Intelligence was now a strange attribute. Before the Seal of Intelligence had been placed, it increased a person’s processing power. They were ‘smarter,’ although Theo often found that difficult to define. But there was an aspect of the attribute he had spent little time exploring.

Theo watched as a tram zipped by, leaving behind a current of air that sent his hair flying. The speed reminded him of Sulvan Flametouched, who upon his first arrival in Broken Tusk ran from places unknown. That same speed reminded the alchemist of Xol’sa by way of Uharis, who had come through a much more reasonable method. Mages had a way of making entrances, and the lessons taught to him by the city’s resident wizard had been lost on him.

Xol’sa was an excellent teacher. Theo knew that. But the alchemist was a horrible student. Intelligence was a vital attribute for casting spells. Something about the way a person’s soul was attuned to magic went through that attribute. The affinity it provided made casting spells easier. That assumed the practitioner was learned enough to use it correctly.

Theo closed his eyes, sitting on a rock as he felt around in his chest. The first thing that drew his attention was the iron band around his soul. Tresk wasn’t kidding, it felt like someone had installed a foreign object in his chest. Although it restricted something, he couldn’t understand the specifics. System-level magic was beyond him, so he focused instead on the kind of magic he could approach.

“So much for making my own magic system,” Theo said, sighing as he probed around in his soul. For now, he went over how Drononi magic functioned.

When he learned how to use the spells provided by the Queen of Mysteries, Theo had trouble taking it seriously. Her magic was in the form of poems. They were often retelling old tales. Each word was a sigil set in place pieces of the spell. When told as a whole, the sentences created layered arrays that formed in a person’s soul. That was where her form of magic intersected with normal arcane-based magic.

Back when he had 30 Intelligence, the sensation of forming any spell in his soul was vague. Theo formed his custom array for the Mass Bind spell he had created within his soul and was overwhelmed by the sensation. Each circle and sigil within the spell was drawn into focus. He could feel every curve and dot of the spell, immediately finding flaws and places where he could empower the spell.

“Looks like a child drew this with crayons,” Theo said, realizing at that moment that the only reason the spell worked was his immense willpower. He doubted anyone else could cast such an unwieldy spell without the support of so much willpower.

Although he had no targets for the spell, he formed it anyway. The way it laced through his soul was clumsy. It was an unrefined act that he should’ve seen before. His new Intelligence came as a feeling, showing him the errors of the spell’s formation. Theo moved to a favorite spell property of his, the Haste spell. This was one he took from a book gifted by Xol’sa. Compared to his home-grown spell, this one was refined. He formed it in his soul, feeling the arcane magic of the spell weaving into his body. The shapes were perfect, and the lines felt good abutting the vague cloud in his chest.

“Oh, yeah. That’s a good spell,” Theo said, nodding with approval. He sucked in a deep breath, moving onto the next part of his experimentation.

Creating a spell on his own would be better with more Intelligence. Which meant the attribute influenced his ability to feel the subtle details of a spell. But how would it affect his casting ability? He allowed the spell to form, targeting himself and allowing it to fulminate. His Intelligence told him he could add more mana to the spell, so he did. He filled the array up until it was bursting, then targeted himself and let the spell go.

Speed flooded through his body. Theo looked northward, his eyes tracking the path the tram took toward Gronro-Dir. He assumed a runner’s stance, waiting only a heartbeat before taking off. His attributes combined with the effects of the potent spell. The ground beneath his feet cracked as a plume of dust shot up. The alchemist squinted against the rush of wind as he sailed across the landscape. Although he wasn’t moving quite as quickly as the tram, he was still zipping across the hills.

Theo pivoted, rushing back toward the city’s gates only a few moments later. When he finally paused to gaze at the people walking around, he realized they were all moving in slow-motion. One woman was bringing her hands to her mouth in a dramatic gesture, while another man dropped a basket of bread. The alchemist smiled to himself, zipped through the city. He found his target outside of Xam’s tavern, milling around with a group of pretty elven women.

Theo cleared his throat, slapping Fenian in the back of the head. He watched the elf turn, shock on his face as he rubbed the back of his head.

“You… sneaky…”

The words came out just as slow as the elf’s motions. Theo dropped his spell for now, grinning to himself like an idiot as time resumed its normal pace.

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“...little dronon. What are you doing slapping me around?” Fenian asked.”Is this a challenge? Would you like to fight? Or perhaps this is a proclamation of your love~”

“You’re quick, right?” Theo asked. “As a duelist, I assume you have a lot of Dexterity.”

Fenian was still rubbing the back of his head, his expression a mixture of surprise and excitement. “I’m quite fast. So, we’re fighting?”

“I just want you to try and hit me,” Theo said. “I’m messing around with—”

Fenian’s fist impacted Theo’s face before the alchemist could even latch onto the feeling of danger. His danger sense had failed him, and he went tumbling to the ground.

“That was easy,” Fenian said.

“You were supposed to wait for my mark,” Theo said, groaning as he rubbed his face.

“Should’ve said that,” Fenian said. The nearby elven women giggled.

Theo downed a Healing Potion and shook his arms out. The broken bones in his face fixed themselves. “Okay, hold on,” Theo said, forming the Haste spell once again. He held it. “Go!” Then released it.

Fenian’s fist came sailing for his face, moving far faster than it should have. Theo batted it to the side with little effort, his smile returning. The elf’s face shifted to one of shock, then determination. His speed increased significantly after that. But the combination of the alchemist’s empowered Haste spell, and his high Dexterity attribute, Fenian didn’t stand a chance.

From Fenian’s perspective, Theo was a blur. His feet shuffled as his arms shot through the air, slapping away each strike as though swatting a fly. It was the alchemist’s turn to return the favor, delivering an open-palmed slap across the elf’s face and sending him tumbling to the ground.

Theo dropped his Haste spell, reaching out a hand to help Fenian to his feet. “What do you think about that?” he asked.

“I think you’re about to die, my dear alchemist,” Fenian said, rubbing his red cheek. “Most of my strength comes from my weapons…”

“That’s not the point,” Theo said, wrapping them both in his shadowy aura and blocking all intrusion from the outside world. “I found something. Something we’re gonna need.”

Fenian raised a single brow. “I’m listening.”

Theo handed Fenian a Healing Potion and cleared his throat. “I can make potions that increase your attributes permanently. You can only take them once every 20 years—or cycles, whatever—but I’m gonna make one for each attribute for me, you, and Tresk.”

“You know, I always thought you were the smartest, most attractive, benevolent man I’ve ever met,” Fenian said, taking both of Theo’s hands into his own. “I always knew you were going to be my loyal companion until the end. How many attributes are we talking about here? 50?”

“250,” Theo said

Fenian’s mouth dropped open. “Gimmie.”

“I still need to make them,” Theo said.

“Gimmie,” Fenian said, extending both hands. He opened and closed them, his eyes going watery. “Please. Gimmie.”

Theo pressed his hand into Fenian’s face, pushing him away. “I told you. It’ll take time.”

“Time is irrelevant,” Fenian said, his voice muffled by Theo’s palm. “Go to the time-dilation place and make me potions!”

Theo shoved Fenian, watching in disappointment as the elf fell on his butt. He still looked up with the same doe-eyed look. The alchemist let out a heavy sigh. “I thought you’d be reasonable about this,” Theo said, shaking his head. “I need you to be a sword, not some simpering beggar. I don’t want to be right about the things I’ve put together, but I know I am. When the change happens, we need your strength.”

Fenian remained where he was in the dirt for some time, looking up. He eventually blinked away whatever greed had taken hold of him. Theo felt a flash of something in his core, a burst of power from the Herald’s Core.

“Service?” Fenian asked, laughing wryly. “They couldn’t recruit me in Perisart. I dodged that for many years.”

“Yet you served with Elrin,” Theo said. “Doesn’t matter if you want to become a guardian. You need to become a guardian.”

Fenain sprung to his feet, thrusting his chest out. “How delightful!” he shouted, clapping Theo on the back. “But I won’t have you leading our defense. You’re too weak and inexperienced. Pump me full of those potions, and I’ll do it.”

“Just keep your head on straight,” Theo said, shoving Fenian by the shoulder. “I’ve convinced myself you’re not evil. Don’t disappoint me.”

“Ah, yes! I’m not evil,” Fenian said, his gaze shifting here and there. “Certainly I am a good boy. I promise to be a good boy. No, I swear!”

Theo shook his head, turning to walk away. His barrier dropped, the shadowy sphere giving way to the bright sunlight above. As much as he didn’t want to admit, the alchemist felt as though they were preparing for war. The only thing he could do was make sure they were as prepared as they could be. And that started with juicing him and the other throne holders with as many overpowered potions as he could. What had started as a way to give an interesting prize to the winners of the games had become a mission to ensure the safety of their sector.

Yet Theo felt that something within himself had been drained away from his time in the paper world. He’d rest for a bit before getting back there, and there was no better time to get his Herbalist core to Level 40. Although the attributes he gained from leveling were now useless, the skills were invaluable. If the skill he got from his newest level was anywhere as powerful as the last one, it would be worth the time.

“Time to study some plants,” Theo said, stretching out his back as he made his way to Herbalist’s Workshop. It had been a while since he had last visited, but the research-based expansions within would be his best bet to getting his level. With an inventory full of dangerous heavenly plants, he entered.