Wednesday August 1st, 2018: 8:00 PM

  This morning started out busy, and the day never really ended up slowing down. I woke up from my dreams in the Halls of Heward with the knowledge that I was more than half way there. When I opened my eyes, I saw that Bright-Eyes had taken up sleeping NEXT to me instead of on me, or maybe she was pining for the one who was in that spot before? I got up without disturbing her, and noted that the kittens were romping around even now. They must have gotten almost fifty percent larger since they first arrived at the storage unit tent.

  I immediately got a light breakfast and started out with my morning rituals. After fifteen minutes of meditating, I stepped out of the tent to go check for any texts or messages. As soon as I stepped out onto the “balcony”, I noticed a text from Pepper that said that Wong would be here at eight in the morning with the first six boxes. I quickly gathered up the Mini-Avengers and set them to finishing up “A Mirror’s Revelation”, with Mini-Wong taking the lead. I went back to my text and noticed that it had arrived as soon as I had touched it, making me think that it was possible that Stark Industries had more advanced technology than just what these phones could do.

  I texted back that I would be ready, and that Wong could either come right back to the tower, or he could come back to the storage unit or the baseball diamond, if he thought that it would be good to vary the signature of where he was arriving, to minimize any possibility of aetheric tracking of destination. Pepper replied back that she would pass this along, and let me know once it was decided. I thanked her and wished her a good morning, before going in to get Cal awake and started on his tasks for the morning. I left the cell phone outside the tower and walked back into the tent. It wouldn’t do for there to be an “undeliverable” message or anything like that.

  Cal was asleep in the “Guest” quarters, with Rex laying on top of him. The kittens were even on top of Rex, so extrication was… careful. Each of the sleepy kittens were gently relocated to the other cot in the room, and were luckily still asleep, mewling softly. Rex was gently awoken, and I helped him move over to the other cot with the kittens, which immediately curled up on the supernaturally warm reptilian. Then I went to Cal, and told him quietly that it was time to wake up, as it was sunrise.

  Cal was sleepy, but forced himself out of the cot with determination when it seemed that he realized that his mentor was the one giving him the order. I left him to get ready and as I was about to walk out of the guest room, he asked me if I did this everyday. I told him that I didn’t have too much reason to not get up before dawn every day. I added that laying about in bed usually means that you don’t get as much done as you could. Cal paused for a bit before he said that he could understand that. I continued out and waited for him to be ready, which took about five minutes. He came out, dressed in his clothing and my old armor, itself having been repaired fully by the magic of this Campaigner Tent, and it was already adjusted to his frame.

  I smiled for just a minute, noting how different and yet similar he is to me, when I was his age. I told him that I needed him to finish up our portion of the work for the office area, and that he needed to tie in the plumbing to the cistern that would be formed on the back side of the tower, between the wall and the warehouse wall. I went over the plans for everything with him, and then we went to where the cistern would be placed. We got everything set up, and I realized that I would need at least some additional mechanisms to move water up to the upper levels, like pumps or maybe we should just enchant the system to move the water up. Then I remembered an attack spell from back in Golarion that might just work, as long as we can access the pipes required initially anyway.

  Cal got to work with the amended plans, and I sat down with the first (of quite a few) items to be enchanted, in this instance, a ring made of granite (the Kashmir White kind) that would be placed inside the first pipe, right where it exits the cistern, and would apply pressure to the system. We will have to fill the cistern, but if we can get the remaining “Hydro-Push Energetic Ring Pumps” enchanted by tomorrow morning, then we can flood the cistern for a true opening tomorrow. If we can’t get them ready, at least we can get the first three levels and basement ready. Actually, with the eight wrights, if we can push back the S.H.I.E.L.D. Banality Field back a few more days, I can get the entirety of the building up and ready, and not just the S.H.I.E.L.D. front. With that enchantment in place, I went down to the first floor of the tower where Cal was, and we used the Chisel of the Exquisite Craftsman to put it in place, I activated it, and then Cal sealed up the pipe and then the wall that contained it.

  I figure that with some explanation, at least Agent Smith can propose that we have a working secret office structure up and running in less than a week, a few days leniency should be at least minimally acceptable. Also, as long as the Quinjet has cloaking, it can now land in the adjacent lot and remove cloaking to all outside forces and we can have him come and go whenever he pleases. While I was enchanting, Cal took the initiative to ensure that all piping was good, and that the granite wall sconces were reshaped, using the Masonry Hammer of the Jade Emperor and the Chisel of the Exquisite Craftsman, and in place. He also took point on using the S.P.A.R.K. Gun and got all of the lighting addressed. He does seem to be taking this efficiency and multitasking to heart.

  After finishing my enchanting, it was getting close to Wong’s arrival, so I left the granite tower’s walls to the walk-out balcony, and checked my phone. There was a text there from Pepper indicating that Wong said that this time, he will be coming to the Tower itself, at the ground level, just to be able to get a better grounding of spatial characteristics for future Sling Ring travel. I replied back thanking her and that I would be in the tower, waiting. I checked up on the kittens and Rex, and they all seemed to be snoozing just fine. When I came back into the main area of the Campaigner’s Tent, I saw the telltale red sparks start to form in a circle.

  Out from the circle, Wong stepped, carrying a high pile of three pairs of identical boxes, and immediately set them down on the levitating table. I greeted him with the traditional bow, and he acknowledged it. I welcomed him to the tower, or Chrysalis as I was going to call it, and thanked him for getting the items from Stark Industries for me to enchant. Wong gave me a kind of look at me when I said the word Chrysalis and without him asking, I told him that it seemed like a good term, for taking the raw students and teaching them to mature into enchanters, alchemists, and investigators. Wong gave me a kind of understanding smile and asked if he could tour the tower from the top to the bottom, now that lighting and airflow have been established in all the levels.

  I readily agreed and asked if he wanted an escort, since I couldn’t enchant anything further today. Wong shrugged and said that he would get better feelings of the resonance and magic alone, as my own magical field would not be occluding everything. As Wong went off to go downstairs his own way, I hit myself with a Vanish spell and ran outside to glide down to ground level from my armor. I walked to the back of the building, where the S.H.I.E.L.D. E-Bike garage would be positioned, and inspected the electrical room for the E-Bike Charging station. The Galvanic Spark was positioned in an insulating box, and wiring from the charging stations in the other room had been run by the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents yesterday when I had been busy enchanting. This building is really coming together.

  The door to the electrical room was counterbalanced sufficiently to fulfill the requirements for fire protection, and there was a disconnect on either side of the door that would isolate the E-Bike chargers and other peripherals from the converter that will be connected to this Galvanic Spark when they bring it today. It really is a marvel of either Stark Tech or S.H.I.E.L.D. researchers that they managed to get a solid power supply converter from the Galvanic Spark’s high potential. I looked at the wiring disappearing into the concrete and granite walls behind the disconnects and wondered temporarily if we were going to far with the over-safety aspects of this building, but then remembered that if we don’t go above and beyond, it will just a point for our opponents in the local government to hold up progress. I traced the outside of a receptacle that was flush mounted into the cement, marveling at how they managed to get this as perfect as they did. I looked at the lighting and saw that Cal had already been through with the S.P.A.R.K. Gun and the Chisel of the Exquisite Craftsman, setting torches up in the corners and the middle of the long walls of this room. There were spigots on both the roof and along the walls at regular intervals.

  I left the garage through the other counterbalanced door down the long, four foot wide hallway that had several similar counterbalanced doors, and when we got midway to the office, there was the “secret door” to the tower. I continued to the office area, through another “secret door” into a “supply room”. I looked at the granite shelving that was firmly one piece with the walls, and sconces in every corner. I looked over the shelves, knowing that by the end of the day, they would be full of the different things that an office “needed”. I walked out of the supply room and checked out the hallway. The sconces were again, every twenty feet with their continual flame sconces. The ceiling also had more of those strange spigots in the ceiling every few feet.

  After checking out the hallway and seeing those spigots, I checked each office in turn, and the spigots were in the ceilings again, roughly in a grid pattern. The granite was all immaculate, and easily looked valuable from what I could tell, even if it was all just base granite. I walked more through the rooms and found the bathrooms, with their perfectly Kashmir White sinks with waterfall spouts, and the similarly Kashmir White commodes. There was space on the walls for a mounted mirror that would have to be brought in by S.H.I.E.L.D. It seemed like everything was ready for S.H.I.E.L.D. to arrive and fill out everything to make this a livable space, especially when the sanitation was solved. For now, I went back upstairs to bring down my setup from the tent to serve the people while the water service, the last part, was getting lined out.

  Cal was up at the tent when I made my way up and helped me carry the commode and the sink down to the office rest room, and get ready for what I will be teaching him, while the S.H.I.E.L.D. members made their way into the office. Wong, I assumed, was spending a fair amount of time walking the levels, probably to get a good feeling for each area, so that if he needed to, he could use his Sling Ring to get to any individual area quickly. When we were back down in the office area, with everything set up, I went to the reception area and then out the front of the building. Cal followed me and bumped into me as I stopped, seeing a police officer in front of me. I stopped myself before bumping into the police officer, but they still caught the movement out of the corner of their eye and turned to face us.

  The police officer had a look of recognition after a second, and a big smile went across his face. He asked me if I was actually Verdigris. I smiled and sighed, telling him that I was. He reached out and said that he wanted to shake my hand. I cautiously shook his hand and he told me that he was very thankful for the busts that I was doing and how the city was improving from the initial chaos.

  I told him that he and the other first responders were the real heroes, that I was only trying to fill in where they needed help. I told him that if he can keep this quiet that this was the building that was going to be setting up the place to build more of the gear that the city needs. The cop looked at it and said that it didn’t look like much from the outside, and I told him that this is the point. The Cop smiled and looked over at Cal, and asked who this was. I introduced the cop to him and told him that this is Cal, and that he was learning to help with the process.

  Cal stepped forward and the cop looked over at him for a minute before shaking his hand and then he said that he had to head away, but that it is good to know that we are getting the new facility ready. We went back inside and Cal asked me if this is okay, and I told him that it should be okay, but that we need to be careful from here on out. As we walked back into the reception area, Wong was there, waiting. I asked him if he got a good read on everything. Wong said that he had some questions, especially about the basement. I nodded and told Cal that the next step is to put in the ceiling “spigots” in the tower levels, and Cal took the box of the spigots and the Chisel of the Exquisite Craftsman to go work without complaint.

  Wong and I went through a Sling Ring portal and arrived in the Campaigner’s Tent. Once the Sling Ring Portal closed, Wong asked me what the silver circles were for. I told him that it would be where summons were limited to, and that in that ring, the entities could be studied and fought, but cannot escape. Wong asked me if they had been enchanted yet, and I told him that they had not, in any way shape, or form, and that before they were, I would be reinforcing everything, and making the rooms impossible to teleport or dimensional door from, without multiple factor restriction, including alignment and mental command words. I told him that since we are going to be facing threats from other planes, that it would be good to get the Avengers, the Master of the Mystic Arts, and everyone else, an understanding of how these creatures fight and what they can do, at least in a controlled environment.

  Wong was thoughtful and asked how I was going to control for all of the different monster’s combat capabilities. I told him that I would set some precautions into the room, and that they would never get the ability to use something after the safeguards were used once. It was getting close to nine o’clock, and the Agents would be arriving shortly. Wong asked me when I would be done with the sets. I shrugged and said that I could be completed with all six tomorrow morning, probably before ten o'clock.

  Wong nodded and said that this was well beyond expectations, and that he would be back to pick the three sets up then. I told him that we can get a one day turn around for each set, assuming that our crafting and teachings schedule permits, and of course, that there are no dangerous attackers that need to be disciplined. Wong spoke up and asked if that was what the cells in the basement are for. I told him that those cells will be enchanted so that people cannot escape from them, and are prevented from destroying them, so that we can house people that the city gaol cannot, at least until more suitable accommodations can be sorted for them.

  Wong seemed to be giving that thought for a minute before saying that this might be something that is very useful going forward, but that it would likely be more useful in an area that is not associated with the tower itself. I agreed and said that eventually, I will make a building that can act as a long term cell, but for now, we need something that will keep people in place until the proper authorities can be reached. Wong said that he would think more on this, and get back to me, but for now, we can continue to make the (pausing) Chrysalis, at least the levels above the basement. I thanked him and he Sling Ringed us both back down to the office area, and then opened his own portal back to his Sanctum. I took a minute to center myself after the disorientating travel, when the front door to the reception area opened.

  Agent Smith was there, greeting me, saying that they had a lot of things to load into the facility. I asked him if he needed any assistance with bringing it in, and he shook his head, noting that there would be a train of people moving in and getting everything situated, and that he would be having a specific technician in to hook up the converters that the tech people back at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, and that they had brought along three of the converters. I thanked him and said that it would really help with the charging bay, especially for getting more of these Electric Bicycles for more Agents and future students. Agent Smith laughed and said that there were these fascinating things called cars, that can move multiple people from one location to another. I smiled and told him that having multiple vehicles means that people can split off to deal with issues in different areas easily.

  Agent Smith said that he would have to see the metrics on this, but that the office area and the multiple charging station garage would be completed before the end of the day. I thanked him and “toddled off” as he recommended. I went back to the tower area and tried to wrack my brain on how to get water into the cistern before tomorrow morning, but I couldn’t figure anything out. I resolved that I could make something to make the tank fill up EARLY tomorrow morning, but that it would not be ready today in any way. I resolved to check in with Cal before figuring out what else I could get done before “A Mirror’s Revelation” was ready.

  Cal was still working on the first level, getting the fire suppression system done. I stopped him and we talked for a bit about what the plan would be going forward. I told him that I was going to get some more study time in, and maybe wait where the Mini-Avengers were, to be ready immediately for the next step in the process. I walked up the stairs to my level, where my “office” and room were, and went to wait for my Dedicated Wrights to be done. While I was waiting, I decided to use a casting of Ears of the City to see if there is anything that I needed to be prepared for.

  That was when I got some horrible news. There were going to be two crimes that were actually SCHEDULED to happen at the same time. There was a major robbery planned for two in the afternoon that was only going to start, after a shootout between two people started happening in Bruce Park. The robbery was going to be at Bob’s Gunshop, and they were looking to take as many firearms as they could to help arm their gang members. It was some minor members of the Grape Street Crips that were talking about this, trying to get everything coordinated.

  They were looking to try to divert my attention, going to one call while waiting for that to start, to go to another. I realized that I was going to have to give Curtis some dedicated instruction on combat, above and beyond whatever S.H.I.E.L.D. had trained, especially to sell the idea. I realized that Rex was out fishing, enjoying his day, and that all I could do was get everyone ready for this as best I could. I checked the time on my phone, and found it was a quarter after nine, and then resolved to rush around and find Cal. He was still down on the first floor, finishing up the roof spigots, when I caught up with him. I wasn’t out of breath, but I certainly was getting a good rhythm going on my running around the rooms and corridors of the floors on my way down.

  Cal looked at me with a bit of worry, before I told him that he was going to have to stop, and that I was going to give him an hour and a half instruction on how to best present as me, and that he was going to be as well defended as he could be, as there was an important mission I needed him to undertake. Cal nodded without question, and we went to the basement in the combat area. I went through the base stances and forms I had learned in my Path of War maneuvers. I started with the Stance of Piercing Rain and Horizon Wind Lancet, and went over the procedures for the spellcasting that had to awaken within him. I focused on him the words and maneuvers for both the Oath of Anonymity Cantrip and the Cure Light Wounds spells.

  Unfortunately, the main way for him to learn a spell is to feel the effects, so he had to receive healing from the spell to understand exactly what it does to the body. So, after that (slightly) bloody mess, Cal told me that he could feel the energy welling up in him, and I told him to keep that feeling in his mind. I then walked him through the program. He was going to be the one responding to the shooting at Bruce Park. He would be using my E-Bike, after I activate the effect for him, and then his main goal is to respond and help keep people’s attention, and keep people alive.

  I told him that there was another group that was looking to attack another area, with MUCH larger and more lethal numbers, and that I was going to go to deal with that one. Cal looked to be listening very intently as I explained everything to him. He seemed to be having a bit of a concern about it, but I told him that he shouldn’t worry, as he will be getting my pistol to complete the look, and that he has already had some S.H.I.E.L.D. Training, so this isn’t anything more than responding to his next drill.

  Cal asked me if he was going to be the new Verdigris. I told him that no, when his gear was made, he can choose whatever name he feels is appropriate. Cal thought about it for a minute before he said he likes the word Cinnebar. I nodded and told him that he will continue to practice his abilities down here, sparing only first level spells, until half past one. I will let the Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. know. We will also set about planning your armor and equipment upgrades after this final showing of your learned capabilities.

  Cal nodded and started going through the stances and strikes, resting in between them by working out the details of a slew of cantrips that he had seen me cast over time. I left him in the combat chamber and went immediately to the office area, where Agent Smith was going over some details with the other Agents. The office area was fully improved, lacking only fully functional water supply for everything to work at one hundred percent. I asked him for a few minutes, and he excused himself while the others looked back over their notes. I swear I noticed the word “Pathfinder” in some odd font at the top of one of the sheets of paper sticking out of the bottom of Agent Peterson’s stack.

  Agent Smith and I walked to his Director of Operations office, and I disclosed to him what was going to happen, and how the first event NEEDED to go down for us to take down the larger gang presence. Agent Smith nodded and asked me if Cal was ready. I told him that he was so close to being ready, that this would be a perfect test for him. Agent Smith nodded and asked me if he was displaying powers similar to mine, and I told him that he has mastered at least the ability to cast Cure Light Wounds and some cantrips. Agent Smith asked if Cal had decided on a codename, to which I responded with, “Cinnebar”.

  Agent Smith took down the information with deliberate focus and said that he would start a write up on him as soon as the after action report starts. I thanked him, and noted that we needed to play this carefully, but that we can keep S.H.I.E.L.D. forces and other law enforcement close by, just in case, but it needs to LOOK like it is me there. Agent Smith nodded and said that he would pass that word along.

  Just before eleven, I made my way back up to the area where the Dedicated Wrights were finishing up on “A Mirror’s Revelation”, and was presented the short rutilated quartz rod by the lot of them, several of them carrying it at the same time. I picked it up and gave it good lookover before setting it off to the side and getting six of the seven remaining working on learning how to make the Hydro-Push Energetic Ring Pumps, saving Mini-Thor for another project, the “Controller of Aquatic Level, Mystical” or CALM Module.

  By the time I was done instructing Mini-Thor on his task, it was almost one fifteen, and I only had about thirty minutes to start putting one way windows in, using A Mirror’s Reflection. I started at the observatory on the top, making the whole roof one way transparent, and then worked my way down, making it to the basement just in time to get Cal ready for his big start. He was sweating from the exertion, but looked ready to go. I cleared my throat and Cal looked at me swiftly, his perceptive capabilities already increasing from where they were when he first broke into the storage unit. I told him that it was time to get ready, and he followed me to the garage.

  Agent Smith was there waiting, and we both walked him through what was going to happen, and what his reactions and responses should be. I told him that if he was in trouble, he could back out of it, and let the cops handle it, but that it would be best if he can at least make a splash as me, and keep the focus on him, at least until he gets word that I have engaged the other group. Cal nodded and said that he would do what was needed of him, and he got onto the E-Bike. I activated the Iron Phoenix Emblem and the E-Bike converted into its more familiar form. At five minutes after two, Agent Smith got the notification that there was a shootout happening in Bruce’s Park.

  Cal nodded his head, and I stepped out of the way, while he rode the bike out to head to the location of the brawl. I got my gear ready, ran up the staircases of the tower, to the fourth floor area that S.P.E.A.R. Agents had been in my vision, hit myself with Vanish, and then activated my armor to Airwalk across the road to land where the attack on Bob’s Gunshop would likely start from. I hid in a shadowy area, due to not having enough time on my invisibility to remain out in the open, while I waited for the group to get here. It was about three minutes before a group of four large vans pulled into the parking area. I immediately cast a Haste spell, followed by a Displacement spell, a Mirror Image spell, and then a Vanish spell.

  As the last spell went off, a bunch of guys in yellow and purple jerseys jumped out of both of them, and started to rush towards the building. There were over a dozen, and they were starting to rush towards the door, to try to force their way in. As soon as one of them touched the doorknob, I leapt out of my hiding spot, wielding my rifle, and started firing. I dropped four with my opening salvo, being careful to drop those that I had tracked that had the keys to the vans. They obviously were not planning on a smash and grab if they turned the vehicles off.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  When the first four (fake) charred bodies had dropped to the ground, the rest of the Grape Street Crips looked around before coming to rest on me in my newer armor scheme. One of them yelled out that they were told I was at the park. Another yelled out asking why there were nine of me. I resolved to keep those two conscious. The ten thugs showed their bravado by lining up shots and firing in my general direction.

  Or at least, they attempted to. Granted, mass fire is a handy solution to the Mirror Image spell, but Displacement helps weed that out a little too. All things considered, they dropped four of my images, leaving four images remaining. I swept across them again with my rifle, dropping another four with my fire enhanced rounds. The six remaining thugs all looked at each other as I yelled out to them that I had heard that the definition of Insanity is doing something multiple times and expecting a different outcome, but they are welcome to try, if they think that any of THEIR pistols NOW have the magic bullet in them that will pierce through all of my defenses.

  That seemed to spur them on, with the last six of them firing again at me. From the barrage of bullets, two more of my images were gone, leaving just me and two illusionary versions of me. I dropped the last four thugs with another four rounds, visually leaving four more charred husks, twelve in total, all of which were the ones that I had not mentally marked and yelled that the remaining two should probably drop their guns and kneel in front of me, unless they want to meet the green flame personally. I thought that that was a good bit of improvisation. I dismissed my Displacement and my Mirror Image spells, leaving my Haste active, as I advanced, menacingly.

  The one who had talked about the fact that I was supposed to be at the park dropped to his knees first, sliding the gun away quickly. The other one seemed shellshocked, possibly from the magic, until his brother in arms yelled at him to drop it and get down. The second one did, and I told them that I knew that the attack at the park, while real, was just a distraction. I audibly checked in with Cal, using the codename Cinnebar, and asked him how it was going there, over the phone. Cal told me that he had stopped the ongoing firefight and provided healing to the most critically injured of the victims, but that all would survive.

  I thanked him and leveled my gaze at the two, and told them that I really only had two questions for now. I told them that I wanted to know who had set them up to do this, and who had planned it. The one who said that I should have been at the park started blabbering about not knowing who, but that he heard of someone named “Gwen Dale” or something like that, that they had come up with the plan and how to get it done. I nodded and looked over at the other one. I told him to stand and collect all of the guns and put them in a pile. The more shellshocked one complied while I waited for police to arrive.

  It took less than five minutes, and there were SEVERAL units arriving, with enough capacity for everyone. I told them that I had seen them arrive in the four vans, and that the keys for those vans were in the pockets of the first four that I had struck down. Midway through the police bringing all of the thugs in, Bob opened up his shop and came out to talk. He thanked me for stopping this dangerous robbery and that he knew that I, Verdigris, was here to help out the community, and help keep busy businesses operating. He also spoke up and said that he’d hold a “his and hers” voucher for some practice time when my fiancée came back, with a wink, just loud enough for the reporters that had started to arrive to hear.

  I groaned subaudibly, and looked over at the reporters, who were all clamoring to get a question in. After the police had discussed all that they were willing to say, they shouted at me, and I took off my helmet to walk over so that they didn’t have to yell. I told them that they had a total of four questions, and that I would answer them as decorum permits. The first one asked if it was true that there was another hero in Norfolk. I looked at them with a smile and asked them if they thought that I could be in two places at once.

  A second one spoke up and yelled out, asking what happened to Amber. My face turned steel as I looked at them and the others, and apologized that I would not be taking any further questions at this time, and that they can get the balance of the questions the next time they see me at a location. I cast my Vanish Spell and disappeared, just to run at a forty-five degree angle up to a building across the street, before backtracking to the tower. As I was disappearing, I heard one of the other reporters scolding the one who had asked about Amber, that he wasted the opportunity for everyone. That reporter replied back that his readers wanted to know.

  When I got back inside the fourth floor of the tower, Agent Smith was already waiting inside. I could hear from his breathing that he had just run up the steps to get there. He asked me if I was really upset that Amber was gone. I looked at him oddly and told him no, that I was just trying to keep up with the appearance of the script, that Amber had been horribly wounded by this “Kanczar” and that I was depressed by my lack of ability to save her. I added that I knew that the regular news might not catch the whole of it, since they would not know ALL of the details about “Kanczar” but that even enemies kept informed, and that this would back up what we were feeding.

  Agent Smith looked at me and said that I was getting a handle on this “compartmentalization of information” fairly well. I flippantly said that when you might be Scried upon by an enemy at any time, and not know it, you know that when you DO know it, you give whatever information that you want them to “know”. Agent Smith asked me if I knew how it went for Cinnebar, and I told him that he said that it was good, but that the gang had told me that someone named Wendell had planned and set up the pair of attacks. Agent Smith mulled the name “Gwen Dale” around for a only few moments before coming up with the name Wendell Levy, the last member of the Slicing Talons. He sighed and reminded me that this was the guy they thought had spoofed his number in my phone. Agent Smith added that this means that Wendell isn’t just satisfied with the efforts he was making in the past, and that he will likely keep stepping up tactics until he wins or we get him.

  I asked Agent Smith if S.H.I.E.L.D. was certain that the communication was safe between us on phones. Agent Smith said that we should be careful, but that it was unlikely that he would try again, because he knows that we caught him once, and we are keeping an eye on this method. I nodded and said that this makes sense, but that I would also work on making an alternative method for direct communication between at least Cinnebar and myself. Agent Smith nodded and said that it might be a good thing to look for with all of S.P.E.A.R., that as long as we are not keeping things secret from S.H.I.E.L.D., we can have some degree of security required autonomy. I said that I would research the best method for this and apprise him as soon as I could, especially as long as S.H.I.E.L.D. can keep providing me the resources for it.

  Agent Smith perked up and said that they had the next three lots of the Quartz, Jade, Obsidian, and Amber. I thanked him, and said that he should probably set up a recurring delivery system for S.H.I.E.L.D. or whatever part of the agency is going to be focusing on the roll out of the stones that the boxes will produce. Agent Smith said that he would get that discussed with Director Mackenzie, and get it arranged. I nodded and said that once I get them the boxes, that aspect isn’t really a worry for me any more. Agent Smith asked me what my next task for this day was.

  I asked him if he was done with enough of his own preparations that he could walk with me up to the Dedicated Wrights, as I was fairly certain that they were complete with their tasks for the day. Agent Smith followed me and asked if I had picked up on Bob’s subtle clues when he talked to me after the event. I told him that I had not, and Agent Smith told me that Bob had another order to fulfill from the Seals. I thanked Jonathan and told him that I would reach out to get in touch with him and start up that order tomorrow. Agent Smith said that he could get someone from S.H.I.E.L.D. to do it, and I shrugged, saying that the main thing that it took was time, and now just two of those diamonds or rubies.

  Agent Smith nodded again, as we walked up stairs, with him noticing that the ends of the tower hallways above the warehouse level now had large “windows”, letting in the image of the outside. He spoke up, pointing at one of them, and noted that this is new. I told him that the item that can make them was just finished today, and that they can grab “A Mirror’s Reflection” for S.H.I.E.L.D. 's usage after I confirm that we are done with it tomorrow morning. Agent Smith thanked me and asked if this item had the same prerequisites for use as everything that I made. I told him that it did, and that it would probably be good for him to get some lessons for whichever S.H.I.E.L.D. staff would be using it, once the tower is fully up and functional. Agent Smith perked up and asked me how much longer the tower would take for completion.

  I went through what was left for every aspect, from training the first group which would be teachers for the next group, and so on. I told him that we were finishing up on the water system today, and that we would probably have fully functional plumbing supply by mid day tomorrow at the worst. After that, I would need to start getting the other amenities set up, from the food at the “mess hall”, to the dimensionally expanded student rooms and class rooms, to the finishing of the summoning circles and the magical protection of the gaol cells. Jonathan asked me how long this would take, and I sighed, saying that as long as nothing stopped me, and nothing major happened, I could have it done within two weeks total, probably less. I added that the longest time would probably be collecting the works of magical and scientific study to hand replicate. This alone was going to add a week of work.

  Jonathan nodded and smiled as we walked up each level, saying that S.H.I.E.L.D. could probably help with that. I shrugged and said that I could probably whip up some enchanted machine to copy from one book to another book, but of course, pictures would not be included. Jonathan seemed to have a smirk about this, and asked how long it might take to make one of these “Enchanted Copying Machines”. I thought for a moment and said that it is a fairly simple enchantment, and that if I wanted to include images, it might be a bit more expensive, but it could be done. I added that I should be able to make one that doesn’t do pictures easily for only three of the diamonds or rubies, and one day of manufacture.

  I added that if I included a means to make pictures in the enchantment, it would likely only add another four of the gemstones, and still be done in a singular day. Agent Smith perked up and asked if there were any downsides to that, and I told him that that method would make the pictures disappear if the books are ever subject to Dispel Magic, but that I could research a better method, given time, but it might be more expensive. Agent Smith laughed and said that they did have machines that could make copies like that, but that they certainly didn’t have a cost of seven synthetic diamonds. I shrugged and said that I wasn’t certain if the mechanism of their copying machines would be treated as “viewing” or “reading” the material, which can set off glyphs and wards, which might be damaging to said copy machines. Agent Smith asked if either method meant that they couldn’t be read with my spell.

  I thought about it for a minute, and said that it is quite likely that my method would prevent some spells from gaining access to the information from these books. Jonathan said that this was quite a bonus, and that the possibility of being able to quickly delete information from being accessed could be a whole other way of information protection from spycraft. I told him that we can keep it in mind, but that it won’t prevent pictures being taken of the information. Jonathan nodded and said that he would talk it over with Director Mackenzie. By the time that we were done with this bit of information, we were up at the Dedicated Wrights, and the seven of them were there, ready to present what they had made.

  I thanked the dedicated wrights as I grabbed the six rings and the node. I told them that I could use them working on a set of non-magical gear for Cal, specifically in a brilliant reddish variety, similar to my old armor. They went off to work, and I turned back to Agent Smith and asked him to walk with me, as I grabbed the Chisel of the Exquisite Craftsman. He said that he would, and asked me what I was doing. I told him that I was placing the Hydro-Push Energetic Ring Pumps for all of the levels except level seven and eight, and that they would be supplied by their own water sources. I added that we would need three more, one each for levels four, five, and six, for them to be ready.

  I added that the CALM Module would start filling up the cistern as soon as it is installed but that I wanted the first level of pumps done first. Agent Smith nodded and said that this makes sense, and asked if I planned on making the rest of the rings tomorrow. As we walked down the stairs, to the first level of the tower, to the back where the wall with the cistern, we talked and I told him that tomorrow I would be focusing on three different items, the items known as “Tony’s Petro Printer”, “Tony’s Cold Shoulder”, and the remaining “Hy.P.E.R. Pumps”. Agent Smith asked if I was planning on making another of the “Crushing Banality” soon. I told him that it was on my list of things to make, that I would have the Dedicated Wrights to start on it tomorrow, with whatever labor they had remaining.

  Agent Smith nodded and said that Director Mackenzie would be glad to know that it was scheduled. I told him that he can report that it should be done before Monday. Agent Smith nodded as I used the Chisel to remove stone, install the rings, activate them, and then seal pipes and everything back into the granite walls. Then, when all of the first stage pump rings were set, I went to the top of the cistern and repeated the process for the CALM module, activating it to start filling it up with conjured water. I told him that from my calculations, the cistern would be full within eight hours, and that the water can be at least used by the end of the work day.

  Agent Smith nodded and said that it would be quite the thing to see all of the water features and the waterfall sinks in the bathrooms. I agreed with him and told him that the constant water flow was going to start emitting purified, ionized water vapor into the atmosphere of Norfolk as well, at a rate of around forty gallons per minute, as soon as the water made it to the septic cistern underneath the tower. Agent Smith said that he would update Director Mackenzie on this as well. When all that was done, I started walking towards the garage, and found that Cinnebar was back from his first mission and tour around the city. Agent Smith asked if he could debrief Cinnebar privately, and I told them that it was up to Cinnabar to decide, but that it would probably be a good idea.

  Cal agreed and they went to the Director of Operations office to begin their discussion. I decided to go check in on Bob and them after the event, just to make sure that everyone was okay. I stepped out of the garage (under another Vanish spell), in my regular clothing, and walked over to Bob’s Gunshop carefully. I waited until the invisibility wore off to walk into the store, and was greeted by Jessica. There were not any customers currently in the front office, so she came out from behind the counter to give me a hug.

  Bob came out of his area after a minute, as did Steve. They all shook hands and thanked me for the job keeping the store safe. I told them that I was glad to do it, and that they would need to keep me on a hotline or something of the kind in case something like this happens again. Bob laughed and said that maybe Norfolk needed some kind of large searchlight with some kind of logo on it. Steve laughed and said it isn’t like it can be something easy like a bat or something.

  I was a bit confused, but didn’t say anything about it. They joked a bit more, before I noted that I would try to figure out some kind of emergency signal that they can activate and get it to them, that some kind of signal light or searchlight aimed at the sky wouldn’t be practical. They all agreed and I told them that it would probably be some kind of hybridization of magic and tech, so it might take a few days to figure out. Someone came in at that point, and Steve and Jessica went to deal with them while Bob escorted me back to his office. When we got there, he asked me how things had been since the last time I called him.

  I thought about keeping up the charade with him, but decided to tell him that Amber was out getting advanced training with some members of S.H.I.E.L.D., and that I was just doing everything that I can to make sure that the city is ready for her when she gets back. I cleared my throat, and mentioned that I could use a small change to the arrangement for the Seal Team firearms. Bob appeared to be listening intently, and I told him that I had found a way to get the guns enhanced with less material, but it requires gemstones. Bob said that he didn’t have any easy way to access gemstones of any kinds, and I told him that he can arrange it through S.H.I.E.L.D., sending them the equivalent of whatever my fee was before, and not worrying about buying the salt, and just being the pick up and drop off of the guns. Bob said that he would probably prefer that option, and asked where I would need the guns to be dropped off.

  I smiled and looked across the street to the warehouse that was swiftly becoming the Norfolk branch of “PBC Healthcare”. Bob laughed and said, “Of course I am behind the build up in the place next door.” I told him that I would be working on an easier method of transport, but for now, it seems like I will need to put that on pause for now. Bob nodded and said that once I can figure that out, we can expedite even more upgrading. I told him that the best that I could do at the moment is twenty or so per day. Bob nodded and said that he could still work with that.

  I stood up and shook his hand, and said that I needed to get back to what I needed to get ready next. Bob laughed and said that they would all still be here, I thanked him and said that I would keep trying to make sure that they stayed safe. As we walked out of his office, Bob said that he was still working on getting the carpentry work done. It seems like David Sawyer’s crew was really busy. I smiled, thinking about how he was doing better, and noted that he should keep me informed of when it is all ready.

  I left the office, and the shop, saying goodbye to Steve and Jessica, before stepping out to head back to the tower, in a roundabout direction. It was a refreshing walk through the area, and it seemed like the day was going to have a decent culmination to it. When I got back, Cal was done with his debrief, and was back to work on getting the sprinklers done. I walked up and told him that he should finish and spend some time meditating and reflecting, because he will be having a big change tomorrow, if his progress today is any indication. Cal listened, and said that he would do so, saying that he wanted to get up when I did so that I could guide him through his first meditation.

  I smiled and told him that we can do that, and that he should definitely get to sleep early if he wants to do that. Cal nodded, and went to quickly finish up his chosen tasks. I went to go talk to the Agents to see how their progress went. As I walked through the “storage” room, which was filled up with carefully stacked supplies and gear. I walked out into the hallway, and saw how the water fountains were now flowing.

  I dipped into the bathrooms, and saw that the waterfall faucets were functioning, and the toilets were functional as well. I took my time walking to the breakroom, and found that the shelves were stacked with different supplies and foodstuffs. There was a refrigerator, a microwave, a burner, and other items. There were canned beverages in the refrigerator, even plastic containers with labels on them for each of the “staff”. The water fountain was continually running, the sink was working, and everything seemed in order in this “break room”.

  I checked in the power closet and saw how there was a box that had been connected to the Galvanic Spark, that was then connected to a breaker box that had been installed, with wiring going up into the granite ceiling. Lighting was all accomplished via the molded granite sconces, even in this room. I left the power room and went back through the break room to the hallway. I looked at the door across the hallway, and saw a golden plaque that said, “Account Manager Cross”. I walked to it, and knocked on the door.

  I waited for a minute before Agent Cross opened up the door and looked at me. I smiled and asked if I could just see how they had changed everything. He welcomed me in and said it was good that I was there, because he had a question. I quickly took in the interior and waited to hear what he had to say. Agent Cross asked me, if I was making nothing but the different items, how quickly I could make them. I told him that this was a difficult question to answer, because each one has a different level of labor and time associated with it, and if he wants to mix products, or if I am only making one specific style of product.

  Agent Cross said that it would be best if I gave him a good range of options. I thought for a moment and said that at the best, I can make eight of either the goggles or the gloves, and maybe 4 of the visors a day, assuming that all materials and items are available at the start of the day. Agent Cross asked if it was basically a two to one ratio. I told him it was, but when it gets to multiple days in a row of the visors, I can basically make ten every two days, as some of the work can carry over. Daniel nodded and said that this seemed reasonable, and asked if my “superheroics” cut into this quantity, and I told him that unless I needed to make something special for it, or needed to be away from the area for over twenty four hours, then it would disrupt the process.

  Agent Cross nodded and said that makes sense. I told him that those were the major requirements for creating, but other than that, we shouldn’t have much in the way of disruptions. Agent Cross nodded and asked if we could quickly go over the costs for each item. We sat down at the desk, with him in his chair and me in the customer’s, and we went through the costs and everything. He seemed surprised at how minimally I could make the cost with everything, and he said that he would be in charge of the ordering process for raw materials as well as being an account manager, so this was good information for him.

  I nodded and told him that as we get more items that I can make, I will give him the specifics for everything as they are approved for rollout. I added that he might want to contact Bob, from Bob’s Gunshop, as there was business from them that would be folded into the “PBC Conglomerate”. He gave me a lifted eyebrow and asked what it might be. I told him that it was a project with at least the U.S. Navy, that will probably expand to the other forces, and it might require eventually having a LOT of the synthetic gems ordered, at a rate of forty to fifty of the synthetic diamonds or rubies a day. Agent Cross asked how profitable it would be for S.H.I.E.L.D., and I told him that this was discussed between Bob and him.

  Agent Cross got up and shook my hand thoughtfully, saying that this can be a very profitable agreement. I agreed and said that my historical portion of it should continue to go to the charity account that Agent Smith set up for me. Agent Cross nodded and asked if it was still the circumstance that I did NOT want to know who was benefiting. I told him that I did not, only that I NEEDED someone, or multiple people, to be benefiting every day of the year. Agent Cross was a bit confused, but agreed to my constraints. We shook hands and I wished him a good day, before exiting the office.

  I stepped back out into the hallway and walked back towards the next office, this time labelled, “Account Manager Vance”. I knocked on the door to her office, and she was much quicker about getting to the door and letting me in. I asked her if the office was to her liking and what she thought about the “all granite” construction. Agent Vance then went through a thorough discussion of everything security based in the office area and asked when they would be able to tour the tower. I told her that this would be something that would be agreed with Agent Smith, but that it shouldn’t be an issue in a week or so, once everything is set up.

  Agent Vance nodded, saying that it would probably be best to see everything when it was done, rather than before things might have changed. I agreed with her logic, and told her that if she had any ideas for improving the office or the tower, no matter how far-fetched, that she should let me know, and I will work on trying to figure out how to implement. Agent Vance agreed, and we shook hands, before I left to go check in with the last two Agents, Agent Peterson and Agent Smith. I left her office and decided to check in with Agent Peterson in the reception area. The hallway still had the sconces throughout the length, ensuring that the lighting was strong and consistent.

  The reception area had Agent Peterson going through various things on a display that seemed to be able to be operated by touch. I cleared my throat and Agent Peterson looked up, before skillfully minimizing some screen that looked to be black and had some drawn image of a face with white hair and a mask where the color was split down the middle with black and white sides. Something tickled the back of my mind about it, but I figured that I would think back on it later. I asked Agent Peterson how she felt about this room, and the office as a whole. Agent Peterson commented on how safe this room felt, knowing that she could see out of what was really solid, one foot thick granite, and that the entirety of the building was clad in this reinforcement.

  I thanked her, and told her that if she had any further ideas on how to make things more comfortable, that she can feel free to tell me. Agent Peterson smiled and said that she would keep it in mind. I thanked her for her diligence, and left the reception area, after noting the functioning waterfall wall situated across from the door to get in. I smiled at the effect and left to head to the last office. When I got to the Director of Operations office, with a plaque stating it was Jonathan Smith firmly adhered to the door. I knocked and again was welcomed in by the Agent that was in the office, Jonathan Smith.

  I asked Jonathan how the debrief with Cal went. Jonathan smiled and said that he had a good grounding in the theory and the needs for a solid S.H.I.E.L.D. debrief. I could tell that he was including a sly dig at my own propensity for being more of a chaotic and scene grabbing personality. I told him that I was just glad that Cal was going through the training and responding well. Jonathan stopped me right there, and asked me if I understood just how big this was. I shrugged and asked him what he meant.

  Jonathan stopped for a minute, and said that before Thanos removed half of the people of the world, that there was nothing akin to my abilities here on Earth. Sure, there was magic, and there was high technology that might as well have been magic, but the exact way that I can do and make things, that is unprecedented. Then, I arrived, and within two months, now there were two more people who could cast spells like me. I shrugged and said that maybe it was just the fact that I was opening up a new avenue of potential, and that those who might open to this, or related, avenues of ability. Jonathan looked at me with a bit of confusion before he took a breath to continue. Jonathan spoke up and said that this wasn’t just about the possibility of potential, it was the fact that it was this rapid.

  I sighed and told him that I had a lot of one-on-one time with Cal, to teach him things directly, he was awash in magical energy from the first day, when he started using magical items, like the rest of you, heavily, and he took to the training well. Jonathan looked at me and asked if that was common back where I was from. I told him that, yeah, if you take someone without much in the way of different skills to unlearn, and put them into a dedicated training path, that they will retrain very rapidly initially. When you completely replace their former skill paths with the new one, that is when learning further skills gets more difficult. Jonathan soaked all this in and asked how long it would take to train someone who was already experienced in a way not conducive to this training.

  I thought about it, and told him that it was likely about seven days. He looked at me and asked if the difference was really just thirty-two hours of training. I told him that downtime for reflection and meditation is also crucial. He shook his head with a smile and said that that six year timeline just might not be so bad after all. I shrugged, and told him that once I have everything specified, with suitable training staff, we can start getting a lot of people through the training. Jonathan asked me if I could write up a brief synopsis of what was required for everything to be fully ready and I said that I would.

  We shook hands as well, and I started my way back to the top of the tower through all of the levels. When I got back to the tent, Cal was there in the main room, waiting for me. I looked his way, smiled, and then went to relieve myself of all of the different pieces of equipment. Then we talked for a good long time about what he experienced, and I showed him a lot more magic that he can pick and choose through to find out what will work best for him. It was a detailed few hours, until at last it was closing on the time when I was going to get ready to sleep.

  I finally told Cal that it would do best for him to get a solid eight hours of rest from here on out, that he can’t really recover arcane energy without that kind of down time, and that I would wake him just before sunrise. He agreed and I went to my room in the tent, and he went to his. I changed into what passed for sleeping clothes for me, and got ready for bed. Around eight at night, I got my nightly Sending from Amber, telling me, “So, I heard that there is another Verdigris. Is he someone that I know, or from your home world? Just know I love you.” I thought about the best way to reply back and used my use of it to Send to her, “Amber, you are my only love. The other is an apprentice to learn and help with the city. To give me more time with you.” I went to bed and prepared for what might be the last time I grace Heward’s Halls.

  Thus starts the side career of Cinnebar, after Verdigris. Cal Thimes isn’t going to be exactly the same as Curtis Zine, but the Alchemy theme will continue, as more people are brought from the dross of this world to the refined nature of a PRPG class.

  A Mirror’s Revelation:

  Aura strong transmutation; CL 11th

  Slot none; Price 132,000 gp; Weight 1

  Description

  This rutilated quartz crystal rod has gold chased runes and has a handle that is bedecked with red, blue, green, and white studs. When the command word is spoken, up to ten cubic feet of stone or metal is made completely clear, one way. The user determines the viewing direction. This can be activated every six seconds for a new section. This does nothing to the statistics or structural stability of the material.

  Construction

  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Trobriand’s Glassee; Cost 76,000 gp

  Hydro-Push Energetic Ring Pump (Hy.P.E.R. Pump)

  Aura Weak Evocation; CL 1st

  Slot none; Price 2,000 gp; Weight 1

  Description

  This Kashmir White Granite Ring has a fairly simple enchantment on it. When water is contacting it, up to once every six seconds, a Hydraulic Push spell is generated, pushing water up to thirty feet vertical, into a tank to the level above of where it is supposed to feed to.

  Construction

  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Hydraulic Push; Cost 1,000 gp

  Controller of Aquatic Level, Mystical Module, or CALM Module

  Aura weak conjuration; CL 1st

  Slot none; Price 2,000 gp; Weight 1

  Description

  This small nodule can be installed in a tank, and will start conjuring water within, at a rate of twenty gallons per minute. If the tank fills up, it stops filling water until it lowers in level again.

  Construction

  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Hydraulic Push; Cost 1,000 gp