Dexter

The orc jotted down my requested list as he sat in the Institute’s library. I walked around the various shelves, searching for anything useful. “You want this delivered to your abode?” He asked. I nodded as I perused the books filling the room. The Basic Botany of Alchemy, Potions And You: A Guide Of Alchemical Formulas For Any Occasion, Roots And What Not To Eat “And How powerful of a manastone do you require?”

I gestured dismissively as I continued to scan. “Not that powerful, just one that consistently generates low powered electricity. I need it to run day in and day out.”

The orc nodded as he continued to write. “I have no idea what you could possibly need it for. It sounds of one of the most useless enchantments possible. It would shock you every time you touched it.”

I nodded as I looked at another shelf. The Shapes Of You, Transformations A-Z, So You Want To Be A Deer “I can handle it,” I told him. “I just need it made. I'm also going to need to borrow some of these. I need to know as much as I can about magic if I'm going to come up with a spell against Adympia.”

The orc turned to me, clearly not amused by my self-assurance. “I still find it implausible that an outsider could offer insight into the magical realm. If I recall correctly you do not even know of basic magic in your world.”

I nodded as I turned to him and pulled down a book. “You're right, my world is blind when it comes to magic, but there are several things I can tell you; like why precisely the sky is blue, how exactly the mountains are made, the mathematical equations to calculate various events, and even about the fundamental material that makes up all life, on this world and those beyond.” I turned back to scanning the shelves as I forced my mind to focus on finding the appropriate books. “To you, it might not seem like much, but with that knowledge, I can theoretically use magic to manipulate the world in ways that can only be dreamed of in either of our fantasies. So, I'm pretty sure I'm right in assuming I can help you progress your magical knowledge, even if progress is going to be slow.” The orc fell silent as I moved onto another shelf. Battle Magic And What Not To Do, The Notes Of Gomoku Hebub: Battle Mage Extraordinaire, So You Want To Be A Healer

The or gestured angrily as I ran a finger along the books. “Still, your claim is outrageous. The Elder Mother has been studying crystals for years. If she cannot create a way to enhance the quality of crystals I fail to see why you can do so.”

I pulled down another book as I continued walking. “Because I have a century worth of collected knowledge at the barn and a good friend that had a particular interest in the field. I also have accounts of labs back home doing the same thing a hundred times over for their own devices. I know I'm right about this. Damion explained it to me in freshman year and now I have the books for it. All that's left is to build the thing.” I heard a sigh as I examined another shelf. Foresight Forthwith, Runestone And Their Future, The Crystal Ball

The orc grumbled as he checked the list again, making sure all the necessary details were there. “Very well, but do not expect help from the institute if your method fails. Each of us has our duties to attend to. We cannot waste time tending to a tree that can never bear fruit.”

I nodded as I moved on to another shelf. Superior Summoning Magic, The Art Of The Reveal, Demons And The Damned I raised my eyebrow as the last one stuck out to me and I turned to the orc. “Is this a book on summoning demons?” I asked, astonished. The orc nodded as he jotted one last thing down and carried the parchment over to a table. “Isn't that kind of dangerous?”

The orc nodded again as he turned and walked over. “Immensely. It is the reason why it is forbidden to attempt.”

I looked back at the book. “So why keep the book at all? Doesn't that kind of invite someone to try?”

The orc shook his head as he reached up and pulled out the book, turning the pages as he searched for something. “We have added pages of warnings to the original transcript. If we did not inform the mages of the risks, they are likely to devise the spell and attempt it regardless.” He suddenly turned the book to me and showed one of the spells, a demonic-looking circle with a list of ingredients and incantations. It was accompanied by a newer page written in red ink. It warned of the dangers of summoning the creature described in the book; death, destruction, damnation, and a myriad of other horrible things.

I nodded as my face twisted in disgust and the orc closed the book, returning it to its shelf. “That's comforting. At least I'll be adequately warned if I find a spell that I think could use some improvements.”

The orc nodded as he gestured at the shelves around him. “The only other thing I will warn you of is to take care of the books you borrow. We have spares, but Garahk will be most displeased if you damage one. The usual punishment is to make an exact copy of the book that was damaged.”

I nodded as I looked at another shelf and pulled out a book. “Be careful with the books, got it.” I placed the book I grabbed on top of my slowly growing stack before pointing at the table the orc had placed the list. “So, how long before you can get those things for me?”

The orc shrugged as he moved back over to the table. “Within a week or so. Though, I suspect you will receive it within a few days; what with your newfound status and the tendency for you outsiders to be recklessly correct.”

I nodded as I looked down at the stack of books I was now carrying. “This should be enough to get me started. It was nice meeting you . . .” I shifted the books onto one hand and held out the other, waiting for the mage’s response.

“Salthu, lower mage.” The orc supplied, reaching out and gripping. I nodded as I shook his hand and looked him in his brown eyes. He was slightly short for an orc, but his arms still betrayed the strength that many of the others had. His short black ponytail, just barely touching the back of his fluffy shawl.

I nodded at him as I shook his hand for another moment before letting go. “Got it, and don't worry. I'll take good care of these books.” Salthu let out an understanding grunt as I walked back towards the door and began making my way towards the exit. “Lightning for the positive charge. I'll need to ground the lid. The flow of electrons should grow the crystal. Also, search the nearby forest for some latex sap. If there's a spring here there might be another nearby, maybe one where it doesn't snow. Then I just need to choose a seed crystal and find my clamps for the lid. I can suspend the seed using that spool of wire I have. Stainless steel should be corrosion resistant enough.” I walked through the door and started making my way back to the barn. “I can fucking do this.”

I pulled open the barn door and entered, causing Amelia to look up at me. “Did you think of something?” She asked.

I shook my head as I dropped the stack of books onto a nearby table. “Nothing overly useful, but I have identified an issue I might be able to rectify.” Amelia stood and walked over as I began laying out the books. “Apparently, the quality of crystal affects how good of a mana stone it makes. I know of a way to increase the quality of naturally occurring crystals to practically flawless levels. They're going to bring everything I need over here in the next few days. I just need some rubber for sealing and insulation. I can search through the nearby forest and hope there are some rubber trees or some other plant with latex sap. I know the second volume of that metallurgy and materials book has an entry on rubber; so I can use that to formulate the proper process. I think it's called vulcanization.”

Amelia nodded as she looked at the books I’d brought home. Basic Combat Magic, Basic Alchemy, Utility for Beginners, So You Want To Be A Healer “You'll need to look somewhere warm,” she remarked. “Or hope there's a close substitute for the sap. Rubber trees don't tend to grow in climates like this. It’s just too cold.”

I nodded as I walked over to a nearby table and pulled out the metallurgy and materials books. “Finding a substitute is likely what I'll have to do. There's probably nothing but pine for miles.” I stopped as I found the entry on rubber. “Here it is.” I began reading about the process of how to ‘vulcanize' the material. “It seems that I'll need some sulfur. Maybe some carbon too.”

Amelia looked up from the books. “Why not use the spare tire? It's made of vulcanized rubber.”

I shook my head, moving over to another table, and pulled out my backpack. “It also has a shit ton of metal in it. If I use it, it would short the flow of current. I'm basically trying to make an autoclave with the lid and body electrically isolated. Allowing the two pieces to be connected would disrupt the accelerated process.” Amelia nodded as I opened my pack and dumped the contents onto the table. “I'll pack a bag for tomorrow, see if the forest has any of the near-equivalents the book mentions.” I gestured at the books as I stacked the items neatly on the table. “You should read those and see if you can come up with something.”

Amelia nodded as she turned back to the books. “I'll probably start by learning that Waterjet spell. This is the last set of clean clothes we have.”

I nodded as pulled out my last unused binder of paper and stuffed it into the now empty pack. “I could do with learning some of those spells as well. I might end up needing it if I meet anything out in the woods.” Amelia nodded as I walked over and began rummaging through another box. “As for water, I'm sure I packed it some- here it is.” I pulled out a polished metal cylinder, liquid sloshing around within. “It's even got some melted ice still in there.”

I turned back to my pack as Amelia opened one of the books. “I suggest a knife if you have one. You might need to cut something that requires more precision than a sword.” I nodded as I turned back to the box and reached in. I'll also need a map of the local area. I can head up to the Great Hall and see where I can get one. Too bad I don't have a compass. Then again, their magnetic field might not be the same as Earth's. I could probably make a spell for that; have it point to a preset place. It wouldn't work planetwide, but for walking distance, it's exactly what I need.” I grinned to myself as I pulled out my pocket knife and tossed it into the pack with the thermos. “The spell will have to wait. For now, I need that sap.”

I turned and jogged back towards the door. “I'll be back in a bit. I'm going to see if Bulak knows where I can find a map.” Amelia waved as I disappeared out the door and started making my way towards the Great Hall.

I pushed the door open and stepped in, eyes slowly adjusting to the darkened interior of the hall. I quickly noticed everyone was staring at the center of the room. I followed their gaze as I walked along the hall and saw an orc standing in the middle of the room, facing the throne. I stopped as I got close enough to see details. Dubak sat upon the throne, with most of the council seats above him filled with their own occupants. They stared at the orc intently as he spoke. “You cannot possibly think this outsider truly holds our best interests at heart. I was there when Bulak first found Him. He called us monsters; creatures born of earth and slime.”

Bulak nodded as he gestured calmingly at him. “His words certainly spoke ill of outsiders, but he may have been a unique case. Dexter's actions spoke of a different tale. He followed all our customs to the fullest. He even traversed the rite with our kind, going against His implied mentality. The feats they displayed in the arena are also leagues above any group we have seen before, defeating a troll that would give our most veteran of soldiers some problems. Gashur will remember them and their actions for decades to come.”

The orc at the center of the room shook his head. “And what of His actions? He brought about the death of the Chieftess. We cannot possibly forget that.”

Dubak slammed his fist onto the arm of his throne, causing the orc to take a step back. “I Am Well Aware Of That Matter. I Do Not Need To Be Reminded By The Likes Of You.” There was audible panting as Dubak stared angrily at the orc, the only sound being generated in the entire hall. After a minute Dubak let out one final sigh and seemed to relax as he continued to stare at the orc. “I have consulted Garahk on this matter. She is confident that he is different from Him. He has already contributed much to the city and the state at large. Some owe their life to his actions, whether they admit it or not.”

The orc nodded reluctantly as he gestured about. “Of that, there is no doubt, but should we not speculate as to why He described us as creatures of earth and slime?” I felt an uncontrollable twinge of annoyance as I watched him continue. “Surely we are not so gutless as to allow this insult to go unaddressed. How can we be certain they have our interest at heart if their myth describes us with such ridicule?”

I suddenly stepped forward, past the tables and into view of everyone there. “If you're so curious, you could just ask me.” I supplied, trying to keep an air of calm. The orc practically jumped and took a few steps back as I interrupted his angry ramblings. I ignored him and turned to address Dubak directly. “We have a lot of fantasy stories about orcs. I recognize that ‘earth and slime’ line from a story back home. If it was from fifty years ago He likely got it directly from the source, J. R. R. Tolkien. He's the one that introduced my world to the idea of elves and orcs. He said a lot of things about orcs. Some fit what he described; green skin, tusks, pointed ears, muscular. Others were more exaggerated or fabricated to tell the story he made. There is one thing I can say for certain. Fifty years is a long time for us. That's long enough for my parents to not exist back then. An entire lifetime used to fit in that period. Whatever he said, or thought, is vastly different from what we think today. I can guarantee that I'm nothing like him. The story that line is from hasn’t been expanded in years.”

Dubak nodded as I finished my explanation. He turned to address the orc again. “Would that satisfy your concerns?” He asked. “He speaks of the tale so casually that we can be certain it is of no significance to these outsiders.” I turned to see the orc’s reaction. His face was gritted in frustration, staring angrily at me as I tried not to glare back at him.

He finally let out an aggravated sigh and looked away, turning back to Dubak. “I see no fault with such reasoning.” He admitted halfheartedly. “However, this does not wash him of suspicion. I still say he is not to be trusted.”

Dubak gestured dismissively. “He will be dealt with should his loyalties falter.” He growled. “Now go. This matter is dealt with.” The orc growled then turned and trudged back into the crowd of tables, pushing through them until he reached a door to the outside and walked through, leaving the rest of us to watch him disappear.

I let out a forcibly calm sigh as I turned back to Dubak. “I hope I haven't interrupted anything important.”

Dubak let out an exhausted sigh shook his head. “The people bring their concerns to me. Sometimes they require my attention, other times they are merely concerns. Your presence here does not interrupt what is already occurring.” I nodded as I glanced up at the balcony of orcs. They stared intently down at me. “I am assuming you are here for a similar reason,” Dubak asked, grabbing my attention again. He was leaning forward in his seat expectedly. “Have you already devised a plan? Do you believe it possible to unite the tribes under one banner?”

I shook my head as I let out another sigh, wishing I had prepared something more official. “I haven’t thought about that problem yet,” I admitted reluctantly. “I’m still working on the preparations for meeting the other tribes. I need a map of the local area, preferably one that shows everything in half a day's walking distance. It might not be a weapon, but I have an idea on how I can help.”

Dubak tilted his head slightly. “And what of this unity you spoke of?” He asked. “Are you certain you can bring an end to the tribal war?”

I let out a sigh as I scratched my head. “I’m hoping I can,” I admitted. “I've put that on hold though until I come up with an adequate weapon. There are certain factors I have to read up on, but all my plans involve the creation of a weapon to adequately incentivize the others to cooperate. Right now, I just need a map.” Dubak nodded as he turned to look up at the balcony. One of the orcs stood and disappeared from view, the sound of a door echoing about the hall as he did so.

Dubak then turned back to me as we waited. “A simple request, though I am curious as to why you require it.”

I scratched my head again as I let out a sigh. “I need it to find some sap from a tree or other plant. I plan to improve the magical capacity of the crystals the Institute possess by growing some without any faults.”

Dubak raised an eyebrow at that. “Is such a thing even possible?” He asked curiously. “Can one really ‘grow' crystals.”

I nodded as I jabbed my thumb behind me. “I learned about it a while ago. It's how most quartz clocks are made. They grow a tiny piece and stick it in a circuit to keep track of time. It's easily upscaled and a friend of mine even told me how to do it. I just need the rubber to properly seal the chamber and isolate the two ends. The map is so that I can easily find my way back if I need to.”

Dubak tilted his head a little more. “And the sap will help you grow the crystals?”

I shook my head. “They're for another material, the rubber I mentioned earlier. We've long since found a way to utilize the sap of particular plants to make it. I just need to go out and find some.” Dubak nodded as the door behind him finally opened, feeding the orc into the Great Hall. He carried a roll of parchment with him and immediately made his way over to me. He handed the roll to me and retreated towards the door. I rolled the scroll open and stared at the drawing within. A small spot at the center was marked Snakhagr, complete with a tiny drawing of the major avenues, with a large field surrounding the city. I took note of the thicket of drawn trees bordering the fields to the north and south and the lake a little way from the eastern side. Three paths lead out from the city in the center, stopping on the eastern, northern, and western ends of the map. The road north let into the trees themselves before disappearing. I nodded as I rolled the map back up. “This is exactly what I need. Thank you.”

Dubak nodded as he gestured about. “I am assuming you will require provisions for such an expedition. If you expect to disappear for a day then you would need the energy to do so.”

I nodded as my stomach let out a low growl. “I hope it’s not too much trouble. I might have to venture out for the next few days to find what I need.”

Dubak nodded again as he gestured behind him. “No trouble at all. If you would wait a moment, you can bring your next meal wi-” He was cut off as the door opened and an orc carrying a covered platter stepped out. He wore the same tight-fitting shawl I’d seen at the feast. At this point, I could only assume the tight clothes helped them cook. “Superb timing. Mulush, give the plate to Dexter and wait here a moment. There is a matter which you must be informed on.”

The orc glanced between me and Dubak before nodding “Yes, Chief Dubak.” Mulush replied, rushing over and handing the silver platter to me. He then turned to Dubak as soon as he was sure that I held it securely. I looked up at Dubak as he waved me off. I bowed slightly and turned to leave.

I caught a few snippets of conversation before walking back out the door. “It would seem that our outsider friends require a substance from the surrounding forest. For this, he needs to leave the city for several hours. I am tasking the kitchen with-” The door closed behind me and I started making my way back to the barn, warm platter in hand. “More progress than expected today. I just hope the forest is as cooperative with the sap as the orcs were with the map. Now I can spend the rest of the day learning spells for tomorrow. I can probably learn a basic fireball spell.” I felt a grin creep across my face. “Summoning fire with nothing but my mind. Seven-year-old me would have a field day with that ability. Hush little pyromaniac, your time will come soon.” I heard myself chuckle slightly as I continued to walk back down the hill.

I pulled open the door and stepped in, quickly setting the platter on an open table and letting out a sigh. “Oh, you're back.” Amelia voiced. “Did you find a map?”

I nodded as I reached into my pocket and pulled out the roll of parchment. “They're also sending some supplies for tomorrow. I'll head out once the food arrives and try to be back around sundown. For now, I'm going to try and learn one of those combat spells.”

Amelia's face immediately lit up. “Speaking of spells, watch this.” She quickly ran through a few gestures and chanted the weird arcane speak that accompanied the spell. Eventually, she thrust her hand forward and produced a stream of water, hitting the far wall like a pressurized hose.

I grinned as I watched her release the spell and let the stream die. “Impressive. Did that take long?”

Amelia shook her head as she flicked the water droplet from her hand and gestured at the book. “Only half an hour to memorize the gestures and incantation. They included additional instructions for the mana manipulation, but they were simple enough. If you pushed yourself, you could probably learn it in fifteen minutes.”

I nodded as I stepped up to the table. “I'll probably hold off on Waterjet, at most that'll annoy anything in the forest. The spell I want to learn right now is Fireball. Now that's something that'll frighten any animals away.”

Amelia nodded as I flipped through the book to the correct page. “Just don't hit anything in here. We don't want to burn this place down.” I nodded as I began reading the entry. It held the usual spiel about magic manipulation, with additional instruction to ‘feel the heat of the air’. I let out a sigh as I cracked my knuckles. “Sounds simple enough. I just need to memorize this and test it outside. I can fire it into the air for practice.” I looked down at my arm as I noticed the scar again. I let out a sigh as I remembered the pain I felt at the injury. “I'll get to the healing spells later. For now, some offensive spells.”

I spent the rest of the day learning Fireball. I managed to memorize the spell within twenty minutes, allowing me ample practice in case I needed it for tomorrow. I sent another fireball into the sky as the sun finally sank below the horizon. The ball of plasma slowly fizzled out as it reached its apex. I let out a sigh as I stretched. “That should do for right now. I can get some more practice in before the food arrives and on the way to the forest. I'll start with the southern forest; hopefully the distance south increases my chances for latex sap.” I sighed again and turned to walk back into the barn, cracking my knuckles as I went. I pulled open the door and was immediately greeted by Amelia's grinning expression. She was standing in the middle of the barn, her movements suggesting she was near the end of an incantation. She beamed at me as I closed the door with a soft thump. “Check this out.” She finished the incantation and suddenly disappeared with a small pop. I took a step back shook my head slightly as I tried to register her sudden disappearance. “Up Here.” I heard her call.

I looked towards the source and saw Amelia standing up in the loft, cringing slightly as she held her stomach. “How the fuck?” I muttered.

Amelia pointed down at the table as she explained. “They have a teleport spell.” She chuckled. “This is just the short-range variant. With the long-range spell, I can tap into my stamina to travel miles in an instant. Unfortunately, that book doesn't have that one. It just describes it as an extension of this spell.” I nodded as I walked over to the open book and looked at the entry. It was a complicated symbol with a long list of gestures and words.

I skimmed the page as Amelia used the spell again and popped into existence to my right. “This says there's a severe nausea side effect,” I noted, my brow furrowed in concern. “Is it really that bad?”

Surprisingly, Amelia shook her head at the question. “It's uncomfortable, but it's not the debilitating feeling they described in the book. I've even been able to teleport a few times almost back to back. I don't know if I've stumbled upon some sort of workaround or they just described it poorly.”

I shook my head as I continued to read the page. “It might boil down to some sort of biological fluke. We seem to be leaps and bounds above the orcs when it comes to stamina. It might be a similar phenomenon. We'd have to observe the orc's reaction to teleport to be sure, but that shouldn't be too hard. You just have to head down to the Institute and ask for a demonstration.”

Amelia nodded as she walked over to a chair and sat down with a sigh. “Either way, I'm too tired to do any more work right now. I think I'll just head to bed and do that in the morning. I might even head down to see how Jolagh is doing. I haven't seen him in a while.”

I nodded as I finished the description. “This spell kind of spits in the face of that teleportation thought experiment; the one that questions what one's true self is,”

I heard Amelia let out an understanding hmm. “I had that thought when I first found it. It boasts of direct transportation to any nearby location so long as you know where it is relative to you. I kind of discarded the whole true-self thing when I remembered we kind of replace ourselves every fifteen years, save for some of the vital organs.”

I nodded as I stretched again. “Fair point. Plus, if you've done it already, there's no point in not learning it myself.”

Amelia nodded as she stood and stretched. “I'll see you in the morning then. Learning both of those spells left me pretty drained.” I nodded and waved her off as Amelia snapped her fingers, causing the balls of light to extinguish themselves. “Oh right, Illuminate.” I quickly prepared Fireball and caused a small flame to appear in my hand. I tilted it to shine its light on the parchment as I read. I heard Amelia move about as I carefully memorized the spell in the light of the tiny flame. I honestly could have summoned another orb, but it felt oddly thrilling to hold a tiny flame in the palm of my hand.