Daggat had the kitchen all to himself. He would have preferred to use his lab. Still, currently, Zuss was utilizing the room beyond it to become one with the shadow. Or something along those lines. He didn't want to work without light. Hunter was currently working with Skiz. Pacifist as he was, for now, he still needed to know how to fight.

He reviewed what he had to work with. The virthuk's core and tusks, a handful of life-imbued flowers, and a bag of teeth. He didn't have high hopes for the discarded goblin teeth, but… maybe they could be useful. At the very least, it was a regenerating resource. First, the easy one.

After talking to the tree for a while, Daggat had a better understanding of how alchemy worked. There were three aspects of it he could control. The yield, the potency, and the effect.

For the yield, you needed as pure of a base medium as possible. He had no idea how that worked with metals and… countries. But, he could control that with potions, poisons, and his newest fascination, bombs. For that, he would need to distill a liquid until it was pure. Water was simplest, simply boil it. Unfortunately, he did not have access to tools to distill it properly. Alcohol and oils worked as well. According to the tree, the next step beyond a pure base medium was a pure base of some thematically appropriate liquid. Spring water infused with fire essence from a volcano, for example. He had nothing like that.

For now, he was confident he could get his yield to five potions.

The basic ideas of potency also worked with purity. But, purity of essence, not material. Every alchemical ingredient usually had several essences infused into it of various degrees. The trick was to reduce the "junk" essence as much as possible while having a higher amount of the essence your recipe calls for. Until Daggat could find a way to measure the essence of something, he would need to rely on intuition.

Finally, the effect. When he discovered a recipe, it was locked in. So, what he needed to do was select the essence that would get him closer to the result he wanted. In most cases, an alchemical recipe was formed of a primary essence, and a secondary essence or two. If the potion contained one of the guiding essence types, then its purpose could be set.

These guiding essences were necessary for certain results. Beast allowed for transformation. Death created poison. Force could create a REAL bomb. But, he had no idea how to get a force essence.

Beyond the essences used, his own expectations played just as much, if not more, important of a role.

Daggat had been boiling water in the large cauldron he had scrubbed clean. Just to remove as many impurities as possible, and he was finally ready to make his first potion of the day. He dropped in the core and the tusks.

Unlike before, Daggat had a goal for these potions. He wanted to steal the virthuk's regenerative abilities to create a healing potion. At least, that was what he expected would happen, so he was confident it would. Alchemy was handy that way.

After sprinkling in the powder called Alchemical Flux, or Demon Dust as Daggat preferred, the water took on a pink hue.

Now, he just needed it to boil down. While he did so, he opened his recipe list.

[Would you like to record the recipe? Yes/no]

Daggat selected yes, and recorded the potion as Potion of Rejuvenation.

Potion of Rejuvenation

Primary Essence: Life

Secondary essence: Beast, Growth

Effects: Unknown

"Doing a bit of alchemy?" A voice said. Kraxith had come in behind him.

"Yep. Making some health potions. Hopefully." Daggat said. The drakyn gave an impressed hum.

"Good luck. I've come to tell you that Skiz and I will be leaving tomorrow." He took a seat at the table.

"Alright. I hope you've enjoyed your stay at Titanfell Manor, and please spread the word we are hiring."

Kraxith chuckled. "It was an interesting experience, for sure. Skiz had me create these for you all." He placed a stack of papers on the table. Daggat thumbed through them. They each had illustrations and guides for various styles of combat. Daggat found his, which showed techniques for improving spear control and stances. He copied them all.

"Thanks. You two have been a big help. Where are you going to go?"

"Vocaunt. We want to avoid the goblins. The other goblins, not you. For now."

"Alright. If you meet up with Calion, tell him we're fine and we've got his cat. We need to stay for a bit longer, but we are going to move out soon. Hey, while you are here, Anath isn't comfortable with a fury core. Got any other ideas?"

"What? Why didn't she say anything?"

"She has confrontation issues. She's either too soft or too hard. No in-between."

"I see. Well… a rhythm core might suit her fighting style. For that, I believe she would have to learn to dance and then 'dance under the moonlight'. I don't know what that means, but I suspect she would have to dance while the moon is in the sky. From dusk till dawn."

"I'll ask her. Right now, she is training with Zuss. So it will have to wait."

"You've all been pushing yourselves pretty hard. Don't forget to rest."

"Oh, don't worry. We get our revels in. But, we can't afford to slow down. We've gotten lucky so far. But, the world isn't kind to monsters like us. If we want control, we will have to take it."

"Fair enough. Well, I am going to say my goodbyes to Hunter. Nice lad, for an ogre. Where is he?"

"Try the gym," Daggat said after a moment of checking the party tracker.

Kraxith bowed his head to Daggat and left him alone with his alchemy.

A few minutes later, the potion was done. Its color had deepened into a rich red. If he didn't know better, he would have assumed it to be blood. It even had an iron tang to its scent. He separated it into four bottles and then diluted the last bit with water to create six samples. They would be used to test their effects with each party member.

Daggat had a moment of hesitation before drinking his sample. He suddenly remembered the skinless boar and the amount of constant pain it had to live with.

Eh, it would only be temporary. Daggat downed the sample in one go. Nothing happened for a moment. He felt a tingling in his ear. His head began to tilt to one side.

Eyes wide, he reached up with trembling fingers. He felt the ear, regrowing from the stump it had once been.

"YES!" He cried. His EAR! He had his ear back! Finally. He was no longer unbalanced. He was beginning to tear up from pure joy. The scratches and cuts he got from the recent fights closed up. Even a slight cut on the inside of his mouth he was dealing with faded. He felt at his chest. The scar he carried from being stabbed was still there. Inspecting himself, each small wound healed and left a similar white scar.

Then, the potion ended. His new ear felt tight. It began to shrivel under his fingers. Then it scabbed over… and fell off. He looked down at the shriveled, dead skin that was beginning to drift away into dust.

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Daggat fell to his knees. It wasn't fair. Not fair at ALL. Growling, he stood up. The experience did show him some things. It gave him an idea.

He grabbed the broken sword blade that he let Hunter use to cut meat and cut himself on his arm. Not deep, just a tad more than a scratch. Nothing that couldn't be healed after a few hours in Hunter's hearth.

Then, he drank another sample potion. Someone else would have to share, this was important. He knew he shouldn't drink too many potions at once, but this was diluted. It should be fine. He watched the cut heal itself. Then, he cut himself again in a different spot. That healed as well.

After a minute, the potion effects ended. The first cut returned. Damage healed was returned, it seemed. However, the second cut stayed healed. There was no scar for this one. Daggat laughed in relief. It WASN'T useless.

Whatever damage sustained while the potion was active would be healed. So, outside of instant death attacks, he should be able to be unbeatable for about five minutes. He only had four full potions left. Those were going to be his.

Now, the next experiment. He had several of the little heart flowers.

Daggat suspected the virthuk was created because a boar ate too many of these, and it gained a life core. That, and based on their appearance, it was safe to assume these were just chock full of life essence. Maybe some plant or growth.

He had a smaller pot already boiling and ready for it. He dropped in a heart flower and sprinkled on the demon dust. It took a similar appearance to the rejuvenation potion after it was boiled down. He was only left with one potion worth. Convenient that each flower used equated enough essence for one full 5-minute potion. He put it in a bowl.

[Would you like to record the recipe? Yes/no]

Daggat once again selected yes, and recorded the potion as Potion of Life.

Potion of Life

Primary Essence: Life

Secondary essence: Growth

Effects: Unknown

So, it was close to the other potion, just without beast. But, without that essence, it would be too dangerous to drink.

So… what to do with it? It wasn't a bomb or flammable, so he couldn't use it as a weapon. And what point was there in using life as a weapon? He could always try making an alchemical material.

Though, he wasn't sure how that worked exactly. Might as well try, he thought. Daggat picked up something on hand, a tooth from the bag of teeth. He had planned to see if they had any alchemical properties. Then he dropped it in.

The tooth began to bubble. How long was it supposed to take? Hours? He turned to leaf through his guidebook on spear fighting.

But before he could read it, the bowl began to shake. The water looked like it was boiling. Peering in, something green was growing inside the red liquid.

Then, it stood up with a shrill cry.

A gremlin. An actual, full gremlin popped out of the bowl, screeching in triumph.

Daggat just stared at it for a moment. Had… he just created life? WAS HE A FATHER?! Carefully, he reached out a hand towards it. The gremlin tilted its head in curiosity.

"Hey, little guy," Daggat said, going to pat its head. It bit him. "Ow! Get off, you little bastard!"

It was latched to his hand, biting and chewing like a wild animal. Daggat shook his hand and it flew off, cackling.

"What the fuck?" Daggat mumbled. The gremlin giggled, crawling through the kitchen like a monkey. It picked up a plate. "Wait, no-" The gremlin threw it to the ground and it shattered. It laughed in glee.

Daggat ran after it. But it was like trying to catch a rat. It threw plates, bowls, pans, anything it could get its little claws on. Daggat finally managed to snatch it.

He dropped it again when it bit him.

"That's it!" Daggat growled. He stomped at it but it kept rolling away. Was he this annoying when he was a gremlin?

Then it latched onto his leg and crawled up his back, biting him as it went along.

Daggat slammed his back against a cupboard, and he heard a screech. The gremlin fell off, but several jars on the cupboard fell to the ground and shattered. Daggat grabbed a basket of wild onions, tossed the onions out, and slammed the basket over the dazed gremlin.

He sat on the basket and caught his breath.

What was that? Could alchemy even DO that?

Already he had ideas racing in his head. Could he set up some sort of release system? Or drop in a tooth and toss a bottle at someone. Then let the gremlin do its thing.

Maybe create a system for a dozen to be made at once, leaving an enemy to contend with a small swarm of land piranhas. He needed to cultivate those plants. Bring them to the garden and find a way to grow them.

Then, when they calmed down… he could raise them as an army of goblins. The right way, not how Rika did it. Daggat cackled at the thought.

"WHAT?!" Someone said. Daggat looked up to see a shocked Hunter come into the kitchen. Daggat smiled at him. A plate that had been teetering on a ledge fell and shattered.

"Oh, um, this wasn't me. I discovered something! Look, look, this is what trashed the kitchen, not me." He lifted the basket and quickly went to grab the gremlin. It was gone. All that was left was a small pile of ash. Oh… so it would only last five minutes as well. So much for his army. He slowly turned back to Hunter, smiling. "So… it was a gremlin." Hunter's brow slowly furrowed from shock to wrath.

As Daggat flew through the air, he reflected that he didn't expect Hunter to be the type to bodily-throw people out of his kitchen. He needed his lab back.

Daggat

True Name: Daggat Soul: Monster Genseed: gremlin [ 3 Str, 4 Dex, 3 Con, 2 Int, 3 Wil, 3 Cha; Regenerating Teeth, Rot Resistance; Tiny Size] Genbloom: goblin [ +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con, +1 Int, +1 Wil; Scavenger; Small Size]

Monster Level: 9

Attributes (0/6): Strength: 11 Dexterity: 11 Constitution: 11 Intelligence: 20 Will: 10 Charm: 12

Feats: Encounter: True Angel Ability: Mighty Intellect Act: Fledgling Alchemist Knowledge: System Knowledge Act: Devotion [Layered feats] Act: Usurper Act: Touch of Death Act: Reborn by Fire

Skills(0/4): Alchemy: 1 [Source: Fledgling Alchemist] System Aptitude: 1 [Source: System Knowledge] System Assistant: 2 [Perk: Semi-sentience] Mind Codex: 1 [Synergy: Mental notes + Copy Tome] Party Leader: 1 [Source: Usurper]

Notable Natural Skills: Literacy: Apprentice

Biotraits (0/9): Base size: Small [Source: Goblin] Regenerating Teeth [Source: Gremlin] Enhanced Night Vision [Source: Gremlin] Disease Resistance [Mutations: Rot Resistance; Source: Gremlin] Temperature Resistant Skin [Synergy: Fire Resistant Skin + Cold Resistant Skin] Scavenger [Source: goblin] Death Sight [Source: Touch of Death] Increased Pain Tolerance Fire Core Beguiling Presence [Synergy: Hypnotic Gaze (Dominating Gaze, Mesmerizing Gaze) + Hypervocal Cords (Beguiling Voice) ]

Transformations: Drakeheart Form: +2 strength +2 charm Extreme Temperature Resistant Scales [Synergy: Fireproof scales + Temperature resistant Skin] Fire breath

Night Stalker form: +2 strength +2 dexterity Dark vision [Night Vision Enhanced] Deepen Shadow

Regenerator form: Advanced Regeneration

Other: Variant: +10 Intelligence Skill potions used: 1/5

Notable Gear: Strange pure-white sword shard Spear of Bracing 2 Mihr Contracts

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