“Thanks for coming guys.”

“When we heard what you were up to, we shore couldn’t leave ya to your own self." Randal said with a chuckle.

“You’ll always be the brains of the operation. Just let us know what you need dead, mkay? Oh, Aerith, are you coming with us?”

“Yes, good to see you again, McKenzie.”

“Ooh, this is going to be like a double date!”

Tim, not comfortable with where the conversation was headed, interrupted. “As a bit of a thank you, I made some special equipment. The armor is lightweight and has thin honeycomb layers packed with something like rubber. For Mac a +10 composite bow. And for Randal a +10 mithril plated bastard sword. Plus, each of them includes a spell card. Just turn the dial and choose the effect. They even have a built-in regeneration system so you should never need to maintain them.”

“P, plus ten bonus? As in god-tier weaponry?” McKenzie shuddered as she picked up her bow. Randal was already swinging his new sword, leaving trails of flames in its wake.

“Yeah, it’s the least I could do for you. And the armor is god-tier as well.”

“So at this rate, are we going to fly out there?”

“No, I’m not quite there yet. For this trip, we’ll be taking the Mule. And doing some public service along the way.”

“What is that? Looks like the results of an ol’ steam train spent a long winter night with’n a carriage.”

“This is the Mule. And you’re not far off. Although it’s not steam-powered it uses compressed air to turn the pistons.”

A long ebony carriage shined in the morning light. The Guild’s emblem embossed in platinum upon the sides. A large grill, reminiscent of a cowcatcher sat in the front where horses would stand. Tucked in behind the sides of the grill, directly beneath the coach’s box, were the pistons. Crankshafts and connecting rods transformed traditional wagon wheels into drive wheels. The wheels were extra wide had been reinforced. Large exhaust pipes curled up and turned to follow the roofline.

While the carriage was longer than normal the room inside was standard. Storage in the front held rows of mana batteries and a ladder led up to a hatch on the roof. In the coachman’s box, there was an array of buttons, toggles, and switches. But the most prominent were the two driving levers that operated the pistons independently.

After Tim had given them the walk-around of the Mule they loaded their packs inside.

“Aerith can ride upfront with me, the two of you can hang out in the back until we get out of the city. Just try not to stain the leather. That’s real naga hide.”

Tim settled into the coach’s seat and double-checked the mirrors. After activating the engine, he gently pulled the levers in opposite directions. Mana flowed from the battery bank to the create wind spell plates. The pressure pushed the pistons and slowly the Mule executed a zero-point turn.

Old white-haired ladies screamed as the first horseless carriage gently rolled up the levels of Erraat. Children chased after it and every Yoriki came to watch. They would have been stopped but the large platinum guild crest on the sides granted privileges like noble. By the time the Mule had reached the first level, the streets were packed with spectators who watched it pass. Skirts lifted and hats were blown away as the air blasted from the pistons. McKenzie dug her nails into the naga leather seats as she desperately resisted climbing to the roof.

In the east, the giant gates opened, and the Mule chugged away and out of the city. Within moments their departure, the Engineering Guild was flooded with visitors and officials seeking comments.

A few klicks outside the city, where the paved road ran out, Tim knocked on the cabin wall. “I think we're in the clear. You can come out now.”

A moment later McKenzie popped her head up through the hatch.

“Now that the road is getting a little rough, let’s try something out.” Tim reached out and flicked a few controls. With a hiss, the rails on the cowcatcher spread apart. The font pushed forward and extended out to reach the sides of the road. A simple E-Box was wired to the rails and blasted waves of magical energy downward. And by the time the wheels of the Mule passed by, the road had become smooth, compact, and as hard as stone. Vibration in the carriage stopped and they glided along faster than ever.

With the pull of another lever two telescoping masts rose from the corners of the carriage. Golden metal sails slid out and shimmered as they flapped lightly in the breeze.

“Um, what just happened Timmy? This thing isn’t a giant robot, is it?”

“…No.” Answered Tim after an uncomfortable pause.

“What’s a robot?”

“Hey Randal, you got some stuff on your phone right, you can show her. No H scenes though. The Mule is this world's version of a road paver. The orichalcum sails are to help the mana siphons work more effectively. And now that they are fully deployed, we should be able to speed up a little.”

“D, did you say these are all orichalcum? Shit son, that’s enough to trigger a five-army war.”

“Wow Timmy, just how rich are you? Do you think you could make some rings out of that for me and Randal?”

“Yeah, what kind?”

“Oh, something pretty, about this size!” McKenzie held her left hand with pride. Randle slapped the back of her head.

“Knock it off you. You know we’re not like that.”

“And why not? What do you prefer women more like her?”

“What’s wrong with me? Nothing’s wrong with me! R, right, Tim. Tim?”

“Right, you’re cute enough just the way you are.”

“Y, y, you think I’m cute?” Aerith turned red up to her ears and looked away.

The refreshing fall breeze blew across the four as they rolled along. Farms and windmills passed into and out of sight.

“Wow, we are coming up on the Stuck Pig already!”

“It may not feel like it, because it’s such a smooth ride, but we’re going much faster than a standard wagon. I’m just guessing but I would estimate about 40kph right now. Should we stop and get some lunch?”

It was a calculated risk. There wasn’t much time to get everything accomplished. The more distractions, the longer the breaks, the less time they would have at Bonsho. Then there was the risk of attracting too much undue attention. But it would also be a good chance to let Randal and McKenzie show off their strength. Plus, it would be unlikely that any pursuer would be able to catch up with them. However, on the way back, that’s when trouble, of the greedy human variety, might appear. While generally speaking no one was foolish enough to mess with nobility or a guild, idiots existed in every world.

Tim lowered the masts and slowed as he approached the rural farming village. The steady chug-chug of the pistons brought out the villagers who gawked at the horseless carriage. They pulled off to the side and parked in an open space. McKenzie did a flip off the roof while Randal just hopped down. Tim offered his hand to Aerith and helped her down from the coach’s box. Several of the villagers were gathered in the freshly renewed street. The road had turned from a dusty rough and rut covered mess into something one would only see in the capital. One of the old merchants was crying as he knelt and caressed the smooth surface.

“Oi, oi! Who are ya? What did you do to the road?” An elderly man called out.

“We’re with the Engineering Guild, and we’re out on a road reconstruction project.”

“It’s amazing, tis as if the old dirt road has been covered in stone. But without a single seam. Ai, this should be a boon for the horses and our wagons.” The old man pushed aside his beard to show off the silver emblem of the emperor around his neck. “Sorry, I’m a bit introducing myself, the name’s…”

“Yeah yeah,” McKenzie interrupted. “We’re just here to eat then back on the road. We’ve got a long way to go.”

The four sat down at a mostly clean table. Randal wiped off the table with a sleeve before hollering at the rotund waitress. With a few waddles, she arrived at the table and tilted her head.

“Excuse me miss but have you been here before?”

“No ma'am, never been here before.” McKenzie lied. “Could you get us some ales and whatever is ready?”

“Excuse me, are you by chance Hokata’s daughter?” The village elder interrupted.

“Yes, I am. Did you know my father?” Aerith answered.

“Aye, he is one of my brother’s sons. Tis a shame we lost his line to the city. Me brother’s side was always the better at doin’ crop blessings. A real sore loss for the village. But at least he must of made it big in Erraat.”

“I’m sorry great uncle.” Aerith cast her face downward. ”But, uh, he passed on a few years back.”

“Oi, child, that’s terrible news. But maybe you can come back in his stead? The ground has been failin’ the past few years, the village could really use your help. We could even give you the ol’ family house. Iffn you have half the talent your ol’ man had we could get back to where we were, maybe even start expandin’.”

“Great uncle, I wish I could, but I’m with the Engineering Guild now. I’m the head of the Divine Magic department.” Aerith pulled down the neck of her shirt to show the golden emblem on her choker.

“Thought it was a miracle when I saw you today. But perhaps fate has passed us by.”

“Hold on,” Interrupted Tim. “You can put in a request with our guild at any time. We’ll revitalize the fields or create new plots for a reasonable fee. Aerith is welcome to come volunteer on her days off. And getting here on the new roads should be a lot easier. But there are a lot of other communities we need to reach, and a tight schedule to keep.”

“Then, if you would, please pardon my intrusion.” The elder said while lowering his head.

“Thank you for your understanding. If Aerith wants to come help, I will make it a priority to accommodate her wishes.”

By the end of the first day, they had already reached the outskirts of the forest. Showing a large amount of foresight, Tim took the Mule and flattened a section of ground alongside the road.

“What are you doing, Tim?” Asked Aerith, her dark hair tumbled over her shoulders as she tilted her head.

“I’m making a rest stop.”

“Rest stop?”

“Yeah, just watch.”

Tim walked around the area and created a low wall around the perimeter, then split the interior into twenty separate spaces. With Form, he added a firepit and a latrine to each station and called his work fished.

“Hey Aerith, could you pull the green lever on the side of the Mule?”

“This one?” Aerith gasped as the entire Mule creaked. Compressed air spun a series of gears that pushed the carriage apart. The back of the carriage slid out along rails and nearly doubled in length. Feet cranked down and locked the expansion in place. The newly revealed section opened like an accordion on each side and stretched nearly to the low walls around the parking spot.

“I knew it was a robot!” McKenzie yelled out as she pranced atop the wall. A freshly killed horned rabbit held in each hand.

“I designed it like the RV camper my parents had.” It was just a moment before Tim realized what he had said. McKenzie and Randal went quiet. The uncomfortable memories of home forced to the surface.

“So, Aerith, can you clean these things?” McKenzie asked, holding up the horned rabbits.

“Yes, if someone can get me a table.”

“Hey, Randal can you get that set up for Aerith? And start a fire too. I need to check on the Mule.” Tim replied. It was easier to work than to deal with the lingering attachments. But Tim, Randal, and McKenzie were reminded of what they were working for.

Tim climbed in the back and lifted the cushioned naga seats. Underneath were rows of large glass canisters wired in sequence. The once large mana crystals were considerably reduced. But it was what he expected. Feeling that he could keep up the same pace tomorrow Tim put the seats back and got some equipment from storage.

On the side of the Mule Tim slide back a small panel to expose a series of round ports. Into each one he pugged a wire. The cable connected to a short copper rod attached to a stand. Within a few minutes, he had them placed at even intervals along the walls. With the mana pumps connected, nothing to do but wait and check on them in the morning.

As the sun quickly set Tim brought out folding chairs. The four had gathered around the fire eating soup and rabbit skewers. The forest at night had grown quiet.

“Well, all right. So, what’s our watch rotation?” Randal asked after camp cleanup.

“No need. I got a security system.”

“Of course, you do.”

“Then, do ya have some cushions or somethn’ in there for resting?”

“No, there are beds. Each side has two drop down cots.” Tim said while motioning to the expanded panels. “Boys on the left, girls on the right?”

“Oh, I thought…” Aerith fidgeted and blushed.

McKenzie appeared beside Aerith with a wicked grin and nudged her gently with her elbow. “Way to go girlfriend. Our Timmy is about as dense as poor Randal here. And I agree with those sleeping arrangements.”

“Since’n we’re out in the field, I say we should be keepin’ this professional and respectable like.” Randal offered up his poorest protest. McKenzie’s verbal jabs always left him slightly cross. So, he increased his stubbornness and decided to be the immovable wall she always claimed he was.

The smile left McKenzie’s eyes. “If you don’t want to do it Aerith’s way I will kill you all in your sleep.”

And she meant it.