paradigmfriday

Those are the chapters for this week. Thank you to everyone who's been reading! And a very big thank you to those of you who've generously joined my Patreon. I appreciate all of you! I am both bewildered and grateful to all of you and I shall try not to disappoint.  

“So...Do you think the kid can actually pull it off?” said Sigi Protz. 

It had been a lot of effort for the survivors to find an area that was somewhat lacking in vegetation. Now he was standing guard at the mouth of a clearing with one of his men, and Alina. More of Sigi’s men were watching other points around the clearing, and within the clearing, a handful of the more strong-bodied survivors were toiling away. Clearing down the handful of trees that might, or might not, be the only obstacle between them and their return home. 

“Maybe,” said Alina. Warily eyeing the greenery for any signs of movement, or ill-intent. 

“Maybe?” said Sigi. 

“Yes...Maybe. Since neither of us is omniscient or precognitive, I can’t say I know the result for sure. But based on empirical evidence, I’ll at least say that we might have a potential solution to our problem, ” said Alina. 

“Huh... “ said Sigi. Not looking entirely satisfied with that answer. Not looking entirely satisfied with the whole situation. 

“At the very least, I can say that the boy knows enough to make us the saws we’ve been using to cut those trees...and we’ve confirmed that he and the girl were the ones who surrounded our little camp with those warding stones...The same warding stones that have allowed us to survive this long with nary the casualty, or beast attack,” said Alina. 

“Hmm…” said Sigi. His complicated expression softened as he weighed all those factors. 

“So...Maybe, huh?” said Sigi. 

“Yes...Maybe. Maybe those two strange kids can pull off a miracle and do something that’ll save us all from having to spend the rest of our lives in this damned jungle,” said Alina. Her tone made it clear that she was tired of talking about this matter. 

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“You asked for a clearing...You got a clearing,” said Sigi. Taking the two youths out to the space that he and the other survivors had cleared out a few days prior. Noting with a look of annoyance that the local vegetation was already aggressively working to take the space back. 

“Thanks, Mr. Sigi. Erm...in that case, Jack and I can handle the rest,” I said. Glad that we weren’t surrounded by people like last time. 

“You can? I figured we’d need to help you build the tower too...Or at least help you set it up,” said Sigi. 

“No...No, that won’t be necessary. The tower has already been built. See?” I said. Taking the tower out of my pocket and showing it to the man. The radio tower I’d built was created with a mixture of the transcendent alchemy taught to me by the [Tale of the Alchemist], and the matter-manipulation that I was gradually beginning to learn under the influence of the [Tale of the Craftsman] and the [Tale of the Arcanist]. 

“Er…That’s awfully tiny,” said Sigi. Squinting his eyes at the small pyramidal tower that was barely larger than the knife at his hip. 

“The better to carry it here, Mr. Sigi. The better to carry it here,” said Jack. Sounding oddly chipper, but then again, I’d learned over time that she was the type who loved to show off. Whether the years of neglect by her family had simply hid this trait, or it was a trait born from all that neglect, was anyone’s guess.

Jack and I got to work. We buried the small tower like it was a seed. Then we watered that seed with our power. Feeding the small tower spiritual energy until we could sense that it was ready to go. We quickly stepped back and then watched the seed sprout. First appeared the metal tip, with the series of dish-like protrusions at the top. Then a metal stem followed. The ground shook and rumbled as the tower grew and grew. Expanding until it occupied the entire clearing and stood just a notch higher than the trees that surrounded it. 

A cylinder of blue light flickered into being and then disappeared as the tower finished growing. Those were enchantments that had been set to activate as soon as the tower-seed was done de-compressing itself and forming a full tower. Those enchantments would assure that the tower operated as it should for the foreseeable future. The enchantments would shield the tower from damage and the elements. They would also hide the tower from the view of predators and beasts that might try to tear the tower down. 

“Well, as I live and breathe...I’ve got to say...I’m impressed,” said Sigi. Striding forwards to stand at the foot of the tower. 

“Indeed, excellent job, kids,” said Alina. 

“And you’re sure that this will boost the signal of our radios and beacons?” said Sigi. 

“...It should. Though I still make no guarantees as to whether you’ll reach anything, considering we have no idea how far we are from the nearest radio tower, or antenna, ” I said. 

“And that’s where the satellites come in, I take it?” said Alina. 

“Yes...Interesting. In any case, thank you, kids...We really do appreciate the work you’ve done for us today,” said Alina. 

“N-, no, problem,” I said. Her sincere thanks, making me feel itchy for whatever reason.