something, everyone knew to trust it. ¡°Thanks, Tank,¡± Barns said with a sigh. ¡°You really just can¡¯t help yourself, can you, Mel?¡± He shook his head as the goblin resigned himself to his silent fate. ¡°You guys know what? I think Arlo and Wail¡¯s budding relationship is a good thing¡ªpoetic, even.¡± Erin adopted her crew leader¡¯s smirk. ¡°I think I know what you mean. We¡¯re beginning something new, may as well do it with a special someone.¡± Barns held his breath as Erin gave him that special look of hers. The half-elf had eyes that could kill a man, and the baggage to accompany them. By the gods, what Barns wouldn¡¯t do to be alone with her right now. ¡°That¡¯s why,¡± Erin continued, ¡°as one of the Crew¡¯s founding members, I make a formal request for Mel and Tank to find a special someone they can also navigate these trying times with¡­ perhaps each other?¡± Mel and Tank slowly looked at each other. The cyclops gave an affirmative shrug, much to the horror of the goblin. As everyone in the wagon broke out laughing, Mel crossed his arms and sunk into his seat¡ªenduring teasing much like his teasing of Arlo moments ago. Meanwhile, Wail and Arlo smiled bashfully at each other. *** ¡°And with that, welcome to World Walker Park!¡± Barns set his jaw and yawned as the World Walker finished the day¡¯s opening speech. Mayor Tram had told Barns and the Crew to arrive early enough not to miss it¡ªwhich was difficult since the park opened so early in the morning. The sleep schedule of a street gang didn¡¯t fully accommodate morning welcomes such as this. ¡°So that¡¯s our new boss,¡± Barns muttered loud enough so everyone in the Crew could hear. Erin playfully smacked him on the arm. ¡°You¡¯ll always be our boss, Boss.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°I do, and I don¡¯t really care. I¡¯ll be the first to tell him to piss off, if it comes down to it.¡± ¡°Better not,¡± Arlo darkly said. ¡°They still have my poncho¡­ and they¡¯ve big muscular beasts on the attack.¡± Ignoring Erin¡¯s response to the kid, Barns studied the World Walker. He was young, no older than Barns himself, but also¡­ not. The man held his back straight, but also had thick gray bags under his eyes. He spoke to the crowd from the heart but stumbled and slurred the occasional word. His hair was shaggy and combed by way of greasy fingers, long enough to warrant a proper cut but short enough to not make a statement. Barns had long mastered the art of scamming nobles. One of the first lessons he learned was how to blend in. And while the World Walker was obviously not of noble birth, the same appearance standard applied¡ªsuch was the noblesse of reincarnation. And yet, the man welcoming the rather large crowd to the park was nothing short of a dirty commoner. A fact that, as Barns knew quite well himself, was strange. No self-respecting young man of suitor status would look like the World Walker did. Not unless¡ªof course¡ªhe was already taken, inept, or belligerent. Or maybe his old world didn¡¯t care about appearances? Barns asked himself. The thought was a strange one, one that felt as alien as the concept of World Walkers. But then again, he saw no reason to believe it. The World Walker obviously cared about appearances¡ªjust not his own. Case in point, the monstrosity that was the park¡¯s welcome sign. It simply read ¡°World Walker Park.¡± But that was where the usualness of the sign died and was swept under the rug. The sign towered over the closed gate. It attached to the ground via thick metal, wood, and stone girders, the kinds they used at the warehouses for storage. It craned from its stem, budding into a fluted organic spiral similar to the very emberwood trees it was planted amongst. Imprinted within the ¡°tree,¡± wooden leaves spun around the metal lettering as if an isolated tempest tore through the forest of metal framework. It was¡­ nice, Barns supposed. Not his first choice in styling, but no doubt a style the World Walker chose in order to make a statement. Which related back to the man¡¯s appearance. The man didn¡¯t care about himself¡ªor was spoken for¡ªbut he cared very much about his park. Barns licked his lips and said, ¡°I think we¡¯re going to be fine working under the World Walker.¡± Erin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Another ¡®Batty¡¯ Barns instinct?¡± He hooked his fingers between hers and pulled her close. ¡°Of course.¡± He held off from kissing her, solely because he just knew Mel would say something snarky. Instead, Barns pulled Erin forward and said, ¡°Now come on. Let¡¯s go meet him before Tram finds us.¡± *** ¡°So, you¡¯re the new security guys?¡± Barns frowned at the question. He and the Crew stood before the World Walker and his snow white dire-wolf¡ªa fact Arlo was not happy about¡­ even though the big scary wolf was the size of a small barrel¡­ not the massive hulking man-killer Arlo made it seem. The wolf, Leo, sat with his chin on the World Walker¡¯s shoulder, tucked into the man¡¯s hood like some kind of baby cradle. The little guy watched the Crew as they watched him, completely uncaring of the strange looks he was getting. Briefly, Barns stole a glance at his crew. After a collective pause, everyone turned and stared incredulously at Arlo. Erin slipped Barns¡¯ hand and nudged Arlo¡ªwhich caused him to flinch. Mel snickered while Wail pursed her lips. ¡°That¡¯s us,¡± Barns said, forcing himself to focus on the World Walker. ¡°Let me introduce everyone. I¡¯m Barns, this is Erin, Mel, Wail, Tank, and you¡¯ve already met Arlo.¡± The World Walker lifted his chin and stared down at the kid. Slowly, as if remembering was painful, he nodded. ¡°Arlo¡­ Arlo¡­ I can¡¯t say I know an Arlo.¡± Arlo froze on his feet. ¡°We met¡­ I was wearing an invisibility poncho.¡± Leo, with his chin still on the World Walker¡¯s shoulder, growled. The World Walker then snapped his fingers. ¡°I remember now! Sorry, it was a long, long night. And wow, you look completely different without half of your body invisible.¡± ¡°R-right,¡± Arlo lamely said. ¡°Leo, stop growling. He¡¯s working with us now, no being mean,¡± the man said with a sigh. The wolf turned his head to the side and ignored the Crew. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m Luka.¡± ¡°Pleasure,¡± Barns quickly said, reaching his fist out. Luka lightly punched his knuckles before rising to his toes and looking over the crowd. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really know what you¡¯re expected to do here. Security, obviously. But I don¡¯t know what that looks like in this world. Let me go find Ginna or Tram¡ªactually, you all know Ginna and Tram, right?¡± ¡°I used to live here,¡± Barns said. ¡°I know both.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. Uhh¡­ I¡¯ll go find Tram then. She told me she was going to handle you guys.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± Barns gritted his teeth and looked down at the speaker, Mel. The goblin¡¯s crooked face was in something akin to a frown but one more manipulative. It¡¯d taken years for Barns to learn all of Mel¡¯s idiosyncrasies, a task easier said than done. ¡°Oh?¡± the World Walker asked. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mel retorted after a heartbeat. ¡°If we¡¯re going to be security, we better have a look around the park first. You know, to do our job better.¡± Barns wanted to punch the goblin. Stupid, stupid, stupid, he chanted in his head. Luka wasn¡¯t so gullible. ¡°Tell you what, how about you all take a ride on our newest attraction, and I¡¯ll find Tram in the meantime.¡± ¡°Newest attraction?¡± ¡°Whirlpool Plunge,¡± Luka said with a yawn. ¡°Spent all night creating it and the connecting building. Follow me.¡± He started to move before abruptly halting. ¡°But you all have to do me a favor.¡± Barns hated favors. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You have to critically give me your thoughts on the ride. Unfortunately, because it¡¯s so new, the sample size of people who¡¯ve ridden it is small. And of that small group, most are elderly villagers and orphaned kids who either think it¡¯s the most frightening thing they¡¯ve ever done or the coolest, most-est awesome-est thing they''ve ever done. So, I need some objective opinions.¡± Hesitantly, Barns agreed. Chapter 48: Whirlpool The Crew stared at the ride called Rogue Wave, somewhat apprehensive. A wooden ship connected to thick metal beams swung back and forth as a terrible storm battered the hull and flooded the deck. ¡°And you¡¯re sure this wasn¡¯t here when you were?¡± Mel asked Arlo. Barns leaned around the massive Tank to see the kid shake his head. ¡°None of this was here last time,¡± Arlo muttered. Looking around, the section of forest was a port. A wooden dock stretched across gravel lake beach, striking firm into the murky water. Opposite the dock, a group of buildings kept watch over the gentle waves. They were each a different color: yellow, green, orange, blue, and purple, but each were weathered by the overhead storm. Barns recognized the illusions easily enough¡ªhe had to, many nobles utilized them in protecting their stuff. But where the noble used illusions to obscure a hidden doorway or cover a safe in a picture frame, the storm was something completely new. Rain fell like nails. The wind ripped down the docks and storefront, echoing howls of unholy magnitude. A few steps backward, and the sun appeared overhead. But where the Crew stood, the sun was gone, and only apocalyptic dark clouds loomed. Bolts of neon blue lightning silhouetted behind the clouds, and booms of thunder rumbled the ground. The buildings, again illusions, smelled of pine, beer, and salt. Their paint was worn and matted, their windows boarded with strips of wood and rusty nails. Lines gathered at two of them, one labeled ¡°World Walker Churros,¡± and the other ¡°Stormcorsair Harbor Odds and Ends.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a churro?¡± Erin asked. Mel sniffed the air, his goblin nose by far the most accurate in the Crew. ¡°Smells sweet.¡± The Crew meandered over and peered past the line. Inside was dry, filled with nautical items, and held a large vat of boiling oil. Barns recognized the woman frying the food but couldn¡¯t place what she was making. It looked like long sticks of dough covered in a strange brown powdery sugar. ¡°I want one,¡± Erin declared, gently sniffing the heavenly aroma wafting from the storefront. She stepped into the line. Barns sighed and took out his coin purse. The others snickered at him. *** ¡°Is this it?¡± Erin asked, ripping a hunk of churro with her front teeth and practically swallowing the thing whole. She happily groaned at the taste, simply melting from the sweetness. Barns took a bite of his own churro, aptly agreeing with her. World Walker food sure is good, he thought as he studied the ¡°ride¡± before them. At the end of the docks was a tavern. Other than its size, the outward fa?ade of the building looked just like the others. It was tired, perpetually wet, and smelled like beer. Or maybe, this building was the source of the smell. With its size, a balcony overlooked the docks and lake. People sat at tables, sipping meads and beer from wooden mugs held together by a few bands of scratched metal. They laughed and sang, the illusionary storm giving the atmosphere a ¡°tonight we die¡± vibe¡­ or so Barns thought. They¡¯re drinking like it¡¯s doomsday. He looked at the near-black sky. Maybe it is. On the outside of the tavern, a sign read ¡°Whirlpool Tavern,¡± but the word ¡°tavern¡± was scratched out by sword slashes, and the word ¡°plunge¡± was etched underneath. ¡°I suppose so,¡± Barns said, taking the first step in. Instantly, the group was transported. Gone was the howling storm and rain, and present was the sound of crappy music in a dingy tavern. The dark outside and lack of lights inside appealed to a certain type of clientele¡ªpeople exactly like Barns and the Crew. Hardened individuals, people whodid not have much money to their names and all the pain associated with that. Dockworkers, in this case. Before Barns could get two steps in, a man he recognized as an Emberwood villager shouted something at another Emberwood villager, prompting the second to toss his mug¡¯s contents at the first. The first then yelled something obscene and threw a haymaker. The second dodged back, yanking up a chair and smashing it down on the first, sending him sprawling. The tavern went silent, all eyes on the fight. The second man kneeled beside the first then yelled, ¡°Tell me where the treasure is, you scoundrel!¡± Barns perked up. Treasure? The word echoed in his mind. ¡°Never!¡± the first villager slurred, only to receive a punch in the face for his troubles. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± He screamed. ¡°Down the cellar and out the tunnel! You¡¯ll find an enchanted boat! Get in, it¡¯ll take you to the treasure! But I warn you! The curse of Blackbeard isn¡¯t something to be trifled with!¡± The second villager loudly grunted and started for the cellar. His smirk disappeared when a meaty hand landed on the back of his collar. The bartender, a man Barns recognized as Gr¡¯rok¡ªanother villager¡ªgrowled, pulling the second villager from the building and tossing him out into the street. Gr¡¯rok then eyed the watching crowd. ¡°None of you heard that, right?¡± he asked, his tone low but his volume loud. ¡°Cellar¡¯s off limits.¡± He gave everyone present a glare before returning to his bar top. It was then the first villager stood and practically pranced to the door. He motioned the second villager back in, and both gave a bow¡ªlike one of those theater actors the nobles like to watch. A ruse? Barns asked himself. He looked at his friends, finding them equally confused. Still paralyzed from the suddenness of the fight and announcement of treasure, the tavern was eerily silent. At least, until Gr¡¯rok yelled from behind the bar. ¡°That was a show. Part of the park¡¯s attraction.¡± He pointed at the cellar in the corner of the room. ¡°You¡¯re all supposed to head through there. Obviously.¡± Now that Barns was aware of it, the cellar was rather welcoming. It was a big cutout, a far cry from the usual closet-sized tavern cellars he was used to. ¡°But you said it was off limits,¡± Mel yelled.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Gr¡¯rok forced himself not to roll his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± Mel squinted. ¡°Oh¡­¡± He then trudged over to the cellar. He took a step down, then paused, looking back to Gr¡¯rok. The barkeep shuffled his fingers forward like he was brushing Mel away. The goblin shrugged and entered. The rest of the Crew followed. Thick cobble stones lined the walls and floor, and illusions of skittering roaches and rats darted from crack to crack. Water dripped from the ceiling, pooling within the recesses. The scent of raw fermentation bellowed from offshoots and storage nooks¡ªbubbling barrels of wart sat wrapped in thick cloth. Erin grabbed onto Barns as they made their way through. Similarly, Arlo and Wail stuck close, distracted by each other more than the decrepit hallway. Tank took the lead, with Mel one step behind the cyclops. The path snaked away, eventually leading into an antechamber filled with chiseled statues. Barns noted the statue¡¯s big bushy beard, connecting the dots. ¡°Blackbeard¡¯s curse,¡± he muttered. ¡°This must be Blackbeard¡¯s smuggling route.¡± As occasional smugglers themselves, the Crew recognized a secret passage. But the statues gave them pause. No self-proclaimed smuggler would create statues of themselves, which meant Blackbeard was no smuggler. This was something different, something more¡­ Cultish? Barns asked himself, not wanting to say his thoughts aloud. No reason to scare Erin, not yet, at least. Is the World Walker a part of a cult, or is this more ¡°show?¡± The statues each held a different item: a cutlass, compass, shovel, and a small chest brimming with riches. Yet, a fifth statue sat crumbed near the exit. What item it held, Barns didn¡¯t know. Stranger and stranger, he thought. The hallway leading from the antechamber was similar to the first. Illusions of torches and hidden light glyphs lit the way, flickering the Crew¡¯s shadows onto the rough walls. Blocked hallways kept everyone moving forward, but a quick glance through the debris showed a grisly sight¡ªskeletons chained to the walls. ¡°This isn¡¯t a smuggler¡¯s passage,¡± Erin whispered. ¡°We¡¯re in a dungeon.¡± ¡°Exactly my thoughts,¡± Barns whispered back, noting Arlo and Wail were holding hands. Mel and Tank, however, were not. The Crew continued forward, eventually stopping behind a group of packed-in people. They were park guests, that much was obvious, but what were they standing around for? ¡°Um,¡± Barns said, ¡°excuse us.¡± He tried to push past. ¡°Hey!¡± snapped the closest person. ¡°No line cutting! Don¡¯t make us get a park employee to kick you out!¡± ¡°Cutting? Is this a line?¡± Erin asked. The person scoffed. ¡°What¡¯d you think it was? That we were just standing around for no reason? You saw the tavern had a sign for Whirlpool Plunge, right? You didn¡¯t think you were just exploring for the fun of it?¡± ¡°Kinda, yeah,¡± Barns said. ¡°We didn¡¯t know what to expect.¡± The guest rolled their eyes. ¡°The pre-ride show wasn¡¯t obvious? They were rather explicit in their storytelling.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mel asked, his tone verging on irritation. ¡°Cause the barkeeper had to literally tell us to come down here.¡± The guest made a face. ¡°Barkeeper? Not the two shadowy figures in the corner of the tavern?¡± ¡°The what? There was a bar fight, and the winner forced information about a hidden treasure from the loser.¡± ¡°For us, the show had two shadowy figures. One was loudly buying information from the other. Explained about the secret passage carved into the cellar and an enchanted boat.¡± ¡°We heard about the boat as well,¡± Barns said. ¡°Did you hear about the curse?¡± ¡°Blackbeard¡¯s curse, yeah. The information broker said he once carried an artifact that summoned storms¡ªthe same storms of the Stormcorsair Harbor.¡± Barns hummed. ¡°Then, the port was made to hide Blackbeard¡¯s treasure. The curse is probably the dangerous seas the storm will surely produce.¡± The guest nodded along. ¡°The information broker mentioned that the enchanted boat always comes back empty. Anyone who rides must fall off and drown.¡± Erin loudly gulped, her hand reaching for Barns¡¯. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should be looking for the treasure, then.¡± The guest shrugged. ¡°Goddess Tippy blessed the park, should be safe enough.¡± The passage eventually led to a ramp leading up. Emerging from an old outhouse, the Crew followed the slow-moving line onto a sandy beach. They switched back and forth like cattle in pens, eventually arriving at a small dock and the vast and rough seas. As far as the eye could see, water and the dark storm loomed. Barns scanned for boats, finding¡ªhe gasped. Breaking through the waves, a simple rowboat appeared. It was empty¡ªjust like the curse said¡ªand it magically floated on over to the dock where it stopped itself. ¡°Next aboard,¡± a villager said, standing with one foot on the edge of the boat. Barns recognized him as Franky, one of the oldest orphans. A group of six guests climbed into the boat, sitting two in a row. The kids in the group loudly proclaimed adventure, while the adults gave them pensive smiles. It seemed Erin wasn¡¯t the only apprehensive one. Franky then removed his foot, and the boat drifted off, disappearing among the spray of water and crashing waves. The Crew stepped closer. Another boat came, empty again, then another. Group after group the line continued until it was the Crew¡¯s turn. ¡°Barns?¡± Franky asked when he approached. ¡°Hey man, long time no see.¡± ¡°Hi Franky,¡± the street gang leader said a bit lethargically. This was going to be the worst part of leaving Sneerhome¡ªthe pitiful looks from the villagers. Everyone in Emberwood surely knew of Barns¡¯ criminal status, as well as his failure as a criminal. Despite all of the Crew¡¯s escapades, it all came crashing down because of one spiteful old woman. And yet, Franky¡¯s smile only stretched as they punched each other¡¯s fists. ¡°It¡¯s been like, what, five years? How¡¯ve you been?¡± ¡°Good, good.¡± ¡°Are these your friends?¡± ¡°Hi!¡± Erin said, stepping forward with her fist out. ¡°I¡¯m Erin.¡± Franky punched her and each Crew member when they offered greetings. ¡°And you all are joining the park, eh? Security, right? That¡¯ll be a nightmare for you guys! Can¡¯t say I envy you!¡± He loudly laughed. ¡°Some guests think they own the place! Just ask Luka if you don¡¯t believe me. There was this father looking for a bathroom and this swordsman trying to get free food. Both made a scene!¡± Franky clapped Barns on the back. ¡°I much prefer working the rides. Just look at this¡ª¡± he gestured around, emphasizing the open ocean. ¡°I could stand here all day and watch the waves. I know it¡¯s not real, but still. Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Barns said as another boat appeared from the waves. Empty, again. ¡°Hey, Franky, this ¡®ride¡¯ isn¡¯t dangerous, right?¡± ¡°Hmm? No, completely safe. Luka stayed up all night testing it, and each time he jumped out, Goddess Tippy¡¯s blessing activated and either allowed him to fly or kept him glued to the seat.¡± ¡°That¡­that doesn¡¯t make me feel any better¡­¡± Franky kicked his foot out, stopping the boat¡­ or maybe the boat stopped itself and Franky just did it for show? ¡°Either way,¡± he said, ¡°time to set sail.¡± Barns climbed in, followed by Erin. Arlo and Wail got the middle two seats while Tank and Mel took up the rear. ¡°I can¡¯t see!¡± Mel yelled, sitting too low in the boat. ¡°I can,¡± Tank mused, speaking for the first time since the wagon. ¡°Well, la-de-da.¡± Franky leaned over. ¡°See that square by your arm? Press it in.¡± Mel did and was quickly pushed up¡ªlike a booster seat for children. ¡°Luka and Aunt Sol worked for like an hour trying to figure out how to accommodate short people. Mechanical seat extender was what they settled on.¡± ¡°Did you say ¡®short?¡¯¡± Mel darkly asked. Franky pursed his lips. ¡°Did I?¡± Before Mel could respond, he pulled back his foot, letting the boat set off from the dock. ¡°Let¡¯s share some puff and catch up later! Bye Barns and friends! Keep your hands and arms inside the boat at all times!¡± Barns turned and watched Franky shrink as they got further and further away¡ªuntil a wave crested behind them. When the water settled, the dock was nowhere to be seen. There was just an empty ocean. A thought occurred. ¡°Uh, are we supposed to row?¡± Erin looked at him like he was stupid. ¡°Enchanted boat, remember?¡± Chapter 49: Lava The Crew swirled through the rough sea, wading up and over waves and between swells. Salty spray breached the top of the boat, splashing down into the floorboards and soaking the riders. Overhead, the dark clouds thickened, doubling and tripling until they consumed all but the horizon. Bolts of lightning pierced the veil, biting the water¡¯s surface with deafening booms. The rain didn¡¯t so much as fall but rather swirled with the rapid winds, spiraling around the storm. The roaring tempest left little room for the Crew to speak, not that any felt the need to¡ªtheir eyes were on the distant island growing larger and larger. Masked behind the rain, the eye of the storm left the island perfectly dry. As the boat roamed closer, a single structure towered over the trees¡ªa stone monolith. Made of dark, polished marble, the idol crackled with bursts of lightning and magical essence. A vortex spun around its apex, fueling the storm into an eternal disaster. ¡°Blackbeard¡¯s artifact!¡± Erin yelled, sitting beside Barns. The Crew leader¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°It¡¯s protecting the treasure!¡± He frantically looked around. ¡°We¡¯re going to sink! The monolith sinks all who board the boats!¡± The wind picked up, silencing any response. The boat lurched, watery currents and terrible swells yanking the hunk of wood in adversary directions. Then, like rowing into the shallows, the boat halted, shimming forward as something happened underneath¡ªBarns could only imagine what. Suddenly, the rain stopped swirling and began to fall upward. The Crew looked around in disbelief, Erin slipping her hand into Barns¡¯ and one row back, Arlo did the same with Wail. The partners held each other close as a force pushed the boat into the air. They sailed upward like the rain, slowly leaving the rough seas with increasingly faster speeds. Soon, they rose above the island¡¯s tree line, and only the monolith stood in their way. They slowed as they careened around the artifact, the magic in the air transforming into something darker. A bolt of lightning sang down from the heavens, crashing into the water like a god smiting a blasphemer. Then, the boat tilted forward. Erin, Arlo, and oddly enough, Mel screamed at the top of their lungs as a murky whirlpool waited for them dozens of meters below. It spun, sucking in water like the very vortex at the top of the monolith. The ocean parted as the magic drilled through the depths, eventually exposing the sandy bottom¡ªnow completely dry. Yet, the magic didn¡¯t stop. Sand started flying, joining the spinning current as the whirlpool continued to grow. Then¡ªthe rain stopped, and the monolith began to hum. The air vibrated, the lightning dared not strike. Power culminated at the artifact¡¯s peak before blasting down into the whirlpool. The color of the area shifted, muting as reality was torn. Heat pushed against the Crew, bristling their skin and soothing their damp shoes. ¡°A portal!?¡± Barns yelled. ¡°It opened a portal!? What kind of ride¡ª¡± His outrage ceased as the magic holding the boat in the air failed. It fell from the sky, barreling toward the portal at a steep angle. The Crew screamed as they passed through the boundary, clutching each other or the handles located around the boat. As they continued to fall, their new location whipped by. Barns made out a lot of the color orange and strange calcified rock formations before the boat skidded to a spot. Orange warm water rolled over the front of the boat, soaking the front two rows and leaving the third mostly dry. They drifted across a lake of lava, the enchantments carved into the underside of the boat failing. ¡°What have you gotten us into, Barns!¡± Mel snapped from the third row. ¡°Portals? Artifacts? What happened to¡ª¡± A meaty hand landed on top of the goblin¡¯s head. ¡°Illusion, remember?¡± asked Tank, the two words more than enough to quell the Crew. Barns, like everyone else, dispelled the illusions. Where a lake of lava stretched far into the horizon, now a trough of water carried the boat onwards. It twisted and turned, dipped and rose¡ªthey were obviously still near Emberwood Village. Barns even spotted a few other boats carrying the guests that boarded before them. A wooden walkway connected along the side of the trough, one that led the length of the watery track. ¡°Remember, Mel, this is a World Walker¡¯s invention,¡± Erin said, slicking water from her hair. Her eyes positively sparked, the woman¡¯s smile knowing no defeat. The ride, the story, the artifact, even Blackbeard himself, couldn¡¯t come close to the thrill plastered across her face. ¡°And World Walker¡¯s always make the best stuff.¡± Barns chuckled softly. Gods, I love this woman. He leaned back, relaxing his posture. A lake of lava? So be it. He might as well enjoy it. He took Erin¡¯s hand¡ªjust as the boat bumped into something. The lava shifted underneath, sending the boat off in an arc. Ahead, something emerged from the lake, growing in size until a singular, massive hand broke the surface. It reached into the air, its red-hot skin instantly cooling into hardened stone. It flopped onto the lava, using the surface to pull a portion of its body from the depths below. With only its torso uncovered, cascading lava solidified along its neck and shoulders, dripping into twisted skin and mangled hair. It was a giant, maybe larger than the island the monolith protected. Swirling from its lava innards, a singular gemstone eye appeared in the center of its massive forehead. The gem rotated until set in place, only then allowing the creature to see. ¡°Family of yours, big guy?¡± Mel asked Tank, patting him with the back of his hand. Tank gave a curt shrug¡ªanswer enough.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The giant cyclops slowly looked around, eventually homing in on the boat and the Crew. It raised a massive hand into the air, slamming it down with great speed. The lava impacted, molding around its fingers. A shockwave blasted underneath the surface, sending a cascading wave. The wave hit the boat, taking it along with it¡ªonly, not backward. The wave switched directions as soon as it got to them, pulling the Crew toward the lava giant. They sped across the lake of lava, molten orange ¡°water¡± splashing over the sides. The creature reached down, meeting their rocketing boat with an open hand. It lifted them up, and once again, Barns felt something shift underneath the boat. They angled toward the sky¡ªwhich was actually the roof of the cavern holding the lake of lava. The cyclops looked at them from above, its massive gemstone eye shining bright orange. It loomed, inspecting them at different angles before opening its massive maw. With a guttural shriek, the creature bellowed. Sound contorted and twisted around the boat as Wail¡¯s control over magic protected them. The boat vibrated, but for a moment, the illusion of the ride was once again missing. ¡°Stop it!¡± Mel snapped. ¡°No magic!¡± Wail made an annoyed sound before allowing her spell to end. In an instant, the giant¡¯s scream returned, startling Erin into Barns¡¯ arms with a yelp. The half-elf¡¯s face split into a smile, her eyes wild. Beneath the scream, Barns heard his partner chuckle maniacally. Erin yanked back her head, her giggles radiating out. Then the boat tipped, and the cyclops allowed the Crew to fall. She threw up her hands as everyone else in the boat desperately clutched onto the bracing handles. As they hurdled down another drop, Barns couldn¡¯t help but question just who was sitting beside him. Erin, the insecure half-elf, or Erin, the thrill-freak. The boat splashed back into the lava lake, soaking the inhabitants yet again. Behind, the giant cyclops roared yet again, but the distance made it quieter, almost like the creature was saying ¡°goodbye,¡± as they trailed away. They snaked across the lake, following the wake of the monster¡¯s waves and eventually entered a branching hole. The Crew was in a cavern, but one with connected caves. ¡°The enchantments are working again,¡± Arlo noted, leaning part-way over the edge of the ship. Barns, like the rest of the Crew, looked as well, finding the lava was flowing opposite the boat. The boat had no sails, no oars to row with¡ªmeaning only magic could drag them against the current. Unless, of course, the World Walker made a mistake when designing this, Barns thought. The hypothesis was quickly struck when the boat rounded a corner. It slowed against the rocky walls, occasionally edging forward like people standing in line. Across the lava, sitting in a massive pile on a cluster of flattened stone was Blackbeard¡¯s treasure. Chests, bags, shimmering gold, and radiant jewels. Riches, the likes of which no treasury besides the Ember Kingdom¡¯s had ever seen, piled high and wide. Coinage spilled over the edge and into the hot lava, their owner completely uncaring of the minute loss. Bundles of magical weapons clashed among the softness of expertly woven linen, the weapons¡¯ enchantments ruining the thread count with their elemental overload. But, hidden within the piles were sparks of divinity. Barns had never seen a god in person¡ªbut he had been to the church district of Sneerhome many times. And on certain holy holidays, he felt the grace of the gods like the gentle touch of his mother before her abrupt passing. Tells welled in the street gang leader¡¯s eyes, just like the others sharing the boat with him. Once he focused on them, Barns found the divine artifacts easily: a cutlass, compass, shovel, and a small chest¡ªthe items the Blackbeard statues held in the tavern¡¯s cellar. A question occurred, one that his mind quickly found an answer for. In the cellar, there had been a fifth, broken statue. What item did it hold? The answer was obvious. ¡°The broken statue held a monolith¡ªa fifth artifact,¡± he proudly said, solving the mystery. Erin patted him on the leg, her smile still stretched across her lips. ¡°So smart, so handsome.¡± She leaned in for a kiss, one only broken when something shifted under the boat again. Barns pulled back, finding their time sitting before the treasure was ending. Sparks of whirling magic pooled around the boat, cracking holes into reality. Fragments of a stormy ocean echoed along the cave as portals split the cave apart. For a moment, the heated air went still and instead a cool, salty tempest swept in. The fractures and cracks continued to compound until two realities sat atop one another. In the distance, the island housing the monolith artifact hummed, its sound muting the powerful storm. The orange lava began to glow, just as the dark depths of the ocean resonated. Both fought for dominance¡ªthe victor taking the Crew. The boat tilted forward, cresting an invisible hill. Erin threw her hands up again, and Barns found himself doing the same. They passed the point of no return, and hurdled down a hill, ripping through the different realities and splashing back into the salty seas. Water sprayed up and over the boat, soaking everyone from head to toe. Barns followed Erin¡¯s cue, laughing as the boat zipped across the water and heading for the very same dock they departed from. Except not¡ªFranky was missing. In the man¡¯s place, his sister stood along with Luka and Mayor Tram. Eve waved at the approaching boat and once they were close enough, said, ¡°Ahoy there! You all okay? Mighty strong storm to be rowing in!¡± Erin, in her bountiful beauty, fell into the roleplay instantly. ¡°Aye, it was. But no matter how mighty the storm, nothing could stave our need to search for ye ol¡¯ Blackbeard¡¯s treasure.¡± Smirking, Eve asked, ¡°Did you find it?¡± Erin feigned a frown. ¡°Alas, no. But maybe on another expedition, perhaps?¡± ¡°No.¡± The response came from Mayor Tram. The village elder was not impressed with the conversation and instead ushered the Crew from their dinghy. ¡°No more play, not until you all do some work!¡± ¡°Tram,¡± Barns interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude¡ª¡± ¡°Or what? You gonna quit? Maybe I should talk to the guard captain in Sneerhome. I bet he¡¯d¡± Barns raised his hands. ¡°Fine, fine. But, seriously. Treat us with respect¡ªwe¡¯ve come to terms with working here.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Erin said. ¡°With rides like this,¡± she jutted a thumb at the endless ocean, ¡°I¡¯m kinda glad to be out of the crime life. This place is going to be legendary once it¡¯s built up.¡± Before Tram could respond, Luka jumped in and asked, ¡°Speaking of building, what¡¯d you all think of the ride?¡± He motioned the Crew to follow, and they all walked from the dock just as another boat arrived with more departing riders. The exit for the ride exited into a shop selling Whirlpool Plunge souvenirs. Erin forced Barns to buy her one. Arlo and Wail bought each other one. And Tank bought a reluctant Mel one as well. ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second, big guy, that I¡¯m going to repay the favor!¡± the goblin shouted as Luka and Barns discussed issues with the ride. Chapter 50: Aluminum Across the known universes, parallel against the backdrop of eternity, a realm existed in near-total darkness. Reality twisted over itself in this sanctum, drawing fine lines in time itself. Fractures in natural physics were commonplace here, especially deep within the abyss where the slumbering eidolon sat dormant. It was an old creature, far older than Goddess Tippy or God Neb, yet far, far less subtle. It was bodiless, born more of instinct and happenstance than blood and flesh. Magic spun through its core, feeding its consciousness like the original paragon primordials. But where the primordials eventually left their mortal bodies and became the foundations of magic itself, this creature, this eidolon, was something else¡ªsomething long thought dead and gone. And now, because of the actions of a few certain individuals, it had awoken. Deep within its sanctum, it watched a certain world and a certain World Walker. *** Luka yawned as he walked through the park. With little Leo tucked safely in his hood, magic flared to life around him. Strands connected against trash, sticks, and stones, molding each into masses of writhing material. Luka casually pulled everything behind him, ridding the grassy path of all debris. Emberwood Village was beautiful, but also still inside a forest. There was just stuff to pick up. The village smithy was a place Luka had only been once, and Forgemaster Adam was a man he had only met once. But, just like everyone else in the village, Adam and his apprentice, Cam, both seemed like good folk. Luka pushed in the front door and poked his head into the furnace room. ¡°Hello?¡± Two orcish heads popped up, each lost in his own task. Forgemaster Adam was the definition of a perfectly shaped man¡ªhis profession demanded it. Orcs were muscular beings, but where some were top-heavy and skipped a few leg days, Adam¡¯s size encompassed his whole body. If the man was made out of stone, Luka had no doubt he¡¯d be a master sculptor¡¯s magnum opus and locked away in a museum somewhere. Apprentice Cam, likewise, was a muscular orc with muscles growing from his muscles. But he was also young and not yet fully adapted to his most recent growth spurt. Maybe in a few years, he¡¯d warrant a museum spot as well. ¡°Ah, Mr. World Walker,¡± Adam said, wiping his soot-covered hands with a dirty rag. ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d show up.¡± ¡°Please, call me Luka.¡± He took a step into the forge room but stopped when the heat became too uncomfortable. ¡°And yes, I¡¯m sorry about my tardiness.¡± Two rounded fire pits took up most of the space, each with a ring of stacked and mortared stone. Between the two, metal housing branched up and over the centers of the pits, splitting from the center like a double-sided fishhook. The tips of the fishhooks were crucibles, the ¡®bowl¡¯ that could withstand the heat needed to melt metal. Each held glistening silver liquid¡ªmetal coming up to temperature. Sitting between the two furnaces were the molds, each covered in a layer of releasing power. They were long, flat ingot shaped¡ªa shape that could easily be hammered into several other things later on. ¡°We understand,¡± Adam said, setting down his hammer. ¡°With the park¡¯s success, I figured you¡¯d have forgotten about us.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Luka replied, sweat already beading across his forehead. Little Leo whined in his hood, and Luka sat him down. The wolf scampered outside, back into the cool air. ¡°I just wanted to get to a stopping point in my own projects.¡± The Forgemaster crossed his arms but nodded his head. ¡°I get it¡ªI do the same.¡± Then, a pensive expression crossed his face. ¡°Your project doesn¡¯t have anything to do with that mountain of metal that showed up near the lake, does it?¡± ¡°Not yet¡ªthat¡¯s next. God Neb was kind enough to supply the park with the materials needed for a big ride.¡± Adam and Cam shared a look. ¡°A god gave you metal?¡± the former asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And he just¡­ sat it down in a massive pile?¡± ¡°More like summoned it, but yeah.¡± The Forgemaster and Apprentice shared another look. ¡°Whatever you say, bossman,¡± the latter said. ¡°Let¡¯s just¡­¡± Adam trailed off, shook his head, and nodded to a closet. Cam moved from his workbench, leaving behind his projects, and strolled over. With a mighty heave, the young man pulled a mass of metal and stone from storage. ¡°What did you call it again? Aluminiutniy?¡± ¡°Aluminum,¡± Luka said. He gritted his teeth and stepped past the superheated forges, and inspected the mass. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Aye, ¡®dainty iron,¡¯ we call it.¡± The mass was a slightly red sedimentary rock with streaks of familiar aluminum silver. It was porous, with big open pockets and a crumbly texture. Where the metal and rock connected, black singe marks charred the stone as if held above a dirty fire. ¡°This is bauxite, I think.¡± ¡°What now?¡± Luka thought back to his previous life. ¡°But I thought bauxite didn¡¯t actually have aluminum in it, and it had to be refined into alumina.¡± Memories came to him, specifically his time searching for a cheap aluminum supplier. ¡°No, I¡¯m sure of it¡ªaluminum does form naturally like this.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t natural,¡± Adam said, patting the hot metal of his forge without worrying about the heat. ¡°That¡¯s after smelting.¡± Again, Luka thought back to Earth. Aluminum was created after refining bauxite into alumina using the electrolytic processes. Only then could aluminum be smelted.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°How did you smelt it?¡± he asked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy, I can tell you that. It is one of the reasons it¡¯s called dainty iron. Maybe someone would find a use for it, but with the cost of arcwood, the whole thing becomes an ordeal.¡± ¡°Arcwood?¡± Luka asked. Apprentice Cam reached into the supply closet and pulled out a piece of tender. The wood was blue and sparked with coils of electricity. They ran up and down the bark before diving into Cam¡¯s hand. The young man grunted as every muscle in his fist clenched and he had to pry his fingers open with his other hand. He dropped the wood back into the closet. ¡°Expensive and annoying to work with,¡± Adam said, picking up a strange flint striker off a rack. ¡°Commissioned Sol for this years ago¡ªarcwood won¡¯t catch fire without it.¡± He flexed the striker, producing a short bolt of red lightning. Luka hummed a bit before asking, ¡°When arcwood is burned, does it infuse the fire with electricity?¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°On Earth, bauxite¡ªthe red rock¡ªis refined into alumina using a complicated electricity process. And that is then made into aluminum.¡± Adam made a face. ¡°Are you sure? Cause arcwood smelting is considered a magical smithing technique and you said your home world didn¡¯t have magic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But as an initial guess, I¡¯d say it seems like burning arcwood creates a similar effect as electrolysis.¡± Luka pulled a slip of paper and an infinite-ink pen from his pocket and took some notes. The pen was a gift from Eve, and one of his most used tools. He always carried it with him now. ¡°How expensive is bauxite?¡± ¡°The red rock? We call it red lime here¡ª¡± ¡°Like limestone?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°We know it¡¯s not limestone, but it¡¯s just about as common as limestone around these parts¡ªso the name stuck.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Red lime is common here?¡± ¡°Very much so. Emberwood¡¯s mine was made to mine emberore, and emberore is only found in red lime. We always figured the redness of the rock is from the ¡®ember¡¯ part of emberore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. But also, that means we¡¯ve got some work to do¡ª¡± Luka drew a crude diagram and sighed. ¡°I wish I paid more attention in chemistry now.¡± The diagram explained the relationship between an oxidizing anode and the bath it sat in. Forgemaster Adam and Apprentice Cam shared another look. ¡°This is going to take some guesswork,¡± Luka muttered. ¡°But I think I remember the process enough for a starting point.¡± ¡°Looks complicated,¡± Adam flatly said. ¡°Is it worth the effort? Dainty iron isn¡¯t useful.¡± ¡°Trust me on this. Emberwood Village might be sitting on a wealth of raw materials far exceeding the profits the park could ever bring in.¡± ¡°Maybe on your world, World Walker. But here, dainty iron isn¡¯t used.¡± The wind in Luka¡¯s sails died. This world wasn¡¯t Earth. It didn¡¯t have Earth¡¯s insane need for aluminum, it didn¡¯t have Earth¡¯s insane population. In fact, it didn¡¯t realistically need aluminum¡ªnot when magic was involved. What was the point in using aluminum when iron with a weightless glyph etched into it worked just fine? Anodes and electrolysis? Was all of this needed? ¡°I think¡­ I think you¡¯re right, Adam.¡± Luka stopped drawing and thought about his responsibilities. As much as he¡¯d like to spend a few weeks trying to figure aluminum out, it just wasn¡¯t realistic. Not with the park operating, not with the perfectly acceptable resources he already had. Luka took a breath. ¡°I¡¯ll work on the theory of electrolysis on my own during my free time. You¡¯re right, aluminum¡¯s not much needed here. And spending your and my time to figure it out just isn¡¯t worth it.¡± Declaring that didn¡¯t sit well with him, so he added, ¡°For now. Who knows what the future might require.¡± The Forgemaster sighed a breath of relief. ¡°Thank the gods, then. We were already busy with everything Tram¡¯s making us do.¡± ¡°What¡¯s she making you do?¡± Adam nodded at the forge. ¡°She spent all of the park¡¯s profits on raw ores at a massive discount and expects us to smelt it all into metal you can use.¡± ¡°Really? How much ore did she buy?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Six wagons¡¯ full delivered here every morning for the next four months. The first shipment got here yesterday, and we worked until midnight smelting it all.¡± Adam jutted a thumb backward. ¡°All the product is outside.¡± Luka leaned out a window, finding a pile of dull metal. After seeing God Neb¡¯s mountain of metal, Adam¡¯s seemed like¡­ not that much. But Adam and Cam were mortals and a two-man team, not gods. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about working until midnight,¡± Luka said. ¡°There¡¯s no rush for metal right now.¡± Adam gravely nodded. ¡°That was why I asked about the metal by the lake.¡± He pressed his hands together and said, ¡°Thank you, God Neb, for your gift. It makes my and my apprentice¡¯s lives easier. Your benevolence knows no bounds.¡± Luka raised an eyebrow before quickly snapping it back down. Religion wasn¡¯t his place to judge, not with the ring on his finger and all the personalized life lessons taught. *** God Neb, God Rion, and Goddess Tippy inched through the darkness between realms. Behind them, a dozen of their divine brothers and sisters followed, each toting devastating magics that could easily sunder the world. ¡°On three,¡± Neb whispered, placing his hands on either side of a crinkle in reality. Just behind this spatial oddity was the tomb of a monster long thought dead. Well¡ªsoon to be officially dead and witnessed, monster. ¡°One.¡± A flare of magic erupted from the war party as each god and goddess readied their most potent spells. ¡°Two.¡± The gods took aim. ¡°Three¡ª¡± Neb ripped the crinkle, and pure darkness spilled forth. The gods attacked. The darkness slaughtered them one by one. *** Neb frowned, his future-reading magic coming to an end. Every single time he looked to the future, his future-self dies¡ªregardless of the choices he makes. The monster was simply too powerful, too malevolent. It didn¡¯t abide by the rules of magic, it forged them. The future was grim, but not lost, not yet. There was a single future Neb had yet to divine¡ªone single idea he hoped not to rely on. Magic bubbled across his eyes, and this last idea came to pass. The vision ended with a forking path in World Walker Park. One direction led to the destruction of everything, the other to prosperity. And the deciding factor of which future path time went down, sadly, was left in the hands of a single man. But Neb had to admit, it was a man he¡¯d be okay with deciding the fate of existence¡ªif such a man existed. To get to that point, however, Neb had to fill his role. It was simple, all he had to do was nothing at all. Neb¡¯s gaze fell to Tippy, the youngin that set off this avalanche of insanity. She was currently divining the future as well, but the girl was never very good at the discipline. He¡¯d have to help here, mainly to make sure she knew her role in this as well. The other gods would all know their places, and if they didn¡¯t, he¡¯d have to help them as well. Sighing, Neb realized his role in this wasn¡¯t as simple as he thought. There was no harder challenge than convincing gods to not help when their world was facing down a calamity. Chapter 51: Beans The eidolon quietly sat and watched the universes expand. Many worlds had life, and many worlds held interesting secrets. Some were magic touched, others marched forward with great technologies. Yet, it was a singular world that had awoken the eidolon¡ªspecifically the actions of a handful of people. And it was one of those people the eidolon watched. His name was Luka, and like the eidolon, he was also fractured. It took but a moment for the eidolon¡¯s magic to understand and experience the World Walker¡¯s life. The man had created weapons, powerful ones¡ªfor his world¡ªand died alone because of it. Just like the eidolon itself. It was strange for the being to think about its past, the time before its ¡°death.¡± People used to worship it, used to pray to it, used to sacrifice loved ones in its name. Life, back then, was simple; until it wasn¡¯t. Betrayal wasn¡¯t an experience the eidolon yearned to witness again¡ªnor was godship. But what was existence then? If it wasn¡¯t actively worshipped, what good was it? For all its power, for all its necessity and greed, what was the point of life if not to create then destroy. The World Walker understood that¡ªcreate weapons then deploy those weapons and create something new from the ashes¡­ Inside its dark hole, the eidolon¡¯s smile faltered. If that was the point of life, then why was the World Walker so depressed? Why did he die alone, just like the eidolon itself? With another twirl of magic, the being experienced Luka¡¯s life since arriving in his new home world. It watched his triumphs: the carousel, the Ferris wheel, opening World Walker Park. It watched his failures: self-doubt, guilt, thinking he harmed the one called ¡°Eve,¡± and most importantly, living when everyone else he killed stayed dead. The eidolon, through Luka¡¯s life, saw parts of its own life too. It saw its triumphs; it saw its failures. It saw the reasoning behind its deathly betrayal, way back when. And yet, it did not understand. And in that lack of understanding, the eidolon finally departed its tomb. It knew just the person to get answers from. *** ¡°Finally!¡± Luka whisper yelled as Eve and Franky stepped into the Whirlpool Tavern¡ªthe park¡¯s newest addition and entrance to Whirlpool Plunge. The tavern was nearly full, including the second level and balcony seating. Drinks were poured all day as patrons enjoyed the stormy atmosphere. Set up in the corner, a bard galvanized the drunks into singing a local sea shanty about rowing your boat down the stream. The siblings¡¯ faces lit up when they saw Luka, their ride operation shift finally over. After ordering a round of drinks for themselves, they slid into the booth beside him. ¡°Finally!¡± Eve yelled, her voice carrying over the song. ¡°We¡¯re done!¡± Luka laughed. ¡°I just said that!¡± he yelled back, though his words were drowned away when a particularly loud verse of the shanty was sung. ¡°What¡¯d you say?¡± she asked. Franky leaned in. ¡°I think he said something about kelp!¡± Now it was Luka¡¯s turn to ask, ¡°What?¡± Eve yelled, ¡°I don¡¯t think he said that.¡± ¡°He did!¡± The bald orc downed half his drink. ¡°Trust me, Sis, I have great hearing.¡± Eve muttered something. ¡°What was that?¡± Luka rolled his eyes and pointed at the door. ¡°Come on.¡± With drinks in hand, the siblings followed¡ªthey¡¯d return the mugs later. Now outside, the sea shanty fell away, replaced with the indistinct chatter of guests wandering the Stormcorsair Harbor. The churro shop was ever popular, a line leading out and down the docks. People entered the gift shop with full coin purses, then left holding a souvenir and questioning the concept of ¡°impulse buying.¡± Eve fell in line beside Luka with Franky on the other side. ¡°How¡¯s the reception for Whirlpool Plunge?¡± Luka asked. The siblings¡ªthe two villagers who had operated the ride since opening¡ªsmiled. ¡°Amazingly. I think you¡¯ve outdone yourself,¡± Eve said. ¡°Yeah man,¡± Franky chimed in. ¡°People don¡¯t want to leave the boats after they ride. Even slowed down operations because of it a few times.¡± Luka hummed at that. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought that¡¯d be an issue.¡± The orc shrugged. ¡°Luckily our new park security handled it. Saw that big fellow, Tank, pick up a dwarf by the scuff and lead him out the exit.¡± Before Luka could say anything, Eve said, ¡°But enough about us. You! What did you and Barns talk about? Objective criticism? We don¡¯t need that here! The ride is perfect!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡ª¡± Luka watched as a kid jumped into an illusion puddle, then stared at her feet in confusion. Luka then sighed, took out his notes, and scribbled a reminder to add some water effects around the docks. ¡°Whirlpool Plunge was more proof of concept than anything.¡± ¡°I thought Rogue Wave was a proof of concept,¡± Eve said. ¡°It is¡ªwell, was. Whirlpool Plunge is an evolution of the things we learned about illusionary glyphs. The concept part, however, is because of the storytelling part.¡± ¡°Rogue Wave has storytelling,¡± Franky interjected. ¡°It does, but nothing on the level of Whirlpool. What I¡¯m trying to say is Barns¡¯ criticism for the ride was that it was ¡®too much.¡¯ And I have to agree.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Too much?¡± Eve asked, crossing her arms. ¡°What¡¯s too much about it?¡± ¡°Barns said at multiple points in the ride he forgot it was a ride and thought about bailing from the boat because he thought swimming a lake of lava was safer than whatever the lava giant might do.¡± The siblings paused. ¡°Oh,¡± Eve muttered. ¡°That¡­ actually makes sense for some of the things I heard when guests were exiting.¡± Franky cringed a little. ¡°There were more than a few crying kids.¡± Luka sighed. ¡°And Barns also said that once he remembered it was all illusions, he dispelled the glyphs and looked around. He said the mechanics of the actual ride were ¡®really interesting.¡¯¡± ¡°How exactly does he think you¡¯ll be able to help with that one?¡± Eve asked. ¡°You either do no illusions or a lot of illusions.¡± ¡°I have a few ideas, actually. But for Whirlpool, they wouldn¡¯t work¡ªnot retroactively, at least. But I think the criticism is valid and something we can plan for in the future.¡± ¡°Okay ,fine. Did Barns have anything good to say?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, a ton. He loved the story¡ªthough his finance loved it more. He said the subtle clues in the queue were great, but felt the pre-show story scene needed work. Apparently, he and his gang didn¡¯t understand they were being invited into the cellar and it had to be spelled out for them.¡± Franky nodded at that. ¡°I heard that as well, now that I think about it. Apparently, even after walking through the whole line, people were confused there was a ride all the way through the tunnels.¡± Making a face, Eve asked, ¡°What¡¯d they think they were doing?¡± ¡°Stealing mead or something, I don¡¯t know.¡± Luka scribbled more notes down. ¡°Well, okay. Uh, that¡¯s¡­¡± He loudly sighed. ¡°All noted. For God Neb¡¯s rollercoaster, I think I know a good way to fix all these problems.¡± ¡°But they really aren¡¯t problems,¡± Eve quickly said. ¡°Once people get used to the illusions, they aren¡¯t going to have the ¡®jump ship¡¯ issue. And seeing the mechanics of the ride? They can just dispel the illusions if they¡¯re interested.¡± The trio found an empty bench a few steps into the main section of the park. Behind them, the illusionary storm raged on. Luka gave a shrug. ¡°I hear what you¡¯re saying, but I don¡¯t want to do every single ride the same way. First, things will get stale. Second, if there actually is something wrong with the underlying foundations and people never adjust to the illusions, we don¡¯t want all of the rides to be that way.¡± ¡°I get that,¡± Eve said. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you want to switch things up until you find a perfect style. Not too many illusions, but enough to create a story and amazing ride experience.¡± ¡°On Earth, we¡¯d call that ¡®finding a formula.¡¯ A certain number of illusions, enough storytelling, maybe a pinch of¡ª" ¡°Excuse me, are you the World Walker?¡± Everyone turned, finding a middle-aged human man wearing thick, fibrous robes. They draped across his shoulders and dragged across the dirt, gathering sticks and leaves like a rake. The man didn¡¯t seem to mind, however, and kept his forearms hidden within the wide sleeves. Luka noted the robes were enchanted; a faint shimmering glow met his eye when he peered at the hunks of cloth with his magical sight. That, and the robes were perfect¡ªdespite literally getting dragged through the mud. ¡°I am,¡± Luka said, adopting a smile. Guests, for the most part, left him alone while he made his rounds in the park. But that didn¡¯t mean everyone did. ¡°Ah, great then. My scrying spell worked.¡± The man shifted his arms in his robes. Both Eve and Franky tensed at that, the latter leaning onto the ball of his feet as if he were a sprinter taking the block. The man produced an envelope. ¡°I am Mage Farr of the Guilds.¡± He handed the paper over; Luka hesitantly took them. ¡°You¡¯ve been served.¡± He blinked. ¡°I¡¯ve been what?¡± ¡°You are expected to appear in defense of yourself in one week¡¯s time in the Guilds Court. The details are listed inside.¡± Luka¡¯s smile turned sour. He let the envelope fall¡ªbut the paper glowed bright green, sticking in his hand like a glue trap. The man, Farr, smirked. ¡°You¡¯ve just been cursed. Hasn¡¯t anyone told you not to accept anything a titled Mage might hand you?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Novices¡ªthey always think they¡¯re above the law.¡± Eve and Franky were on their feet. Franky took two steps around the man, closing off his exit path while his sister removed her glyph quill¡ªfor what little good it would do against a prepared mage. ¡°You cursed him?¡± she slurred. ¡°Nothing but a sticky-item-curse,¡± Farr said with a long, slow drawl. He shook his head again. ¡°This is why I hate coming to backwoods places like this. Even those that ¡®know¡¯ magic don¡¯t really know magic. You know?¡± ¡°Watch it, Mage,¡± Franky warned. ¡°No¡ªI don¡¯t think I will. You people are beneath me.¡± A red glow eclipsed the man¡¯s sleeves. His hand darted out, striking Franky across the chin sending him spiraling. ¡°Franky!¡± Eve yelped. She started to write a glyph on the open air, only for a red hand to grip around her throat. ¡°Was that a combustion glyph?¡± Farr asked, his voice turning silky smooth. ¡°Were you about to attack a working Mage? Maybe a stint in the dungeons will¡ª¡± A slender hand touched the man¡¯s robes. Magic welled. The man crumbled, his bones breaking as they condensed onto each other. In the blink of an eye the middle-aged fully grown man was gone, a singular bean in his place. A human bean. ¡°Hello, Luka,¡± the newcomer said with a giggle. ¡°Or should I call you ¡®Father?¡¯¡± Throbbing pain drove through Luka¡¯s mind. Long locked away memories roared to life, horrific ones, ones that reminded him just how terrible of a person he¡¯d been. They were terrible memories, the ones that stung worse than the memories of death and destruction. They were the memories of her, of his daughter, of Annie. The very woman standing before him. The woman that just crushed a man into a bean. But as Luka stared at his daughter¡¯s face, something nagged at him from the recesses of his mind. Something was wrong, something was very, very wrong. Through all his memories of Annie, he never once saw her hurt anyone or anything. Despite a fatherless childhood, Annie was perfect. She was so perfect. ¡°Who are you?¡± Luka demanded with a deathly glare. Annie¡¯s face split in two, curling up in a twisted smile. There was only darkness between her lips. ¡°You figured it out already! I knew you would, I¡¯ve been watching you for¡­ well, for your entire two lives.¡± Around, the growing crowd was more interested in the recovering Franky than the nondescript human woman. Luka, however, only glanced at the guests for a moment. He couldn¡¯t think about them right now, not with whatever this thing was before him. ¡°¡¯Thing?¡¯¡± Not-Annie asked, reading his mind. ¡°That¡¯s hurtful. I¡¯m not a ¡®thing,¡¯ I¡¯m a god.¡± Luka didn¡¯t need to think about his reply. ¡°You¡¯re no god. I¡¯ve met gods¡ª¡± Not-Annie giggled, cutting him off. ¡°Well, I guess you could say I¡¯m a god to the gods you¡¯ve met. Did you know, in an alternate future they all came to attack me? This world had no gods after.¡± He didn¡¯t think through the ramifications of that. Instead, he asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Getting to the meat of it all, eh, Father?¡± Not-Annie sighed, her terrible smile fading into a firmly pressed line. ¡°Believe it or not, we¡¯ve lived similar existences. The scope is all wrong, but we are the same person at the end of the day.¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly right. No matter how I look at it, we should be. Yet, here you are, happy.¡± Not-Annie closed the distance between her and Luka faster than he could blink. ¡°And I want to know how?¡± Chapter 52: Gods of Gods Luka pushed himself away from his not-daughter, his legs turning to jelly. He bumped into the park bench, collapsing onto his butt. His not-daughter loomed overhead as the nearby park guests went back to what they were doing. Franky was brushing himself off, and if anyone saw Mage Farr contort into a bean, no one seemed to care. And when Eve walked over to her brother and helped dust him off, she too didn¡¯t seem to care. In fact, no one seemed to care about Luka or the mage. ¡°Just a little mind magic, don¡¯t mind them,¡± Not-Annie said, her voice fluctuating between terrible darkness and peppy glee. ¡°We don¡¯t want anyone interfering with our question, do we? I¡¯d hate for them to interfere.¡± Luka lurched at the statement. There was a malicious twinkle in his not-daughter¡¯s eye, a spark that belonged to the unspeakable. It twisted into his guts and whispered I¡¯ll kill them all if you try anything. He licked his lips, the thin skin chapping. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to help you¡ª¡± ¡°You do, and you don¡¯t. Mortals are always like this, don¡¯t you think? You think you understand the world, but in reality, you are starving rats or roaches just scuttling by.¡± Not-Annie held up her pointer finger, summoning forth a flicker of magic that struck through reality. Darkness poured from a laceration, chilling the air and killing the nearby grass. She then sighed, clenching her fist around the fissure like snuffing out a candle. There were so many things floating around Luka¡¯s mind, so many avenues of conversation. Could he lead her somewhere else? Could he duel her in philosophy and get her to leave satisfied? Could he fixate on her humanity and beg her to leave peacefully? Not-Annie laughed, obviously reading his mind. Luka muttered, ¡°Tippy, Neb? Now would be the time to help.¡± Her brown eyes turned into solid black orbs. She barreled down on Luka, crushing him with a multi-ton invisible weight. ¡°Never speak your gods¡¯ names in front of me.¡± He choked on his inverted tongue but forced himself to nod. The pressure released, and Luka¡¯s hand snapped to his throat, rubbing away the pain. ¡°Besides,¡± she continued, almost dejectedly, ¡°they can¡¯t help here.¡± Luka glared at her¡ªthe being inhabiting his daughter¡¯s skin¡ªand swallowed his gut reaction to run. On Earth, he¡¯d talked to crazed generals and world leaders. He¡¯d shown his weapons to warlords and explained their value to crumbling nation-states while his bosses reaped the rewards. At any moment, they could have killed him. They had infinite power on Earth, and here in this world, this creature had just the same. ¡°I do,¡± Not-Annie growled. Luka forced himself not to purse his lips. ¡°If you¡¯re going to read my mind, what point is this? You already know everything I¡¯ve done, and you know my rationale for doing it, right?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Then why are you here?¡± ¡°Because I do not understand your rationale.¡± ¡°You are going to have to be more specific,¡± Luka said through gritted teeth. Not-Annie tapped her chin with her finger. ¡°I know, why don¡¯t we play a game.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question but a demand. ¡°I¡¯ll talk about my experiences, and you explain what you would have done.¡± Luka forced himself to sit back on the bench. ¡°What would I have done in your place or what I would have done as myself?¡± Her smile split apart, revealing the twisted darkness underneath her skin. ¡°Both. Remember, dear World Walker, we are the same person.¡± He could only shake his head. ¡°You don¡¯t agree?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t. I¡¯d never threaten to kill everyone, nor would I mind-magic them into forgetting about someone.¡± Not-Annie thought about that for a moment. ¡°Even if their interference would be annoying?¡± ¡°If you want a conversation to be private, then you go somewhere you can¡¯t be overheard.¡± Luka sighed. ¡°Or you put up an anti-sound magical shield or something. You don¡¯t mess with people¡¯s minds.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°B-because it¡¯s wrong?¡± Not-Annie grunted. ¡°A mortal view.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s start the game. Once, when the universe was still in its infancy, I¡ª¡± ¡°No, stop.¡± Not-Annie blinked three times and tilted her head to the side, staring at him. ¡°You dare interrupt?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Luka got to his feet and crossed his arms. ¡°I think we have to have a longer conversation about ¡®wrongness¡¯ before we can move on. We have to be on the same page.¡± ¡°We are. You think like a mortal. Page completed.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Is it ¡®mortal¡¯ to feel empathy?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s human,¡± Not-Annie said, dripping with condescension. ¡°Humanity is limited in their understanding. Soft, even. The universe doesn¡¯t care about feelings. It simply is, meaning anything else that isn¡¯t is useless.¡± ¡°Okay, fine. I agree.¡± Luka studied her reaction. There wasn¡¯t one. ¡°You agree? Strange.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Is it? I¡¯m not dumb. I know my actions and the actions of everyone else don¡¯t matter. In the grand scheme of things we are like you said, ¡®starving roaches.¡¯¡± ¡°Then we are in accord. Mortal views and such.¡± Luka held up a hand. ¡°Maybe so. But I would never give up my mortality for whatever you have.¡± ¡°No?¡± She raised an eyebrow¡ªa mortal, human expression, Luka noted. ¡°Not at all.¡± He slowly gestured around. ¡°What do you see when you look at them?¡± ¡°Carbon.¡± ¡°I see families. I see memories. I see laughter, smiles, fun. I see parents who work all day to pay for their children¡¯s food and shelter, and yet still find the time to take them all the way out here just to spend said pay on something not needed.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Not-Annie mimicked Luka¡¯s crossed arms. She leaned back on her heels and subtly looked around, spotting everything he described. ¡°Your examples do not matter.¡± ¡°But they do. If the universe doesn¡¯t care, then who does? People like Mayor Tram or little Nicole.¡± Luka scoffed. ¡°How is it a little girl understands life better than a god of gods?¡± ¡°Mock me again, and it will be your last.¡± Luka didn¡¯t so much as flinch at the threat, he¡¯d expected it, welcomed it, even. ¡°See, it¡¯s that right there that makes us different. My whole first life I let people down. My inventions killed people, my lack of remorse killed more, and my indifference drove away the very person whose skin you¡¯re wearing.¡± ¡°If she was my daughter, I¡¯d have slaughtered her the moment she spoke ill about me.¡± Darkness dripped from Not-Annie¡¯s mouth as she spoke, almost like a feral wolf¡¯s froth. Luka just shook his head. ¡°Then I pity you.¡± ¡°You pity me? A mortal pities a god?¡± The sky turned dark; the park guests disappeared with a puff of haze. Hatred rolled along the ground, vile, vile hatred. ¡°I¡¯ve seen universes get swallowed by the void! I¡¯ve seen worlds fracture under the weight of their sins! I¡¯ve seen countless creatures perish because of sickness and starvation!¡± Luka yelled, ¡°And I¡¯ve seen nations fall! People blown to bits in the street! Families sundered and separated! Forests burnt at the roots, and greed corrupt the best of men!¡± Not-Annie went to speak, but Luka spoke right over her. ¡°But I¡¯ve also seen orphaned children run around and play! I¡¯ve seen a god protect a spy and another pull the stars closer to make the night slightly more magical for everyone! I¡¯ve listened to villagers complain that the prices in the park were too high and plead to lower them! I¡¯ve seen guests demand I give a girl a birthday present for little more reason than her dad couldn¡¯t be there that day!¡± Tears welled in Luka¡¯s eyes, but he didn¡¯t cry. He forced himself to speak calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen death. I¡¯ve experienced it, even. I drank my life away once I realized the horrors I¡¯d created¡ªand I was content with doing that again in this life. But four people stopped me, four people I can¡¯t ever thank enough. Tippy, Leo, Franky, and Eve!¡± Darkness snapped around Luka¡¯s throat. Not-Annie slurred, ¡°I told you never to speak a god¡¯s name in my¡ª" ¡°I forgive you!¡± Luka sighed, the words quieter than a whisper. But Not-Annie heard. Her grip loosened ever so slightly before tightening like a vise. ¡°You know nothing of me.¡± Consciousness faded from Luka as his lungs fought for air. ¡°B-but we¡¯re t-the same, remember?¡± She squeezed harder. ¡°I¡ªI forgive you!¡± She let go. Luka panted but forced the words out. ¡°Tippy, Leo, Franky, and Eve all know my past. They know what I did, who I was. But they gave me a chance, a home, a family. They forgave me for everything I ever did and held me up when I wouldn¡¯t forgive myself.¡± Not-Annie¡¯s internal darkness bulged at her seams and leaked from her eyes and ears. ¡°You forgive nothing.¡± ¡°I forgive everything. Everything you¡¯ve ever done wrong,¡± Luka looked up, right into her eyes. ¡°Everyone deserves a second chance at life¡ªand more importantly, the people to call you out when you start to fall. Eve¡¯s done it for me, and I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a mortal.¡± ¡°A mortal you came to get answers from. A mortal you thought could help.¡± ¡°Preposterous.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m wrong, why come here?¡± Luka¡¯s heart was beating faster than it ever had before, and yet he felt calmer than when Tippy showed him his new home all that time ago. ¡°We never got to play your game, but take it from someone who made all the wrong decisions in my first life: the past doesn¡¯t matter, only the present and future do.¡± She scoffed. ¡°The universe doesn¡¯t care¡ª¡± ¡°But you care. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Luka reached out and touched his daughter¡¯s face. ¡°Tell me I¡¯m wrong, and you don¡¯t want to change.¡± When Not-Annie failed to respond right away, Luka whispered, ¡°I wanted to change as well, but drinking myself to death was easier. If killing all life in the universe is easier for you, just do it already. But don¡¯t come complaining to me when you realize you messed up. Trust me, the guilt will eat you alive.¡± The darkness in Not-Annie¡¯s eyes shivered. ¡°It already does.¡± Luka hugged her, and for a moment, forgot he wasn¡¯t actually talking to his daughter. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I don¡¯t have all the answers, but I¡¯ll help you find them.¡± Not-Annie collapsed, turning limp in his arms. ¡°Annie!¡± Luka screeched, guiding her to the ground. The hazy dark realm was gone, returned to daylight and grass. The park¡¯s hustle and bustle sounded around him, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Annie, talk to me!¡± ¡°Luka?¡± He recognized Eve¡¯s voice but ignored her. Instead, he pulled at Annie¡¯s eyelids, finding the darkness draining away from her irises. Her pupils were dilated, and her head rolled around like a weight attached to a rope. ¡°Tippy! Neb!¡± Luka yelled. ¡°Help!¡± Both gods, and a few he¡¯d never met, arrived beside him. Tippy and Neb crouched beside him, each touching Annie with physical fingers and magical probes. They shared a glance before addressing Luka. Neb said, ¡°The being has left her.¡± His eyes darted around from shadow to shadow, tracing a path no mortal could see. ¡°I¡¯ve lost its trail.¡± ¡°As have I,¡± Tippy muttered. She patted Luka on the back. ¡°Good work. The future is¡­ stable, for now.¡± ¡°Where were you two?¡± Luka seethed. ¡°Watching,¡± Neb answered. ¡°We couldn¡¯t interfere. That path was yours and yours alone. Well, yours and the entirety of the world. You¡¯ve done well, World Walker. I think a reward for saving the world is in order, don¡¯t you think, Tip?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fund a ride or two, I don¡¯t care.¡± Tippy gestured at the unconscious Annie. ¡°We need to discuss her.¡± ¡°What about her?¡± Luka asked, leaning over her slightly and pushing the gods away. ¡°For one, she¡¯s real. That thing reincarnated her to mess with you. And now that it has left, Annie has ¡®arrived.¡¯ And that¡¯ll have consequences for you and the world as a whole. A second World Walker this soon after the other? Unheard of.¡± Neb adopted a smile. ¡°I, for one, don¡¯t mind. If Luka wants to keep her, so be¡ª¡± ¡°Keep her?¡± Luka slurred. ¡°She¡¯s a person! Not some stray cat!¡± The god leaned back. ¡°Yes, of course. But as I remember, you didn¡¯t want to reincarnate her yourself.¡± ¡°That ship has sailed, don¡¯t you think, Neb?¡± He said the god¡¯s name with more than a bit of ire. Neb held up his hands, surrendering. ¡°An Ill-timed joke, nothing more. I am sorry.¡± He glanced around at the other gods. ¡°All the action is over. Hopefully, that creature is gone. When I look into the future, I don¡¯t see it. So, good work again, Luka. We owe a debt.¡± And like that, the gods disappeared. Tippy remained the longest but, like her divine brethren, left the mortal world. As Luka cradled his unconscious daughter in his arms, the tears he¡¯d been holding back finally fell. And when he looked around, he spotted Eve, Franky, and a fully sized Leo staring down at him. ¡°Guys,¡± he sobbed, ¡°I need some help.¡± Chapter 53: She’s Okay Luka sipped a mug of lukewarm jrum, wrinkling his nose at the dirty taste. He took a deep breath, then another. When that didn¡¯t help, he kept going until he was just¡­ breathing deeply. His anxiety didn¡¯t budge, stubborn as always. Fine, he thought, shifting his thoughts from his work to Annie and the malevolence that had inhabited her skin. The creature god thing was long gone, Tippy and Neb confirming as much, but that didn¡¯t change the fact Annie was here. Reincarnated. In this world. With him. His fingers curled harshly into his mug. He¡¯d abandoned Annie once already. There wasn¡¯t a chance in hell he¡¯d do it again. He¡¯d rather die again then do something so¡­ so¡­ not him. The two words echoed in his mind. Not him. Not him. Luka wasn¡¯t the same man as on Earth. He wasn¡¯t the same man as the day he arrived in this world. He wasn¡¯t the King of Bullets or a weapons creator, he wasn¡¯t a warmonger, nor was he a heartless, ignorant fool. His friends forgave him for his past, and now¡­ now all he had to do was the same. Just like I told Not-Annie, he ironically thought. He then said aloud to himself, ¡°I¡­ forgive you.¡± ¡°Er, okay?¡± a voice said behind him. Luka turned, finding Mayor Tram strolling up the path. ¡°Don¡¯t know what I did to warrant that, but, uh, thanks?¡± Luka looked away, hiding the gesture with a faux sip of jrum. The drink was gross at this point, just like room-temperature coffee. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you. How is she?¡± ¡°Talking to the gods, then, eh?¡± she asked with a chuckle, plopping down beside him. They sat together on a stack of metal slats far from the park and out in the emberwood trees. ¡°Knew we¡¯d make a pious one out of you.¡± He didn¡¯t look at her, instead gazing at his newest work. Metal spiked the dirt floor of the forest, trailing in a single file¡ªbut looping¡ªmaze. Foundational work for Neb¡¯s rollercoaster was slow going, but Luka blamed himself for that mostly. His mind just wasn¡¯t in it. Tram waited a moment longer before saying, ¡°Annie is fine. Our village shaman, Sol, and a few healers who just so happened to be in the park all looked at her. She¡¯s fine.¡± Luka shook away the most negative thoughts and, harsher than he intended, said, ¡°Then why isn¡¯t she awake?¡± Tram was old. She¡¯d seen countless kids grow up; she¡¯d seen countless adults die. She had married, she had loved, she had lost. She knew every emotion, and she¡¯d worked through the worst ones all by herself. A dead daughter getting reincarnated by a vengeful god was a new one for her, but the human details weren¡¯t. She raised her crooked, tattooed fingers and patted Luka on the back, rubbing her fingertips into him for good measure. ¡°She¡¯s fine. She¡¯ll wake up when she¡¯s ready.¡± A shuttering quiver ripped through Luka¡¯s body. He held in tears¡ªhe¡¯d cried enough already¡ªbut bristled against her hand. ¡°Thank you,¡± he muttered, absorbing Tram¡¯s warmth like a sponge. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± It was dark, well past midnight. He was tired, Tram was tired, the park employees, Eve, Franky, everyone was tired. And yet, here he was, working. And here was the oldest person in the village staying up with him. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this,¡± he quietly said, the words searing hot. ¡°You can, you will.¡± ¡°I abandoned her once already. I was content with letting her stay dead.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a god, Luka. You can¡¯t resurrect the dead.¡± He hesitated at the statement. Tram noticed. ¡°You can¡¯t resurrect the dead, Luka,¡± she said again, this time firmer. Luka forced himself to nod, though his heart wasn¡¯t in it. Tram¡¯s massage stopped; her eyes darted to his ring. Slowly, she opened her mouth, but then closed it right away. ¡°You know what,¡± she eventually said, ¡°I don¡¯t care about that right now. You¡¯re her father, she¡¯s going to need you when she wakes up.¡± He nodded. ¡°She¡¯s going to be confused, just like you were.¡± Again, he nodded. ¡°She¡¯ll need a place to stay, somewhere that isn¡¯t in a barn or a rented room in Todd¡¯s.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Luka¡¯s nodding slowed. ¡°I can make her a house.¡± Tram¡¯s hand returned gentle rubs. ¡°You can make a house for yourself and her.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t want to live with me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± Luka turned, locking eyes with the old woman. ¡°I abandoned her on Earth. She hated me.¡± ¡°That was before you died. She had an entire lifetime without you to finalize her thoughts about you.¡± Tram almost laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll bet whatever she thought of you will be thrown out the window once she¡¯s awake and sees you. Sees this world, sees what you¡¯ve created here.¡± Luka didn¡¯t respond to that. ¡°Come on,¡± Tram said, getting to her feet. ¡°You¡¯ve got to go to bed. The park opens in a few hours.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to finish this.¡± Tram looked at him, he still wasn¡¯t looking back. Luka pulled a familiar envelope from his pocket. ¡°What do we do about this and the man who delivered it?¡± ¡°Walk me through what happened again?¡± ¡°Mage Farr from the Guilds served me papers summoning me into court. The envelope was cursed, it stuck to my hand. I think Sol removed it later, I don¡¯t really remember. Franky tried to intervene against Farr and was punched in the face. That was when Not-Annie appeared and¡­ turned him into a bean.¡± Luka slowly blinked. ¡°Is he alive?¡± ¡°Mage Farr?¡± Tram took a deep breath. ¡°No, no, he¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Luka¡¯s face twisted. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to feel about that.¡± ¡°I say good riddance¡± Luka faced her, his eyes puffy and red. ¡°A man died, Tram.¡± ¡°One that punched one of my villagers for absolutely no reason.¡± She lifted her chin and looked down on him. ¡°Play stupid games, reap stupid rewards. I can live with that.¡± ¡°I think Not-Annie killed him for me. Farr was harassing me and then¡­ bean.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not every day a god-thing comes to our village and threatens existence itself.¡± Tram pursed her lips like she was thinking. ¡°Now that I think about it, World Walkers do save the world every so often, though.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t save anything.¡± Tram¡¯s snort echoed through the trees. ¡°Kid, whatever you prevented warranted all of the gods to show up in person and make sure the threat was gone. All. Of. Them. There¡¯s like forty gods!¡± ¡°Guess we¡¯re going to have some divine envoys visit the park soon.¡± She smacked her lips. ¡°Is that all you think is going to happen? Luka. Gods appearing in places happens; it¡¯s rare, but it happens. Two gods appearing in the same place? That only happens on holy days in specific holy locations. Three appearing in the same place at the same time? That¡¯s unheard-of outside world-ending events.¡± She paused and leaned closer. ¡°What do you think people are going to do when they hear all forty appeared in a fledgling amusement park?¡± Luka thought about it. ¡°We¡¯re going to need a hotel.¡± ¡°And more rides. And more vendors. And more workers to run operations. And more food to sell. And more of EVERYTHING!¡± Tram held her hand out. Luka took it, and the elder pulled him to his feet. ¡°When Annie wakes up, figure things out with her as quickly as possible. The park¡¯s going to need you at your fullest.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡¯Yeah?¡¯ That¡¯s it?¡± Tram thumped him on the back of the head. Luka recoiled and gave her an affronted look. ¡°What was that for!?¡± he snapped. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this? Some emotion other than self-pity? I never thought I¡¯d see the day,¡± she mocked. ¡°Ha ha.¡± Tram thumped him again. ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°Stop what? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°You just hit me!¡± ¡°I did not! Must be Not-Annie coming to take revenge.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes hollowed. ¡°What are you, Ren?¡± Tram gasped. ¡°Take that back right now. I am nothing like that brat.¡± ¡°Could¡¯ve fooled me.¡± She eyed the World Walker. ¡°You know, I think Ren¡¯s still awake. I can send him over if you¡¯re going to be working all night. I¡¯m sure you could use the company.¡± Luka groaned. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± Tram laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t reap what you can¡¯t sow.¡± She turned and walked off toward the village. ¡°Don¡¯t stay up too late. You¡¯ve got to open the park in the morning. It¡¯s got to be a special opening on account of all of the gods visiting.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious, Luka!¡± she called, passing a cluster of trees. He didn¡¯t respond and instead just waved. When Tram disappeared into the dark forest, he turned and set his eyes on the foundational track pieces. ¡°Okay, so, it¡¯s going to helix around the bend and¡­¡± Luka squinted at his indiscernible notes. The ink had smeared, rendering most of the diagram unusable. ¡°Hey Neb, you around to help?¡± An old man stepped up beside him. ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d ask for help.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I can finish this myself if you¡¯d rather. Not like I need help with the magic part.¡± Neb rolled his eyes. ¡°Remember, I can read your mind. I see what you are thinking of doing to this helix. It¡¯s nothing like we planned.¡± Luka sighed. ¡°Show me, then.¡± ¡°Say, please.¡± The World Walker gave the god a withering glare. ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Neb said, waving his hand. An illusion of a curling rollercoaster track highlighted through the forest. Metal floated over, setting itself deep into the dirt at the specified locations. Luka paused after the third one. ¡°Is she alright?¡± The god laughed. ¡°Three support pillars! I would have guessed you would¡¯ve asked after the second!¡± ¡°I held my tongue for as long as I could.¡± ¡°I know. I read the anguish in your mind.¡± Neb patted him on the back like Tram did minutes earlier. ¡°She¡¯s fine. She¡¯ll wake in the morning.¡± Chapter 54: On Air In between micro naps, Luka sipped a steaming mug of jrum and stroked Leo¡¯s white fur. Across the booth, Franky sat holding the newest issue of the Sneerhome Chronicle. A familiar demonic reporter once again hit the front page with a breaking story¡ªTHE GODS GATHER! ¡°¡­And while it is still unknown to the Chronicle why all of the gods appeared in World Walker Park, one thing is for certain: World Walker Park will be crowded for the foreseeable future. Here at the press, we¡¯ve received notes that employers are closing shop today and tomorrow to give their employees a chance to visit Sneerhome¡¯s newest neighbor. ¡°There are whispers among the divine district of a new world holiday as well. Tentatively being called Earth Day, named after World Walker Luka¡¯s home world, this day will be an annual event celebrating the gods¡¯ collective grace. At the Chronicle, we suspect World Walker Park will be cited as holy ground for this day, if not every day. ¡°The Chronicle will update the public when we receive any future news on the matter, including a statement from the World Walker himself, as well as the various high priests of the many gods.¡± Franky ended the article by saying, ¡°Authored and edited by Stell Metus.¡± Luka grunted. ¡°Nothing about Mage Farr?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Good?¡± He said it like a question. Tram was all for the mage¡¯s death, and as much as Luka didn¡¯t want to agree, he didn¡¯t. The man punched Franky in the park with a magical fist¡ªan attack that would have killed a human or the various other ¡®weaker¡¯ races. Or so Luka was told by Eve. Attack magic was above his purview. ¡°It is good. Maybe the Guilds will just forget about the whole ¡®court¡¯ thing,¡± Franky mused, sipping his own mug of jrum. ¡°Probably not. Your aunt has been battling the court for days now, no way they¡¯d ¡®forget¡¯ about me.¡± Luka yawned and glanced out the window. Silhouettes of people stood around outside, the crowd waiting for the park to open flooded back this far from the gate. ¡°We¡¯ve got a few more minutes,¡± Franky said, almost as if he could read his friend¡¯s mind. ¡°What? Oh, no. I was thinking about morning drinking. If Todd wanted to open the bar in the morning, I think he¡¯d do pretty well.¡± The orc nodded. ¡°Sell some hot breakfast, maybe some of Iop¡¯s pastries?¡± ¡°And jrum and beer, yeah,¡± Luka said, a smile growing. ¡°I was thinking about live music as well. Not just at Todd¡¯s but around the park. We could even create small venues where guests can rest their feet and stay and listen a while.¡± ¡°Maybe some shows, too?¡± Franky asked. ¡°Like one of those traveling puppet shows. I love those!¡± ¡°Puppet show? Aren¡¯t those a bit childish?¡± The bald, freakishly muscular man cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen a puppet show from this world yet. Trust me, you¡¯ll love them.¡± Luka took another sip. ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± ¡°Toosh-wha?¡± ¡°It means¡ªnever mind, I don¡¯t know myself now that I think about it. I think it¡¯s French.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just making up words now,¡± Franky chided. ¡°Am I? Because last I checked, ¡®jrum¡¯ isn¡¯t a word.¡± ¡°Yeah, it is. You¡¯re drinking it.¡± ¡°Uh huh, what about ribblelit or that lemon one?¡± Franky feigned irritation. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, gra¡¯mak¡¯lish¡¯lem is a perfectly sensible word!¡± Luka laughed. Franky then drummed his fingers on the table. ¡°I think it¡¯s time.¡± They stood and started for the door. Luka paused with his hand on the knob. ¡°Eve will bring Annie over if she wakes up during the speech, right?¡± ¡°If Annie¡¯s up for it, yeah. Eve doesn¡¯t want to miss it either, you know.¡± Luka gave a single, decisive nod and strode forward. The nearby guests turned their heads, some nudging their companions and murmuring about the World Walker. His gaze met theirs, and for a moment, the air went still. His posture was straight, his shoulders square. They were here for Luka, the man who summoned the gods. Giving them anything less than confident respect just wouldn¡¯t do. Whispers rippled out, sparking and igniting a wildfire of intrigue. The murmur grew into a wave, heads continued to turn in Luka¡¯s direction. Parents lifted their children high, others climbed on nearby boxes to get a better angle. A corridor formed for him, an opening amongst the rawness of the massive crowd. He stepped right in, surrounding himself with the people who came to visit the park¡ªwho came to listen to him speak. A raven circled overhead, one of Sol¡¯s¡ªor Sol herself. It carried a stick, one you might find anywhere in the forest. Luka met its eye, and the bird released its grip. The stick was magical, a microphone that amplified the speaker¡¯s voice through the nearby grass. Luka caught the stick mid stride; the crowd was dead silent. A few steps away, World Walker Park¡¯s welcoming sign hung overhead. It was a gnarled hunk of wood, an organic structure that held lettering like leaves on a branch. It craned over the path and gate¡ªa perfect backdrop for an opening speech. But Luka stopped early, directly in the center of the crowd. Many thoughts swam through his head after Mage Farr punched Franky and Not-Annie¡¯s subsequent appearance. One of which was simple: magic wasn¡¯t to be taken lightly. And while Luka refused to harm someone, that didn¡¯t mean his magic wasn¡¯t impressionable. Creating rides and storefronts was something, but Luka knew his magic could be so much more. It was time to stop kidding around and get serious. It was time to use magic. It¡¯s the lava problem all over again, Luka thought, reminding himself of a duo of teenagers at the park¡¯s soft opening. This world and Earth have different standards of mystique and amazement. It¡¯s time to give them a show. Luka glanced behind, finding Franky meshed with the crowd a safe distance away. They locked eyes, the latter smiling. Luka imagined magic as strands of hair¡ªor, more precisely, he imagined magic as Goddess Tippy¡¯s hair. Her magic was the first he¡¯d seen; her magic was what directly fueled his own. It was her gift that permeated his blood and allowed him to create amazing things. It was divine in aspect¡ªbut not perfect like Tippy¡¯s. No, that wasn¡¯t right. Luka''s magic wasn¡¯t perfect like Not-Annie¡¯s. Maybe it was his imagination. Maybe it was his trauma welling up. Maybe it was knowing there was something out there, even the gods feared. Whatever the case, Luka had seen it. He had felt it. He had experienced it. The first time he experienced magic, Tippy was gentle and loving. Not-Annie was anything but. And yet, Luka was in awe. He felt his view of reality narrow and widen at the same time. Magic wasn¡¯t magic, but rather a set station of rules he was too arrogant to understand. Luka knew the basics of his magic but also knew it was time to experiment. He closed his eyes, and the crowd of eager guests held their breath. He held his hands out wide, and the crowd went dead silent. He sent his strands of magic out, connecting to any and everything, and the crowd smiled. The best explanation of his magic Luka had found was fabrication¡ªhe could create things from something. But that wasn¡¯t correct, not really. In reality, he could take already made things and reshape them into something new. And it was that small, subtle difference that Luka now touched on. Air was something. So was light. And sound. And shadows. And time. Heat. Momentum. Gravity. Static electricity. Frequencies. Space itself. Luka smiled to himself. Some of those were a bit esoteric for now. One day, sure. But right now, he needed to open the park. His strands of magic connected to the air around his feet. They took the invisible thing firm, molding it and packing it into a brick. Luka put one foot on the brick, raising up. He created another. He put his other foot on it. Another formed and floated one step higher than the last. Then another, and another. Soon, Luka walked on the air, standing above the crowd on an invisible platform. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The crowd gawked, as did Franky and the other villagers. The sun peeked over the tall emberwood trees to the east. Luka glanced at it, grabbing hold of the light it produced. A spike of pain ripped through his head. Okay, okay, not like that¡­ Luka calmed himself and re-tried. Grabbing the light was above his pay grade. Light was everywhere, the sun was simply too strong. He remembered attempting to move several heavy piles of materials a few days ago. It strained him to do such a task, even causing his nose to bleed. But through that pain, he found the trick: divide and conquer. Instead of grabbing all of the light, Luka grabbed the light around him. He felt the connection bolster through his strands and brace against his mind. What he envisioned would be tough, but he felt the crowd deserved something special. Standing on the air, the light around Luka waned until it was nearly gone¡ªuntil he was nearly in shadow. Manipulating light, as he quickly found, was more akin to closing the shutters on a window than molding dough into a shape. Did that mean molding light wasn¡¯t possible? Luka didn¡¯t know, but he intended to find out soon. Soon, the World Walker looked as if he were standing on a dark stage, with a spotlight directly at him. He cleared his throat and glanced around. He spotted a few familiar faces in the crowd¡ªnamely villagers, but a few guests and VIPs. The journalist, Stell, and his haunting eyes. The girl, Sally, and her mom. Zora, the veterinarian from Sneerhome. Even a god or two. Neb and Tippy stood amongst the crowd, the former an old man with wrinkled leather for skin, the latter a young woman with hair so red it almost looked on fire. Both smiled at him, and he smiled back¡ªat least, until Tippy nodded toward a particular person opposite her near the back of the gathering. At first, Luka thought Tippy was guiding his attention to Eve¡ªthe orc stood a few steps from the crowd, watching him with wide eyes. But Luka quickly realized his mistake. Beside Eve was a woman. Last time Luka saw her on Earth, Annie was in her late twenties. She asked him to leave and never return, content with living her life without a father. And at the time, Luka had been alright with that. But not anymore. Now Annie looked ten years younger, a symptom of reincarnation it seemed. She looked around cautiously, almost as if she was afraid. She probably is, Luka thought. I know I was my first day here. Eve nudged her and gestured up. Luka and Annie locked eyes. Father and daughter reunited across space and time on an alien world. Luka quivered, his eyes turning to glass. Annie¡­ Annie looked conflicted. She stared at him like he was a ghost¡ªwhich he supposed he was. Her lips were pressed thin, her shoulders hunched, and her head low. She didn¡¯t dare move, caught in some internal battle of grief, loss, guilt, shame, anger, and many, many more emotions. Luka gave her a soft smile, one that was not reciprocated. That¡¯s fine, he told himself. I deserve that. A butterfly floated across his vision. Luka glanced over, finding Tippy gesturing for him to hurry up. He chuckled to himself and cleared his throat. ¡°Alright Leo,¡± he whispered into the shoulder Leo rested his head on, ¡°give me the biggest howl you¡¯ve got.¡± Luka held the microphone stick to Leo¡¯s maw. The little guy looked between the twig and Luka, eyeing both like they were stupid. Leo then shook his head, clawing his way out of his rider¡¯s hood. Luka helped the wolf clamber down, the invisible platform of air large enough for both. Leo then activated his size-changing enchantment, growing into his full size. The crowd gasped at the floating dire-wolf. Leo gave Luka a cocky smirk, receiving an eye roll. ¡°Show off,¡± Luka muttered, holding the stick out to Leo. Leo pushed it away with his snout. The wolf then welled up and howled, shaking the air and resonating with the crowd. Somewhere in the sea of people, Sebby howled as well. Then another dire-wolf, likely a guest¡¯s mount. And another, and another. Luka even spotted Olive the emu with her beak pointed toward the sky, a strange noise echoing out. The beasts sang, their howls like a choir. Leo held the song for as long as possible, ceasing with a guttural, primal flourish. He then adopted a very content gaze as he looked out over his crowd. Luka then held up the microphone and spoke, the grass echoing his every word: ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, mystics and mages, adventurers and explorers, welcome to our humble slice of the extraordinary¡ªWorld Walker Park!¡± The crowd erupted in applause, shouting, and shrill whistles. He let the noise die down. ¡°Thank you, thank you. But I don¡¯t deserve your praise, none of us at World Walker Park do. The opposite is true. We should be applauding you.¡± The crowd softened, confusion setting in. Luka¡¯s voice carried a note of warmth, the familiar warmth of his time in the village. Of those who accepted him, who guided him, who trusted him. He wasn¡¯t speaking just for himself, but for everyone who put their money on him. The people he now called family. ¡°Without you¡ªyour curiosity, courage, and hunger for the extraordinary¡ªthis place would be nothing more than a village with lost dreams and muted hope. You bring life to it, not me, not us. Every step you take here, every smile you wear, every laugh, giggle, gasp, and scream make this park what it is. It feeds its soul; it forges its heart. So yes, we should be the ones applauding.¡± Luka started clapping, as did the villagers in the crowd. He gestured out with his hands, and the applause exploded. The crowd clapped and roared, parents cheered and hugged their kids close. Adventurers hollered and raised their swords high. Mages celebrated with pops of magical color and energy. When things quieted down, Luka continued, ¡°But let¡¯s not forget the people who aren¡¯t with us today. Loved ones, friends, family. A moment of silence for their resting souls.¡± Luka took the moment to glance at Annie. Her head was up, her shoulders back, her spine straight. Her arms were crossed, and she stared at him with pursed lips. ¡°She sees through your World Walker fa?ade,¡± a voice said directly into Luka¡¯s mind¡ªTippy¡¯s. ¡°Think nothing of it for now, you¡¯re almost done with the speech.¡± Luka took a deep breath and said, ¡°Thank you. This park was created under the flag of hardship and pain. The villagers of Emberwood experienced something only they may explain. You all have surely experienced something dark of your own. I know I have.¡± He waited a moment, scanning the crowd. People nodded in solidarity; others held hands with their loved ones. ¡°Yesterday, something happened at the park, something that warranted the dispatch of every god this world holds dear.¡± Luka found Tippy and Neb, they nodded for him to continue. ¡°I¡¯ve done a lot of reflecting since then and realized something profound. I realized that this park¡ªthis place we¡¯ve made together¡ªis more than magic, happiness, and amusement. It¡¯s a mirror, a reflection of our lives, our world, our fears, our hopes, and our endless imagination. ¡°But yesterday it cracked.¡± His eyes glazed over, his heart taking over. ¡°Life is hard. It¡¯s painful and terrible. Sometimes, I think it¡¯d be easier just to end things¡ªwhether personal or global. In my old world, I was not a good person. I created things, things that hurt people and ruined the land for lifetimes to come. I realized what I had become too late in life. I realized the things that actually mattered were long, long gone.¡± He glanced at Annie, but she looked away. ¡°My life ended in that world alone, cold, and destitute¡ªand I was okay with that. Then, I was reincarnated. I was pulled from the murky void, slapped into a new body, and kicked from the nest faster than I could react.¡± He found Franky and Eve, giving each a smile. ¡°But two wonderful siblings caught me and helped me to fly. Even when they learned of my past, they didn¡¯t clip my wings and cage me. They pushed me into the sky along with everyone else in Emberwood. They flapped my wings for me when I felt I didn¡¯t deserve to. They brought me food and water. They provided a home for me¡ª¡± Luka gave mighty Leo a mighty scratch on the head. ¡°¡ªand forced this little guy to be my friend.¡± He paused and added, ¡°My best friend.¡± Leo nudged him with his snout. ¡°I love the people of this village¡ªmy family.¡± Luka let the silence stretch, the weight of his words sinking into their hearts. People were crying, some soft sobs, others thick, heavy tears. From hardened dwarf to scarred orc, people connected to the strange man in the sky. ¡°So let this be my second promise to the world: I promise to give everyone the same chance I got. No matter your background, race, nationality, wealth, or criminal history, World Walker Park has a spot for you. Either as a guest exploring the park to escape the hardships in your life or as an employee looking for hope in a new, unfamiliar land, both are welcome.¡± Luka gave a somber smile. ¡°And to the people who need to hear it: I forgive you. Whatever you did to survive, whatever you may do, whatever you beat yourself up over, if you want to change, I¡¯ll help you the same way I was helped.¡± Luka found the orc siblings again. ¡°My first day in this world I was told that World Walkers provide the world with something special, something unique. They assured me I must have been someone amazing in my old world¡ªand I suppose they were right, but for all the wrong reasons.¡± He took a breath. ¡°I wondered for a long time what I brought to the table. At first, I thought it was entertainment, so I created this world¡¯s first amusement park. But¡ªno. That wasn¡¯t right. I thought it was festivities and fun. Again, no. Maybe a new way of storytelling and architecture? No, not even close. ¡°After the gods appeared yesterday, I stayed up the whole night thinking of what I wanted the park to become. A haven for entertainment and amusement? Of course. But that alone wasn¡¯t enough. Maybe I¡¯m greedy, maybe I¡¯m a narcissist, but I wanted more. I want this land to become the land of second chances. I got one. Emberwood Village got one. Everyone deserves a second chance. ¡°With all of that said, I¡¯m proud to announce the park¡¯s newest attraction¡ªCelestial Rebirth,¡± Luka said. Above him, the day sky turned to night, the stars building like budding flowers. God Neb¡¯s divine presence ushered through the crowd as all heads were drawn up. Then, like an afterimage from staring at the sun, Neb appeared beside Luka and Leo. He stood on the air as well, but his old man''s fa?ade was gone. In its place was skin made of a supernova and blood made of stardust. The god patted Luka on the back, then spoke to the enthralled guests. ¡°The World Walker and I spent many hours designing this ride to feel as if you are swimming through the stars. I¡¯m proud to have met the man standing beside me.¡± He winked at Luka. Luka, in turn, frowned at the god and loudly thought, If you told me you wanted to speak, I¡¯d have introduced you. God Neb¡¯s voice landed directly in his mind, ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± The World Walker gave an unimpressed look before returning his attention to the crowd. ¡°Celestial Rebirth is the first attraction in World Walker Park¡¯s newest land, Constellation Kingdom. The land is inspired by the stars and space, worlds and galaxies. Once you enter, you¡¯ll be leaving this world behind and exploring the farthest reaches of the known universe.¡± Neb nudged him and said, ¡°I think you should explain what a ¡®rollercoaster¡¯ is before you get too ahead of yourself and start talking about ¡®science fiction¡¯ and ¡®lunar modules.¡¯¡± Luka gave a suffering glare. Neb injected his laughter directly into Luka¡¯s mind. Chapter 55: Annie Annie watched her father, a ¡°god,¡± and a ¡°dire-wolf¡± stand on the air and talk about rollercoasters. She stood at the back of the crowd next to the ¡°orc¡± Eve. Around were various ¡°races¡± of people, the least of which were humans. There were ¡°elves,¡± ¡°dwarves,¡± people with feathers, people with scales, people with long twisting tails, others with straight leathery tails, and even people with skin made of scalding lava or frozen frost. And yet, Annie¡¯s eyes were firmly locked on her father¡ªthe man spouting forgiveness for all, the hypocrite. ¡°And once again, welcome to World Walker Park!¡± Annie shook her head at her father¡¯s words. He, the god, and the dire-wolf stepped down the air as if an invisible set of stairs wound down in a spiral. The crowd parted for them, and the trio made way for the park¡¯s gates. As the crowd shifted to follow, the god phased from reality, disappearing before Annie¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t react to that. How could she? She saw the monster do far more while inhabiting her body. She shivered at the thought. They had spoken, Annie and the evil god-thing, for a long while about her father, Luka, before jumping across the galaxy to this world. It had asked her questions about his mettle, about how a man such as him could function after all he did. Annie remembered her answer: ¡°Because he¡¯s a heartless psychopath.¡± Then Luka forgave the monster, thus removing its control over her body. Annie couldn¡¯t believe her ears as her father cried for her. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes when he hugged her so, so tight. Maybe, just maybe, she had given the monster the wrong answer. Maybe her father wasn¡¯t as simple of a man as she thought. Annie followed her father¡ªwho was riding the snow white dire-wolf¡ªthrough the ¡°park,¡± Eve one step behind. They trailed through a forest path, arriving at a wide clearing filled with mud and hay houses, huts erected from beautiful orange wood, and a few carnival attractions. ¡°This is what he built?¡± Annie muttered to herself, eyeing the dingy spinning swing ride and carousel. Poking above the tree line behind a bend, a Ferris wheel slowly rotated, hoisting empty bungalows high. A teacups style ride rounded out the clearing, along with a kiddy spiral slide. ¡°Sort of,¡± Eve answered, mistaking the rhetorical question for an actual one. ¡°This is Emberwood Village. All the houses were here before he arrived, but the rides, stalls, and bathrooms were created by him.¡± Annie gave the orc a side-eye. Eve¡¯s green tattooed skin and tusked underbite reminded her just where she was¡ªnot on Earth. ¡°Dad died and was reincarnated on a world with magic and decided to build an amusement park? A tacky one at that?¡± Eve crossed her arms and frowned. ¡°No¡ªoriginally, he built the orphans of this village a carousel. As it turned out, people were willing to spend money to ride. He built all these rides before we fully committed to turning Emberwood into a park.¡± ¡°But something so tacky? This place looks like a cheap parking lot carnival.¡± Eve shook her head and took a few steps ahead. ¡°This is my home.¡± Annie missed a step and gritted her teeth. Why am I being rude? Eve¡¯s been taking care of me since I woke up... ¡°Sorry,¡± Annie quietly said. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ lost? Confused? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve come to terms with what¡¯s happening to me.¡± Eve¡¯s frown turned sympathetic. ¡°World Walkers are like that for their first few days.¡± She chuckled softly. ¡°I remember telling your dad that when he first arrived.¡± Annie¡¯s expression soured at the mention of her ¡®dad.¡¯ Luka hadn¡¯t been her dad for nearly sixty-five years¡ªwell, linearly at least. Now she was twenty again¡­ She groaned and said, ¡°This is confusing.¡± Now it was Eve¡¯s turn to side-eye her. ¡°Look, being a World Walker is special. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going to happen with you since your reincarnation was¡­ unique. But suffice it to say, you¡¯re here now. With your father. Who is very unstable. So, I¡¯m going to be frank here and¡ª¡± ¡°What do you mean unstable?¡± Annie asked. Eve studied the girl. ¡°Luka is either a somewhat strange, brilliant creator or he¡¯s a crying husk of a man. He switches between the two at the drop of a mug.¡± She pointed at him through the following crowd. ¡°That speech we just watched was something of a good omen, if I¡¯m reading him right. He obviously wants to move on from his trauma, but¡ª¡± ¡°His trauma?¡± Annie asked, her voice accusatory. ¡°What about my trauma? Do you know how hard it was to grow up without a father? It took decades of therapy.¡± ¡°My brother and I are orphans. All the kids in Emberwood are.¡± Annie gnawed on her lip. ¡°Sorry.¡± Eve ignored the apology and said, ¡°Luka froze to death, homeless on Earth. Did you know that?¡± ¡°No¡ªI don¡¯t even know when he died. Was there a funeral?¡± ¡°Hell if I know.¡± Eve scoffed. ¡°When that thing was in your head, did it scramble your brain? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be an old woman? Surely, you¡¯ve come to terms with your father¡¯s absence.¡± I thought I did, Annie thought. I went thirty years without thinking of him. And now that I see him again, I¡¯m lashing out?Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. She shook her head. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me; apologize to him.¡± I don¡¯t know if I can. Luka led the crowd down a path into the forest. Vaguely, Annie and Eve could hear him talking to everyone about the trees he and God Neb had uprooted and rehomed elsewhere in the forest. While I was unconscious, he was working? Annie thought, not daring to voice her thoughts aloud. Some things never change. ¡°You¡¯re only half right about that,¡± a voice said, appearing beside Annie and Eve. She took the form of a human with fiery red hair and a brimming smirk. She walked barefoot and didn¡¯t leave a trail in the loose gravel path. ¡°Goddess Tippy!¡± Eve yelped, her voice somehow constricting to be nothing more than a whisper¡ªmagic, Annie recognized. ¡°Be at peace,¡± the goddess said to the orc before turning to Annie. ¡°Your father stayed up all night working because he didn¡¯t know what else to do. We had forty-odd gods watching over you as well as a half-dozen mortal healers. If your father stayed in the room, he would have been in the way. If it makes you feel better, he asked God Neb about you every ten minutes. Annoyed the old man square.¡± Did that make her feel better? Annie didn¡¯t know¡ªthough she did know the question made her uneasy. Just a few days ago¡ªwell, before she died on Earth¡ªthe question wouldn¡¯t have mattered. But now it did. ¡°A strange situation to be in,¡± Goddess Tippy said, reading her mind. ¡°I do not envy you. This is the exact reason we gods scrutinize our picks for World Walker. Sometimes people just can¡¯t move on.¡± ¡°You chose my father because his family all hated him?¡± Annie asked. ¡°In part.¡± ¡°That¡¯s dark.¡± ¡°It is. But it¡¯s also what makes your father so special.¡± Tippy¡¯s smirk felt somber. ¡°You see, when I first reincarnated Luka, I sealed his memories of Earth¡ªof you. But some memories are too powerful, too special. He forced me to remove the seal and was only then allowed to become the man he really is.¡± ¡°And who would that be?¡± Annie asked. ¡°The man who forced a galaxy-eating monster from his estranged daughter¡¯s body and mind then cried over her unconscious body and pleaded with us gods to ¡®fix her.¡¯¡± Tippy held out her palm and then squeezed it tight. ¡°The man whose actions got me to wear my mortal skin again.¡± ¡°The man,¡± Eve added, ¡°who fell in love with a dying village and gave it a second chance.¡± ¡°The days to come are going to be terrible for you, Annie,¡± the goddess said. ¡°The only advice I can give is to blunt your tongue and open your mind. Your father is going to offer you something very important. I hope you can put aside your collective past and start anew.¡± ¡°Anew.¡± Annie said the word, it felt hollow¡­ or maybe it should have and the fact it didn¡¯t caught in her mind? The goddess gave one last smile before disappearing into thin air. Eve slowly shook her head in disbelief. ¡°If you told me a month ago I¡¯d be talking to a god or two somewhat regularly I would¡¯ve thought you crazy.¡± ¡°Are the gods appearing that rare?¡± Annie asked. ¡°Never in history have all the gods appeared at the same location before yesterday, after Luka¡­ well, you remember.¡± She chuckled and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Not to mention the smashburger incident, rollercoaster deal, and log flume planning.¡± ¡°Smash-what?¡± ¡°Oh, do you not know what a smashburger is?¡± Annie couldn¡¯t be more confused. ¡°Of course I do¡ªthe rest of what you said doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The orc smirked. ¡°Call that payback for your earlier snark.¡± Eve hooked her arm in Annie¡¯s. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go see this ¡®other world¡¯ your dad created last night.¡± ¡°He created what?¡± The landscape around the park¡¯s newest attraction was¡­ alien. The forest had been flattened, the emberwood trees uprooted and moved nearer the village¡ªa feat achievable with help from God Neb. Stone spires reached for the sky, growing like stalagmites. Made of red dust and sand, they twisted like a mangled tree trunk. They dotted the stone ground as if nature in this ¡°world¡± wasn¡¯t plants and trees but stone and minerals. The spires covered the once-forest from the first step of the Constellation Kingdom¡ªwhich was the goal, Eve explained. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sold on the idea of ¡®worlds¡¯ or ¡®lands¡¯ until your dad explained it to me in the bathroom one day,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m glad he did. Just look at this place!¡± Annie eyed the orc strangely. ¡°He did what now?¡± The land was small. It had a single cluster of buildings modeled after Earth¡¯s lunar habitats. They were generic white buildings made of connected cells and mounded foundations. Guests walked on the paved ground through a small complex, the habitats holding a gift shop and connecting cafeteria-style restaurant. Neon glass signs declaring the shop ¡°Cosmic Curiosities¡± and the restaurant ¡°Nova ¡®n Dine¡± blinked in oscillating orange and green, lighting the dusty street. And yet, the attraction at the far end of the street drew the eye. Placed purposefully to pull park guests down the path, a rollercoaster and loading station capped the area. Thick metal track dove and rose over the habitats, intertwining with the spire rocks and stone ground. Coaster trains blew by, their speed only matched by their rough sound. A queue wrapped around the side of the land, entering the alien landscape. A rock arch extended over the entry, a large neon sign reading Cosmic Rebirth. A trio of odd glittering lights rotated around the arch, pulling attention and leading guests forward. A line of people entered, disappearing behind the rocks. ¡°They¡¯re God Neb¡¯s symbol,¡± Eve explained when she caught Annie staring at the lights. ¡°The three stars of the Nebulous One.¡± ¡°What do they mean?¡± she asked. ¡°Exploration mainly. God Neb¡¯s followers often look to him for guidance when lost. They say the stars will always lead you home if you ask them to.¡± The area was small. It was the park¡¯s newest land and had yet to be properly utilized. Where the rocks ended and the forest restarted, illusionary walls hid the green grass and orange leaves and continued the rocky landscape far into the horizon¡ªthe same effect as the infinite sea at the docks. Guests, until they exited the Constellation Kingdom, were among the stars and cosmos. The blue sky was gone, replaced with a dark space and the many beauties it held. Stars, nebulas, meteors, comets, the illusions were personal creations of God Neb, the divine being that oversaw the twinkle and haze. Eve abruptly stopped, dragging Annie with her. Guests filed past them, their stillness like an island in a river. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Annie asked, looking around for threats. As much as she wanted to believe she was safe here, that thing was still out there. ¡°Luka¡¯s waiting for you,¡± Eve coolly replied. Annie froze. ¡°How do you know he¡¯s waiting for me?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s ignoring everything else and staring at his feet, occasionally glancing up at you.¡± Annie looked down the street, finding her father. He was doing exactly as Eve described¡ªstanding by the entrance to the rollercoaster, ignoring all the guests that were trying to talk to him. He muttered apologies or thanks, whatever, to get them to leave him alone the quickest. Beside him, the white wolf, Leo, sat on his haunches, his tail tucked under his legs. ¡°Go,¡± Eve said, giving the Earthling a nudge forward. Annie didn¡¯t move. Instead, she pivoted on her heel and walked away. Chapter 56: Recovery Luka and Leo found Annie sitting on a bench near the pirate dock themed Stormcorsair Harbor, sandwiched between Ren and Nicole. Following her had been easy enough, a majority of the crowd was waiting in line for Cosmic Rebirth, not Whirlpool Plunge or Rogue Wave. Ren animatedly talked to Annie, pantomiming, flipping a burger or pancake while stirring an invisible pot with his other hand. Nicole sketched in her journal, glancing at Annie¡¯s side profile occasionally. Luka stepped close enough to hear. ¡°They¡¯re called smashburgers!¡± Ren exclaimed. ¡°And you have to whisk the egg yolks with oil to make mayonnaise! And you slop the mayo¡ªshort for mayonnaise¡ªon a toasted bun¡ª¡± ¡°Ren,¡± Luka said with a sigh, ¡°please leave her alone. She knows what mayonnaise is.¡± Annie eyed him suspiciously, her chin tucked in and head low. ¡°Sorry for running,¡± she muttered. Ren looked between the father and daughter. ¡°Wait, you two know each other? Is that a human thing? Do you know every human?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my daughter.¡± He shook his head. ¡°If you didn¡¯t know that, why are you bothering her? Don¡¯t tell me you two just bother random guests with mayonnaise facts.¡± Ren and Nicole¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°We don¡¯t annoy people!¡± the former declared. ¡°I just wanted to draw her,¡± the latter said, turning her journal around for Luka to see. ¡°I even asked first!¡± Whatever ire Luka had fell away. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m sorry for assuming. That¡¯s a very good sketch, Nicole.¡± And it was. It highlighted Annie¡¯s slender¡ªnow youthful¡ªfacial features, tracing her defined chin and cleanly casting her in dynamic shadow. Nicole beamed. ¡°I have those¡ªwhat¡¯d you call them again? Stuffed animal concepts? I have them ready.¡± Annie quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Concepts?¡± Luka tried not to look guilty. Child labor was a no-no in most places, including this world. ¡°The park needs a new toy line.¡± ¡°Mmmhmm!¡± Nicole sang. ¡°And I¡¯m getting paid one-hundred gold pieces!¡± His palm was on his face. ¡°She¡¯s delivering a vastly overpriced set of concepts.¡± ¡°And he owes me a dozen Earth recipes, too!¡± Ren declared, looking proud. ¡°I do?¡± ¡°Yeah! Because¡ª¡± Ren glanced at Nicole. ¡°Because that was part of the stuffed animal deal as well,¡± the little dryad expertly said, her complete and utter lie shrouded in sheer hubris. ¡°I don¡¯t remember that,¡± Luka said. ¡°Well it¡¯s true!¡± Ren tried. The World Walker stared at the orc for a long moment before sighing and saying, ¡°Fine. But only if you and Nicole beat it.¡± ¡°Beat what?¡± Luka blinked. ¡°It¡¯s a saying. It means to scram.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ren thought for a moment, ultimately deferring to Nicole. She shrugged, collected her things, and hopped off the bench. ¡°Let¡¯s go get a churro,¡± she said, strolling off with Ren in tow. Luka and Annie watched them go. ¡°Cute kids,¡± she said before asking, ¡°They¡¯re not yours, right?¡± He took a second to look over, and when he did, his eyes fell to the ground. ¡°No¡ªI¡¯ve only been here for a few weeks.¡± He scratched the back of his head. ¡°But I guess I¡¯m a father figure to those two. They¡¯ve taken a particular liking to me.¡± ¡°They¡¯re orphans, right?¡± ¡°They all are. There was a mine collapse.¡± ¡°Tragic.¡± Annie gnawed her lip. Luka noticed and asked, ¡°Can I sit?¡± She gave a limp shrug, and he sat before she could change her mind. They sat beside each other for a long moment. They were right on the cusp of the illusionary docks. Another step or two, and magic would fill the air, producing dark rain clouds and a howling wind. A few more steps and there¡¯d be rain, a few more and the salty brine of the ocean would attack their noses and tickle their skin. But where they sat, the illusions were hidden. The pendulum swinging pirate ship crested over the nearby trees, drawing both their eyes. The ship was mostly empty, only a few die-hard fans for the ride dared skip Cosmic Rebirth¡¯s grand opening. ¡°You built that?¡± Annie eventually asked. ¡°With the help of Eve and her aunt, Sol.¡± ¡°Her aunt¡¯s name is Sol?¡± Luka nodded, a soft smile crossing his lips. ¡°You should meet Goddess Tippy. She¡¯s got a funny name.¡± ¡°I have.¡± He looked at her. ¡°She¡¯s nice. Helped me out a few times.¡± Leo barked, adding his two cents. The wolf was back in Luka¡¯s hood, his chin resting lazily on Luka¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Leo says, ¡®I agree,¡¯¡± Luka said. Annie¡¯s eyes went from her father to the wolf. ¡°You can understand him?¡± ¡°Not entirely. But Leo can understand us. I was thinking of buying an enchanted tattoo that allows you to understand animals, but I heard they¡¯re expensive.¡± Annie grunted as if the absurdity of the statement was completely normal. Luka then took a deep breath and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For being absent. For ignoring you growing up. For abandoning you and Mom. For,¡± he sighed. ¡°For everything. I¡­ I don¡¯t have any excuses to make, nor do I wish to. I failed you and so many others.¡± With bitterness, Annie muttered, ¡°But you don¡¯t fail people here. On this world.¡± ¡°I try not to.¡± Luka¡¯s voice was small. ¡°But I know I will.¡± ¡°But not on purpose.¡± ¡°Never on purpose.¡± He held his head back and stared at the sky. Leo shifted in his hood and gave an annoyed whine. ¡°I look back at my life on Earth and ask myself how it could ever have gotten that bad. My gut reaction was to make excuses: the money, the power, the renown. I lived with those excuses for years until the guilt, remorse, and self-loathing got to me.¡± ¡°You died alone in the cold,¡± Annie said flatly. ¡°Eve told me.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t already know?¡± ¡°I always assumed you died, but no one ever called us to confirm.¡± Luka stayed silent for a few moments. ¡°Are you okay? That thing was in you¡ª¡± Annie held a hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it. I remember everything it said or did while in control of me.¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°Annie, I have to ask, how long?¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Not long. An hour? Maybe a bit more.¡± A pained look crossed her face. ¡°I was dead. Then I wasn¡¯t. Before I could figure out what was happening, this thing was asking me questions about you. Demanding them, even. I kept saying ¡®I don¡¯t know,¡± and I think it got pissed and decided to come ask you directly. What¡¯d you even do to it?¡± ¡°Nothing, as far as I know. Neb told me I had a hand in waking it, but I don¡¯t know what that means, nor do I care. It¡¯s gone. Hopefully, for good.¡± Luka and Annie didn¡¯t notice the shadows darken. Annie¡¯s eyes turned glazed. ¡°Did you mean it?¡± ¡°Mean what?¡± ¡°That you¡¯d forgive everyone. That you¡¯d give them all a second chance.¡± Luka didn¡¯t answer right away. To him, the answer was obvious. Everything he¡¯d experienced in both lives, everything he¡¯d learned to come to terms with his previous. It all made perfect sense to him, and yet, simply answering ¡°yes¡± felt hollow. So, he didn¡¯t simply answer. ¡°I killed tens of thousands of people¡ªmaybe more¡ªand displaced ten times that. They died because of my creations, because of the weapons I was proud of. I only know a handful of their names¡ªthe important ones, the generals and leaders. And that acknowledgment makes me sick to my stomach. It¡­ it took me a long time to understand the pain in my gut and longer to accept it was completely my fault. And yet, I was given a second chance.¡± ¡°The goddess said she only reincarnated you because your family hates you.¡± Luka felt the anger in Annie¡¯s words. They were supposed to get a rise out of him, and yet, the pain in his stomach only tightened. ¡°Yeah, I believe it.¡± He pulled his arms in close. ¡°I think Tippy¡¯s reasoning for reincarnating me was noble. She explained it to me recently, and if my memories had remained sealed, I think I would have done exactly as she wanted without question.¡± ¡°Do you regret it then?¡± Annie asked. ¡°Unsealing your memories¡ªwhatever that means.¡± ¡°I do not. I needed to remember. I don¡¯t know their faces or names, but I can remember them.¡± She scoffed, tears welling in her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s rich. Because there were two victims you did know the names and faces of! Me and mom!¡± Annie opened her mouth to scream something, but Luka¡¯s question knocked the wind out of her. ¡°Did she go easy?¡± And that was it, Annie¡¯s tears fell, dropping like anvils. Snot ran through her nose, and her chest heaved and culled. She shuddered, wrapping herself in her arms. ¡°Let it all out,¡± Luka tenderly said. ¡°Just you and me here, no one can see us.¡± With a flicker of magic, a nearby leaf was etched with an illusion glyph, one producing an empty bench right where they sat. Unless someone knew how to dispel the illusion, they were as good as invisible. ¡°I assume it was the cancer,¡± he asked. Somewhere in Annie¡¯s throes, she made a gesture, reminiscent of a nod. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I wasn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°Y-y-y-you bastard!¡± she slobbered out, her face devolved into mucus and tears. ¡°Yeah,¡± was all he could say. She wiped her face and, as clear as day, said, ¡°Mom died the way I wish you would have!¡± Luka¡¯s eyes opened wide at that, then shot to the ground sorrowfully. ¡°Me too. If I could swap places with her today, I would.¡± He mechanically rubbed his artifact ring. His words rekindled Annie¡¯s sobbing. Yet two words echoed out. ¡°I know.¡± They were quiet and muted behind terrible gasps for air, but they were genuine. They were the words of an estranged daughter meeting her father after a lifetime and realizing he¡¯s a changed man. Eventually, Annie¡¯s tears dried, and she muttered, ¡°Look at me, an old woman crying like a kid with a bruised knee.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not old,¡± Luka quietly said. ¡°Not anymore. And don¡¯t be embarrassed. Tippy, Leo, and I sat in a time-accelerated domain for nine years while I cried like the world was ending.¡± ¡°Nine years?¡± ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t think Tippy realizes I know that, so don¡¯t tell her.¡± Annie frowned. ¡°Nine actual years?¡± ¡°I think it was in our heads or something. I dunno. Divine magic is weird.¡± ¡°Magic,¡± she said, the word alien. ¡°Is it real? I keep seeing these strange things, and I feel some of them might be tricks.¡± Luka picked up a leaf with his magic, hovering it around the bench like a remote-controlled airplane. ¡°It¡¯s real.¡± He let the leaf fall. ¡°And you¡¯re building an amusement park with it?¡± ¡°Yeah. I built a carousel for the kids, and it kind of took off.¡± Annie then flatly asked, ¡°Is there a way to go back to Earth, then? With magic, there¡¯s surely¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Luka thought about asking his ring to show him a recipe for a galaxy-spanning potion of teleportation but didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t want to. Or maybe he couldn¡¯t. His life was here now. He didn¡¯t want to go back. Then for her? The question rang in his mind. He should ask the ring for the recipe for her. If she didn¡¯t want to stay, she should be allowed to go home. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luka repeated, rolling his ring. ¡°But I know how to find out.¡± Annie eyed him. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t stop me? I have family on Earth, I¡ª¡± He held up both his hands. ¡°I¡¯d do anything for you. If I have to beg the gods, I will.¡± A beat passed. ¡°With that said, I¡¯m staying. I have people that rely on me.¡± Another beat passed. ¡°And I want you to stay.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Even if I want to go?¡± ¡°Annie. I ruined your previous life¡ªat least a large part of it. If I can make it up in any way, I will.¡± ¡°Except go back to Earth with me?¡± He hesitated but knew the answer. ¡°Right.¡± He expected the answer to rekindle the flame of hatred, and yet, Annie mutely nodded along. ¡°How¡¯s life here?¡± she asked. ¡°I-It¡¯s slower,¡± Luka said, stumbling on the first word. ¡°No internet and telecommunications. But there¡¯s no war, poverty, hunger, or homelessness. The children are taken care of by the gods, if not their families, and everyone smiles at you in the mornings. People live tough lives, and yet still find ways to give their children an amazing birthday gift. We¡¯ve gotten only a handful of reports about line cutters. The general consensus is that the park is too overpriced, and we need to do something about it¡­¡± Luka continued to ramble about things in this world for several minutes. Annie just listened. In the end, Annie simply said, ¡°This place sounds great. But my family. I had a husband and kids. I don¡¯t even know if Vladdy is dead or not.¡± ¡°Vladdy?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Vladimir, my husband. He out-lived me.¡± ¡°Annie,¡± Luka said her name hoarsely like it weighed a ton. ¡°I have a secret.¡± He held up his ringed finger. ¡°This is a divine artifact. It holds an immeasurable worth.¡± She slowly looked at the ring, then at her father. ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± ¡°In short, it tells me recipes for stuff¡ªfor everything, really. It¡¯s essentially a money-printing ring and a resource perfect for amusement park creation.¡± ¡°Okay? So, the park¡¯s restaurants are going to have good food. I¡¯m not seeing where the¡ª¡± He held up his hand. ¡°It tells me recipes for everything. Bricks, aluminum, what¡¯s needed to build a log flume or potions that transmute grass into gold.¡± She stared at him. ¡°I know the recipe for a potion of reincarnation.¡± Her eyes went wide. ¡°Are you saying you could reincarnate Vlad here?¡± ¡°Him, your kids, their kids¡ªI think. So far the gods haven¡¯t corrected me, even if they read my mind asking about it.¡± ¡°Read your mind asking¡ªwhat?¡± Luka sighed. ¡°Some questions are better left in your head when a god is around. Trust me on that.¡± ¡°Okay¡ª¡± Annie didn¡¯t know what to say to that. ¡°There¡¯s one issue with the potion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s expensive.¡± He nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to get the resources needed. I was planning on asking Barns if any of his underworld connections might know. He was a street gang leader.¡± Annie made a face. ¡°Am I supposed to know who that is?¡± ¡°New security for the park. He¡¯s a good man.¡± ¡°You just said he was a criminal.¡± Luka shrugged. ¡°Life was hard after the mine collapsed. And remember, second chances.¡± She sighed. ¡°Fine. I guess.¡± ¡°I do have one other avenue of sourcing materials. But I need to know if you¡¯re serious about reincarnating him first.¡± ¡°I am.¡± Luka shook his head. ¡°Let me ask in a different way. I¡¯ve done a lot of thinking about this. Life for me was terrible once I realized what I did. And when Tippy reincarnated me, I begged to go back to the void. I don¡¯t know Vlad¡ªand I want to, mind you¡ªbut I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be fair to him, or you, if you reincarnate him and he didn¡¯t want you to.¡± ¡°Of course, he wouldn¡¯t mind! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d say¡ª¡± ¡°Would mom want to be reincarnated?¡± For the second time in the last few minutes, a single question about her mother knocked the air from Annie¡¯s lungs. ¡°No¡ª¡± she admitted with a choked grunt. ¡°She fought through the cancer, but in the end, was done with the pain and life.¡± Luka nodded, expecting as much. ¡°I¡¯ll believe you if you say Vlad wouldn¡¯t mind. But you need to think about it first.¡± Annie did. And her answer remained firm. ¡°He would. He¡¯d love it here. Magic? Elves? Whatever that little girl was.¡± ¡°Nicole¡¯s a dryad,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°She¡¯s a character all herself. She was the only one of all the orphans to approach me on my first day here. She asked if I could fix her doll.¡± ¡°Brave.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say.¡± Luka gave Leo a scratch on the head. ¡°Okay¡ªno promises this will work. If it doesn¡¯t, well, we¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Before Annie could stop him, Luka looked to the sky and said, ¡°Alright, all you gods, I saved the world or whatever and am calling in your debt! I demand the materials needed to reincarnate Vlad.¡± Annie¡¯s eyes were open, then without thinking, she flicked her head toward the sky and said, ¡°And the knowledge of where to procure extra materials for future reference!¡± Luka lowered his head and looked at her. He reached out and gently rubbed her shoulder. When she didn¡¯t instantly shove him away, he smiled. ¡°And, gods, I think it¡¯s time we talk about whatever magic Annie was supposed to get for being reincarnated as a World Walker.¡± Annie gave him a questioning look. ¡°World Walkers all have unique magic,¡± he explained. ¡°And you are a World Walker. You just had a different arrival than most.¡± ¡°Oh. Cool.¡± When no god appeared before them, Luka began to speak to the heavens again. A voice cut him off. ¡°Hold your dire-wolves,¡± Goddess Tippy said, appearing as a mortal woman. ¡°We¡¯re working on it.¡± Chapter 57: World Walkers Luka checked the recipe once more. Requirements for a Potion of Reincarnation: 30,000 motes of life. 30,000 motes of death. 1 phoenix heart. 1 drop of liquid undeath. 1 meaningful possession of the deceased. 1/1,000 divine teardrop. ¡°How big is a mote?¡± he asked Goddess Tippy. They, Annie included, sat at a picnic table inside the Stormcorsair Harbor, munching on churros and sipping gra¡¯mak¡¯lish¡¯lem-ade. Lemonade was, to Luka¡¯s surprise, not very popular. People liked beer. Or mead. Or stout. Sour fruit water? Not so much. ¡°It¡¯s an alchemical measurement dictated by the soul-strength of a material,¡± Tippy said offhandedly, the question an afterthought, not a focus. Instead, her focus was on a well of magic in her palm. Cyan sparkles exploded against her mortal skin, bursting in a strange oscillating pattern. Her eyes glowed a soft blue, her irises inflamed and multiplied. Power welled¡ªthen, a pair of rings rested in her hand. Luka and Annie stared, the latter asking, ¡°Are those my wedding bands?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tippy said, holding the pair out to the world¡¯s newest World Walker. ¡°Where¡¯d you and ¡®Vladdy¡¯ get married?¡± Luka asked. Annie gave him a look. ¡°Don¡¯t call him that¡ªand don¡¯t let him know I told you his nickname. He hates it, but secretly loves it. And we got married in London, we met in postgrad.¡± She then paused, turned to the goddess, and asked, ¡°Were these buried with us?¡± She held up the rings, highlighting their dusty coating. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Gross.¡± Annie paled, shivering. ¡°Why?¡± Tippy asked. ¡°They were on your first body and husband¡¯s hands. I don¡¯t see an issue.¡± ¡°I¡¯m with Annie on this one. Gross,¡± Luka said, conjuring a low-powered water glyph on the table. Soon, a small fountain spewed water, enough for Annie to wash the rings. ¡°Is there a disinfecting glyph?¡± ¡°There is¡ªbut I¡¯m not allowed to teach it to you ,¡± Tippy said. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°The other gods have¡­ said some things about our interactions, Luka. We have long maintained a certain level of scrutiny when it comes to gifting things to mortals, and I have reached my allowance.¡± ¡°The other gods grounded you?¡± he asked, dumbfounded. ¡°And God Neb, and my brother, God Rion.¡± Tippy sighed. ¡°Luckily Neb and I were able to convince the lot of them to reward you for,¡± her eyes shifted to Annie, ¡°the event rather than ignore you.¡± ¡°How divine of you,¡± Luka muttered, dripping with sarcasm. He shifted topics. ¡°So, the rings are a ¡®meaningful possession of the deceased.¡¯ What about the other reagents?¡± ¡°Reagents?¡± Annie asked. ¡°It means materials.¡± ¡°How very otherworldly of you, Father.¡± Luka jolted up, smiling. Her statement was sarcastic, yes, but she called him ¡°father!¡± ¡°Here,¡± Tippy said, waving a hand. A sack appeared on the table. ¡°No fancy light show this time?¡± Annie asked. ¡°No¡ªcross-galaxy teleportation is a bit more involved when compared to local-world.¡± Tippy reached out and opened the bag. ¡°This should be everything.¡± Inside were two jars full of what looked like glowing fuzz, one green and brimming with eagerness, the other black and waning like a slow cough¡ªobviously the motes of life and death. Next was a bloody, still beating heart the size of an orc¡¯s fist¡ªa phoenix heart. It sizzled against the burlap, scorching the stitched fabric. Lastly was a small vial of a white substance streaked with both green and black¡ªa single drop of liquid undeath. It was sealed shut, the cork wrapped in a golden chain and dipped in hot wax. ¡°We¡¯re missing a divine teardrop,¡± Luka said, eyeing the goddess. Tippy rolled her eyes, then jabbed herself in the eye with the force of a cannon. Luka and Annie gasped, flinching from a literal shockwave. Nearby, guests looked over, but illusions hid their presence behind a faux outhouse. The goddess then blinked away the pain, a small tear welling against her swollen eyelids. ¡°I really hate doing that,¡± she muttered, collecting the divine droplet on the tip of her finger. A vial appeared in her other hand, and she transferred the drop. She set it on the table. ¡°There. Payment rendered for saving the world and all that.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Thank you, Tippy¡ª¡± ¡°What about the other stuff?¡± Annie interrupted. ¡°Because I want magic, and Father needs to know how to get more of all this crap.¡± Tippy sighed. ¡°Motes of life and death are created amongst the dust when enough life or death is around. The process is the same for other motes such as lightning, fire, and earth. A phoenix heart is a literal heart of a phoenix. Kill one and take its heart, simple. Liquid undeath is tricky to distill, but a particularly sketchy alchemist can do it¡ªfor a price. You already have my teardrop, that should satisfy you for a long while.¡± ¡°And what about meaningful possessions?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Reincarnating a local won¡¯t be an issue, but Annie¡¯s family will.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ that.¡± When the goddess went silent, the father and daughter glanced at each other. Eventually, Tippy said, ¡°Unless you learn to cast divine-level teleportation spells, you¡¯ll have to gain favor with the gods and earn their gifts.¡± She held up a hand, stopping the incoming barrage of questions. ¡°And no. God Neb, Rion, and I are¡ªhow would you say?¡ªtapped out of gifts to give.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Luka said. ¡°Thank you, Tippy.¡± ¡°Of course, World Walker¡ª¡± Annie interrupted by yelling at the sky, ¡°Oi! Any gods want season tickets to World Walker Park? My dad will trade ten for a meaningful possession from my family members on Earth!¡± Tippy flinched as if struck in the temple. ¡°Please stop¡ª¡± She gritted her teeth. ¡°Praying like that is very loud.¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. ¡°Loud? How does that make sense?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± Tippy answered honestly. She then spoke to the air, ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll tell her. No¡ªyou stay up there. I don¡¯t need help. I know. I know¡­ please, just let me handle it.¡± The father and daughter shared a glance. ¡°You, uh, okay, Tip?¡± The goddess leveled her eyes on the pair of World Walkers. ¡°My¡­ divine colleagues were speaking to me at once. Apologies, that never happens.¡± Annie gave her a suspicious eye. ¡°Tell me what?¡± ¡°Your prayer wasn¡¯t just loud for me. It was loud for every god. The fear is that thing left some of its power in you, and that power leaked out when you ¡®spoke¡¯ to us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good, right?¡± Luka asked. ¡°It is what it is.¡± ¡°No, Tippy. That¡¯s not a good enough answer. This is Annie¡¯s life we¡¯re talking about here. We need more than that.¡± The goddess sighed a complete and mortal sigh. ¡°We don¡¯t know. Something like this has never happened. It could be nothing, it could be something. Time will tell. But know this: every god has marked Annie and is constantly checking on her. If something wrong happens, we will know and handle it.¡± Luka went to reply, but Annie¡¯s hand stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I expected as much, honestly. That thing was powerful. I¡¯d be more surprised if I was actually in perfect health.¡± ¡°You are,¡± Tippy reminded, ¡°in perfect health. Just a bit too perfect.¡± ¡°Tippy you aren¡¯t exactly quelling my worries,¡± Luka muttered. Again, Tippy sighed a long and mortal breath. ¡°Let¡¯s move on. World Walker magic. Normally, we gods have an idea of what to give you long before you¡¯re a candidate for reincarnation. We have a problem that we want solved and find a unique magic to get the job done and hope the uniqueness spreads into other things.¡± ¡°Such as Dad receiving the power to make anything for something when the problem you wanted fixed was a lack of entertainment?¡± Annie asked. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the exact problem I wanted solved, but yes, the sentiment is the same.¡± ¡°And since I wasn¡¯t reincarnated to solve a problem, here we are.¡± Tippy looked off into the distance, another god talking to her. ¡°I¡¯ll let them know.¡± She turned to Luka. ¡°I¡¯ve been informed that after Vlad, any Earthling you reincarnate will not receive a divine World Walker magic.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because we don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°Is that a question?¡± She gave a flat look. ¡°We can¡¯t have that many magical World Walkers running around all in allegiance to you, Luka. You¡¯d gain too much power, political and magical.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Fine with me when you put it that way.¡± Annie hummed. ¡°I want magic that will help me build-up the park.¡± The mortal and goddess looked over. ¡°What?¡± the former asked. ¡°Might as well get into the family business.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to live here in Emberwood?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you not want me to?¡± ¡°No! I do! I just thought you and Vlad would move somewhere far from me.¡± Annie¡¯s eyes turned somber. ¡°Not for the moment. Maybe if you piss me off or something.¡± He reached his hand out and brushed hers with his knuckle. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much hearing that means to me.¡± Tippy cleared her throat. ¡°Divine terraforming magic¡ªdone.¡± Annie flinched, a foreign knot unraveling in her stomach. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°A divine gift. Give it a few days before trying it out.¡± ¡°Terraforming magic?¡± Luka asked. ¡°She¡¯ll be able to do what God Neb did to those trees last night and more.¡± Luka remembered well. He wanted a grove of trees removed but didn¡¯t want to kill them. So, Neb simply plucked them from the soil and moved them across the forest. ¡°I can move trees?¡± Annie asked. ¡°Not to sound ungrateful¡ª¡± Tippy¡¯s posture slipped, her head falling between her shoulders. ¡°I thought dealing with one Luka was bad. And now there¡¯s a second one. Just¡­ trust me on this. You¡¯ll like it.¡± And with that, the goddess disappeared. ¡°Just so you know,¡± Luka said seriously, ¡°some people will get mad at you because of the way you talked to Tippy. I got my ear chewed off about it because I asked about artifacts once.¡± Annie grunted. ¡°Blasphemy?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Good to know.¡± She paused and looked at the sack of reagents. ¡°What do we do with all this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°The ring only tells me what I need.¡± Annie tapped on the table. ¡°Know any good chemists?¡± ¡°They¡¯re alchemists here, and no. But I do know Sol. She knows, like, everything about magic.¡± ¡°Shall we give her a visit?¡± They took it slow through the park, both content with seeing the sights and filling their familiar roles for the first time. ¡°So, what¡¯d you and Vlad do on Earth?¡± ¡°Vlad worked for a local soda company. Making new flavors and stuff like that. I owned a consulting firm that helped developed cities to expand tourism or become titans of industry. We were glorified city planners.¡± ¡°That sounds amazing.¡± She blushed a little. ¡°It was, but we were also busy. Eventually, I sold the company when Vlad and I had our second child. When they all went to college, I was hired in our local municipality and worked there until retirement.¡± ¡°Second? How many kids did you have?¡± ¡°Three. My eldest is¡­¡± Chapter 58: Potion ¡°You want me to make WHAT?¡± Sol asked, the village mystic both amused and annoyed. ¡°Really now, boy, some in the village would smack you for mocking them like this.¡± Luka and Annie shared a glance. They were inside Sol¡¯s home at the edge of the village. Space warped strangely along the walls, both extending and shortening the inhabitable space within. Torn sections of paper strung across the walls, each holding a particularly expansive glyph made of red ink. ¡°Sol¡ªdid I get that right?¡± Annie asked, receiving a nod from the very young-looking elder. Her raven headdress cawed. ¡°My father promised he¡¯d reincarnate my husband¡ª¡± ¡°And then he¡¯d reincarnate my dead sister and her husband, right? Finally!¡± Sol yelled with a mocking wave of her fist. ¡°Divine justice for me and my sins!¡± ¡°Sol,¡± Luka said her name devoid of humor and sarcasm. ¡°I¡¯m serious. I have the ingredients already¡ª¡± ¡°Not you, too! Did that monster fry both of your heads!?¡± Annie looked down at the floor, a gesture Luka noticed. He flexed his back, puffing his chest out. Annie didn¡¯t need his protection, nor did he want to overstep, but Annie was as alien to this world as it was to her. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about that thing, please Sol,¡± Luka said, maintaining her piercing stare. ¡°I¡¯m being serious. Here, put this on and think of a position of reincarnation.¡± He handed over his artifact ring. What happened next would forever be one of those special moments that all parties present would never speak of. Sol¡¯s face went through several different distinct emotions. Confusion, ire, hope, sadness, before finally landing on surprise. And it was in that moment of surprise that a particular type of magical enchantment failed. A ¡°glamour¡± is typically a personal enchantment that changes one¡¯s appearance¡ªa frog glamoured into a princess, a wanted criminal into a lazy farmer, an elder into a young woman. Sol¡¯s perfectly smooth skin shriveled and died in that moment. Her porcelain green hue went gray, her haunted stare turned mute. ¡°We will never talk about this,¡± Sol muttered, her magic now returned. She handed over Luka¡¯s ring. ¡°And we will never talk about that.¡± He nodded, his wide eyes slowly retracting in width. ¡°I¡ªI know. Eve told me not to tell anyone, but I think I needed to ask you. I have no idea what to do with these reagents.¡± Luka hoisted the sack of stuff front and center. ¡°You already have everything?¡± ¡°Payment for saving the world or something.¡± Sol gave a searching stare. Luka purposefully looked at the floor. ¡°Can we get on with it? I want to go see how the rollercoaster is doing.¡± Sol huffed and slowly took out each item. She squared them on the table, then drew a chalk circle, connecting each one. ¡°Alchemy is a very simple school of magic,¡± she explained as she sketched several glyphs with a quill. ¡°Essentially, it is the combination of reagents using magical means¡ªglyphs in most cases.¡± Luka studied the chalk. Besides the glyphs strung up on the walls, the glyphs Sol drew were the most complicated he¡¯d ever seen. Normal water creation glyphs were like a simple triangle compared to this Penrose tiling. And yet, he wasn¡¯t confused. He noted the powering circle and the dynamic structures connecting the items, he identified the glyph for ¡°mixing¡± within a larger glyph, and he guessed correctly what Sol was going to draw next: a production area. Essentially, the interior of the glyph would house the alchemical creation after drawing upon the reagents. ¡°This seems too easy,¡± Luka said. ¡°Just a few glyphs and boom¡ªpotion of reincarnation?¡± Sol shook her head. ¡°This is why people can¡¯t stand World Walkers. You see something that has an easy final step, and you think magic as a whole is as simple as counting to ten. No¡ªwithout express tutelage of alchemy, you¡¯d destroy these reagents faster than you could spit on them.¡± ¡°Then how¡ª¡± ¡°This is my alchemical structuring. It has been honed after several lifetimes, passed from village mystic to village mystic. No common mage could recreate this, nor could they ever hope to ¡®mix¡¯ this potion.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Annie asked. ¡°You just drew some lines and¡ª¡± Sol¡¯s glare was silencing. ¡°Motes of anything are easy to combine. Monster parts¡ªin this case, a phoenix¡ªare commonplace in alchemy. Undeath is an oddity, but no self-proclaimed Master Mystic would be uninitiated in its usage. And lastly, we have a divine tear¡­¡± She took a long, pained breath. ¡°I begged the gods once to bring my family back to life. If I fail to make this potion because of some god¡¯s eye water, then I¡¯m going to find my way to their heavens and kill them once and for all.¡± Luka was stunned silent. Annie on the other hand, asked, ¡°I thought you said something about the locals and not blaspheming.¡± Slowly, his jaw started working. ¡°Sol¡¯s a unique case.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Uh-huh. Well, I like her.¡± Sol continued, ¡°So, the difficulty of alchemy comes from the glyphs. However, finding the recipe is significantly more difficult and time-consuming. And recipes grow exponentially more convoluted with reagents such as divine teardrops. They¡¯re practically impossible to research since, well, for obvious reasons.¡± She gnawed the inside of her cheek. ¡°And now you have a ring that just gives you the recipes.¡± Sol shook her head, placed an empty jar in the production circle, licked her lips, then activated the circle. The ingredients housed inside jars or vials disappeared, leaving the glass behind¡ªexcept for the divine tear, which only lost one one-thousandth of its volume. The phoenix heart turned to dust, leaving behind a pool of blood. The soft glow of the motes flashed bright like the midmorning sun before waning into nothingness. And finally, Vlad¡¯s wedding wing tarnished and crumbled. The empty center jar filled. Pure black with golden flakes, the potion swirled softly, swimming like mud along the bottom of a river. Sol audibly sighed in relief. ¡°No god killing today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that,¡± a newcomer¡¯s voice said. God Neb, in his elder glory, appeared in the corner of Sol¡¯s house, eyeing the red ink glyphs hung on the walls. ¡°And you should take another look at this one when you get a chance.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± Sol muttered. ¡°I thought Tippy said you and her weren¡¯t going to help us anymore,¡± Luka asked. Neb shrugged. ¡°Think of this as a thank-you gift. The potion should be drunk by Annie. You must think intently of the person you want to reincarnate. Powerful magic will be coursing through your body during the duration, but I think you¡¯re well accustomed to that. The process of reincarnation will take a few hours, most of which will be the soul¡¯s arrival to this realm. In the meantime, one of us gods will become Vladdy¡¯s patron and create his new body. Depending on who, his soul might get a say in what it will look like. So, don¡¯t be surprised if he¡¯s now a woman or has a tail.¡± Annie furled her eyebrows. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you are messing with me.¡± The old man chuckled. ¡°I think Goddess Bylow, Goddess of Brews, has an interest in Vlad. She¡¯s okay. And a word of advice: Have him offer a mug of every ¡®soda¡¯ he creates to Bylow. She¡¯ll shower him in gifts if so.¡± ¡°Bylow?¡± Annie asked Luka. He shrugged. ¡°Never heard of her before today.¡± They looked back to Neb, but the God of the Stars was gone. Annie slowly reached out and took the potion of reincarnation in her hand. ¡°Bottoms up,¡± she muttered before drinking. *** Mayor Tram and Judge Ben stood hand in hand watching over the park¡¯s newest attraction. It was an instant success, sporting a line four hours in length. She¡¯d have to ask Luka to do something about that, but for now, she planned on giving the lad a break. He deserved one. Around, strange rock spires reached for the starry night sky. It was actually noon, but the illusions in this ¡°land¡± were nothing like Tram had ever seen before. I guess I have Sol to thank for that, she thought before mentally adding the old woman to her list of things to do. Since the mine collapsed, Tram and Sol¡¯s friendship had soured. Once, back when they were just girls, they did everything together. They crushed on the same boys, they explored the forest together, they learned their trades at the same time, they even married the same year. But Ben was alive, and Sol¡¯s husband died long, long ago. If he was still alive, would the mine have collapsed? Tram didn¡¯t like to think about--- The night sky flickered and failed, reverting to day. The strange rock spires disappeared, the magic creating them overburdened and shrunk. Tram, Ben, and everyone else in the park turned in the same direction¡ªtoward Sol¡¯s hut. A wave. That was the best way Tram could describe it. An aura of magic doubled the height of the emberwood trees and was more powerful than when all the gods descended from their heavenly perches. It battered through the park and forest in every direction, gliding its mighty invisible force through everything. Magic was tangible, but also not. It was a phenomenon scholars argued endlessly about¡ªbut one thing was for certain: everything, everyone, felt it smash into their chests and souls and rip through their bodies. The wave continued through the forest, leaving the park in its wake. The illusionary spires and night sky reignited, returning the land into a beautiful starry wasteland. And yet, the park was silent. Until someone shouted, ¡°THE GODS ARE WITH US!¡± At that point, the park erupted in cheers and celebration. Today, the people celebrated their gods. Today marked the world¡¯s newest holiday, Godfall: the day the gods descended. And where would Godfall be celebrated? Everywhere, but specifically World Walker Park. The wave of magic continued, soon stretching the circumference of the world, passing through all. *** Goddess Tippy, God Neb, God Rion, and all the others stared down at their world with slack jaws and wide eyes. The wave wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. ¡°Must be Annie¡¯s unique circumstance. Whatever that fake god left in her must amplify magical power,¡± the God of Magic said. ¡°You heard her prayer, right?¡± asked the Goddess of Rain. ¡°Practically screamed in my ear.¡± Neb sighed and dispelled the magical wave once it rounded the world and crashed in on itself. ¡°We¡¯ve got our work cut out for us, people. A new god-focused holiday is something we¡¯re used to.¡± He looked at the God of Bloodsport. ¡°Griss, I want you to create the schedule for us. We need to know who shows up where and when.¡± Griss slumped. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the background lore,¡± offered the Goddess of Books. ¡°I just love writing some juicy lore. I¡¯ll make sure to paint Luka in a good light for you, Tip.¡± Tippy rolled her eyes. ¡°What are we telling our priests and priestesses?¡± ¡°The truth,¡± Neb said firmly. ¡°A terrible event forced our descent, and the world survived to celebrate the day.¡± ¡°Seems¡­ lacking.¡± ¡°Fine. Tell them Luka and the park were paramount.¡± ¡°Favorites, favorites,¡± muttered the God Griss. ¡°Last time I tried to make a champion, you all plotted against me.¡± Neb hated sighing but found himself doing it a lot lately. ¡°You tried to create a champion who would conquer us gods one by one until he could face off against you.¡± ¡°Yeah! And it would have been epic!¡± The gods devolved into bickering. Chapter 59: Brews ¡°Luka¡­¡± Sol quietly said, watching Annie recover from the potion¡¯s effects. The young World Walker was haggard, to say the least. She sat like a stone weight, sipping a mug of piping hot jrum like it was as cold as snow. Luckily, she assured everyone she was fine and that she only had the wind knocked out of her. ¡°Hmm?¡± Luka hummed, turning. He stood beside Sol, mimicking her crossed-arms and straight posture. The potion¡¯s effects were¡­ a bit more of a show than they had expected. ¡°That ring you got there, I don¡¯t mean to presume¡ª¡± ¡°Everyone in the mine, yeah. We just need the reagents for it.¡± Sol¡¯s face was a mix of hope and guilt. She shook herself and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Luka changed topics. ¡°I was summoned to the Guilds.¡± ¡°I heard¡ªand I wanted to talk to you about that. Mage Farr¡¯s death isn¡¯t going to do you any favors. They are going to come down on you hard.¡± ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Sol shook her head slowly. ¡°You¡¯re right. They¡¯re going after you to get to me. I¡¯ve been a thorn in their sides for years. Fining or imprisoning you is their best bet to affect me.¡± ¡°Imprisonment? Seems extreme for using some ¡®Guild¡¯ glyphs.¡± ¡°They take things seriously¡ªwhich is one of the reasons everyone that¡¯s not in the Guilds hate the Guilds.¡± Sol pointed at the red ink glyphs strung along the walls. ¡°I gave up a lot for those, and they repay me by going after you.¡± Luka vaguely knew about these glyphs. Sol was, apparently, going toe-to-toe against the Guilds in their court, arguing on his behalf. The ultimate goal was to cease the bureaucratic nightmare that was utilizing Guild magic for the park. In essence, if Sol was successful, the Guilds would offer a set number of glyphs for the park to purchase, thus allowing Luka to inscribe them with ease as opposed to hiring a Guild Mage every time. ¡°What are they?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Spatial augmenting glyphs,¡± Sol said. ¡°They¡¯re very sought after for business. Instead of creating massive structures, just lay a few of these bad boys down in a hut and you¡¯ve got an area rivaling a warehouse.¡± ¡°That does sound useful for the park.¡± Anyway, to cut down on material cost, it was worth looking into. Sooner than later Sneerhome was going to increase their prices or flat out stop selling to the park. Though, when Luka thought about that, an idea formed. Maybe we should create a partnership with Sneerhome. Wagon bussing, discounts, hotel space for those traveling to the park. He made a note for later. ¡°The Guilds allowed the park to use these glyphs mainly so I¡¯d leave them alone,¡± Sol continued, her tone growing increasingly more agitated. ¡°They are, however, complete and utter mount crap. They¡¯re incomplete. I¡¯ve been trying to fix them¡ª¡± ¡°Sol,¡± Luka interrupted, placing a hand on her shoulder, ¡°thanks for everything. Have I said that lately?¡± ¡°What? No?¡± ¡°Well, I mean it.¡± He nodded to Annie. ¡°After recent events, I¡¯ve reflected quite a bit. And one thing I realized is just all the hard work everyone¡¯s been doing. You, Franky and Eve, Tram, everyone.¡± ¡°I just want to stick it to the Guilds, you know? Now they¡¯ve roped you in.¡± Luka smirked at that. ¡°You¡¯re forgetting something, something very important.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± she asked. ¡°We have the ultimate bargaining chip when it comes to the Guilds.¡± Recognition rang true, and Sol¡¯s face erupted into a smile. ¡°The correct illusionary glyph.¡± Luka nodded. God Neb had given a hint about fixing illusion nausea, and in doing so, unveiled a systematic error in magic¡¯s most basic form. Currently, that information was firmly locked within Emberwood¡¯s magical few¡ªSol, Luka, and Eve¡ªand not with the Guilds. In other words, if the Guilds wanted to come down hard on Sol, and thus Luka and the park, then the key to a new phase of magic might never reach the light of day. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait and see what the Guilds want,¡± Luka said with an impish smile. *** It was just afternoon by the time Luka and Annie made their way through the park. At some point early on, Leo disappeared amongst the crowd and into the forest, off to hunt a meal or three. They watched him trot off like a devilish cat more than a ravenous beast¡ªthe wolf was a smug little thing, utterly lazy until it came to hunting. ¡°We need to get you a mount,¡± Luka said to his daughter. She pulled her eyes from a guest¡ªa big fellow wearing nothing more than a tight length of cloth as pants. It was the man¡¯s partially transparent skin that was of interest, however, not his nudity. In fact, the man¡¯s heart and organs were perfectly visible. They beat, inflated, or¡­ did whatever the kidneys did¡­ quite openly. ¡°What is he?¡± Annie asked. ¡°Leo¡¯s a dire-wolf¡ª¡± ¡°Not the dog, that man.¡± Luka looked over. The man was eating a slice of pizza, his chewed-up food slowly making its way down his throat and into his stomach. ¡°That¡¯s an elemental, looks like he¡¯s made of air.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just made of air?¡± ¡°I guess. I just go with things, mostly.¡± They pushed through the crowd, entering Stormcorsair Harbor. Fake rain pelted their dry heads, and a rushing breeze yanked the smell of frying churros down the docks. People stood at the edge, leaning out over the water with a smile on their faces. Others stared longingly into the illusionary sea, the ocean a rarity in these parts. Emberwood Village was completely landlocked, ten travel days from the nearest coast. ¡°There¡¯s no phones here,¡± Annie said, recoiling from the realization. ¡°I knew that. But I guess I never actually thought about it.¡± ¡°Truth be told, I haven¡¯t thought about it. I haven¡¯t wanted a phone or computer once since arriving in this world.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. I loved my phone. Everything in my life went through it. How else was I supposed to see what the kids were up to, or who was thinking what?¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Luka shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t have anyone to check on.¡± Annie gave him a flat look. ¡°I know, I know. My own fault. But still,¡± he muttered. ¡°I would like to figure out a camera-type device for the park. On-ride photos, maybe even a few photo ops around the park?¡± ¡°Why ¡®camera-type device¡¯ and not just a camera?¡± she asked. ¡°Magic. Why stop at a two-dimensional photo when magic can recreate entire locations in the palm of your hand?¡± Luka reached down and picked up a small wood chip. Then, as Sol had done days ago, he etched an illusionary glyph into the grain, filling it with a memory of a time long lost. In his palm, a ¡°video¡± of Earth played. A young girl, likely five or six, leaped into a puddle, splashing water across the pavement. She giggled and smiled, jumping from pothole to pothole like some kind of crazed frog. The ¡°camera¡± followed the child yet maintained a safe distance in fear of watery shrapnel. The camera then panned to the side, and for a brief moment, a young woman was seen. Luka closed his fist, cutting the illusion. ¡°Sorry, I went too far.¡± Annie¡¯s eyes were made of glass. She sniffed and said, ¡°Was that me and Mom?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°C-can you bring it back?¡± Slowly, Luka opened his hand and fixed the broken glyph. Soon the video restarted, and soon the young woman was front and center. She wore a wide sun hat, the kind made of nylon and cheap enough to get wet. The sky was perfectly clear like the aftermath of a hurricane, and yet, she was bundled in a lime green raincoat. She swayed as she walked, the puddles as much of a hazard as the fluttering in her heart. Her hand was held out low, connecting to the camera owner¡¯s hand¡ªto Luka¡¯s own. They were in love back then. Truly. ¡°This was on a vacation to the Maldives.¡± He hesitated before adding, ¡°About six months later, things first started going downhill for us.¡± Annie was quiet for a few moments. She watched the illusion repeat, the entire video half-a minute long. Eventually, she swallowed, clearing her dry mouth, and asked, ¡°Can I keep this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a piece of wood. I can attach the memory to a more permanent material if you want. I can also lengthen what I remember. I have a lot of memories from that vacation.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± Luka destroyed the glyph and said, ¡°Come on. We¡¯ve got a line to wait through.¡± Rogue Wave¡¯s queue might have been more popular than the ride itself. Living with the fish, watching an underwater world, experiencing something most could only dream of¡ªLuka understood the appeal. Not every ride could have such a queue, but every queue, he decided, could still be special. Annie screamed when the shark landed on the ship and her knees wobbled when she stepped off the ride. They stopped on the exit ramp. ¡°That was¡­¡± ¡°Thrilling?¡± Luka helped. ¡°A bit much, if I¡¯m being honest.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the second person recently to tell me that, actually.¡± Annie made way for a woman and her daughter with mouse ears and a fury tail to push by, the kid animatedly yelling, ¡°Again, again!¡± ¡°Come on,¡± Luka said, leading her toward Whirlpool Tavern. ¡°You want a drink?¡± ¡°Are you having one?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. Tippy blessed me so alcohol smells and tastes terrible.¡± He shrugged. ¡°But I¡¯ll have a mug of jrum.¡± ¡°The goddess cursed you, not blessed.¡± Luka shrugged. ¡°Depends on how you see it, I guess. The blessing¡¯s keeping me from falling back into alcoholism.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Annie shut her mouth and entered the smuggler¡¯s hideout. They sat at the bar for a few minutes, sipping their respective drinks and watching a bi-hourly ¡°show.¡± A few villagers caused a scene and fought over some ancient treasure map before the barkeep knocked them both out and ran into the cellar with it. Most of the patrons drinking in the tavern followed, joining the queue for Whirlpool Plunge¡ªAnnie and Luka amongst them. It took an hour to get through the line, ride the ride, and exit. Annie screamed when the boat was yanked into the sky by the obelisk, Annie screamed when the lava cyclops threw the boat, Annie screamed when the boat teleported back into the ocean. ¡°You scream a lot,¡± Luka said with a chuckle. Annie bit back a smile and said, ¡°Blame the ride¡¯s creator! Honestly, who thinks up a lava giant thing!?¡± ¡°Some teenagers opening day, actually. I just took the concept and ran with it.¡± She wrung out her shirt, adding to the already wet stone ground. It seemed most people wrung their clothes out here. ¡°So, you stole¡ªwoah!¡± Annie¡¯s legs went out from under her, the stone slick as ice. A burst of sparkles caught the young World Walker, Tippy¡¯s blessing activating and protecting her. ¡°What in the world?¡± she asked, firmly planting her feet. ¡°That¡¯d be Tippy,¡± Luka muttered, carving a few dozen anti-slip glyphs into the ground. Soon his feet, and everyone else¡¯s, felt as if magnets held their shoes to the stone. ¡°She blessed the park so no one can get hurt.¡± ¡°Why¡¯d she do that?¡± ¡°Because she knew if I ever hurt anyone, I¡¯d quit.¡± Annie gave her father a searching look before guiltily looking away. She changed the subject and said, ¡°I liked that ride better than the pirate ship.¡± ¡°Was it too much?¡± ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°But you said Rogue Wave was.¡± ¡°But Rogue Wave is just a pirate ship swing, there¡¯s only so much you can do with it before it becomes too much. But a log flume? Sky¡¯s the limit.¡± Annie led Luka out of the exit and down the dock. ¡°Vlad and I took the kids to a few amusement parks over the years. The parks with immersive theming were leagues better than the ones without.¡± ¡°The goal is to be better than those,¡± Luka said. ¡°With magic, I really do feel the sky is the limit.¡± They made their way to the Constellation Kingdom and entered the queue for Cosmic Rebirth. The ride, in Luka¡¯s eyes, was magical. It mixed Earthen thrill and whatever this world was called magic with a god¡¯s artistic view. Neb designed the layout himself, opting for a fast-paced, zippy rollercoaster that banked low to the ground instead of towering drops and gravity-defying loops. There was an issue with theming rollercoasters, Luka and Neb learned. While log flumes could hold expansive set pieces and elaborate stories, rollercoasters were simply too fast. Unless they wanted to slow the zooming trains down to a crawl, anything more than decorations and atmosphere was moot¡ªthe mind just couldn¡¯t process things fast enough. Cosmic Rebirth¡¯s storyline was simple: it didn¡¯t have one. Instead of following rumors of a dead pirate¡¯s long-lost treasure, Cosmic Rebirth was a simple tale of stars and alien worlds. The ride cruised through the rockwork and strange red spires, dashing up and over miniature mountains and around silky white habitats. Above, the night sky shined as bright as day, the countless stars twinkling like no other. The ride started with a small indoor pre-show as the trains rolled to the first lift hill. To the sides, riders could view a replica of the rover in which they sat, the vehicle for an alien world adventure. The trains locked onto a winding chain and were pulled up a steep hill. They crested the hill, rolling slowly as the bay doors of the habitat opened. Then¡ªwroom. The trains whipped down the drop, hurtling over rocks and other habitats, coming dangerously close to the street guests walked on. Crowds of people gawked at the speeding vehicles, but Luka and Annie only saw blurs. They rounded strange spires and explored the stoney wasteland before rounding and banking low. The ground swallowed them, the track leading underground, spewing them out like a mortar. The ride lasted only a few minutes, a few short, short minutes. Annie screamed the whole time. ¡°What¡¯d you think?¡± Luka asked once off the ride. ¡°What did I think?¡± Annie echoed, flattening her wind-whipped hair. ¡°I think that was awesome!¡± ¡°Not too much?¡± ¡°Not at all! If anything¡ª¡± A presence cut her off. A woman appeared floating, her skin bubbling like a fizzy drink. She dripped beer and mead, her body entirely liquid and her hair foamy. ¡°Ah! There you are!¡± she yelled, drawing eyes. The crowd stopped gawking at the rollercoaster and instead focused on the goddess in their midst. Luka took her appearance in stride, saying, ¡°Goddess Bylow, I assume?¡± ¡°The very one!¡± She turned to Annie. ¡°Vladdy is having issues. Mind coming with me?¡± ¡°I-issues?¡± Annie asked, fearing the worst. ¡°Nothing bad. He¡¯s just having a hard time choosing his new appearance. He wants your ¡®okay¡¯ before changing anything major.¡± Annie made a noise somewhere between a grunt and a hum. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s thinking elven but wants to know if you¡¯d rather him be something else.¡± Luka raised an eyebrow before sighing. ¡°You better go with her before Vlad chooses something strange.¡± ¡°Mmmhmm!¡± Goddess Bylow hummed, clapping her hands. All across the park, every half-drunk mug of beer was refilled. ¡°I already persuaded him not to become a myconid.¡± ¡°¡¯Myconid?¡¯¡± Luka asked. ¡°Mushroom people that live underground,¡± she explained casually. ¡°Vladdy said they were ¡®cool looking.¡¯ Unfortunately for him, he would have to live where the light don¡¯t shine!¡± Annie huffed. ¡°Take me to him, please.¡± ¡°Atta girl!¡± Bylow reached out a bubbly hand, taking Annie by the arm. Then, in a fizzy explosion, both were gone. Luka stared at the pooling stout on the floor, blinked a few times, shrugged, then yelled, ¡°All drinks are half off for three hours, thanks to Goddess Bylow!¡± The crowd of mesmerized guests started cheering. Epilogue: [Book 1 END!] It had a name once upon a time. But that time was so, so long ago. And yet, that time felt so close¡ªlike the memory of a bad dream minutes after waking up. What did people call it now? Monster? Thing? God of Gods? They were terrible names, names that didn¡¯t fit anymore. Maybe for a time, maybe for a past life. It was time to move on, just like the World Walker said. They were the same person, the monster and the World Walker, yet there was one difference. Luka was forgiven. The people of this world forgave him. The orc siblings, the gods, the guests that walked through the park gates. And yet, that single difference was now moot. Luka had forgiven it¡ªjust like the orc siblings, gods, and everyone else had forgiven him. It was time to move on, it was time to take responsibility for its own actions and move on. It was time to move on. It was time to move on. As the words echoed in its mind, it watched as Luka forgave everyone. ¡°Second chances,¡± the World Walker stated. No matter the crime, no matter the severity, second chances awaited at World Walker Park. Luka announced this to the crowd, but it knew better. Luka was talking directly to it. To the monster that took over his daughter. Maybe it wasn¡¯t time to move on¡ªnot in the literal sense, anyway. It could always create a new galaxy and worlds later, it wasn¡¯t like it was going to die anytime soon. For now¡­ it thought it might stick around. But for that, it needed a name, one that wasn¡¯t so monstrous. *** Luka sat with Eve, Franky, Tram, Ben, Nicole, Ren, a few other kids, all three dire-mounts, and an eerily quiet raven¡ªwell, the raven sat in a nearby tree. Annie had been gone for a few hours, stuck in a heavenly domain helping her reincarnated husband pick a new body. If it was anything like trying on a department store¡¯s sales floor of clothing, Luka understood and remembered shopping around with various girlfriends of the distant past. But then again, Vlad wasn¡¯t shopping for clothes but dictating exactly what his new body would look like. Luka hoped Vlad wasn¡¯t a weirdo. A small firepit roared with flames, a few logs burning with glowing embers. Emberwood was named after its orange hue, but also the way it burned. Burning motes drifted from the pit like a mass of migratory fireflies, floating up through the canopy in a haze of lifting heat. The group drank, they ate grilled skewers, they talked about the park and the never-ending list of things to do. The park was expanding¡ªa simple statement on paper, but a logistical nightmare for those directly involved. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to cap the number of attractions you make, Luka,¡± Tram said, stoking the flames. ¡°We don¡¯t have the staff to man them.¡± The World Walker nodded along, coming to the same conclusion. ¡°I might have a few ideas for man-less attractions, but I¡¯ll need help with the glyphs.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Eve said at the same time Sol¡¯s raven squawked. Tram continued, ¡°Next week we¡¯ll open a booth near Todd¡¯s for people interested in working here. I expect we¡¯ll get some bites. I¡¯ll handle that, but if you want to drop in, Luka, you¡¯re welcome to.¡± Again, he nodded. ¡°If we¡¯re aiming for a park the size of Earth¡¯s amusement parks, we¡¯re going to need standardized training as well as specific operational training.¡± The mayor sighed. ¡°Add it to the list.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s the matter of crowd control,¡± Ben said, his voice a bit too cheery for the conversation at hand. ¡°With everything that happened today and yesterday, I¡¯d be surprised if half of Sneerhome wasn¡¯t here tomorrow.¡± Tram agreed with her husband. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to turn people away at the gate.¡± ¡°People are going to be upset.¡± ¡°We have a security team now, remember?¡± Ben conceded the point. ¡°Still, it¡¯s going to get ugly if any adventurers show up and want in. They¡¯ll try to muscle us out.¡± ¡°Then we let them in,¡± Luka said. ¡°They¡¯ll spend money at the shops and be forced to wait in line to ride anything¡ªjust like everyone else.¡± Tram hummed menacingly. ¡°And if they try to muscle the line and cut to the front, the other guests will surely get in their way. Then, if the adventurers pull weapons or magic, Goddess Tippy¡¯s blessing will kick in and protect everyone! Meanwhile, the guests will throw the misbehaving adventurers out!¡± She laughed loudly and proudly. No one laughed with her. ¡°You¡¯ve got a strange mind, Dear,¡± Ben coolly said, patting her knee. *** Luka was walking back to his and Leo¡¯s room when time stopped¡ªexcept for Luka himself. He looked around, tried to speak to Leo, and questioned if one of the gods needed something. When no answer came, he drained himself of all jovialness and hardened his resolve. ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d be back,¡± Luka said to the open air. Like the inverse of a shadow evaporating when a light was switched on, the monster god appeared before him. It took the shape of a female member of the demonic race, yet where the demons had eyes that sang sinful power, the monster¡¯s whined a saddened tune. She stared at the ground like a child with a welted and reddened bum, refusing to meet Luka¡¯s eyes. Luka, conversely, stared at her like she was his mortal enemy. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she muttered. Luka¡¯s guard wilted at those simple two words. ¡°I¡¯m not the one you need to apologize to.¡± Her chest raised and fell slowly, the monster god breathing like a mortal¡ªnot a god. ¡°I know. And I will as soon as she leaves the brewer¡¯s domain.¡± The World Walker studied the beast. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°D¡ª¡± She bit her tongue and grunted at herself before whispering, ¡°Did you mean it?¡± ¡°Forgiving you? Of course.¡± ¡°And did you mean it when you said you¡¯d welcome people like me to the park?¡± Luka didn¡¯t hesitate, he didn¡¯t need to. If the creature looked through his mind right now, it would know Luka had already gone over this conversation a dozen different ways¡ªhe never once believed Tippy or Neb that it was simply gone. Luka couldn¡¯t, not when he would¡¯ve stayed if the roles had been reversed. They were the same, after all. ¡°Do you want a job here at the park?¡± Luka asked. The beast looked up, and for a moment, they locked eyes. There were a thousand lifetimes of pain mixed between the two, and yet, a single flicker of hope. It didn¡¯t take long for that flicker to ignite and burn. ¡°Yes.¡± Luka took a deep breath and said, ¡°Alright, you start tomorrow. But¡ª¡± He held up a finger. ¡°I have some conditions.¡± The monster¡¯s chest continued to rise and fall. ¡°Name them.¡± ¡°Allow Tippy and Neb to come here.¡± She hesitated for a fraction of a second before the time-frozen landscape rolled forward a moment or two. When it refroze, two gods stood between them, spells and weapons raised. Yet they didn¡¯t dare act. ¡°Seal her power,¡± Luka said flatly, his eyes locked onto the monster. The gods remained stiff. They wouldn¡¯t attack, not when the world could be destroyed on a whim. ¡°Luka¡­¡± Tippy said, ¡°what¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°She wants to work here, and for that, I want her power sealed. If she¡¯s truly remorseful and wants to start anew, then she will start from the bottom and learn what it means to be mortal¡ªto be a normal person.¡± The monster didn¡¯t move, but she said, ¡°If that is what you require. I trust you.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes snapped open, remembering something somewhat critical. ¡°Actually, before you do that, resurrect Mage Farr, the guy you turned into a bean.¡± She flicked her wrist, and the mage appeared. The man looked around, his eyebrows waving like the rough sea. ¡°What¡ªwhaaaaa¡ª¡± he cried before time froze him in place. ¡°I also removed his memories just before I killed him,¡± the monster said. ¡°He thinks¡ªwell, he¡¯s confused and thinking you placed some temporal spell on him¡­ or that orc brute knocked him out somehow.¡± Luka pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Thank you. Please seal her powers, guys.¡± When Tippy and Neb didn¡¯t move, Luka asked, ¡°She was sealed in a tomb before, right? Can you two do the same sort of thing? She¡¯s not going to fight back,.¡± Silence stretched until Neb said, ¡°We can. But we¡¯re trying to figure out its angle.¡± The monster¡¯s eyes dropped to the ground. ¡°There¡¯s no angle.¡± Luka stepped past the gods and stood beside the monster. ¡°She wants to start anew, and I believe a lifetime without magic will do her wonders.¡± When no one spoke, he added, ¡°Just read my thoughts, I¡¯ve been thinking about this a lot.¡± ¡°We are,¡± Tippy muttered. ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t be the first time a mortal is tricked by the words of a god.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just trying to be sure, Luka,¡± Neb said, his starry eyes unflinching as they bored into the monster. Luka sat on the ground, careful not to harm time-frozen Leo in his hood. ¡°We¡¯ve got all the time in the world, so be sure.¡± The gods continued to stare. Tippy and Neb at the monster; the monster at the ground like a beaten and hairless dog. When nothing happened after ten minutes, Luka asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± She looked up, that flicker of hope twinkling in her eye. ¡°I want to be called Vale.¡± He smiled. ¡°Vale it is.¡± That was when Tippy and Neb shared a look and decided. Soon after, Vale¡¯s magical powers were sealed away, never to be unlocked unless the gods willed it. ¡°I¡¯m thinking gate greeter for your first job,¡± Luka mused. ¡°You¡¯ll stand by the gate and welcome people in while answering any questions people might have. ¡°If you wish it, so be it,¡± Vale tiredly said. Her body collapsed, all magic within crushed and condensed. Muscles never before used inflamed as she tried to move, but her mortal body refused to budge. Tears streamed down their cheeks, shocking everyone present other than Luka. Vale touched the messy drops, shuddering under the weight of everything. Luka crouched down and placed his hand on Vale¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Welcome to the team,¡± he said with a dazzling smile. ¡°We¡¯ll get you a place to stay tonight and talk more in the morning.¡± Just like that, the park gained a new employee. *** Luka slapped down a card and tossed a pair of dice, grunting at the outcome. He took a quick drag of prismpuff and handed it off. Franky scooped the dice, and slapped his own card down¡ªa higher scoring suit¡ªbut groaned when his roll fell flat. He took a longer drag. The game was called Emberthrow, a staple all residents of the Kingdom of Embers knew how to play. To the side, little Leo sat on the head of the massive Sebby, both wolves intently watching the back and forth. Olive the emu pecked at some hay in the corner of the barn, and Eve cleaned the bird¡¯s feathers. It seemed Olive got into a mud patch again. ¡°So, now, if you roll six or more and hit a star and/or ember, you¡¯ll win,¡± Franky said, explaining the rules as they went. ¡°Simple as that.¡± Luka recoiled at the notion. ¡°Nothing about this game is simple,¡± he muttered as the hallucinogenic smoke caused the cards to ripple. Each card had a design and picture, a picture that moved as if real. ¡°What are you on about now? Emberthrow is as simple as they get¡ªall you¡¯re doing is moving your pieces around the board to capture the opponent''s forts.¡± Pausing and reevaluating the cards, dice, and the joint, Luka made a grave discovery¡ªthere were no pieces or forts. ¡°Wrong game!¡± Eve shouted from the corner as she followed Olive after the emu noticed a barn mouse, running hidey-hole to hidey-hole. Franky blinked a few times and took a drag. ¡°Oh.¡± He scratched his head and tossed down another card. ¡°Your turn.¡± ¡°This mortal game reminds me of the Deliverance Waltz from the planet Yaararrarrar,¡± a hazy voice said, taking the prismpuff. Vale leaned up from lying down and brushed off half a bale¡¯s worth of hay from her shirt. She sucked in a lungful, holding it for a moment before exhaling and saying, ¡°The people of Yaararrarrar were a lawless lot and often made up the rules as they went.¡± Vale paused and squinted at the ceiling of the barn. ¡°Is the wood moving, or is that just me?¡± Franky pursed his lips. ¡°Emberthrow has rules¡­ I just don¡¯t remember them.¡± Luka tossed a pair of silver sisters, a face card depicting twin moons. ¡°Why moons?¡± he asked. ¡°We used to have two moons,¡± Franky explained. ¡°Before one disappeared.¡± Like always, Luka took that information in stride and accepted the oddity for what it was¡ªjust one more thing about this world. Thinking of this world¡­ ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this world called, again?¡± Franky opened his mouth and said its name, but that was when Olive decided to pounce on the mouse. The scuffle¡ªand Eve¡¯s shouting¡ªdrowned away the name. Luka sighed and took another puff. He liked it here. Book 2 START: Prologue The youngest princess of the Kingdom of Embers lounged on the slanted roof of her parents¡¯ castle, reading a newspaper from one of the cities she didn¡¯t care enough to remember the name of. But as her eyes scanned the page, she slowly rethought that notion. ¡°Huh,¡± she muttered to herself. Apparently, the new World Walker¡ªand his World Walker daughter¡ªjust held their own in court with the Guilds. As Stell Metus of the Sneerhome Chronicle explained, ¡°The World Walker will return to his amusement park with his head held high! After a long, four-hour deliberation, the Guilds returned with a not-guilty verdict in the case of stolen runic designs. But that¡¯s not all. Reportedly, the Guilds and the World Walker are entering a partnership that may spell trouble for both parties or may perhaps be a revolutionary bonding discussed in the history books. Yes, you read that right: revolutionary. As our dedicated readers understand, here at the Chronicle, we are not ones to stretch the facts and/or undermine our sources'' integrity, but something is changing, even the gods say so. While it is not fully understood how or why, our ears in the Guilds say upper management is shaking things up with a new understanding of what magic can be. What will this mean for World Walker Park? We will just have to wait and see.¡± The article went on to give some speculation, but Princess Alexandria¡ªAlex for short¡ªhuffed and tossed the newspaper from the roof. She watched the wind pick it up, carrying it down in a flutter of ruffles. Then, when she heard the gardener curse in shock, Alex quietly laughed to herself and clambered down. She entered her room from the balcony, ignored her awaiting breakfast on the table, and headed to her wardrobe. She opened it and studied each article. If she were going to visit the park, she¡¯d need something less conspicuous to wear. *** ¡°They¡¯re just gone?¡± Crime Lord Lanni asked, cutting into a bloody stake. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Yes, sir. Their hideout is dusty, and none of the other crews know what happened to ¡®em.¡± Lanni eyed the underboss slowly. If the man were lying, he¡¯d know. But, after a minute of direct staring, the man didn¡¯t break. ¡°Find out what happened to them. If the guards took them, heads would roll.¡± The underboss paused. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was the guards. There was talk of an elderly orc, someone the crew leader, Batty Barns, knew before his time in Sneerhome.¡± Lanni chewed his stake slowly, cutting off and chewing another. Seconds rolled into minutes as he continued to eat. Then, with a sip of wine, he said, ¡°You don¡¯t think.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± the underboss asked. ¡°You said ¡®I don¡¯t think.¡¯¡± He twirled the knife between his fingers, stabbing it into the table. ¡°I don¡¯t pay you to ¡®think.¡¯ I pay you to know.¡± The underling bowed his head. ¡°Of course, sir. I¡¯ll journey to Sneerhome in the morning to find out personally.¡± Lanni thought for a moment. ¡°Isn¡¯t Sneerhome right by that new World Walker¡¯s¡­ thing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, sir.¡± The crime lord stood, dabbed his lip with his napkin, and said, ¡°No. You stay here. I haven¡¯t stretched my legs in a while. I¡¯ll go.¡± *** Elven Consort Jear swayed with the wind like a loose leaf. She sat atop the World Tree, breathing the thin air and reveling in the closeness of the sun. She listened to the birds chirp and sing, she heard the ants march day and night, and she felt the life energy of her single-tree grove. She¡¯d had her eyes closed for nearly a decade but slowly opened them when the winds changed. ¡°Truly?¡± she asked the open air. A fallen leaf graced her outstretched hands. ¡°It has been some time since I took a sabbatical. Are you sure you¡¯ll be fine without me here?¡± Another leaf fell into her hands. ¡°Well, if you insist.¡± Another leaf. ¡°I get it.¡± Another leaf. ¡°I said I get it.¡± Leaf. ¡°Look, I know. I said¡ª¡± Leaf. ¡°You¡¯re really passive-aggressive sometimes, you know that?¡± A pause. Then another leaf fell. ¡°Apology accepted.¡± Jear got to her feet. ¡°Shall I take a seed? The Kingdom is Embers is rather far, maybe it¡¯d grow well there.¡± Instead of a leaf, an acorn fell. It landed perfectly in her hand. Chapter 60: Hair Yawning, Luka stepped into his room. He shifted little Leo the dire-wolf from his hood to his arms, waking the beast from a catnap. ¡°Sorry bud,¡± he whispered, ¡°we¡¯re home.¡± Despite his canine brain, Leo nodded to his rider¡¯s words before activating the enchantment inscribed below his fur. He tapped into Luka¡¯s magical power, shifting his size from a puppy to that of a normal wolf. Leo¡¯s actual size was larger than a car, but there was little reason to ever stay that big¡ªcase and point, bedtime. Leo curled up on the bed and stared at his rider almost impishly. Luka turned around from unbuttoning his shirt, finding the dire-wolf lying perfectly in the center of the bed. ¡°We talked about this,¡± he said. ¡°You can¡¯t sleep in the middle of the bed. I don¡¯t have enough room.¡± Leo shrunk himself, yet didn¡¯t move. ¡°You¡¯re still in the way.¡± Leo eyed the rest of the bed. It wasn¡¯t a massive bed by any means, but it should be able to hold a dire-wolf and a human. He laid his head down on the sheets, slowly¡ªmockingly slowly. Luka rolled his eyes. ¡°Is this because I didn¡¯t let you play with that dire-rabbit?¡± Leo looked away; his nose held high. ¡°You remember what happened last time you tried to play with¡ª¡± A loose growl rumbled from the wolf¡¯s chest, and the puppy scooted over to the foot of the bed. Chuckling, Luka removed his shoes, brushed his teeth, and then got in bed. ¡°Look, when the mount-daycare is finished, you¡¯ll make tons of new friends.¡± The wolf tilted his head and looked away. They¡¯d had this argument before. Leo wanted the daycare to be finished now, while Luka had other, more critical things to create. An amusement park was a living, breathing thing, and sadly, a new place where guests could leave their mounts wasn¡¯t at the top of the list of stuff to build. The barns by Todd¡¯s Bar would have to suffice for now. ¡°I get it¡ªSebby¡¯s older and Olive is¡­ well, Olive, but that doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t play with you anymore.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes reflected what little light there was in the room into a glare. He grunted, his silent words translated through the humanoid and animal speech barrier. Yeah? Well, then why is Sebby ignoring me? Dire-beasts were bright, and the longer and closer they got with their bonded rider, the more one understood each other. Beasts couldn¡¯t speak, but they could be understood. ¡°Sebby is¡­¡± Luka paused, thinking about the older dire-wolf. He was Franky¡¯s mount and lately had been more distant. Was something going on with the big guy, or was this normal wolf behavior? He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Franky, okay? Maybe Sebby¡¯s not feeling well or something.¡± Leo snorted, and buried his snout under the blanket, content with going to sleep¡ªbut a presence pulled his attention. He sat up, shaking the bed, and growled. ¡°Go to sleep, Leo, we¡¯ve got a long day¡ª¡± ¡°A great watchdog you have there.¡± Luka sprang up and threw his elbow at the glyph scheme controlling the lights in the room. They weren¡¯t powered by electricity, but rather magic¡ªalthough the functionality was the same. The light flicked on, and he found the source of the voice. A god¡ªor what Luka assumed to be a god¡ªstood in the corner of his room, idly watching him and Leo. The wolf growled, but a slanted glance from the god silenced the mutt. ¡°Sometimes they dumb just don¡¯t know when to be quiet.¡± Luka recoiled at the god¡¯s words. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you think you are but treating my mount like that will not get me to help you.¡± ¡°You help me?¡± The god laughed. ¡°It¡¯s the other way around, my dear mortal.¡± The World Walker studied the man standing in the corner¡ªwell, if ¡°man¡± was the correct word. He was tall, too tall. He was forced to hunch, the tall ceiling too short for him. He wore shadows for clothing, thick, waving shadows that tickled the room''s light and sang to darkness. He was incredibly lithe, hardly fatter than one of the newly erected streetlights in the park. And yet, despite all of this, his face whispered divinity. Luka had met several gods during his time in this world, and while most of them appeared to him in mortal skin, they didn¡¯t always. Goddess Tippy was such an example: she, the first time they met, was a creature of light. Her body ebbed and flowed with radiant energy, her skin like a million flashlights pointed directly at her. She was a spotlight, one that deserved the title of Goddess. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. But conversely, she also sometimes appeared as a mortal woman who wore a simple sundress and fussed over her curly hair. And while the god standing in the corner of Luka¡¯s room didn¡¯t fuss over his hair, the fact that his hair wasn¡¯t real hinted at the man¡¯s divinity. See, in this world magic existed. While not everyone cared or wanted to study the mystical arts, those who did could recognize certain¡­ structures within spells or glyphs. And, well, when Luka looked at the man, the man¡¯s hair broke all those structures and replaced them with a reality-bending effect. The man¡¯s hair existed everywhere, all at once. Any style, any color, any length. Every haircut the man might have across all realities, futures, pasts, and the present culminated on top of his head. And despite this, Luka thought the man¡¯s style was tacky. ¡°Now that¡¯s just rude,¡± the god muttered. ¡°So is breaking into someone¡¯s room right as they¡¯re going to bed, insulting their dire-wolf, and insinuating that I need your help.¡± The man pursed his lips. ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± ¡°So, what do you want?¡± Luka asked, his patience waning. ¡°Ah, like I said before, it is not what I can do, but what you need from me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, please leave.¡± The god lurched. ¡°I am all-powerful. Anything¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Look man, I don¡¯t want whatever you¡¯re trying to sell. We¡¯ve got an early morning; can you just go?¡± Luka then remembered who he was talking to, sighed, and amended his harshness with, ¡°Just tell me what you want, and we can either make a deal or not.¡± The god deflated. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°No.¡± He deflated more. ¡°I am God Hyrin.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°The God of Haircuts and Styling?¡± Luka squinted. ¡°Is that a question?¡± ¡°No¡ªthat¡¯s my title.¡± ¡°Look man, I¡¯m just going to call Tipp¡ª¡± ¡°No don¡¯t!¡± Strands of hair wrapped around Luka¡¯s mouth, silencing his words. ¡°Sorry,¡± the god muttered, ¡°we don¡¯t need to involve my divine sister, right? We can handle this between us, right?¡± Luka raised an eyebrow and slowly pulled the hair off his face. ¡°Fine. What is it you want?¡± ¡°It is simple, World Walker. As you no doubt are aware, my church is not the¡­ most popular. ¡®Who needs a God of Haircuts?¡¯ people rightly ask. But no! They are wrong! A haircut and proper styling can make a man¡ªor woman! But sadly, most do not think as such. And I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s taking a toll on my people.¡± Luka took a deep breath, shared a glance with Leo, and then said, ¡°You want to open a store inside the park where one of your followers can operate to show just what a servant to the God of Haircuts can do?¡± Hyrin carefully thought about his words before nodding. ¡°Yes. Yeeesss. That is what I want.¡± ¡°Is a barbershop good enough?¡± ¡°That will work. What do you want in return?¡± ¡°What does ¡®styling¡¯ in your title mean?¡± ¡°Clothing¡ªmy followers are great with a needle and thread.¡± ¡°Okay fine. You can open a barbershop in the park if you or your people make the park¡¯s employee uniforms. We need a lot of them, especially the ones specially themed to certain areas of the park¡ªpirate costumes, alien world explorer uniforms, and safari clothes to name a few. Then we need generic uniforms for the employees not working in a themed area.¡± ¡°That is a lot¡­¡± the god muttered. ¡°Yeah, but the park¡¯s expanding, and what better way to show people what your people are made of than outfitting our employees? Everyone will talk about how stylish we are, and how fitting your work is in context to the fun they¡¯re having.¡± Hyrin leaned back, his head bumping the ceiling. ¡°I see. Do you have any concept designs for what you want? Because simply saying ¡®pirate¡¯ could mean a dozen different things to a dozen different people.¡± Luka nodded, slid off the bed, and opened a drawer. He shuffled hundreds of papers around, finding a bound set. He handed them over to the god, who studied each one carefully. ¡°We can do this,¡± Hyrin said. ¡°Good. Send your high priest or whoever over to the park and we¡¯ll get them set up.¡± The god paused. ¡°You seem experienced with dealing with the divine.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Luka scratched the back of his neck. ¡°You aren¡¯t the first god to make under-the-table deals with me after Neb barred the gods from making deals with me.¡± Weeks ago, after showing way too much favoritism to Luka, Goddess Tippy, and God Neb decided it best to let him grow on his own for a while. But the deal wasn¡¯t so bad. World Walker Park was now a holy site for a new divine holiday¡ªa site people would travel across the world to visit in person. ¡°Is that right?¡± Hyrin asked. ¡°That is fascinating information.¡± Luka ignored the implications of that. Whatever the gods were doing behind each other¡¯s backs was not his problem. ¡°Yeah so, I think we¡¯re done here, right?¡± ¡°Indeed. Goodnight, World Walker.¡± ¡°Uh huh, bye.¡± The god faded from reality, off to do¡­ whatever it was gods do. Luka returned to the bed, finding Leo in the dead center again. He sighed, then clambered on the edge of the bed. Chapter 61: Rounds Luka stood in the shadow of a tree, watching one of the park¡¯s newest employees. Vale was a pseudo-god-thing, responsible for reincarnating Luka¡¯s daughter against his wishes. Although now that Annie was back alive, he couldn¡¯t be happier. Some, namely Mayor Tram, questioned his decision to invite Vale to work in the park, but Luka had yet to second guess himself. The god-thing¡¯s powers were sealed away by a handful of other gods, rendering Vale¡¯s divine power to nothing. She, in doing so, became mortal and got a second chance at life. Currently, Vale worked as the park greeter. Her job was simple: welcome people into the park and thank people for coming when they left. She meandered around the entrance, walking back and forth like a soldier on guard. But where a soldier defended and protected, Vale handed out pamphlet maps and offered directions to the park¡¯s many headline attractions. The park was getting bigger by the day, and ¡°themed lands¡± was still a confusing concept to the newcomers. Such was the reality of opening an amusement park in an alien world. To most people on Earth, understanding that a park was usually broken up into sections with their own themes and rides was commonplace. But here, in this world Luka had yet to learn the name of, getting that concept across was slow going. Maybe I should take out a newspaper ad? Luka asked himself. Explain the park in its entirety? ¡°Hi, welcome to World Walker Park,¡± Vale said, twisting to greet a guest. ¡°Hello, welcome to the park,¡± she said to another. ¡°Welcome in,¡± to a third. ¡°Welcome.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hiya.¡± ¡°Hope you all enjoy.¡± Luka took a piece of paper from his pocket, then reached down to pick up a fallen stick from the grass. With a flicker of magic, the stick morphed and pulled, stretching like taffy before hardening into a thin rectangle. With another hint of magic, the air hardened around the rectangle, turning solid. He held on to the two layered rectangles, slipping the paper over top of them like a clipboard. Scanning down the page, Luka found the entry for Vale and gave her a checkmark. Daily rounds through the park was a tedious job, but it was important. If something was broken, he was the only one who could fix it. If something was inching away from his vision for the park, again, he was the only one who could put it back on track. The others, of course, did their part where they could, but this specific job was what he wanted to be doing. In the back of his mind, Luka knew daily rounds reminded him of Earth. Back when he was making bombs and guns in his previous life, he carried a similar clipboard and visited the many manufacturing plants a few times a year. But¡ªthat life was far behind him, even if carrying a clipboard still gave him a semblance of control. It was comforting, in other words. Something to keep him busy during the day so he could spend the nights creating. ¡°Ready?¡± Luka asked, looking down at little Leo. The puppy dire-wolf stared blankly ahead, watching Sebby, the adult dire-wolf. Sebby shyly stepped around a group of guests just arriving at the park. The group was a mixture of orcs, humans, and a few beastkin. They arrived in wagons pulled by dire-mounts¡ªmaybe dire-dachshunds if Luka was guessing. They were long, canine creatures with brown silky fur coats and pointed snouts longer than a rowboat. They held their head high, eyeing the crowds with a pompousness usually found only in noble humanoids. Luka eyed Sebby as he attempted to sniff the butt of one of the dachshunds, only to get snapped at by the other. Sebby then walked away; his tail tucked between his legs. Leo yipped, then whined, lowering himself as they watched the show. ¡°Go hang out with your friend,¡± Luka said. ¡°Looks like he just got rejected.¡± Leo tilted his head up, his expression asking, You mean it? ¡°Yeah,¡± the World Walker said, giving his buddy a scratch. ¡°You don¡¯t need to help with my rounds. Thanks though. I¡¯ll find you for lunch, okay? Go have fun with your friend, he needs it.¡± The puppy sprang to his feet and trotted over to Sebby. When he passed by the dire-dachshund pair, he glared at the male one. The dachshund didn¡¯t so much as notice the little guy. Luka took a deep breath and shook his head. Sebby¡¯s seemingly random estrangement suddenly made sense¡ªhe was looking for a mate. ¡°Poor Leo,¡± he muttered walking into the park, ¡°his friend is looking to settle down.¡± Just past the entrance to the park, Emberwood Forest flanked either side of a grassy path. Eventually, the path would be overhauled and changed to brick or cobble¡ªbut that day was not today. A fork in the path came, with a sign directing to the first of the park¡¯s lands. Off toward the left, the Constellation Kingdom expanded. With a setting reminiscent of Earthen science fiction, an alien landscape terraformed the tall emberwood trees and paved a rocky landscape of jagged desolation and hidden life. Red spiraling rocks reached for the sky, dozens, hundreds of them clustered around the land and far off into the distance. Technically, none of this was real, however. Illusion magic was something of a crutch, if Luka was honest. Instead of building an alien landscape, he could simply imagine one then utilize magic to create it for him. Would he want, if he had the resources, to create the landscape out of actual rocks and allow guests to explore it? Yes, very much so¡ªand eventually the park would get there. But again, that day was not today.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Constellation Kingdom wasn¡¯t very big yet. It was a stretch of walkable area with two rides. The first was God Neb¡¯s brainchild: Cosmic Rebirth. As the park¡¯s first rollercoaster, the ride drew a line. Luka walked past guests and a few shops and poked his head through the illusions. Standing in line through the forest, hundreds of guests waited patiently. They pointed at illusionary things¡ªrocks, alien life, and the expansive, beautiful starry sky. Within the land, it was perpetually nighttime, and the stars moved and breathed as if perfectly placed there by God Neb himself¡­ which they were. Looking behind the scenes so to speak, Luka counted the minutes for a particular guest to reach the top of an incline from the bottom. Seven minutes, in other words, a bit slower than usual. What¡¯s the hold up, he asked himself, reenabling the illusionary magic. Anyone could dispel or apply the illusions, though why would they? Countless glyphs littered the area, carved thinly into the base of the trees and across the stone floor queue. The effect was total theming, an area as alien as the dark side of the moon. Unfortunately, the illusions were the reason the Guilds brought Luka to court¡ªbut he didn¡¯t want to think about that right now. Instead, he pushed his way through the queue, cutting everyone. People were rightly annoyed with him, but one glance at the spinning gear pin on his chest silenced them. Everyone knew what the pin meant¡ªthat he was the World Walker and owner of this little slice of heaven. The pin was Mayor Tram¡¯s idea. She always told him he needed to be eccentric, something the people of this world already expected of World Walkers. And while Luka didn¡¯t want to be eccentric, he saw the need. He dressed up in a flamboyant purple suit, he sometimes carried a cane, and he always wore a tacky, spinning gear pin. Luka passed shiney white buildings made of plastic¡ªmore illusions. They were the ¡°story¡± of this land: research vessels for the ¡°explorers¡± investigating the kingdom. And while the buildings drew many critical eyes from this world¡¯s architects, he didn¡¯t care. They were practical in purpose¡­ and directly copied from the lunar base concepts of Earth¡¯s sci-fi. Cosmic Rebirth¡¯s load and unload station sat within one of these research buildings overgrown with thick vines and covered in dust. The place was outfitted with bubbling vials, neon red plant samples, and diagrams of the stars and the science behind their luster. It was cluttered, yet clean¡ªvery clean. Chalkboards lined the walls, and blueprint sketches explained the ride¡¯s vehicle¡ªthe experimental Worldrover. It was a long, multi-train rollercoaster styled with minimalistic angles and flared, stubby wings. Wind bent around the aerodynamic shape, and oscillating light glyphs highlighted its journey through the alien world. White and black metal protected the shuttles from space debris and the odd insect or two, adding to the rugged¡ªbut obsessively¡ªclean vibe. The shuttle rushed into the loading bay, and the lap bars released. Guests stood, exited, and a new round of guests took their places. They sat in pairs, four to a train, all raring to go. The ride operators gave each other a thumbs up, and both activated their twin-start controls. The ride then pushed forward, and soon it climbed the first lift hill. Cosmic Rebirth shot guests through the unexplored wilderness of this alien world, sending them diving through cracks in the ground and around strange rock formations. It was quick, it was fun, and it was by far the park¡¯s longest queue time. Luka didn¡¯t care about that right now, however. He kept cutting through the line, eventually ending up at the front, where he threw his legs over the barrier and headed to talk to the ride operators. ¡°Hey guys,¡± he said to the pair. One of them was an original Emberwood Villager and the other was a new hire, a lad from Sneerhome. ¡°Hi, Mr. Luka,¡± the lad said. ¡°Luka!¡± the villager practically yelled. If there was one thing to be said about orcs, their subtlety was not it. ¡°We might have a problem!¡± The older man¡¯s name was Roger. And although Luka hadn¡¯t had much personal time with him, he liked him a lot. ¡°Something to do with why you¡¯re behind schedule, right? Not another Gnomeeee scheme again, right?¡± Roger scoffed. ¡°Heavens no. Those little buggers are staying clear after ol¡¯ Gr¡¯rok and biggin¡¯ Tank threw the thieves out!¡± Luka nodded thankfully. The Gnomeeee gang was a gang of, well, gnomes. They were experts in corporate espionage and had tried to steal, bribe for, or outright copy park secrets more than once. In the two months the park had been open, a dozen Gnomeeee members had been thrown out. The Sneerhome lad spoke up, ¡°We had a¡­ gentleman refuse to get off the ride.¡± ¡°Gentleman¡± was code for ¡°adventurer,¡± a prudish, egotistical type of rugged man who often attempted to use their monster hunting skills to get what they wanted from park employees. The lad continued, ¡°But not for the reasons you think. He was missing his legs, you see. Said a frost hyena got them. He had trouble getting up and out.¡± Luka nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do about adding a handicap section to the trains. If the side of the train opened like a door, would the man have had an easy time getting out?¡± ¡°Most definitely,¡± Roger said. ¡°We could¡¯ve slid his wheely chair up next to the train and he easily could¡¯ve scooted into it. But since he had to go up and over the wall of the train, not so much.¡± I knew that¡¯d come back to bite us, Luka thought, thinking of the rushed development of the ride. Everything was put into place in a day, meaning important, but small, things were forgotten about. Disability accommodation needs to be higher on my checklist. He scribbled down a note. ¡°Alright, thanks guys,¡± he said. ¡°Keep up the good work and make sure to stop by the employees lounge during your breaks. I think Vladdy made another batch of root beer to taste test.¡± ¡°Ah, sick man!¡± the lad said. ¡°I can¡¯t get enough of the stuff!¡± ¡°See ya, Luka,¡± Roger said. The World Walker exited through the attached gift shop, checking another box on his clipboard. After a quick once over of the products on the shelves, he checked another. He stopped outside to find the next thing he had to go see¡ªand smiled. Speaking of Luka¡¯s son-in-law, Vladdy was next on the list. Chapter 62: Roots ¡°Vladdy! Just the man I wanted to see!¡± Luka said, walking over to his son-in-law. The man pursed his lips and scrunched his nose. The nickname, while embarrassing and private, somehow had spread through the village and to everyone working for the park. It was a pet name, something between him and Annie¡ªhis wife. ¡°I am so going to poison that goddess,¡± Vladdy muttered, referring to the Goddess of Brews and his personal patron, Bylow. The goddess had taken the newest World Walker under her wing when he was first reincarnated, even going so far as to oversee his ¡®body-choosing.¡¯ And as much as Vlad appreciated that, he knew deep in his heart that she had spread his nickname just to mess with him. Luka scanned his son-in-law the same way he always did¡ªbegrudgingly. Vladdy wasn¡¯t human anymore, at least in appearance. He chose to change his body after reincarnation, and luckily for everyone, chose a race close to human in shape and size. Vladdy was now an elf¡ªan elf as lean as he was tall. He had pointy ears, fluted nostrils, and high cheeks. Silken blonde hair cascaded from his shoulder, and he radiated a sunny glow. And, since meeting him, Luka didn¡¯t know how he felt about the body change. On the one hand, he knew he shouldn¡¯t care. On the other, he felt strange knowing his daughter okayed the change. He shivered and locked the thought away. ¡°Is the new batch ready?¡± he asked. Vladdy nodded and departed from his brewing station. They were inside one of the employees¡¯ lounges, a place where people could take breaks and/or get away from the chaos of the park. It was off limits to normal guests and fitted with amenities and snacks. This particular lounge also housed Vlad¡¯s workstation for the time being. Like most things in the park, it was a work in progress right now. Vladdy gave a cauldron filled with thick, brown syrup a stir, making sure to scrape the bottom. No one wanted a burnt soda¡­ although the flavor might be interesting. He grabbed two glasses from a cupboard and reached deep into an enchanted box. Freezing glyphs blasted the inside of the box, chilling everything to ice-cold within minutes. It was fittingly named the blast freezer. He returned with a metal keg of soda and released the tap and poured two cups. ¡°How¡¯s the keg working?¡± Luka asked, giving his drink a swirl before inhaling the vanilla aroma. Root beer wasn¡¯t his favorite flavor back on Earth, but after tasting the real, fresh thing, he might have changed his mind. ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± Vlad said hesitantly. ¡°Though it¡¯s still not what we used at the factories. See here?¡± He pointed at the valve mechanism. ¡°There¡¯s too much pressure for the feed spear. That¡¯s why it came out so foamy.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t root beer supposed to be foamy?¡± ¡°It is and it isn¡¯t depending on the batch. Today¡¯s wasn¡¯t supposed to be foamy and was supposed to be very mild in bubbles. Smooth root beer is my personal favorite compared to that artificially carbonated crap.¡± Luka slowly nodded, then reached out with his magic. A shelf a few steps away held a dozen different strips, ingots, and shapeless masses of metal. He twisted and contorted, flattened and rolled. In moments, a new keg was created, one with a better pressure regulator. ¡°Try this one and let me know what you think.¡± Then, Luka tried his drink. It was sweet, a bit too foamy, but rather smooth. Aged wood hinted on his breath, and a forward honey taste lingered after the fact. ¡°Honey?¡± then asked. Vladdy smiled. ¡°Exactly. I used all honey for the syrup and boiled it with charred oak pellets. I think I got the flavor down.¡± Luka took another sip. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Okay, okay. It¡¯s amazing.¡± The son-in-law gave a curt, mocking bow. ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Any interest in wooden kegs? I can make you a few.¡± ¡°No, not right now. I don¡¯t trust myself not to make mead or beer and I don¡¯t want to¡ª¡± Luka held up his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not that man anymore. Whatever Annie told you, I¡¯m not a drunk anymore¡ªTippy made sure of that. You can make alcohol; I¡¯m just not going to be your taste tester.¡± On Earth, Luka had died with a bottle of booze and a dozen pills in his stomach. He spent his last few years alone, drunk, and freezing. And once he was reincarnated, Goddess Tippy made sure he couldn¡¯t relapse. Alcohol smelled repulsive if he so much as thought about taking a sip. Vladdy gave him an assessing eye before nodding. ¡°Then I¡¯d love some wooden barrels.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll tell Todd as well. He¡¯s always looking for something new to sell at the bar.¡± ¡°If you have to¡­¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. Vladdy quickly said, ¡°He calls me ¡®elf-boy.¡¯¡± Luka¡¯s mouth opened and closed a few times. ¡°Is that better or worse than ¡®Vladdy?¡¯¡± He considered before sighing and changing topics. ¡°Have you seen Annie today? She wanted to start terraforming.¡± It was Luka¡¯s turn to sigh. ¡°I told her not to rush¡ª¡± ¡°So did I.¡± ¡°But I get it. Magic¡¯s amazing, and she has something special going on in her bones.¡± Vlad nodded along. ¡°Don¡¯t I know it?¡± He reached over to the keg and poured another glass before setting it at the edge of the counter. He then placed his hands together, like he was praying, and said, ¡°Oh, my wonderful Goddess please accept this stupid World Walker¡¯s fizzy drink as a sacrifice and give me your wisdom.¡± Distantly, laughter echoed through the room. The light glyphs flickered, turning the place dark, before coming back on. The glass of root beer was missing, and in its place, a handwritten note about flavor complexities and brewing temperatures. Vladdy read the ¡®wisdom¡¯ over, sighed, and said, ¡°The least she could do was leave the cup. We¡¯re running low¡ª¡± The lights flickered again, and when they came back on, the glass was back. ¡°Thanks,¡± he muttered to the open air. Luka patted him on the back. ¡°The gods are characters, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yeah, especially the one who demands Earthen soda as payment for ¡®guiding¡¯ me.¡± ¡°Yeah, well. Better than sacrificial murders or something.¡± ¡°Is that a thing in this world?¡± Luka paused. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure, actually.¡± Vlad stared at him, coughed awkwardly, and said, ¡°Well, come by for dinner tonight, yeah? Annie won¡¯t admit it, but she wants to spend more time with you.¡± ¡°I will.¡± He hesitated at the doorway. ¡°You¡¯re not using your magic, right?¡± He was referring to the special divine World Walker magic every World Walker got. Luka¡¯s own dealt with fabrication. Annie¡¯s with terraforming. And Vlad¡¯s with¡­ unspeakable things. The elf-human shook his head. ¡°Once was enough, thank you.¡± ¡°Good. See you later.¡± The next place to check on was the Constellation Kingdom¡¯s second and the newest ride: Monolith. The ride towered over the park, a hulking frame of black metal and twisting red magic that cracked the smooth surface into countless ravines. It radiated fear and anxiety, a perfect thrill ride for all ages. It sat firm on a bed of stone, like a throne in the king¡¯s court. Luka followed the path, stepping through the line like earlier. White, clean research buildings sat along the trail, each named something akin to ¡°RS 1¡± or ¡°FS 3¡± for ¡°research 1¡± and ¡°field supply 3¡± respectively. In this land, they were nothing more than dust shacks¡ªan excuse to use leftover supplies. But boy oh boy if Luka wasn¡¯t proud of them. The lunar modules fit perfectly into the dark, dreary atmosphere of the alien world. They were beacons of humanity, ¡°weenies¡± to pull guests through the paths. Coined by an Earthen man, the term ¡°weenie¡± meant exactly that¡ªa draw to move guests further into the park and to break up bottlenecks. It could be something as simple as a castle at the end of a main street or something more subtle, like a clean, white research shack amongst a sea of dead stone and alien wilderness. Monolith was a drop-tower style ride. Riders sat in their seats before the seats pulled everyone up through the center of the rectangular monolith. They slowly spun, the cracks in the monolithic shell like windows into the park¡ªor in this case, the alien world. Eventually they arrived at the top, where they hung for a few moments before dropping back down to the ground in a freefall. The ride, of course, caught them, but not after guests screamed their heads off. Luka inspected the braking system at the base of the tower while it slowly carried guests up. He knew the timing like the back of his hand and safely got out of the way when it came crashing down. He marked his clipboard and moved on. The issue with a ride like Monolith was the lack of computer control. On Earth, countless systems went into ride creation, and if any of them tripped a red flag, the ride would shut down. There were ways to mimic the effect with magic, but Luka didn¡¯t know them¡­ yet. He shuddered at the thought of working with the Guilds. They had brought him to court, ran him through the wringer, but eventually let him go after forcing a partnership deal on him. But that was for later. It was time for his favorite part of the day¡ªmeeting his three favorite people in the whole world. Chapter 63: Tour Emberwood Village was in the heart of the park. A mixture of old and new, huts and thatch shacks sat beside modern shops and stalls. Five small rides wove between the buildings and homes, drawing crowds of mostly children. The proximity and low thrills of the rides were perfect for families and a great place for kids to expel excess energy. Recently, some of the locals had complained about the proximity of the rides, which Luka had to agree with. They were a product of the early days in the park. Between the WHEEL and the carousel, he and the others never thought about the impact the park would have on the residents. At the time, everyone was just happy the village was making money. But now that they had made money, they wanted their privacy back. And they would get it, soon¡ªLuka hoped. First, they needed a place to put them, and a theme to redecorate them. Moving the rides was simple with his magic, but until everything was ready, here they sat. Luka walked through the crowds, waving to kids and adults alike, his purple suit shining like a World Walker spotlight. He checked the gears in all the rides, confirming they were still in perfect shape before heading off into the salty land of the Stormcorsair Harbor. As the park¡¯s first themed land, Luka could point out the many errors in how he had built things. Between a poor layout and a lack of open real estate for shops and restaurants, the land was a good learning experience. He traveled along the path, coming into contact with the first hurdle of the journey¡ªRogue Wave. The pirate ship pendulum swing ride sat at the end of a fork in the road. One side went beyond and further into the park, the other stopped at the entrance to the ride. And therein lay the problem. Because of the fork in the road, people bottlenecked around the entrance, blocking the path further in. It also didn¡¯t help that the queue for Rogue Wave was an underwater experience. People stood around it and watched the creatures of the dark depths swim around. Luka pushed his way through the crowd and up the exit path and into the ride. He checked the hinges before heading off deeper into the harbor. On his right, a dock spread across the rough seas. Above him, an illusionary storm turned the sky gray and rainy. On his left, shops and damp buildings beckoned customers in with churros, pirate hats, or stuffed cartoonish sharks with an eyepatch. Little Nicole, one of the village orphans, designed every stuffed animal the park sold. She loved her dolls and toys and drove a hard bargain on royalty sales. She also happened to be the richest individual in the village since Luka and Mayor Tram didn¡¯t pay themselves. They, of course, paid everyone else, but what was the point of holding money when their rent was free, and the park had plenty of food and drink to give them? Moving on, Luka next visited Whirlpool Plunge and the mana guests singing and drinking in the Whirlpool Tavern. Housing the entrance to the park¡¯s one and only log flume ride, the tavern sat at the end of the lane. It had a fa?ade of a smuggler¡¯s hideout, dank, dusty, and dark. Once inside, an illusionary storm battered the windows and walls, edging a liveliness only hardened sailors could create. Sea shanties and wild swinging songs bellowed from the wooden drinking hall, and recently the park hired a musical band to perform at certain intervals throughout the day. They were dynamic in what they played, always seeming to find the perfect song for whatever might be happening in the tavern. This world loved to drink, and where better than World Walker Park. Luka checked on the mead reserves before heading out of Stormcorsair Harbor. Plans to expand the park were never not on his mind, but there were some issues. His magic made the creation of rides, lands, and buildings easy. But filling those with employees was not. It wasn¡¯t that the park was short on applications¡ªthe opposite, actually. So many people applied to work in the park that they could be picky about who and how they hired. Was it smart to hire a hundred people all at once? No, not at all. From training them to providing the necessary amenities for them, hiring too many people at once was a surefire way to drown the park. Maybe, if the park closed for a few weeks, they could reopen with a hundred new employees. But it was that acclimation time that would set everyone up for success. So, instead, Tram and Luka decided to take things slow for now. Eventually they¡¯d have enough employees to promote some into proper managerial positions¡ªwherein they could train new employees under them. Eventually, soon, in the future¡­ Everything was getting pushed back. Everything was on the docket to get done later. Everything needed something else to happen first before it could get done. Luka sighed and continued on. He passed the tavern, stepping over a rope-fence, and through an illusionary wall. He tried to do it subtly, but people saw and tried to follow. ¡°Please, everyone, for your safety, remain in the park. Back here we¡¯re not responsible for any injuries,¡± he told the¡ªmostly teenage¡ªfollowers. ¡°Come on dude, we won¡¯t get hurt,¡± one of them said. Luka set his jaw. Most of the time, guests were amazing and great. They were the life of the park and the soul of the happiness he sought to create. But sometimes, especially with teenagers and adventurers, his patience is tested. He reached into his pocket and purposefully fished around for a moment. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want to have to call security to escort you all back inside. But I will. But I don¡¯t want to. So, how about this.¡± He removed a small wooden token and held it up for all to see. ¡°This is a free smash burger voucher. I¡¯ll give everyone one if you all head back into the park.¡± The teenagers looked amongst each other while the few adults nodded. Luka quickly duplicated the coin several times utilizing fallen sticks in the surrounding area. He handed them out, and the adults quickly left. The teens deliberated amongst themselves. ¡°But dude, I¡¯m hungry. My mom only gave me enough money to ride a few rides,¡± one of them said, a human kid.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Me too. And I hear amazing things about World Walker smash burgers,¡± another said, a timid looking elven girl who was dragged back here by her friends more or less. The leader of the pack, however, wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°But think about all of the cool stuff we¡¯ll see if we follow the owner of this place!¡± Luka loudly coughed. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything special. I¡¯ll just be marking some trees for rehoming in the future.¡± It wasn¡¯t a complete lie, but then again, why would he tell some random kids what he was actually doing. ¡°Look,¡± he continued, ¡°just take the vouchers and go have fun. I¡¯m not doing anything magical or impressive, just marking out the future of the park.¡± The leader pursed his lips before snatching the coins from Luka¡¯s outstretched hand. He trudged back through the illusionary wall, his friends following. Luka sighed and moved on. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked, the forest teeming with life¡ªwell, sort of. Other than birds and bugs¡ªand trees, bushes, and plants¡ªthe forest definitely lacked little critters running around. He wasn¡¯t sure of all the details, but the emberwood trees pulled magic from the air, absorbing it through their bark to create their orange luster. In turn, most wild life chose to find shelter elsewhere. Which doesn¡¯t make that much sense, Luka thought, because Leo and Sebby go hunting every meal. Where do they get their food? Vaguely he remembered something about the monstrous ribblet toads living in the lake. So maybe there? Either way, there wasn¡¯t much of an environmental factor in expanding the park. So long as he could move the trees instead of chopping them down¡ªwhich he knew he could. Or rather, Annie could. His daughter and his fellow World Walker, Annie had a monstrous god-thing inhabit her body for a time. And while she came out of it unscathed, some side effects remained. Magic, when routed through her body, amplified in strange ways¡ªa fact the other gods could attest to. Because of this, Annie inadvertently created a world-spanning shockwave after drinking a potion of reincarnation. No one was hurt, but it sure drew some eyes to the park. Similar to Luka¡¯s own fabrication spell, Annie also got World Walker divine magic. Hers dealt with terraforming, a magic specially curated for the girl after she expressed interest in helping the park expand. Briefly Luka thought about Vladdy¡¯s World Walker magic and shuddered. The gods explicitly said no other reincarnated people from Earth would get special magic for a reason. Some things were better locked away. His walk through the woods wasn¡¯t long, but it did take a while. Without a proper path, walking through the underbrush was akin to chopping through a jungle while walking on stilts. The bushes seemed to reach for him, exposed roots wanted to trip him, and the trees longed to confuse him. Magic lived in this forest, magic that would be around long after Luka and the park died¡­ or that was what the dyads wanted him to believe. They were always going on about the trees and this and that. ¡°Hey guys,¡± Luka said, stepping into a clearing. His three favorite people in this world stood around, talking animatedly. ¡°And I¡¯m saying that if a pirate were to go up against an adventurer, the pirate would lose. Simple as that,¡± Eve explained, her silky black hair bouncing with her jaw movement. She was an orc, and like most orcs, had a massive underbite with thick tusks curling up over her lips. She was tall for her kind and her toned arms and neck carried black inky bird tattoos. She wore loose overalls stained with dirt and grime, attached only by a singular button on her right shoulder. A black sleeveless undershirt shone under the saggy outerwear; it too was stained. She was wearing her ¡°work¡± clothes, a must when around Annie and her magic. Her brother, Franky nodded in agreement. ¡°Unless they¡¯re on a pirate ship. In that case, factoring in the rock of the wave might turn the tables.¡± Franky was bald. And also jacked. If he was a human on Earth, he¡¯d win every bodybuilding competition and force a rule change to give other competitors a fighting chance. But here, in this still nameless world, he was just average. His skin was a shade of green, his underbite and tusks flared out wide. He had a jaw like a boxer and a smile like a singer. He stood relaxed against a tree, not a care in the world. For as long as Luka had known the lad, only once had he seen Franky get mad. It was when a rude mage visited the park to order Luka to court. After a few insults, Franky threw a punch¡­ only to be launched across the area by a magical attack spell. But, before the orc could get revenge, the mage was turned into a bean¡­ but that was a whole other story. Annie, the last of the trio, flinched at Franky¡¯s words. ¡°That might have been the most intelligent sentence I¡¯ve ever heard you say. ¡®Factoring in?¡¯ Do you even know what that means?¡± Franky rolled his eyes, smiling. ¡°Harsh words for such a little lady.¡± Annie was indeed small, at least compared to some of the folks of this world. After a complete and fulfilling life on Earth, she died an old woman only to be later reincarnated here. And while the initial shock was rather blunt, she soon adopted this world as her own and set up a life¡ªexactly as her father had done. They¡¯d both be hard-pressed to admit it, but this world had a charm Earth simply didn¡¯t have. Looking like a twenty-year-old version of herself from Earth, Annie wore a similar pair of overalls to Eve¡¯s. Her short blond hair was tied back, her face was perfectly smooth and blemish free, and she didn¡¯t so much as walk with a crick in her back¡ªa miracle, as far as she was concerned. She stood like a tree, her bare feet sunk into the dirt. She wiggled her toes, small, almost nonexistent pulses of magic vibrating the loose soil like quicksand. Sadly, her showing of magic wasn¡¯t intentional. Magic was weird around her, and out in the magical forest, she sank. It wasn¡¯t fast, it wasn¡¯t dangerous. But gods if it wasn¡¯t annoying to scrape dirt from her toenails every night. Annie didn¡¯t grace Franky with a response and instead stuck her tongue out at him. He chuckled at the gesture, and soon all eyes turned to Luka ¡°What¡¯s up, boss, how¡¯d the rounds go?¡± the bald one asked. ¡°No real issues. Might need to add a second churro fryer. It¡¯s the most popular shop in the harbor,¡± he replied. ¡°What about adding another dessert option in the land instead?¡± the tattooed one asked. ¡°A good idea.¡± Luka thought for a moment. ¡°Ice cream?¡± The little one snapped her fingers. ¡°Yes please! Dad, you¡¯ve got to make an ice cream shop! I just realized how much I¡¯ve missed ice cream since arriving here.¡± He softly smiled, knowing the feeling. This world and Earth were very different, yet also very similar. Sometimes, however, small luxuries¡ªlike ice cream¡ªwere forgotten in the shadow of magical popping fruit or steamed buns that could literally make the eater breathe fire. Then Vladdy flashed into Luka¡¯s thoughts. He echoed Annie¡¯s snap and said, ¡°Root beer floats!¡± Annie threw her hands into the air. ¡°Yeeesssss!¡± The orc siblings watched, amused. ¡°Little humans are kind of weird,¡± Franky quietly whispered. ¡°So puny, so weak,¡± Eve said back with a smirk. The father and daughter glared, then everyone laughed out loud. Chapter 64: Keychains ¡°Is this the area you decided on?¡± Luka asked, eyeing the trees, bushes, and¡­ more trees. To be honest, this area of the forest looked precisely the same as all the others. ¡°Yeah,¡± Annie replied, pointing to a rock bulging from the ground. ¡°My surveying came up relatively clear, except for that big guy right there.¡± One use of Annie¡¯s magic was that she could feel the ground in about a thirty-meter diameter. While she didn¡¯t know how many stones there were in the dirt or roots twisting deep, she could guestimate. And here, there weren¡¯t many small pebbles¡ªjust one big rock. ¡°Alrighty then,¡± Luka said, taking a step forward. With a flicker of concentration and a willingness to bend the world around him, he attached his strands of magic onto the rock and pulled. Well, sort of. The rock shuddered under the foreign force before melting into a wad of rock-clay. Entirely still rock, only the material¡¯s properties changed. From hardness to liquidity, it molded and churned, purging itself of all its impurities. Dirt fell away, as did the sandy particulate hidden within shallow pockets. The rock then rose into the air, Luka¡¯s magic straining under the weight. ¡°Wow!¡± Franky boomed a few paces back. ¡°Look at the size of that thing!¡± And he was right. The rock protruding from the ground was more akin to a glacier hidden below the surface of the water. Stone just kept emerging, routing into three separate flows. Luka¡¯s magic could do many amazing things, but he had yet to fully grasp just what he could do. Recently, he had the epiphany that he could manipulate anything, including the air. But what he did currently was a timid step beyond. The best explanation of his magic that he had found was the term fabrication¡ªhe could create things from something. But that wasn¡¯t correct, not really. In reality, he could take things that have already been made and reshape them into something new. Transmutation? Reshaping? Reforging? The words all worked, yet Luka knew he was still missing something. His magic flattened the rock out, splitting them. He pushed and pulled, manipulating the swirl of the grain structure. He could make the stone brittle; he could make it harder. He could transform it into a different type of rock¡ªsort of. Geology wasn¡¯t his specialty, but he took a class in college. One thing that stuck out in his mind was minerals and their relationship with rocks. Two rocks could be vastly different rocks yet be made from the same minerals. The only difference would be the ratio of minerals, how densely packed they are, and how they were formed. In the case of Luka and his magic, he could manipulate each of these variables independently. So, he did. The stone flowed like water, splitting apart into its most basic minerals. Emberwood Village had plenty of red sandstone around it. This rock was no different. In moments, piles of stuff sat on the ground, most of which was red, grainy sand. Luka swayed on his feet when all was said and done. Eve rushed to him, holding him still. ¡°Wow,¡± she said quietly. He strained to stand, blinking away terrible volleys of magical hair from his vision. Everyone saw magic differently. For Eve, she saw birds¡ªhence her tattoos¡ªAnnie saw living black shadows¡ªa side effect from Vale¡¯s influence on her¡ªand Luka saw hair¡­ or ¡°strands,¡± when he didn¡¯t want to sound crazy. Back then, he had been out of it. Reincarnation does that to a person. In fact, he was out of it just like he was now. Magical strain also did that to a person. Magic had many parallels. Annie stomped over to the piles of sediment, dirt falling from her toes. ¡°Okay¡­ but why?¡± Luka overexerting himself with his magic was nothing new. It seemed everywhere he strained himself, attempting to push the limits of what he could do. Today was no different, and the others knew it. ¡°Because,¡± he said, winded, ¡°I wanted to see if I could.¡± Annie pursed her lips and shrugged. ¡°Learn anything important?¡± ¡°I learned I could separate incredibly small parts of something bigger.¡± She scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s cool and all but talk to me when you can do that with atoms themselves.¡± Luka understood she meant it as a joke, so he wasn¡¯t going to tell her that was his ultimate plan. Instead, he smiled and said, ¡°I could really use a root beer float right about now.¡± ¡°In a minute,¡± Annie idly said, walking forward a bit. The others all took a step back. ¡°Are we sure this is the place we want?¡± Eve and Franky shared a glance, the former answering, ¡°Yeah. Mrs. Leafsong said the trees in this area were looking forward to having new scenery. So, we¡¯re good there.¡± Mrs. Leafsong was the lone adult dryad of the village. She was a woman made of sticks, leaves, bark, and moss. She could commune with the trees and loved to paint. She rarely left the forest and was also the concept artist for the park. Luka nodded along. ¡°Then we¡¯re good to go.¡± He stepped up beside her and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t strain yourself. We can pay someone to move the trees if we have to.¡± Annie gave her father a judgmental frown. ¡°And we could also pay a forgemaster to pulverize stone¡ªbut here you are, tired and sweating.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t just pulverize¡ª¡± ¡°Dad,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing. I¡¯ve got this.¡± Luka didn¡¯t say his initial, though, nor his second. Instead, he went for his third. ¡°I know you will.¡± He stepped back beside the others and¡ªfor his own sanity¡ªsaid, ¡°Remember, you¡¯re going for a ¡®keychain.¡¯¡± Annie gave him a withering glare before turning back to the awaiting grove. And while her internal confidence wasn¡¯t quite the same as what she told her father, she had been practicing. Every day, in fact, since arriving in these strange, strange lands. She knew his worry was warranted. Her magic was strange¡ªVale, the god-thing who inhabited her, explained it was part of her former divine power, a leftover echo of strength. It might go away one day, used up like a stubby candle, or it may not. Vale didn¡¯t know; the other gods and goddesses did know, and Annie sure didn¡¯t know.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. But that didn¡¯t mean she could ignore magic. It was lifeblood here, it was everything, it was a way of life. Her dad used magic casually, fixing things or creating others, and honestly, it was impressive. On the other hand, Annie had only just learned how to stand on loose soil without falling over. It was time. She had only seen this spell done once¡ªand by a god, no less. But Annie remembered it well¡­ well enough to copy, though? There was only one way to find out. She clapped her hands, and a pulse of magic shot out. It rippled over the trees and grass, brushing them like a powerful wind. She grunted and instantly stopped the spell. Too much power, she thought to herself, retooling her focus. She tried again, clapping just the same. Magic washed the area this time, coating everything yet pushing nothing. It latched onto the trees, leaves, and dirt, setting in deep. She imagined it like a flowerpot¡ªthe grove and all its trees were the flowers inside the soil, and her magic was the clay shell. Everyone¡¯s magic appeared differently to them, and Annie was no exception. They saw Vale¡¯s living shadow magic, the very essence that reincarnated her. Maybe it was trauma, maybe it was that lingering echo, maybe it was simply her subconscious trying to understand something as alien as magic, whatever the case was, she controlled it now. And bent it to her will. The shadows twisted and flattened, forming into wide open mitts. The toughest, darkest shadows lined where the fingers where be, and the weaker, lighter shadows filled in the webbed fabric. The mitts then moved, scooping into the ground where the clay "pot¡± would be and pulling out the grove like it was a singular ¡°flower.¡± She breathed heavily but stood strong. The hard part was over, which was strange to her because this next part should have been the harder portion of the spell. When God Neb had done this about two months ago, he shrunk the trees he moved into a keychain of sorts. It was a miniature ecosystem, fully sized yet not. Space bent around the grove, shrinking it into something carriable. Annie did the same. Like Luka and how his magic wasn¡¯t fabrication but something else, her magic was ¡°terraforming.¡± It was beyond that, something more akin to reality-forming. Honestly, the name didn¡¯t flow, but it was the best name she had for it. Her eyes snapped shut, and for a moment, the world drained away. Her shadowy mitts pushed and squeezed, condensing the pot while not upsetting the flower within. Instantly, a tree exploded within, fragmenting into a thousand pieces like a stick of dynamite had just gone off. Annie cursed, her focus shaking. Condensing the flower wasn¡¯t right; she couldn¡¯t just push everything to be smaller. Her dad had spoken to her about this problem before¡ªshe had to think bigger and expand her understanding of what magic could be. It wasn¡¯t physics, it wasn¡¯t mundane. Magic was magic, it was something beyond her understand,ing and yet with set rules¡­ magical rules that liked to bend and shift, but rules all the same. Condensing doesn¡¯t work, but what if I try to just¡­ Her living shadows warped, bending space¡ªbending reality. She couldn¡¯t shrink the grove, but she could fold it¡ªso she did. Trees opposite each other suddenly found themselves next to each other. Bushes meshed with other bushes, each taking up the same spot in space. She folded the grove again, like a piece of paper, doubling up. Then again, doubling up yet again. Each time she folded, the grove halved in size. She repeated the process again and again, until¡­ she had a keychain. Annie reached out and took the grove. It was the size of her finger and folded over itself several times. She held it outstretched, the cool dirt grainy against the skin of her palm. It wasn¡¯t heavy, but it also wasn¡¯t light. The weight of the entire grove rested in her hand, yet the spatial volume of the grove manipulated that fact¡ªonly a keychain¡¯s worth of weight rested in the instance of space touching her hand. In essence, she had an entire grove¡¯s worth of stuff in her hand, and it only weighed a few grams. ¡°Congrats!¡± Luka yelled, stepping over and giving her a side hug. Their relationship had truly rekindled since their days on Earth, and both gladly basked in the moment of intimacy. They were finally a family again, after all these years and countless potential light years. ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡± She waved the keychain around, making sure it wasn¡¯t about to break and brutally kill them all in a hail of uprooted trees and mounds of dirt. Luckily, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. ¡°The key was folding,¡± she continued, peering into the spatial oddity. Through a distorted, multilayer canopy, the grove sat in all its glory. The bushes lived; the leaves rustled with the wind¡­ there was that one exploded tree near the edge¡­ Annie sighed and gazed upon the scoop of land a few paces before her. A section of the forest was simply gone¡ªa perfect crater of soil, trees, and underbrush sliced from reality by her giant magical shadow hands. ¡°That really is something,¡± Luka mumbled as he tossed a rock down the crater. That was when everyone heard fierce, struggling, and muffled yelling. ¡°It truly is something,¡± a newcomer¡¯s voice said. Everyone turned, finding God Neb. As one of the eldest gods, Neb had long lost his desire for theatrics. He simply appeared where he needed to be, did what he needed to do, and returned to his night sky, playing with his stars and galaxies. He took the form of an elderly man¡ªreal creative of him¡ªwith a curved back, wrinkles, and a dusty, beaten baseball cap, or rather the closest thing this world had to baseball caps. They were similar enough. Seeing Neb wasn¡¯t all the odd, albeit he had been staying away from the park and in turn, Luka because the other gods called foul play. Apparently, gods weren¡¯t supposed to show mortals favoritism, and he and Tippy absolutely loved Luka¡ªor so the World Walker believed. ¡°Still arrogant, I see,¡± Neb said, reading Luka¡¯s mind. ¡°Still old, I see,¡± he instantly quipped back. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here? I thought we couldn¡¯t be friends anymore.¡± ¡°Luka!¡± Eve snapped. ¡°Be nice! He¡¯s a god!¡± ¡°I might be with Luka on this one, sis,¡± Franky snarked. ¡°God Neb is old.¡± Eve turned to him and slugged him on the arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry!¡± The god smiled softly and bent space. A locker of sorts opened beside him, highlighting the muffled yelling in the air. The locker then opened, and a very annoyed former god-thing stomped out. Vale, in her demonic glory, took the form of a demon, a race of people whose eyes could cause paralyzing fear. Luckily for everyone around, when she created her body from her divine power, she did not add that part. ¡°Well!¡± she yelled, spinning on Neb. ¡°You kidnap me without a word and drag me all the way into the forest! I think I deserve an explanation. I was working! Who¡¯s going to greet the guests now!?¡± The elderly god sighed and pointed at the grove keychain Annie had just folded. ¡°That. Explain it, please.¡± All eyes turned to Annie¡¯s outstretched palm. The grove was as it was a moment ago¡ªstill not killing everyone brutally. Vale sucked in a breath, wishing for the first time since her magic was sealed that she had access to her old power. ¡°Now that is interesting,¡± she said, delicately taking the keychain. She eyed it all over, even giving it a wicked shack¡ªwhich everyone beside Neb shied away from¡ªbefore handing it back to Annie. ¡°Well?¡± Neb asked. ¡°I think Annie¡¯s¡­ unique situation augmented the spell to be permanent.¡± Vale thought for a moment. ¡°Well, permanent unless she unfolded it herself.¡± ¡°My thoughts as well.¡± He nodded to the space locker. ¡°In you go. You¡¯ve got guests to greet.¡± Vale gave him an unamused glare. ¡°I¡¯ll walk, thank you very much.¡± Luka ignored their ongoing feud and said, ¡°I¡¯m very confused. What¡¯s going on?¡± Neb sighed, suddenly looking tired and frail. ¡°Annie¡¯s odd magic just accidentally created a new souvenir. Guess you¡¯ll be adding shrunken space keychains to all the gift shops.¡± Still confused, Luka asked, ¡°Is something wrong with that?¡± ¡°No¡ªit¡¯s just that.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve peered into the future and¡ªalthough it hasn¡¯t happened yet¡ªI¡¯m already annoyed with how many of my priests and priestesses ask me to ¡®hook them up¡¯ with a keychain because I know the creator. Everyone who¡¯s anyone will have one.¡± Annie then asked, as monotone as she could muster, ¡°Did I just create a designer handbag accessory?¡± Chapter 65: Walk Back God Neb disappeared as quickly as he appeared, leaving the group to do¡­ whatever it was mortals did. He arrived back in the heavens, and had enough time to sigh before the metaphysical ¡°door¡± to his ¡°room¡± burst open and Goddess Tippy and her brother, God Rion, marched in. ¡°How was he?¡± she demanded. ¡°Fine,¡± Neb replied. ¡°He looks skinny. Is he eating enough?¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s definitely not getting enough sleep! Just look at those bags under his eyes.¡± Tippy thrust her hands out, producing a live illusion of Luka, Annie, the orc siblings, and Vale trudging through the forest back toward the park. ¡°See?¡± Neb dismissively looked at the World Walker. It was true: he did look tired, but that happens. Mortal lives were fickle, sensitive things. A few hours less of sleep could do that for a person and usually resolved within a day or two. ¡°I looked back in time to see why he didn¡¯t get enough sleep, and I couldn¡¯t!¡± Tippy snapped. Neb paused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t look into his room when I looked into the past.¡± The elderly god flared with magic, and he searched the space time continuum for an easy answer. Tippy was a relatively young goddess, which meant occasionally she made mistakes¡ªespecially when dealing with time and fate. Those two magic fields were difficult for even him sometimes. He watched past Luka carry the dire-wolf, Leo, into his room, closing the door softly so as not to wake his neighbors. He watched Luka and the wolf banter about who got the middle of the bed, he watched Luka win. He watched them go to sleep and¡ªnothing. A five-minute nothingness covered Luka and the wolf before Luka was suddenly standing out of bed, bantering with the wolf about the center of the bed again. Neb frowned and tried a different spell, and the same thing happened. A temporal anomaly? A time rift? He thought through several different potential answers, each coming up short to what he was witnessing. Beside Neb and Tippy, God Rion also peered back in time. He suggested an answer, ¡°I think it¡¯s one of us using a privacy spell.¡± ¡°A privacy spell, really?¡± Tippy asked. ¡°One that blocks time magic reviewing?¡± Neb grunted. ¡°They exist. And now that I¡¯m looking for such a spell, I must agree with young Rion. It¡¯s unmistakable now. Luka met with one of us gods last night.¡± Tippy frowned. ¡°Show me.¡± So, Neb did. He pointed out the floating magical dust, the way light bent around the room, and how the fuzziness of time smelled¡ªthat last one wasn¡¯t very scientific, but every god knew magic smelled differently depending on who was casting. Unfortunately, Neb did not recognize this smell¡­ although it was familiar. ¡°Whoever it was, we¡¯ve got to warn Luka,¡± Tippy suggested. ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± Neb reminded. ¡°Not unless you wish to deal with a divine reprimand. The others are already mad at us enough for everything we¡¯ve done for the lad. We can¡¯t give them reason to invade the park and take it over.¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t do that,¡¯ Rion said, unsure. ¡°Would they?¡± Neb nodded. ¡°They would declare the park an unsanctioned church or temple and send their people to dismantle it.¡± ¡°Have they ever done that before?¡± ¡°A few times over all the years. Most recently was the Church of the Baker.¡± ¡°Never heard of it,¡± Tippy said. ¡°Because it was a simple bakery with a small shrine to God¡ª¡± Neb froze. ¡°What?¡± Something lapsed in the god¡¯s mind, glazing over the stumble like a piece of black ice. A name graced his mind, slipping away before he could grasp it into the forgotten recesses of his mind. ¡°Nothing, never mind. Look, we can¡¯t get involved. Simple as that.¡± Tippy eyed him suspiciously before throwing up her hands in surrender. ¡°Fine. But can I say how much I don¡¯t like this? For the record?¡± Rion patted her on the shoulder. *** Luka slowly rolled his artifact ring around his finger, a gesture he did unconsciously. It was nothing simple, but like all artifacts, held vast magical power. It was a gift from Goddess Tippy and told him the recipe for whatever he wanted. Though, that wasn¡¯t the main use for him. He loved the cold metal on his skin as it was a reminder of where he was and how he got here. It calmed him, relieved his stress. Which was sad because he rolled the ring around his finger all the time. Walking back to the park, he rolled it the entire time. Annie had accidently created something that made the gods come to investigate. They weren¡¯t supposed to visit anymore, and yet, there Neb was. On the surface, the keychains weren¡¯t a big deal. They would become another item the park sold, or if Annie wanted, a product she sold herself. If they brought in the big bucks, fine. If not, again, no harm done. But Luka couldn¡¯t help but think about Annie¡¯s magic and what might happen in the future. Her magic did odd things; what if something happened to her because of it? He couldn¡¯t lose her. Not again. Annie playfully bumped into him, snapping his focus back to the present. ¡°Earth to Dad?¡± He blinked, forcing his thumb off the ring. ¡°¡¯Earth¡¯ to Dad, eh?¡± She smiled. ¡°Funny how language works sometimes.¡± She jingled the grove keychain. ¡°Do you think the dryad lady is going to be upset that I destroyed a tree?¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Luka considered that. He had only met two dryads before: Mrs. Leafsong and little Nicole, an orphan. Other than Nicole¡¯s possessiveness over her now boyfriend, Ren, Luka didn¡¯t know much about the temperament of the tree-people. In fact, his interactions with Mrs. Leafsong were more transactional conversations. He bought her paint, and she painted art for the park. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°You better apologize to the grove, though.¡± Annie raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you serious? They¡¯re trees.¡± ¡°Magical trees that I¡¯ve been told understand what happens to them.¡± She groaned. ¡°I need a drink¡ª¡± She missed a step. ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡± Luka sighed. ¡°You know, I just had a conversation about this with your husband. I don¡¯t mind if you drink, talk about, or shower in alcohol around me. I¡¯m not that man anymore and I don¡¯t feel the urge.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you about Kieran and his problems with drinking, right?¡± Annie¡¯s eldest son, Kieran. He was alive on Earth when the gods last checked for them, his family loving and supportive of him. But that wasn¡¯t always the case. After college the young adult fell into a depression. Eventually, with the help of the people who loved him, he got the professional help he needed and quit drinking. Annie knew better than most that once someone was an addict, they were always an addict. She had helped Kerian through his first and second relapse. Luckily there wasn¡¯t a third, but there could be. There always could be. ¡°You have.¡± Luka shifted uncomfortably on his feet and rolled his ring around his finger. Annie¡¯s kids, his grandkids, were a tough topic. He had never met them, and she longingly missed them. Would they reincarnate them once they died? Yes, of course. But until then, they were to live happily on Earth. ¡°Then you know where my worry¡¯s coming from, right?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t get annoyed when I try to censor myself for you.¡± He surrendered the point with a quick side hug. ¡°Thank you.¡± Then, before they ended their hug, they watched as the trees of the forest perked up. All of them all at once, shifted like sunflowers following the sunrise. A warm wind blew through their leaves, ruffling their branches like thousands of little handshakes. Then, when the wind passed, the trees preened, almost giddy. Luka, Annie, the orc siblings, and Vale all froze. Annie cursed. ¡°I¡¯m so dead. The trees do understand!¡± ¡°Oh, my shadows!¡± Vale yelled, a dozen paces to the side. ¡°Did y¡¯all feel that? A world tree¡¯s domain just brushed past us!¡± Eve and Franky were the only two who reacted to her words. The former asked, ¡°¡¯A¡¯ world tree? Don¡¯t you mean the World Tree?¡± Vale waved her off. ¡°I forgot this world is so small. Yes, the World Tree, then.¡± Franky stared at the tree closest to him before touching its rough bark. ¡°Huh. Hello Mister Tree, can you confirm what our friend is saying? She lies a lot and is generally untrustworthy.¡± The former god-thing recoiled. ¡°I¡¯m what!? I¡¯m very trustworthy! I greet every guest who enters the park!¡± ¡°You also reincarnated me just to mess with my father,¡± Annie muttered. She liked Vale, okay, all things considered. When their minds were connected, she understood the creature¡¯s pain and suffering. She was truly like Luka, and if Annie could give him a second chance, then she could give the creature who brought them together one as well. Vale crossed her arms. ¡°I thought we decided we would never talk about that.¡± ¡°Did we?¡± ¡°Yes¡ªyou were drunk and singing, remember? It was right after you and Elf-Boy danced among that traveling bard group. You¡ª¡± Annie stomped over and thrust her finger at Vale¡¯s face. ¡°You don¡¯t get to call Vlad ¡®Elf-Boy!¡¯¡± she snapped. ¡°Only I do!¡± Franky scoffed. ¡°And half the village.¡± She whirled at him. ¡°Don¡¯t make me take your prism puff box again! I¡¯ll do it!¡± He went still. ¡°That was you? Eve told me a guest stole it!¡± He turned to his sister, his palms up and demanding an explanation. Eve sighed, patted him on the shoulder, and said, ¡°No. I told you someone from the park stole it.¡± ¡°It was Annie!¡± ¡°She¡¯s from the park, isn¡¯t she!?¡± Franky raised his nose and turned to Luka. ¡°Your daughter owes me six joints!¡± ¡°There were only three,¡± she muttered. Franky gesturally accusatory at her. ¡°See?¡± Luka massaged the bridge of his nose. ¡°I need a cup of jrum if we¡¯re going to argue about this. Annie, please don¡¯t steal. And Franky, stop being such a baby.¡± He gave his friend a flat look then grumbled, ¡°Next she¡¯ll steal the shirt off my back.¡± That reminded Luka of something. ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯ve got our park uniforms covered. No need to look for a quality seamstress.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Eve asked. ¡°Did a guest sell you their services?¡± He shook his head. ¡°A god¡¯s sending an envoy to the city. I brokered a deal where they¡¯d make our uniforms, costumes, and stuff like that if we open a barber shop somewhere in the park.¡± ¡°What, why?¡± ¡°The god, Hyriln or something, wants to gain favor with the masses and thinks the park is a good place to do so.¡± ¡°Do you mean Hyrin, God of Haircuts and Styling?¡± ¡°Yeah, him. He visited me last night and¡ª" ¡°You didn¡¯t think to tell us?¡± Now it was Eve¡¯s turn to massage the bridge of her nose. ¡°For someone as reliable as you, you really know how to miss the catch.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°Now wait just a minute¡ª¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even get the god¡¯s name right!¡± His jaw swung silently for a moment. ¡°Okay, you do have a point there. But in my defense, I¡¯d never heard of the guy before last night.¡± Eve snapped her fingers and pointed at him. ¡°Not ¡®guy,¡¯ but god! Jeez Luka, stop blaspheming!¡± He shrugged. ¡°Every god I¡¯ve talked to doesn''t mind how I talk to them.¡± She clinched her hands like she wanted to strangle him. Annie chose now to interrupt. ¡°Hey, um, did we forget the World Tree¡¯s domain or whatever just high-fived all these trees because I killed one of them? Is that a big deal?¡± Slowly, as a collective, Luka, Eve, Franky, and Vale looked between Annie, her outstretched palm and the grove keychain on it, and around at the forest. ¡°Oh,¡± Luka said. ¡°Riiiight¡­ that. Yeah, that¡¯s not good, huh?¡± Eve wanted to strangle him more. Franky tried to talk to another tree, getting nowhere. And Vale, well, she pursed her lips and said, ¡°You lot know nothing, do you? A world tree¡ªespecially the World Tree¡ªdoesn¡¯t care about a single random emberwood. You¡¯re fine,¡± she directed at Annie. ¡°No one¡¯s going to care about the tree, even the dryads.¡± ¡°How can you be sure?¡± ¡°Because every tree is competing with every other tree for resources. One dead tree just means more growing for the others. The only time trees, and in turn, the dryads care about dead trees is when hundreds of them die in quick succession.¡± That was about what Luka was expecting. Still, though, he had to ask, ¡°But what about the World Tree¡¯s domain or whatever?¡± Vale sighed harshly. ¡°You lot are buying me a mug each for telling you something everyone already knows.¡± No one argued. ¡°The World Tree¡¯s domain spreads from the World Tree whenever the Elven Consort leaves the safety of its canopy. In other words, the World Tree made sure that World Walker Park is safe enough for its vessel to visit.¡± Luka set his jaw, suddenly remembering God Neb had warned him about this. ¡°Oh. Is that all?¡± he asked, receiving glares from both Annie and Eve. Franky tapped his chin with his thumb. ¡°Are you sure everyone knows that? Because I¡¯ve never heard that before.¡± Vale said, ¡°¡¯Everyone¡¯ meant the gods and all the important people in the world, duh.¡± ¡°Right-o. All in favor of not buying her a mug for her usage of ¡®everyone?¡¯¡± He raised his hand and got three more from the others. He turned back to her and stuck out his tongue. Chapter 66: When it Rains ¡°Hey Franky, what¡¯s up with Sebby? Leo¡¯s sad his friend¡¯s not playing with him lately.¡± Luka asked as they walked through the forest. Franky, for his part, tried not to groan. ¡°Sebby¡¯s looking for a mate and is being a butthole about it.¡± The answer was what Luka was expecting, but not the second part. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He goes out at odd times during the day, he disappears at night, he won¡¯t talk to me like he used to, and he snaps at me! Me!?¡± Annie scoffed. ¡°Sounds like my kids when they were teenagers.¡± Franky paused. ¡°Really?¡± She went on to explain coming of age from the perspective of a parent¡ªessentially what Franky was to Sebby. Luckily for Luka, Eve, and Vale, the conversation ceased when they reached their destination. Judge Ben was waiting for them when they returned to the inside of the park. Ben, like most of the adults of Emberwood Village, was an old soul. He loved gardening and always had a wise word, even for an orc. He stood a foot taller than Luka, and flabby, bulked muscles hid below his green skin. He wore tiny glasses and always carried a pocket watch. He was, in Luka¡¯s opinion, one of the nicest individuals in the village. He had to be¡ªif not for himself, but to counter his wife¡¯s blunt personality. ¡°Ah, there you are,¡± Ben said, pushing off from a driftwood bench. They were back in Stormcorsair Harbor, all the way in the rear near the Whirlpool Tavern. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± ¡°Good,¡± Luka replied, nodding toward his daughter. ¡°Check that out.¡± Annie held up the grove keychain, giving it a gentle shake. The trees inside swayed with the motion, the jerky force lessened as it passed through each spatial fold. ¡°What¡­ is it?¡± Ben asked. Outwardly, the keychain was a blob of space about two fingers in length. It bent the air around it, giving it a defined dark edge. Inside were trees, bushes, and dirt, each living their life to the fullest. Except the shattered one. That one was dead. ¡°A grove of trees,¡± Annie said, purposefully attempting to sound casual. ¡°My magic¡¯s cool like that.¡± Luka gave her a patronizing look. ¡°Our tests went well. Annie¡¯s more than capable of doing the heavy lifting for the park¡¯s future expansion.¡± ¡°Foundationally,¡± she quickly added. ¡°You¡¯ll be the one actually expanding the park.¡± ¡°Right. Now all we must do is finalize what the areas will look like, what we want inside them, and countless other things.¡± Ben chuckled. ¡°Talk to my wife. She was going over your latest proposal.¡± Luka found himself sucking in a nervous breath. Tram always loved and supported his ideas¡­ but some ideas she loved better. The issue was gauging which ideas were the most loved ones. And who better to bridge the gap of Tram¡¯s idiosyncrasies than her husband. ¡°What¡¯d she say?¡± he asked. Ben hesitated for a moment¡ªnot a good sign¡ªbefore reaching out and patting him on the shoulder¡ªalso not a good sign. Then he said, ¡°She was almost giddy. I think you¡¯ve found a winner.¡± It took Luka a moment to catch up. ¡°Really?¡± he asked, more than suspiciously. ¡°Well¡ªno. But I liked the last proposal and Tram deferred to me. I was the giddy one, and since she was acting through me, she was the giddy one. Does that make sense?¡± Franky, who was a few steps away arguing with Vale about who owed who a mug of beer, overheard Ben¡¯s statement. And, unable to not say something about the situation, said, ¡°The only time I¡¯ve seen Tram giddy was when she blackmailed Arlo into giving up his boss and subsequently finding out it was Barns.¡± Everyone but Annie and Vale turned contemplative. Arlo was a grunt in the Crew, a now defunct street gang out of the local major city of Sneerhome. Ran by a former Emberwood villager, Batty ¡°Double B¡± Barns attempted to steal secrets from the park¡¯s after-hours meeting only to be discovered, hunted down, and hired by Mayor Tram. The Crew soon became the park¡¯s security. ¡°Right¡­¡± Luka said slowly, ¡°well, I¡¯ll talk to her. In the meantime, do you know what it means for the Elven Consort to be heading toward the park? Vale won¡¯t tell us unless we buy her beer, and I don¡¯t want to fuel a habit of her only helping us when we buy her things.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Hey!¡± Vale snapped. Everyone ignored her in favor of Ben¡¯s face. As Luka talked, the elderly orc¡¯s jaw opened wider and wider, mimicking his eyes. ¡°Elven Consort, you say?¡± The question came out quick and dry-mouthed. ¡°W-w-why would she be coming here?¡± Luka frowned at the man. ¡°Is this a big deal? Franky and Eve didn¡¯t know much about her.¡± From the side, Eve leaned in and said, ¡°Uh, not true. You just didn¡¯t ask.¡± He blinked lamely at her. ¡°Then I ask you the same question.¡± Eve crossed her arms, an answer not coming to her. ¡°Fine. You¡¯re right.¡± She looked at the judge. ¡°Ben?¡± Ben removed a folded handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his forehead. ¡°Um. Well. Uh. We, we need to, uh, prepare the park. Clean it, um. And be ready for her arrival.¡± Vale huffed and said, ¡°She¡¯s already here.¡± Then she turned to Luka. ¡°See? No habit forming! I gave that information free of charge!¡± ¡°The Elven Consort is already here?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Did I misspeak?¡± ¡°Guess not¡­¡± Ben coughed. ¡°I-I¡¯m going to go find Tram. She¡¯ll know what to do.¡± Annie stopped him. ¡°Should we figure out where the consort is first?¡± Luka shook his head. ¡°Wait. Before we do anything, what significance does the elven consort hold? Is she like a queen or something?¡± That, Eve could answer. ¡°The Elven Consort is the oldest mortal humanoid alive, though she¡¯s been alive longer than some immortals. She ¡®consorts¡¯ with the World Tree, meaning she¡¯s the medium between the world and us people. And¡ª¡± Luka held up his hand. ¡°I think you misspoke. You said ¡®the World Tree¡¯ and then just the word ¡®world.¡¯¡± ¡°Right. I said it correctly.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Then the World Tree is the world itself?¡± Eve gave a weak shrug. ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± Vale sighed loudly. ¡°I really should be charging for information, but I won¡¯t. A world tree is a planet¡¯s magical life force given physical form. So, in essence, yes. The World Tree is this world.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ and what does the consort do?¡± ¡°Looks for places to grow another tree.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± A beat passed. ¡°Is she looking at World Walker Park as a potential location?¡± Vale lamely raised her arm¡ªanswer enough. ¡°Great!¡± Annie said through gritted teeth. ¡°We¡¯ve got a tree-queen coming by the park to check us out and I just exploded a tree!¡± Luka patted her back softly. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. I¡¯m sure¡ª¡± a voice in the distance cut him off. ¡°Luka!¡± Everyone turned, finding little Ren and Nicole running over hand in hand. Ren was a future orcish chef, a kid who annoyed guests and World Walkers alike until they handed over family recipes for the restaurant he¡¯d eventually open. Nicole was a dryad who loved to draw and play with dolls. She was also, somehow, the only one who could stomach Ren every waking hour of the day. ¡°Hey!¡± Luka snapped, whisper yelling at the pair. ¡°What did we tell you two about yelling in the park?¡± Ren vigorously shook his head. ¡°No time to read me the riot act, Luka! The queen is coming!¡± Nicole lightly bopped him on the head. ¡°Not the queen, a princess! A real-life princess is coming to the park!¡± ¡°You mean the elven consort?¡± he asked. The little dryad pursed her mossy lips. ¡°No. The crier said, ¡®Princess of the Kingdom of Embers!¡¯ I¡¯m sure!¡± Annie asked, ¡°Crier?¡± ¡°Someone who brings news,¡± Vale helpfully said before adding, ¡°I think that answer deserves a mug as well.¡± Rounding the corner of the harbor, a lanky orc rushed toward the group. Wearing the park¡¯s security uniform¡ªa simple leather set of armor that read ¡°SECURITY¡± on the back¡ªBatty ¡°Double B¡± Barns was impossible to miss. The crowds moved out of his way, an enchanted electrifying baton on his hip for when the troublemakers got aggressive. ¡°Luka!¡± Barns huffed when he got to the group. ¡°We have trouble! A message just came¡ª¡± ¡°About the princess and/or the elven consort?¡± Luka asked, interrupting. The security leader shook his head. ¡°No¡ªmy former boss is coming! We¡¯ve got to prepare!¡± Annie scratched her head. ¡°Um, what?¡± Barns unfurled a tiny scroll from his pocket. ¡°One of my contacts in the City of Embers sent this by carrier bird. My crew belonged to a larger set of gangs, which was owned by a singular boss. That man is headed to the park to see why me and my guys stopped working for him.¡± Luka massaged his temples. ¡°Okay, so¡ªwe¡¯ve got three VIPs on the way¡ªwell two, because the consort is already here somewhere¡ªand we¡¯ve done no preparation at all for them? Great. Okay. Here¡¯s what we need to do. Ben, find Tram. Ren and Nicole, you two go around the park and tell every villager and park employee about the VIPs. Eve, Franky, you two find your aunt¡ªI¡¯m going to need help.¡± There were only two people left, Vale and Annie. Vale smiled brightly waiting for orders, her hands clasped behind her back, swaying slightly. And as much as Luka wished to send her back to the gate, ready to greet people, he couldn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t want her to greet the VIPs when they arrived, but because she was oddly good at certain things¡ªlike finding people. Or stealing. Or lying. Or generally not being a moral person. Still, she was incredibly loyal to him and the park. ¡°Vale. Find the consort and then come get me.¡± She gave him a mock salute and rushed off. Despite the gods sealing her magic, the shadows seemed to invite her in. She disappeared into the crowd. ¡°What about me, Dad?¡± Annie asked. Luka had to think. She could do a lot of things. In a way, she was his right hand. Unfortunately, right now, he needed her for something else. ¡°You up for some more magic?¡± he asked. Her smile was almost predatory. ¡°Always.¡± ¡°Good. I need you to clear an area for me. We¡¯ve got to build a five-star hotel before nightfall.¡± Chapter 67: Jear Blueprint A¡­? Or B? Or maybe blueprint K¡­ Luka spread a dozen or so papers around the forest floor. Emberwood Forest was eternally early-fall, the time of year when the leaves started to change but have yet to fall. There was something about the magic in the air, the power of the forest in other words. The orange leaves of the emberwoods still fell, but more like a lizard gaining a new skin rather than how a normal tree purges itself and goes dormant for winter. The weather was always perfect for amusement park fun, a fact not lost on Luka. Also not lost on him was that perfect weather meant no lull in tourism. This world lacked seasonal holidays¡ªfor the most part¡ªand vacations were taken whenever a family could reasonably take them. This meant the hotel needed to be a good one. It would have no down time for refurbishments, it would always be full¡ªif the park¡¯s projections were to be believed. It would also cater, until a cheaper or more expensive option were available, to all guests. VIP or not. The princess? The consort? A mob boss that could potentially bring a gang of thugs with him? Everyone would be under the same roof. So, in essence, the hotel had to be amazing. Luka scratched his head and restarted¡ªthe blueprints he had been working on for months suddenly looking like a child¡¯s drawing. Nicole could design a better hotel than me, he thought, crumbling his worst offender. Maybe C? Or¡­ Luka sighed, tightened his requirements, and reset again. The park needed something now. It needed a big ol¡¯ building with dozens¡ªhundreds, even¡ªof rooms. It needed plumbing glyphs, it needed elevators, it needed amenities like swimming pools, bars, and even a restaurant or two. It needed a butt load of staff to run it. It needed time to be properly operated. He needed time. A lot more time, time he didn¡¯t have. Luka gnawed his lip, knowing this was his fault. Every day a shipment of raw materials was purchased and brought to the park from Sneerhome. And for the last two months, those materials had been sitting collecting dust. He hadn¡¯t made anything big in a while now, a fact not lost on him. He took a deep breath and checked on Annie. She was off to the side, measuring a football pitch¡¯s length¡­ or thereabouts. Honestly, Luka hesitated to remove this much of the forest and relocate it elsewhere. But it had to be done, even if the dryads didn¡¯t like it. He gritted his teeth. He hated making others mad. He hated it when people thought he was the bad guy¡ªbecause he once was. ¡°Could really use some advice,¡± he whispered to the open air, hoping one of the many gods he knew were listening would appear before him. None came, as he expected. They¡¯d only appear when they had to, not when he wanted them too. Not anymore. ¡°Advice for what?¡± a voice asked curtly. Luka spun, attempting, and failing, to find the source. Annie was out of talking-volume earshot and the only thing around him was the forest and its countless trees. He played the voice back in his mind a few times, hoping to identify it. Maybe it was a god he knew, maybe it was one of the kids playing a prank on him. But no¡ªhe didn¡¯t recognize it. In fact, he didn¡¯t recognize the accent either. ¡°Little human are you okay?¡± the voice asked again. ¡°What do you need help with?¡± The accent was almost posh, Luka noted. It was feminine, yes, but old and rich like a grandfather clock¡ªor in this case, a grandmother clock. ¡°Uh, who am I talking to?¡± He homed in on the voice. A tsk echoed from a tree. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®whom am I talking to?¡¯ Basic grammar is very important, don¡¯t you think, World Walker?¡± Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand Luka was over the mystery. He glared at the source of the voice, a tree a few paces away. He stalked right over to it and planted his hands on his hips, staring. ¡°You¡¯re either a dryad, god, or the world tree consort.¡± ¡°The last one.¡± A pause. ¡°But I do think it is interesting you assume ¡®god¡¯ before me.¡± Luka kept himself from rolling his eyes. If every VIP was going to be like this, he¡¯d need to hire someone to act as a go-between¡ªa liaison of sorts. ¡°I didn¡¯t figure the consort would be a tree,¡± he said plainly. ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m just watching you from the tree. I¡¯m currently in line for the WHEEL. Terrible name, by the way. Not original at all.¡± He crossed his arms and frowned. ¡°And what would you¡¯ve named it?¡± She took a second to answer. ¡°Billy¡ªyeah that¡¯s a name befitting this ride. Billy. Oh, and it¡¯s not proper to start a sentence with ¡®and¡¯ young man. You should attempt to be civilized, World Walker.¡± Luka pressed his lips into a firm line. ¡°Uh huh. And,¡± he emphasized the word, ¡°why do you think ¡®Billy¡¯ is a good name? That¡¯s a person-name.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. You asked what I would name the ride, and I answered. I never said it would be a good name.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. He pushed away his initial thoughts of strangling the tree. ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± ¡°Hmm. I do not recognize that word¡ªand I¡¯ve been studying languages for a long, long time. What does it mean?¡± ¡°That you made a good point or something. I think it¡¯s French or something.¡± Luka could practically hear her purse her lips. ¡°Ending a sentence with ¡®or something¡¯ is not¡­ incorrect. But it is improper. And you should¡ª¡± He interrupted with a single word. ¡°And.¡± The voice paused. Then, quietly, said, ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± Luka sighed as loud and hard as he could manage. His stress melted from the gesture, and he could feel consort warm up to him a little¡ªor maybe that was just the tree. Well, magic tree. ¡°I¡¯m World Walker Luka, may I have your name, Mrs. Tree?¡± A snort echoed through the bark and moss. ¡°Jear, Elven Consort and the first of her name.¡± He heard the emphasis on ¡°the¡± and realized she was probably right. She was likely the oldest mortal being in the world, so of course she¡¯d be the first person named ¡°Jear.¡± Then he thought about it some more. A parent could literally name their child something unique and that child would be first of the name. Was Jear a popular name? Luka, of course, did not voice any of these thoughts. ¡°What advice do you need, World Walker?¡± ¡°Please, just Luka¡ª¡± ¡°Then call me Jear.¡± He smiled. Now they were getting somewhere! ¡°I¡¯m hesitant to rip apart the forest to add a hotel. But the park needs one.¡± ¡°Did you ask the trees what they think about getting ¡®ripped apart?¡¯¡± Luka suspiciously eyed a different tree. ¡°Would you like to be moved to a different location? Otherwise¡ª¡± ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll chop it down and kill it regardless of its thoughts because you need to build a hotel?¡± ¡°Yeah, pretty much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say ¡®yeah,¡¯ it is unbecoming.¡± Jear sighed through the tree. ¡°Look¡ªI know this is strange coming from someone of my standing but just chop down or move the trees you need to. They¡¯re trees, not people.¡± ¡°But Mrs. Leafsong said the trees told her they were fine with moving.¡± ¡°Is Mrs. Leafsong a dryad?¡± ¡°¡­yes?¡± ¡°Dryads are a pain to deal with. Ignore her.¡± That didn¡¯t sit well with Luka. ¡°Yeah, not going to happen.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t move or kill the trees.¡± He fumbled from the response. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He blinked at the tree. Was that it? He expected an argument. She took a moment to speak again. ¡°Just move the trees, alright? Do you need me to come do it for you?¡± The forest swayed. ¡°No¡ª¡± Jear snapped like she was yelling at a dog. ¡°No! Don¡¯t! Bad!¡± ¡°What!?¡± Luka asked, hesitantly looking around. ¡°The trees are threatening to shed their leaves in protest.¡± ¡°A-all of them?¡± ¡°Except for a few screwballs, yes.¡± He massaged the bridge of his nose. ¡°Why is this happening to me?¡± ¡°Why indeed.¡± Jear hummed slightly. ¡°Fine. I will broker a deal. It will be a shame if the park can not expand because the trees revolt.¡± Then, quietly, she said, ¡°This is why I hate leaving home. Trees are so rude.¡± Again, Luka made a note to hire a go-between for him and the VIPs. He was not going to interact with these people unless he had to. ¡°Dad? Are you okay?¡± He turned, finding Annie walking over. She held a piece of paper filled with scribbled math¡ªacreage estimates. On her belt was the grove keychain. It flopped as she walked, the trees within uncaring as space moved around them. ¡°Fine.¡± He beckoned her over and pointed at the tree. ¡°Meet Elven Consort Jear.¡± ¡°A¡­ tree?¡± Jear scoffed and the very distinct sound of swaying mechanical bungalows echoed through her magic. It seemed she had gotten on the WHEEL finally. ¡°It is improper to refer to someone and not use their full title.¡± Luka set his jaw and said, ¡°Meet Elven Consort Jear, first of the name¡­¡± then he muttered so only Annie could hear, ¡°and fancy-pants.¡± ¡°I heard that!¡± Jear snapped. ¡°Heard what?¡± he asked as if he expected the question. ¡°I have no clue what you¡¯re talking about. I was just speaking to Annie, my daughter, privately. Please, take no offence.¡± ¡°Oh, you sniveling twit! This is why I hate kids! They always think they can do or say whatever they want! And another thing¡ª¡± ¡°And,¡± Luka said, holding back a smirk. Jear went silent just before a wash of magic rushed through the forest. Luka recognized it instantly¡ªthe World Tree was watching. ¡°Please? Please don¡¯t do this to me¡­¡± Jear muttered aimlessly through the tree. ¡°I won¡¯t complain for a century if you allow me to come home right now.¡± Luka and Annie shared a look. She was obviously not talking to them. ¡°I know I have the acorn, why do you think¡ª¡± the consort stopped herself in a huff. ¡°You cannot be serious!? What about this is funny to you? They are snotty children who¡ªugh!¡± Luka sniffed his nose. Am I snotty? Jear¡¯s breathing passed through the tree as she fumed. ¡°Do you have alcohol here?¡± ¡°Uh¡ªyes,¡± he replied, thinking the question wasn¡¯t for him at first. ¡°All kinds. And we also will have root beer soon.¡± The elf made a disgusted sound. ¡°¡¯Root beer is a terrible flavor. Why would you ever sell that in your park?¡± The father-daughter duo shared a look. ¡°Not literal ¡®root¡¯ beer,¡± the latter said. ¡°It¡¯s a sweet, fizzy drink from our world.¡± They could feel Jear perk up a little through the tree. ¡°Truly? I would like to try some.¡± ¡°We can arrange that,¡± Luka said with a shrug to his daughter. ¡°But first we¡¯ve got to build you a place to stay for the night. What do we need to do about the trees?¡± There was some shuffling from the other side of the conversation. Then, the bark on the tree split open and an elf woman stepped through before closing the splayed bark like a door. Jear gave the World Walkers a strange look before huffing. ¡°Do not worry about the trees. They¡¯ll move themselves if they know what is best for them.¡± She fished through her pocket and pulled out an acorn. ¡°Because he wants to grow here.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Luka asked. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°My husband. Tannin, first of the name, annoying bastard, and¡­ Chapter 68: Baby ¡°Tannin¡­?¡± Annie asked slowly. ¡°Like the brown stuff in leaves and sticks?¡± Luka squinted. Sure, he had heard the word ¡°tannin¡± before, but was that really what it was? ¡°Brown stuff?¡± He spared a glance at the elf, finding the woman to almost be a normal looking elf. Where elves normally had thin ears the length of a flattened palm, Jear¡¯s fluted back like wheat swaying in the wind. They sat firm on the sides of her head, not so much as flopping around as she moved. The elven consort eyed Annie. ¡°You know my husband¡¯s name?¡± ¡°I know how the World Walker translation magic says it in my head,¡± she replied, scrunching her face and inspecting the elf. ¡°How are your ears so long? My husband¡¯s ears aren¡¯t as long, and he literally got to choose the length.¡± Jear snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll choose to ignore your question on the basis of rudeness and reiterate my question: you know my husband¡¯s name?¡± Annie had her arms crossed but chose to wave the woman off regardless. ¡°Tannins are what leaches into water and turns ponds and streams brown.¡± Her father gave her a strange look. ¡°What? Mom bought me an aquarium when I was fourteen. Every time I did a water change; I had to throw in some new leaf litter so the water would turn back to brown. It was neat.¡± She then turned back to Jear. ¡°And I would very much like an answer to my question. If that dull brewer goddess shorted my Vladdy on super long ears then¡ª¡± The consort held up a hand. ¡°Your irritation is misplaced by your own ignorance. I am not an elf, but a high elf. There is a difference.¡± Annie blinked twice. ¡°Is the only difference that your kind has longer ears?¡± Jear recoiled, opened her mouth to say something poshly snarky, but snapped it closed. After a moment of contemplation, she said, ¡°We high elf are also taller than the average elf.¡± ¡°Could have fooled me,¡± Annie mumbled. Luka forced himself not to chuckle. Jear was indeed short, very short, in fact. For the unusually tall, slender, and lanky elf, Jear hardly rose up to their shoulders. And yet, what she was missing in height, she made up in pure swagger¡ªwell, as much as a woman who rarely left her tree could. She stood poised, her ears twitching from irritation and amusement. Framed in a bask of light and forest wind, she tapped her foot impatiently, showing off boots made of dazzling enchanted leather. Trailing up were embroidered leggings made of spider silk and woven life, and a sun dress made of dyed fabric. She glowed a gentle green, but at any moment that ¡°gentleness¡± could ignite into unbounded terror. She held power and age unlike any other alive, and Luka and Annie knew it. They had met enough people like her to recognize the signs. With golden hair bound tightly in a ponytail, carved sticks and flowers meandered between her scalp and the open air, shifting as she did. They were accessories, a living breed no doubt enchanted by the best artisans this world had ever seen. They were historic, they were beautiful, and they left a lingering hint of divinity. Artifacts¡ªplural¡ªLuka recognized while idly rolling his own artifact ring along his finger. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± he said placidly. ¡°Before we say something we all regret, let¡¯s take a step back.¡± Luka placed his hand on his chest. ¡°I¡¯m Luka, this is Annie. Nice to meet you.¡± The high elf looked as if she was chewing on a marble. Eventually she said, ¡°Hi. I am Jear.¡± With everyone¡¯s second introductions out of the way, it was time for business. ¡°What¡¯s up with your husband? I¡¯m not sure I understood.¡± Jear held up a normal looking acorn. ¡°Every so often Tannin looks to expand his influence and grow a sapling, so he¡¯ll send me away whenever he thinks I need a vacation to ¡®get a lay of the land¡¯ for him.¡± She snorted. ¡°Honestly, he uses it as an excuse to get some alone time.¡± Annie stared flatly. ¡°He¡¯s a tree.¡± ¡°The tree.¡± ¡°You married a tree?¡± ¡°Annie,¡± Luka coughed, putting his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s not be so judgmental, yeah? You¡¯re married to a man who was once a human and is now an elf, so.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Jear smirked a little and said, ¡°Some might call you racist for that, by the way.¡± Annie considered that, her eyes going a little wide. ¡°Oh my god.¡± Luka gave the high elf a frown. ¡°Let¡¯s hold off on the mocking until we know each other a bit better, okay? For both of you.¡± The two ladies gave limp shrugs. ¡°You two are going to become best friends,¡± he muttered, ¡°I can sense it.¡± Annie and Jear regarded each other for a second before each turned their noses up at one another. ¡°Not someone with her fashion sense.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ¡®befriend¡¯ the classless.¡± They spoke at the same time. They both recoiled from each other¡¯s words before speaking over one another again. ¡°I¡¯m as classy as they come!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lived through more eras of fashion than you have hairs on your head!¡± Luka clapped his hands hard like he was breaking two yorkies from a barking loop. ¡°Okay! Stop it! You two can take each other shopping later or whatever! Right now, we need to talk about Tannin growing a sapling here.¡± Jear glared at Annie before turning to Luka. ¡°There is nothing to discuss. The World Tree gets whatever he wants. He wants his spawn to grow here, so it will.¡± The forest shuffled as if a wind rolled through. She then amended her statement by saying, ¡°He says to tell you ¡®it will be a good thing for the park, trust me.¡¯¡± Annie leaned over to her father and whispered, ¡°Yeah, Dad, trust the godly tree. He surely isn¡¯t a delusion of this¡ª¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± he snapped, his tone sharp. Annie responded by giving Jear a long, mocking smile, just daring her to respond. The high elf, to her credit, did not take the bait. She, instead, looked at the ground and muttered, ¡°Please don¡¯t grow here. These people are deforesters!¡± Another short breeze heralded through the forest. ¡°But just look¡ª¡± Another breeze. ¡°How¡ª¡± Another. ¡°Fine!¡± Jear yelled, her eyes glowing green with mystic magic. ¡°I just think I should get a choice in where my child grows!¡± Anne and Luka shared a glance. The sapling was Jear¡¯s child with a god-tree-thing? A soothing wind brushed through the canopy, one that seemed to cup Jear¡¯s cheek and kiss her on the forehead. Her frustrations melted away and her hardened face turned to acceptance. She looked pitifully at the ground, nodding at whatever Tannin had said. Luka cleared his throat. ¡°I, uh, too think Jear should get a say in where your child grows.¡± The high elf slowly looked up. ¡°And if she doesn¡¯t want, uh, it to grow here, then I think you two need to have a long conversation.¡± Annie adopted a guilty face. ¡°I agree. Kinda messed up Tannin.¡± She felt ridiculous speaking at the open air, but as a mother herself, she understood the situation well enough. Jear looked between the father and daughter duo before her lips sprouted like a blooming daisy. ¡°Thank you,¡± she mumbled. ¡°But I think we just fell victim to Tannin¡¯s trap.¡± ¡°What?¡± Luka asked. ¡°He¡¯s old and watches over all life on this world. He knows how to manipulate us mortals.¡± Jear patted the ground softly, lovingly, even. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t actually force me to plant our child here if I didn¡¯t want to. But he said I had to so you two would agree with me, thus uniting us.¡± ¡°Breaking the ice,¡± Annie said, nodding sagely. She may have stomped the ground a little. ¡°Smart, but rude.¡± A calming breeze rolled in, one that was apologetic but happy. ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah,¡± Jear replied. ¡°You¡¯re still in the doghouse.¡± A tinge of magic pulsed from her feet and into the loose soil. A hole about the width of a mug of ale ripped deep into the earth. ¡°But a loving doghouse,¡± she said, holding the acorn out. She let go, and it fell into the hole. Annie and Luka blinked, realization slowly coming over them. ¡°Um, so, uh,¡± he cleared his throat. ¡°What exactly is going to happen now?¡± ¡°When the acorn reaches the bottom in a few minutes, it will grow,¡± Jear said with a hint of annoyance. She swallowed down the emotion before adding, ¡°And the park will have a fledgling world tree.¡± Annie peered at the hole. ¡°Just how deep is that hole? ¡°To the center.¡± ¡°Oh. Right.¡± She went pale. Luka looked around expecting to find a god or goddess ready to intervene, but none showed up. He didn¡¯t know whether to feel relieved at that or not. On the one hand, if they did show up, they¡¯d stop whatever this was from happening. On the other, if they didn¡¯t show up, this likely was okay for the park. ¡°What about a hotel?¡± Luka asked. ¡°We still need to build one for you and the other arriving VIPs.¡± Jear shook her head. ¡°Our child will handle the hotel. Tannin and I will direct him or her to a suitable interior design and you two will assist with the finer details.¡± ¡°Just how big of a base will your child have?¡± The consort shrugged. ¡°You will have to build the park around him or her.¡± Annie ignored the outlandish statement and whispered to her father. ¡°Do trees have genders?¡± Luka looked down at her softly. ¡°It¡¯s a world tree. I think it can be whatever it wants to be.¡± She considered this for a moment before impishly looking at Jear. ¡°Should I put together a baby shower?¡± The high elf scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re late. I had one seventeen centuries ago for our child.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Annie wiggled her toes out of the dirt her magic sunk her into. ¡°What about a birthday party?¡± Jear went to respond but then thought about the question. ¡°Huh. I guess you should¡ª¡± She stopped cold, glanced at the hole, and said, ¡°Baby¡¯s finally here! Come to Mama!¡± The ground split in two. And a second world tree was born. Chapter 69: World Tree Eve and Franky rushed through the park with their aunt in tow¡ªLuka said he needed magical help, and the kooky mystic was the best spell caster for a hundred miles. Sol was an interesting, peculiar woman, one who the siblings had a tentative relationship with at best. But¡ªas fate would have it, the family met a reincarnated man who has helped them rekindle their lost bond. As Emberwood Village¡¯s only mystic¡ªand potentially the reason for Emberwood Mine¡¯s collapse¡ªSol rarely left her cottage. But today, and many from the last few months, was different. The home was her fortress, her abode, her magical lair. It was enchanted to the ceiling with powerful wards and reality-bending protections. Did she need these protections? No. But she also pissed off more than a few Guild Mages recently, so. Eve glanced back at her aunt, her face hard. While she would be pressed to admit it, Eve was the only one that had a problem with Sol. She glanced at her brother, finding an aloof grin. She smiled back at him. Franky was too easy going to stay mad at Sol forever¡ªeven if she was responsible for their parents¡¯ deaths. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Sol asked, shouting over the noise from the park. The guests were in a frenzy, news of the VIPs out in droves. It seemed everyone planned to be here for their arrivals. Sol was old. And yet, her skin looked like green porcelain, and she was smoother than a newborn baby. She wore robes that dragged in the dirt, collecting sticks and ticks, and enough jewelry to give a queen pause. Bracelets and bone amulets bounced with her every step, her black beady eyes scaring off most¡ªthe raven on her head scaring off the rest. Set in a headdress with its wings stretched, Sol¡¯s familiar rested. From a glance, the little beast looked taxidermied. And maybe it was. No one besides Sol knew¡ªalbeit it did squawk and take flight occasionally¡­ but that could be necromancer spells¡­ or the bird could just be alive. No one dared ask. Eve gnawed the inside of her lip where her tusk met skin. It was a bad habit, she knew, but one she picked up from constantly being the responsible one out of their little family of three. ¡°To Luka,¡± she said flatly. Eve instantly kicked herself for her tone. She knew, along with her brother, that Sol¡¯s involvement in their parents¡¯ deaths was bad luck at worst. Luka and she had spent many nights talking about the events leading up to and after the mine¡¯s collapse. Sol had been involved, and ultimately blamed by many of the long-gone villagers, but Sol wasn¡¯t a killer. Accidents happened¡ªsimple as that. Eve just needed more time to forgive¡­ The trio passed a window leading into a pizza shop. Eve glanced in but only found her reflection in the glass. She missed a step, stumbling to catch herself. She paused briefly to look at herself, two words echoing in her mind. Forgive who? Herself or her aunt? She already knew the answer, no matter how tough it was to admit. Franky and Sol stopped beside her, eyeing her and the steaming pizza pies waiting a few steps yonder. ¡°Hungry?¡± Franky asked. ¡°Might as well bring a few pizzas over to Luka. I get the feeling it¡¯s going to be a long night.¡± Eve distantly nodded, lost in her own mind. Franky took that as answer enough and slipped into the shop, punching the first of the orc operating the oven in greeting. Soon enough, a dozen pizzas were getting tossed and sauced. ¡°Aunty¡­¡± Sol stood beside Eve, fiddling with a cubic glyph recursor¡ªa magical tool used to augment magical glyphs. She stopped and looked at her niece. Eve took a moment to speak, and when she did her voice wavered. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I just wanted to say¡ª¡± A burst of wind killed the words in her throat and rushed down the park street. Orange fallen leaves were swept asunder, whipped into a frenzy and sent down the lane. The bungalow bucket seats of the WHEEL swooshed side to side while continuing to cycle guests through the air. A fluted hat caught off a kid and tumbled into the dirt. Then the ground rumbled. ¡°What did Luka do!?¡± Sol snapped over the wind, her arm pressed into the stone foundation of the pizzeria. Crouching slightly, Eve yelled back, ¡°How do you know it was him!?¡± Sol just gave her a look. ¡°Okay! Okay! It was probably Luka!¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Franky then pushed through the shop¡¯s door. ¡°What did Luka do!? He can start earthquakes now!?¡± Eve gritted her teeth and refused to look at her aunt, already knowing the smug smile she was giving. Instead, she shoved her hands into her pockets and braced through the wind, heading off to find her troublemaker friend. Sol followed. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for the pizzas, don¡¯t worry!¡± Franky yelled after them. *** Judge Ben found Mayor Tram standing outside the park near the royal highway leading into and away from the city of Sneerhome. A shipment of various cheeses, milks, and creams was due to arrive at any minute. ¡°¡ªand that¡¯s why I¡¯ve come to collect you,¡± Ben said, standing next to his wife with his arm loosely wrapped around her waist. Mayor Tram bristled against his touch before glancing around. They were alone. She melted into his arm, the stress from the day fading. She chuckled softly¡ªthree VIPs coming to the park at once? She and Luka had joked about this eventual outcome, but neither of them thought it would happen so soon. The tender moment ended, and the elderly Tram gently pushed away from her husband. She adjusted her traditional orcish clothes¡ªa sleeveless baggy shirt fell to her ankles like a dress. Around her neck, bones threaded with twine bounced like wind chimes. She sniffled once, twice, then sneezed. ¡°Uhhh,¡± she groaned, adjusting the many piercings in her nose. She had several¡ªeach long like mane of a quillboar and striped like the earth¡ªand whenever she sneezed, they all shifted. ¡°Coming down with something?¡± Ben asked, rocking gently on his feet. They stood at the edge of Emberwood¡¯s property on a service road watching the wagons pass by. It was peaceful out here, away from the chaos of screaming kids and enthralled teenagers. Tram craned her hunched back, sending a cascade of loud pops down her spine. ¡°Unlikely,¡± she eventually said with a tired huff. ¡°There¡¯s just some pollen on the wind¡ª¡± It was then a certain burst of World Tree wind rushed through the forest. Ben and Tram froze and watched the emberwood trees sway. Then, quietly, Tram asked, ¡°What did he do now?¡± ¡°How do you know it was him? It could have been a number of things.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Ben hummed long and low, thinking¡ªthen stopped when the ground shook. ¡°Never mind.¡± Tram gave him a pat. ¡°It¡¯s always something with Luka, isn¡¯t it?¡± He lamely shrugged. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡± The old woman chuckled at that. ¡°I guess I wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± She froze again. Across the way, adjacent to the park and Emberwood Village, leaves breached the treetops like an erupting volcano. They were orange with streaks of yellow and wide¡ªdouble the size of the emberwood tree¡¯s leaves. ¡°What in the¡ª¡± Ben¡¯s words died in his throat. They stood and watched the leaves expand and grow. Higher and higher they went, occasional branches visible through the dense foliage. Millions of leaves appeared in moments, then two million, then three. Soon the skyline changed¡ªfrom relatively smooth treetops to a ¡°tower¡± surrounded by a forest. The tower was made of bark and wood¡ªa tree, one the width of the village and tall enough to touch the clouds. Birds swarmed high through the air, taking off in large flocks and circling the forest¡¯s newest member. They landed on the lowest branches, disappearing as they explored the wide perching areas. The tree finally slowed in its growth, its shadow blocking out the sun. The tree then shivered, and sunlight traveled through its leaves and trunk unobstructed like glass. Ben closed his agape mouth, then slowly checked on his wife. A few paces behind them, the royal highway had stopped¡ªall wagons and mounts standing motionless in the road. Everyone stared at the tree. Then Tram giggled. Then she chuckled. Then she laughed and cackled. She held her belly and bellowed, her hunched back craning back and forth like stalks of hay in the wind from the humorous throes in her gut. ¡°Um, dear?¡± Ben tentatively asked. While the sudden massive tree was interesting¡ªand absolutely awe inspiring¡ªthe fact his wife was laughing like a madwoman drew his focus. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him!¡± Tram announced, throwing her hands up before the giggles took control again. She allowed herself to laugh for a moment before forcing them away. ¡°I¡¯m really going to kill him!¡± Ben scratched the back of his head. ¡°You don¡¯t know it¡¯s Luka¡¯s fault.¡± He said it in a muted tone, one that betrayed his actual thoughts on the matter¡ªthis was one hundred percent Luka¡¯s actions. The giggles devolved into a low growl then a tired sigh. Tram shook her head and said, ¡°Well come on then, let¡¯s go see what happened and why a new world tree sprouted in our backyard.¡± Ben swallowed, his body like a statue. ¡°Did you say ¡®new¡¯ world tree?¡± ¡°Well what else could it be?¡± ¡°Just¡­ a big tree?¡± Tram patted him gently on the back, tightly smiling at his innocence. ¡°This is why I love you, you know that?¡± Chapter 70: Huh ¡°That¡¯s about what I was expecting,¡± Luka said as casually as he could. He glanced to his left, finding his daughter staring straight up, her neck craned back, and her jaw opened wide. ¡°But¡ª What are¡ª¡± Annie just couldn¡¯t get the words out. ¡°How does this happen!?¡± Dirt cascaded down the new world tree¡¯s bark, piling around its wide base. Luka, Annie, and Jear stood a few feet away from the monstrosity, each watching it grow. It breached the clouds, its orange-yellow leaves spread far over Emberwood Village and World Walker Park. The blue sky was mostly gone, only specks peaked through the twisting branches and nested canopy. ¡°How are we not in its shadow?¡± Luka asked. Jear looked at him like he was stupid. ¡°Magic.¡± ¡°Oh right.¡± The consort scoffed, scratched the back of her head, then begrudgingly stepped forward. She crossed the short distance to the tree, placing her palm flat on its bark. Her skin glowed green, magic pulsing rhythmically like speech. Then her leg pulsed green, shoving magic into the dirt. Waves rolled through the forest floor like the surface of the ocean. Around, the emberwood trees moved, riding the waves away from the world tree. In moments, an amply sized clearing surrounded the massive tree, the grass trimmed, and the weeds plucked. The forest continued to shift and adjust, but eventually the movement stopped. Luka pursed his lips at the surrealness. He knew Emberwood Forest was magical¡­ but he never knew it was. There was a difference in understanding and seeing¡ªa fact he was rather intimate with after coming to this world. ¡°Dad?¡± He turned and found Annie¡¯s eyes wide. ¡°Yes?¡± he asked. ¡°What just happened?¡± ¡°Jear planted a tree.¡± She smacked him a little too hard on the arm. ¡°You know what I mean!¡± Luka chuckled and rubbed his soon-to-be bruised skin. ¡°Would you believe I was sort of expecting this? I mean, Jear specifically told us the acorn was for a world tree. What¡¯d you think was going to happen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, a smaller tree!?¡± Annie had her arms out wide, her palms up. Her father just gave her a shrug. ¡°Better get used to it,¡± he said coolly before stepping forward. He stopped beside the elven consort, eyeing her pulsing green hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Talking to my child,¡± Jear said quickly, her eyebrows dancing in tune with her lips. Whatever the tree was telling her was obviously not expected. ¡°What¡¯s its name?¡± Luka asked after a moment. ¡°Her name is Ressen.¡± ¡°Ah, like the sticky stuff trees produce.¡± Jear glared at him. ¡°Yes¡ªexactly like that,¡± she said sarcastically. ¡°And little missy is throwing a tantrum right now.¡± Luka scratched his chin, glanced up at the tree¡¯s canopy, and asked, ¡°Over what?¡± ¡°Growing pains.¡± That¡­ oddly made sense to him. He gave Ressen¡¯s bark a soft pat. ¡°Growing pains are part of growing big and strong,¡± he said tenderly. ¡°And you¡¯re the biggest, strongest tree around.¡± Jear eyed the World Walker up and down. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± ¡°I may not have been the best father in my world, heck, I was a terrible father, but that doesn''t mean I don¡¯t know a thing or two about consoling children.¡± His thoughts went to Ren and Nicole as well as the other orphans in the village. Annie groaned and closed the distance to the tree. She patted her like Luka was and said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re consoling a tree.¡± The ground directly below her foot parted and a thin root slapped her foot. ¡°Hey! Dad, the tree just hit me!¡± Luka pulled his attention from Ressen¡¯s trunk to where Annie was pointing¡ªat her boots. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything. Are you sure?¡± Annie stared incredulously at her father. ¡°Yes! I am sure!¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. He gave her a comical smile. ¡°Did you deserve it?¡± She held her hands out like she was going to strangle him. ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± Luka¡¯s smile devolved into laughter. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude then! Ressen¡¯s just a kid.¡± That gave Annie pause. She adjusted something in her head and reevaluated the massive tree. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Can you two be quiet for a moment?¡± Jear said through gritted teeth. ¡°Tannin and I are trying to hold a private conversation with our daughter.¡± Luka put his fingers to his lips and acted like he was turning a lock. He then gave the consort a wink¡ªreceiving a brutish roll of the eyes in response¡ªbefore taking his daughter by her arm, leading her away. ¡°Let¡¯s give them some space, eh?¡± Annie allowed herself to be ushered away, and together they crossed the perimeter of manicured grass. She did glance back a few times, gnawing on strange emotions. ¡°Is Ressen going to be okay, you think?¡± Luka arched an eyebrow. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she be?¡± ¡°Because Jear doesn¡¯t seem like the motherly type.¡± He softly smiled. ¡°Well, you missed out on a fatherly type your whole life and look how you turned out.¡± He squeezed her into himself, hugging her and planting a kiss on the top of her head. ¡°Give Jear a chance. She¡¯s a new mother, just like you were with your kids.¡± Annie slowly nodded and looked at her father in a new light. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of it like that.¡± ¡°This world is weird and very different from Earth,¡± he said as they passed through the tree line. ¡°Magic, gods, alien races of all types¡­ and yet, I often find parallels to Earth. You¡¯ve just got to get past the surrealness of it all and see stuff for what it really is. That¡¯s how I fell in love with this place.¡± *** ¡°People, people! Be at ease!¡± a voice shouted. Emerging from the tree line into the park with his daughter, Luka instantly knew who was yelling. He gently sped up, his arm still holding Annie tight. Together they walked toward a crowd¡ªlikely everyone in the park, in fact. Guests and employees alike ventured toward the tree, pooling at the end of path and gathering in front of Mayor Tram. There were hundreds of them, all standing on their tippy toes to peer through the forest at the base of the new world tree. Some stood with their heads craned back, studying the canopy and the countless mysteries she may hold. Tram and Ben held everyone at bay, their arms out wide like herding goats. ¡°Oh, thank the gods, he¡¯s here,¡± Tram muttered under her breath when she spotted Luka and Annie. Despite the distance, Luka could hear her words perfectly. Or maybe he couldn¡¯t, and instead simply knew what she was saying. Either way, he decided he had an opportunity. ¡°Hey Tram, what¡¯s going on?¡± he asked once close enough. The elderly orc recoiled from the question. She blinked incredulously a few times, attempting to read the World Walker¡¯s expression. It was, unfortunately, blank. ¡°What¡¯s going on is the massive tree in our backyard!¡± Luka looked around. ¡°Where?¡± Tram¡¯s eyes slowly went wide before she clamped her hand onto his shoulder. ¡°I do not have the patience for games right now.¡± ¡°Me neither,¡± he replied smoothly. ¡°So why don¡¯t you tell me about this tree so we can deal with this crowd.¡± She was at a loss for words. Luka let the moment stretch before his blank face broke and he laughed. ¡°Sorry! I had to!¡± ¡°Ha ha,¡± Tram deadpanned. ¡°You¡¯re going to regret this.¡± Despite the threat, Luka laughed harder. ¡°Sorry¡ªtruly! An opportunity like this won¡¯t ever happen again. I had to¡ª¡± Annie punched him hard in the arm. Since they were both reincarnated and far younger than they should be, her punch was actually painful. ¡°Stop messing with your boss and do something about this crowd. They look ready to riot.¡± Still smiling, Luka rubbed his arm and pulled a metal rod the size of his pointer finger from his back pocket. After purposefully showing it to the women, he flared his World Walker magic and stepped onto the air. He could control materials and change them to his will¡ªthe air hardened under his feet, forming solid invisible platforms that hung in the air. He walked up these platforms like a grand staircase until he was above the crowd. He briefly looked through the crowd, spotting a number of his friends. Eve and Sol pushed their way to the front. Vale and Vladdy trudged around the periphery. Ren and Nicole stood enthralled in the back, the little dryad bouncing happily and pointing to the tree¡ªmuch to Ren¡¯s annoyance. And finally, Franky stood in the far back, holding a couple of pizza boxes in his arms and wondered how he was going to push his way through without dropping them. Luka took a deep breath and held up the metal rod to his lips. Magic reverberated from the enchanted device, waking up the surrounding grass. The device¡¯s use was simple: it was a microphone that utilized the nearby grass as a massive speaker. Whatever he spoke into the rod would be echoed for all to hear. He had Sol to thank for it¡ªand he did, especially after she upgraded it from the original brittle wooden stick after he accidentally sat on it. ¡°Hello, World Walker Luka here!¡± he said into the rod. His words silenced the crowd and drew all eyes to him. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯ve taken up gardening!¡± While he meant it as a joke¡ªand it did get a few nervous chuckles¡ªmost just openly stared at him, their mouths wide open. He scratched the back of his head and glanced back at Tram, Ben, and Annie. Tram had her arms crossed and was shaking her head. Ben had an eyebrow raised¡ªhe was supposed to be the gardener of the village. And finally, Ainne: she had her face in her palm, embarrassed by association. ¡°Okay, that joke didn¡¯t germinate like I wanted,¡± he said into the rod. This got more of a laugh, but again, not really. He could hear Annie¡¯s disappointment as the silence stretched. With a sigh, Luka said, ¡°Elven Consort Jear, the first of her name and World Tree Tannin, first of his name, decided World Walker Park is the perfect place to raise their daughter, World Tree Ressen!¡± There were a few more laughs at this. ¡°Uhm, that wasn¡¯t a joke,¡± he quickly said, the grass magnifying his words. The crowd, as a collective and all at once, asked, ¡°Huh?¡± Chapter 71: Mother It was well past park closing when Mayor Tram finally got every non-villager and/or park employee to leave. Plenty of strangers were still around, but not in the park. Around the perimeter and inside Emberwood Forest? Sure¡ªthere was a new world tree, of course people would be interested in checking her out. ¡°Okay people! Look alive!¡± Tram shouted inside town hall, the only building within the village that could hold everyone. It was also the courthouse, school, and a massive supply closet for a number of rusty things. ¡°We¡¯ve got another day or two before the princess arrives and who knows how long until a crime boss arrives. So¡ªwe need ideas, people! How do we handle this!?¡± Everyone was packed into the room like canned fish, villagers and park employees mumbled amongst themselves. And yet, no one addressed the room, not even the peeved Elven Consort. Jear sat beside Luka and Annie, her knee bouncing rapidly with unease. ¡°You okay?¡± Luka asked her. The high elf¡¯s eyes darted to him then to the floor. She gritted her teeth, stilled her nervous knee, and swallowed down her pride. ¡°What if I¡¯m not a good mother?¡± That was¡­ not the answer he was expecting, if Luka was honest. He expected some quippy comment or deflecting groan, not the actual issue. Still, he answered to the best of his abilities. ¡°You can¡¯t know and you won¡¯t know for many years how good of a mother you¡¯ll be.¡± Jear glared at him. ¡°Reassuring.¡± He just shrugged. ¡°I thought I was an amazing father up until my wife divorced me and I learned my daughter secretly loathed me.¡± Annie went stark still. She forced herself to thaw. ¡°I didn¡¯t loathe you, I just was done with you.¡± She hesitated a moment before adding, ¡°But not¡­ not anymore.¡± Luka saw the tightness in his daughter¡¯s chest. For as close as they¡¯d become these last two months, there was still a hole buried deep within her. She, rightfully so, feared him leaving again and breaking her heart. And sadly, there was no fixing this issue with words. He had said everything he could¡ªand only time would mend the last of the scars. Still, Annie¡¯s response was perfect for what Luka was trying to express to Jear. He raised his hand and gestured at his daughter. ¡°See?¡± he asked the high elf. Jear mumbled something under her breath, shook her head, and returned her attention to Tram. A villager in the back of the room was sharing his idea of ¡°not allowing the princess and crime boss into the park.¡± It wasn¡¯t a well-received idea. ¡°Anyone else?¡± Tram asked. She sighed when no one responded, then looked at Luka. Taking his cue, the World Walker stood and said, ¡°I think we should be business as usual.¡± ¡°Explain?¡± the mayor asked. ¡°They are VIPs, nothing more. They have no sway in park matters or management. Anything they say we will respectfully take under advisement.¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t their renown give them special privileges?¡± someone at the far edge of the room asked. ¡°If the princess wants us to rename the WHEEL to something that befits her, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± A curt round of grumbles sounded from this¡ªmost of the room seemed to agree. ¡°No,¡± Luka answered firmly. ¡°I don¡¯t care if the princess demands something like that. The answer is ¡®no.¡¯ World Walker Park isn¡¯t hers to change. The moment we allow things like that is the moment the park changes for the worse.¡± Tram studied him. ¡°You allowed the consort to plant her child here. I¡¯m not saying that¡¯s a bad thing, it just seems counterproductive to the point you¡¯re trying to make.¡± Luka sighed. She was right¡ªhe had allowed that, even if he said he didn¡¯t. Yes, Jear planted Ressen without properly asking or explaining what would happen. But it wasn¡¯t the same. He shook his head and said, ¡°Jear didn¡¯t ask, nor did I try to stop her, yes. But she wasn¡¯t trying to change the park to her image. If Jear started demanding changes from here on out, the answer will be ¡®we will take it under advisement.¡¯¡± Luka locked eyes with the consort. ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s how it has to be.¡± Jear wasn¡¯t surprised nor did she seem to care. She limply shrugged. ¡°My only worry is my daughter. As long as you don¡¯t firebomb her, we should be fine.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t planning on it,¡± Luka replied instantly. ¡°But we do need to talk about hotels. You said you¡¯d help.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°World Tree trunks are hollow¡­ and as soon as Ressen¡¯s done with her tantrum and talking to me again, I¡¯ll ask her to create hotel rooms and amenities.¡± Luka shared a glance with Tram. Both eyed the consort suspiciously. Was what she said even possible? Annie leaned over to Jear¡¯s ear, whispering something. The high elf then nodded, and the pair stood up and moved to leave. ¡°Dad, we¡¯re going to go talk to Ressen,¡± she said to Luka. ¡°Okay,¡± he quickly said. ¡°Find Vlad and take him as well. When we finish here, I¡¯ll bring over dinner and we can have a nice family night picnic.¡± Annie gave him a squeeze then departed, dragging Jear along. Everyone in the room watched them go before Tram cleared her throat and drew everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Let¡¯s put a pause on VIP talk and get through the rest of tonight¡¯s meeting. First on the docket is line cutters. How should we better deal with them¡­¡± *** Luka walked through the dark of the forest holding two baskets of food, wine, and jrum¡ªcoffee. Dire-wolf Leo followed beside him, sniffing the ground for little critters to snack on or spots to mark. As they walked, streetlights erected in their wake. World Walker magic twisted metal posts with wooden planks, forming stiff poles topped with fa?ade lanterns. They flickered as if lit by flame, but in reality, a single purposefully ill-created light glyph sat within. Sol had taught him the small trick. Sometimes, to get a desired effect, the structure of a glyph could be altered. In this case, the runic lines connecting the power source were over encumbered, allowing wicked surges of energy¡ªsurges that mimicked the wild flicker of open flame. Little Leo and Luka entered the clearing surrounding Ressen. Luka had long found his magic had a range of sorts¡ªif he tried to move things too far away, he found it straining. He took a long lap around the World Tree¡¯s base, planting streetlights as he went. Eventually the whole clearing was masked in orange torch light. As they went, they passed random people. Some were families visiting the new world tree, others were scholars personally viewing something they knew would be in history books. It was late, but the moon hung overhead, singing a happy tune. Today, like most days around World Walker Park, was a happy day. Luka and Leo found themselves back at the entrance path from the park. They spotted Annie, Vlad, and Jear standing at the base of Ressen¡¯s massive trunk. Jear had her hand pressed flatly into her daughter¡¯s bark with her eyes closed¡ªAnnie mimicked the gesture. Vlad stood a safe distance away, watching his wife and her new friend. ¡°Go see if Vlad wants to help set up, please,¡± Luka said to Leo. The little wolf barked once then dashed ahead, B-lining toward the formerly human and now elvish man. Wood floated idly through the air, Luka¡¯s magic gently morphing a few thousand loose sticks into long wooden beams. It was a habit he had long picked up: he was a hoarder of materials. The forest discarded wood like it was common trash, and after treating it for impurities, bugs, and then drying it, the wood was as good as any other¡ªand free. A table formed in moments; a common design Luka had made several dozen times for the park. From his basket, he removed a white tablecloth and slung it over the wood grain, smoothing out the folds. He added a small light glyph to the center, illuminating their seats in the low light. It was intimate, it was homey, it was perfect for a recovering family¡­ plus an elven consort. ¡°Hey,¡± Vlad said, approaching with Leo circling around his feet. ¡°So, I see the park has a new guardian.¡± ¡°Ressen? I suppose so,¡± Luka replied, taking their meal from the basket. Cheese, bread, spreads and dips. It wasn¡¯t a lavish feast by any means, but only so many smashburgers and churros could be eaten before they became gross. ¡°No, Jear.¡± Luka looked at his son-in-law. ¡°Jear¡¯s going to protect the park?¡± ¡°Not so much the park but instead the surrounding land. Well, forest, really.¡± He gestured at all the people staring at the world tree around the clearing. ¡°Apparently, and this is according to Jear so take it as you will, but there are poachers on these lands.¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. ¡°There¡¯s game in this forest?¡± ¡°Not like you¡¯re thinking. Apparently, people poach the magic from trees, plants, rare flowers, and herbs.¡± Lost for words, Luka just shook his head. ¡°I get the feeling Jear¡¯s making up a reason to stay near Ressen.¡± Vlad grunted. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that.¡± He reached for the other basket of food and helped create a charcuterie spread. ¡°She¡¯s worried, you know? Who¡¯d have thought the wife of a world tree would have the same fears as Annie and me when we had our first.¡± ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Love comes in all shapes and sizes here.¡± Vlad nodded, craning his head back to look at his wife. They had been together for years, died together, and reincarnated together. And yet, when he looked at Annie, he still smiled like a little kid. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said quietly. A warm silence passed between the two men. Luka sat at the table, Vlad doing the same. The former poured himself a mug of jrum, the latter a glass of wine. Leo nuzzled up at their feet, eating a raw steak his rider had brought with them. ¡°Did you bring the root beer?¡± A look of horror burst onto Vlad¡¯s face. ¡°Yes,¡± he said slowly. ¡°And?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Jear said she liked it a lot and that it was ¡®much better than local root beer.¡¯¡± He pointed near Ressen¡¯s base. A metal keg sat, smashed between the ground and an unearthed massive root. ¡°Then Ressen got upset she couldn¡¯t drink any and smashed it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Both men leaned back in their seats, sipping their drinks. ¡°That sucks.¡± ¡°It was my best batch, as well.¡± Chapter 72: So… a hotel? ¡°So¡­ a hotel?¡± Luka asked, gently pushing away his plate. He, along with Annie, Vlad, and Jear, sat at the picnic table. Dinner was over, and every last scrap of sliced meat, sharp cheese, and crisp cracker was gone¡ªonly crumbs remained. The wine was dry, the jrum cold. Little Leo had some water remaining in his bowl, but he was too busy watching a grass gecko drink from it to drink the rest himself. All eyes fell to Jear. The high elf took a moment to breathe, gearing herself up for¡­ something. She was sitting beside Luka, the lovers opposite them. She also sat facing the new world tree, carefully checking on Ressen throughout the meal. A bristling rush of wind skirted through the forest and blunted against hers and Luka¡¯s back. Vaguely, the World Walker heard a distant melody, a song of encouragement and love. He quirked an eyebrow. ¡°What was that?¡± he asked. The wind had caused Jear¡¯s hard expression to soften, but she was startled at Luka¡¯s question. ¡°You heard that?¡± she asked. ¡°Was it¡­ singing? I heard singing.¡± Annie said, swirling what was left of her glowing crimson wine in her glass. She wasn¡¯t one for drinking in front of her alcoholic father but since he was the one who packed the picnic¡­ she begrudgingly drank it¡ªespecially since the root beer was gone. The vintage was imported all the way from the Shimmering Sands Vineyard, and¡ªas the glow suggested¡ªwas magical. It was a sample bottle for the park. If she and a few other wine drinkers liked it, they would add it to the park. She wasn¡¯t sold on the price per bottle, however. The magical effect wasn¡¯t very potent¡ªnight vision. Well, a very muted, very bad thermal vision. ¡°Yes,¡± Jear said through gritted teeth. ¡°That was my husband.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Luka said casually, ¡°Hey Tannin, how are you?¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± The Elven Consort sighed and stood from the table. ¡°He doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± She mashed her lips together, frowning. ¡°I just¡­¡± Another breeze wafted through the forest and into the clearing. Again, there was singing¡ªapologetic and stoic? Luka wasn¡¯t sure. He glanced at Annie, and she likewise attempted to puzzle out the emotions before giving up. ¡°My husband has made a decision without talking to me,¡± Jear seethed. ¡°You two are now akin to family.¡± ¡°Not Vladdy?¡± Annie instantly asked, almost as if she was expecting this. ¡°Honey,¡± Vlad swallowed when she looked at him. ¡°I, uh, if the magical World Tree doesn¡¯t want me to be part of ¡®his family¡¯ I¡¯m not going to sulk.¡± Annie rolled her eyes. ¡°Not a literal ¡®family,¡¯¡± She locked eyes with Jear. ¡°Tannin made us something closer to ¡®emergency contacts,¡¯ right? In case you¡¯re not around and something happens with Ressen?¡± Jear considered the questions. ¡°Hmm. Emergency contacts, yes¡­ I like the imagery. Is that a common directive on Earth?¡± ¡°More or less, especially for kids or the elderly.¡± ¡°But still,¡± Annie mumbled. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Vlad part of this? He¡¯s as responsible as me or Dad.¡± Another breeze rushed through the clearing. There was more singing, this time it was short, embarrassed, and guilty. Annie, Luka, and Jear all instantly understood Tannin¡¯s meaning. ¡°Oh,¡± Annie said. She craned back to look at Ressen, specifically the crumbled root beer keg in her exposed roots. She turned back to Vlad. ¡°Tannin said he¡¯ll include you when Ressen isn¡¯t made at you anymore.¡± ¡°What?¡± Vlad asked, recoiling. He stared incredulously at the tree. ¡°She¡¯s mad at me!?¡± Jear cleared her throat. ¡°She, uh, doesn¡¯t like you because you didn¡¯t bring her any root beer.¡± Vladdy moved to stand, his long blonde hair catching the light of the flickering glyph torches. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some more¡ª¡± ¡°It won¡¯t work. Trees don¡¯t drink like us humanoids do. You need special ingredients and,¡± Jear sighed, ¡°special brewing techniques. It¡¯s a lengthy, time-consuming process. Don¡¯t worry about it, Ressen¡¯s just being a baby. She¡¯ll¡ª¡± A person-wide root unearthed itself and slammed the picnic table, smashing it along with everything on it. Everyone jumped back, splattered with glass and ceramic shards. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°No, Ressen! Bad girl!¡± Jear instantly yelled, marching over to the base of her daughter. ¡°You can¡¯t throw a tantrum and not expect to get punished!¡± She continued to shout, her slender hand pointing sternly and punctuating her sentences with a flicking motion. Luka sighed, summoning his magic to repair and clean the table and everything else that was broken. ¡°You okay there little buddy?¡± he asked Leo, who was hesitantly sniffing the wreckage. Leo looked at him and nodded before giving Ressen the stink eye. ¡°And it was such a nice dinner, too,¡± Annie said. ¡°Sorry, Dad.¡± ¡°No need to apologize to me. This is par for the course as far as I¡¯m considered.¡± He paused and fixed his tone to something sweeter. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡± Annie snorted. ¡°Well, fine.¡± Her eyes drifted to the imposing, yet small, Jear. ¡°I¡¯m going to see if she needs any help.¡± She gave Vlad a peck on the cheek then departed the group. Vlad shook his head and watched her go. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you do it.¡± ¡°Do what?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Be so nonchalant about everything. Like a magical tree just smashed our table, almost killing us, and you¡¯re like ¡®yeah, okay, ha ha.¡¯¡± The World Walker and former bomb engineer bitterly smiled. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ve just got to remind yourself that Ressen¡¯s a newborn.¡± ¡°Still, she could¡¯ve hurt Annie. I don¡¯t know what I would have done.¡± A hint of darkness stirred in the back of Luka¡¯s mind. ¡°Yeah.¡± He didn¡¯t say his thoughts¡ªhell, he actually pushed his thoughts away. He knew exactly what he¡¯d do if Annie got hurt, and that scared him. Instead, he put on a smile for his son-in-law and clapped him on the back. ¡°This world has magical healing and the park has a few patron gods. Annie was never in danger, and if she was, I¡¯m sure someone would have intervened.¡± Vlad considered that. He wasn¡¯t around for everything involving Annie¡¯s reincarnation, but he had heard the story enough times from everyone present that day. He conceded Luka¡¯s point and returned his gaze to Ressen. ¡°So, we¡¯ve got a newborn magical tree in our backyard who just wants a sip of root beer?¡± Luka chuckled at the question. ¡°This world is always interesting, huh?¡± A beat passed before he said. ¡°You should pray to the Goddess of Brews asking for guidance. If she¡¯s unable to give you the technique and brewing ingredients, I feel sure she¡¯ll tell you where to find or buy them.¡± The gods weren¡¯t supposed to help World Walker Park and its inhabitants anymore. There was to be no divine favoritism! Luckily that didn¡¯t apply to followers of gods who pray for guidance. It was a loophole Luka noticed the first time Vladdy was gifted something by the Goddess of Brews. And it was also a loophole he kept in the back of his mind for a rainy day¡­ if the need ever arose. Vlad sighed. ¡°Hopefully.¡± He turned and started back home. ¡°Tell Annie I¡¯ll see her at home. I get the feeling you guys are going to have a long night.¡± Luka glanced up at the night sky. The moon was out and bright, Neb¡¯s stars glowing and moving with the god¡¯s every whim. Luka pushed away his fatigue. It was going to be a long night. *** It took some coaxing¡ªwell, a lot of coaxing. And promises of tree-drinkable root beer. And some magical type of fertilizer Jear promised. But eventually, Ressen agreed to allow the bottom thirty stories of her trunk to be turned into rooms, balconies, and amenities. But Luka decided to leave for that morning. Instead, he took Leo and Annie back to the village, dropping the latter off at her and Vlad¡¯s small home and taking the former to their room at Todd¡¯s bar and inn. Crashing onto his bed well past midnight, Luka made sure to claim his spot on the mattress before Leo could hog the whole bed. Leo paused at the foot of the bed, resting his chin on the covers. He eyed his rider suspiciously before letting out a long, high-pitched whine. ¡°Nope!¡± Luka said. ¡°I got here first fair and square.¡± Leo increased his whine. ¡°Not going to happen.¡± Leo whined more. ¡°I¡¯m just going to have to move you when you get up here, what¡¯s the point?¡± Leo ceased his whining but continued to stare, unblinking and firm. Luka felt something crumble inside him. ¡°Fine. But tomorrow I get the middle of the bed!¡± Leo barked happily and hopped onto the bed the moment his rider moved and promptly curled up on the center. It took a few minutes of awkwardly pushing the wolf around, but eventually Luka was content with his sleeping arrangements. And sleep came to both of them¡­ ¡°World Walker,¡± a chilling voice said. Luka jolted awake, magic forming to his will. Wood was ripped from the floorboards and formed into deadly spikes. They hovered around the bed, ready to fire. ¡°Who¡ª¡± The question died on Luka¡¯s lips and his spikes fell harmlessly to the floor. ¡°God Hyrin.¡± He said the god¡¯s name with a bit of enmity. This was now the second time the god had scared him in his bedroom. The god, still creepily tall and with strange, moving hair, loomed in the corner of the room. ¡°Apologies. I see I have startled you.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Luka said coldly. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°I wished to inform you that my envoy will be arriving in the morrow.¡± The World Walker sighed. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Four.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll find a place for your barbershop.¡± ¡°Gooooood,¡± the god said, long and slow. ¡°I will inform them that they are to sew the park¡¯s uniforms before they are allowed to open their doors to service hair for park guests.¡± Luka tried not to show his annoyance. ¡°Fine. Now, if there¡¯s anything else, I¡¯d like to sleep.¡± ¡°Of course, World Walker. Again, apologies for startling you¡­¡± And with that, the god faded from his room. ¡°That was weird,¡± Luka muttered to Leo, who nodded in agreement. Chapter 73: Demonshade Fog rolled in, covering the feet of everyone standing in the early morning light, beckoning the approach of something magical. Hundreds patiently waited below the park¡¯s welcoming sign¡ªa massive emberwood tree holding imposing lettering. They watched, with bated breath, as the World Walker strolled down the walkway toward the park¡¯s gates. Through the wrought iron fencing, he looked human. He was clean cut, and his hair was a tad long but styled in such a way that the strands stayed away from his eyes. He carried himself with gracefulness and a hint of mirth, almost as if he was attempting to hold back a joke¡ªor maybe his embarrassment. He wore a purple suit, a gaudy one with coattails that almost dragged on the loose gravel. In his hand, he twirled a faux golden cane, occasionally using it as a third leg as he marched closer. And march he did. Every step, every left of his elegant dress shoes, fog rolled and the ground shook. The early morning sky turned dark; the surrounding trees seemed to enclose. As the World Walker grew closer, the world outside fell away. It was just him and the crowd, magic rending the area, exciting the people. Reality vibrated and the air sang. Trumpets sounded and a distant choir sang. The crowds¡¯ thoughts washed away, their fears and stresses of everyday life gone in an instant. Their boring lives suddenly had some thrill¡ªsome magic. They all knew and understood what stepping through the park¡¯s gates meant. They would be entering a new world. They would be entering the home of the World Walker. Luka stepped onto the air, invisible steps leading him above the crowd. He held a small rod in his hand and moved it to his lips as he inspected the crowd. He smiled to himself, then spoke, the nearby grass echoing his words. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, mystics and mages, adventurers and explorers, welcome to our humble slice of the extraordinary¡ªWorld Walker Park!¡± Unlike most days, the crowd was silent. Normally there was cheering for these words, the very same words he used on day one. Luka understood why. He could see why. Near the front of the crowd, a certain demonic journalist stood with his head bowed. Stell Metus of the Sneerhome Chronicle, resident reporter for the park, cursed to forever stare at his feet. He was a demon, a race of people whose red eyes could penetrate a person¡¯s most protective emotions and cause knee-shaking fear. Stell also only came around the park on important days¡ªsuch as the sudden growth of a new world tree. ¡°Today marks the start of something special,¡± Luka said, his voice resonating with the gentle background music. The song came from the nearby bushes, another brainchild of Aunt Sol. How she could bend magic to her will made even the Guilds jealous. ¡°Today marks something special.¡± Luka threw out a hand and parted his illusions somewhat. The dark sky returned to morning, highlighting Ressen in all her massive glory. The tree towered over the area, her canopy wide like a parachute and her leaves as thick as a jungle. ¡°Today marks the grand opening of World Tree Inn, World Walker Park¡¯s first and only hotel!¡± A shout sounded from the back of the crowd. Luka briefly looked down, finding a cursing Mr. Todd. The short orc kicked the gravel and made obscene gestures at Luka and Ressen. Todd owned both the bar outside of the park and the inn¡­ meaning, World Tree Inn would be stealing his business. I¡­ didn¡¯t think of that, Luka thought to himself. How did I not think of that? He shook his head. It didn¡¯t matter right now. He returned the microphone rod to his lips. ¡°World Tree Ressen, daughter of Elven Consort Jear and World Tree Tannin,¡± Luka decided not to say their full titles so as to speed things along, ¡°has set her roots wide! She also offers once-in-a-lifetime rooms inside her trunk! Fit for a king or emperor, Ressen has graciously hollowed her trunk for World Walker Park guests!¡± With that, Luka set off a trio of illusionary fireworks. They exploded overhead and he couldn¡¯t help but notice how lackluster they were. Next time, we¡¯ll use real ones, he decided. ¡°Now!¡± he continued. ¡°As the World Tree Inn is still new and we have yet to find a proper innkeeper and hospitality workers, Ressen¡¯s trunk will mostly be invite only. Her ground floor will be open to the public where the natural beauty of the World Tree will be on full display!¡± Luka didn¡¯t let the crowd make any noise at this declaration and instead simply moved onto the next, and finale, announcement. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°With that, I declare World Walker Park now open!¡± The iron gates unlocked in time with his words. Luka couldn¡¯t help but notice Stell scribbling notes down on a small pad of paper. The World Walker smiled. Now, all he had to do was somehow grab the demon¡¯s attention for a private tour of Ressen¡¯s higher floors without the crowd noticing. He did not want a riot today. Not after last time. *** ¡°Pssst!¡± More than a few eyes turned at Franky. He ignored them and continued, ¡°Pssssst! Stell!¡± Luka watched his friend with his arms bent at the elbows, one arm sticking up toward the sky. He rested his face in his open palm, the trainwreck before him far, far from subtle. He had told Franky to get Stell¡¯s attention quietly, not beckon everyone around the reporter over. When the orc hissed again, Luka hid his eyes behind his hand. Luckily, Stell noticed and ventured over without anyone else following. Small mercies. Franky stood at the edge of the forest, leaning around a tree, hiding his body from the passing guests. Luka stood a few dozen paces back, waiting. They were near the front of the park before the fork in the road leading into the park or toward World Tree Inn. ¡°What is it?¡± Stell asked impatiently, his eyes tracking the forest floor. Franky said, ¡°Luka wanted to talk to you.¡± He backed deeper into the trees, toward his friend. The demon followed, glancing up but for a moment. Luckily, that was enough for him to recognize the park¡¯s creator. ¡°World Walker,¡± he said cautiously. ¡°Luka, please,¡± Luka said. ¡°We¡¯re friendly enough, even if your last article didn¡¯t paint me in the best light.¡± Stell stiffened, his eyes remaining on the ground. ¡°My editor added that part. He says, ¡®saucy opinions bring in the gold.¡¯¡± ¡°Tell him I don¡¯t appreciate it. It was blasphemous.¡± Now, Luka wasn¡¯t one for caring what the gods of this world thought. He did, however, care what the average guest thought. And Stell¡¯s paper equating him to a god in their last issue brought some¡­ annoying trouble from the very devout. ¡°You¡¯re creating ¡®worlds¡¯ here. Your word, not mine,¡± Stell replied before sighing. ¡°But you¡¯re right. Calling you a ¡®god-wannabe¡¯ was rather foolish of my editor. It brought the Chronicle issue as well. I¡¯ve already let my complaint be known to him and I¡¯ll inform him of yours as well.¡± Luka dipped his head. ¡°That¡¯s all I can ask for.¡± A beat passed. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the only reason you called for me, right?¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± He fished from his pocket, removing a pair of Earthen-style sunglasses. Luka held them out low, enough for the demon to see and take them. ¡°They¡¯re called sunglasses and hopefully will help with your eye issue.¡± Stell stared at the eyewear. They were light yet made of polished dark granite. Two nearly black lenses sat within the frame, the forest floor visible through them. He ran his fingers along the stone. ¡°Sunglasses,¡± as Luka called them, were known as ¡°demonshades¡± in this world. But Stell had never held a pair¡ªthey were simply too expensive for a junior journalist. ¡°Demonshades¡­¡± he whispered almost in awe. ¡°You¡¯re giving me these?¡± ¡°Sunglasses,¡± Luka corrected. ¡°And yes.¡± He knew this world¡¯s term for them but didn¡¯t rightly care. Sunglasses were a staple of life on Earth, and here they were reserved for only rich demons to counteract the effect of their eyes. While not an amazing solution, Luka found it sick that only a select few demons could live life without the constant fear of terrorizing innocent bystanders. He continued, ¡°We¡¯re going to sell them at the park for next to nothing. Well, comparatively, at least.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°I figured out how to polarize and darken glass, so these aren¡¯t expensive to make.¡± Luka could mass produce them just like how he mass produced several other souvenirs the park sold. ¡°And I¡¯m hoping they catch on as a fashion choice. Emberwood is nice, but sometimes the sun can be brutal.¡± Stell was at a loss for words. Franky wasn¡¯t, however, and asked, ¡°Can I have a pair?¡± Luka smirked, expecting the question. He pulled out a second pair, handing them over. Franky inspected the item and asked, ¡°Do you have them in black?¡± The World Walker chuckled. ¡°Nope.¡± He slipped on a pair himself¡ªblack ones¡ªstaring down at his friend slyly. Franky pursed his lips and said, ¡°That¡¯s how you want to play? I¡¯m so telling Ren you have a cool new item and to beg you for a pair.¡± He begrudgingly put on his red granite frames, then spent the next several seconds looking around the forest. Luka rolled his eyes and returned his attention to Stell. ¡°They¡¯re made of stone and etched with very tiny lightening and strengthening runes¡ªboth on the frames and glass. They shouldn¡¯t break even if you step on them.¡± Stell¡¯s hands shook as he slowly put them on. He stared frozen at the forest floor for a moment before looking up. He hesitated to but eventually met the World Walker¡¯s gaze. Luka was wearing his own pair but pulled them down to stare back at the demon. ¡°Good,¡± Luka abruptly said, sliding them back up his nose. ¡°No fear or ill effects. I just wanted to make sure before selling them to demons.¡± Stell recoiled and he quickly jerked his head down. ¡°You willingly submitted yourself to my gaze? Did you have that much faith in your creation?¡± Luka shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with myself if I promised the world to demonkind and failed.¡± He clapped the journalist on the shoulder. ¡°Hold your head up high, you don¡¯t need to cower anymore.¡± Stell looked up. For the first time in his life, he wasn¡¯t afraid to look into someone¡¯s eyes. The human mimicked the smile on the demon¡¯s face. ¡°Come on,¡± Luka said. ¡°I wanted to give you a private tour of what the World Tree Inn has to offer.¡± Chapter 74: Penthouse ¡°Welcome to the World Tree Inn, Mr. Stell,¡± Luka said as they exited the tree line. Stell pushed past, stepping far into the clearing, his head back and his mouth opened wide. Franky was one step behind, however, gawking in his own right. The orc and demon stared, their sunglasses hiding the awe in their eyes. They traced the bark of the tree up and up, finding the clouds amongst her leaves like early morning fog. Then they both looked down, movement and beauty catching their eyes. Ressen had gone through some changes since last night. Apparently, World Trees were completely at tune with nature and could change their shape at will¡ªsomething about magical xylem and phloem, as Jear explained. Before the picnic dinner last night, Ressen¡¯s base simply entered the ground like any normal tree. Now, roots, bark, and simple wood twisted through the ground and breached high into the air. Arches of burled wood eclipsed the clearing at set intervals, each routing back to Ressen¡¯s base and smoothing into her wide frame. Branches grew like vines, leaves as orange as the emberwood vaulting a massive grand staircase. A mimicked canopy hung curtly, one that swayed with the wind and breathed with Ressen¡¯s lifeforce. Polished wood rose from the ground and threaded neatly into buttresses, turning gnarled the higher they went. They mixed between several glass windows, providing privacy without ever hinting at their practicality. This was a hotel, after all. Outstretched limbs held hundreds of balconies, circling the outer edge of Ressen. They curled gently, panoramic and breathtaking. Bioluminescent moss clutched like carpet and creepers held firm. Windows, doors, everything not ordinarily natural was simply natural here. Glass was crystallized sap; metal knobs were petrified wood. Standard rooms went up thirty stories, but above those were the VIP rooms. Entire floors with the sole purpose of hosting large royal parties or delegates from other nations. Everyone would have a room, even an entourage of a hundred. ¡°Come on,¡± Luka said, smirking at his companions¡¯ awe. ¡°We haven¡¯t finished furnishing any of the floors besides the lobby and penthouse.¡± ¡°P-penthouse?¡± Stell asked, unfamiliar with the word. ¡°It means the topmost suite and is often the most luxurious.¡± The demon looked at the World Walker hesitantly, still afraid of his eyes. The sunglasses rendered his curse inert. He twirled his pen and readied his notepad. ¡°For the incoming princess, I assume?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luka chose not to mention how the floor directly below the penthouse was near completion for the impending park visit of the crime lord. Stell took notes as they walked. They passed under arches and into a garden path. Loose gravel fitted perfectly between bushes of flowers. As a World Tree, Ressen could grow whatever she wanted. Spitting fountains of water launched streams over the path and into basins made of wood¡ªshe could also interact with the water table in the area. Birds sang their songs and bathed themselves, and an army of toads had already moved into the moat-like pond. Lily pads and other more alien plants clung to the edges of the water. Big fluted elephant ear leaves drooped into the shallows, lightning elemental yellow flowers ziped and zapped bugs, catching breakfast, and hundreds of tiny, budded tulips bloomed when anyone looked at them. The garden was alive and not just because Ressen hosted it. They rounded the side toward the path leading to and from the park and village entrance¡ªin other words, the main entrance. Guests were already out and about, hundreds of them, all walking around the area or gawking at the naturalistic beauty. The grand staircase leading into the hotel¡¯s lobby floor was swarmed, everyone shuffling through to look at the newest attraction of the park. Luka hummed. ¡°Maybe we should take the elevator.¡± ¡°Elevator?¡± Stell asked. ¡°Those are rather rare in these parts.¡± He scribbled down more notes. ¡°In these parts, no one builds for height.¡± Luka thought of Sneerhome and how most, if not all, buildings were two or three stories tall. ¡°They are very common in my world¡­ but these are a bit different.¡± Luka pointed at twin open-air gondolas moving in parallel up and down Ressen¡¯s trunk. They rose up thirty stories quickly, green vines pulling them up and gently lowering them down. They made three stops, every ten floors, where guests would depart onto landing floors. ¡°They¡¯re not open to the public yet,¡± Luka explained. ¡°And on each stop, there¡¯ll be amenities, entertainment, shopping, and restaurants.¡± Stell paused in writing to ask, ¡°Amenities?¡± ¡°Spas, swimming pools, arcades, art galleries, museums¡ª¡± ¡°Arcades?¡± It was another word the locals didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°A place with a bunch of games. I¡¯ll have to figure it out later.¡± Stell wrote as fast as his fingers allowed. ¡°And when do you expect the other floors to be furnished?¡± ¡°By the end of the week. Ressen is asleep right now, according to Jear. It takes a lot out of her to build furniture and stuff.¡± ¡°That¡¯s World Tree Ressen and Elven Consort Jear, correct?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± A beat passed. ¡°Could you get me an interview with them?¡± Luka hesitated. ¡°Jear¡­ maybe. I¡¯ll ask. Ressen¡¯s going to have to be a ¡®no.¡¯ She¡¯s a tree, she doesn¡¯t talk like you or I.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is if I could find a way to talk to a tree, you could set up an interview?¡± ¡°Not sure. Let me ask.¡± Luka turned away from Stell and spoke into the open air. ¡°Tannin? What do you think?¡± A gentle breeze crossed the garden. Words, emotions, and images flooded the World Walker¡¯s mind. He turned back to the journalist. ¡°Tannin said ¡®sure.¡¯¡± Stell stopped writing mid-sentence. ¡°World Tree Tannin?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°World Tree Tannin, who''s half a world away?¡± Luka scrunched his face. ¡°What, do you think a new father would simply stay away from his newborn daughter?¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± Stell sputtered the word. ¡°I never meant¡ª I would never presume¡ª¡± Another breeze rushed through the area, this time a bit forceful. Stell stumbled a step forward as if an invisible giant clapped him playfully on the back. ¡°What in the world¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°That was Tannin,¡± Luka said, a chuckle on his lips. ¡°He¡¯s a nice guy; you¡¯re not going to offend him that easily. He¡¯s a massive, world spanning tree after all.¡± ¡°R-right¡­¡± Stell wasn¡¯t sure if he should be impressed or fearful. They entered a gondola, to the excitement of the nearby guests, and zipped up¡ªboth Franky and Stell held onto the railing for dear life. Then Luka unlatched the door and exited, the others shakily following. ¡°That might have been one of the most frightening things I¡¯ve ever done,¡± Stell muttered, Franky nodding along. ¡°Really?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Too fast!¡± ¡°Much too fast!¡± Franky echoed. Well, that was an easy enough fix. Luka leaned over the edge, even though he didn¡¯t have to, and eyed the glyphs controlling the elevators. With a wave of magic, the inscription adjusted, and the gondolas slowed. ¡°This way,¡± he then said, leading into the mostly unfurnished upper floors. There were chairs and tables, wall trim and floorboards¡­ but everything felt hollow. Compared to the outside gardens of Ressen, inside felt mostly dead. Wood failed to curve and twist; vines and moss were hardly green. ¡°The penthouse isn¡¯t like this,¡± he explained as Stell took more notes. To get to the penthouse, they traversed the length of the topmost accessible floor, finding a curved, split staircase at the back. It rounded against the inside of Ressen¡¯s trunk. It looped around once, landing at the entry hall to the first of the VIP floors. It went up again, to the next, and again to the penthouse. ¡°This is the only way into the VIP rooms,¡± Luka explained. ¡°Soon, though, we¡¯ll have a separate elevator keyed specifically to the VIP floors in the lobby for VIPs. Only they and their entourage may enter, and the elevators will take them directly to their floors.¡± ¡°Exclusive,¡± Stell said, scribbling. ¡°And I suspect these VIP rooms are going to be hefty in price?¡± ¡°Oh yes. Tram said to start the pricing at seven hundred gold a week for the first two rooms and a thousand for the penthouse.¡± ¡°A week!?¡± Stell sneered. ¡°What are you smoking Mr. World Walker!?¡± Franky, maybe not helpfully, pulled a small case from his back pocket. ¡°Prismpuff.¡± The demon, despite wearing sunglasses, stared incredulously, his eyes easily tracked between the duo. Luka forced himself not to facepalm and continued the tour. He stuck a key into the penthouse double doors and pushed them open. ¡°I hope you can see why this suite is priced so high,¡± he said. Stell scoffed and walked in, activating an assault of magic. He froze on the spot. His eyes scanned the room, and his grip on his pen waned. It fell from his fingers, his jaw opened wide. He had been teleported¡ªwell, they all had. The suite, if it could be called that, sat amongst the clouds at the very top of Ressen¡¯s trunk. Nestled within her leaves, sat a jungle, a jungle a VIP could call home for a spell. Luka gently pushed Stell forward, momentarily ignoring the shocked Franky. ¡°Teleportation magic, courtesy of Jear,¡± he said. ¡°Turns out, when you¡¯re as old as she is, you learn a thing or two.¡± ¡°We¡¯re a-at the top?¡± Stell asked. The floor, as wide as Ressen, was an open concept. A roof of branches and leaves stood overhead, the walls empty beside a woven railing. The ceiling tented upward; a treehouse fit for a king. Birds hung around the edge, monkey-like beasts curled up on the couches. Walls sectioned off individual rooms but never felt forced or necessary. There was plenty of room, and a view unlike any other. ¡°This high up, there won¡¯t be any rain,¡± Luka explained. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s a bit chilly, so I had to add some heating glyphs to the floor.¡± Stell¡¯s head snapped down, finding a pattern amongst the wood grain. He lifted his sunglasses as he stepped toward the edge, lightly peering down before jumping back. ¡°Is this safe?¡± ¡°Yes. Goddess Tippy blesses everything I create, remember?¡± ¡°And you trust her?¡± Luka made a face. ¡°Do I trust the park¡¯s patron goddess?¡± He let the question hang in the air. He honestly wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± A beat passed before Luka asked, ¡°How do you think we¡¯re getting down? I¡¯m not walking down those stairs and Jear still has to enchant the elevators.¡± Stell stared at the World Walker. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Luka shooed one of the monkeys off a chair and took a seat. ¡°Beautiful little guys, aren¡¯t they? Jear says powerful magical trees attract all types of strange wildlife.¡± ¡°Is that safe!?¡± He nodded. ¡°Jear has also assured me that Ressen emits an aura that pacifies all predatory instincts in the wildlife she supports. Ressen¡¯s very essence is nature, and she cultivates it.¡± Stell somehow found his pen and got to scribbling. Luka continued to talk. ¡°That means, Ressen will grow many, many strange and/or unique herbs, flowers, and plants. She also will, eventually, take over all the park and make sure everything naturewise is up to standard. Bushes, weeds, stuff like that.¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°Oh, this is a good time to announce the next themed section of the park.¡± Luka waited a moment for Stell to catch up. When the demon looked up, he continued. ¡°Sticking with the nature theme, the Beastial Grove will open as soon as possible.¡± ¡°And what, uh,¡± Stell¡¯s mind reeled to keep up, ¡°will the headliner be?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve planned to have a nature theme since the beginning,¡± the World Walker explained, ¡°but with Ressen¡¯s sudden appearance, it can be so much more. The concept will be an open-space zoo, fitted with various biomes to better harbor more types of animals, beasts, and monsters. The headline attraction will be a safari¡ª¡± ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Stell looked almost aghast. ¡°Did you say monster?¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Yeah, sure. Ressen attracts and pacifies everything, including monsters. So, they¡¯ll come of their own free will, happy to live in a peaceful place. If Jear is to be believed, monsters are intelligent and would gladly come.¡± ¡°Do¡ªdo you even know what you¡¯re saying!?¡± ¡°Sure, I do. World Walker Park will soon be the only place in the world where people and monsters can live together. We¡¯ll have griffon petting areas, sunning basilisks, and molting phoenixes. Where else can you be so close to creatures such as these, safely?¡± Chapter 75: Breaking Loose The tour with Stell eventually ended and Luka pointed him in the direction of Jear for an interview. The Elven Consort sat on the ground floor level, talking with people about her daughter and answering any questions about the hotel. From a cursory glance, Luka could tell the attention was annoying her. She was a pseudo-immortal who lived alone in her husband tree for decades at a time¡ªin other words, she was the very definition of an introvert. But she was also a new mother who loved to talk about how cute her child was¡­ even if she got some strange looks for it. ¡°Come on,¡± Luka said to Franky, pulling him out of the crowded interior and around the back of the World Tree. ¡°I was thinking here is good.¡± They stood in a mostly flat, grassy field. The area was part of Ressen¡¯s ring of cleared forest and yet saw minimal gardening by her. Her moat pond and arch-covered walkway extended around her circumference, but that was about it. Walking all the way around her took a while, and few park guests truly cared to, making the area perfect for hosting the various mounts hotel guests might ride to town. Franky adopted a predatory smile. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± Luka nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll build a fence and a few shady barns. Can you grab Leo and Sebby? I want to ask them what kind of entertainment they¡¯ll want. Chew toys and maybe a few climbing perches.¡± ¡°That sounds¡ª¡± The orc froze, reeling back in surprise at a sight across the way. There, in the closest layer of the forest, was a dire-emu. Olive the emu was Eve¡¯s mount and incredibly dull. It wasn¡¯t her fault; emus had the smallest brains to body-size in the animal kingdom. But, as Luka had come to learn, Olive was a special bird. She trotted out of the forest with a silver and gold¡­ beast on her back. It sat atop her like a rider, clutching her feathers as if they were reins. Olive noticed Luka and Franky watching her, freezing in place like a kid caught with their hand in a cookie jar. The thing on her back gently pulled her feather trying to get her to move, but no. She stood petrified. ¡°I¡­ think we should go check on her,¡± Franky mumbled, stepping toward her. Luka followed. As they neared the creature on her back, it stood on its stubby back legs. About the size of a fat cat, it was stripped like a tiger but with the face of a capybara. It made up for a lack of claws or talons with bucked teeth that would be perfect for chopping down logs. It eyed Luka and Franky as they walked, almost affronted that they¡¯d approach. It also wore a tiny golden crown atop its head, jewels of all colors shimmering in the morning light. The creature¡¯s annoyed expression turned soft. ¡°Ah, you must be my welcoming party.¡± Both Franky and Luka froze. It just spoke, they both thought, looking at each other. Slowly, they turned back, finding the little guy to have crossed its stubby arms impatiently. ¡°Well?¡± it asked. ¡°Are you going to announce my presence to these lands or will I have to take my trusty steed to find someone proper?¡± In Luka¡¯s short time in this world, he¡¯d experienced many strange, strange things. From odd races to literal gods, he adapted to it all like a savant. Even his daughter and son-in-law questioned how he was able to flow with the surrealness so easily. This was not one of those times. His brain short circuited, his mouth sputtering half-baked thought of wonder mixed with strange utterances of surprise and confusion. Franky filled in. ¡°Are you¡­ are you a Gilded Beast?¡± ¡°The peasants in these lands are a little slow it seems,¡± the beast muttered dejectedly. It shook its head slowly before regaining its composure. ¡°You are correct, sir. Are you not the welcome party for this great tree here?¡± ¡°We are.¡± Franky stole a glance at Luka, who was still bug-eyed. ¡°We just didn¡¯t expect someone of such renown would visit so soon.¡± The creature shrugged. ¡°My fellow monarchs wander our lands often enough. I just happened to be close by when,¡± it gestured at Ressen, ¡°she appeared.¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± Luka whispered, finally recovering. Franky leaned over. ¡°This is a Gilded Beast.¡± ¡°A what!?¡± The beast cleared its throat. ¡°Allow me.¡± It stood tall on its back legs, puffing its chest. ¡°I am King Orris Argentpaw, Gilded Beast to these lands and Monarch to the Beasts of Embers.¡± Franky, still leaned into Luka¡¯s ear, said, ¡°When they said a princess was coming, I expected something different.¡± Orris scoffed. ¡°I am no princess!¡± Something in Luka¡¯s mind finally switched on. He adapted, finally able to roll with the talking opossum king wearing a literal crown. ¡°Ah, then we are going to be graciously visited by two royals. How lucky.¡± Was it really lucky? Luka didn¡¯t think so. He had too much to do, and dealing with¡­ whatever was happening right now was not what he wanted to be doing. Still, he couldn¡¯t offend a Gilded Beast, whatever that was, until he knew more. He sighed internally, wishing Tram or, honestly, Jear was here. They¡¯d handle this easily enough. At Luka¡¯s words, Orris flinched. ¡°A Princess of Embers is here? We must meet! Take me to her!¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°She¡¯s not here yet.¡± As a World Walker, Luka missed much of the important context of events such as this. He didn¡¯t know the history, culture, or emotions behind a Gilded Beast. ¡°Very well,¡± Orris stated flatly. ¡°Take me to my chambers.¡± He hopped from Olive¡¯s back, landing in the grass with a thud. ¡°Good steed.¡± He patted her on the leg. ¡°You have served me well.¡± Olive refused to make eye contact with Luka or Franky. Instead, she slowly inched away, then sprinted off, chirping for her rider. Would she find Eve or get distracted by a butterfly? It was anyone¡¯s guess. ¡°What are we standing here for?¡± Orris asked, tapping his stubby foot impatiently. ¡°I wish to retire from my long journey.¡± ¡°R-right.¡± Luka was, again, at a loss for words. Just what do they do in this situation? Does a Gilded Beast require a full VIP floor? ¡°This is perfect,¡± Franky said, taking on a smile. ¡°We needed a ¡®hotel¡¯ for the beasts staying at the World Tree. Who better to have a say in its construction than a King of Beasts!?¡± Luka blinked rapidly then looked down at Orris. ¡°Is that something you¡¯d be interested in?¡± The king rolled his eyes. ¡°Are you saying my chambers are not built yet? What kind of operation are you running?¡± Franky knelt. ¡°Nothing of the sort. See this man here?¡± He gestured at Luka. ¡°This is a World Walker. He can build anything you can imagine in moments. Just tell him what you want, and he will make sure it gets done.¡± Luka looked as if he smelt something foul. ¡°Really?¡± he muttered. Franky shot him a warning look¡ªobviously Gilded Beasts were important. ¡°Fine. But I do have stuff to do today. We¡¯ve got VIPs and divine envoys arriving soon.¡± Orris raised his chin. ¡°They are of no consequence. My chambers are your only responsibility, otherworlder.¡± Luka sighed as if the world was burning, shook his head, and walked toward Ressen¡¯s base. Guess I¡¯m building a small castle in the mount stables, he thought. He took deep breaths, his magic flaring to life. Today was already going to be stressful enough and now he had to deal with this. He just hoped there wouldn¡¯t be any more surprises. *** Hell broke loose around noon. Luka heard the trumpets first, followed by the sound of marching soldiers. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his head aching from overexerting his magic. He stood in front of Ressen, a small, but very detailed castle between them. Gilded Beast King Orris lounged lazily inside, dictating his every wish for his personal chambers. Down to the patterned floor tiles and the specific angle of each of the spires, he had something to say about all of it. And Franky had left to find Eve, so Luka didn¡¯t know if he had to follow the little rodent¡¯s every whim. Were Gilded Beasts important? He simply didn¡¯t know. ¡°Ah, that must be my royal sister,¡± Orris said, popping up. His little crown always remained on his head, even if he laid draped across his regal bedding. ¡°I must prepare.¡± With the declaration, a vial of liquid magically appeared in his hand. He uncorked it, drank the liquid, gargled, and spat. ¡°Minty fresh.¡± Luka could only shake his head¡ªbut he stopped when a shadow swooped overhead. Glancing up, he found a duo of winged monsters. ¡°D-dragons!?¡± He had never seen a dragon, but occasionally someone in the park mentioned them. They existed here, but as Luka understood, they were more people-like than monster-like. Whatever that meant. Orris snorted. ¡°Dragons? No, my dear boy! Those are wyvern! They must belong to the princess!¡± ¡°Belong?¡± ¡°Wyvern riders are only affordable by the most esteemed high society members!¡± The rodent considered for a moment. ¡°But I suppose your ignorance is understandable. Someone of your standard would never know the wealth needed to cultivate wyverns.¡± Luka shook his head and stood. He was so done building a castle for this creature. That was when a figure limped from the treeline¡ªa bloody, bruised figure. Defiance and fear shown on the young man¡¯s face as he B-lined toward the World Walker. Batty Barns was the park¡¯s head of security¡­ and also a former street gang leader. If he was beaten, that could only mean one thing. His former boss was here, a crime lord and a VIP to the park. ¡°Luka!¡± Barns yelled, waving and grimacing from his blue face. ¡°Barns!? What happened!?¡± He yanked the air firm with his magic, forming a soft invisible chair for the man to sit on. He guided him down, noting Barns¡¯ shirt¡­ it wasn¡¯t the usual park threads. ¡°What? Oh, my face, yeah.¡± Barns shrugged as if his eyes weren¡¯t almost swollen shut. ¡°I was expecting this, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°You were expecting to be beaten!?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course. You don¡¯t leave the underworld without an exit beating, everyone knows that.¡± ¡°Even your team?¡± ¡°Yeah, but don¡¯t worry. I took their beatings for them. We¡¯re all good.¡± Luka stood stunned. He could roll with gods, princesses, even a talking arrogant rodent, but this? This wasn¡¯t right. He rolled his artifact ring around his finger, activating its recipe magic. Requirements for a Potion of Healing (high grade): 1 oz of life essence 1 oz of mystic honey 1 oz of boiled water 1 oz cherry juice (for flavor, optional). He would go to Sol right now and have her brew the recipe. Barns would be healed within the hour¡ªthe injured man grabbed Luka¡¯s arm, ripping him from his inner thoughts. ¡°That¡¯s not why I came looking for you,¡± Barns said, pained. ¡°You have guests¡ª¡± ¡°The princess!¡± Orris said, amused from a few steps away. ¡°We know.¡± Barns stared at the rodent. ¡°Luka, why is there a talking raccoon?¡± ¡°R-raccoon!?¡± the Gilded Beast demanded. ¡°I will have you know, I am a descendant from the First Beast!¡± ¡°And was the First Beast a raccoon?¡± ¡°She was an opossum, you bleeding idiot!¡± Orris stomped his foot, a hand-fan appearing in his little fingers. He aggressively fanned himself as if it were the summer months. ¡°Backwoods servants¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Making my heart race¡­¡± Luka shuffled a little, so he stood between them. ¡°Ignore him,¡± he whispered. ¡°We know about the princess. I was on my way to her when I saw you come out of the forest.¡± Barns shook his head. ¡°No, not her. Our new outfitters are here.¡± ¡°What?¡± The security guard pulled at his bloodstained shirt. ¡°Followers of God Hyrin. They came with a few crates of park uniforms for us. Said they were payment for¡ª¡± ¡°Opening a barbershop in the park, yeah.¡± Luka sighed. ¡°Everyone¡¯s here at once, huh?¡± When it rains, it pours, he thought. Barns then opened his mouth. ¡°Oh, and Tram¡¯s looking for you. The WHEEL broke down and people were jumping from the gondolas after ten minutes. Goddess Tippy¡¯s blessing lowered them to the ground safely, but they¡¯re making a fuss about the inconvenience.¡± Great! Just great! Luka trudged to the park, shaking his head. ¡°Also, those mages here from the Guilds are here.¡± Chapter 76: Princess ¡°Announcing Princess Alexandra of the Ember Kingdom!¡± At the crier¡¯s words, trumpets blared, and a dozen horseback knights saluted. They weren¡¯t on actual horses, however. From where Luka stood, he spotted no more than six types of mounts. They were the usual dire-beasts¡ªwolf, lizard, cat, insect thing, stubby bird of some kind, and air-breathing fish. It seemed, in this world, no one liked horses. Luka had seen them, he knew they existed here, and yet, no horse mounts. Weird, he mused as he pushed through the crowd. With his sunglasses on, and Gilded Beast Orris clamped to his shoulder like a fat parrot, people gave him a wide berth. He¡¯d like to think it was because of his title of World Walker, but he knew, deep down, that it was because the rodent was hissing at people. Very royal like¡­ Between the knights like a setting sundown, a carriage rumbled and bounced, the inhabitants shifting inside. As soon as the trumpet song ended, the wood-stained door burst open, and an annoyed¡ªand heavily dressed¡ªleg shot out. One step, then two, a young human woman wearing a terribly frizzly dress practically leaped from the raised cabin. On her head, pinning back a cascade of raven hair, sat a small tiara, one that¡¯s jewels shimmered in the light. And yet, despite the hair piece, the princess still spat out a stray strand that happened to invade her mouth, unceremoniously rubbing her face and shaking with annoyance. The knights flanking her dismounted and knelt, their mounts doing the same. The princess ignored them, patted down her dress, then stomped forward. With a sigh¡ªand after making sure Tram wasn¡¯t already doing so¡ªLuka stepped from the crowd to the young woman. Briefly, he looked around for his allies¡­ yet found no one besides Franky. The orc smiled eagerly at him, slyly slipping on his sunglasses as if he was part of a secret club. Luka rolled his eyes but made no motion to remove his own pair. They needed sunglasses to take off, and where better to showcase their style than meeting a princess? ¡°Who are you?¡± the princess demanded, stopping a safe few steps from Luka. He was the only one from the crowd who dared intercept her, meaning he was a fool, an assassin, or the owner of the park. Luka gave the lady a bow, his tacky purple suit only adding to his own embarrassment. He hated the ¡°eccentricities¡± the title of World Walker brought, even if they raked in more money for the park. ¡°Luka, your highness, World Walker and visionary of this fine otherworldly park.¡± He had a hard time adding that last part, but it was what Tram had come up with. Again, the more theatrical, the better. Princess Alexandra studied him for a long, long moment, visually gnawing on her thoughts and thinking over her responses. Behind her, an older attendant¡ªor maybe an advisor¡ªran from the carriage, rushing to keep up. He stopped a few steps behind the princess, muttering under his breath to her. Then, with one foul look, the princess silenced him. ¡°I can handle this myself,¡± she hissed. Oh boy, Luka thought, swallowing hard. The attendant vibrantly nodded, his thick white mustache hiding most of his facial expressions and his dapper posture hiding the rest. The princess turned back to Luka, adjusted her dress, then took a step forward. ¡°Well met, World Walker Luka,¡± she said with a bit too much cheer. ¡°I am Princess Alexandra.¡± Luka waited for her to add something more to that. The moment stretched. Was he supposed to say something? He felt there should be more to her side of the introduction. Even King Orris on his shoulder seemed put out, the little rodent practically scoffing at her display. Behind his sunglasses, Luka glanced around for help¡­ Luckily, he didn¡¯t have to wait long. The attendant lightly coughed. As if kicked on the butt, the princess jolted and said, ¡°Thank you for meeting me on my arrival. You must be very busy.¡± Stolen story; please report. That¡¯s more like it, he mused. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, and I am.¡± Luka gestured at his rodent companion riding on his shoulder. ¡°As you can see, you¡¯re not the first royal I¡¯ve had the pleasure of meeting today.¡± Slowly, very slowly, Alexandra looked between the World Walker and Gilded Beast. She blinked a few times, frowning, before her attendant stepped forward and whispered in her ear. Numerous emotions flashed across her face¡ªsurprise, confusion, understanding, annoyance¡ªbefore she regained her princessly composure. ¡°A Gilded Beast!¡± she bellowed. ¡°How novel! Father says¡ª¡± Orris yawned and shook his head. ¡°Princess,¡± he said the word firmly. ¡°This is highly irregular. Meeting me is not ¡®novel,¡¯ it is an honor. You¡¯d think someone of your standing would have better manners by your age.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes snapped open. He slowly turned to look at the rodent, hardly able to keep himself from gaping at the little beast. Luka might be an alien in this world, but¡ªand this was after nearly four months of observation¡ªthis world and Earth shared many similarities. One similarity, he would have guessed, would be the respectful way people spoke to royals¡­ but then again, Orris considered himself a king, so maybe this was par for the course. The attendant whispered in Alexandra¡¯s ear¡ªcausing the princess to turn beat red. Completely flushed, she managed to hide her surprise after a moment, fully resetting her facial expression to a flat mask. She took a second for herself then curtsied. ¡°My apologies, King Orris.¡± She fought back a grimace. ¡°It seems as though I missed a few lessons in my princess studies. I only have myself to blame, you see, I often skip them for more¡­ fun things.¡± Orris raised a furry eyebrow. ¡°What kind of fun? Like chasing moths around a fire or bathing with the toads?¡± Luka didn¡¯t outwardly react to that, though the princess did. Her blank mask faltered for a moment, showing a look of paralyzed fear. She regained her composure and said, ¡°Um. No, nothing so¡­ eventful. I like to read the many daily papers from around the kingdom and watch the sunrise.¡± Orris took her answer well enough. He hopped from Luka¡¯s shoulder, and said, ¡°Come. I will show you where I am staying. Perhaps we can continue this conversation over drinks.¡± Luka quickly said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have enough room for both of you in your¡­ castle. How about the penthouse suite? It is already set up for the princess and her entourage.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Orris said. ¡°Penthouse¡­?¡± Alexandra asked. Out of the corner of his eye, Luka spotted a grouping of mages. He recognized them as people from the Guilds, people he had business dealings with. Nearby them were the envoys from the God of Haircuts, each patiently waiting for his attention. And further toward the back was a man draped in shadow, smoking a cigarette and lazily tossing a dagger up and down. Just from a single glance, Luka knew the man was part of the crime lord¡¯s group. And I need to fix the WHEEL, he internally thought. With a split-second decision, Luka waved over Franky. The orc, for his part, did come over right away, but not before looking behind himself to make sure Luka wasn¡¯t gesturing someone else over. Once in ear shot, Luka said, ¡°Franky here will guide you to your hotel suite.¡± ¡°I will?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes.¡± They shared a look, one that silently communicated different things for each man. Luka thought they were on the same ¡®I¡¯m very busy, please help me¡¯ page, while Franky thought they were on the ¡®I¡¯m graciously handing over responsibility for the cute princess and make sure she has everything she could ever need.¡¯ ¡°I will! And a pleasure, Princess Alex,¡± Franky announced, eloquently bowing and holding out his hand. The princess flushed red, held out her dainty wrist, which he took, kissing just above her knuckles. When he gave her hand back, he said, ¡°I am Franky.¡± ¡°I¡ªuh, hello, Franky¡­¡± Her eyes darted between the orc, human alien, and rodent king before looking off into the grass. ¡°Only my friends call me ¡®Alex.¡¯¡± Not, or perhaps perfectly, reading the air right, Franky smirked and said, ¡°The best way to start the day is meeting a new friend. Now, shall I show you to your suite? You said you like to watch the sunrise¡ªwell, I suspect the sunset and rise you¡¯ll see from the top of the World Tree will be moments to truly cherish.¡± Franky held out his hand, waiting to lead her away. Flustered, she took it, and together¡ªalong with her entire knight entourage, attendant and servant group, and a Beast King¡ªthey ventured through the gossiping crowd toward the World Tree Inn. Luka watched them go, confused. Just how did Franky do it? Almost immediately, three separate parties converged on Luka. ¡°Mr. World Walker!¡± the divine envoy yelled. ¡°Luka, we have pressing contractual agreements to discuss!¡± said the mages. And finally, the crime lord underling was silent, yet stalked closer all the same. Chapter 77: Mages Standing on the gravel path leading into the park, Luka was surrounded on all sides. To the north, the Guilds¡¯ mages prowled with money and contracts on their minds. To the east were the lurking hair stylists and the chests full of scissors and combs. And to the west was, potentially, the worst of them all: a silent mob underling, slowly walking over with a burning cig firmly locked in his lips. The first to attack was the mages. ¡°Luka! You can¡¯t avoid us forever, you know!¡± The World Walker grimaced, recognizing the voice from the trio of mages in an instant. Like scraping glass, Mage Whitaker¡¯s voice carried far. He was an older halfling, likely just as old as Luka actually was, but he didn¡¯t look it¡ªtime magic did that to a person. Stuck in a middle-aged body, Whitaker wore his position on his sleeve and his wealth everywhere else. He was rich. Stupid rich. He was powerful. Stupid powerful. And he flaunted both. Luka wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the man¡¯s current outfit was more expensive than Princess Alexandra¡¯s entire traveling wardrobe. Enchanted fabric grew exponentially in price as complexity increased, especially when surface area dwindled. Which, as a halfling, was the case. Flanking either side of the mage, two nameless lackeys hobbled along, each carrying their weight in stacked papers and writing utensils. Luka didn¡¯t so much as give them a second glance¡ªthey¡¯d likely be fired by this time next week, meaning he had no reason to remember them. ¡°No Mage Farr?¡± Luka quipped. Farr was responsible for Luka¡¯s first introduction to the Guilds and the way they operated. Arriving at the park with a subpoena form, Farr took actions into his own hands when the locals failed to bend the knee at his poorly hidden threats. Eventually magical blows were thrown, and Franky was sent hurtling across the way, crashing into the dirt. It was then Vale arrived, inside of Annie¡¯s body, and turned Farr into a bean-sized lump of flesh, killing him. Getting the mage un-beanified was an ordeal, one that required the intervention of many divine powers. In the end, Farr lived and his memories of the traumatic moment were sealed away, Vale relinquished Annie¡¯s body to create her own, and Vale eventually gave up her magical powers to live the life of a mortal. So, when Luka spotted Vale watching the trio of mages as they spoke, he couldn¡¯t help but smirk a little. Was it wrong Vale killed a man? Yes, but it was also somewhat amusing how fearful they all were of Vale. Whitaker frowned, crossing his arms. ¡°Mage Farr has officially put in a request to change branches. He does not wish to be on this side of the kingdom.¡± Luka couldn¡¯t help but notice a misting of perspiration across the back of the halfling¡¯s neck. Farr might have had his memories of dying sealed, but¡ªas Luka could attest¡ªnightmares didn¡¯t seem to get the memo. Everyone in the Guilds understood some dark horrors happened in the park that day, yet none wished to talk about them. ¡°Good for him,¡± Luka flatly said. ¡°Now, what can I do for you? Need I remind you that Sol is our go-between? I think I told you that last time you sought me out.¡± Whitaker ignored most of what he said and replied, ¡°I have forms for you to sign.¡± He reached back, extending his short arms to his lackey, who passed him a stack of papers. ¡°No.¡± The mages halted. Slowly, Whitaker turned back. ¡°No?¡± ¡°I signed everything I¡¯m willing to sign for the time being. I told you that last time you tried to push something on me and Sol.¡± Luka didn¡¯t hide his annoyance. Ever since Luka revealed the fact that most, if not all, of the magical knowledge the Guilds collected was wrong, the Guilds had tried to worm their way into the park to steal Luka¡¯s secrets. They couldn¡¯t fathom that he, along with Sol and everyone else in Emberwood Village, didn¡¯t know any more. God Neb and Goddess Tippy had shown Sol a way to fix her illusionary glyphs so that they didn¡¯t cause people to become sick. This was on the coattails of Luka throwing a fit about harming people As if expecting Luka¡¯s statement, Whitaker waved his hand and attempted to thrust the unsigned contracts forward. ¡°I know. But this is all formality. These dictate the process of how the Guilds are going to import your goods. We need them signed¡ª¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± Luka knew the man was lying. Simple as that. In fact, he thought Whitaker tried this same lie a few weeks ago. ¡°We do! Just look here!¡± The halfling pointed to a section under the letterhead that read ¡®Imports: Motes of Undeath.¡¯ Luka potently looked down. ¡°Uh huh. And what do the other six hundred pages say?¡± The man hesitated. ¡°We¡¯re just being thorough. ¡°Stop wasting my time. We both know you¡¯re trying to get me to sign my life away to the Guilds. It. Is. Not. Going. To. Happen. So, why don¡¯t you be an actual business partner, and come through on your side of the deal?¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Whitaker looked as though he had been slapped. ¡°Very well, Mr. World Walker. Your first shipment of¡­ imports will be arriving soon.¡± ¡°Good. Have the higher ups thought about my proposal anymore? Because after this meeting right now, I¡¯m thinking of rescinding my offer.¡± Whitaker now looked as though he had been kneed in the groin. ¡°Magic above, no! You can¡¯t pull that¡ª¡± ¡°I can and I will if we are not left alone. You are harassing me during business hours, and I heard you keep scrying Sol¡¯s hut. She doesn¡¯t like that.¡± With a snap of his fingers, the stacks of contracts burnt to a fiery crisp in the halfling¡¯s hands. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad we can come to an understanding.¡± Whitaker slacked his jaw from size to side, considering. After a moment, his gaze fell toward the path leading to the World Tree Inn. ¡°How did you ever swing a World Tree? The Guilds looked into growing our own for centuries.¡± Luka ignored the question. ¡°Anything else today, Mage Whitaker?¡± Taken out of his rhetorical musing, the halfling begrudgingly nodded. ¡°Your proposal: it was accepted by the higher ups.¡± He snapped his fingers again and the third mage quickly searched through her satchel, eventually returning a thin binder. The binder was passed along to Whitaker, then to Luka. Holding the old, worn leather in his hands, Luka couldn¡¯t help but smile. Working with the Guilds, putting up with their annoying, self-centered members, and their draconian rules was all worth it for this single binder. Gently slapping it against his palm, Luka said, ¡°A few dozen specialized glyphs for a plot of land in the hottest resort destination adventure entertainment amusement park seems like a good deal, no?¡± Whitaker didn¡¯t grace the question with a response, and instead turned and walked off, his underlings in tow. Almost instantly, the mobster swooped in, filling the mages¡¯ void. He flexed his jacket collar, puffed his cig, and locked eyes with the World Walker. ¡°Boss wants to meet you.¡± Luka saw several hundred ways this conversation could go. Unfortunately, most could only be fantasy. He shook the image of Barns¡¯ beaten, bruised face from his mind and outstretched his hand. ¡°Well met.¡± Handshakes were a bit of an oddity around these parts. Humans did it, but not many other races did. Orc, for example, punched each other¡¯s fist as hard as they could in greeting. In this case, the human mobster ignored Luka¡¯s hand and said, ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting in the Whirlpool Tavern. Drinks are on you.¡± With that, the man walked off, heading toward Stormcorsair Harbor and the illusionary rains. Luka shook his head as the third and final party of people hesitantly walked over. There were four of them. They wore plain clothes. Plain, boring shoes. Some had piercings, others simple tattoos. But each had insane hair. A woman, the leader of the group, stepped forward, her hair done up in a wide web of mist and dew. Set in a braid, each strand of hair compiled into a magical glyph, one that produced magic like the very glyphs that fueled the park. She, a human, stuck her hand out in greeting. ¡°Luna¡¯s the name, hair is my game!¡± she practically yelled. Luka hesitated at her words before adapting and moving on. ¡°Well met, I¡¯m Luka.¡± ¡°The World Walker, we know!¡± a man said, stepping forward. He was a beastman, a lion or cat breed of some kind. His mane wrapped around his neck and faded nicely into his lush chest hair. On his head, an afro made of the sun¡¯s rays followed his curly perm. ¡°I¡¯m Alpha!¡± Luka gave a tight smile. ¡°Hello there, Alpha. Is that a birth name or¡­?¡± ¡°Oh no, my mother named me Greg.¡± He flexed his massive arm, showing off his huge muscles. ¡°But I think Alpha is more fitting, no?¡± ¡°Guess so!¡± Luka gestured for them to follow. ¡°Walk with me, I¡¯ve got too many things to do and can¡¯t stand around all day.¡± The other two haircutters were introduced as Sunny and Goldie¡ªtwins who both wore their hair up in tight buns that split in the middle like rose petals. Illusional petals fell in their wake, magic once again part of their stylings. ¡°I saw the uniforms you guys brought! They were nice!¡± Luka said, navigating through the crowds. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Luna. ¡°We handed off a crate of shirts and pants to the orc called¡­ Train.¡± ¡°Tram,¡± coughed Alpha. ¡°Ah, yes, Tram, that¡¯s right.¡± Luna smiled at a little kid as they walked by, the mist from her hair wafting down like bubbles. ¡°We were only able to make fifty pairs during our travels to the park. Our God suggested we at least triple that before starting on the other costumes you wanted. We want everyone to have at least three pairs.¡± ¡°From there,¡± Alpha quickly jumped in, ¡°we¡¯ll make uniforms to order. Just send whoever you hire to us, and we¡¯ll get them fitted.¡± Luka considered that for a moment. ¡°That sounds good to me.¡± ¡°Then, of course, there is the worry of our own place of business,¡± Luna said. ¡°Yes. I was thinking about that. Would you like rooms attached to the barber shop or would you want me to build you four small cottages outside the park and in the village?¡± The hairdressers looked at one another before Alpha said, ¡°Four rooms attached to the shop, please.¡± ¡°Are you okay with multiple stories?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Ground level would be the barbershop, then two rooms above and two more above those. You¡¯d have more space, but you¡¯d have to deal with stairs.¡± Again, a silent conversation rounded through the group. ¡°That will be satisfactory.¡± Luka stopped and regarded these people. Odd lot, sure, but they seemed nice enough. ¡°Alright, well, we¡¯re here.¡± They stood in a plot of land at the start of the Stormcorsair Harbor. ¡°You all tell me what you want, and I¡¯ll make it happen.¡± With that, the fa?ade buildings that made up the other side of the docks broke inwards, revealing the natural forest behind the themed land. Soon walls formed, then floors and ceilings. Stairs came next, and a second and third story. Everything was generic, styling would come in a few minutes. Luka cracked his neck. He hadn¡¯t truly created anything in a while. He finally remembered just how amazing it was. Chapter 78: Fire ¡°Rounded or edged?¡± Luka asked, the vein in his forehead bulging. Four ¡°hmms¡± echoed through the room as the hairdressers all regarded the piece of trim. Trim! A single piece of trim required all four to cautiously think about, study, and communally decide the best option. Not that it mattered in the slightest! Like at all! Luka forced his irritation away, expressly ignoring the fact that this piece of trim will have a shelf in front of it! ¡°Rounded,¡± Alpha said, his hand on his chin as if the decision was going to save the planet. ¡°I agree,¡± the twins said together. ¡°Really?¡± Luna asked. ¡°I Liked edged better.¡± The three regarded the lone, before the four hummed and returned their gazes to the trim piece. Hours! They had been at this for hours! Luka, more than once, thought about leaving and coming back later. But no¡ªhe couldn¡¯t. This was a divine envoy and pseudo park employee group. They had every right to take up his time¡­ even if he had countless other things to do. ¡°Let¡¯s just go with rounded,¡± Luna eventually said before taking a step back and reevaluating the room. Since the barbershop was located in the Stormcorsair Harbor, it was mostly sailor themed. Well¡ªgeneric sailor and harbor. Everything was made of wood, everything was stained dark and damp, everything adopted a nautical hint and a flair of whimsey. Big, thick edges rounded the mirrors, rusted rivets clamping them firmly to the walls. Four worn leather barber chairs sat evenly spaced, each mounted with salt-crusted metal fittings planted firmly into the weathered floorboards. Nets hung from the ceiling, each outfitted with random knick-knacks like oars, glass baubles, ship rudder wheels, and cannon balls. ¡°I think that¡¯s done,¡± Luka said, rushed. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to lighting¡ª¡± Luna cut him off. ¡°As many light glyphs, crystals, or heatless flames as you can around the border of the mirrors as well as nine spaced evenly along the ceiling.¡± He blinked. ¡°That¡¯s oddly specific,¡± he said. ¡°Well, yeah. We need a lot of light to work.¡± Luka decided to gamble. ¡°Is there anything else you specifically need?¡± ¡°Some shelves here and here,¡± she said, pointing. ¡°Then a reception desk.¡± He blinked again. I should have started with this, he thought, thinking how much faster this process could have gone. In moments, his magic worked around the room, producing what the hairdresser asked for. He did not, however, ask for details on these specific requests, and instead simply continued the room¡¯s theme. ¡°This looks great!¡± Alpha said, grinning like a cat. I really should¡¯ve started with this, Luka silently thought. *** The door to the barbershop swung open, and a very out-of-breath Eve stepped in. Her posture like a sickly hyena, she bore holes into Luka from staring alone. ¡°There you are!¡± she practically snapped. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you!¡± Luka gently set down a spinning red and white spiral cylinder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. ¡°The WHEEL is broken down, and now the swings are too!¡± He was afraid of this. He turned to the barbers. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to come back to finish this.¡± Luka fished through his pocket, producing four wooden coins embroidered with the word ¡®employee.¡¯ ¡°Here. Show these to any of the food venders, and they¡¯ll give you breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Don¡¯t give them to any guests, please. We¡¯ve already had to purchase a couple back after empathetic park employees gave some away.¡± Luna took the coins. ¡°Take your time, World Walker. We will be finishing the uniform order, no need for us to be open just yet.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Luka nodded, spun on his heel, and left with Eve. ¡°Where¡¯s Annie?¡± he asked once outside. ¡°With Vlad and Jear at the hotel. Ressen¡¯s refusing to eat.¡± ¡°A tree is refusing to eat?¡± Eve made a face, one that both highlighted the absurdity of the situation while also downplaying the causation. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And Annie and Vlad are helping out?¡± ¡°Jear came looking for them.¡± That got a smile out of Luka. ¡°At least Jear¡¯s leaning on those around her.¡± Humming, Eve put her arm out and slowed him to a stop. ¡°Before we continue, I think you should know that there¡¯s been a few security reportings.¡± ¡°About the crime lord? Because I already¡ª¡± ¡°Gnomeeee,¡± she said, referring to the band of corporate gnomish spies. They were the ones responsible for attempting to steal park secrets. ¡°Ah,¡± was all Luka said. ¡°If the reports are to be believed, then they were the ones who broke the WHEEL and the swings.¡± ¡°Spies and saboteurs,¡± he muttered. Distantly, a memory from Earth resurfaced. Luka was back in his engineering laboratory and office, talking to building security and a high-ranking military official. Papers were strewn across the floor and his computer sat gutted. Hard drives were gone, along with a certain folder hidden deep within the depths of his filing cabinet. ¡°It was Pierre Lambert,¡± the security guard said, reading from a listed piece of paper. ¡°His ID was last used on the floor before the janitors found it like this.¡± ¡°And what time was this?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Four fifty-one AM. Nine minutes before shift change for us guards.¡± ¡°It was premeditated, then,¡± the military man muttered. ¡°What do we know about Lambert?¡± Luka shook his head. ¡°He was a friend. I never would have believed he¡¯d do something like this.¡± The military official scoffed. ¡°In your line of work, I¡¯m surprised there¡¯s not more of this. Countries would pay millions to get our tech. So. What do we know about Lambert? Who is he going to sell to? Where is he hiding? And how many lives will be lost because of him?¡± Luka recalled everything about the man he could remember. And when all was said and done, he had a question. ¡°What will happen to him when you find him?¡± The military man shrugged. ¡°Prison, I suppose. Maybe he¡¯ll hang for treason. If it was up to me, I¡¯d shoot him on the spot.¡± The memory faded, and Luka found Eve leaning close, studying his face. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± she said with relief. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t having old memories appear like that anymore.¡± Luka shivered. ¡°I haven¡¯t been, nothing besides nightmares.¡± Eve pressed her lips together firmly. She was one of the few he could confide in¡ªone of the few non-divine that knew his full history. So, when she spoke next, Luka was almost expecting the question. ¡°What happened in the memory?¡± ¡°The end of a friendship,¡± he said softly. ¡°He stole from me and sold it to the highest bidder.¡± ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°Not a clue. They never caught him.¡± Luka left out that because of Pierre, a dozen small military encampments, bases, and safehouses were blown to bits. ¡®Tests¡¯ for the weapon Pierre stole. Luka resumed walking, Eve following right along. ¡°What can you tell me about Gnomeeee?¡± He grimaced as he said it¡ªwas he the military official now? ¡°Gnomish inventors steal from each other. Part of their culture is to always innovate, meaning they embrace competition and often hand out their blueprints to competitors. And when other non-gnomes create impressive stuff, they feel entitled to the groundwork.¡± ¡°To innovate upon,¡± Luka said. ¡°Exactly. Gnomeeee is a for-hire gang that steals non-gnomish work. And, if the reports are correct, we¡¯re a massive target.¡± Eve took a deep breath. ¡°They don¡¯t mean anything by it. Gnomes are not malicious, but people often think they are.¡± Luka nodded along, understanding very well the prejudice surrounding gnomes¡ªspecifically gnomish inventors. It was one of the first things he learned about the people of this world after opening the park. Even a god or two warned him a few gnomes were already attempting to steal his work. But Eve was wrong. ¡°If they¡¯re breaking the rides to steal our secrets, then they are malicious,¡± Luka said flatly. ¡°I can handle intellectual property theft. Without my magic, it¡¯s unlikely they¡¯ll be able to steal my designs fully. And well, rollercoasters and Ferris wheels are like wagons or barrels. They are a genre of ¡®things,¡¯ anyone can make one.¡± Eve took a deep breath. ¡°But?¡± she asked. ¡°But when they break my rides and risk hurting others to do it¡­¡± Luka teetered off. He wanted to end his statement with a threat. But that wasn¡¯t him anymore. If he caught whoever broke the rides, they¡¯d be banned from the park and presented to the rightful authorities. He wouldn¡¯t become the vindictive military official in his memories. Maybe he would have, once. But not anymore. ¡°Right,¡± Eve said after a moment. ¡°My aunt sent her raven to Sneerhome to get a guard unit. Hopefully they¡¯re quick.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°What does Sneerhome have to do with us?¡± ¡°Nothing outright. But they do still have jurisdiction over Emberwood Village¡ªjust like how we have to file papers with Sneerhome to tear down trees.¡± Luka froze. Then he asked a question that chilled the air. ¡°Did anyone submit the paperwork for Ressen and the World Tree Inn?¡± Eve¡¯s eyes slowly widened. ¡°I¡­ better go find Mayor Tram.¡± ¡°Good. Do that.¡± Slowly, bitterly, he asked, ¡°What are the odds that Sneerhome tries to take over Ressen and the World Tree Inn because of misfiled paperwork?¡± ¡°I¡¯d say¡­ not zero¡­¡± ¡°Better find Tram quickly, then¡­¡± Eve darted off. Luka took a long, centering breath. Everything was fine. Nothing was on fire. Everything¡¯s working out¡ª That was, of course, when he saw smoke. He pushed through the crowded park pathways, finding the teacups aflame¡ªand a trio of fleeing darkly-dressed gnomes. Chapter 79: Gnomeeee Standing frozen in place, Luka watched the teacups ride burn. The ride attendant yelled at riders to vacate, holding open the exit gate for them. Some screamed, others briskly walked out of there. Luckily, the gnomes who started the fire only lit one of the spinning teacups¡ªall the others were fine. Soon the fire would spread, but Luka wouldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°Coming through!¡± he yelled, parting the growing crowd. Black smoke bellowed as the flames grew, the wood oil coating the burning ride. It stank of chemicals, a smell Luka thought he was long away from. Another repressed memory came to him, a second one so soon: The wind changed over the course of an hour, turning the weapons testing field into a landfill. The area began to stink, the mock houses and repurposed cars burning to a crisp. Overhead, jet fighters roared by, dropping their bombs with deadly accuracy. Explosions followed¡ªchemical explosions. Most chemical weapons were outlawed in modern Earth wars. But that did not stop countries from researching them, nor did it stop them from using them in secret. After all, if there were no survivors, who was going to tattle on them? Luka watched the destruction of his weapons through a pair of binoculars, a smile on his face. He breathed deep; the smell of victory was one he¡¯d never forget. The World Walker shook himself out of the memory¡ªhe hated this smell now. It only reminded him of what he used to be. In moments, he was standing before the flaming ride, his magic whirling. Magical strands of power filled his sight, snapping to wooden panels and clamping down on chiseled glyphs. Anger sprouted in the back of his mind¡ªterrible, terrible anger. Stealing secrets was one thing. Sabotaging rides was another. But this? He flexed his magic with a grunt, tearing his ride apart, and separating the flaming wood from the pristine. This. This was too far. Luka mimed his spellwork like an orchestra conductor. He threw up his arms, and his magic followed¡ªas did the burning teacup. The ride section rose into the air, high above the crowd. He yanked his arms forward, snapping the last remaining pieces. Then he clapped, smushing his palms together before kneading them together. There was resistance at first, but the flaming teacup imploded, flattening and condensing under Luka¡¯s forceful magic. The flames snuffed out in heartbeats, and the wood chipped and sundered. He caught the falling dust and ash, maintaining his magic around the shoulders like a bubble of safety. A teacup could seat a family of four, now the one he held could fit inside of a large briefcase. It was just a ball of smoldering wood, a mass of materials, and a reminder he let this happen. Tram, Eve, Sol, and even Franky told him that Gnomeeee would be a problem. Hell, a god warned him as well. But he didn¡¯t listen. He wanted to give everyone a fair shot¡ªa second chance, in other words. Luka¡¯s eyes drifted to the side, where a young girl cried. She was one of the evacuated riders, standing with her parents, hand in hand. She wore a white and yellow dress, one with embroidered flowers around the hem¡ªbriefly Luka wondered how long sewing the design would have taken here. There were no sewing machines. But no, Luka¡¯s mind fell to the black soot that ran up her side, staining the white dress. Goddess Tippy¡¯s blessing protected everyone in the park. People could jump off rides or stand in the way of a swinging pirate ship and be fine. Someone could sit in a flaming teacup and spin themselves to their heart¡¯s content. Tippy''s blessing protected all. But the people who lit the teacup on fire did not know that. Hell, Luka wasn¡¯t entirely trusting in the blessing. If the blessing ever failed, it would be more blood on his hands. Luka felt something well inside of him, a darkness long hidden. If he ever caught the people who did this¡­ He didn¡¯t dare think about it. Because right now, Batty Barns¡¯ crime lord beating would seem tame compared to the punishments he knew were locked deep inside his mind. A hand touched his shoulder. Luka turned, finding Eve, Annie, Vladdy, and a whole crew of villagers. Hundreds of guests stood around watching the ball of magically compressed wood smoke, and more piled in by the minute. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°You okay?¡± Eve asked. ¡°I came back as soon as I smelled the smoke.¡± He twitched at the question. ¡°Dad¡ª¡± Annie said, stepping gently around the orc. She held her hand out, and Luka took it. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, why?¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°Because you look like you did when Vale took over my body.¡± It was hard for her to admit that¡ªit was not something Annie wanted to think about. But it had to be said¡­ as well as this next part. ¡°You look like you¡¯re going to kill someone.¡± She said it in a whisper¡ªno one beside Eve and Luka heard. He raised his chin at the statement, shuddering as dozens of repressed memories came trampling back. He fought them all away, only for someone in the crowd to catch his attention¡ªa ghost. She had black, dusty hair, and bags under her eyes that would give any night shift worker pause. Her clothes were torn and bloody, her expression blank. She was charred black, as if a bomb had detonated beside her. She was dead¡ªone of his victims. A nameless ghost that had plagued Luka since she found him¡ªthe reason he turned to pills and drink. ¡°I thought she was gone,¡± Luka muttered under his breath. She had been. Over two months without seeing her¡ªtwo peaceful months. ¡°Who?¡± He heard Annie¡¯s question but ignored it. He tried to step away, but two arms caught him, enveloped him, pinned him in place. They were warm. They were tender. But he couldn¡¯t deal with his daughter right now. ¡°Let go, Annie.¡± ¡°Annie?¡± the arms asked. Luka flinched; the ghost woman suddenly gone. It was Eve hugging him, not Annie. No, Annie stood awkwardly nearby, staring at him like a scared kid. He gritted his teeth. He hated that expression of hers. He hated it so, so much. ¡°Thanks, Eve,¡± Luka whispered, touching her arm softly. ¡°I¡¯m back. Thank you.¡± Eve took a massive, shuddering breath before releasing him. ¡°We¡¯ll handle this. Go take a break,¡± she said, referring to the crowd. Free-ride tokens needed to be passed out to the evacuated riders and an emergency happy hour needed to be set up throughout the park. Luka found himself nodding along, his thoughts distant. The ghostly woman was gone, for the moment, and the park needed a few minutes to reacclimate. The crowd would eventually disperse, and things would get back to normal. But then again, three rides were currently out of commission. He needed to fix those. ¡°Have someone find Barns. We need to increase security. I saw three gnomes running from the fire.¡± Luka forced himself to recall. ¡°They had a magical item of sorts, I think. It made flames.¡± Eve held his gaze for a long moment. ¡°Got it. But seriously, you need to take a break. Since Jear got here, you¡¯ve been working yourself to the bone. Then everything with the other VIPs.¡± ¡°VIPs¡­¡± the acronym slipped from Luka¡¯s mouth. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he said absentmindedly before walking away. He vaguely recognized Annie and Vlad following him. She stayed back a couple steps, her look of fear long gone. In its place was concern. I¡¯m fine. Everything is fine, Luka told himself, knowing it was a lie. He had a few stops to make before resting. The first few were the broken-down rides. The WHEEL¡¯s main gear shaft was broken¡ªa straight split down the radius of the driving gear. The fix was so simple it took Luka longer to find it than it did to fix it. The broken swings ride was a similar story, only this time the main power glyph that caused rotation had a large scratch mark through it, likely from a pocketknife. It was fixed and back up and running in moments. I need to add better security to the guts of the rides, Luka thought. Maybe Sol knows a proper locking spell¡­ Luka¡¯s next stop was the pile of materials at the edge of the village. He grabbed a mass of wood, mixing it with the condensed teacup wood he carried overhead. The smoldering had long died out, and ashy wood remained. Splitting the imperfections from the two masses was child¡¯s play. Ash, dust, dirt, mold, rot¡ªhe removed and discarded it all, producing perfect wood. He then walked back to the teacups ride and replaced the burnt-down section of the ride. It was back up and running in less than an hour. ¡°Dad?¡± Annie asked. He turned. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done everything you can. I think it¡¯s time to rest, like Eve suggested.¡± ¡°I will,¡± he replied softly, ¡°but there¡¯s one last thing I need to do first.¡± He walked ahead, his family one step behind. At the far end of the Stormcorsair Harbor, Whirlpool Tavern served guests and acted as both a theater show and the ride entrance for Whirlpool Plunge. The tavern sold all sorts of drinks, a few small food dishes, and it even had a small ice cream counter. When Luka walked in, he ignored all of that and instead scanned the drinking patrons. The air was strange. It was darker than normal, thicker than normal. The usual rambunctious chatter was muted and more reserved. Cigarette smoke wafted through the rafters and trailed from shadowy figures playing cards in the corner. Luka ignored all of it. A piano sat along the far wall. Usually it was reserved for the band the park hired for performances and general ambiance. But it was an off hour, no one should be playing it. But right now, there was. Luka stalked right up to the man playing. The man¡¯s fingers paused, and after a beat, he turned. ¡°Ahhhh,¡± the man cooed. ¡°The World Walker finally decided to show up. You know, most would be fearful of making me wait¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not most men.¡± The City of Embers¡¯ most notorious crime lord leaned back and regarded Luka. ¡°I can see that. I also see that you¡¯re steaming like an angry boiler. Why might that be?¡± He held up a scarred finger. ¡°Actually, let me rephrase: what might I do to help quell your anger?¡± ¡°I want to make a deal.¡± Chapter 80: Deal Even though Crime Lord Lanni sat on a piano stool, he loomed over Luka. ¡°A deal? What kind of deal?¡± His voice was raspy and low, like a metal grinder tearing through steel. The World Walker swallowed, resolving himself. Briefly, very briefly, he looked over the man. A big, white fur coat sat draped over his shoulders, gold rings were locked onto his fingers and shiny jeweled chains hung around his neck. His hair was slicked back with grease, and his smooth shaven face was riddled with small scars. He smiled like a cat, a golden tooth reflecting Luka¡¯s dark expression. ¡°The gnome gang, Gnomeeee is no longer welcome at my park. Non-gang affiliated gnomes are, however. And I want Gnomeeee to know and understand that.¡± Lanni¡¯s smile turned into a smirk, then a scoff, and finally a downright frown. ¡°You think I was born yesterday, eh?¡± He spread his wide hand onto the piano keys, blasting the room with shrill notes. ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t.¡± Luka grimaced and asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about murder and I¡ª¡± ¡°I am not!¡± His yell echoed through the tavern, drawing eyes from all the guests inside. The Crime Lord crossed his arms. He quirked an eyebrow and stared at Luka, studying his every minuscule movement. The twitch of his hand, how his left eye blinked slightly before his right, how his legs remained firm, despite his instinct telling him to run. ¡°If you didn¡¯t want me, a gang leader, wiping out a rival gang, what did you want, Mr. World Walker?¡± The question made Luka hesitate. He thought back, realizing just how his request sounded. He forced himself not to react outwardly. Internally he berated himself. Should I even continue this conversation? he wondered. I¡¯ve already messed it up¡ª That was when he saw her. Sitting amongst the tavern patrons was the dead ghostly woman from Earth. She sat there staring, judging, watching. As silent as ever, as terrifying as the day he killed her. Luka tore his eyes from the hallucination, finding the Crime Lord. He bit down his trepidation and said, ¡°I want Gnomeeee out of the park, yes. There will be no intimidation, threats, harm, killing, or anything of the sort.¡± Lanni chuckled. He leaned back against the piano keys, uncaring of the produced sound. ¡°You want me to bribe the gang to leave you alone.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That will cost you.¡± Now it was Luka¡¯s turn to cross his arms. ¡°Name a price.¡± A haunted laugh slowly rolled through the man¡¯s chest and throat. He laughed and laughed, his underlings sitting around the piano doing the same. Then he stopped, suddenly. He locked eyes with Luka, his shining tooth on full display. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re rather¡­ adept at alchemy.¡± A chill rushed through Luka¡¯s spine. He wasn¡¯t good at alchemy. Hell, he had never even brewed a potion. But¡ªand it was a big but¡ªhe did hold a divine artifact ring that gave him exact recipes to anything he dared ask it. So no, he wasn¡¯t not ¡°adept¡± at alchemy. He was far more than that. And unfortunately, very few people knew that. Very, very few. Which could mean one of a few different things. Either someone was spilling secrets, Lanni could see the future, or he had an artifact himself¡­an artifact that may, perhaps, help him maintain his crime empire. Luka mulled over the three options for a long moment¡ªand gambled. He whispered quietly enough the underlings could not hear, ¡°Did your artifact tell you that?¡± There was a shift. A tiny, minuscule one. But Luka wasn¡¯t the only person who could study someone. He saw Lanni¡¯s expression change. A smile to a smile¡ªyet not a smile. There was anger behind his eyes, tortuous anger. It may be Lanni¡¯s most guarded secret, but a secret wasn¡¯t a secret when more than one person knew. And there was the gamble. Did Lanni kill him for finding out? Would a Crime Lord kill a World Walker over a secret? This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Don¡¯t answer that,¡± Luka said smoothly. ¡°We both know you¡¯ll have to do something if you do.¡± With that, suddenly Luka was the one looming. He continued, ¡°So, before this relationship becomes unsalvageable, let¡¯s make a deal. You bribe Gnomeeee to leave the park alone, and I¡¯ll brew three potions for you.¡± ¡°Five,¡± the man instantly barked. Luka did not need time to think about it. ¡°Five, but I get to veto a potion if I don¡¯t like the effects. Like say a¡­ potion of immense pain. I will not make that.¡± Lanni held firm for a moment before all the anger drained from him. His haunted smile turned into a, relatively, friendly smirk. ¡°And here I thought you were only brewing five of the same potion. If I can ask for five unique potions, well, well, well, things just got a lot more interesting.¡± Luka grimaced. He should have thought of that. He could have gotten out of this better off. *** In the shadowy corner of the Whirlpool Tavern, a certain ¡°hairstylist¡± sat. Luna was the name she gave to her God¡¯s newest mark to gain entry into his home and hearth, but that was far from true. Many things surrounding her were little more than tricks. And the mark fell for them all. World Walker Luka¡ªthe mark¡ªwillingly played the fool, greedily accepting a deal with the divine. Clothes! The fool wanted clothes! That was it! The irony, the humor, the luck! Because of simple clothing, a fledgling empire would fall. World Walker Park would cease to exist, lives would turn to dust, hopes and dreams crushed. All for the glory of her God! Luna slumped into her chair, angling herself in such a way to see through the gaps between the tables and around the drinking guests. She watched the mark with interest, noting his demeanor and cadence. Even across the room, she heard every word he and the Crime Lord uttered. They were making a deal. Another foolish, greedy deal. Silently chuckling to herself, Luna watched on, ready to relay today¡¯s finding to her clergy. *** Luka mentally repeated the potions Crime Lord Lanni wanted, ¡°Potion of the silver tongue, potion of purge toxin, Dimensional Delight, Luck¡¯s Hand, and finally, potion of fertility.¡± The first two were what Luka was expecting: a potion that made one¡¯s words more appeasing, a potion that removed poison from an individual, a potion that gave the drinker a ¡°pocket inventory¡± for an hour, a potion that increased one¡¯s luck for a single hand of cards. In other words, a potion to talk a way out of something, save a life, smuggle something, and win big. They weren¡¯t perfect in Luka¡¯s mind. But he never considered himself a paragon of virtue. Lanni was a Crime Lord, of course his potions were going to help his business. Smuggling and a silver tongue were the best he was going to get¡ª unless Luka overstepped with his veto power and ruined the deal. With all of that said, Luka felt the first four potions were decoys¡ªLanni was truly after the last. Activating his ring, Luka read the reagents list: Requirements for a Potion of Fertility (high grade): 5 dried nettle berries The juice of a 1 moonbloom A pinch of dragon¡¯s ash 2.5 oz of Etherstarch (for thickening) 5 oz of a mare¡¯s milk ¡°Why do you want that?¡± Luka asked. Lanni held his gaze, a frown on his lips. ¡°That¡¯s not part of the deal.¡± Was this worth investigating? No, not really. But Luka wanted to know. ¡°It is. If you¡¯re planning to get someone pregnant against their will, I will not help you.¡± The Crime Lord scoffed and looked off to the side. He mulled on the statement, gnawing his bottom lip. Scars traced his cheek and down along his chin. The man had seen countless street fights, bare handed brawls, and drunken tavern beatdowns. He lived through them all, hardening along the way. And yet, right now, he looked as delicate as a flower. ¡°It¡¯s for my wife,¡± he practically slurred, his words both quiet as a mouse and filled with irritation. ¡°And she wants to have kids?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Lanni seethed. ¡°More than anything! She just can¡¯t!¡± The World Walker nodded. ¡°Or you can¡¯t.¡± The man went still. Then, slowly, conceded the point. ¡°Or I can¡¯t¡­ and I can do everything.¡± Ah, Luka thought. There it is. A man¡¯s folly¡ªa hardened Crime Lord, an unrivaled underground leader, a name that brought fear into the heart of derelict gang hideouts and the royal palace itself! A man so rich, he hid his empire in plain sight. A man who could get everything¡ªand anything¡ªhe ever wanted. Except a child. ¡°We have a deal,¡± Luka said. ¡°Though, it may take a while. My roots aren¡¯t exactly set when it comes to ingredient procurement.¡± Lanni¡¯s expression snapped back to ¡°crime lord.¡± His smile returned, and he stood from the piano bench, his arms out wide. ¡°You don¡¯t have a supplier, eh? As it just so happens, I supply many-o magical, mundane, and rare ingredients. Whatever you need, I¡¯ll get¡­ for a price, of course.¡± Luka held off on laughing in the man¡¯s face. There was no way he was ever making another deal with this man. But he couldn¡¯t exactly say that, could he? Instead, he said, ¡°No thanks. My roots haven¡¯t set, but that doesn¡¯t mean I haven¡¯t grown them.¡± The two men studied each other for a moment before Luka asked, ¡°Now, you¡¯re very important guests. Might I show you to the suite we have ready for you and your¡­ entourage?¡± Lanni smirked as if he knew the punchline to a joke no one knew about. ¡°Is it up in that mighty big tree?¡± ¡°Why, as it just so happens, it is!¡± Luka led the men out of the tavern and through the park toward Ressen and the World Tree Inn. Though, as he walked, he couldn¡¯t help but feel as if someone was watching him. Chapter 81: Do You Partake? Despite the absolute insanity of the day, Luka found himself sitting amongst friends and family for a late dinner. There, of course, were Annie and Vlad, Eve and Franky, Tram and Ben, Ren and Nicole, Vale and Sol. Dire-wolves Leo and Franky, as well as Olive the emu lounged under the moonlight, drifting to sleep or chasing bugs. But there were also new faces, namely Jear and Gilded Beast, King Orris. The Elven Consort slurped a bowl of stew and noodles, completely uncaring of her hunched-over appearance or lack of manners. No one cared, in fact, as they all were doing the exact same thing¡ªdinner was just that good. Sitting with his beastly peers, Orris likewise ate stew and noodles, but instead of slurping, he simply poured the bowl down his throat. Content with the taste, the capybara-cat creature snuggled into Leo¡¯s white fur, cushioning his head like a royal pillow. ¡°That¡¯s a good doggy,¡± Orris muttered, his eyes fluttering shut. He was a very tired man! It took a lot of energy to command the whims of peasants! Leo craned his massive head over, staring down at the little King. Then, with a shrug, the dire-wolf laid back and fell asleep himself. Sebby did the same. And Olive¡­ well, Olive was finally free from her liege¡¯s oversight and quickly darted across the trimmed clearing toward Eve. She practically crashed into her rider. ¡°Hey, watch out Olive!¡± Eve snapped, catching herself from falling off her chair. ¡°What have I told you about running into people?¡± Olive ignored the lecture, plopped down into the grass, and happily rested her long neck across her rider¡¯s lap. She snuggled up against Eve and closed her eyes. Eve huffed and softly asked, ¡°How am I supposed to be mad at you when you do this?¡± She stroked her bird¡¯s feathers. The group sat below Ressen and within her garden. Around the World Tree¡¯s edge, a moat pond was teeming with life. Small critters and magical and mundane flora dotted the water¡¯s edge, thriving from the newfound oasis. Emberwood Forest was by no means a desert, but here, around Ressen, lifeforce overflowed from the soil and wafted through the air. Harmony, that was the only word to describe it. The clearing around Ressen was broken up into three parts: the first was the entrance to the World Tree Inn. It was expansive, beautiful, and ¡°always open¡± for guests to come and go. The second was the Beastly Hotel¡ªnewly named by King Orris himself¡ªand took up the entire backside of the clearing. It still needed work, Luka recently added a few hay-filled barns and stables for the many mounts staying on property. ¡°It still needs a fence,¡± Luka said to Tram and Ben. ¡°The goal is to have it ¡®free range,¡¯ so to speak, with amenities mounts might like. Salt licks, chew toys, play equipment, self-refilling water bowls. Since Ressen pacifies beasts and monsters within her influence, we don¡¯t have to worry about cat fights.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Judge Ben said. ¡°People care for their mounts. We couldn¡¯t forget about them.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Mayor Tram muttered. ¡°But we¡¯ll need to hire someone to maintain the Beastly Hotel. Stable hands, in other words.¡± Luka rolled his eyes and looked over the newest of the three sections around Ressen: World Walker Park¡¯s first ever employee retreat, the very place they sat in. It was the smallest of the three areas, but it was by far the most serene. It was supposed to be relaxing¡ªa place for park employees to come at the end of a shift or on break to get away from the craziness of it all. Nature shrouded the area, covering it like a jungle. Rock structures emerged from the ground, each shaped like long lost statues and/or ancient ruins. It was a theme, sure, but that did not matter. Because here, it felt real. Here, under Ressen¡¯s canopy, time stopped. Here, within regenerative mists and serenading natural sounds, Luka and his friends sat on chairs made of soft fabric. They kicked their legs up, lounged around a firepit that burned emerald green flames, toasting marshmallows and chomping chocolate bars. Stonework marked a path through the dense foliage, hidden, like venturing each step brought one closer to the heart of the world. ¡°I feel strange,¡± Vale, the resident former eldritch god-thing, said. ¡°Strange looking?¡± Franky asked, before falling into a fit of laughter. Some others chuckled at the joke. ¡°You jest, but I am infinitely more beautiful than you, brute.¡± Vale took the form of a female demon. She, like Stell Metus, wore sunglasses to hide her piercing red eyes. But, where Stell wore them to combat the strange magic that his gaze produced, Vale simply liked how they looked on her¡ªshe had created her body without such a limitation. More laughs sounded, though Luka wasn¡¯t sure who their laughs were at¡ªwere they directed at Franky because of a ¡°sick¡± burn? Or were they still focused on Vale, mainly because the response was so¡­terribly unfunny? Vale wasn¡¯t one for humor, it was a concept she still struggled with. Which, in Luka¡¯s mind, made the situation more funny. ¡°She got you good, Franky,¡± Luka said, smirking as if he was the only one in on the joke¡ªbecause maybe he was. Did others view people in the same way as him? His mind instantly went to Eve. She always seemed to know what people were thinking¡­at least with him. She noticed him looking at her and smiled. ¡°What?¡± she asked. Luka stirred awkwardly. ¡°Nothing. I was just thinking about you¡ª¡± ¡°Dude, that¡¯s my sister!¡± Franky snapped. The outburst silenced the area, and only the crackling flames of the firepit filled the air. At least, until Franky¡¯s laughter bellowed out like a steam train. Uncaring of his volume, the orc wheezed and cried, his joke only funny to him. ¡°Right-o,¡± Luka flatly said. ¡°I was going to say, I was thinking about you and your aunt helping me tomorrow. I want to build a new ride.¡± Everyone listened to his words, but only one tuned him out. That was Ren, the little orc chef that could. He frowned, scoffed silently to himself, then went back to roasting his marshmallow on a stick. It was perfectly golden brown before he pulled it from the heat. Nicole was next to ignore Luka and handed Ren a sweet cracker and chocolate, and soon the pair had a dessert to split. Nicole practically grew wings when she took a bite. ¡°This needs to be on the menu,¡± she whispered, clutching her doll, Mr. Sticky, close. ¡°Everyone will love it.¡± Ren nibbled his piece, eyeing it critically. ¡°It could be better¡­¡± ¡°What kind of ride?¡± Sol asked, interested. ¡°We¡¯ve still got those mages at the park. So, we can¡¯t do a very large project. They¡¯ll want in.¡± Her raven headdress cawed to punctuate her disdain for the Guild Mages. ¡°Hold your dire-wolves,¡± Tram interrupted before Luka could respond, ¡°are you sure right now is the best time to build something new? We have three VIPs in the park and are dealing with that gnomish gang.¡± Luka bit his lip awkwardly. ¡°Uh, actually¡­ we don¡¯t have to worry about Gnomeeee anymore. I made a deal with Crime Lord Lannis¡ª¡± ¡°You what!?¡± Tram yelled. Expecting the outrage, Luka held up his hands, surrendering. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you think. He¡¯s bribing Gnomeeee to stay away from the park. In return, I¡¯m brewing five potions for him¡ªone of which is to help him and his wife conceive, and not some horrible dangerous mix.¡± Before the Mayor could respond, Vlad spoke up, ¡°Do¡­ do you think magical root beer is a thing? Could I alchemically brew a potion of root beer?¡± Sol answered, ¡°Alchemy isn¡¯t like that. It¡¯s not literal brewing. What you¡¯re thinking of is magical distilling. That is a process that could make magical root beer.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. It was then Luka noticed the curmudgeon old raven was holding and nursing a mug of fizzy root beer. ¡°You¡¯re a fan, I take it?¡± he asked. Sol smirked. ¡°It is acceptable.¡± ¡°She asked me for three kegs an hour ago,¡± Vlad said, smiling¡­ only for that smile to fade when Sol glared at him. Through all of this, Tram¡¯s outrage was steadily growing. Until she popped. ¡°You. Made. A. Deal. With. A. Crime. Lord?¡± she demanded of Luka. Luka sighed. He hated to pull his trump card, but felt it was needed here. ¡°I figured it was a good way to start a relationship with the man. After all, if the Guild can¡¯t procure some of the more¡­ esoteric reagents I need for our special little potion, then we¡¯re going to need someone that deals behind the curtain, so to speak.¡± He was, of course, referring to potions of reincarnation¡ªthe very thing promising a miracle to the residents of Emberwood Village¡­ and was also a very closely guarded secret. World Walker Park was already popular enough. If word got out Luka could bring back the dead? There would be armies marching by morning. Tram froze at his words. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± she darkly muttered. ¡°Just maybe.¡± Luka breathed a sigh of relief. Jear, who had been mostly silent tonight, looked strangely at Luka. ¡°¡¯Special little potion?¡¯¡± she asked, her eyes baggy from a lack of sleep. Motherhood did that to a person. Annie answered by not answering¡ªa deflection tactic she learned from her job on Earth. ¡°Ignore him,¡± she said, reaching out her hand. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go check on Ressen then get you to bed. You need rest.¡± Jear considered her words for a moment. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right. Thank you.¡± The Elven Consort allowed herself to be led away by the young World Walker. ¡°So, what kind of ride?¡± Eve asked, filling the void. ¡°Something thrilling, surely!¡± Vale said, interest fluttering through her devilish smile. ¡°Please, Luka? Something thrilling? Please? Please?¡± ¡°What are you, a child?¡± Franky asked. ¡°I heard that!¡± snapped Nicole. ¡°If Vale¡¯s a child, then I¡¯m a rock!¡± Ren glanced up. ¡°What does that even mean?¡± ¡°It means, I¡¯m less of a rock than Vale!¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yes, it does!¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± Ben loudly sighed, took one last gulp of his root beer, and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s about time for you kids to get to bed.¡± ¡°Noooo!¡± ¡°Please can we stay up? Please, please, please?¡± Franky¡¯s hand darted out, gesturing wildly at the child. Vale rolled her eyes. ¡°Can we stay to hear what Luka plans to build at least?¡± Nicole asked, batting her wooden dryad eyes. Ben sighed, caving in. ¡°Fine, fine!¡± ¡°Weakling,¡± muttered Tram, mirth in her voice. All eyes turned to Luka. ¡°I was thinking a drop tower,¡± he said. ¡°It raises guests up, then drops them to the ground very fast, catching them at the last moment.¡± Eve¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Sounds terrifying.¡± Vale and Franky¡¯s, on the other hand, turned narrow. ¡°No, it sounds awesome!¡± the latter shouted. ¡°It sounds thrilling,¡± the former said, a hint of alien-god-eldritch-thing born violence cresting her lips. Ren muttered, ¡°I was hoping for a new restaurant.¡± Nicole almost bopped him on the head. ¡°He just made the ice cream counter in the Whirlpool Tavern! He even let you create your own flavor! Don¡¯t be a sore loser just because your ice cream is the least popular!¡± It was true. Ren¡¯s ice cream, Ren¡¯s Delight, was the least popular flavor by far. That was, mainly, because of the flavor itself: salt. The boy made a salt flavor. Just salt. Milk, egg yolk, sugar, salt. A lot of salt. ¡°Shuddup,¡± Ren slurred, stomping off toward his bed. Nicole followed one step behind him, apologizing. Ben followed as well, off to tuck in the youngsters. ¡°What¡¯ll be the theme of the ride?¡± Eve then asked. ¡°I was thinking it would be called Monolith, and be part of the Constellation Kingdom,¡± Luka replied. ¡°Monolith? You mean that thing in the storyline for Whirlpool Plunge that creates the never-ending storm?¡± ¡°Yup. I was thinking we could tie the monoliths into each of the themed lands of the park. Maybe add an overarching story to the park itself. Something like how the monoliths are anchor points to each of the separate ¡®worlds¡¯ guests can visit to build up the mystique.¡± Eve¡¯s eyes shot open, an idea forming. ¡°We could add effects to each of the entrances to the themed lands! Like portals or tears in space or something!?¡± Luka snapped his fingers. ¡°Good idea. We could even¡ª¡± ¡°Booooring!¡± interrupted Vale. ¡°Attention span of a child,¡± muttered Franky. She ignored him, turned to Luka, and said, ¡°Blow something up again!¡± The World Walker froze. He would never ¡°blow something up¡± again, as she was implying. He would never hurt anyone again. But. And a big but: Fireworks. Every sizable park on Earth had them. World Walker Park would be the same. Of course, he could use illusions¡ªand he likely would¡ªbut in explaining the concept of fireworks to Vale, Luka may need to give a live demonstration. With a sigh, Luka held his hand out, his magic taking over. In an instant, a rock flew to his hand. He etched carvings into it, covering it with purposefully imperfect glyphs. The rock swelled with power, pulsing to anyone who could see magic. He then handed it to Franky. The brutish orc smiled at the object before hurling it into the open air. The rock went high, but far, far from reaching Ressen¡¯s lowest branch. Luka¡¯s magic smothered the area, ceasing all sound from leaving his influence¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to startle the nearby guests. The rock exploded into magically impowered shards, each streaking overhead like, well, a firework. The shrapnel burnt away into dust after a heartbeat or two. Vale clapped her hands. ¡°Another!¡± she demanded. The others smiled expectantly at him, obviously wanting more as well. Luka thought about Ben caving into Ren and Nicole and suddenly had sympathy for the man. Bringing happiness to people was like a drug. A drug Luka had no problem using. ¡°Another!¡± sang Vale and Franky together. ¡°No, guys,¡± Luka said after the fifth firework. ¡°I¡¯ve made enough¡ª¡± ¡°Please, please, please?!¡± they asked together, again. ¡°Who¡¯s the child now,¡± Eve mocked. Franky stuck his tongue out at her. ¡°Your brother, it seems,¡± Tram harshly laughed. ¡°Ha ha!¡± Vale quipped. ¡°She called you the child!¡± ¡°I know you are but what am I?¡± The question stumped the alien-eldritch-horror-ultimate-bloodthirsty-god-thing. ¡°Huh,¡± was all she said, her mind reeling. It was then, in the silence brought to fruition by Vale¡¯s working mind, a new presence landed beside the good with a dull thud. Someone had jumped from Ressen¡ªfrom high up. Everyone spun, finding a young woman. Princess Alexandra stood from her landing, coughed awkwardly, then adopted her royal smile. ¡°Hello. I couldn¡¯t help but notice some exploding lights and thought I¡¯d jump down and join in. May I join, or do I have to go back to my guards and sit alone in my ¡®penthouse?¡¯¡± As the closest¡ªand most startled¡ªperson to the princess¡¯ landing, Vladdy had practically leaped out of his seat and into the dirt. Without getting up and brushing himself off, he asked, wide eyed and flabbergasted, ¡°Y-you jumped from the penthouse¡ªuh, your highness or whatever?¡± Eve mumbled, ¡°You are so lucky your wife¡¯s not around to see you.¡± Alex simply said, ¡°Yes. During my tour, my tour guide said the penthouse had a divine blessing and I could leap from the balcony safely¡ªso I did.¡± Luka eyed her. She was young, likely just pushing twenty. From her tone, she was bored. And from her status as princess, she likely didn¡¯t have very many friends¡ªespecially ones who could travel with her on official ¡°princessy-outings.¡± Judging by the tight fitting all-black clothes she wore, Luka wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if Alex meant to sneak away from her guard detail tonight anyway. So, could she stay or not? The answer was obviously ¡°yes.¡± Here she was safe, the last thing he wanted was an accident to happen on the park¡¯s watch. It was the tour guide who showed the penthouse to the princess that answered her. ¡°Yes!¡± Franky said. ¡°Take any chair! We were just begging Luka here to make more fireworks, then we might play cards.¡± Princess Alex scanned her eyes across the soft lawn chairs. She chose the one directly beside Franky¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ve never played cards before,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to teach me.¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯m by far the best card player here, so you¡¯ve picked a good teacher!¡± Alex inched the chair closer to his. As Vale argued she was the better card player, Eve and Luka shared a look¡ªa knowing look. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t,¡± Vlad said, standing from the dirt. ¡°I¡¯ve got to check on Annie. Maybe we¡¯ll come back if we don¡¯t get to sleep early.¡± ¡°Same for me,¡± Tram said. ¡°You kids have fun now.¡± Then, without a word, Sol turned into a raven and flew off. Just like that, it was just Luka, Eve, Franky, Vale, and Princess Alex who remained. Luka fished through his pocket, pulling out a small metal carton. ¡°Do you partake, Princess?¡± he asked, shaking the smokes holder. ¡°Is that¡­ prism puff?¡± she asked, scandalized. ¡°I would nev¡ª¡± The words died on her lips when she watched Franky take out his own carton and started rolling paper. Alex straightened her back, adjusted her clothes, and said, ¡°I would like to try some, thank you.¡± Chapter 82: Crushin ¡°So, like, what¡¯s it like being a princess?¡± Franky asked, iridescent smoke pooling out of his mouth. Princess Alexandra, who could hardly keep her eyes open, shouted, ¡°It sucks!¡± Her volume seemed to startle her. She looked around. ¡°Woah. Was that me?¡± ¡°Was what you?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± she looked to the side, where she swore the grass was conducting an orchestra, ¡°don¡¯t remember.¡± Luka chuckled. ¡°She¡¯s feeling the hallucinatory effects of the puff.¡± Eve visibly cringed. ¡°Don¡¯t call it ¡®the puff.¡¯ What are you, old?¡± He blinked. ¡°I am old.¡± ¡°Yeah¡ªbut like, not?¡± ¡°Not what?¡± ¡°What?¡± Practically laying down on her lawn chair, Vale growled, ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m trying to sleep!¡± ¡°Your friend is mean,¡± said Alex as she puffed another puff. Her cheeks inflated with her lungs and¡ªshe coughed, smoke and spit launching out of her mouth. She quickly handed the lit roach over to Franky. ¡°Better,¡± he said smoothly. ¡°Was it?¡± she asked in between hacking coughs. ¡°No!¡± Vale snapped. ¡°You weren¡¯t even watching!¡± ¡°I was so!¡± Eve jumped in, ¡°You¡¯re just mad you lost all your money in cards.¡± Vale sat up on her elbows. ¡°She cheated!¡± Alex feigned affront. ¡°I did not.¡± ¡°You did! No beginner can bluff as good as you did!¡± Luka frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why they call it ¡®beginner¡¯s luck?¡¯¡± Vale¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Who is this ¡®they¡¯ and where can I see their research? I must prove I am right!¡± Eve and Luka snickered. ¡°What!?¡± the god-alien-thing demanded. They just laughed louder. From the side, Alex leaned close to Franky and asked, ¡°Is she always like this?¡± ¡°Vale?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah. The first time we met, she turned a guy into a bean then obliterated all the gods.¡± ¡°That was only in an infinite number of perceived futures,¡± Vale loudly said, waving her hand. ¡°Do not make up stories about me. Obviously, I did not kill the gods of this world.¡± Eve and Luka¡¯s laughter ceased. They watched the princess with horror¡ªthere were certain secrets that shouldn¡¯t be shared. Vale¡¯s history was one of them. Depending on Alex¡¯s reaction¡­ well, many things could happen, some bad. Very bad. Alex sat staring at Vale for a long moment. She then glanced at the near burnt-out cig Franky held, then back to Vale. ¡°What?¡± she asked, her eyes widening. She rapidly blinked as if all the color in the universe suddenly disappeared. ¡°What madness is this?¡± Luka sighed. As the least high of the group, he took responsibility. ¡°Alex, look. Vale¡¯s different from us, yes. But that doesn¡¯t mean she¡ª¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He paused. ¡°Vale is different than us¡ª¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Of course she¡¯s different! Look at her!¡± Alex threw her arms out, gesturing at the alien-god-eldritch-thing. ¡°She¡¯s a demon, and we¡¯re human!¡± It was Luka¡¯s turn to ask, ¡°Huh?¡± Alex suddenly looked as if she smelt something bad. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re¡­¡± He and the others all leaned in. ¡°I¡¯m what?¡± he quietly asked. Something bubbled up inside the princess. Something ugly and dark. She shook her head, the words needed to be asked. ¡°Your¡­¡± She needed to know. For her kingdom, at the very least. ¡°You¡¯re RACIST!?¡± The word echoed across the employee¡¯s only section of Ressen¡¯s clearing. Silence filled in its wake. Luka blinked. Eve looked confused. Leo and Sebby looked up from their nap, while Olive snored like a sack of flour. Orris the Beast King rolled over in Leo¡¯s fur like common bedding. Vale suddenly looked at Luka in a new light. But it was Franky¡¯s reaction that everyone noticed. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. He laughed. Bellowed, even. Louder and louder until the bonfire shook¡ªif that was even possible. The bald muscular orc fell to the dirt holding his stomach, he laughed so loudly. Tears welled in his eyes, and he couldn¡¯t stop his hand from slapping his knee. He laughed and laughed. The others watched with horror. Then Eve chuckled. Then laughed. Then bellowed. The raven-haired tattooed orc laughed¡ªnot as loud or as much as her brother, but still. She laughed and laughed. Vale frowned at the prism puff. ¡°What are we smoking?¡± Princess Alex was also confused, though she was inebriated, so she didn¡¯t notice. Instead, she smiled at Franky, swaying a little like she couldn¡¯t keep herself upright. Luka put two and two together. ¡°Alex didn¡¯t realize what Franky said about you. So, when I tried to explain it away, she thought I was just being racist since you¡¯re a demon.¡± Vale pursed her lips. ¡°So, you¡¯re not racist?¡¯ He gave her an affronted look. ¡°Really?¡± Franky¡¯s laughs died, yet the orc didn¡¯t get up from the grass. Instead, he just laid there comfortably. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for bed,¡± he muttered. Luka couldn¡¯t agree more. He stood¡ªcausing Leo to stand and knocking away Orris¡ªand helped Eve up. ¡°Come on,¡± he said. ¡°If we go sneakily, Todd won¡¯t notice us coming in high¡­ again.¡± Eve, Franky, Luka, and Vale all lived at Todd¡¯s tavern¡ªfor free. Which had bitten into Todd¡¯s profits. They didn¡¯t want to give the man a reason to evict them. Vale slithered out of her chair, suddenly not intoxicated anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll head him off.¡± With that, she disappeared into the shadows, off to do¡­ something¡­ to Todd. Luka should have been worried, but he didn¡¯t care enough to be. ¡°Princess? Might I escort you to your room?¡± Alex considered for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to sleep beneath the stars. My parents never let me.¡± She laid back in her lawn chair, her eyes straight up. ¡°I think I will tonight.¡± That was one of the best things about World Trees¡ªor at least Ressen. At night, through the underside of her wide canopy, the stars shone. Jear had explained it to be illusion magic, a recreation of what was above¡ªbut even still. It was beautiful, exactly as God Neb created. ¡°What about your guards? Surely, they¡¯ll worry when you¡¯re not in your chambers.¡± Alex waved him off. ¡°Let them worry. I¡¯m sleeping here.¡± Luka looked to Eve for help. She simply shrugged. ¡°Come on,¡± she said, taking his hand and motioning for Olive to follow. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to sleep. You need rest.¡± He allowed himself to get pulled away, Leo following along. The dire-wolf shifted in size as they walked, soon becoming no larger than a full grown cat. Leo then stopped and whined. He was tiiiiiired. And a walk across the village was not going to be fun! Luka sighed, reached down, and picked the little wolf up. ¡°You¡¯re so needy,¡± he lovingly muttered. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Princess Alexandra of the Kingdom of Embers sliding off her lawn chair bed onto the grass. She scooted inches away from the sleeping Franky, a big bright smile on her face. Soon she closed her eyes and drifted. ¡°Franky¡¯s in trouble,¡± Eve lightly said. ¡°She¡¯s crushing, hard.¡± ¡°Oh yes,¡± Luka replied. *** Goddess Tippy, her brother, God Rion, and their elderly mentor, God Neb, sat together in the heavens watching Luka and friends get high. ¡°I miss prism puff,¡± Rion muttered. Tippy chuckled. ¡°Remember when Mom found your stash? She was so mad.¡± In all honesty, he didn¡¯t remember that. It was millennia ago¡ªso long ago that he simply forgot¡­ or did he? He studied his sister¡¯s face for a long moment. Was she messing with him? ¡°You should learn the spell Perfect Recall,¡± Neb said, sipping a mug of Earthen root beer. It was stolen from World Walker Vlad¡¯s fermentation and carbonation cellar¡ªwhich was actually just a repurposed corner of an empty room. Rion frowned at the old man. ¡°Maybe. But I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re drinking that. Remember what happened last time someone stole from Luka? He still mentions the smash burgers Tippy took.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you take those?¡± she quickly asked. ¡°No¡ª¡± ¡°I distinctly remember you stealing them.¡± ¡°So do I,¡± Neb mumbled. Rion froze. He needed to learn that spell. ¡°Anyways¡ª¡± ¡°And I didn¡¯t steal this from Luka,¡± Neb continued. ¡°I stole it from Vlad.¡± ¡°Same thing.¡± ¡°No. Because Vlad thinks it was Bylow. She is his patron goddess, after all. And has a history of stealing whatever he¡¯s working on.¡± Tippy nodded sagely along. ¡°Smart.¡± Rion sighed and turned his attention back to the group of mortal friends sitting around a green bonfire. The princess was talking about sleeping outside, the night was winding down. Vale¡ªthat thing that almost killed them all¡ªslipped into the shadows¡­ to do whatever. Luka, Eve, and their dire-mounts ventured off, leaving Franky, his mount, and the princess alone. Except that wasn¡¯t right. There was one more presence. There, in the dark of the night, a mortal sat amongst the foliage. It was one of the hairdressers, a follower of God Hyrin. Since sunset the follower had waited in the underbrush, listening to everyone around the bonfire talk. Steal magic was no joke¡ªespecially when used on people who would never guess they were targets of spying. The follower learned secrets, created profiles about the park¡¯s leadership, and determined several important things. Just what those things were, were between the follower and his god, unfortunately. Rion narrowed his eyes as the follower headed back to the barbershop in the park, stalking silently through the night and returning without anyone seeing. Luka had given these people a place to work, live, and thrive. And yet, this was how they were treating him? ¡°We need to do something,¡± he muttered. ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± Neb said, thinking the same thing. ¡°We¡¯ve already overstepped.¡± ¡°Screw overstepping. This is crossing a line, we should intervene.¡± Tippy added to that, ¡°Exactly. God Hyrin overstepped first by presenting himself to Luka even though we, and the others, banned talking to him. So, if anything, we should be allowed to help.¡± Neb considered that. ¡°Maybe.¡± He let the word linger a moment before adding, ¡°But I get the feeling we should wait.¡± ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡± Rion asked. ¡°Because before a few days ago, I don¡¯t remember ever meeting God Hyrin.¡± He turned to the younger god, his nebulous eyes sparkling with the beauty of the night sky. ¡°Do you?¡± Rion recoiled. I really need that spell. ¡°How is that possible?¡± Tippy asked after searching her own memory. ¡°And why wasn¡¯t I concerned when Hyrin appeared? There hasn¡¯t been a new god since us!¡± ¡°Memories are a fickle thing,¡± Neb said, sipping his root beer and glaring at the four followers hiding in plain sight. ¡°Hyrin attacked us?¡± ¡°No¡ªhe tricked us. And that¡¯s infinitely worse.¡±