Date: Þórri 3rd, 598 AD. (Alt: 15th January, 599 AD.) Location: Götaland (Ancient Sweden.)
The tea has now been brought over after the first round of cold mixed berry beverages, it's herbal in nature and utilises properties to deal with common stomach and head ailments.
They slowly drank this tea over a very productive conversation that could determine a few extra, whimsical features that could give it greater life. "-no, you cannot make this painting enterable." Leif crosses his arms and wags his finger into his bicep.
"Why not? Imagine all of the extra room we could have for walk-in scenery that does not take any external space from this Cavern, it could also work as a shelter within this structure if locked in, a private dimension in a false realm on a real planet, multiple layers of safety." Heath waited for the next question. "And Óðinn? He has powers and may have possible methods to cut off the magic, maintaining it in a siege-esque form, collapsing it from within." Leif gave a hypothesis that may be more true than expected from himself.
"You have really taken in my lessons." Heath gave a thumbs-up for him. "I thought I could create a magic battery like I am introducing and upgrading every Auto and Bus golem so it could last by itself for a few nights, and once we have a high enough population~."
Heath's pause of the sentence allowed Leif to conclude the bigger picture, his eyes greatly widening. "It could become self-sufficient." Leif lit up. "But the storage for food and water, the beds and cots, the maintenance." He now looked into Heath. "How do we do that while keeping it as beautiful as you wished?" Leif saw Heath give a widening berth, drinking the last drop of his tea, his confidence founded. "We home them beneath the drawn soil of the mural, a bunker of sorts that no one can see where we could be across imaginary lands."
That sealed the last part of this conversation to near-full agreement, the only difficulty being how to remove traces of souls that touched the mural and how to make it efficient of magic, greater in invisible protectiveness against 'malevolent' forces than regular portals.
"Everything will be drawn up in time." Heath nods with his eyes closed, having high hopes, keeping his optimistic cautiousness. "So, about greater weapons." Leif's question locked Heath's eyes open again, obvious in thought. "You wish to reduce the risk of their intangibility, eh?" Heath agrees with such thoughts. "I have had some thoughts, and there have been divine-blessed weapons in my old world that I could gain inspiration from." He raises the back of his left hand, showing the sigil with enhanced glowing.
"There was a concept known as the 'Holy Hand Grenade,' a joke based on the shape of the Globus Cruciger that matched the abilities of modern-designed hand grenades, but with additional divine power within." Heath gave a 3D visual illustration of this possible device.
A large, oval-shaped base with pinecone patterns throughout to allow for partial fragmentation that are each individually sharpened to allow for greater cutting and piercing damage. Yet, latticed in such a way that it held stable until exploded, the 4 cardinal fragments held the same 'H' symbol he shows upon its dorsum. Lastly, it contains an internal structure that has 2 coated chambers of coiled copper that are stored within stainless 4130 steel with a primer and fuse as would be expected of a working explosive device.
It has thermobaric-reminiscent property except for magic, which I will now dub arcanobaric (Had not seen anything similar in other novels, but I have seen arcanosynthesis as a way for bacteria that could exist in such worlds to produce energy, like photosynthesis.)
It meant that it released a general, unfocused cloud of non-dispersed magic through a lighter-than-air copper powder that clung to its form. The rune combination would give the intent that the second chamber, that is, Heath's compressed divinity, would then spread along each part of this catalyst and would detonate with his own force, dealing true damage, as you could guess! There may be other forms or abilities with different results that could use silver or gold powder instead, but such would require more experimentation.[1]
One could also create divine missiles or guided bombs (Like in the fanfic of Warhammer 40K: Starting as a Planetary Governor by Zaelum, as an example.) Meaning it could obliterate enemies that would otherwise not be easily dealt with by mortal weapons.
"I have nowhere near enough power for mass creation. At best, I could only create 3 a day." Heath's guesstimation was met by an incredulous look from Ægileif. "3 A DAY is not enough for you?!" She asks too loudly that her hearing such a devastating weapon could be produced so readily, yet he felt it was not enough?! "I can gather your thoughts, Ægileif. I feel much the same way many a time with him." Leif's chest rapidly fired for a held in chuckle. "When you say 'not enough,' do you have leftover magic after this?" He stares him down.
Leif demands this answer, as he does not want another situation that leads to him being winded out. "Yes, I believe I would have a bit more than a quarter of my magic left fulfilled, no need to worry." He folds the hand he has kept up in a forward wave to calm them.
"Quarter is too little, leave half, then we have a deal." Leif bargains with him, and after haggling the price, they agree with the added point that he will make imbued bullets that use the same method be created instead for special weaponry to perfectly halve his magic supply. 'Holy ammunition never hurts to be in storage, right?' Heath internally rhetorics with himself, knowing that his ever-growing internal supply means more can be created daily until he can fulfil his '3 explosives quota' he set himself today.
Footsteps can be heard coming up the stairs. Alfárn and Jarðrúðr come up to greet their sister in waiting, yet they also see the Clan Leader's son and what they call themselves their Guardian God of the Clan present in their room. "Greetings!" Heath waves his hand.
"Before we start, do you say your name as (Jar / through / fir) or (Jar / for / fur)?" He wanted to make sure, as it was quite a combination. "The first one, great scientist God." Both take to their knees. "Rise, no need for this. . ." Heath asks them to sit by their sibling and they talk about everything introduced previously over a period of a few Model hours. "If I may." Alfárn holds his fist to his chest in sincerity. "I wish to bring my friend Himlauf for painting, he would do good forestry in the back of the mural." A simple ask that was immediately accepted.
"Last I heard of him was from the celebration, how has he been?" Heath asks, and the triplets smile. "He has made new friends with the deer, he visits them more in the grand forest you have grown." Ægileif explains, and Heath now realises why he felt a mennskr soul.
"Good! A possible ambassador between them for the future." Leif cheers his cup in the air before gulping down the last of his lukewarm tea. "When do you suggest we begin then? I feel by twilight from now would be fine." Leif checks with the yes-or-no question, and each of them nod individually. Dusk is where they will start from one corner of the floor to the opposite side in a single night, with 100,000 Auto golems set for continuance throughout the lit hallways during a darkness as black as pitch.
"Before we begin, I have a final thought I wish to share with Leif privately. Do not mind the silence, I am speaking with him through my mind." Heath then stared towards Leif as said. 'What do you believe will be best about the Spiritual Guide as a threat?' He questions Leif.
'Her prophetic powers will be tricky, but from your personal studies, such would not work on a being of equal or greater strength if made hidden. I will assume she is about the same as the Spiritual Queen, meaning you will overwhelm her while we shower her with bullets.' Leif surmises his thoughts, both agree this would be the best course of action, which they will think out further on how to bring Her out of hiding. 'We are lucky none have died, there were part of the Spiritual Queen's troupe that had attacked you during the battle.' Heath recounts.
'Yes, it was. Let us return to talking normally.' Leif looks towards the triplets again who are each conversing on their future prospects. "You are already provided with the best tools and materials available. What do either of you seek once finished?" He stares expectantly.
"A favour from you, great scientist God." Alfárn said after he had already deliberated with his siblings. "Each of you can call me by my name, it is alright." Heath then saw them shake their heads. "We have not earned that right yet. . ." Jarðrúðr gives her conviction. "Alright, suit yourselves. What may it be? Greater power? Knowledge?" Heath questions before they fully commit to such a contract. "For Mǫl to be given a soul. We see them as family, yet they cannot experience our joy without an internal experience." She looks towards the Auto.
""Our sister is right."" Alfárn and Ægileif state concomitantly. "Then it seems I will have a second child, made of concrete and copper." Heath gets up and walks towards Mǫl, leading to the triplets to react capriciously. "Now? Why not do it after their work?" Leif questions.
"You and I have the advantage in this transaction. We should provide greater incentive." He had scanned many a time how Valyria's soul could have possibly formed through different natural magical formations from a few weeks prior. It now dawns on him. He realises that it has been less than a month's time, yet he is still accomplishing so much. 'So I will not stop.' Heath internally lingers while forming the 4 parts to encapsulate the proto-soul, utilising multiple different magical iconographic systems, a pattern unlike anything many had seen.
The best way to describe it is as a fractalising Fibonacci sequence of obtuse and acute angles, both sharpened and rounded, that form themselves into strands. Chains to be tethered to the corporeal and to be bound to none but themself.
The newly formed spiritual structure stabilised, with the Auto's form shifting, then falling backwards into a sleeping state. Heath catches them with both hands and places them gently upon the concrete, a new life breathed with new actions in the material realm. He pats his clothing and doffs his under-beard before closing his eyes to enter the Auto's dream space. "He is always keeping to this-" Ægileif moves her open palm up and down. "-pace?" Leif smiled in response. "This is a calmer day compared to others I have seen." He smiles.
A rather poignant view, really. But if you could hear how he would not rest for days on end, it would make anyone else feel inadequate. Heath himself noticed this and tried to keep others understanding that such standards apply to no one else.
Yet that in itself has made others feel meagre, paltry. "Papa only wants to help. Do not be mean." Valyria's voice could be heard through the wall before opening the door and coming in again to then come upstairs in deliverance. But she was noticeable in her detached, distant expressivity. "Grandpa Gorm is coming now to talk." Neutral, yet having an agenda. "I will see Adal. We have work to do.*Zip*" Seems she warped to the (elemental farm.) (Though even I do not know when or how she learnt her Papa's skill.)
"She seemed sombre. . ." Alfárn believes with a trailing comment. "Quite." Jarðrúðr extenuates in full agreement. Leading herself through her emotions, yet none could tell her that she is in this state, being so much stronger than all combined, while being so young.
She will calm herself down, and they hope it is soon. Before anyone had a moment of recompense, Mǫl's form increased to double its size and appeared a similar height to Valyria, the extra material being brought in through Heath's magic in incredible quantities, the same features that had formed her and the new developments, such as the magically absorbing stomach and defensive measurements, the form like Alfárn's. A barrel-chested, wide-shouldered, with developed quads and calves, yet lithe arms and slender, long hands.
His articulated and morphed muscles were taut with power to be equal to his sister, and his face was the most developed feature of all. He had an incredibly thick brow ridge with set brows, a long ducktail beard that was braided through a prong, and thick locks of unruly hair.
Very intimidating, yet truly endearing. Drafted as a perfect triathlete, yet all purely aesthetic due to Autos or Bus golems not being affected by stamina issues. Lastly, a layer of clothes of similar personalisation but in blues and violet for its accentuation was made to cover them with leaf species that were uniquely similar to Valyria's. As gathered, many things replicated his sister while having individuality. Heath woke up soon after the creation of the clothing, and the newly turned Auto stirred from its hibernation.
His eyes opened, first flashing a blue before turning to a stonish hue of varying gradients. *"Mǫl?"* The triplet's voices asked, causing the newly sapient golem to shoot up its torso in a sitting position? "Brother? Sisters?" A childlike voice spoke out- They ran at top speed.
*CA-CROoOoᵒ~* A sound of gonging concrete through the three was created by them suddenly dive bombing into him for a group hug. 'Reminds me how my aunt cared for the Roomba.' Heath sees Mǫl give a gentler embrace after he explained in the dream space the incredible strength he possesses and the need to be careful around mennskr. "Father?" Heath sees his new son call for him, one arm open for another to join. Of course he obliges. What sort of new father would not? He crouches to make it sheltering, homely.
"Welcome to the real world, my son." Heath kissed Mǫl on the forehead, a meaningful peck that created a view of familial love to those around him. "I need a nickname for you, like your sister I had helped form." He then looks towards Leif. "And are you alright?" Heath smiles.
He saw how Leif was looking at them in a hidden hope. "Wishing I may have as much love as you give your children for mine once they appear, without the chaos." Leif jokes and the triplets held back their thoughts from appearing out loud in any form. "First we have to sort your final ceremony for that. Have any clue what you would need?" Heath asks after kissing Mǫl's forehead again before getting up. "All of these gifts you gave were already enough." Leif's arguably true statement was met with a psychic poke to his soul. Stinging a bit.
"No, I wish to set a standard for all weddings once there are more couples." Heath walked up towards the kitchen to pour a citrus cordial, an obvious favourite from the previous time. "You are going to make so many outsiders jealous with this." Alfárn dumbly guffawed.
"There are a few outsiders close to us who do get invited, but how will my blómtvinnr (Twinflower, a common beautiful plant) bring her family into this?" Leif's new cute nickname for his wife made others smile adorably at it. "I believe your wife wishes to have a traditional open wedding in the fields of Jötunheimr, I could use our technology to keep the wedding hidden while the celebration occurs, for it is Loki who spies upon us that causes the. . . Uh, death." Heath cringes at causing Leif to remember, who has an expression of anger.
"So it was Loki who brought Þórr to us in the future you saw?" Leif's teeth came out in his grimace, appearing as a vicious threat. "We will deal with him when the time comes, do not worry, brother." Heath walks up to him, glass in hand and rubbing his arm with the other.
"You may be right with Sigrid wanting to follow tradition." Leif restrained himself, knowing his umbrage should be directed at those who sought their destruction. "We will push through with your plan, but I will first ask her." Leif walks downstairs and through the front door to reach his soon-to-be wife. "Why had you not said to any of us that it was Loki?" Ægileif questions, knowing how open he is. "Because diverting our attention at that moment would cause distractions. Now that we have more time, I wanted to introduce it." Heath surmises.
"The greying trickster has a spine, it turns out." Alfárn scorns him, which all in appearance agrees to. "Thank you for telling us, but we should focus on our new family." He returns to giving an even tighter hug around the newly born sapient Auto.
"I wonder how many more families would wish for equal treatment to how you asked?" Heath asks out loud. "Too many to count." A feminine voice was heard from downstairs as two sets of legs walked upstairs. "Sigrid! You came quickly." Heath sees as she walks up to him and gives him a pat of agreement upon his elbow before walking over to see the newly made child. "Let us hope you have a better childhood, young one." She strokes Mǫl's beard, knowing his looks are artistic. Once comfortable with her presence, she gets up to talk again.
Her stare into his eyes made Heath uncomfortable, but he can perceive why, for she now knew more of how the future came to be. "Hidden as a raven?" Sigrid asks, which Heath nods to. "Blue-eyed, almost luminescent." His comment was met with a "*Hmm.*"
She twirls a finger into the end of her long lock, thinking. "Use your grenade cover for the ceremonial stone crossing?" She asks, garnering an ok hand sign. "Good." Sigrid grins.
[1] ᛉ (Protection / Shield / Elk,) ᛇ (Yggdrasil / Yew Tree / Dream Rune,) ᚱ (Horse / Ride / Journey / Thor Rune,) ᛟ (Heritage / Estate Rune,) ᚾ (Need / Hardship Rune,) ᛗ (Man / Human / Self Rune,) ᚠ (Cattle / Livestock / Wealth Rune,) ᛖ (Horse / Twin Forces Rune,) and ᚨ (Odin / Inspiration / Wisdom Rune.)