The Newt and Demon

Zarali was the only one dressed up for the dinner. Khahar remained in his tattered loincloth. Alise had brought Nira as her guest, both of them wearing their simple clothes, and Tresk was still covered in mud. But Zarali wore a flowing purple gown with fine jewels hanging from her neck. She even did her hair, although Theo did not know how.

“The guest of honor has arrived,” Khahar said, clapping once.

“About time,” Tresk said, huffing.

Someone, likely Alise, had rearranged the floor of the town hall for the dinner. Instead of the plush chairs sitting by the fire, she’d arranged a dining table. She even set it with a nice tablecloth and dinnerware, which seemed a step too far for Theo. He took his seat at the head of the table, granting him a view of the crackling fire. It was warm, but not overly hot in the hall. It was too vast to get stuffy.

“Well, thanks to everyone who came,” Theo said. “I think Tresk picked up the food.”

“We’re waiting on Xol’sa,” Zarali corrected, clearing her throat.

“He’s the Bara’thier you were talking about,” Khahar said, nodding. “Strange people.”

“Right!” Zarali said, sounding more nervous than Theo had ever heard her. She produced a journal from nowhere and started writing. “I would be honored by whatever you’re willing to share.”

Khahar smiled, but Theo could sense some amount of annoyance.

“Treat it as story time, Khahar. She’s a historian—and overly excited—but I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable,” Theo said. Zarali shot him a look.

“To be honest, I’m content that none of you are pressing your foreheads to the ground,” Khahar said, letting out a long sigh. “I can’t remember the last decent conversation I had. On to the Bara’their’rak.”

Zarali brightened up, scribbling something down. Khahar told the story of Xol’sa’s people while they waited for the wizard himself. They were originally from this world, sent when everyone else was, but they left to live in some place that wasn’t real. Theo didn’t really understand how that worked, but Zarali picked up on everything. They went back and forth for a few minutes before the door opened.

“Sorry I’m late,” Xol’sa said. “I suspect our guest is disrupting my portal system.”

“That happens,” Khahar said, seeming slightly dejected.

“Don’t worry,” Xol’sa said, taking his seat. “What’s for dinner?”

Tresk produced their food from her inventory, eating hers in one go before dishing out for everyone else. It was whatever Xam was serving at the tavern tonight, the closest thing to an Alfredo sauce on noodles that Theo had seen since he arrived in town. It was served, of course, with wolf meat instead of chicken.

Khahar ate like a gentleman. He used more utensils to eat the simple dish than Theo knew existed, and talked about Xol’sa’s people politely as he did so. It was a tragic tale of loss and mistakes that affected an entire people.

“And you never met your parents,” Khahar said, gesturing to Xol’sa. “Because they’re locked away in that self-made dimension. Getting you here would have cost them dearly.”

Xol’sa smiled, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. “I never thought of it like that.”

Zarali grilled him about more things that were wrong in the history books. Khahar had a perfect recollection of the past 60,000 years and went on record to correct what was written. He never left the Khahari desert, and people rarely visited outside of the race, but he was happy to recount the world in brief. The Drogramathi Priestess scribbled furiously, trying to keep up with his pace.

“So, Alise,” Theo said, leaning to the other side of the table. “And Nira. How are you two doing?”

“We’re fine,” Alise said, brushing some of her messy hair out of her face. “Thrilled to be a part of this harbor project. This is going to do a lot for us.”

“Yeah,” Nira said, poking at her food.

“We finally planted a house seed. Carved out a really pleasant spot in the south of town,” Alise said. She messed with her hair again, a nervous habit perhaps.

“It’s close to the smelter,” Nira said.

“And close enough to town hall,” Alise said, chuckling nervously.

“I never set up the housing area north of the town’s center,” Theo said with a shrug. The conversation between Zarali and Khahar went on, Xol’sa interjecting his thoughts occasionally. “It was like that when I got here, so we just kept it.”

“We’re zoning out a small section of the southern area of town for housing,” Alise said. “But that section is going to be industry, but we just love it down there.”

“We do,” Nira said, half-heartedly. It seemed everything she said was half-hearted, though.

Theo picked up on the real purpose of the conversation after a while, but his mind still lingered on the expansion of the town. He consulted his mayor’s screen, tracing his eyes along the straight line of the eastern wall. The zones he could expand lined up perfectly with the harbor, but he’d need to purchase 3 eastward expansions to get all the way across the river. This would enclose the port section of the harbor within the wall, accomplishing all his goals in one action. If the wall created bridge-walls like he expected, it would be even more perfect.

“Yes, we’re just happy to have this chance,” Alise said, nudging Nira.

“Oh. Just so happy,” Nira said, her tone completely flat.

“No one needs my blessing to have a relationship,” Theo said, holding his hands up.

“Leave it to Spencer to miss the point entirely,” Khahar said, grinning. “They don’t want your blessing. You’re her boss. She manages Nira’s work.”

Theo’s face flushed violet. He thought Alise was shoving her new romantic entanglement down his throat, but she just wanted to know if it was alright. Of course, she managed some of the work Nira did, directing her to focus on one metal or the other. That would be a conflict of interest, but the alchemist didn’t care. He picked at his food for a moment, lingering on how accurate Khahar’s assessment of the situation was.

“Well, of course,” Theo said, keeping his eyes on his plate. “It’s totally fine.”

“Look how embarrassed he is,” Tresk said. “What? Girls didn’t like girls back on Earth? You’re in a soul-bond with a lizard. Grow up!”

“That was normal on Earth,” Khahar said, nodding. “I imagine.”

“And now we change the subject,” Theo said, coughing into his hand.

Alise and Nira had more plans than their involvement, though. The Lady Administrator was helping organize the workers for the smeltery. Zarali bristled when they stole away Khahar’s attention, but he clearly needed a break.

“Minting coins is a fantastic idea,” Khahar said. He produced a single, rocky coin from nowhere and placed it on the table.

Theo’s eyes went wide. He didn’t need to inspect the item to know it was a spiritstone coin. It represented 1,000 gold. On the face, it had the image of a desert, complete with palm trees and a small pool. It must have represented an oasis. On the reverse, it had the year it was minted, and some text the alchemist couldn’t read. He suppressed an urge to snatch the coin away, pushing that feeling deep down. They already had every advantage in the world here. Broken Tusk wouldn’t prop itself up with any more outside help.

“How many do you produce a year?” Zarali asked, inspecting the coin.

“Several thousand,” Khahar said. “The royal crafters use all of them.”

“Interesting to actually see that the Khahari track time from creation,” Zarali said, placing the coin back on the table. She was right, it had the number 59,584 on it.

“We don’t care for tracking time by eras,” Khahar said, waving her away.

Khahar’s attention drifted from the conversation. Theo watched as his eyes traced through the air, as though he were following an invisible thread, but it led back to Theo. He stared into the alchemist’s chest, tilted his head, then traced his fingers through the air. A burning sensation spread through Theo’s chest.

“Oops,” Khahar said, blinking rapidly. “I’m sorry, Theo. I was tracing a strand of power, and I may have—”

A sound like an explosion came from the far side of the town hall. Theo groaned. Khahar tilted his head, a grimace hanging on his face. Uharis, Archmage of the Order of the Burning Eye stood at the entrance, a staff in one hand and a spell coiled in the other. Khahar waved his hand, and the spell vanished. He didn’t rise from his seat, he just gestured for the wizard to join them.

“Awkward,” Tresk said.

“Abomination,” Uharis said.

Khahar shrugged.

The doors to the town hall were blown off their hinges. Theo couldn’t tell exactly what had happened. It happened way too fast, but Khahar was no longer sitting in his chair. He was standing near the entrance, holding the arm of Sulvan Flametouched, Grand Inquisitor of the Order of the Burning Eye. Sulvan’s flaming sword was in his hand, poised to strike.

“I’d rather you not damage this lovely building further,” Khahar said.

Sulvan was frozen in place. The level 130-something Paladin seemed like a force of nature the first time Theo saw him. Now he could see how powerless the man was against Khahar’s might. Something exchanged between them, some battle of wills no one could see. Then, Sulvan’s eyes flashed and the room was flooded with immense power.

“Yet, you remain,” Sulvan said. His voice boomed through the hall, carrying with it a power that Theo couldn’t comprehend.

“The Burning Eye,” Zarali whispered.

“You violate your oath,” Khahar said. “Return to the heavens, you old bastard.”

“You first.”

Theo couldn’t believe he was watching a pissing match between two powerful beings. Then it got weirder. Zarali’s eyes flashed purple. Apparently, the Burning Eye’s possession of his faithful was enough for Drogramath to take off his gloves. She rose from her seat, joining the others near the entrance. She walked with more swagger than should be possible, striking an odd image given the beautiful dress she wore.

“Why have rules if you don’t follow them?” Zarali asked, her voice booming to match the others. “Why bind my followers while yours run free?”

“Back to the Demonic realm with you, fiend,” The Burning Eye said.

“Make me,” Drogramath said, growling.

The room filled with yellow light. Theo felt the winds of the Khahari desert blow through the town hall, washing everything clean. He felt as though he’d rested for an entire night. His stamina bar was suddenly full. Only now did he notice Tresk wasn’t in her seat. Whatever Khahar did broke her stealth and she stood with twin daggers ready to strike out at the representatives from the Burning Eye. Sulvan and Zarali sagged, their eyes returning to their normal hue.

“That’s quite enough of that,” Khahar said. “Archmage Uharis, Grand Inquisitor Sulvan, I apologize for instigating this. It was never my intention.”

Zarali snuck away from the action, coming to take her seat back at the table. She slumped in her chair, huffing breath.

“Broken Tusk is under our protection,” Sulvan said, his voice as emotionless as ever.

“Broken Tusk is under your yoke,” Khahar corrected, tightening his grip on Sulvan’s wrist. The flaming sword clattered to the ground.

“Ascend, you old fool,” Uharis hissed. “Stay out of our business. Go back to the desert.”

“Concerning my friend,” Khahar said, pointing a finger at the wizard. “I’ll do as I please.”

Uharis vanished.

“Clever piece of runework, Flametouched,” Khahar said. “How long have you been eavesdropping on the alchemist?”

“Since the start of the season,” Sulvan said.

“And you led him to believe this would keep Drogramath out?” Khahar asked.

“I did,” Sulvan said.

There was no lying to the leader of the Khahari. Between the two men sat a gulf of power that was impossible to understand.

“I’m altering your work, and telling him the truth,” Khahar said. “This was a pleasant dinner, and I’m sorry for activating the rune. But, leave.”

Khahar released his grip on the Grand Inquisitor. Sulvan picked up his sword, returning it to its scabbard. They shared an intense stare for a long moment.

“I think I’ll—” Sulvan started. Then, he was gone.

“I don’t think you will,” Khahar said. With a gesture, the damaged doors were back on their hinges. The spot burned by Sulvan’s flaming sword was repaired. Everything was back to normal. He returned to the table, taking a seat. “Sorry about that.”

“Hey, what in the hells just happened?” Tresk asked, letting out a nervous chuckle.

Alise and Nira stopped trying to escape out the window. They returned to the table reluctantly, not willing to sit.

“I disagree with the Burning Eye,” Khahar said. “He’s not wrong, though. I don’t intend to stay in this world much longer… The damage to my mind is becoming harder to contend with.”

It was too much all at once. Theo couldn’t find the words to express what he felt. He certainly wasn’t surprised that the Order of the Burning Eye was using the runework etched into his chest to spy on him. What surprised him was the activity of the gods. They had a battle in his town hall without throwing a punch, and Khahar banished them with a gesture.

“I’m not hungry anymore,” Nira said.

“Expose the rune, Theo,” Khahar ordered.

And it felt like an order, not a suggestion. Theo removed his robe, and the dexterity shirt underneath. He looked down at his chest, noticing the glowing runes. They were normally just a scrawl of black marks on his skin. With a gesture, Khahar changed it entirely.

“They can no longer spy on you, and the original intent has been removed,” Khahar said. “It was never meant to stop Drogramath from possessing you, as you may have thought. Sulvan created it to prevent an interdiction event. They didn’t want you crossing into another dimension. Why? I cannot say.”

But Khahar knew. He just wasn’t saying. If Khahar could see a thousand steps ahead of what someone was planning, Sulvan could see ten steps ahead. The only reason they didn’t want Theo to be interdicted was to prevent him from using the Bridge of Shadows. The Order knew Fenian would get it eventually, allowing someone to travel long distances by jumping dimensions, but the question remained. Why?

There was no reason to keep this from Khahar. He knew. “Why prevent me from using the Bridge?”

“To keep you here,” Xol’sa said, swallowing hard. “That’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“Perhaps,” Khahar said, stroking the fur on his chin. He shook his head, then locked his eyes on Tresk. “I see a million permutations of events at all times. Fates that haven’t come to pass. Sometimes it feels like I’m a puppet, following those motions. A distinct path opened when I removed the interdiction suppression. You’ll survive, now.”

Theo felt a column of ice seize his spine. His blood ran cold at the idea that Khahar had seen something in the future that ended his life. He might not have had attributes to rival these god-like people, but he could put two pieces of a puzzle together. He was dead before the interdiction prevention was disabled, and alive afterward. The idea haunted him, forcing him into an uncomfortable silence.

“Yay, you’re gonna live,” Alise said, laughing.

“I’ve never had so much of Lord Drogramath’s power flow through me,” Zarali said. Her face was gaunt.

Somehow, the events hadn’t dampened Zarali’s spirit to get more information out of Khahar. After a cup of tea, and a bit of food, she was back at it.

Theo broke off from the conversation to talk with Xol’sa and Tresk, leaving Alise and Nira to recover on their own.

“How the hell do I use an interdiction event to save my life?” Theo asked.

Xol’sa scratched his head. “An interdiction event is defined as an event that pulls a person from one plane to another, usually against their will. Khahar won’t tell you exactly how, but using the Bridge to avoid your fate makes no sense.”

“Hey, maybe you can just hide in the Dreamwalk,” Tresk said, laughing. “Oops. I don’t think we wanted to tell you about the Dreamwalk.”

Theo then had to explain the Dreamwalk to Xol’sa, who dismissed it as a solution to the problem.

“There’s a realm between you two,” Xol’sa said. “I’ve been studying it from afar. It generates power aligned to your Tara’hek, but nothing like another dimension. Still, that skill sounds fascinating. Can you really gain experience while in the Dreamwalk?”

“Yep,” Tresk said. “It’s overpowered and awesome.”

“Sounds like it,” Xol’sa said.

Somehow, the dinner got back on track. Conversation shifted away from the events, even after townspeople came to check things out. Aarok sent a team of adventurers to investigate the disturbance, but they were dismissed by Theo. He didn’t need every mouth in town talking about the damn Burning Eye again. It was enough of a problem last time. He took solace because they wouldn’t be back. Not until Khahar left the mortal plane.

When dinner was done, no one was tired. Khahar had used a mass-purification skill that banished otherworldly beings, cleansed the spirit, and restored everyone’s health, mana, and stamina. The side-effect was that it acted as though everyone affected got a good night’s sleep and a hot meal. But Tresk and Theo didn’t actually sleep. When they returned to the Newt and Demon for the night, they fell into the Dreamwalk. The only place where they could talk, and no one could hear them.

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