* * * PARTHIA – MARY * * *

Mary floated under the surface of the sea with Ocidon. They asserted their influence and forced the southern current to resume its original course. They were forced to insist, they observed with appreciation as this meant that cooler waters were able to filter into the Great Southern Bay for the first time in well over a century.

Then Ocidon in his guise of Earthshaker exerted himself while his consort kept the warm waters of the southern current flowing south.

The earthquake threw up a long ridge of rock, and incidentally sent a tsunami racing into the Great Southern Bay. The other shore of the sea was too far for the corresponding tsunami to cause much damage.

Ocidon and Mary contemplated their work and felt satisfied, albeit for different reasons. Ocidon regarded reclaiming the Great Southern Bay to be key. By reducing the temperature of its waters he foresaw the reclamation of its shores for his worshipers. Mary maintained her attention on the warm current, now washing against the sea ice in the south, and welcomed its reduction, and the rage it would throw Ice Heart, the god of the southern icelands into.

* * * EARTH – FALSTAFF MIDDLE SCHOOL * * *

Snakey observed his domain with displeasure. With the exception of himself and his four guardians it was empty thanks to the lockdown. He had finally managed to claim the entirety of the school grounds, but it had taken him far longer than he had hoped. And now he was rather low on mana.

It was late in the afternoon that he detected the two intruders. He observed them as they jumped the fence behind the gym. He was surprised that they were both armed, the bigger of the two had a small snub nosed pistol that his evaluate told him was a .38 S&W. The other had a pair of knives. Both sported crude tattoos.

Snakey alerted his Borribles, and they moved to intercept the intruders. Snakey resisted their desire to take on the two intruders.

In his attempts to rein in his over eager guardians, Snakey almost missed what the intruders were saying. When he realized that the two were the ones that had left the drugs in the hidey-hole he had discovered while expanding his domain. And from their complaints he learned that they were frustrated that his pupils, their customers and runners, were currently out of their reach.

He decided he wanted to know more, so that he could root out that kind of behaviour in his school, he had to keep his pupils safe after all. Sighing, he activated the pit trap he had set up in front of the cache.

Jack gave a bloodthirsty grin when he realized that their dungeon had changed his mind. The four borribles shared a look of complete understanding before scurrying to lay their ambush. They knew just where the involuntary adventurers were headed after all.

Snakey watched as his borribles beat the two dealers to the cache, and squirmed into their hiding places. He hoped they wouldn’t be needed.

Not long after the two intruders arrived at their cache. The smaller of the two stood back slightly, keeping watch, while the one armed with the revolver stepped directly onto the now activated pit trapped and dropped through its weak dirt cover with a cry of alarm.

The knife armed one spun around when he heard his friend’s cry, “’Milio, Wha—”

Jill stepped into sight on the other side of the pit trap and waved the bag they had left in their hidey-hole. “Wotcha mate... Lookin’ fer these?” she taunted as she shook the plastic bag.

The intruder produced one of his knives and took to impulsive steps towards Jill before stopping. He was just preparing to step around the pit containing the cursing Emilio when Jack and one of the other borribles ran into him, pushing him into the pit to join his friend.

The four borribles had some fun chucking rocks onto the two trapped men before piling into the pit to subdue them.

Snakey watched his guardians drag the two intruders to one of his subterranean rooms. Not long after he shuddered and turned his attention to other things, leaving his guardians to conduct the interrogation.

He reset the trap, just in case, and deactivated it. Then he checked his system messages and accepted the skills it offered his two oldest guardians. Jill gained Taunt, while Jack obtained Intimidate.

* * * AMBUILA – MARKOWITZ * * *

Markowitz drained the coconut he was holding. He still wanted a drink or two, but it was getting easier. He leaned back against the doorpost of his hut as he looked over the dark waters of the sea. He was waiting for the dawn, to his surprise he found himself looking forward to seeing the sun rise over the horizon.

He had levelled several times recently, and his hunting had improved. He rubbed the scar on his left forearm, considering that sometimes it was a rather dangerous occupation. But he missed matching wits against people. And having powerful friends.

Breakfast was, as usual, a fishy tasting porridge that he now knew was made from the dried fast growing seaweed that grew so abundantly just offshore.

Not long after he trotted inland with his spears and traps. He passed several rather pregnant women. He was still surprised at how solicitously they were treated by the rough villagers. And at how few children there were in the village considering the number of pregnancies.

When the sun was well overhead, he produced his lunch and settled down to eat. He was surprised by a shadow passing by. He looked around, then up. And there, sailing by overhead, was a flying ship. By the two turrets he could discern it was exceptionally well armed for this place.

Markowitz’s heart leapt, and he jumped to his feet. Then he cursed as he made out the flag in the stern, a blue green field with a white dolphin.

He crouched down amongst the grass and watched one of the damn girl’s airships fly by heading in the direction of the village. “Guess it’s time to relocate again,” he told himself.

* * * EARTH – OLIVER BROUSSETTE * * *

Olli disconnected the call from his sister. He gazed out of the window at his front yard. Slowly, he turned and walked up to his comfortable armchair. Once there he collapsed bonelessly into its embrace.

After some time gazing blankly at the – rather amateurish – landscape that he had hanging on his wall. Almost without thought he looked at his phone, then he hit the speed dial for Frog.

“Morning Olli. How did it go?”

“Morning Frog – good – err, I don’t know. I’m not sure I understand what happened. Dad’s out of intensive care, but they are keeping him in hospital. They say he’s much better – but – they say his cancer is cured! He’s still got the virus – but its asymptomatic at present.”

There was a sigh at the other end, and then Frog spoke, “Pity. One of Mother’s clergy could have cured the cancer. I assume the potion cured the more serious disease. As I understand it, in most cases a standard cure disease will work. You only need a cure serious disease spell or potion when it has progressed to life threatening.”

“So, what are you saying? And how can Mother’s priests cure cancer and not the coronavirus?”

Frog chuckled, “Sorry Olli, I didn’t mean to laugh, but hearing you call her Mother... Look, Mother likes playing with DNA. Her priests have gained the ability to handle minor fixes to DNA, and to bring their subjects up to spec, so to speak. That allows the more advanced ones to fix cancer. I believe they have no real answer to germs and viruses.”

“But... But, that’s huge Frog.”

Frog chuckled again. “Yeah, but they take after Mother. They collect favours. Nothing is truly free unless you are a bona fide worshiper.”

Olli stared at his landscape, “I’ve got to... So if I turn up in Parthia with someone who is suffering from a genetic disease. It can be fixed?”

“Depends, but yeah, most likely.”

Olli sighed, “Guess I’ve gotta break into that hospital again. You sure a standard cure disease will work?”

Frog paused for a second as he consulted his System Dungeon Interface. “If he’s asymptomatic, even a minor cure disease will work.”

“Thanks Frog. After I visit my father again, I’ve got to go back to Parthia.”