I spent the next few weeks in training, and in this case, that mostly meant building houses. It was honestly the most fun I’d ever had. Learning to hang floor joists, putting up drywall, do tile, it was all just so much fun. Mostly I just carried things to get as much mana as possible into as many muscles as I could.
Getting the kiln built, then the mill, took a few days, and quite a bit of cash from Alistair. Once that was done though, we tore through quite a few trees, and after I was paid for the tools we needed, combined with the large group of knights and my own people, we managed to crank out not one, not two, but TEN miniature homes for people to live in, and we’d already gotten started on the finalized plans for the base.
More than just the wood, the felled trees opened up more space for us inside the forest, beyond the circular clearing. I even sold off the stumps to clear them out, allowing for easy clearance and a bit of extra profit.
By the end of the month, I’d made serious progress for myself, not to mention managed to boost Alice to Beginner, as well as about ten of the Knights hitting Initiate. With some consistent overhead on fruit sales, and some deductions from the houses that I’d paid for out of pocket, I’d officially hit a hundred thousand dollars again.
Speaker - Tin Rank. Verbosity: 33/100
Skills:
Purchase- Level 10: Pay a commensurate amount of money for things of value.
Sell- Level 12: Exchange goods for currency.
Contract- Level 11: Form an agreement with another party, involving compensation for a specific task.
Perks:
Tier 1 Contract perk-Empathic read: Discern the basic emotions and intentions of the target of a negotiation.
Tier 1 Mana Body Perk-Mana touched: Double mana regeneration.
Tier 1 Sell Perk- Analysis: obtain basic information about potential purchase items once spotted
Tier 1 Purchase Perk-Treasure sense: feel an instinctive tug toward valuable materials.
Unaffiliated Skills: Beginner Mana Body- Level 16: A body imbued with a wisp of mana, minorly increased strength, speed, and endurance. Natural mana generation.
Mana: 7.2/7.2
Funds: $100,000
Aside from netting several levels in mana body (sadly my one fruit per point advancement rate had slowed considerably even at the second fruit, and was still dropping), I’d hit level ten with my Purchase skill and netted myself my last perk, an interesting ability called treasure sense.
At first I’d assumed it was useless since I already had analysis, but it turned out treasure sense wasn’t made for close range. The instinctive pull towards valuables worked over longer distances, and had led me to several useful trinkets down in the necropolis the few times we’d gone back in. Nothing too valuable, but it had been a big part of building up my current nest egg.
Of course, that wasn’t what was really important right now. With a hundred thousand on hand, it was time for me to finally start my search for more patterns. Soon enough I’d be hitting ten and stepping into the next tier. I’d have three slots for patterns, not to mention I would be able to start making braids. The only problem was that I had to buy patterns directly off people, which introduced an element of risk to the proceedings, so I got in touch with the one person I trusted most in the wordworld. Esther.
“So, let me get this straight,” my landlord said archly. “You have magic powers, but not normal magic, special magic that lets you add or remove patterns instantly, and you need me to help you find people who are willing to let you remove theirs for money. You’ll put them back, but removing them once means you can add them again to anyone at any time. Is that about it?”
“For all intents and purposes, yes,” I confirmed. “There’s other things going on, but it’s not really relevant. I’ll tell you if you want to know, but I figured it would be best for you if I keep things vague.”
She snorted. “Gee, how thoughtful,” she said dryly. “But fine, you’re not wrong. That’s already plenty. As for your question…that’s going to be tough. Asking someone risk their pattern?”
“I mean, is it a risk?” I asked with a shrug. “Think about it. My ability to remove patterns is basically unheard of, right? If I have that power chances are I have the other one, so putting it back is easy enough. Or I have neither and nothing happens. The only risk is if I have JUST the ability to remove them but not replace them, but if that was the case why would I go through all this trouble?”
She frowned at me, looking pensive. “Look, I trust you, Gus,” she said after a moment. “But this isn’t going to be an easy sell. The very idea of it goes against every instinct a mage has. I can maybe make something happen, but you need to be ready to pay for it. At a premium.”
“Agreed,” I said instantly. “If you can find people willing to take the risk I’ll pay them directly AND pay to replace their patterns. They’ll net a sweet payout for no actual risk. You have my word.”
Staring at me for a moment, she finally nodded. “Alright, I might know a few people. Older mages who haven’t ever had an opportunity to reach the next tier. They’re more concerned with money than power. I can make introductions, and if things go well they can vouch for you to other, less limited prospects. I assume you want to hide your identity?”
“I do,” I confirmed. “But it shouldn’t be too difficult. I take it none of these people are using information or identification patterns? If such a thing exists.”
“They do,” she confirmed. “But they aren’t common. And no one who has one is liable to be willing to give it up. The patterns I’m offering are substantially less grandiose. Basic things. Force Push, Earth Stomp, entry level patterns that lead nowhere.”
As far as she knew. I could afford to try different combinations, but even without that, I knew it would be useful to have access to more abilities. “I’ll do it,” I said enthusiastically. “When can we start?” I had already been planning to play things close to the vest, so I’d picked up a mask my last time back on earth. It was easy enough to snag one from a good will, and Analysis had been an excellent helper for making sure I got something of decent quality.
After she agreed and left to reach out to her people, I went ahead and began setting up. A mask, a hooded coat, gloves, dark slacks and a dark sweater. I looked about as stereotypically creepy as it was possible to look, but it would keep anyone from identifying anything about me.
Then I sat down. And waited. And waited. And finally, after about two hours, Esther came back. “Alright, I talked to one of my regulars, an old friend of my husband’s. Wilbur was a member of the local guard for years, but he was forced to retire due to his advanced age. He’s looking for a nest egg to live off of now that his income is gone. He doesn’t use his pattern anymore, so if anything goes wrong, he won’t be TOO put out. If all goes well he’s willing to vouch for you.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” I told her quietly. I’d decided to keep my voice low. Whispering seemed dramatic, but talking quietly would help disguise my voice a bit, at least. “Do you want me to go out to meet him, or will he be coming in here?”
“I’ll send him in,” she said after some thought. “Whatever process you’re using will most likely work best in privacy.”
Nodding slowly, I settled in to wait, and she left the room in a hurry. Sure enough, within a minute, there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” I said, hoping my quiet voice would carry enough in the empty room to be heard outside. Apparently it did, because the door opened and a man stepped in, elderly face hard and suspicious, body tensed.
“Hello,” I said lightly. “Please, come inside.”
He did, grudgingly, and looked around as he closed the door. “Are you the one looking to buy my pattern?” he asked suspiciously.
At first I worried I might have been seen through…and then I realized how stupid I was being. I was offering money to take something from him. You didn’t need to know what my powers were to make that connection. It was literally the definition of buying something. Rather than respond, I simply nodded, waiting for him to make a decision.
“Esther says you’re not a bad sort,” he said, almost accusingly. “But I know of only one creature as can purchase the very magic from a man’s skin. I never thought I’d make a deal with a demon.”
I blinked in surprise. That wasn’t exactly where I expected this to go…but I could work with it. “Then you refuse?” I said casually. “I won’t force you to sell.”
He scowled. “I won’t. I need the money. But demons don’t do nothing free. She said I’d need to sign a contract?” In order to purchase a tattoo for him, I’d need him to rent me the skin space, like the others had. Even if I bought it first, that step was a necessity. But now that I thought about it, my contract terms fit this situation well.
“A year and a day,” I said quietly. “You pledge yourself to me, and in return, you will regain your power.” I could word it do the skin rental would seem like a faustian bargain easily enough. I was pretty comfortable with playing a demon, honestly. It was kind of cool. And it provided an explanation for my powers that I could use more freely. In fact, I wondered how they HAD stories about demons here? Were they the same demons? Were demons real? I had so many questions, but I didn’t ask. Those could wait.
He hesitated, but finally nodded. To increase the mystique, I wrote the contract out in english, explaining the general terms to him. Knowing what it did was enough to make it valid, and he honestly seemed more comfortable that the contract was in ‘demon script’. He signed his name, and I reached out for the pattern on his right hand.
Apparently, this one was called “Sheet of Ice”. It did what it said on the tin. It created a sheet of ice. On the ground. Under someone’s feet. It was actually pretty cool, but it only cost two mana to cast, so it ended up being substantially cheaper than Barkskin. Only five thousand dollars fully charged. I bought it without hesitating, and as I did, a bag appeared on the bed in front of him. Delyrans. When I bought from a person, it paid them directly like it did for me. And since he had no bank account, it did it the old fashioned way. Convenient.
Then I spent another five thousand to replace it. He was staring at his hand in mute shock, but when it reappeared, he just blinked, jaw working soundlessly. “That’s…that’s it?” He asked in confusion. “What do you need me to do?”
“That isn’t your concern,” I told him vaguely. “Within this year, I may come to you for a favor. If this favor is beyond your means or will, you may refuse, but at such a time, you will have your time in my service doubled. I may never call in this favor, and if I do not, in one year and one day, your term of service ends, and you owe me nothing more.”
I stood, deciding I didn’t want to do another one too soon, and that I needed to talk to Esther about local demon lore before I gave myself away. As I walked out of the room, he called out to me. “Wait,” he yelped. “Your name. I need to know your name in case you send someone to collect.”
“My name?” I asked calmly. I thought back to my past, to the stories I’d read as a child, and the ones my parents told me at bedtime. I knew a lot of demon names, but they didn’t feel…right. They didn’t feel like me. “Call me…Balor.” And then I walked silently from the room and shut the door behind me.