The next morning, there was no battle waiting.
No enemies lurking.
No pressure to push forward.
Only preparation.
Pixelle's declaration still echoed in everyone's minds.
A wedding.
In just a few days.
But before celebration, there was work.
Jax spent the morning building a new Dimensional Gateway connecting the Fairy Village directly to Solmere.
What once would have seemed impossible had become almost routine.
Almost.
Runes formed beneath his hands.
Magic gathered.
Space distorted.
The air shimmered as the dimensional space opened up, leading to a dimensional storage room.
Stable.
Controlled.
Effortless.
At least, Jax made it look effortless.
He examined the gateway one final time.
"Looks good."
Pixelle hovered nearby at her natural size.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"You just created a permanent magical doorway between my kingdom and Solmere."
"Yep."
"In a morning."
"Pretty much."
Pixelle stared at him.
Jax shrugged.
"Let's head home."
They stepped through.
By late morning, Jax was back in Solmere.
The city hadn't stopped while he was gone.
If anything, it seemed to be moving faster.
Construction crews worked on new buildings.
Wagons rolled through increasingly busy streets.
Merchants called out to customers.
Children ran between shops.
Workers hauled lumber, stone, enchanted materials and goods from half a dozen different kingdoms.
Magic and industry were beginning to blend together in ways that hadn't existed before.
And everywhere Jax looked, something was changing.
Something was growing.
Someone spotted him.
"Boss is back!"
Several workers immediately looked over.
One man who had been leaning against a stack of lumber suddenly became extremely interested in moving it.
Jax smiled.
"Don't hurt yourself."
The man froze.
Laughter broke out around him.
"I was just getting back to work!"
"Thank you!"
"Thank you?"
"Thank you for holding down that lumber from growing legs and running off."
That only made the others laugh harder.
Even those being picked on by Jax felt it was both deserved and well intentioned. The man laughed and got back to work.
Jax continued down the street.
"Welcome back, Jax!"
"Good to see you!"
"How was the trip?"
"Bring back anything good?"
Jax glanced toward the last man.
"Maybe."
The merchant immediately perked up.
Jax pointed at him.
"Not for you, unless you have won a gold mine over the weekend."
"Not yet. Maybe next weekend!"
Jax laughed.
Pixelle floated beside him, watching.
People weren't merely acknowledging him.
They were happy to see him.
Not everyone stopped working.
Most didn't.
But heads turned.
Hands went up.
People smiled.
Jax knew names.
Asked questions.
Remembered projects.
At one construction site, a worker hurried over.
"Jax! We changed the support design you suggested."
Jax stopped.
"You did?"
The man's enthusiasm briefly faltered.
"Uh… yeah."
"Show me."
The worker led him toward the building.
He pointed toward several reinforced beams and quickly explained how they'd altered the design after discovering the original supports required too much material.
Jax listened.
Actually listened.
He asked two questions.
The worker answered both.
Jax looked up at the structure.
"That's better than my idea."
The man blinked.
"It is?"
"Uses less material. Looks stronger."
Jax turned toward the foreman.
"How much are we saving?"
"Maybe eight percent."
Jax nodded toward the worker.
"Give him ten percent of the first three months' savings."
The worker's mouth dropped open.
"Seriously?"
"You found it."
"But—"
"Next time, find me fifteen percent, and I will double it for twice as long."
The man grinned.
"I will."
"Good."
Jax continued walking.
Pixelle watched the worker hurry back toward the others.
He was practically glowing.
She looked around again.
At the city.
At the people.
Then at Jax.
"You built this?"
Jax smiled softly.
"We built this."
Pixelle looked at him.
Zee gestured toward the streets around them.
"That's the difference. Jax doesn't rule with fear."
Jax had already moved ahead.
"I don't rule at all!" He shouted as he turned a corner down an alleyway.
"We've got a lot to do."
The alley led them to the Brannic & Merriweather's.
Nyxian sighed.
"And there goes the peaceful vacation."
Bunny stretched.
"We got a whole day."
"A whole day," Nyxian repeated. "Such luxury."
Jax looked back.
"You might have gifts coming to you too."
Nyxian smiled.
"Really?"
The forge roared with life. They entered the back of the shop through a side entrance to avoid the crowd in the front.
Flames burned.
Metal rang.
Magic hummed through the air.
Brannic stood over an anvil when the side door reserved for friends and special guests opened.
He looked up.
Then toward the group entering behind Jax.
"Back already?"
"Miss me?"
"No."
"Good to see you too."
Brannic set his hammer down.
Merriweather emerged from the front of the shop.
Then froze.
Her eyes widened.
"Pixelle?"
Pixelle's face lit up.
"MERI!"
Magic shimmered around her.
Her tiny body rapidly grew.
Three inches became a foot.
Then three.
Then five.
By the time she reached Merriweather, she was nearly her full five-foot-six.
The two collided in a hug.
"You're here!"
"I'm here!"
"I missed you!"
"I MISSED YOU!"
Jax smiled.
"I nearly forgot."
Brannic grunted.
"Family."
Pixelle pulled back.
"I have news."
Merriweather immediately looked suspicious.
"What kind of news?"
Pixelle burst out.
"I'm getting married!"
Merriweather stared.
"Oh, please don't tell me..."
Pixelle beamed and grabbed Jax's arm.
Merriweather's eyes widened.
"OH!"
She looked at Jax.
Then at Pixelle.
Then back at Jax.
"Of course you are."
Her expression settled into acceptance.
"Right. Yeah. That tracks."
Nyxian burst out laughing.
"Has he met a beautiful woman who doesn't want to marry him?"
Jax looked at her.
"I've met plenty of attractive women that I'm not married or engaged to."
"Yes, but how many of them secretly want to marry you?"
"How would I know that?"
Nyxian smiled.
"Exactly."
Jax stared at her.
He didn't understand the logic.
More importantly, he knew better than to continue the conversation.
"So…"
He gestured toward the back of the forge.
"I brought presents."
Brannic's expression changed immediately.
"What kind?"
Jax smiled.
"The fun kind."
He brought his carriage around the back and had shadows start unloading the storage crates, while he unleashed his beast haul.
The first containers appeared.
Then another.
Then another.
Brannic stared.
Merriweather released Pixelle.
More crates appeared.
Ore.
Monster cores.
Ancient materials.
Weapons.
Armor.
Artifacts.
Containers of World Tree fragments.
Samples collected from creatures and plants throughout the raid.
The two barrels of Time Sap.
Pieces of the Ancient Root Dragon.
Brannic slowly crossed his arms.
"How much did you bring?"
Jax looked toward him.
"A lot."
Brannic grunted.
"Should've known."
For the next hour, the forge became less a workshop and more an archaeological expedition.
Brannic and Merriweather went through everything.
Not quickly.
Not casually.
Jax didn't rush them.
These were the people he'd brought the materials to because they understood things he didn't.
Brannic lifted one of the S-rank swords recovered from the World Tree.
He tested its balance.
Inspected the edge.
Ran his thumb along the flat of the blade.
He examined the runes.
Then tested the metal.
"Good."
Jax looked over.
"Just good?"
Brannic gave him an annoyed look.
"Very good."
"That's better."
"I won't say it was mine."
Brannic set the sword down.
He picked up another.
Then an axe.
Then a piece of armor.
Each received the same careful inspection.
"Whoever made these knew what they were doing."
Bunny looked at the piles.
"So you can sell them?"
Brannic looked at her.
"I can."
"Great."
"But not as mine."
Jax raised an eyebrow.
Brannic gestured toward the weapons.
"I didn't forge these."
"No one said you did."
"And no one walking into my shop is going to think I did."
He picked up the sword again.
"Good blade. Better than what most adventurers will ever own."
He put it down.
"But it doesn't get my mark."
Jax smiled.
"You don't want them in your shop."
"I didn't say that."
Brannic crossed his arms.
"I'll sell them for you if that's what you want. I'll repair them. I'll tell anyone who asks that they're excellent weapons."
He pointed toward the blade.
"But they'll be labeled for what they are."
Jax looked at him.
"World Tree treasure."
"Aye."
Jax's smile slowly grew.
Brannic noticed.
"What?"
"I just had an idea."
Brannic sighed.
"Of course you did."
Merriweather wasn't listening anymore.
She was staring at one of the World Tree materials.
A sap-infused fragment rested between her fingers.
Magic shimmered faintly within it.
She turned it.
Examined it from another angle.
Her wings fluttered faster.
"Jax."
"Yeah?"
"Do you understand what this could do?"
"Make me richer?"
Zee folded her arms.
"Is that even possible?"
Jax smiled.
"I'd like to find out."
Merriweather ignored them.
"This is saturated with life energy."
Zee moved closer.
"How much?"
"I don't know."
Merriweather's expression had completely changed.
She wasn't joking anymore.
She was fascinated.
"This isn't simply stored mana. The material itself is still reacting."
She placed it on the workbench.
A thin line of magic flowed from her fingers into the fragment.
The damaged edge of the material shifted.
Barely.
But it shifted.
Brannic saw it.
He moved closer.
"Again."
Merriweather repeated the test.
The fragment reacted.
Brannic stared.
"It repaired itself."
"Partially."
Merriweather looked toward the other materials.
"If I can understand how the life energy is bound into this…"
She trailed off.
Brannic looked toward the Vixens.
Then their weapons.
World Breaker.
Starpiercer.
Sanctaris.
Lilith's Kiss.
Finally, his eyes moved toward Jax.
Toward Peacemaker.
Merriweather followed his gaze.
The two looked at each other.
Jax noticed.
"What?"
Brannic nodded toward the fragment.
"Think you can bind that into their existing enchantments?"
Merriweather considered it.
"Maybe."
"Armor?"
"Possibly."
"Weapons?"
"More difficult."
"Didn't ask if it was easy."
Merriweather smiled.
"I want to try."
Jax looked between them.
"Just what I wanted to hear."
Merriweather picked up the fragment.
"If we're right, this could potentially allow enchanted equipment to repair damage to itself."
Zee's eyes widened.
"And if the life energy can be transferred through the enchantment…"
Merriweather nodded.
"It might be possible to provide some regenerative effect to the wearer."
Silence.
Bunny looked down at herself.
Then at World Breaker.
"Can you add that to ours?"
Merriweather smiled.
"That's exactly what we're asking."
Nyxian immediately began removing equipment. Jax had to remind the Vixens that their armor was already scant enough that removing the wrong pieces could leave them naked.
Nyxian scoffed as she undid her top.
"Take it."
Jax laughed.
"We don't even know if it'll work."
Nyxian handed Lilith's Kiss toward Merriweather.
"Then find out."
Bunny followed.
Then Zee.
Llandra hesitated only long enough to look at Starpiercer before passing it over.
Jax removed his own equipment. He still had a T-shirt and shorts on.
Almost all of it.
Nyxian noticed the two pistols that remained with him.
"Not Infernal Requiem?"
Jax shook his head.
"They're already perfect."
"Of course they are."
Jax looked toward Pixelle.
"Leave your scepter too."
Pixelle blinked.
"My scepter?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Trust me."
She stared at him for a moment.
Then smiled.
"Okay."
Pixelle handed it to Merriweather.
The moment she released it, magic shimmered around her.
She began shrinking.
Five feet.
Three.
One.
Then back to her natural three-inch height.
She hovered in the air.
Merriweather looked from the scepter to Pixelle.
Then at Jax.
Her eyes narrowed.
Jax gave her the slightest nod.
Merriweather's eyes widened.
"Oh."
Pixelle looked between them.
"Oh what?"
"Nothing."
"That was absolutely an 'oh something.'"
Jax pointed toward the rest of the materials.
"You've got plenty to work on."
Pixelle floated closer.
"What are you two doing?"
"Nothing."
"You are terrible at this."
Jax smiled.
"Trust me."
Pixelle crossed her tiny arms.
"I already did."
"And I'm appreciating it."
She stared at him suspiciously.
Then finally floated back toward Lexi.
Jax waited until the others became distracted before pulling Merriweather aside.
He lowered his voice.
"You saw what happened."
Merriweather looked down at the scepter.
"It isn't simply changing her size."
"That's what I thought."
"The magic is interacting with Pixelle herself."
"Could you recreate it?"
Merriweather looked at him sharply.
"For Pixelle?"
"For fairies."
Her expression changed.
Jax continued.
"A ring. Necklace. Something they could wear."
"To make themselves larger."
"Big-person size."
Merriweather looked toward Pixelle and Lexi.
Both hovered near Bunny, who was examining one of the recovered pieces of armor.
Merriweather looked back at the scepter.
"I don't know."
Jax smiled.
"Good answer."
She laughed softly.
"The enchantment would have to be keyed specifically to fairy magic."
"So no putting one on me and making me a hundred feet tall?"
"Afraid not."
Jax somehow managed to look both disappointed and relieved.
Merriweather stared at him.
"I suppose that's probably for the best."
"Probably."
"Although—"
"No."
"I didn't say anything."
"You were about to."
Merriweather grinned.
She turned the scepter over in her hands.
"I think I understand what you're trying to do."
"Can you do it?"
"I don't know."
Her eyes lit with excitement.
"But I desperately want to find out."
"That's why I brought it to you."
Merriweather suddenly hugged him.
Jax laughed and returned it.
"We'll get started immediately."
She pulled back.
"We're about to be family, Jax Darquebane."
Jax smiled.
"Yeah."
He walked toward Brannic.
The dwarf looked at him.
Jax held out his arm.
Brannic clasped it.
A warrior's handshake.
Firm.
Respectful.
Jax looked him in the eyes.
"You two are already family."
Brannic said nothing.
His grip tightened.
Just slightly.
That was enough.
Then Brannic looked at the enormous amount of equipment spread throughout his forge.
They had already told Jax which pieces of beasts and materials that they wanted to work on, and that much of the other treasures like armor, weapons, seeds, and miscellaneous potions weren't of much use to them.
Jax left what they wanted and packed back up the rest.
"Get out."
Jax blinked.
"What?"
"I have work to do."
"That's the gratitude I get?"
"Aye."
"Come on."
"Out."
Jax smiled.
"Fine."
He turned toward the others.
"We've got another stop anyway."
Brannic groaned.
"Gods help whoever it is."
The moment Jax stepped into Grathok's shop, the troll looked up.
Then he saw the Vixens behind him.
Then the expression on Jax's face.
Grathok sighed.
"No."
Jax smiled.
"Hello to you too."
"No."
"I haven't said anything."
"You have that look."
"What look?"
"The profitable one."
Jax grinned.
"Got some new materials."
Grathok leaned back.
Then smirked.
He nodded toward the door leading to his dimensional warehouse.
"Is that going to be enough room?"
He was joking.
Jax looked toward the door.
"For the first round, yes."
Grathok's smirk remained.
"But we might need to find somewhere else for the second and third rounds."
The troll waited.
Jax looked at him.
Grathok continued waiting.
Jax didn't laugh.
"Are you ready for the first round?"
Grathok's smile slowly disappeared.
"By the buried gods."
He stood.
"What did you bring me this time?"
Jax opened his personal System Storage and selected the materials he wanted.
To everyone else, it looked like the sort of storage magic the world had long since grown accustomed to.
Beast materials began appearing across the warehouse floor.
"Come look."
Grathok followed.
The first batch came out.
Monster materials.
Hides.
Claws.
Fangs.
Carapaces.
Bones.
Venom sacs.
Rare organs.
Preserved pieces from creatures Grathok had never seen.
World Tree materials.
Pieces of creatures that hadn't existed anywhere else for thousands of years.
Grathok stopped speaking.
That alone was impressive.
He picked up one piece.
Then another.
He turned toward Jax.
"Where?"
"World Tree."
Grathok stared.
"You went inside?"
"Yep."
"And you brought me this?"
"That's round one."
Grathok slowly looked toward the remaining storage.
"Round one."
"Yep."
The troll closed his eyes.
Then opened them.
"I am going to make an obscene amount of money."
Nyxian leaned against the wall.
"You already make an obscene amount of money."
Grathok shook his head.
"No."
He held up one of the rare fragments.
"This is different."
He looked toward Jax.
"You're not just making me rich anymore."
"You're giving me enough rare material to influence markets."
Jax nodded.
"Let's make sure we influence them in our favor."
Grathok grinned.
"Oh, I like you."
"Good. Because I've got another idea."
Grathok's grin disappeared.
"Those words always cost me work."
"And make you money."
"Which is why I keep listening."
Jax gestured toward another section of his storage.
Weapons began appearing.
Armor.
Artifacts.
S-rank equipment recovered from the World Tree.
Grathok stared.
"Those aren't beast materials."
"Nope."
"Why are they here?"
"Brannic doesn't want to sell them as his work."
"Reasonable."
"He'll authenticate their quality, but he wants them clearly identified as World Tree treasure."
Grathok picked up one of the weapons.
His expression became thoughtful.
Jax smiled.
"You remember the trophies we auctioned?"
Grathok immediately understood.
"Yes."
"Those did pretty well."
"Pretty well?"
Grathok looked offended.
"Collectors were threatening each other over bidding rights."
"Exactly."
Jax gestured toward the equipment.
"So let's expand."
Grathok slowly smiled.
"Not just beast materials."
"Rare weapons."
"Artifacts."
"Armor."
"Dungeon treasures."
"World Tree treasures."
"Anything with a story."
Jax nodded.
"Authenticated."
Grathok's eyes moved across the pile.
"Provenance."
"Exactly."
Grathok held up the S-rank weapon.
"This isn't simply an S-rank weapon anymore."
"No."
"It's an S-rank weapon recovered from a World Tree."
Jax smiled.
"Conquered by the Vixens."
Grathok's grin widened.
"That part will cost buyers extra."
"That's what I'm counting on."
Grathok set the weapon down.
"Twenty percent."
Jax stared at him.
"What?"
"My commission."
"No."
Grathok's eyebrows rose.
"No?"
"Our twenty-percent agreement is for beast materials."
"Correct."
"This isn't beast material."
"Also correct."
"So this is outside our existing agreement."
Grathok slowly nodded.
"It is."
Jax smiled.
"I was thinking ten percent."
Grathok stared at him.
"Since it is outside our existing agreement, I was thinking forty percent."
Jax laughed.
"Forty?"
"You heard me."
"You're not selling these. You're robbing me."
"I provide the buyers."
"I provide the merchandise."
"My buyers have money."
"My merchandise gives them something worth spending it on."
"Thirty-five."
"Twelve."
Grathok leaned forward.
"Thirty-five."
"You didn't move."
"I considered moving."
"You have to actually change the number."
"I changed it in my heart."
Jax pointed toward the weapons.
"These are going to sell for ridiculous amounts because they came from a World Tree conquered by the Vixens. Twelve percent."
"And without my network, you'll sell them to whichever wealthy idiot happens to walk past your shop. Thirty-two."
"I know wealthy idiots."
"You know idiots without money."
Jax stopped.
Grathok smiled.
"I know old wealthy idiots."
"That was insulting."
"It was supposed to be."
"Fourteen."
"Thirty."
"Fifteen."
"Twenty-eight."
"Sixteen."
"Twenty-seven."
Their voices grew louder.
Pixelle looked toward Lexi.
Lexi looked back.
Jax stepped closer to Grathok.
"You're getting an entire new auction business handed to you!"
"And you're getting my entire buyer network!"
"With my merchandise!"
"With my reputation!"
"I helped build that reputation!"
"I was rich before you arrived!"
"Not this rich!"
Grathok jabbed a finger toward Jax.
"Twenty-five!"
"Eighteen!"
"Twenty-four!"
"Eighteen!"
"You didn't move!"
"I'm holding strong."
Grathok stared.
Jax smiled.
"Eighteen and a half percent."
Grathok's eyes narrowed.
Pixelle slowly moved closer to Nyxian.
"Should we stop them?"
Nyxian didn't even look concerned.
"No."
"They're yelling."
"They do that."
Lexi watched Grathok lean over Jax.
"Are they going to fight?"
Nyxian smiled.
"They're having fun."
Pixelle stared at her.
"This is fun?"
"For them."
Jax slapped one hand against the counter.
"Nineteen!"
Grathok slammed his palm down.
"Twenty-two!"
"Nineteen!"
"Twenty-one!"
"Twenty!"
"Twenty!"
Silence.
Jax held out his hand.
Grathok grabbed it.
"Done."
"Done."
Both men immediately relaxed.
Grathok smiled.
Jax smiled back.
"Good doing business with you."
"Always."
Pixelle stared.
Lexi stared.
"What just happened?" Pixelle asked.
Nyxian shrugged.
"Boy bonding."
Lexi looked toward her.
"Boy bonding?"
"Some sort of weird thing those two do."
Bunny nodded.
"They always do this."
Pixelle looked between Jax and Grathok.
"They almost fought over twenty percent."
Nyxian smiled.
"No. They fought their way back to twenty percent."
Pixelle frowned.
"Wasn't that already their agreement?"
"Yep."
Pixelle stared at the two men.
Jax and Grathok were already discussing auction schedules as though nothing had happened.
Pixelle slowly shook her head.
"Big people are strange."
Lexi nodded.
"Very."
Eldrich's laboratory hadn't become less chaotic.
If anything, it had gotten worse.
Jax stepped around something that appeared to be half a chair attached to a magical crystal.
He decided not to ask.
Eldrich was bent over a workbench.
He didn't look up.
"Put it somewhere."
Jax stopped.
"Put what somewhere?"
"Whatever you've brought me."
"You haven't looked."
"You came here voluntarily."
Eldrich adjusted something beneath a lens.
"That means you either have a question, an idea, or something you don't understand."
Jax smiled.
"All three actually."
Eldrich finally looked up.
Then he saw the barrels.
His expression changed.
"What are those?"
"Something I have a question about, an idea on how it might work, and something I don't truly understand."
Eldrich immediately abandoned whatever he'd been working on.
"Excellent."
Jax pointed.
"This one accelerates time."
Eldrich stopped.
Jax pointed toward the second.
"This one slows it."
Eldrich looked at him.
Then the barrels.
Then Jax again.
"You brought me time-altering tree sap."
"Pretty much."
"From where?"
"World Tree."
Eldrich walked around the first barrel.
"How dramatic is the effect?"
"Depends on exposure."
"Localized?"
"As far as I could tell."
"Living material?"
"Definitely."
"Nonliving?"
"Didn't test enough to know."
Eldrich looked annoyed.
"You had time-altering sap and didn't test it?"
"I was busy fighting in a World Tree."
"Poor excuse for ignoring possibly the greatest discovery in several lifetimes."
Jax laughed.
"You said the same thing when you were working on the anti-gravity boots, that you never got to work."
"I have discovered 957 ways that they will not work, and that puts me closer to the answer."
"What were you planning on using them for?"
"With the boots on, I can walk up the walls and ceiling and clean the spider webs in the corner of the room."
Jax turned to look at the corner to indeed see spiderwebs forming.
"Um, you can use a broom and clean those off now."
"No! That is why I need the boots to work."
Jax just laughed again.
Eldrich opened the first container.
He didn't touch the sap.
Instead, he studied it.
His eyes narrowed.
He moved to the second barrel.
Repeated the process.
Then returned to the first.
Minutes passed.
Nobody interrupted him.
Finally, Eldrich spoke.
"The sap isn't the interesting part."
Jax raised an eyebrow.
"It's Time Sap."
"Yes."
Eldrich waved dismissively.
"The name is descriptive, not useful."
He leaned closer.
"The sap is carrying something."
"Something?"
"Maybe."
"That's specific."
"I've had it for four minutes."
"Fair."
Eldrich's eyes never left the sample.
"The effect isn't uniform throughout the material. There are concentrations. Patterns."
He frowned.
"Could be a catalyst."
"Magical structure."
"Something biological."
"Some interaction between them."
Zee stepped closer.
"You don't know."
"Correct."
Jax smiled.
"I like when you say that."
Eldrich looked at him.
"Why?"
"Means we're about to learn something."
Eldrich considered that.
"Acceptable."
He turned back toward the sap.
"If whatever produces the effect can be isolated…"
Jax waited.
"Then what?"
"Then the sap may be irrelevant."
That got everyone's attention.
Jax stepped closer.
"Explain."
Eldrich pointed toward the barrel.
"This is the delivery mechanism."
"Maybe."
"The World Tree produced it. Something within it produces the temporal effect. If I can determine what that something is…"
He looked toward Jax.
"Then I may be able to reproduce it."
Jax's eyes sharpened.
"Without more sap."
"If I'm right."
"And control it?"
"I didn't say that."
"Can you?"
"I don't know."
Jax smiled.
"Good enough for me."
Eldrich frowned at him.
"You've been spending too much time with Merriweather."
"Probably."
Eldrich returned to the barrel.
"The more useful question is whether the effect can be weakened."
"Weakened?"
"This is absurdly concentrated."
He gestured toward the sap.
"Most practical applications would not require anything remotely this powerful."
Jax nodded slowly.
"So isolate whatever makes it work."
"Then reproduce it."
"And dumb it down."
Eldrich looked offended.
"Refine it."
"Dumb it down."
"Refine."
"Make it do less."
"With precision."
"Dumb it down precisely."
Eldrich stared at him.
Nyxian laughed.
Eldrich ignored her.
"If this works, then yes. We might be able to create controlled derivatives with only a fraction of the original effect."
"Might?"
"Might."
Jax nodded.
"That's enough."
Eldrich looked at him.
"Enough for what?"
"To know I brought it to the right person."
Eldrich seemed satisfied with that.
Then he looked toward the others.
"We'll eventually need to determine what excessive exposure does."
Jax pointed toward the barrel.
"On plants."
Eldrich frowned.
"Plants provide incomplete biological data."
"Plants."
"Eventually, we should test the effect on a more complex living—"
"Plant."
Eldrich sighed.
"Fine."
He looked thoughtful.
"Do you know anyone you dislike?"
"No."
Nyxian raised one finger.
"Hold on. Don't be too hasty."
Jax turned toward her.
"No."
"I haven't said anything yet."
"Yes you have."
Nyxian began counting on her fingers.
"There was that man at the bar the other week who said my horns made him horny too."
Bunny winced.
"That's terrible."
"Exactly. Candidate one."
"No."
"The woman who said my skirt was too short."
Bunny looked at her.
"Your rear WAS showing."
Nyxian pointed at her.
"Irrelevant."
"It really was."
Nyxian raised another finger.
"And the person who said my singing sounded like a dying animal."
Bunny immediately perked up.
"That was me! And it did!"
Nyxian slowly turned toward her.
Her smile grew.
"Excellent."
Bunny's expression changed.
Nyxian pointed.
"We already have a volunteer."
"Wait a bit!"
Jax raised both hands.
"NO."
Eldrich looked between them.
Jax pointed at him.
"No human experiments."
Eldrich opened his mouth.
Jax saw it coming.
"No sentient experiments."
Eldrich closed his mouth.
Nyxian looked disappointed.
"You ruined my list."
"You should not have a list."
"I have several lists."
"I don't want to know."
"Smart."
Eldrich turned back toward the barrels.
"Plants first."
"Plants only."
"For now."
"Eldrich."
"Plants."
Jax stared at him.
Eldrich sighed.
"Fine."
Jax nodded toward the barrels.
"Take samples."
Eldrich looked at him.
"Samples?"
"I'm keeping the rest."
"You brought me two barrels."
"I brought you access to two barrels."
"That's significantly less exciting."
"Figure out what makes them work and you won't need the barrels."
Eldrich paused.
Then slowly smiled.
"That's a much more interesting problem."
Jax smiled back.
"Exactly."
By the time they stepped back onto the streets of Solmere, the afternoon was beginning to fade.
They had left behind a remarkable amount of treasure.
Weapons.
Armor.
Monster materials.
World Tree materials.
Time Sap samples.
Pixelle's scepter.
And somehow Jax felt like he'd returned with more than he'd left.
Brannic and Merriweather had new problems to solve.
Grathok had a new market to build.
Eldrich had something he didn't understand.
Which meant Eldrich was probably happier than anyone.
Pixelle hovered beside Lexi as they followed Jax through the city.
Workers were beginning to wrap up parts of their day.
Others were changing shifts.
Wagons continued moving.
Shops remained crowded.
Solmere didn't stop.
Ahead of them, someone called out.
"Jax!"
He stopped.
A young worker hurried toward him.
"Sorry. Just wanted to show you something."
Jax turned.
"What've you got?"
The worker began explaining.
Pixelle didn't understand half of it.
Something about a loading system.
A change they'd made.
Less time moving crates.
Fewer people needed for the same work.
Jax listened.
He asked questions.
The worker answered.
Then Jax smiled.
"That's clever."
The young man's face lit up.
"You think so?"
"Yeah."
Jax looked toward the nearby supervisor.
"Test it for a week. If the numbers hold up, use it everywhere."
The worker blinked.
"Everywhere?"
"If it works."
Jax looked back at him.
"And if you've got another idea, don't wait for me to come back before you tell someone."
"Yes, sir."
Jax started walking again.
The worker hurried away.
Pixelle watched him go.
Then she looked around Solmere.
At the buildings.
The shops.
The workers.
The magic.
The machines.
The people who seemed to be constantly finding new ways to do things.
Then she looked at Jax.
He wasn't watching them.
He'd already moved on to whatever was next.
Pixelle drifted closer to Lexi.
"I understand it now."
Lexi looked at her.
"What?"
Pixelle watched Jax disappear deeper into the crowd, Bunny and Zee beside him while Llandra and Nyxian followed.
She smiled.
"Why they believe in him."
Lexi looked toward Jax.
Then around Solmere.
A city that wasn't finished.
Maybe it never would be.
There would always be something else to improve.
Something else to build.
Something else to discover.
Lexi smiled.
"Yeah."
Pixelle flew after him.
She had come to Solmere thinking about a wedding.
Now she found herself thinking about everything that would come after it.