Report
"I want to do more," Elijah admitted to Atticus.
It had been three days since he'd departed Seattle, but the aftermath of the war elf attack still stuck with him. In an effort to deal with those feelings, he'd gone to Argos, where he'd spent most of his time in the Temple of Virtue. He'd lost count of the number of people he'd healed, but even then, he knew that his actions were almost entirely unnecessary.
Due to the presence of the Temple – and the aura it emitted – the people of Argos were healthier than just about anywhere on Earth. Those living in Ironshore or in the Hartwood Grove had it better, but at that point, the distinction didn't mean much. Not to regular people, at least. Healthy was healthy, so it didn't really matter that the vitality in and around the grove was far denser.
On top of that, the Hartwood Foundation workers were more than capable of meeting the city's demands. Elijah's visit was more of an intrusion on the status quo than a help, though no one had the temerity to point that out.
He chose to simply ignore that reality and focus on healing, knowing full well that it was more for his benefit than for those he helped.
After taking a drink, Atticus set his goblet aside and asked, "How much more? The resources you've already dedicated to the Hartwood Foundation would beggar most cities."
Elijah sighed, then leaned back in his seat. All around them, men and women enjoyed one another's company. The tavern was packed, mostly with happy people who just wanted a little break from their normal lives. The fact that such a thing was possible after Earth had changed so much was a testament to Argos' prosperity. Even the ready availability of alcohol was something most places did not enjoy.
It reminded him of a project he wanted to dedicate some time to, though he knew good and well that he didn't have that luxury. Even taking a few days to heal people in the Temple of Virtue was pushing it.
After all, Sadie and the others were still overdue.
Though judging by the reported ethereal fluctuations in the Hollow Depths, there was a good chance that would soon change. The density hadn't decreased by much, but the fact that it had fallen at all was a good sign.
It was also the only reason he hadn't started toward the entrance to the Red Marsh. One of them, at least. His intention to enter was also complicated by the fact that it would take him at least a few weeks to reach that destination.
So, he'd chosen to wait, even if doing so left him far more anxious than if he'd committed to a course of action.
In the interim, he'd also sent a message to Benedict, letting him know that it wouldn't be much longer before they attacked the Labyrinth of the Dead Gods together. It was long overdue, but thankfully, Benedict had held his own against the ever-increasing presence of the asharii.
But it was fast approaching the point where his demons simply couldn't keep up. And while his people helped, very few of them could go up against one of the asharii and win. Not even if they banded together and attacked en masse.
No – it wasn't exactly the same situation as the one plaguing the Hollow Depths, but it was close enough that Elijah recognized how troublesome it would be to deal with the Primal Realm. Though he had difficulty believing it would be worse than the Broken Crown, especially now that he had made so many strides forward in his progression. In fact, it was hard to imagine anything on Earth standing up to him in a contest of might.
Which meant that the Labyrinth of the Dead Gods would almost assuredly take a different approach.
In any case, outside of the threat of excisement that came with an unconquered Primal Realm, it wasn't quite as desperate of a situation as Elijah had feared. Urgent, but not desperate. It could wait a little while longer until he'd had a chance to confirm the fates of his friends and family in the Red Marsh.
"We could spend more money," Atticus suggested. "I'm already matching your contribution, but I don't think I can afford anything more. So, it would all be from you, my friend."
"You're matching me?"
"Of course."
The Merchant said it so matter-of-factly that there wasn't much room for further explanation. In fact, Elijah felt a little ashamed that he was so surprised. For all that Atticus was ruthless in his business dealings, he'd never shown himself to be greedy. Or rather, his greed had always benefited others at least as much as it did his own circumstances.
Could an obscenely rich man be a good person? Atticus seemed to take that question as a challenge.
"What do you know about mead?" asked Elijah, changing the subject to his next project.
"Do you want to become a brewer, then?"
Elijah shrugged. "I don't know. I have a lot of honey, though. More than I could ever use. Right now, we're just storing it in the grove, but I'd like to see about using it."
Indeed, there were more than a hundred casks of honey harvested from the apiary in the Hartwood Grove. The bees, who'd all progressed alongside everything else on the island, produced honey at a prodigious rate. Originally, Elijah had only wanted something to sweeten his coffee, but now, he saw another avenue of income for the grove.
After all, it needed more than just his soap to keep everything moving forward. The grove could produce most of what it needed, but there were amenities they needed to import. And as the population increased, those needs would only grow. He wanted the best for his people, and that would inevitably cost quite a bit of money.
"Alcohol is a bit of a luxury these days," Atticus acknowledged. "There are a few high-level Brewers out there, but they can only make so much. And I don't think anyone is selling mead at scale."
"You think it could work?" Elijah asked.
Atticus leaned back in his chair. "I don't know. It really depends on quality. If it's just alcohol, it will sell, but not to the degree that would change much for you. However, if it is like your soap…"
Elijah nodded. "That's kind of what I was thinking," he said. "Could you find some information on it? I don't know how to make mead."
"Consider it done, my friend."
After that, the pair continued to drink, though Elijah's heart wasn't really in any of it. It wasn't long before he excused himself and headed to the inn where he usually stayed. Agatha was off for the night, so Elijah went to his room without hesitation. However, when he lay down, he couldn't sleep. So, he turned his attention inward and focused on his cultivation.
Not for the first time, he recognized that the tree that represented his cultivation system had continued to grow. The branches of his soul had become more numerous, while the trunk of his body had thickened. His roots were far more expansive as well, and while the number of leaves that represented his mind had remained stagnant, they had become more detailed and vibrant. The apertures attached to them swirled with unprecedented ferocity as well.
In short, he had yet to fully settle into the Lord stage of cultivation. In the weeks since he'd returned from the Broken Crown, Elijah had done a little research into the topic. It had cost him a fortune, but his efforts had been to no avail. None of the guides he'd bought mentioned anything like what he'd experienced.
As he lay there, he wished that he had more guidance. A couple of hours with Kirlissa would have been so beneficial. She could answer all of his questions and help him prepare for what was next. But every time she had appeared, he'd had other things on his mind.
Hopefully, he would remember to ask his questions the next time he saw her.
Though he couldn't help but wonder if he'd reach the Empire of Scale before that came to pass. After all, the journey to the next stages of cultivation were supposed to take decades. And by that point, the threat of excisement would have long since been resolved. As soon as that danger passed, Elijah intended to leave Earth and receive a proper education, whatever that entailed.
In the meantime, he could only play it by ear. Without any other viable strategies at his fingertips, he fell back on his old cultivation exercises meant to prepare him to take the next steps. In doing so, he discovered that he could accelerate the pace of growth. Not by a lot, but still to a noticeable degree.
Like that, he occupied himself for the rest of the night. When the sun rose, he hadn't made much progress, but enough that he vowed to continue those exercises as often as events allowed.
After showering and dressing, he headed to Atticus' place, where he found his friend nursing a hangover. He also complained about his wife's reaction to coming home extremely drunk, though considering the Merchant smiled throughout, Elijah knew better than to take those complaints seriously.
It didn't take Atticus long to find some instructions detailing mead creation. Armed with that knowledge – and still having a few days to kill before his self-imposed deadline to check on matters in the Hollow Depths – he retreated to the grove and started studying.
As it turned out, fermenting mead was not a complicated process. At its simplest, it only required water, honey, and time. In that case, the yeast would be allowed to grow naturally. However, Elijah wanted something a little more controlled than that, so he decided to make his own yeast starter.
Fortunately, Elijah had plenty of grove fruits for that. And he had some eager workers in the form of the children, who had a blast crushing the valuable fruits inside various buckets.
After adding water and a bit of honey, the last missing ingredient was time. As the days passed, Elijah tended to his yeast. However, it was on the fourth day that a messenger came to the dock, interrupting his process before he ever actually got to making mead.
The illythiri woman was entirely unfamiliar, and what's more she was obviously terrified to take a single step off the dock. That only grew worse when Elijah stepped out from the tree line.
"Why are you here?" he asked, not bothering with niceties.
"I come bearing a message for the Druid named Elijah Hart."
"That's me."
Judging by her demeanor, that confirmation wasn't strictly necessary. Rather, it was more of a formality.
"I am here to inform you that the Primal Realm has been conquered," she revealed. "Ethereal density has dropped considerably, and the trolls have been pushed back."
Elijah had suspected as much when he'd visited the Circle of Webs a week before, but hearing confirmation was more than a relief. "Do we have word of the army that entered the Red Marsh?" he asked.
She shook her head. "We estimate the conquerors' return within a month," the messenger answered. "Perhaps more if they are injured. We sent another force out with the hopes of assisting them."
Elijah frowned. He wanted nothing more than to go down there himself and meet Sadie and the others. Now that they were out of the Primal Realm, he could feel that the members of the grove were still alive, but he knew nothing of the rest of the army's fate. For all he knew, only Miguel, the pack, and Kurik had survived.
But he knew it would do little good, other than to satisfy his own curiosity. And it could cause issues with Sadie, who'd made it clear that she neither needed nor wanted his help. He had to respect that, even if he wanted to swoop in like a knight in shining armor. He needed to trust that she was capable of taking care of herself – an issue he'd struggled with for a while.
In any case, the messenger didn't stick around much longer. And for his part, Elijah resisted the urge to jet off and rescue people who, in all likelihood, didn't need rescuing. Instead, he retreated to the center of the grove and continued his quest to make mead. But as he did so, many of the leaves representing his mind remained on his friends and family.
Most of all, he thought of Sadie"Ew."
"Is it supposed to smell like that?"
"Gross."
Elijah nearly rolled his eyes at the kids' reactions to his yeast colony. Admittedly, it had grown a bit out of control over the past few days, but ultimately, the result was predictable. Still, he hadn't been prepared for an entire cask of the stuff. And the children were similarly unprepared for the slimy look and sour smell.
One of the older kids even remarked that it was a waste of good grove fruits.
"You don't understand," Elijah insisted. "We can do so much with this."
"Like what?" asked one of the elven children.
"We could make bread, for one. You haven't lived until you've eaten fresh sourdough," he said. "I'll find a good Baker in Ironshore, and you'll see."
Of course, that wasn't Elijah's real plan for the yeast. He could spare some, especially since so much had grown, but what he really wanted was to use it to make mead.
With the children's help, he then strained the liquid into another cask before discarding the leftover fruit. Nerthus would probably use it for compost. The yeast itself was suspended in that liquid, though Elijah added a bit of honey to keep it growing.
It was the fifth such cask he'd made, and by this point, he was more than ready to get started on making mead. If only to distract himself from the fate of his friends and family. After all, they hadn't had time yet to return, though he could feel the members of the grove growing closer by the day.
From what he could tell, they were making good time, but without much in the way of context, he couldn't really tell how far they had yet to go. With that in mind, he chose to rely on the illythiri messenger's estimate that it would be weeks yet before they returned to the surface.
In the past few days, Elijah had heard back from Benedict, who urged him to hurry but made it clear that he'd fought the asharii to a stalemate. He obviously needed help, but not so urgently that Elijah needed to drop everything to lend aid.
Or maybe that was just an excuse he was telling himself to justify the delay. Self-realization aside, Elijah had internalized it. Hopefully, Benedict would hold on until Elijah could get to Benediction.
In any case, he quickly moved on to the next step of the mead-making process, which was to gather everything he would need. The casks were easy. There was a Hooper in town that Elijah had used before, and he was more than happy to build as many barrels as needed. Elijah had settled on twenty to start, though if the mead turned out like he wanted, he intended to expand his operation considerably.
For now, five of those barrels would contain the mead itself, while the others were meant for water taken from the stream and purified by Biggle. Sourcing everything from the grove would only make the end result that much more powerful.
Once the water had been heated – not to a boil, which would kill the bacteria – Elijah added the honey Nerthus and the children had harvested from the grove's apiary. And considering that the recipe required three pounds per gallon of water, Elijah was pouring for quite a while.
After that, he stirred the mixture until the honey had dissolved into the warm water. The children had long since scampered off to their lessons with Nara, so as Elijah waited for the must – the term for the mixture of honey and water – to cool, he was all alone with his thoughts.
They inevitably veered toward the Primal Realm near Benediction. He had no idea what to expect from the Labyrinth of Dead Gods, but he had a hard time believing it would be more difficult than the Broken Crown. However, the knowledge that the latter was meant to represent a dragon's might suggested that the former would take a different path altogether.
What form that might take was anyone's guess, but the djinn were supposed to have been powerful mages. Elijah's only experience with that kind of thing was in the Desolate Reach, and he suspected that the challenge of the Labyrinth of Dead Gods would far exceed that simple task.
In addition, he wondered about the other unconquered Primal Realms. The angel-focused realm was somewhere out to sea, though Elijah hadn't learned much more than that. Someone had also discovered the location of the sphinx realm, but they were keeping a lid on that, too.
Justice and knowledge. They were both such abstract concepts, and to the point that Elijah had no real idea what conquering them might require.
Either way, the fact that the people who'd found their locations had hidden their discoveries didn't bode well. Hopefully, his new allies might shine some light on that subject. Otherwise, he would need to do it himself, which was not an attractive option. He didn't mind flexing his muscles, but he was well aware that every time he went down that route, it would make accomplishing his other goals that much more difficult.
Breeding resentment was the least of the consequences. He had been reminded of that during his recent issues in Seattle. He hadn't set out to kill Desdemona Charontis' children, and in fact, he still believed he was justified in the actions he had taken. But the fact remained that he'd unintentionally made of her a sworn enemy who would stop at nothing to see him brought low.
Justification didn't mean much to a mother who'd lost her children, after all. Reason made even less of a difference. She wanted vengeance, and she'd enacted a plan to get it. That it had failed wasn't the point because it wasn't difficult to imagine a scenario where the next one was more successful.
And there would be a next one.
Elijah knew that, with his power, with his influence, there would always be enemies out there. He just needed to be ready. And more than that, he needed to take whatever steps were necessary to minimize their numbers. If not for his survival, then for his peace of mind.
And the next one might not be content with targeting him. They might decide to go after his friends. His family. His grove or its residents. Elijah didn't want to think about the dark places he would go if that happened.
Or the terrible things he would do to anyone who chose that route.
Those pessimistic thoughts accompanied him for the next week as he settled in to play the waiting game, both for the mead to ferment and for Sadie and the others to return. To distract himself, he began preparations for what came after. The last foray into a Primal Realm had seriously cut into his supplies, and he knew it would be worse now that his appetite had increased. With that in mind, he went to Ironshore and set out to find the best Baker in the city.
As it turned out, that title belonged to a couple of dwarves who operated a storefront very near the city's center. The moment Elijah ventured within a block of the place, he knew he'd chosen wisely. The smell of baking bread wafted through the streets, begging him to visit.
He had no issues giving in to its call.
When he entered the store, he saw a familiar setup that reminded him of a hundred other bakeries he'd visited over the years. Elijah quickly found himself studying a rack of sourdough bread. Each perfectly formed loaf was dusted with flour, with a crispy crust and a chewy center.
There were other offerings as well. Mostly pastries and cakes, but a few pies too. In short, the setting was heavenly, and it prompted Elijah to wonder why he'd never visited before.
Of course, that only lasted a few moments until he realized that the customers inside had noticed his arrival. He could feel their discomfort, though they did pay him the courtesy of trying to hide it.
Maybe he should have sent someone else. One of the older children would have jumped at the chance.
But it didn't take long before Elijah pushed that thought aside. He wouldn't hide away in his grove like some hermit. Ironshore wasn't home, but it was close enough. He'd fought and bled for these people. The least they could do was accept his presence without staring at him like some old-school circus attraction.
Buoyed by that resolution, he took his place in line. It progressed quickly, courtesy of the efficient clerk – a fresh-faced dwarven girl with vivid red hair. Her eyes widened when Elijah reached the counter, but she hid her surprise almost immediately.
"What can I get you?" she asked, her high-pitched voice cracking in the middle of the question.
Elijah took that opportunity to order a dozen fruit-filled pastries, a pie, and a few loaves of bread – all for the kids. However, he hadn't come for that. Instead, he asked, "Can I speak to the Bakers? I have a business proposition for them."
She glanced around like she had no idea what to say, but thankfully, she was saved by someone coming from the back. Elijah had already felt them coming, so he was unsurprised when the woman introduced herself as Dorei, one of the owners. And apparently, the girl's mother.
"Come with me, Mr. Hart," the dwarven woman invited, and it wasn't just so they could speak in private. Elijah's presence would obviously affect business.
He followed her into the back, and it wasn't long before he was inside a cozy-looking office. During the walk back, Elijah got a good look at the Baker. Like her daughter, she was blessed with thick, auburn hair that complemented her sturdy features quite well. She wasn't quite matronly, but Elijah would have been more comfortable referring to her as handsome than beautiful.
It was a characteristic of dwarves, who favored blunt facial features.
In any case, the woman had a bit of flour on her cheek, and her hands looked incredibly strong. She planted herself in a cushy chair, inviting Elijah to sit as well. He took a seat across from her.
"Can I offer you anything? I hear you have a preference for coffee," she revealed.
Elijah took her up on that offer, and soon enough, another redheaded child entered with a pair of steaming mugs. When Elijah took a sip, he was mildly surprised at how good it was. He said as much, to which Dorei replied with a laugh, saying, "It better be. It costs enough!"
Elijah chuckled along good-naturedly before she asked why he'd come. "I suspect it wasn't for my coffee or to buy a couple of pies."
"I have a proposition for you," he said, retrieving a small jar from his Arcane Loop. He handed it over, asking, "Do you know what that is?"
"Yeast."
"Beyond that."
"Incredibly energetic yeast," she elaborated. "How much do you want for it?"
"Nothing," Elijah answered. He then retrieved one of his grove fruits from his spatial storage and tossed it in her direction. "I want you to make pastries. Lots and lots of pastries."
The reality was that Elijah was tired of populating his ring with only savory foods. They were fine. They relieved his hunger. But he'd always had a bit of a sweet tooth, and on top of that, he believed that if all the ingredients came from his grove, the end product would be that much more satisfying.
With that in mind, he laid it all out. The Baker would receive the yeast starter, while Elijah would get enough pastries to fill half his storage space.
"All the same type?" she asked.
Elijah shrugged. "Pretty much. Unless you can think of another way to use the grove fruits. Make a pie, I guess. But pastries are best because they can be eaten on the move."
Given how quickly she agreed to the deal, Elijah suspected that the yeast was far more potent – in terms of vitality and ethera – than he'd previous supposed. Or maybe his context was just skewed. Either way, it wasn't long before they came to an agreement, and Dorei promised to have everything ready within a week.
After that, Elijah headed out to visit his favorite Cooks in the city, where he commissioned his normal orders of savory foods. However, before he could finish his task, he felt someone familiar arrive via the Spires. Immediately, he dropped what he was doing and left the restaurant. In only a second, he was in the air and shifting into the Shape of the Sky to race across the city.
He landed outside the Conclave Compound soon after.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, stepping through the gate.
Hu Shui smiled. "Perhaps I only wanted to visit this fine city. Ironshore is a very desirable destination for many."
"Is that why you're here? Just to visit?"
"No. I came to speak to you, of course. But I'd prefer to do it in private," said the martial space mage. "I have a room prepared in this very compound, if it pleases you."
"Fine," Elijah said. He didn't dislike Hu Shui, but he didn't trust him, either. Regardless, he couldn't ignore the man who held the world's teleportation system in the palm of his hand
Hu Shui still thought of himself as a researcher, though it had been quite some time since he'd looked at the world through the eyes of a scientist. His keen sense of observation remained, even if the current situation didn't truly call for any great insight. One look at Elijah Hart, and even a blind man could read the danger of his presence.
Even if Hu Shui hadn't seen the mounds of bodies, it was easy to believe that he could slaughter an entire army of settlers.
"You have changed since last we met," Hu Shui remarked as he led Hart inside the Conclave compound. It was one of the most profitable branches among the network he'd built, largely because Ironshore was such a prolific participant in world trade. Not to the same degree as a commercial hub like Argos, but very busy, nonetheless. And the Conclave had funneled some of the resultant wealth into the compound itself, sparing no expense in its construction.
Hu Shui had even sent one of his best and brightest space mages to run the Spires, though in the wake of the Bloodrock Bay incident, she had begged for reassignment. He'd granted it, as much because he wanted to keep her free of Hart's claws as to shield her from what she had seen.
"It's the only constant," the man responded lightly.
Hu Shui nodded, giving a perfunctory and good-natured response. He no longer even had to force a smile, it came so naturally. Hart clearly knew that the expression wasn't genuine. Despite the man's seemingly blasé attitude, he was a keen observer.
Like Hu Shui, he hid his true nature behind a façade of benign pleasantry. Unlike was the case with Hu Shui, no one in their right mind would ever believe it. Ethera wafted off of him in dense waves, and his every movement screamed predation. Anyone with an ounce of intuition would mark him as an apex power, and that was without giving credence to Hart's reputation.
After all, only a couple of weeks before, he'd destroyed the better part of an outworlder army, and according to Hu Shui's sources, he hadn't even strained himself. His informants had also marked him as having reached the lofty level of two-forty-nine, which put him a single level away from attaining demi-god status.
By comparison, Hu Shui's level of two-fourteen seemed paltry, especially considering the existence of the First Wall, which his research told him lived up to its colloquial name. Ten levels that took as much experience as the previous two-forty before was intimidating, especially to a man who knew how important progression truly was.
And not just to avoid the planet's excisement, either.
There were other threats out there. Whole cultures built on the idea of conquest. They would come, Hu Shui was certain. Some already had, as evidenced by the presence of nearly half a million war elves who'd already destroyed cities like Barcelona and Minsk. That they'd failed in their attempted conquest of Seattle was a matter of pure luck. If Hart had not been in the city, it would have fallen just as surely as the others in the war elves' path.
Of course, Hu Shui had known something was coming. The world's teleportation system doubled as an information network, which meant he was as well-informed as anyone else in the world. He'd known there were hostile armies out there, even if he was incapable of tracking their movements, save by following the wake of destruction they left behind.
"I know that as well as anyone," Hu Shui remarked, leading Hart into a prepared office. From what he knew of the man, guidance was entirely unnecessary, though the Druid pretended as if he couldn't feel everything in the compound. The rapid response to Hu Shui's arrival had confirmed the rumors that Hart could feel everything in the area – almost like he possessed a powerful domain ability that encompassed hundreds of square miles.
Perhaps that wasn't so far off the mark.
The office itself was just a repurposed conference room used by the local workers, but it had been prepared according to Hu Shui's exacting specifications. The spiritual wood used in the construction of the table, the soft, high-grade leather chairs, and the iterative diagrams of the Spires were all meant to convey a very specific tone. Wealth and achievement.
Hart seemed not to even notice, though Hu Shui saw the subtle flick of the man's emerald eyes. The pair took their respective seats across from one another, and only a moment later, a woman entered with two cups of coffee.
"You remembered," Hart said, after thanking the assistant.
"Of course."
Hu Shui took the brief opportunity to study his would-be ally. The man's physical transformation wasn't as overt as he might have expected, given Hart's obvious advancement. The scales peeking out from his sleeves were a little more lustrous, and he'd even gained an inch or so in height, but otherwise, he looked much the same as he had the last time they'd met.
But his aura was an entirely different story. Before, it had been overbearing to the point of distraction – evidence of advanced cultivation supported by no small number of levels. Now, though? It had become tyrannical. The very atmosphere shifted with his every movement, and he loomed over everything like a king looking over his subjects.
Which included everyone he laid eyes upon.
It sent a shiver of discomfort up Hu Shui's spine, but he quickly suppressed it. The man might be more powerful than him, but he refused to give in to fear. He would acknowledge it, catalogue the reasons behind it, and then adjust his plans accordingly. After everything he'd been through, fear – justified though it may be – was the last thing he would allow to derail him.
Hart took an appreciative sip of the coffee, and when he replaced the cup on its saucer, he asked, "Why are you here?"
"Right to the point," Hu Shui remarked with a wide smile. He could almost appreciate the bluntness, even if it robbed him of an opportunity to distract the man through niceties.
"I find that's usually the best way to go about things."
Hu Shui could appreciate that view, though he felt that it was flawed. Hart had all the power, which gave him the freedom to eschew social niceties. For everyone else – for those who needed to worry about offending others – that just wasn't an option. By contrast, the most powerful man in the world needn't fear anyone on Earth. He knew it, too. Everyone who dealt with him knew it, as well. And if he didn't want to pretend otherwise, that was his prerogative.
Would Hu Shui have taken the same route? Assuredly not. Optics mattered, even to those in power. But for a man who had no interest in ruling – as was the case with Hart – the way he was viewed by the world didn't seem to matter. Hu Shui couldn't afford that attitude in his own dealings.
Even if he'd had the power – which he did not – his goals depended on a basic level of cooperation and, more than anything, order.
"A fair assessment," Hu Shui stated. "I wish to accompany you into the Labyrinth of Dead Gods."
For a few moments, Hart didn't respond. But then, with a sigh, he asked, "How long have you known about it?"
"Not long," Hu Shui admitted. Almost two years before, Conclave Explorers had discovered the existence of a Primal Realm in that region, but they'd quickly been chased away by the locals. It wasn't until a year ago that they'd managed to reach the entrance itself. He conveyed as much to Hart, adding, "I assume that is your next stop, considering your history with Mr. Emerson."
"My history?"
"You worked together in the Trial of Primacy, and my sources suggest that you visited Benediction a year ago," Hu Shui revealed. He took a sip of his own cup of coffee, suppressing a frown at the taste. He preferred tea, but westerners enjoyed bonding over their love of the bitter drink. "Is my assumption wrong?"
Hart shook his head. "Not really. Benedict is…complicated."
"The cannibalism?"
"You know about that, huh?"
Hu Shui nodded. Discovering that bit of information had required infiltration into Benediction, and the Explorer who'd managed it had come away truly horrified by the experience. She had told tales of ritual combat, cannibalism, and human sacrifice – all led by one of the most powerful men in the world, who his people regarded as one step from godhood.
"For what it's worth, I don't think he enjoys his position," Hart explained. "When I visited, I got the impression that he'd started off just trying to help them survive, and things kind of spiraled out of control."
"Into cannibalism and human sacrifice."
"Yeah. They don't kill people specifically to eat them. It's more like they don't let dead bodies go to waste," Hart countered. "It's actually pretty controlled, as far as that kind of thing can be."
"I see."
"Still doesn't excuse it, though," the Druid added.
"It does not, but sometimes, we must sacrifice our moral stances for the good of all," Hu Shui answered. "In this case, that means turning a blind eye toward despicable practices that we otherwise would not accept."
"Not necessarily a blind eye. More of a reluctant tolerance," Hart allowed, shifting in his seat.
"An apt characterization."
"Why do you want to come? You seem pretty well-informed, so you probably already know that I don't need your help."
That was probably true. The man had already conquered four Primal Realms, two of which entirely alone. It was completely within the realm of possibility that he could overcome the Labyrinth of Dead Gods without help.
And with Benedict Emerson, who had already proven himself one of the strongest people in the world? It wasn't an understatement to believe that Hu Shui's presence would be entirely superfluous. He had reason to believe otherwise, though.
And it was time to put his cards on the table.
"Do you have any experience with Oracles or Seers?"
Surprisingly, Hart said that he did, though he didn't elaborate further.
"In your experience, are their predictions accurate?" Hu Shui asked next.
"I've only dealt with one, but yeah. Accurate enough, if a little vague."
"Then you have the context to understand why I need to accompany you," Hu Shui said. "A few months ago, one of my agents met a very peculiar young woman who claimed she was a Prophet. Recognizing her potential value, he invited her to Gatehold. She has lived there ever since."
"She told you that you need to go with me," Hart guessed.
"Indeed," Hu Shui answered. "Absent any other reasons, I would not have heeded her advice. However, because it coincided with my own goals, I chose to give it credence."
"What other goals?"
"Unity, primarily. You are the strongest person in the world, Mr. Hart. I think you know this," Hu Shui explained. "You also have a history with my organization. We have worked together, and I hope that we can continue to do so as humanity writes its own story. I do not believe I am telling you anything you don't already know when I say that the threat of excisement is not the only one looming over our people. When our planet is fully integrated, we will be faced with another wave of would-be settlers. And if we are not strong enough to hold strong, we will be washed away. I will not stand idly by while our people are killed or enslaved."
Since the very beginning, Hu Shui had known that Earth's trials weren't only related to the system itself. Colonization was an easy prediction, and the consequences were familiar to anyone with even a passing acquaintance with history. A few ragged settlers who had no other opportunities weren't the problem. Instead, Hu Shui feared the arrival of entire armies.
"Imagine a host of demi-gods descending upon Earth. Do we have any defense against that?"
"The system –"
"We cannot rely on the system to protect us," Hu Shui interrupted. "Perhaps it will, at least for a while. However, that protection will one day fade. It is inevitable. And we must be prepared to step up and take that burden upon our own shoulders. Just as we cannot depend on the system, we cannot put our entire faith in one man. We cannot afford to sit this out and let you carry us."
"I've heard that before," Hart said. "A few months later, they were singing a different tune."
"You speak of the expedition into the Hollow Depths."
"I do."
Hu Shui was well aware how that had ended. Sadie Song and some of the most powerful people in the world had attempted to carve a path through the Hollow Depths so they could assault the troll Primal Realm. They had failed to make significant progress, forcing them to call upon Hart.
"I'm not suggesting something like that. Instead, I want to form a partnership. You may not need my help in the Labyrinth of Dead Gods," he admitted. "But we – meaning the rest of humanity – need your help. Allowing me to accompany you is part of that."
"I can see where you're coming from. The only question I have is whether or not you'll slow me down," Hart stated, not bothering to sugarcoat his concerns. "I know Benedict can hold his own. I don't know whether or not you can. I don't even know your archetype, much less your level."
"Ranger archetype. My class is Astral Duelist. And I am level two-fourteen. I have it on good authority that I remain in the top ten highest levels among Earth's natives," Hu Shui explained. "I have also made sizable strides regarding cultivation, having reached the second stage in all categories, achieving the third stage of mind cultivation. I assure you, Mr. Hart, I can handle myself."
"Impressive," he said.
Not compared to him. Hu Shui had no idea as to the man's achievements in cultivation. Reports conflicted, and even those with advanced investigatory skills failed to agree on what stages he'd reached in each category. But Hu Shui was justifiably proud of his own progress.
"None of that is reason enough to trust in my ability to keep up, though."
Hart shrugged, though he didn't dispute it. Talent in cultivation wasn't the same as a talent for survival or combat effectiveness.
"When the world changed, I was a paraplegic," Hu Shui admitted. "As a teenager, I broke my back, severing my lower spine. From that point forward, I shifted my focus to academic pursuits."
He didn't detail the years of depression that came from that event. Hart didn't need to know that.
"And I was successful, ending up in Harare as a physics professor," Hu Shui explained. "When the World Tree touched Earth, I was convinced I would die. I think you have a similar story."
"Cancer."
"So I have heard," he acknowledged. "Then you have some context to understand how difficult it was for me to overcome my disability. I did so, climbing my way to the top despite my infirmity. Eventually, I managed to heal my broken body.
"I tell you this not to gain sympathy. Nor do I wish to brag. But those of us who have risen above our fates and conquered the odds know better than to dismiss the benefits of such a struggle. I am a survivor, Mr. Hart. Just like you. Should you allow me to accompany you into the Labyrinth of Dead Gods, you will see that for yourself."
"I see," Hart acknowledged.
"And your answer?"
"If I say I need to think about it?"
"You do not strike me as an indecisive man," Hu Shui countered.
Hart finally let a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. "Impatient is probably a better way of putting it. Impulsive, even," he admitted. "Among a host of other character flaws."
"You have already made your choice. Know that, whatever you decide, I will accept it. And I hope that, regardless of that choice, we can continue to work together toward a better future for humanity."
Hu Shui had no interest in making an enemy of the most powerful man on Earth. He wanted to go to the Labyrinth of Dead Gods. If the Prophet was to be believed, the world's survival demanded it.
For a moment, Hart didn't answer. Then, he finally said, "Okay. You can come along. But let me say this – if you betray me in any way, I will rip you apart with my own claws. Then, I will come back and destroy everything you've built. Do we understand one another?"
"We do," Hu Shui said, smiling. The last thing he wanted was to betray the man before him. Doing so would only make achieving his goals that much more difficult.
After that, they spoke of logistics until, at last, Hart rose, saying, "I'll contact you when I set out. I don't intend to go until after the expedition into the Hollow Depths returns, so it might be a few more weeks."
"I will use that time to prepare."
"Good. Going into a Primal Realm is no joke, and you should approach it like it's the most dangerous thing you've ever done."
"I intend to.Elijah's first batch of mead was an unmitigated disaster that tasted cloyingly sweet and a bit rancid. It didn't take him long to pin the problem on unhealthy fermentation. The fix was thankfully simple, and it only required him to ensure that the next batches were properly fed so that the yeast could properly ferment.
The second batch was much more difficult to recover, and it tasted extremely sour, with an acrid undertone that Elijah could not explain. Not helping matters was that he had never actually tasted mead, so he wasn't certain what to expect. However, he knew well enough that vomit-like was not the goal, which necessitated further exploration.
Fortunately, he had Soul of the Wild on his side, and it was a matter of moments before he realized the issue. Wild bacteria had infected the batch, overwhelming the healthy yeast with airborne organisms.
The fix to that one was much more comprehensive than the first problem, and it required him to rethink the entire process, with a particular focus on sterilization. That helped, but it did not completely solve the issue. It wasn't until Elijah had exhausted the possibilities of sterilization that he realized the problem stemmed from another, entirely unrelated issue.
He wasn't using enough yeast, which slowed the fermentation process enough to allow other bacteria to grow. That infestation resulted in an overabundance of butyric acid, which was the reason for the vomit-like characteristics.
To solve the problem, he simply used more yeast.
He also enlisted the children to help keep it fed, adding yeast in stages. According to the information packet provided by Atticus, doing so was a common way to adjust the alcohol content. Elijah wasn't so naïve as to think that all of the old rules applied, so he relied as much on his own senses – particularly Soul of the Wild – to guide the process.
Finally, he found that time was a bigger factor than he'd first anticipated. The first successful batch was good. Better than he expected, with a smooth, white wine-like taste that he found a bit surprising. However, he quickly found that even a day of aging changed the flavor profile to a significant degree.
So, after storing the first batch away, he started in on the second, vowing to allow it to age for a while before he sampled it.
Thankfully, getting it right took most of his focus – largely in the form of Nature's Design, which he used to guide the bacterial growth. It wasn't as responsive as when he used it on plants, but with enough effort, he could affect changes. That allowed him to manipulate the yeast in ways that would never have been possible for someone without that all-important ability.
It also opened his mind to all sorts of interesting possibilities.
After all, alcohol wasn't the only viable inebriant. Most drugs traced their roots back to plants, and it didn't take him long to wonder how his abilities could benefit cultivation of certain crops.
For his part, Nerthus had only taken a passing interest in the brewing process. He had other things on his mind, and he spent most of his days tending to the grove. Specifically, he'd dedicated hours of each day to bolstering the still-growing pillar trees that would one day support the island's growing population. They had a long way to go yet, but Nerthus was determined to give those trees the best foundations he could.
Doing so wasn't exactly a full-time job, but it still required quite a lot of focus. Elijah was content to let Nerthus provide that attention, mostly because the spryggent was far better at plant manipulation than he was. However, he did spend a little time each day just watching Nerthus work – an informative experience that he knew he shouldn't take for granted.
He applied some of those lessons to the yeast. It would take quite a lot of experimentation to determine what characteristics affected the flavor profile the way he wanted, but it was a good distraction while he awaited the return of most of the people he cared most about.
Elijah also spent a few minutes of each day assuring Hope that her father and Miguel were fine. In the case of his nephew, Elijah was certain that he was still alive. With Ron, he was less sure, though he didn't tell Hope that. The girl had enough on her emotional plate that she didn't need to add uncertainty about her father's fate to the mix.
She and the other grove members who'd gotten classes showed signs of rapid progression. Access to some of the best materials on Earth helped the Tradesmen, while the environment itself assisted the new Druids. The combatants among them were relatively few, but belonging to the grove gave them access to unique classes that otherwise would not have been possible. As a result, their baseline power was higher than those of similar levels, especially when they were furnished with a perfect environment for cultivation.
In short, the grove was healthy, both in terms of population and the environment itself. The latter, at least in part because of the high-grade natural treasures Elijah had brought back. He wasn't blind to the fact that they seemed to work together, each element represented seeming to balance and enhance the others.
As it turned out, that characteristic was partially responsible for Nerthus' reservoir plants, which he'd used to fuel Elijah's many uses of Grove Conduit. The little plants, which surrounded the ancestral tree, were curious looking. They took the form of simple stalks, tipped by a bulbous, fruit-like growth that served to store vast amounts of vitality and ethera.
When Elijah asked about harvesting them, Nerthus explained, "The energy dissipates very quickly when disconnected. They are only useful in this very specific way."
That was a relief for Elijah. The last thing he wanted was to paint an even bigger target on the grove. It was already home to a wondrous number of potent natural treasures, but those battery-like plants would have been an irresistible resource for anyone who needed an energy source to power machines or arrays. That they wouldn't last past harvesting was a blessing, and a characteristic Elijah was certain had been intentionally designed by Nerthus.
In any case, the next two weeks passed both quickly and with interminable slowness. Staying busy took care of the first, while the latter was the unfortunate result of Elijah's combined impatience and ignorance as to the fate of the expedition into the Red Marsh.
And then, without warning, he felt their return.
It happened just after nightfall, when most of the children had retreated to their homes. Nara was tending to the coral reef, while Nerthus was underground cataloguing his seeds. Meanwhile, Elijah had just set the latest cask of mead inside the cave where he'd planted the apple seeds and the geode he'd harvested from the Elemental Maelstrom.
He immediately dropped the cask, not even bothering to stack it next to the others, and raced out of the cave. In moments, he was winging his way across the strait toward the Conclave Spires. He landed with a hard thud that soon became a sprint past the guards. Thankfully, they didn't try to stop him. Whether that was due to fear, familiarity, or the lack of an opportunity was a mystery Elijah had no interest in solving. All he cared about were the people he'd felt in the center of the Spires.
The second he saw them, Elijah knew that they had been through hell. Everyone there – even the dogs – looked thinner than when they'd left. But that was to be expected. There were also dozens of grievous, half-healed injuries, and the vast majority of the new arrivals showed signs of infection.
What truly got his attention were the missing people.
"More are coming," said Ron, who strode forward with a noticeable limp.
The gathered soldiers, all of whom wore the armor of the Ironshore Legion, looked at him with a mix of fear, relief, and resentment. That hit Elijah harder than he could have expected. The first two were expected, but the third? Did they even know that it hadn't been his choice to leave them? Were they aware that his hand had been forced? If it had been up to him, he'd have entered the Red Marsh right alongside them.
And he couldn't help but think that all of those injured people would have been much better off had he done so.
"Deaths?" he asked, knowing just how indelicate the question was. He didn't care.
"More than any of us expected," Ron answered.
"You know what I'm asking."
"I do."
"Then answer the question," Elijah told the Healer.
"Not here," Ron said.
Eljiah's heart jumped into his throat, but he gave his friend a curt nod before leading him away from the Spires. As he did, the gathered soldiers went in the other direction, exiting the compound and presumably making room for the next wave. After all, only a hundred could be teleported at one time, which meant that the space mages had a busy night ahead of them.
Hopefully.
Once they were inside the building, Elijah asked his question again, making certain that Ron knew he was asking about his friends and family. It wasn't that he didn't care about the Legion or the people from Argos, Philadelphia, and Svetogorsk. He did. Just not nearly as much as he cared about Sadie, Carmen, Miguel, and the others with whom he had personal relationships.
"They all made it," Ron said. "Not without injury, though. Miguel barely survived. Kurik nearly lost an arm. Isaak's in a coma from a persistent infection. And we're all half-starved and exhausted. But we all made it."
Elijah let out a sigh of relief, though that only lasted long enough for him to settle on the practical matters.
"We need to get everyone set up somewhere central. I'll have grove fruits for those who need it. And I'll use Blessing of the Grove and Grove Conduit to help," he said. "Someone needs to talk to Ramik so we can mobilize the –"
"The Legion already has orders to do that," Ron stated.
"Good," Elijah said. He nodded again, then repeated, "Good."
Now that he knew his friends and family were okay, he turned his attention to welcoming them back with open arms. So, the next few hours were occupied by frantic preparations, which included enlisting the highest-level Cooks and Chefs in the city to create a feast. More than that, they erected a series of tents and a mobile infirmary populated by every Healer in the city.
The combination of the area's high vitality and dense ethera served to counter some of the infections, though much of that work was accomplished by Elijah's Mantle of Authority, combined with the effects of Blessing of the Grove. He might not have been as capable a Healer as someone like Ron, but in the realm of purification, he was unmatched. At least on Earth.
Wave after wave of Legionnaires returned to the city, adding to the hive of activity. Some of the healthier among them bypassed the camp outside the Conclave Compound and went home, presumably eager to see their families. However, it wasn't long until most of those loved ones came to them, ostensibly to assist in the operation. Every one of them looked toward the Spires with each new arrival, though.
The camp grew into a city unto itself, with Elijah at the center of it all. Healing. Destroying contaminants infecting the returning soldiers. But just like all the others, he was mostly concerned with the fate of his loved ones.
Ron, Oscar, and the pack were the first of his companions to arrive, but they were soon joined by Kurik, Carmen, and Colt. Predictably, neither Sadie nor Miguel returned until the very last wave, and when they did, they eschewed the reunion or relaxation in favor of assisting those who needed it.
It was obvious that they'd both been put through the ringer, though. Sadie was painfully thin, and her armor hung from her like it had been made for a much larger person. Miguel's armor was completely gone, replaced by dirty and torn clothes. He still had a knife at his belt, but otherwise, he was disarmed.
Trevor seemed fine, though, and he wasted no time before leaping into the air and racing toward the island, presumably to reunite with his own family.
Thankfully, none of his companions were missing limbs or seemed to have been permanently injured. But there were still acquaintances like Isaak who'd returned to their own cities rather than coming to Ironshore. So, the jury was still out on their fates, though Ron assured Elijah that the Healers in the Temple of Virtue could take care of the Argos natives like Isaak.
In any case, Elijah concentrated on the task at hand until he was certain that none of the infections would persist. By then, the day had come and gone, stranding them in the middle of the next night.
He could have kept going, but it was obvious that everyone who could be treated had been. Now, it was just a matter of rest and recovery. So, as the camp broke apart and everyone embarked on the short journey into Ironshore – and their homes – Elijah finally took the time to reunite with his companions.
Most specifically, Sadie.
However, it wasn't until they returned to the grove and were blessed with the privacy of his treehouse that she broke down and buried her face in his shoulder. Her body trembled with silent sobs.
"I know," he said, having gone through enough Primal Realms to recognize the unique blend of relief, guilt, and exhaustion that came with them. He embraced her, hugging her tight as he reassured her, "I know."
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nrsearcy
nrsearcy
2/1/2026, 1:00 PM
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Magstzerp
Magstzerp
3 months ago
TFTC.
I hope someone, maybe Kurik, Ramik, or Ron, makes sure to inform the soldiers that it wasn't Elijah's decision to not join them in the PR. I mean, I know most of them already know, but a year is a long time, especially inside a PR. many of them might have forgotten, some even in purpose, in order to find someone to vent their frustrations on.
So, it'd be good to remind them.
Reedweaver
Reedweaver
3 months ago
Soldier: Lord Hart, we could have really used your help at the Primal realm.
Elijah: Sorry, but Sadie didn't allow me. Besides for a while I was busy clearing another one
Catinthehat
Catinthehat
3 months ago
Why? Keep the hate on him, so Sadie can continue to lead. Unlike the rest, he can afford to not care about their scorn. It's more likely a knee-jerk response to the horrors of war and disease that can get ironed out with time. So until then, it's probably best for Elijah to shoulder the hate.
Alx_
Alx_
3 months ago
Yeah, I really think Elijah would want them to hate him instead of Sadie.
However I do hope that this was what she needed for a good amount of character growth and she and Elijah can now really work together.
I dont think the situation of their relationship is really in question anymore at this point and with Sadie being probably easily in the top 10 most powerful people on the planet, if they both work together instead of each doign their own thing there should be truly unbeatable at least on earth.
Solo'ing the broken crown was the right call given its the dragon realm but while we readers know Elijah's got plot armor and can solo any strange realm himself, in world that would be a extremely stupid and reckless belief given just how close to death he gets quite regularly...
AshAndCinder
AshAndCinder
3 months ago
It is best to keep the ironshore natives in Elijahs corner. Sadie also owns this and just has one more pr right now. I'm sure these soldiers need a rest too.
Marlucean
Marlucean
3 months ago
That's a terrible call. Ironshore is Elijah's home, not Sadie's (at least in relation to Grove responsibilities). The last thing Elijah *needs* is them fearing him more or resenting him; potentially leading them to invade his island out of stupidity and cause another massacre.
Frankly, Sadie being able to "lead them" is irrelevant. She isn't required to be anyone's leader and, if she can't maintain respect without duplicitous manipulation and not owning her own mistakes, she needs to pick a different goal.
Peternal
Peternal
3 months ago
It's not even optimal for her to lead, she is a powerful combatant, if she is directing from the back it's a waste of asset, and if she fights she can't see the overall picture.
Better get a tactician archetype, with army buffs, and overview skills. Unless she makes he class more army oriented next class evolution.
Komodorkostik
Komodorkostik
3 months ago
All you guys keep giving Sadie shit as if it was her sole decision and as if it was done on a whim. It wasn't, on both accounts.
The primary reason they had split was due to the deadline. They have about 4 years left and 3 more primal realms and taking another army anywhere close another of the realms is gonna take another 6 months.
At the time, it seemed necessary to clear 2 realms at once and since things won't br getting any easier, it will likely prove the right decision in the long run.
On top of that, Sadie entering the angel realm will probably have similar effects to what we saw with the broken crown, so that's even more extra difficulty.
Peternal
Peternal
3 months ago
Would be nice to know how Primal realms work, if everything remained the same with addition of Eliah inside, they could've done it in a week.
Tho the time constraint speaks against Sadie too. She 1st wasted time by having Eliah come then send him back then call him again. Then along with the army leaders choose the longer time consuming objective.
They wasted the maximum amount of time possible and was on a brink of defeat before choosing the faster objective.
Author never telling how much time left further muddies the water.
ligger66
ligger66
3 months ago
I do hope they get to do at least 1 more realm together though they might have to rush the other remaining 2,tis probably going to come down to the wire (probably due to some kind of system and or political shinanagins)
Magstzerp
Magstzerp
3 months ago
I'm not blaming Sadie here, but the time limit for the PR was NOT the primary reason. That was a secondary reason that they came up with, in order to FURTHER justify Elijah not joining.
The primary reason that they gave was that the combatants wouldn't get as much progression of Elijah went with them.
And even that was actually an excuse to cover for the real reason, which was that Sadie didn't want to rely on Elijah too much.
Which, they are ALL reasonable excuses/justifications. They just underestimated the PR, and overestimated themselves.
And above all, none of this was Elijah's idea. I'm not saying they should blame Sadie. Just that they SHOULDN'T blame Elijah. It wasn't his fault... This time...!
maisafie
maisafie
3 months ago
So, I'm absolutely convinced that Sadie's not gonna go to the Empire of Scales. And that's it about them working together. They are gonna be together until they are gonna go to separate ways. Maybe sometime in the distant future they're gonna get back together, but it's not very likely to see an Angel and a Dragon God together.
AshAndCinder
AshAndCinder
3 months ago
Yeah there was never much chemistry between the two besides being hot and among the best fighters. no shared interests, background, culture, viewpoints, nothing. They are both broken people that took comfort in each other but it won't last. They have even admitted that to themselves in earlier chapters. When our boy goes to the spire of scale that will be it.
Komodorkostik
Komodorkostik
3 months ago
Not terribly many not broken people left in this world. And relationships are much more complicated and individual than just checking boxes like background, cultures and interests, which are also all rendered absolutely nil by the actual new world system.
And if you insist on similarities being the base of relationships. The moment you look below the superficialities, you can find lots of them. They both act and respond the same to crises and danger, both are fiercely protective. Both are more or less selfless begrudging leaders. They know how to humour and tease each other. Both understand sacrifice and the cost of progress and they are easy company for each other.
There's literally so much going on for them but people would rather shout red flags because they are not the same person and not both druids or dragons.
AshAndCinder
AshAndCinder
3 months ago
Commonalities are the basis of relationships. Sure you want some differences but you need things to connect with. The system doesn't render that nil at all; doesn't change human nature.
They respond very differently to crisis and danger. Elijah uses his instincts and just reacts, Sadie thinks and plans. Elijah is weirdly protective of his family and grove but doesn't really care much about anyone else. The charity is a good step but he offloaded that on Atticus who runs the whole thing and matches the contribution. Sadie does care about everyone and why she feels the responsibility to lead even though she isn't a tactician.
They aren't good for each other and never have been. They are two very broken people with extremely strong attunements/classes that sought solace with one another. Its why practically every home scen with the two of them has Sadie naked and flirting. There is no actual rest or connection where they just talk.
Komodorkostik
Komodorkostik
3 months ago
Its why practically every home scen with the two of them has Sadie naked and flirting.
As opposed to Elijah who to date has flirted with every single not related female character and pretty much treats flirting as his MO?
There is no actual rest or connection where they just talk.
I don't think we are reading the same chapters. Sure there is a lot of that but you are being disingenuous.
They aren't good for each other and never have been. They are two very broken people with extremely strong attunements/classes that sought solace with one another.
Again I don't think there's many not broken people among the peak and it's probably weird settling for a lvl 100 something anyone considering Elijah already perceives them as less substantial and they all instinctively see him as a threat and a predator.
They respond very differently to crisis and danger. Elijah uses his instincts and just reacts, Sadie thinks and plans.
I'm not saying it's 50/50, but there are many instances where Sadie literally throws herself head first into danger and many instances where Elijah acts very methodically.
Besides, relationships where both people are mainly planners or mainly impulsive are often more turbulent. Except the partners are unicorns and are capable of planning the exact same way and come to the same conclusions. Which, while fitting for a feel good fairytale story, wouldn't mesh well with the rest of this series.
eljid
eljid
3 months ago
Thanks
Jeggred
Jeggred
3 months ago
TFTC
The gathered soldiers, all of whom wore the armor of the Ironshore Legion, looked at him with a mix of fear, relief, and resentment. That hit Elijah harder than he could have expected. The first two were expected, but the third? Did they even know that it hadn't been his choice to leave them? Were they aware that his hand had been forced? If it had been up to him, he'd have entered the Red Marsh right alongside them.
They can't know it yet, but they could resent him for staying home brewing mead instead of going down into the Hollow Depths to help them on their way home.
How many people died to the infections or lost bodyparts to it? How many starved and suffered or got killed by regular monsters on the way?
Skeitch
Skeitch
3 months ago
Elijah has a horrible habit of getting distracted with side quests..lmao
Magstzerp
Magstzerp
3 months ago
He wasn't distracted this time. He remembered and considered going. But chose not to go, because he didn't want to hurt Sadie's pride by rushing to her side as if to save her.
ReadingNovels
ReadingNovels
3 months ago
Tftc!
Nickthulhu
Nickthulhu
3 months ago
Thanks!
Ugh…. That's rough…
Mad Dessert
Mad Dessert
3 months ago
Thanks!
Torcall
Torcall
3 months ago
Tftc
Mogs
Mogs
3 months ago
TYfTC
[After all, alcohol wasn't the only viable inebriant. Most drugs traced their roots back to plants, and it didn't take him long to wonder how his abilities could benefit cultivation of certain crops.]
CALLED IT!! He's interested on drugs.
Memo Sancho
Memo Sancho
3 months ago
We might get medical ethera weed
Valadan
Valadan
3 months ago
So.... now that the Troll primal realm is dealt with, how long until the dark elves try to conquer the surface ?
Jeggred
Jeggred
3 months ago
The other faction who control Primal Realms all have to invest a lot of manpower and resources into clearing the Realms regularly or they would become a thread again.
But I could see the Spider Priests being up to something, we still don't know what their connection to the Vesperians is (at least Elijah felt the same revulsion around them).
Maybe a side plot to keep the others busy while Elijah conquers the Djinn Realm.
Mogs
Mogs
3 months ago
The queen doesn't strike me as someone foolish. So ideally never.
The cult on the other hand might try something.
Reedweaver
Reedweaver
3 months ago
About the cult, I thought they had seen Elijah before. I would really be disappointed if they were that foolish
David Brewer
David Brewer
3 months ago
I see no reason to assume the Ilythari will react to the knowledge that Elijah IS a dragon that much differently from how the war elf general reacted. Fear and caution. Dragons have a rep in the multiverse.
Also, they are the final bastion of their species. After the situation with the Red Marsh, they aren't really in a position to readily consider conquering Earth.
Memo Sancho
Memo Sancho
3 months ago
We also have to assume alot of the deaths were spread out to include elves that joined Sadie and her elvin counterpart with the sword, so while there might be confidence in there own improved strength,they are no longer a hidden faction, and now there are multiple contacts and connections with the rest of the world that info about Ej soloing ANOTHER pr will infiltrate the elves inercircle and gen populace. ONLY the spider fangirls will harbor ill feelngs, but will almost certainly keep it contained for the most part. Maybe some ambitious, overestimating zealot MIGHT try something if opportunity arises, just for plot.
Porkstew
Porkstew
3 months ago
Maybe if they get intel on the war elves they'd wisen up?
kimosabae
kimosabae
3 months ago
Tftc
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