Saurains advance their realm the most basic way, by finding others and devouring other saurians, or more specifically, their cores. Naturally, other ways exist in which they evolve, some spend years drawing in mana, or devouring various combinations of herbs, effectively mimicking alchemy. Another quick approach involves consuming us, the awakened who wander into their territories.

  — Excerpt from The Saurian Primer

  Day 106, 12:20 PM

  I told Newstar to leave me alone until the tournament ended, which gave me enough time to run through loops. The first thirteen days of loop one I spent doing alchemy, and pushing my alchemist level to four, fifth was impossible for me, since it required me not to use crafted tools to make an elixir. A feat not that difficult for a mage dedicated to alchemy, but impossible for a realm knight.

  On the fourteenth day, I returned and spoke with Newstar. As expected, he had won the tournament. It wasn’t pretty, but he won.

  “I apologize. I was out of town on an emergency. Did you try to schedule an appointment?” I said as soon as he answered my summons and arrived at my private lounge.

  The youth nodded, but didn’t seem to resent the fact that I was absent. “It’s all right.”

  Since he remained silent, I spoke.

  “Now, I have been thinking.” And really, after the initial excitement had died down, I had spent the sprint over to Thunderbluff considering what I could have done better in our conversation, and found some holes. Nothing worth a Redo, but as always in real life, imperfections existed.

  “I offered to give you a realm blueprint, but did not ask whether you knew how to scribe? At what level are you writing and drawing skills?”

  Newstar stared blankly, processing the question. “I don’t know. I never considered it.”

  “Hammer,” I shouted. “Fetch us some paper and writing implements.”

  Five minutes later the youth was drawing several seals I sketched for him, including the ones he knew, and the quality was appalling. Still, the effort gave me the basics of what he could do and an idea on how to train him.

  “All right, that was bad, but not horrible. This one is even passable.” I pointed at the rune for strength. “Now, let me guess, you came over to visit me on the first day after we had our conversation, right?”

  Newstar nodded with some embarrassment.

  “That is fine. Tell me, what did you want to discuss? We can talk about it now.”

  He bit his lip and looked down, before looking back up and meeting my gaze.

  “I wanted to discuss the terms of our cooperation, and what my duties would entail.”

  I smiled. He had refined his request and condensed it, making it sound as formal as he could think of. Having thoughts stew often brought about good results.

  “I would lead you to a safe, secluded location, where I plan to reset my realm. Your job will be to handle any attackers, but I expect none. Unfortunately, it would be unsafe for you to shape your realm while on guard, but reading books is fine.”

  We discussed several other technicalities regarding his duty and when we would be setting off, until the boy left.

  I spent a dozen loops compiling a custom seal scribing manual for him, including instructions on how to use a brush and a quill, how to move his arm, about a dozen common seals meant for novices, and two hundred runes I believed the likeliest to add to his realm.

  I had tested the idea of using runes for realm shapes, and they worked, even if they burned a portion of the realm’s mana. The expenditure was negligible, especially since Newstar passively gathered mana as if he were actively drawing it.

  Newstar did several tests, eliciting further changes, removal of content he already knew, and adding further explanations to some concepts. The difficulty of everything should have been fairly balanced, but he showed a natural affinity towards subjects relating to fire and earth, but aversion towards air and water. It was an interesting finding, one I filed away for later.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Finally, after some six months of trial and error, I was ready for the loop which would stick.

  Instead of heading to Thunderbluff, I remained in my keep, spending the afternoon and the entire night writing a manual for Newstar.

  I took a two-hour nap just after sunrise, and a knock on my study door awakened me.

  “Townlord, Newstar Salamandra is here to see you.”

  “Thank you, Hammer, tell him I will see him in two hours, and fetch my brother. I have some things to discuss with him. Bring him to the lounge.”

  Blackbush knocked on the door and entered the room without waiting for an answer. I liked the name I got. It was countless times better than Blackbush, which reminded me of pubic hair. I still can’t understand what his and Dandelion’s father was thinking when he named them.

  “Sit.” I motioned with more sharpness and less courtesy than I reserved for Newstar. Even after I tried resolving our differences, Blackbush was out to harm me, so it was time to sever that at the root.

  “I have submitted a request at Thunderbluff to be relieved of duty. The citylord will finalize it in some two moons, and I will recommend you as the townlord. Do you object?”

  His eyes went wide with shock. It was the first time doing the conversation, since I didn’t deem it important enough, so the dumbfounded look was entertaining, rather than boring.

  “Naturally, you would take over the gang as well,” I continued. “But be sure to keep your back safe. We have a lot of backstabbers in our midst.”

  I smiled at the warning’s irony, and my smile further disconcerted him.

  “Why?”

  A good question, born out of sharp survival instincts.

  I shrugged. “I realized I could do better given my realm. You will see it too, if you milk this backwater enough to reach the third realm. That’s the reason the imperials hired us. No initiate worth his mana would come here, so they baited the dumb bandit.”

  Blackbush scowled at the implicit insult, since I was baiting a bandit to do the exact same job in my stead.

  “It’s not that bad until your realm increases. But the decision is up to you.”

  Blackbush kept glaring. “What will you do?”

  “Mercenary work at Thunderbluff for starters. I’ll reconsider the matter once I ascend to the fourth realm; questors have better opportunities.”

  He eyed me suspiciously, but agreed after an extended silence, and then left. With over an hour left before my meeting with Newstar, I went back to work on apothecary to level up so I could finally switch to alchemist in a loop which would stick.

  Funny thing about working on something you’re invested in… I was at it for a minute or so, and an hour passed, with Hammer kindly reminding me it was time for my meeting.

  I received the young man in the lounge and offered him tea, which he refused. I poured myself a cup all the same. After mastering the art of brewing it properly, I could drink buckets of the thing.

  “What do you stand to gain from investing your time in me?” Newstar asked once I focused on him.

  His lack of self-confidence was already starting to get on my nerves, possibly because I had seen him single-handedly strangle three eldritch horrors during the later stages of his life.

  “I have already told you.” A sigh escaped me. “I wish to establish a positive relationship with you. It should pay off in the long run, but even just the day we spent discussing realms yesterday has given me an excellent hypothesis and direction in which I wish to evolve my own after I wipe the slate clean. Do you understand that much?”

  Newstar moved his head, as if about to nod, but stopped himself. “Why do you need a positive relationship with me?”

  “Oh, for the love of—” He was really getting on my nerves. “Listen. Do you agree you have talent and unusual ideas about realm sculpting?”

  Thank heavens he nodded, otherwise I would’ve strangled him.

  “Do you think you would benefit from talking with someone who also has thoughts which deviate from the norm, that also differ from yours, but might be useful or inspirational?”

  He considered my words and nodded.

  “Do you think this is easier to achieve if the other person hates your guts?”

  This time, he shook his head immediately.

  “Well, what is it you do not understand about why I wish to establish a rapport with you?”

  “Why me?”

  “I will slap you dead if you ask that again. Are you looking for me to stoke your ego or something? You came up with that idea about a volcano at what? Fifteen? Sixteen? While digging in a hole. As a non-awakened. What will happen once you have proper education, insight, and experience? Think, damn it! Think!”

  I stopped myself before actually shouting at the dense, insecure youth. Then I recalled his history and calmed, lowering my voice. He was a tortured soul, no wonder he had no confidence, despite his achievements.

  “Listen. You need to find a way to channel and hone your genius. Alchemy, forging, seal scribing, something. Learning an established art in a systematic manner will help you put your thoughts in order and teach you how to approach problems. You are thrashing about blindly right now.”

  At some point, we discussed his interest in seal scribing, but my mind was slipping. When? Too many similar loops, something I told myself I wouldn’t do again. Did the conversation in which he hinted his interest happen for him? Best pretend I forgot. His empty gaze made it easier.

  “You have no idea what I am talking about.” I stood and went over to the bookcase behind which he hid when I spoke with his former sweetheart. I picked up the book I had just finished some hours ago and threw it to him casually.

  “I wrote that to systemize my thoughts and knowledge about seals. I lack a mindcore, and cannot see the flow of mana, but this booklet addresses the scribing process and the theory itself. Combined with your dualcore, I think you’ll be scribing spell seals long before I get to do it. Not to mention it will help with your realm sculpting.”