Diety Gweleth kept moving, not looking back. Tad followed her till she stopped in front of the construct repair room.

"I have altered the repair construct, and he can now repair other constructs correctly. You can check on them once we are done, " said Gweleth as she continued down the passage towards the gretchic's cavern.

They continued into the cavern and down the stairs until they stood in front of the Blood Mushroom. Tad saw long strands of white one-inch-thick webs descending from the tops of all the mushroom caps in the area. Most of the strands were twenty feet long with a loop and blob of viscous jelly on the bottom end.

Gweleth pointed at the strands, "Those are from Niucrealath's favorite pet. She is the new temple guardian Chok'seh. Chok'seh is trying to catch the last of the Gretchics, who are busy hiding in the tunnels. There are just a few left. She is also guarding against any future undead that might be able to enter through the lower gate. It is a magically sealed doorway below the waterfall. Samathe knew the magic word to open it. Niucrelath is uncertain if any Naga remains that would still know it now. We will guard until you have cleared the river valley below. That is your task, Thaddius. "

She raised her hand and pointed it at one of the large mushrooms in the back that had no strands descending from it. A melon-sized chunk of the cap broke off and floated over to her. She took the piece and passed her hand over it, and it compressed and changed into a grey ball of floating liquid. Tad could see it in the dim blue light floating there. Then Gweleth pointed at one of the web strands, which detached itself from a stalk. She had them both in front of her now, the web strand straightened. The grey ball of liquid started moving along the strand, coating it for a second, then the shine of wetness evaporated, leaving a long strand of blue lasso spider webbing.

"It is safe to touch now. The mushroom cap of that mushroom in the back can be eaten, but it can also neutralize the stickiness of this webbing. Keep that in mind while you watch this next magic. The strand of webbing coiled up then started to split into much smaller strands of web. It was thin now like a thread. As Tad watched, the many threads quickly loomed into a cloth sheet. The large sheet of fabric hung in front of the goddess.

The goddess smiled as she looked again at Tad, "This is a sheet of spiral silk cloth. " She looked at his beat-up sandals and his old undersized work clothes, tsking and shaking her head negatively.

"Please give me your sandals," said Gweleth waiting on him to comply.

Tad took off his sandals. He held them in both hands, offering them to his goddess. She nodded, then Gweleth, the sandals, and the large sheet of spiral silk disappeared with a puff as air rushed into the space they occupied.

Tad waited, not knowing what she wanted him to do. Several minutes later. Tad was looking at the various mushrooms around the room. He felt and heard another puff of air as Gweleth reappeared. Floating in front of her was a small stack of clothes with a set of half-boots sitting on top. She smiled at Tad as the stack floated towards him. Tad took them from the air.

"Those are your clothes for tonight. I think you will find they are quite durable and should not interfere with your movements. They will also look nice. I expect you to use what you learned here, Thaddius. The valley must prosper. To prosper, you will need to produce goods. Think about this. Now put those on and take two of these blood pods up to Kettle. You will need to drain the liquid of the pods into the tube containing Aea. I expect Kettle can do this, or you will have to find a washtub and submerse her in it. The contents of the pod are cookable after you drain the liquid out. We spent a great deal of energia making sure these. They will be useful for our new worshipers. " Gweleth walked closer to the Blood Mushroom, "One last thing about this mushroom tree. It will need as much water and animal waste as you can supply to its roots. The more you can provide, the more pods it will grow. " Gweleth pointed at two of the largest pods that now descended to rest directly under the Blood Mushroom on the edge of the planter.

Tad looked at the large pods. They were grey with blood-red strips of fibrous growth running along almost at random. To Tad, they looked like large grey and red lemons. Tad nodded to Gweleth.

"I'll post constructs at the gate to the river below. Are the gretchics going to be an issue for this mushroom? " asked Tad.

Gweleth made a hand gesture as she spoke, "I do not think so." In her open hand sat the two white fang daggers Samathe had fought Tad with, "These are yours by right of battle. I expect you or your companions can find a use for them. " she held them out for Tad to take them. Tad nodded and put them on his stack of clothes next to his half-boots.

"Thank you, " said Tad.

Gweleth nodded, "One last thing Thaddius. When you worship the sun with music, you must know that Niucrealath has chosen another path for the moon. "

Tad looked at Gweleth, "What do you mean? "

"You remember Maximilianus telling you to do something good that you enjoyed while forming your ritual bonds with the ascending goddess? What exactly did you do around the goddess again? " asked Gweleth.

Not this again. Tad thought, well, he played music. He panicked when the automatrons came through the failed curtain. Oh damn, "Combat? Do I have to worship her with combat? I am not making an arena. I refuse, burn me here, and now I will not make an arena of death to worship her. "

Gweleth smiled, "I told her you'd say that. You have changed a great deal, but I still know you, Thaddius. I think you might want to thank Orion for this. I convinced Niucrealath that warriors of old used to prize their dancing skills as much as their fighting skills. So she has allowed you to dance as part of your worship to her in place of combat. All though she might still demand this in some situations. You and my followers may dance. " Gweleth reached over and touched Tad on the forehead. Just like that, Tad learned a new dance. It was a partner dance that almost felt like some sort of combat to capture the other person. The style of dance was an open embrace. The lead and his partner would have space between their bodies alternating with a close embrace. The lead and partner connect either chest-to-chest and the upper thigh and hip while making large loops around, occasionally spinning the female. He also heard the music in his mind, aggressive yet delicate.

"You know it was not easy finding a dance that would do. I think this one fits best," said Gweleth.

Tad thought about this, running over the new memory he held. Tad smiled mischievously, "Gweleth, you know I have an idea. "

***

Tad made it back up to the cathedral, carrying one pod over each shoulder. Gweleth had been right. The new clothes were light and cool to his skin. He now had a soft spiral silk shirt tucked into breaches that fit loose. The outfit had a form-fitting bolero-style jacket with gold-colored embroidery running up both sides. The embroidery was trees, the sun, and the moon. On the outer side of his breeches, running down both legs, there was also a strip of this embroidery about two inches wide with a similar style in gold. The jacket didn't get buttons. It was intended to stay open. His new belt was woven braids of spiral silk, where he placed both small pouches. His half-boots rose above his ankles, and the goddess had reused the stiff leather soles of the sandals, improving them with a soft silk inner layer.

Tad felt like a buffoon. This was something you'd see in some royal court, not in a carnival of refugees living in a ruined valley. But Gweleth had made it, and he was going to wear it. Besides, it felt really nice.

He had tested a few staff moves before he had left the cavern. The leggings stretched nicely through a few quick forms. He did not think this silk would rip or tear near as easily as his cotton work clothes had. Over his shoulder was his staff sling, the staff sticking up behind his head as he carried the pods over to the World Egg. He had the two fang daggers sticking through his belt for now.

Tad looked over at the entrance to the cathedral. There were several tables set up, and food was spread out. Dozens of wooden mugs were near the kegs at the end of the table. People were milling around in the front of the cathedral. The sun was getting low above the valley wall.

Tad projected to Jack while he walked towards the World egg, "Jack, can we talk in the World Egg for a moment. You might want to see this."

"Sure Kid," replied Jack. Tad saw the unicorn leave his wagon as Tad reached the World Egg carrying both Blood Mushroom pods.

"Kettle, we need to put the liquid from these pods into Aea's tube. How can we do this? " asked Tad.

Tad could hear Jack clumping up the stairs to the wagon.

The last smaller tube opened at the end of the row of five, "Tad, I believe I can transfer it from this one. Place one pod inside the chamber. " said Kettle.

Tad placed one pod in the chamber and the other on the container surfaces to the right. They were getting heavy. Jack poked his head into the World Egg and then stepped in through the entrance. It would be tight, but he should fit.

"Kettle, close the door while we do this, please, " projected Tad.

The door sealed behind Jack as Tad's ears popped again.

"Ok Kid, what's going on? " projected Jack.

The unicorn's horn was almost to the ceiling, and when Jack lowered his head even a little, it came dangerously close to Tad. Definitely not a whole lot of room in here.

The smaller tube with the Blood Mushroom pod closed as he watched.

Tad entered his soulmancy space. His circus tent is made of faceted soulmancy energy. Jack appeared a few seconds later.

"Ok, what's going on? Why are we in here? " asked Jack.

"Well, for one thing, the goddess, the Librarians, and Orion could all seem to hear when I speak to Kettle using our bond and my soulmancy conversations. They can't while we are in here with the door sealed. I should probably fill you in on everything that has happened since we parted ways at the Grand Bazaar. " said Tad.

He then started projecting his story from the moment that the portal of the carnival failed to bring Jack and Scekan along. He covered Breamas's change of destination from the Forest of Mirth to the cursed desert. This conversation was a dump of all Tad's knowledge of the past events through soulmancy. This sped it up by several hours, taking only a few minutes for Jack to learn what had transpired. What happened to Bubbles. Tad's oath, Zanna, the battle, everything. If there was one person Tad trusted in this whole crazy thing was his friend Jack. Jack wasn't always the nicest being Tad knew, but he was his friend and had never once lied to him. That was important to Tad.

"Damn Kid, that's quite an adventure. Your sure waking up this vampire is a good idea? " asked Jack.

"No, but I swore to follow Gweleth, including Niucrealath. They are the same deity," said Tad.

Kettle entered his soulmancy tent then, "Tad can you put the other pod in the chamber, please. "

Tad left his soulmancy tent to find the smaller tube open with a deflated Blood Mushroom pod sitting at the bottom. It was deflated like a water bladder left with its cork out. In the center of the pod was a half-sized lump. Tad quickly replaced it with the full one and created his soulmancy space again.

Jack appeared in the tent, "Tad, there is a lot I do not understand from your story.

***