Leaning over the balcony railing, Sia and her companions continue discussing the events taking place elsewhere. The discussion eventually returns to what is specifically happening below as the CEO continues to discuss changes to the company logo and business plans.

“So, our childhood friend isn’t really our friend but an Ancient something-or-other, and is looking to take over a pharmaceutical company?” Sidney asks with equal parts confused sincerity and facetiousness, to which he receives a snort of fire from Luck.

“No to most of that, and I can say that we thoroughly enjoyed our time in the village and it was really real, you know? And if my suspicions are correct, less taking over the company and more likely to destroy it…”

“Based on what that lady was saying though, hundreds of thousands of people a year would be affected by that!” Madilyn argues. “What about all of the sick people that they are helping right now?”

Child, he has probably been thinking about that issue ever since he decided on this course of action, Luck begins, then sighs. Do you remember that day after I met your group, that he and I returned in a state of melancholy? I had just informed him that I had discovered who ordered the murder of his wife and child, a Nora Black, a known necromancer, who cooperated with one Thul Winters.

As the reality of several facts make themselves known to Madilyn and Sidney, the weight of Ted having a wife and child, and the day on the mountain where Sia flew on a dragon makes itself known.

“Is he just waiting to rage, make something explode?” Sidney finally asks while the Winters below appears to be wrapping up.

“Perhaps he might if Thul himself were down there, but unlike certain rulers of times gone past, he does not attribute the sins of one’s father, or in this case apparently grandfather, upon their offspring. Though that doesn’t stop them from sinning themselves, as it were.”

“And now, a special guest would like to share a few words,” Arie Winters says, standing to the side of the podium and bowing ever so slightly.

“Thank you,” Ted begins. “First, a few words as a benediction, as it were. May all of the people of this world find comfort and healing in the times to come, except for Thul Winters whom may taste the edge of his sins, and Nora Black to whom no mercy shall be shown.”

“Bollocks,” Sia says.

Interesting.

“What’s wrong?” Madilyn asks.

Apparently both of them are alive, despite the rumors stating otherwise.

“Not just that,” Sia continues, holding her head briefly in her hands before throwing it back and pointing towards the sky. “If you can see it, that’s his magic. He meant every word he just said and…”

“I would like to present the founder of Winter Pharmaceuticals, Thul Winters,” Ted says, while Beth and Jessie grab the arms of the ‘angry man.’

Beth’s eyes flash while looking into Lord Helox’s eyes as he unfortunately turned towards her. Supporting him together, Beth and Jessie walk him towards the front of the podium.

“Few may remember me from centuries past, though here I stand before you yet again. If you desire to verify who I am, however, seek out the Ancient ones,” the Other states, before continuing on quickly. “However, to the task at hand, three judgements have been passed.”

“First, as of this moment all Winter Elixers have been rendered inert, the research and facilities removed from existence,” he states as murmurs rise. “However, worry not as, apart from one exception, none shall die in these coming months. Beginning at the antipode to this site, healing has begun, a resetting of sorts to the way one was. Currently, 150 million cases of pneumonia, 50 million cancers, 325 million missing limbs, and more have been healed.

“Now, however,” the Other continues as greater murmurs of confusion inhabit the hall, culminating with Lord Helox glowing. “One side effect shall make itself known upon Thul Winters, that is, the elimination of augmentation performed by necromancy, allowing him to continue living to this date.”

A very different man stands next to the podium, not young but not old, and very nearly the spitting image of the original Founder, prior to his dethroning by his offspring. Arie herself manages a small but significant slip in her visage while somehow holding herself back. Though the fact Jessie used a bit of the same magic Beth did earlier escapes her notice.

“The second judgement. For his sins, I have given Thul both a blessing and a curse. The blessing, that for the next 100 days he shall never be more than an inch close to death, as it were. An old blessing of mine, if you can find the records that is. The curse on the other hand, is this, that his material wealth in gold has been bound to his soul, and that upon reaching that inch, a single percentage of his wealth accumulated prior to this day shall burst forth from him, once per day. And fret not, it shall accumulate in the days unmolested through these 100 days.

“Nora Black, the more heinous perpetrator in these crimes, is excluded entirely from these blessings. I suggest following the black pillar to those seeking justice from crimes recent or remote.

“For those who have a new lease on life, as it were, I wish you well. These halcyon days of health shall not last forever, and may end when you least expect it. Farewell for now,” the Other finishes, with his symbol glowing large and white flashing into existence at the back of the stage before bursting. The light flutters down into the shape of a doorway, lighting up the stage in front of it.

As the Other turns and walks past Beth, Jessie, they release their grip on Thul Winters to bow deeply at his passing. Straightening immediately afterwards, they again turn towards Thul waiting but a moment until the Other passes beyond the light. Jessie moves swiftly towards his back and shatters his spine at the shoulder blades with a punch.

Thul falls to the ground, attempting to scream as the magic keeping him docile is abruptly canceled. Two oak spears materialize in their hands as the twins step on his wrists, then pinning his lungs to the stage in one fell swoop. Walking sedately towards the doorway of light, the twins take out a handkerchief to wipe their yet spotless hands, tossing away in dramatic fashion as the fabric bursts into flame.

Beth walks through the doorway first, as Jessie pauses briefly to the side of Arie Winters. Moving her hand in front of Arie’s face, she snaps, penetratingly loudly, undoing the light control placed upon her. Before Arie is able to react, Jessie walks through the doorway as well, with it collapsing immediately after her departure.

Seemingly simultaneously, the gathered employees, journalists, and other bystanders erupt into chaos at the same time as a veritable mountain of gold does the same from Thul’s chest, filling the stage. A sullen red pillar of fog appears to descend from the auditorium’s ceiling onto the epicenter of the metallic volcano, while Arie Winters struggles to stand.

“Hey Fenric, turn up the box will you, I want to hear this!” a young boy shouts to the shopkeeper the next stall over.

“Yeah, yeah, you and everybody else,” the old man says, leaning over his cabbages to increase the volume on the radio. “Ain’t nothing changed since this morning you know.”

The boy sticks out his tongue at the man while his mother roughly tussles his hair for disturbing the lack of peace.

“…and in a strange turn of events this fantastical pharmaceutical folly has begun to turn heads, especially at the extraordinary estimates of wealth. Despite a dearth of information, several serious scholars weighed in on the events of Winter’s woes. Several expert bankers and adventurers estimate that there was likely between 40 and 75 million gold coins. However, this is not the least of the worries of the madman Thul, as the identity of the red pillar of light has been seen in the past. Bartholomew Hitch, head of the Department of Extraordinary Magic Affairs at Northwind University had this to say.

“‘Several times throughout history, this red pillar makes itself known, reaching through mountains into the sky, though typically on small scales, becoming a legend amongst a community which spreads. While the details always change, the red pillar always marks someone who has found themselves on the wrong side of an argument with an Ancient only ever referred to as ‘Him.’ Eerily, the effects of the pillar are exactly as has happened here, keeping the individual from death and partially healing them once they are indeed ‘within an inch of their life.’

“Astounding! In other notable events, the positively profound healing heyday has led to acts of derring-do amongst the young, and rebound from retirement for the infirm or elderly!…”

“I must admit,” the old man says, speaking to the young man purchasing a bag of assorted vegetables, “my joints haven’t worked this well in years, and healing from cuts in minutes instead of weeks has been wonderful. Four quid. And if yer looking for bread, avoid that crotchety old man two stalls over, he’s….”

“You do realize you have single handedly destroyed most of an industry, right?” Beth asks Ted while sipping on tea.

“And?” he replies, taking a deep breath and long drink of tea himself.

“You condemned a man to pursuit by bounty hunters,” continues Jessie.

“And?”

“You single handedly started a civil war,” Madilyn states.

“Several this time, actually,” Sia corrects. “And those countries will be running out of restraints in about two months at this rate.”

“Several?!”

“And?”

“Those crazy priests have found their prophet-deity, and are starting a crusade,” Sidney states

“And?”

Rulers and the powerful will start bothering Ancient Dragons again…

“Perhaps, but I have informed them that all they need to do is direct them to the tallest peak surrounding the Great Dungeon, and if anybody gets sassy with them they can torture them with Dragonfire as much as they would like since they won’t die. Lots of pain, but no death at least. At least one of them is looking forward to it.”

“The rich and powerful will probably be hunting you down as well,” Sia says. “If you can do that to Thul, you can do that to anyone.”

“Then it is best they don’t hunt me down, as it were, no?” Ted replies with an evil grin.