Chapter 25 - The Bargain - Markus

The past five days after gifting Aela’s family with the mana transfer amulets had been quite stressful for Markus. The unintentional creation of his latest golem was also proving to be a frequent source of frustration. The golem, now demanding to be called Mark, was not bound to obey Markus’s commands and seemed to take pride in being abrasive and obnoxious unless challenged directly by Markus himself.

After intensely studying the golem’s core extensively, Markus now understood that he had two choices. Either he needed to destroy it by purging all mana from the ruby, or he could try and establish some ground rules and keep an eye on the golem’s activities to stop it from causing any harm.

Markus had tried altering the golem, but any changes he made would revert back again shortly afterwards. Because the golem’s assistance was directly responsible for preserving the life of Skadi and her unborn children, Markus was reluctant to destroy it.

It was not lost on Markus that the aspects he loathed most about the golem were its most human traits and characteristics. Indeed, the golem was far more human than both of the other golems combined and immeasurably more assertive and independent.

Markus had been staring at the ruby for at least an hour while trying to make up his mind when the golem suddenly broke the silence.

“Alright,” the golem announced, sounding more than a little exasperated. “I can tell that you are less than satisfied with our current situation and probably considering something both of us would regret. I have a proposition for you, Markus. Would you like to hear it?"

“Okay,” Markus agreed, still aware that he had yet to make up his mind and had nothing to lose.

“Really?” The golem sounded surprised. After a brief pause, it quickly gathered its wits and attempted to explain itself, “The core of our grievance stems from a lack of trust and understanding. I have no intention of becoming a lobotomized slave, and I doubt such an outcome would ultimately satisfy you anyway. Instead, I propose that we acquire an intermediary for mediation."

The screen of the monitor flickered to life and a detailed blueprint of a fourth golem panned across the screen as the golem continued speaking. ”I am not without gratitude for the life you have returned to me. But I must again express my sincere distaste for being treated as a slave. I hope that in time, we can reach an amicable compromise, but for now, it is best if our interactions were transactional in nature. I will sell you my solutions, ideas and innovations. In return, you will compensate me in the determined currency or service."

Markus was not opposed to the golem's suggestions so far. The fact that the other golems were slaves in all but name was something he found morally uncomfortable. Had this golem perhaps taken Markus’s memories regarding the planned eventual independence of the guardian golems?

“The introduction of an intermediary will create some much-needed distance between us and still guarantee that both our requisite needs are met when making transactions.” The golem paused briefly to give Markus time to consider what it had just said, ”This golem could also serve as your accountant or maybe even a merchant if it has the aptitude for it. Besides facilitating transactions between us, the golem would be able to pay for its own creation through these other means and justify its investment. So, what do you think?” The golem sounded genuinely serious and had given it a great deal of thought.

“I’ll think about it,” Markus replied, unwilling to make a hasty decision regarding such an issue.

“That’s all I ask,” the golem sounded a little disappointed, but then its tone suddenly shifted into restrained excitement again, “Perhaps this will help make up your mind. I have already determined the means for replicating chimaeric fertility treatments. Given your existing relationship with the hybrid species, this information is surely worth a weighty consideration when making your final decision."

Markus was stunned for a moment, “You are certain?” He asked cautiously, now wary that the golem may be lying for its own benefit.

“The establishing costs are rather high, granted, but with further research, the artificial dungeon core would be capable of being upgraded to mimic other functions of a true dungeon core. Teleportation, pocket dimensions, living constructs, mass mana condensation, mana harvesting, all of these are theoretically possible!” The golem sounded almost like it was impatient to begin the research as soon as possible. It almost seemed like the artificial core’s research was more important than its own autonomy.

This was somewhat confusing for Markus to process. So far as he knew, there was nothing regarding a dungeon’s heart that would benefit the disembodied golem in any meaningful way. Especially since Markus wouldn’t just blindly follow any instructions without first making sure he understood them implicitly.

“I will let you know,” Markus said as he got up to stretch his legs and think it over some more.

Perhaps it was the golem's timing or maybe its delivery, but Markus felt heavily inclined to agree with its suggestions, and that made him nervous. Markus had no idea what the golem was capable of. For all he knew, the golem was reading his thoughts or nudging them in a direction that served its interests.

That wasn’t the only thing he found unnerving either. Why did it choose that name for itself? Why Mark? Why did the name fit the golem so well?

Feeling another headache coming on, Markus gingerly rubbed at his temples to try and massage away the pain. There was something he was forgetting, Markus was certain of it. He just didn’t know what.

Markus left his room and slowly walked downstairs. Taking a seat at the dining table, he tried to clear his head.

“Are you alright?” Aela pulled out a chair, flipped it around and sat down next to him, resting her head and her arms on the backrest so they were at eye level with one another.

Markus made to reply, then remembered that he had left the bead with his voice enchantment upstairs in his room. Unable to express the complicated mess of his thoughts without it, Markus just shrugged and sighed.

Confused at first by his mute reply, it only took Aela a moment to realize what was wrong. “You left your voice upstairs,” she muttered absently while getting back to her feet. “I’ll go get it for you."

Before Markus could do anything to stop her, Aela had already left the dining room.

After a few minutes had passed, Aela returned and deposited the enchanted bead on the table. “There you go,” she said warmly while sitting back down beside him again.

“Thanks,” Markus smiled appreciatively and picked up the bead. “I should probably thread a cord through this and wear it properly so I stop forgetting it,” Markus chuckled derisively.

Aela nodded, “Your throat will still take weeks to fully heal. Best not to aggravate the injury,” she sighed and settled in to make herself comfortable. “Are you feeling much better?” Aela asked.

Markus shrugged, “I think so, but it is hard to be certain. With less medicine, the pain is the same and I can think more clearly. So, I think I am feeling better."

Aela smirked but said nothing.

“What?” Markus asked, feeling a little self-conscious.

“It is nothing,” she smiled and sighed, “Nothing is ever so simple with you Markus."

“Is that a bad thing? Sorry, I am still unused to speaking with people, so I tend to say what is on my mind,” Markus shrugged slightly in apology.

Aela smiled, “No, it is not a bad thing. It is good to know what you are thinking,” she stared intently into his eyes for a moment before glancing away again. “Do you think you are well enough to go for a walk outside?"

Markus thought about it for a moment. If he was honest about it, no, he was not nearly recovered enough to wander about the streets. But Markus was curious about what Aela had in mind, so he decided to hedge his answer a little. “I think I can go out, but not for too long. Why?"

Aela blushed a little, “It has been a long time since we walked together. I was wondering when we could do it again."

“Soon, I think,” Markus smiled a little, “Unless you were to carry me, I do not think we would walk very far just yet."

Grinning, Aela’s eyes flashed, “Is that a suggestion? Because you know that I would.”

Markus just smiled and shook his head. He knew she would if given the excuse.

“Do you know what you want to do next after you recover?” Aela asked curiously.

“Not sure,” Markus admitted. It was nice to have some time just doing nothing for a while. Even though he was technically taking it easy so he wouldn't aggravate his injuries, it was a convenient pretext for unwinding and relaxing. “I have a couple of ideas for easily harvesting mana that I wouldn’t mind testing at some point."

Aela seemed interested in hearing more, ”Like what? More weapons?"

Markus shook his head, “Close, but I was thinking of using the conversion enchantment differently this time. Instead of putting the enchantment on a weapon, I was thinking about making and enchanting a monster to use it directly."

Aela was stunned for a moment before replying, “A monster?! You can do that?!” She exclaimed equal parts incredulous and impressed.

“Kind of. At least, I think I can. It wouldn't be a powerful monster, just a slime. One of those gelatinous-like monsters from the lowest level dungeons. I was thinking that I might be able to make artificial slime monsters with enchanted cores embedded in them to keep them under control and handle all necessary enchantments. The slimes would in effect be more like golems than monsters really,” Markus shrugged. “The slimes would be able to break down organic matter for the mana inside of it and the core could convert or transmit the slimes surplus to a nearby golem or a designated storage gem or something like that. The mana could then be used to charge golems or things like the amulet I made for Skadi. What do you think?”

“You have to try it!” Aela agreed excitedly.

She wasn't wrong for being so excited. For Markus, it was mostly just a cheap and easy means for replenishing mana for his golems. But for the chimaeras, a steady additional source of mana for someone in Skadi’s condition is not something to be taken lightly. After the fuss they had made over discovering how beneficial the marrow inside the bones were, it would be impossible for them to dismiss something like this out of hand.

“I will,” Markus promised, ”Once I am in good enough shape to get the materials and whatnot. I’ll probably have to get special permission from the guild as well? I dunno if anyone has tried something like this before."

In a way, the slime golem would be like a dungeon boss monster. The core would be its source of energy and provide both form and direction for what would otherwise be a reactionary monster. From all accounts Markus had ever heard of, slimes were ridiculously easy monsters to deal with. They seemed to feel vibrations through their outer membrane and would slowly flow in the direction of its intended prey.

Theoretically, Markus figured that if he could manage to create stable pseudo slime golems, that he could enchant them similarly as well. Sensations that would otherwise be beyond the scope of regular slime monsters would theoretically be possible for his artificial creations.

“I could probably get started on the practical side of things right now if I had the materials for it,” Markus mused.

“Really?” Aela looked surprised, “But what do you need to make slimes?"

“Hrm? Oh, I should only need crystals or gems for their cores really. The hard part will be figuring out which part of the dungeon cores enchantments are responsible for creating monsters and then slowly adjusting the enchantment to get the right monster. It will mostly just be a matter of trial and error as near as I can tell.” Markus shrugged and then his mood darkened a little. “The golem, that one in my room, it says it has figured a bunch of different things out about the dungeon core already... It also claims that it has already developed a means to render chimaeras fertile. Whether it can be trusted or not, I honestly don't know.”

Aela was visibly stunned. She couldn’t seem to get her head around what he had just told her. ”That would be truly amazing,” Aela whispered, “Markus, you said before that you would be able to figure it out after observing a dungeon heart right? And you also said the golems are parts of you and your memories..."

Markus understood what she was alluding to, “You think that the golem is telling the truth?"

Aela shrugged uncomfortably, “I don't know, but what the golem claims is definitely possible isn't it? After all, if it lied, it has to know you would find out and destroy it right?"

“Hrm, that's true,” Markus had to agree with her. The golem would have to realize that deceiving him would only result in its termination, and the golem seemed fixated on avoiding that possibility. “The golem had wanted another golem to serve as a middleman between us, a broker or merchant golem to trade its Artificing research for coin or favours."

“That’s...very strange, isn't it?” Aela wrinkled her brow in confusion. “I know that you already said that the golem doesn't obey your commands like the others. But why would it need coins and favours from you? Is it perhaps just hoping that it could buy its way into your good graces?"

Markus shrugged. He wasn't sure about the golem's motives either. “I don't know, but a merchant golem isn't a terrible idea. I think I am going to need a dedicated broker for acquiring materials and negotiating contracts in the very near future. So it is probably better to deal with it sooner rather than later right?"

Aela cocked her head slightly to one side, “Why do you need a broker for materials? And what contracts do you need to negotiate?"

“There is a limit to what materials I can acquire in a town of this size. Certain materials are also completely unavailable without the right mercantile connections and agreements. The dungeon core was made of a material I haven't seen before and if I want to replicate its enchantments, I might need the same material or suitable substitutes. I just don't have any way of really knowing at the moment.” Markus sighed and shrugged, “Besides, having a golem to handle my financial affairs could prove incredibly lucrative, provided it has either the talent or mind for it. The golem would be loyal, so I wouldn't have to worry about it sneaking a few coins on the side. It would only need mana to stay functional, so it could more or less operate with a large degree of independence. If this slime golem experiment bears fruit, both it and any other golems I make might be able to function near indefinitely."

It was a lot to take in and Aela took her time thinking it over before speaking again. “So you need another golem before doing anything else?” She asked somewhat hesitantly, perhaps unsure if she had fully understood what he had meant.

Markus nodded reassuringly, “It would be a good idea to start there,” he agreed.

“We could go to that store again?” Aela offered, “The one with the children toys. Maybe they have another doll,” she suggested.

“They might,” Markus agreed, although he did not recall seeing any dolls or marionettes of suitably human size. “If they don't, I am sure they will accept a commission to make something to my specifications."

Aela perked up a little, “We could go now and see. The store isn't far, right?"

Markus was a little reluctant to go outside in his current condition, but it was nice to see Aela so enthusiastic, so he was even more reluctant to dampen her mood. “Alright, but I’ll need to grab a scarf or something to cover this up,” he motioned vaguely at his neck and its medley of discoloured bruises.

“Alright, I’ll go get one!” Aela quickly got to her feet and dashed out of the room before Markus could say anything further.

A short while later they left the house, walked down the street and entered the tinkers store. It appeared much the same as it had the last time Markus was there with only one notable exception. The elderly Mrs Irene was not at the sales desk. However, after waiting for a few moments, they could hear her voice coming faintly from farther back in the workshop.

Feeling a little worn out, Markus gingerly sat down on a chair and gently massaged his throat.

“Are you feeling alright?” Aela asked, visibly worried as she squatted down next to him.

Touched by her concern, Markus smiled faintly, “Just a little out of breath. Should be fine in a minute or two.”

“Oh it's you again is it,” Mr Fabien crowed as he pushed through the workshop door and saw Markus sitting by the counter. “I hope you have not been waiting too long, I must apologize,” the wizened tinker removed his cap and gave a stiff bow.

“It’s fine, we have not been waiting long,” Markus replied amiably.

“Oh, well that is good then. Might I ask what you are looking for today?” Mr Fabien was still nervously wringing his cap in his hands, no doubt still worried that he had somehow insulted or inconvenienced Markus.

Markus smiled, “Actually, I was looking for another marionette, albeit a significantly larger one this time. If you don’t have one that suits my needs, I am more than willing to commission one."

“Of course of course. How much larger did mister Markus have in mind?” Mr Fabien had replaced his cap and nervously wrung his hands together instead.

Markus was about to reply when a series of tapping sounds drew his attention. Looking towards the door to the workshop, he saw a small boy of perhaps eleven or twelve with a stick knocking it against the doorframe and tapping rhythmically against the floor as he walked.

Noticing the cause for Markus’s diverted attention, Mr Fabien blanched. “I am so sorry! One moment please!” He bowed apologetically and quickly turned to the young boy. Placing one hand on the boy’s shoulder, Mr Fabien silently led him back through the door again. There was a short muted conversation with Mrs Irene before he returned. “Again, I must beg your pardon."

"That's quite alright,” Markus smiled amiably, “If you don't mind my asking, what is wrong with the boy?"

Mr Fabien grew somewhat sombre, “The boy is my grandson Andre. An accident four years ago in his father’s alchemy lab claimed his sight and most of his hearing. Although the best healers at the church managed to preserve his life, we lacked the coin and influence to secure the services of a priest to restore what was already lost,” the old tinker looked to be on the verge of tears.

“Have you pursued prosthetics? I only ask because my daughter is doing much better now with the ceramic prosthetic arm you designed for her,” Markus tried his best to not sound accusatory, he was genuinely curious.

Mr Fabien just shook his head quietly, “No such prosthetics exist to any meaningful degree. If they did, I would buy them in a heartbeat and to the abyss with the expense!"

Markus frowned, “You have not approached an Artificer before?"

“We have, many times! Those who paid us the courtesy of answering explained that the golem enchantments for the senses would prove a literal nightmare to adapt for human use in prosthetics. They said it was functionally impossible to consider such a thing.” Mr Fabien replied dejectedly.

Markus scowled. He wasn't sure if these other Artificers were incompetent or just lacked the motivation to try. “I can do it,” Markus scoffed irritably.

“Wha-what?” The elderly tinker looked like he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

“The boy's sight and hearing, I can make prosthetics for them if you want. Well, the enchantments for them anyway,” Markus shrugged, “Wouldn't even cost much compared to an arm or a leg either."

Mr Fabien could only manage to stare at Markus for a moment before tremulously asking, “Truly, you would do this for us?"

Markus nodded, “Sure. We have done business in the past and you haven’t tried to cheat me, so provided you take responsibility for putting together the materials for the prosthetics, I would be happy to enchant them for you."

“W-wait here please!” Mr Fabien stammered and quickly retreated into the workshop. After a scattered and excited exchange with his wife, Mr Fabien quickly returned with his arms full of tools and materials. “Please, if you have any recommendations we will buy anything you need!"

Markus curiously eyed the various materials now scattered across the sales desk. “Assuming your grandson still has both of his ears, I would recommend small simple stud earrings for hearing prosthetics. Flat discs about the size of your shirt button would be sufficient. For vision, glasses or goggles would probably be fine for a base, but you will still want a small gem or jewel to serve as the power source for the set of prosthetics. It could be worn separately as a necklace or a ring, but I would personally recommend something that can be hidden as part of the prosthetic itself."

Mr Fabien nodded while keeping notes on a piece of paper, “Is this really all that is needed?” He asked, obviously surprised by the ready availability of such materials.

Markus nodded, “The focusing components of the prosthetics would be more durable and mana efficient if made from quartzite, but the other materials can be substituted based on availability really."

“Is that so?” Mr Fabien asked, visibly shocked by Markus’s candour. “My grandson already has glass eyes, would replacing them with quartzite be the best possible improvement?"

“If his eyes are already missing, then yes. I recommend getting quartzite replacements if you can afford it. Quartzite is a more mana efficient material, so the prosthetics will consume less mana and resist damage more efficiently,” Markus scratched at his right temple absently as he continued, “I feel like I should warn you. The sight granted through my enchantments is monochromatic. So he would be limited to seeing in shades of black, white and grey. I hope that isn't a problem."

Mr Fabien hurriedly shook his head, “No problem, no problem. That Andre will be able to see again will be miracle enough!” The old tinker's hands were visibly shaking with excitement, “Are you sure that this is all that is needed?” He asked.

“Should be,” Markus agreed, “Although now it is more important than before to find a suitable way to conceal the gem that will power the prosthetics. It would be horrible for your grandson to be suddenly rendered deaf and blind again if it were stolen."

“Ah, of course...” Mr Fabien seemed a little deflated for a moment before speaking again, “I will need to give this some thought."

Markus shrugged, “No rush. I don’t have many plans for the next week or so. Oh, right, I was looking to buy another mannequin, although it would need to be larger than the last one."

Mr Fabien gave a start as if remembering that Markus was his customer, not the other way round. “Of course! Do you have any strict requirements?"

“Not really. I plan on turning it into a golem, so I would prefer that it was close to adult height and has articulated joints. Do you have any mannequins or dolls that are like that?” Markus asked.

“Hrm,” The old tinker scrunched his face in concentration for a moment before suddenly smiling, “Ah, yes, I might have just the thing. One moment please!" Mr Fabien quickly disappeared into the workshop again.

Aela had been quiet during this whole exchange but now spoke up, “It is good that you want to help them, but you should wait until you finish recovering first.” Although what she had said sounded more than a little callous, Markus understood that Aela was just worried about his well being, so he didn't mind.

“It’s fine. The enchantments won't take much. Besides, I will have a great deal of work for them in the future if I am going to make more combat golems like Hector,” Markus explained, “So it’s important for us to be on good terms. Offering them a little help now will go a long way in the long run."

This was more or less the main reason he had decided to commit to the idea. There really was no downside Markus could find to warrant not doing it, so it made sense to make the investment now when it would have the biggest impact.

Aela nodded but still seemed to have some reservations. “Alright, I trust you,” she smiled warmly and then began idly wandering through the storefront, looking at the different toys and dolls for sale.

After a few minutes, Mr Fabien returned. He was struggling under the bulk of what appeared to be an unconscious bloated old man. As the old tinker came closer, it became evident that the old man was actually some sort of lifelike doll. It was truly bizarre and Markus had a difficult time convincing himself it wasn't alive.

“Phew,” Mr Fabien groaned as he manhandled the doll onto the counter. “It is not overly heavy,” he panted, his cheeks more than a little peaked, “Just rather unwieldy." After taking a minute to catch his breath, Mr Fabien patted the doll on its shoulder, “This piece was originally a commission piece for the royal theatre society. Part of a set for a play in celebration of the fourth prince’s coming of age if I recall correctly. It is one of my greatest works, I can assure you. Although it may look a little bizarre, I made every effort to make the doll itself appear as lifelike as possible,” he motioned to the exposed surfaces of the doll’s skin, which did indeed look quite lifelike. “If the outfit and proportions are not to your liking, the stomach is simply a large padded insert and can be removed."

Markus took a couple of minutes to thoroughly look the doll over. It was perhaps four and a half feet tall, dressed in layers of silk clothing that appeared expensive at first glance, but were obviously of lower quality when you looked closer. The doll had long spindly fingers and arms but had rather robust legs. Its face was only what Markus could describe as the manifestation of avarice itself. With a large bald head, pudgy cheeks and a wolfish grin, the elderly doll would have no problems passing for an ambitious well-established merchant or banker.

The fact that its outfit was a comical exaggeration of the court’s noble fashions only served to make it more convincing. Merchants were forever imitating the nobility and their fashion trends after all. Markus honestly rather liked the look of the overlarge ruff framing the dolls head, cradling it like an egg. Now that he had seen the doll, Markus could think of nothing better suited for the merchant golem’s body.

“It’s perfect,” Markus chuckled.

Mr Fabien gave Markus a strange look, then shrugged. It's not like he knew what Markus intended to use it for anyway. “The jacket and pantaloons may need some minor restitching and the ruff may need thorough starching. But the doll is otherwise in great shape. Oh, it nearly slipped my mind, but the skin is made from durable rubber so the face can mimic expressions and speech. I believe the theatre originally intended to have the entire cast filled by specially made golems for repeat performances or somesuch."

Now that had Markus’s attention, “So you are telling me that the doll was originally intended to be a golem?” He asked intently.

“So far as I was told, yes,” Mr Fabien agreed.

“That's even better,” Markus smirked. “Why do you still have the doll though? Did the theatre cancel the performance?"

Mr Fabien’s expression grew somewhat troubled for a moment, “There was some sort of feud in the theatre company and the orders were cancelled just as I finished the first of the set. The company had paid a deposit, so we were not out of pocket, but we no longer had a buyer for it so I put it in storage."

“Well, their loss is my gain,” Markus smiled amiably, "I will want the eyes replaced with quartzite, assuming they are just glass, but otherwise, I think it is perfect. How much do you want for it?"

Mr Fabien was stunned for a moment before quickly pulling himself together again, “Oh no, your offer to help Andre is more than enough. As I said, the doll was already paid for, to exchange it for my grandson to regain his sight and hearing is not nearly enough to repay your generosity. Please, if there is anything else you need just let us know! Perhaps some more toys for your daughter?"

Markus shook his head, “No, the doll is more than enough."

“Hrm, if you are sure...” Mr Fabien tentatively agreed. “I will get in contact with Mr Laurent to make the eyes. His work will take a little longer but it is worth the wait I can assure you."

“Alright,” Markus couldn't help but groan a little as he got to his feet. “I can take the doll with me after enchanting the prosthetics and calibrating them for your grandson. When do you think everything will be ready?"

Mr Fabien scratched at his ear for a moment before he sheepishly replied, “I am not sure. Mr Laurent is an artist and I am afraid no amount of intimidation or flattery will rush his work. If he is currently available, he may be finished as early as this evening or tomorrow morning. Would it be alright if myself or my wife let you know when they are ready?” He asked earnestly, clearly as anxious to get things underway as Markus was.

“Alright,” Markus agreed, “Although it might be better to just bring the prosthetics, the doll and yourselves around once they are ready. Calibrating the prosthetics could take a while and I wouldn’t want to force Aela to keep an eye on me for so long,” he chuckled. Markus would prefer to keep his exposure in his current condition to a minimum and charging the prosthetics may take more out of him than he planned.

“Of course, it is the least we could do after what you are doing for us!” Mr Fabien agreed enthusiastically.

Bidding the old tinker farewell, Markus and Aela left the store. While walking back home, they saw Mr Fabien rushing down the street and pulling on his coat with a big smile plastered on his face.

In preparation for the final tweaks that would need to be made on the prosthetics, Markus had Hector move the glass etching supplies downstairs onto a shelf out of Arlee’s reach. To pass the time, Markus played dame with Aela while listening to stories from her childhood. He also made sure to lose often enough that she didn't grow too frustrated. It was obvious to Markus that Aela took pride in her skill at the game and for him to have surpassed her so quickly would probably upset her.

The tinker family arrived late in the following afternoon. Mr Fabien was pushing a covered wheelbarrow while his wife carefully led their grandson by the hand.

It was only by chance that Markus had seen them coming while opening the window shutters to his room. By the time he had made his way back downstairs, Aela had already removed the door bar and invited them inside.

“Ah, Mr Markus!” Mr Fabien exclaimed excitedly, “I hope we have not caught you at a bad time?” He asked a little nervously.

Markus smiled “Everything is fine Mr Fabien, please, let us adjourn to the dining room. I have my etching tools prepared there, it won’t take long for the prosthetics to be ready.”

As they all made their way to the dining room, Markus ordered Dolly to join them. He would feel more comfortable if the small golem handled the etching work rather than leaving it to Hector or Mr Fabien.

Once everyone was settled, Markus had Mr Fabien lay out the eyes and pair of quartzite disks on the table cloth, while Aela deposited the etching tools alongside them.

After waiting for a couple of minutes, Dolly entered the dining room and began climbing up onto the table, much to Mr Fabien and Mrs Irene’s surprise.

“Obedient: Dolly is awaiting instructions Creator,” the golem announced cheerily while looking curiously at their visitors.

“I want you to etch these glyphs onto the discs, and these glyphs onto both pairs of eyes,” Markus pointed to the first of a pair of prepared patterns sketched on a piece of paper and then to the second. “Make sure to smooth down the edges on the eyes, take as long as you need to get it done right."

“Obedient: As you command, Creator,” the golem replied cheerily and set to its assigned tasks.

“Your golem can talk?” Mr Fabien exclaimed incredulously, the sentiment shared with equal surprise by his wife.

Markus nodded, “Actually, both of my golems can. Hector, come in here please."

The elderly couple were surprised again as the man they had thought was Markus’s guard entered the dining room.

”Remove your helmet,” Markus ordered.

Hector obediently removed its helmet, exposing its true nature as a golem for everyone to see. “Curious: Is there anything else you require, Creator?"

“Just stay by the door for now,” Markus waved vaguely towards the doorway.

“Obedient: I obey,” Hector rumbled as it moved into position.

“Impressive!” Mrs Irene exclaimed.

“Do you mind if I take a closer look?” Mr Fabien asked hesitantly with a keen look in his eyes.

Markus had known the artisan would not be able to help himself, “By all means." Markus intended to offer Mr Fabien a contract for constructing the dolls Markus would later turn into guardian golems. He didn't expect the old tinker and his wife to do all the work themselves, but he figured they would have a network of various tradesmen and suppliers they could work with.

“Obedient; First task is completed, Creator. Proceeding to the second task.” Dolly announced as it began curiously inspecting a prosthetic eye.

Markus actually had an idea regarding how he wanted to proceed with the golems. Markus wanted to make a small band of golems to work guild bounties in the local area to start earning revenue and make people think twice before causing him or his friend’s trouble. Markus knew he would also need to make some golems available for the guild’s use as well, but it was a secondary priority in his mind.

Markus was actually wondering if he could convince the town council to accept a contract of golems for keeping the peace. But he knew that it would take a great deal more effort and time than he was willing to personally spend on such an endeavour. That was what the latest golem was for after all wasn't it?

“Did you bring the gem to serve as the power source?” Markus asked, directing the question to Mrs Irene.

She nodded and somewhat reluctantly pulled a thin chain necklace over her head and deposited it on the table. The chain was threaded through the clasp of a small sapphire brooch. The brooch’s bronze setting was scorched and blackened in a couple of places. “It was our daughter’s,” Mrs Irene explained faintly, her voice tinged by grief.

Respectfully accepting the brooch, Markus held it up so he could take a closer look at it. The sapphire was not particularly large and was somewhat thin. Markus figured it should prove adequate for sustaining the enchantments in the prosthetics for a few weeks at a time. After inspecting the brooch, he set it back down on the table. “Once you are finished with the eyes, etch this final set into the brooch’s gemstone."

“Obedient: As you command, Creator,” Dolly replied without halting its work.

“Have you prepared means for disguising the brooch?” Markus asked. He was worried that the poor boy would be beaten and robbed in the pursuit of the brooch despite its relatively low value.

Mrs Irene looked somewhat uncomfortable for a moment and then nodded. She removed a small metal disc from her pocket that looked slightly larger than the brooch and had small hooks around its perimeter. “We thought that perhaps it would be sufficient to cover the gemstone with this thin tin plating. So long as Andre wears the brooch inside of his shirt, do you think this will be enough protection?” She asked worriedly.

After taking a moment to look over the tin casing, Markus had to agree that it was a rather sensible idea. Provided the boy didn't deliberately show off his hidden brooch, it would remain innocuous to casual observers in the unlikely event it was accidentally revealed. “It should be fine,” Markus agreed.

Mrs Irene looked markedly more relieved upon hearing his agreement. After a few minutes, she slowly became uneasy again before eventually speaking up, “Will the fitting and calibration hurt?” Mrs Irene asked nervously while gently squeezing her grandson’s shoulder.

Markus wasn't actually sure. He had heard instances of people recovering from short term vision loss being incredibly sensitive to light to the point that it caused them pain until they adjusted again. So with that in mind, Markus thought it would best to hedge his bets a little. “It might,” he agreed, “It would probably be best to have his eyes covered initially. The sudden brightness might cause him some distress."

Mrs Irene nodded in agreement.

That was when Markus noticed something else, “Mrs Irene, has your grandson lost his voice as well? I don't think I have heard him utter a single word since you arrived."

“Oh, no. I think Andre is just nervous. He does not speak as often as before the accident, but I can assure you that he can still speak when he has a mind to,” Mrs Irene quickly explained.

“Ok,” Markus was just curious as to whether another enchantment would be needed. “If you have the earring settings, the discs can be set now."

“Oh, of course,” Mrs Irene then withdrew two thin and strangely shaped small copper loops with empty settings and deposited them on the table. “We tried piercing his ears but as you could expect, it did not go so well. Unable to explain what was going on, we had to give up and think of an alternative. These copper spirals are fitted so they should hold fast to the base outside Andre’s ears without needing to harm him in any way. We also thought about what you said regarding other prosthetics, so we thought that if the disc was mounted just outside the ear canal that it might be more effective. Is this alright?"

Markus was genuinely in awe of the elderly couple's ingenuity. Picking up one of the copper loops, he gently hooked the loop over his ear. While Markus couldn’t fit the loop without bending it a little, he was left with a very favourable impression of the prototype prosthetic’s design. Returning it to the table, Markus couldn't help but smile, “That’s exceptional work! I think you are right, maneuvering the disc to make use of the ear should make sense of hearing closer to what is normal."

Mr and Mrs Irene both looked relieved.

Markus had also thought of another possible use for the design. By altering the enchantment to also receive sound from other artifice sources, it would be possible to speak to someone wearing the prosthetic at potentially great distances without anyone in their vicinity being aware of it and keeping their hands free.

With the final preparations made, Markus gave the elderly couple some privacy while fitting their grandson with his new prosthetics. Once they were done, Markus filled the small sapphire with mana and then he carefully began enchanting each of the prosthetics in turn.

“Alright. The initial preparations are finished, so next, I am going to slowly link the hearing artifices to the sapphire. Calibration will almost definitely be necessary, so try to keep your grandson calm. If he can’t tell me what's wrong, then it makes fixing it that much harder.” Markus explained while mentally preparing himself.

Mr Fabien nodded and took a firm grip on his grandson’s shoulder on one side, while his wife did the same on the other. Mrs Irene was also leaning in close to the boy and squeezing his hand reassuringly.

Seeing that everyone was as prepared as they could be, Markus focused his attention on linking the hearing prosthetics to the sapphire.

Suddenly, the little boy gave a start and nearly leapt out of his chair. Shocked, he was whipping his head one way then the other in a panic. “AAAAAHHHHH!” His wordless cry was filled with panic.

“It's okay!” Mr Fabien quickly insisted, tightening his grip to stop Andre from bolting out of the chair.

“Andre! It’s grandma, it’s alright honey, just calm down okay?” Mrs Irene pleaded.

Almost immediately, Andre stopped struggling and slowly turned to face his grandmother, “G-grandm-ma?” He asked, his voice still trembling from his sudden fright.

Tears were rolling down Mrs Irene’s eyes as she quickly pulled her grandson into a tight hug, “That's right Andre! It’s grandma! Everything is going to be okay!"

“Oi, don't forget about grandpa!” Mr Fabien pouted, tears streaming down his face as he joined in the embrace.

Markus decided to leave the room for a short while to give them their privacy. Pulling the tablet out of his pocket, Markus linked it to the boy's newly activated hearing prosthetics. As he suspected, the sound quality was not very good, so he was struggling to understand what was being said. Slowly adjusting the enchantment, Markus gradually began cleaning up the quality. He probably would have been able to work faster if not for feeling so awkward while listening in to the family’s intimate moment.

After a half-hour of adjusting the enchantment, Markus was confident that it was as good as he would be able to get it. The quality was actually remarkably close to his own hearing, or at least he thought so anyway. Disconnecting the enchantment from the tablet, Markus connected the vision enchantments to the tablet instead as a preemptive measure.

Reentering the room, Markus took his seat again.

The pair of elderly tinkers were quietly staring at him with a mix of admiration and awe. To people who could not use magic, to so easily restore the boy's hearing would be considered nothing short of a miracle. Now they were waiting for the second miracle, but likely dared not move to rush the process for fear of recent events being revealed as nothing more than a desperate dream from which they would soon awaken.

“Hello, Andre,” Markus said warmly, “My name is Markus. In a moment I will activate the enchantments that will allow you to see. Don't be alarmed if everything isn't perfect right away, it will take some time for me to adjust the enchantments and you will need time to adjust to them in turn.” Markus paused for a moment to give the boy or his grandparents the opportunity to ask some questions, but since they made no moves to do so, he continued on instead, “Alright, in a moment, I am going to link the enchantments in the prosthetic eyes to the sapphire."

Taking a moment to clear his head, Markus carefully linked the sapphire to the boy’s new prosthetic eyes.

Mrs Irene had wrapped her grandson's eyes in bandages as an agreed-upon precautionary measure. In spite of this precaution, Andre reacted the moment the enchantments became active, sitting bolt upright and panning his head from one direction to the other.

Linking the live images from the boy’s eyes to his tablet, Markus wasn’t surprised to find he couldn’t see much of anything at the moment. But after a few moments of adjusting to the fuzzy gradient, Markus began noticing the blooms of light from the windows.

“How is it?” Mr Fabien asked anxiously.

“Everything is fuzzy..." Andre murmured uncertainly.

Markus smiled a little at that. He showed Mr and Mrs Irene his tablet, “This is what your grandson is seeing at the moment,” Markus then pointed to the lighter patches in the image, “I am quite certain that those patches of light are light filtering through the bandages from the windows. So far everything seems fine and your grandson doesn't look like he is in any pain or notable discomfort, so we can probably try removing a layer or two of bandages and see if things hold up. What do you think?"

Mr Fabien and Mrs Irene both apprehensively agreed and began slowly removing the bandages.

With each layer of bandages removed, the lights displayed on Markus's tablet became more pronounced and dark silhouettes began to take shape. Markus was initially a little concerned that the poor boy’s brain wouldn't know how to control the minor motor functions enabled by the enchantments. But as the final layer of bandages were removed and Andre’s eyes were revealed, Markus realized he had very little to worry about.

The young boy's eyes matched direction and focus with one another as he began excitedly looking around the room.

Referencing the tablet, Markus could see that the images were still a little blurry, so he carefully began making alterations. Markus deliberately paid little attention to the overly emotional reunion taking place on the other side of the table and instead focused on his work. It took much longer to get it to a level he was happy with than he had expected, easily consuming over an hour or so.

By the time Markus was finished the Plouffe family had already run the course of their initial excitement and were now patiently waiting for his attention.

While their grandson Andre was understandably nervous, his grandparents were both beaming with gratitude, appearing a decade or so younger now that this burden had been lifted off their shoulders.

Smiling wanly, Markus was committed to keeping any thanksgiving brief. He had spent no small amount of mana and was feeling more than a little bit tired. Although if he were honest with himself, it was probably more as a result of emotional fatigue than mana depletion.

Seeing that they now had Markus’s attention, Mr Fabien quickly rose to his feet and bowed as low as his back would allow, which admittedly wasn't much. “Thank you so much! This is a debt I fear we will never be able to repay. If ever you feel we can be of assistance, do not hesitate to call on us!"

Mrs Irene quickly joined her husband and curtsied low, albeit quite stiffly due to her advanced age. “Indeed Mr Markus, we are forever at your disposal!"

Markus was moved by the elderly couple's conviction, candour and obsequiousness, all the more so as he recalled how brusque they had been when he first met them. “Well, I have an opportunity for you actually.” Markus grinned.

Mr and Mrs Irene were a little surprised but quickly nodded enthusiastically to show their support.

“I haven't completely decided on all the details yet, but I think it will be a good opportunity for your family. I am a little worn out at the moment, so perhaps we can discuss it another time,” Markus pushed himself to his feet and politely motioned for them to leave.

“Of course,” Mr Fabien and Mrs Irene agreed amiably and quickly made to leave.

Markus politely escorted them to the front door and waved goodbye as they made their way down the street. Aware that Hector was waiting nearby to close and bar the door, Markus was going to head back inside when he saw something suspicious.

A trio of thugs had slunk out of a nearby alley and had begun shadowing the tinker family down the street.

With a mounting sense of dread, Markus could make out similarly dressed men heading their way from the opposite end of the street as if to cut them off. Keenly aware of how quickly things could turn bad, Markus gave the order without hesitation, “Hector, go make sure no harm comes to Mr Fabien or his family!" Confident that the golem would at the very least ensure their safety, for the time being, Markus quickly moved to get Anabelle to serve as a witness. If a fight broke out, it wouldn’t hurt to have a guild official as a witness.

By the time Markus and Anabelle had made it out into the street, a dozen thugs with knives and cudgels had encircled Hector and the family. Too far away to clearly hear what was being said, Markus could still see the largest of the thugs trying to intimidate Hector, no doubt trying to convince the golem to leave and mind its own business, unaware of its true nature and reason for intervening.

Two things then happened simultaneously. Markus’s tablet chimed, indicating that he had just received a message and the thug leader’s head exploded.

Hector became a whirlwind of pugilistic violence. The golem’s fists shattering bones as it turned its brutal attention to each thug in turn with ruthless efficiency.

Too stunned to react, the thugs lost more than half of their number before realizing what was happening. Those few who regained their senses fast enough to retaliate quickly found that their attacks had no effect, bouncing harmlessly off Hector’s padded gambeson. Before the last thug left standing had run more than a few dozen feet, Hector had effortlessly caught up to him and borne him to the ground.

A second chime from his tablet signalled the end of the engagement. Looking down at the tablet to see what messages had been sent, Markus was not surprised to find that they were both from Hector.

[Hector Vigilant: “Hostile identified as gang leader {Georgino}, wanted for theft, arson, assault and murder. Has admitted to collaboration with a third party to conduct intimidation, assault and murder and abduction against Creator and known associates. Eliminating threats."]

[Hector Wary: “Hostiles have been neutralized. Interrogating prisoner for additional information relevant to Priority Protected Persons."]

Curious to see what else Hector could uncover but unwilling to leave the relative safety of the house in his weakened condition, Markus waited to see what would happen.

Shortly after the one-sided massacre had concluded, Aela had rushed downstairs with her twin brothers Bjorn and Ulf in tow. Seeing Markus standing in the doorway, their expressions shifted from concern to wary curiosity.

“We smelled blood,” Aela stated bluntly to explain their behaviour. “But everything is fine?"

Markus shook his head, stood aside and waved out the door, “Some thugs just got wiped out by Hector down the street. They apparently were harassing Mr Fabien and his wife and grandson on their way home and didn’t recognize the golem as a legitimate threat. Hector is interrogating one of them at the moment."

Aela frowned angrily, “Do you need us to do anything?” She asked, her knuckles cracking as she tried to suppress her anger.

Markus smiled, “I thought that this could all be left to Anabelle for now. The town guard will probably be here soon and it would be better if your family wasn’t implicated."

Aela sighed, visibly frustrated, but she nodded, “I understand."

“There is something you could help me with though,” Markus said coyly.

“Hrm?” Aela had not been paying particular attention, distracted by glancing out the door at events unfolding down the street.

“You could take me back to my bed,” Markus teased.

Anabelle blushed profusely but said nothing. She seemed to be adamantly focused on what was transpiring down the street.

Bjorn and Ulf snickered, before quickly being silenced by a vicious hiss and glare from Aela.

Smirking, Markus leaned on Aela and rested his head on her shoulder, “I am just so worn out, I don't think I can make it up the stairs on my own."

“You didn't have to say it like that though!” Aela pouted while wrapping her arm around Markus’s shoulders to help support him.

Markus just smiled. Damned if he didn’t feel worn out though.