Friday July 27, 2018: 8:30 PM

  I woke up and was surprised by the fact that not even Bright-Eyes was on my chest. I guess that even she has more important things to do. I distinctly remember that I had another dream where I was briefly informed that Amber was doing particularly well in her retraining, and that she might expect her first boost in power this morning when she awoke. I smiled, remembering this, and thought that I was glad that she was doing as well as she was doing. I got off of the larger, paired up cots that were the bed, and started my morning rituals, especially with a leftover cup of coffee.

  Before I started on my meditation to regain my magic, I started out with some math. I was going to be done with the firewall for the E-Bike garage/charging location tomorrow, and it would end up taking about two additional inches from the entirety of the floor, which I could compensate for fairly easily, but then I would be on the excavation and wall construction. For the tower, if I went at my rate of three spells per two days, it would take over half a year. That was an unacceptable amount of time, not just for S.H.I.E.L.D., but for myself as well. I had to think of a way to make it go quicker. Maybe I can kill two gricks with one ballistae.

  I meditated and regained my mystical energy, to make it so that I could cast again today. I wasn’t about to waste it though, so I did an Ears of the City spell, to see if there were any looming threats on the horizon for the day. Thankfully there wasn’t much of anything, except some reference for an Avengers Fan Club meetup. Don’t know why that had come up, but I chalked it down. Maybe I should set up something like my Iron Horse Badge for this spell as well. It seems like a good use for it.

  I quickly drove back to the storage unit and pulled my phone out of my storage unit, and called Jonathan. I told him that I would be busy today, and that I would get him a better estimate of how long it would take at the end of the work day, but that if Director Mack needed one at this point, I would have to say it would be half a year or more. Jonathan asked if it would really take that long, and I told him that if I needed to ONLY go off of my current capabilities, it would take that long. Jonathan sighed and asked if anything would make it go quicker. I told him that it might be quicker if they have any arcane or divine casters, but that I could try to make some items to make it quicker, and those items would be sent on to S.H.I.E.L.D. for their humanitarian efforts.

  Jonathan thought for a minute and asked if having Cal would help. I told him that it would be a good introduction for Cal, but that teaching him to aid me without items would just extend the time period. But, I offered, it could be his first experience with using magic items. Jonathan said that it would be good training for all of the new agents coming, and offered that he would contact Director Mack and try to push through the transfers of any willing personnel. I told him that the building itself would not be ready for a while, and JOnathan said that getting first hand experience using items would be invaluable. I thanked him and told him to leave me alone until the end of the work day.

  I put my phone back into the extradimensional pocket, and rode back to the warehouse. I gathered up the Dedicated Wrights, away from where Bright-Eyes was mock-hunting them to teach her litter, and planned out our tasks. I started out with the concept that I knew that I would have to make a few items that would make this project quicker, and I can pass them on to S.H.I.E.L.D. for humanitarian usage later. I got out my decreased Darkwood expandable pole, and realized that there wasn’t much I was going to be able to use it for after this. I cut to the selected lengths, and pulled some pieces of the jade together. From the Jade, I reshaped it to be four things, a mole skull with a socket for a cane, a spade head with a socket for the shovel, a hammer head for the masonry hammer, and a chisel tip for the chisel.

  I set all four on their respective shafts, and hit each with Stick. I got Mini-Wong started on the Cane, Mini-Tony and Mini-Steve on the Shovel, and by that time, Mini-Wong was done, so I added him with myself and others on the other Chisel. Then, when everyone was ready, we worked on the Hammer. After eleven hours, we had all four of the items. The gemstones embedded themselves into the wooden shafts of the tools, not as separate items, but as accents.

  Everything was ready, and it was almost five in the afternoon. I set the newly enchanted tools back into the Campaigner Tent and let the Dedicated Wrights know that they were on task for carving the channels into the E-Bike Garage Floor for the future water removal drainage systems. Having a pit that drains to a Phoenix Core means that water buildup should not be a worry. I got on my E-Bike, activated the Iron Horse Badge, and drove off to the storage unit to check to see if Jonathan had any information for me. It was a fairly simple ride, until a tall thin kid ran out at a stop light demanding an autograph.

  I sighed, and, waiting for the light to change color (obeying the traffic laws to keep out of trouble, and this wasn’t an emergency) I pulled into the side street and asked the kid what she meant. She told me that I was a hero, and that she wanted an autograph from someone who was helping the city so much. I sighed, asked her name, and signed her little blank book (after checking before and after the page), ‘To Krista, Never give up on trying to do good. Every bit helps make the community and world a better place. Verdigris.’ She took the book back, read the autograph and looked confused, saying that she thought that I was going to be too busy to give someone like her an autograph. I told her that there is nothing small about her, that all of the people of Norfolk deserve to live happy, safe, and magical lives. I might have put some emphasis on that ‘magical’ part.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Krista seemed a little star-struck, so I used my always refreshed Prestidigitation spell to summon a bouquet of Daffodils, Sunflowers, and Tulips, and handed them to her. I cautioned her that these will not last long, only an hour, but that should be more than enough time for her to show them off to her friends. I waved goodbye to her and all of the other people at that street corner, happy that I could bring some brightness to their day. I got to the storage unit and pulled out my S.H.I.E.L.D. phone, and saw that there were a few texts from Jonathan that seemed incongruent for our last interaction, especially with a response of just what I was doing with that young Fan. I recognized that this was the spoofer, and texted back that I knew that this wasn’t Jonathan, and that he had missed being authentic with his last comment.

  The response was a bit of vitriol followed with a comment that they would get revenge for the Slicing Talons members that I had captured. I didn’t respond any more, but I took some screenshots, and called Jonathan and told him that I was at the Storage Unit and that there had been an update with the hacker issue. Jonathan said that he had updates for me as well, and that he would be there within ten minutes. I went into the now empty storage unit and felt a bit nostalgic for having spent the time I did in there.

  After about ten minutes, there was a knock at the roll up door, and I went to it, pulling it up. Jonathan was there, and he walked in, immediately handing me his phone. He joked and said that it would probably be good for him to get a pocket like one of mine so that he didn’t have to just hand me his phone every time. I shrugged and said it is something that can be worked on, but unfortunately, I haven’t found a method that was cheap enough to produce quickly. I pulled my phone out from the other extradimensional pocket, and handed it to him.

  He looked through the phone and noticed that the messages had all been deleted. He looked at the screenshot that I had taken and said that this was at least a clue, someone who knew or was associated with the Slicing Talons team. He seemed to think for a minute, and then it looked like a light hit him. He told me that I had taken down Francis Noche and Karla Gideon. I admitted that I had only helped take down Karla, and he silenced me, asking if I thought that that really mattered.

  I shrugged in response and he told me that I would pass this up, but it was quite possibly actionable intelligence. I told him that I was glad, and that he can take the phone with him, that I can get by for a few days if that will help. Jonathan shook his head, telling me that the spoofing was from further up the system, not specifically my phone, so I can keep it and it shouldn’t matter anymore, especially after what this last contact showed. I took my phone back and handed him his, before he cleared his throat and said that he had other information for me. He told me that Director Mack had authorized Cal Thimes to come back to train directly under me, that he had finished his High School Equivalency exams, and was eligible for S.H.I.E.L.D. training, and that there would be three additional Agents coming tomorrow morning to start learning tomorrow morning.

  I nodded and said that I would teach them as best as I could, but that they likely would not even need to be here to start until after noon. Jonathan said that he would update everyone, and offered that we could start everything the Monday, to make sure everyone is ready and available, and give the other Agents the weekend off. I told him that I would have the Mirage Arcana Stone set up for both the Tower and the parking lot by that point. Jonathan nodded and said that we could always go through the usage at a different location after the weekend. I thought for a minute and asked him how opulent floor to ceiling granite would look for the interior of the office building?

  Jonathan was a little taken aback, and I told him that all of the flooring and walls in the office area would be solid granite, the floor would be a solid 2” thick slab that bonds to the to concrete underneath, while all of the walls would be eight inch thick granite that can be two different colors on either side of the wall, but that the entire office structure will be one bonded piece of granite. No leaks, no holes, no mountings, nothing of the nature. I will go back through and mold all of the granite around any utilities or peripherals, so that all items are internally bound for elimination of movement damage. I told Jonathan that I would leave the color designs for the office to them, and that I will need at least a block of each type of granite to be used, so that I can focus on that when I cast the specific spell. Jonathan nodded and added it to his to do check list.

  I smiled and told him that I would start working on the office schematic as soon as he gets me pieces of each specific type of granite, and that I can have that done shortly after we get everyone here to start, so it would be wise to get whomever designs the building to be ready with the colors and samples. Jonathan said that he would take it up the chain, and see what Director Mack wants to do with it. I thanked him and said that the stones for at least two of the illusionary fields will be done by Monday, assuming no problems. We shook hands and he departed, while I headed for a quick tour around the city. I finally made my way back to the storage unit, and unloaded my remaining spells on moving the concrete and putting it into the firewall.

  I finished off my day with getting a few sheets of paper out, and casting a series of Minor Lasting Image spells, one on each sheet, to get an idea of each floor from the basement to the eighth floor above ground, so that we can reference each one. Then I cast a few more Page-Bound Epiphany spells specifically to reference more about local codes and specifications, to try to make sure everything I have is up to snuff. My final spellcasting was another series of Secret Page spells, with a list of the different things that we would need to make it look like we were running the whole building off of green energy, while in reality, I would be running it off of Galvanic Sparks. Late before I was about to drift to sleep, I got my daily check in from sweet Amber. She ‘Sent’ to me, “Curtis, it just happened! May was running me through exercises. It clicked. I’m a Bard. I can cast spells! Just like you. I love you!”. I was amazed at her progress, and ‘Sent’ her back, “Amanda, I am so proud of you. I knew you can do it, and go even further. I can’t wait for you to come home.” A very worthwhile day, all things considered.

  Note: After all of the construction is done, these items are being donated to S.H.I.E.L.D. for their study and usage.

  World-Bursting Cane:

  Aura faint transmutation; CL 1st

  Slot none; Price 1,800 gp; Weight 1

  Description

  This Darkwood Cane has a Jade Mole Skull for a topper. The wielder can point at an area in range, and say the word, “Expungation”, and cause the Expeditious Excavation spell to effect that 5’x5’x’5’ cube of dirt. It spreads the dirt around the area, to be removed by other means. The Jade Mole Skull has tiny pinprick rubies in the eye sockets.

  Construction

  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, expeditious Excavation; Cost 900 gp

  Sloughing Spade:

  Aura weak transmutation; CL 3rd

  Slot none; Price 10,800 gp; Weight 5

  Description

  This Spade has a shaped Jade blade carved to look like a wide dragon head, with an engraved darkwood handle. The eyes of the dragon are sapphire, and little white and red pinpoints show up along the “spine” of the shaft. This spade, when touched to a piece of hardpacked dirt, will cast Soften Earth and Stone, when the word, “Disiungere” is spoken. A 10’x20’ area in front of the shovel will then soften and turn to loam.

  Construction

  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Soften Earth and Stone; Cost 5,400 gp

  Chisel of the Exquisite Craftsman:

  Aura weak transmutation; CL 5th

  Slot none; Price 27,000 gp; Weight 1

  Description

  This duskwood handled chisel has a tip made of jade, and has a design similar to those used for extremely soft stones and woods. When placed against a piece of stone, and the command word, “Sculptura”, the chisel will swiftly part even the hardest stone, and form the shape as desired, up to fifteen cubic feet every six seconds. This will work exactly as the Stone Shape Spell.

  Construction

  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Stone Shape; Cost 13,500 gp

  Masonry Hammer of the Jade Emperor:

  Aura weak transmutation; CL 8th

  Slot none; Price 57,600 gp; Weight 2

  Description

  This hammer has a duskwood shaft, and a head that looks like a roaring dragon head. The eyes are of the clearest diamond. Once per round, the wielder can pronounce ‘Obsidium” produce a four inch thick, ten foot by ten foot wall, at the location struck by the hammer. It can be designated to be vertical or horizontal, when placed. This wall is of whatever granite sample is struck, and if none is struck, whatever granite is the most common in the area around the wielder. It can be struck and commanded every six seconds.

  Construction

  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Wall of Stone; Cost 28,800 gp