Chapter 7: Bargaining

Aquamarine

Humamander and Twomamander were still out, and I was getting antsy. In hindsight asking 2 creatures who've never made weapons let alone know what they are to gather the materials for them was a terrible idea. They were taking a while, could've gotten hurt and probably won't even get proper materials. I needed to do something myself, and I had an idea. I slipped into the mind of the largest Humamander I had created, 5, and ran out the door with him. I needed to conserve my energy if I wanted to make this work. I needed to see the green gem.

Walking on the ground with my own two feet felt amazing, especially when I walked over the smooth stones free from the prickling of the aptly named blades of grass. The tension of before starts to lower and my frantic running transforms into a slower stride, "So 5-" As I try speaking to 5 a ringing resounds throughout his skull and I lose control for a second. He doubles over and grips his head with his hands as hard as he can. I can't feel any of his emotions, only his pain. He doesn't get back up, he just lays on the ground breathing heavily. I wait a while before taking back control and continue in silence. My eyes refuse to focus and my mind is stained white. I deliberately walk slower now, wanting to give myself as long as I can to steady myself.

As I stand in front of the doors I take a few moments to breathe, the tightness in 5's chest still stirring my thoughts into an indecipherable swirl. It takes a while to catch my breathe but I stand tall and burst through the door and prepared to make my offer, instead I found myself walking in on a conversation. "What a beautiful match box you have here old man!" The living flame cackled as his form popped and crackled, "Would be a shame if it never saw any proper use." He hovered his form just in front of the green triangular gem, his flame reflected on its glassy walls. The green gem was dull and silent, you would almost think the sagely old man wasn't home if it weren't for the gem's slight quivering. a small amount of soot stained its once pristine surface

Even still I waltzed in, strangely 5 didn't seem to have felt a single twinge of fear, or even fight for the controls. "Ahem" I spoke out. It was a strange sound, and even stranger was that I hadn't meant to say it. I forgot that I didn't know how to properly operate my own creations body, the muscles on the lung circuit making for clumsy communication. In response to this the living flame hovered up 5 and started to taunt the sagely man once again, "Aww, is this thing yours?" he floated around it's head examining it, "It's so cute!"

in an instant I felt the mana within the flame build up, and as such I left the mind of 5 and gathered the mana necessary for a water stream "Am I interrupting?" I asked hovering above my creature. As I spoke I could've sworn the living flame turned to ash.

"No not at all sir, I was just admiring this beautiful forest." He sputtered as he backed away slowly. I turned my focus to the green gem only to find my foresty friend had risen from the gem, puffing himself up to seem bigger than he was.

The old gem spoke kindly, "He sure was, in fact he was just leaving" as he floated closer to the smoking charcoal his voice suddenly turning steely, "Isn't that right?"

The flying charcoal started to move towards the door beginning to move through it, "Of course" he said in a forcibly friendly voice, punctuating it with a strained "until we meet again." before phasing through it completely. and with that the green mist deflated and shrunk back to his normal size. As the man steadied himself I took the liberty of examining the damages. The dried up plant matter on the ground was ashy and smoldering, the trees had hardened their bark and were barren of leaves, and the vines still had the remnants of fire eating away at their stems. The man spoke apologetically, "Sorry about the mess, I wasn't aware I'd be having company." He chuckled with a pained voice as he hovered above his ashen home.

"It's no matter, after all I'm the one who needs something from you." I replied, and he became seemingly wary of my next words until I offered, "I can help you clean up in exchange." My suggestion seemed to put whatever worries he had to rest.

"Why, of course. What do you need of me?" He inquired, and in response I cast the images of my plan into his mind. Then I showed him the sticks I needed to build my weaponry, "I'm not sure I'll be able to, but I'm willing to try my best." He replied and then reinhabited his body. It took some time but eventually he began to glow a verdant green as roots emerged from the decaying plants on the ground, from this base 5 separate branches shot out at various lengths, each comprised of three twisting sticks entwined. with this he rose once again and spoke, "I hope that was satisfactory."

"Even better than I imagined." I responded evenly. After all the twisting of the stems in order to ensure durability was a great Idea I had failed to think of. And so to fulfill my end of the deal I reentered 5, who stood in the corner with fearful eyes, and began to cast. A great torrent of water was brought forth from his hand and caused steam to rise from the burning floor before I was forcibly ejected from 5's body. He had fallen over and I was left without a vessel.

"Is he okay?" The green mist questioned. He flew over to the creature and floated it around it trying to assess the damage.

"I don't know, he's the same size as my other one and he could do this just fine." I said flatly, "He should be fine, Ill come pick up these sticks with the others, just be sure to tell me when he gets back up."

"Of course!" he says, "I do hope he's alright." He adds in a worried tone. At this I began to leave, but turn back.

"Oh I almost forgot." I say to myself and rise to the ceiling and spread myself out. Rain soon begins to fall and the burnt foliage seems to come to life again. The sagely mist stands in silence as he watches the garden grow even more brilliant in color and his flooring becomes muddy. He hovers in a stunned silence. I begin to leave but he calls out to me

"Thank you! would you mind telling me your name sonny." He says with a reinvigorated form.

I pause halfway through the door and turn back to the shining green core, "It's... "

Aquamarine

Humamander and Twomamander broke through the door with armfuls of twigs berries and stones, and dropped their bounties onto the floor. They noticed the two others fighting eachother far too close to my pedestal. Twomamander immediately jumped in with to play with his siblings, while Humamander had the decency to shoo them away from my pillar. As he turned to me with a questioning gaze he was dragged into the pandemonium by the runt of the litter 3. Even though he was tackled to the ground Humamander showed exemplary slipperiness. He managed to escape the grasp of three with ease and dodge the remainder of the horseplay. The others failed to hit him once as he walked back over to me once again.

He picked up a rock and a stick, looking at them before looking to me. He then clinked them together. It seemed like he was waiting for my instruction so I decided to descend upon his mind and inform him of the change in plans. He seemed about as angry as ever as I approached him.

Creation

"Creation, I have made an amendment to our plans!" The creators voice boomed as his presence submerged my mind. His mind was all encompassing, like it slipped between the very folds of my brain. I wanted nothing more than for him to leave my mind, but at least he had the decency to leave me in control. As I calmed down he began, Images of the sticks needed for the weapons flooded into my mind and the path to get to them. It was clear what he wanted me to do, so I walked through the all out war between my three brothers unscathed and parted the doors once again. There wasn't enough mist inside for it to give me that parting wave this time, and I shivered as I walked out into the cold cavern.

I followed the path that the visions had laid out for me and quickly arrived at another set of stone doors, hesitation creeps in as I wonder what lies on the other side of that door but I power through it. My worries are heightened as Inside is a condensed but lush forest. I gaze at the trunks lining the walls, searching for the tree climbers but am relieved to find none within. As I focus on the center of the room I spot a pedestal very similar to the one in our chamber. However a green triangle sits atop it rather than a blue rectangle. I turn to notice the branches illustrated by my creator, as well as yet another one of my brother's unconscious. Worry begins to fill me and I take a combative stance towards the green gem.

A green mist rises and speaks to me, "Oh have you come to pick them up." He says. Even though his words sound the same as my creators I struggle to make them out, like my brother Too I wince as he speaks. I get the general idea as to what he is saying but cannot understand the individual words. It hurts to try and understand him, its very unlike my creator who speaks with such clarity. Still I power through the pain as I refuse to be left out of the conversation.

At the very least it becomes easier to understand as the weight atop my mind fades, my creator entering the open air to talk to this other, "Yeah, Humamander should be strong enough, he's the oldest." he then hovers towards my brother, "Is he still okay?"

"I honestly don't know, these things are quite confusing to me. He seems to move even though the wind isn't very strong in here." It was a strange voice, I could sense the caring tone he spoke with and the wisdom his words carried, it was a pleasant surprise compared to my creators way of speaking.

"Ah, he's still breathing. As long as he has some water he should be fine." My creator speaks using such a cold manner compared to his other, however I find his lack of worry weirdly reassuring. He moves atop my brother, sending a slow drizzle into his mouth. He coughs a little bit but still seems to be breathing steady. I wonder what caused him to fall asleep out here, I was also worried that I might find out.

My creator then reenters my mind and orders me to, "Break those sticks off that root and we'll return home." I scoffed. It was strangely ironic how my creator seemed capable of such amazing things yet needed my help with something so ordinary. Annoying as it was it seemed easy enough to do so I walked over and gripped the first branch, but for as hard as I pulled it refused to give. I then start to push against the ground with my feet as I leaned back, but at this the creator speaks again ruining my focus, "I have an idea, mind if I give it a shot?"

I shake my head and redouble my efforts. He asked me to do this, I was going to do it. I jump up onto the log connecting the branches and lean back, trying to shift my weight in a way that snaps the sturdy branches while also pushing with all of my might but it never appears to be enough. Once again my creator asks, "Want me to take it from here." as his comment booms throughout my mind it causes me to let go. Falling to the ground I'm left staring at my splintered hands and blistering palms. I close my eyes and sigh, willing see what he can do.

I feel the mind sitting atop mine sink down into my very thoughts. He gently guides me to stand and raise my hand all the while leaving me at controls. He then firmly grips at my will and condenses it into my arms forcing everything I can muster into it. I feel my creators essence join hands with mine as even more energy begins to gather within. Throughout my body my muscles bulge and I feel my mind grow. more and more energy starts to gather in my arm as the mind sitting around mine draws in the mana within this room. My arm starting to tingle right as he condenses our mana tighter and tighter, my hand starting to burn as he draws it into my palm. He then gently flicks my arm which sends a tiny stream of boiling water slicing through every stick and freeing them from the root. They clatter to the ground. I start pouring sweat and my body begins to feel like its on fire. A small burn starts to show itself on my palm.

Even though I'm more tired than I've ever been in my life I finally feel my thoughts start to gather in a way they never have before. A word of my own enters my mind for the first time

"Creator?"

Aquamarine

"Creator?"

Both a word and a question. it lingered in my mind for all but a second, and yet it still echoes around my mind for many more. In my stunned silence my guiding hand takes full control, and I had forgotten to breathe. Humamander started struggling desperately to rip the controls away... and he succeeded. He coughs and breathes deeply, and I sit in the back seat silently, waiting for more. he does not speak again, remaining doubled over and breathing heavily. He quickly picks up the sticks without my say so and walks over to 5. Squatting down he slings 5 over his shoulder and starts walking to the door. Try as he might his body starts to shake under the weight and he falls over. He dropped everything, and I could feel that the strain cause him to pull a muscle. He picks himself back up without hesitation and gathers the sticks once more, this time leaving 5 behind. As he starts to part the door I hear a voice from behind.

"Goodbye Aquamarine!" The old mist calls out waving a new sapling growing at the center of his room, but I ignore him. Instead I wordlessly depart from my creature and head over to the next part of my plan.

Aquamarine

I enter into the barren chamber once again and find some stone blocks accompanying the patches of dirt from last time. Though the room is messy it provided me with enough evidence that she may be able to fulfill my request. I immediately turn my attention to the gem spotting the whitish light within, but it seems to dull it color as I fully enter the room.

"Anybody home?" I call out into the silent room. No response follows, and as such I take the liberty to float around the room. Just as barren as last time, I can't help but wonder how boring my room would be without the Humamander's fighting all the time. I finally float closer to the gem to take a closer look and notice that the magical membrane on it is still intact, and so I said "I know you're in there."

A loud sigh accompanies the rise of a solid film from the gem, "What do you want?" she asks in a very unpleasant tone.

Sensing her hostility I decide to keep it short and sweet "I need your help ma-"

"forgot it" she cuts me off curtly, seems she wasn't in the mood for favors

Sadly I didn't have the wiggle room to take no for an answer so I protested, "I didn't even say what I-"

"The answer's no." She remained firm in her stance.

It wasn't like I was expecting her help for free, so I added that "I'm willing to make an exchange."

"And I'm not." Fair enough, she probably thinks I don't have much to offer

Maybe she has an idea "There has to be something you want that I ca-."

"Yeah, there is. Leave" Harsh.

Well this worked last time "I'm not leaving until you hear me out."

"Then stay a while because I'm not listening" she says, as she starts rising up towards to ceiling.

Well I didn't want to give out this information but I don't really have any other options, "What if I offered you something that can make you stronger?"

She stops, "I'd call you a liar." though she says such things she's clearly intrigued.

Finally I had taken the upper hand and decide to bask in my victory, "You can call me that all you want, it doesn't change the fact that your wrong." in response she starts floating further upwards.

I sigh, I can't have anything can I? "I can teach you how to eat." I say

She takes a pause, then slowly drifts towards me "How to what?"

"Eating, its when you consume other things to grow. I can even give you food if you are willing to help me." I say, hopefully that's enough for her

"Fine I'll hear you out."

Quartz

Two times he'd come here, and two times he'd gotten what he wanted. The first time around I didn't even know there was a world outside of my crystal walls and I had no desire to look, and when he enlightened me I wish I never had the displeasure of seeing it. Still his presence annoyed me and so I was forced to figure out how to greet him. I hadn't left my crystal since. I hated that he managed to convince me yet again with wave after wave of offers, but maybe if I grow more powerful I'll be strong enough to move somewhere he can't find me. If I didn't know any better I would have sworn he had some natural aptitude for wearing me down. I had zoned out long ago, as the images flowing through my mind were far less long winded than he was.

After our conversation ends the memories demonstrating how to eat continued flooding through, he even showcased how to properly organize the energy you take in so your core doesn't split. He was good at presentation if I had to give him anything. After that came the images of what he needed from me and the food he was willing to provide. He wanted 2 pointy tips of flint, a stone block and 2 flint blades of varying sizes. It seemed easy enough and I was about to start but he voiced out his concerns, "Id rather you eat first so your creations are stronger." As he did a strange creature burst through the door, shooting me a death glare. It looked slightly off balance, with a head too big for its body and arms that didn't seem to match the legs or lower torso. It's skin looked wet and sticky and its eyes were brimming with a sharp light. I could see the intelligence in its gaze, they reminded me of the mages. It dropped its haul of berries on the ground and stood at the door arms crossed, watching me.

"Thanks Humamander, so as I was saying. You stretch your membrane out around the food and draw it into yourself. Since it's your first time you should feel a surge of energy, so you will then need to slow down and forcibly eject most of your energy. After that you need to focus on condensing the mana from the food into the mist within and it will coalesce into stores of mana." He showed me how by grabbing the fruit with a tendril and absorbing it, then he starts creating a watery mist, "I can't exactly do the rest outside of my body but I'm sure you'll figure it out. The humamander as he called it watched his creator silently, and seemingly attempted to do as his master described on the strangely shaped yellow thing he held. He appeared annoyed at his lack of success.

I too followed his instruction, entering my gem and reaching my solid membrane around the food. Absorbing it took all my might and I strained myself until the energy began to flow, and it started picking up speed faster and faster. I forcefully shrunk the growing tendril I created and began spewing out dust and dirt. The creature by the door suddenly started shielding its face as water fell from its eyes, it dropped its yellow thing and jumped down to the ground as rocks started pelting at it. It took a few minutes but the excitement finally passed and I was able to organize myself once again. The Humamander stared at me with shaky wet eyes, its hatred of me displayed freely in its gaze.

I then set about fulfilling my end of the bargain. I thought about skimping out on it, but it became clear to me that this blue gem would simply wait me out and wear me down again if I did. It seemed like the longer I spent around him the more his current was able to guide me. I hated it. I should probably add some conditions to it.

"Ok, I'll do what you asked of me, but leave me alone from now on. Never come back," I said making absolutely sure to pack as much resentment into my words as possible. Hopefully he gets the message.

The mist just stood there silently as if calculating what words would cut the deepest, "Alright fine, here's hoping I find someone more pleasant next time I need this done." he spoke clearly and he chose right. I don't know why, but those words hurt a little. Not wanting to show it I didn't say anything and silently got to work

Aquamarine

This girl was really starting to get on my nerves, completely unwilling to hear me out when I have to worry about the imminent arrival of winter, and what was much worse in my eyes is I taught her how to eat and even had the kindness to tell her how to avoid all of the pain I had to go through and she has the gall to be this standoffish. I think back to my first journey out and how many different types of mist I found. I don't care how long it takes I could easily find someone else whose capable of this and rub it in her goddamn face. I can tell my last reply struck a nerve by her lack of a snippy comment and continued silence. So I silently judge her as she continues her work. Thankfully she worked in silence having already finished the stone hammer head and the black tips for the spears, now I just waited for her to make the blades.

"So what do you need these for?" she asked, I silently sat there wishing I had some way to glare like Humamander.

"Hello anybody home?" she called out, "I'm the one making these I'd at least like to know what they're for."

"I wish to make my creatures more effective at carrying out their duties." I replied. She paused, clearly not believing me, but she continued on.

The knife's blade came out fine and she continued onto the sword blade before commenting, "I wonder what's so dangerous out there that you need things like this?"

water began to drip out of me as I struggled to think of an excuse, but surprisingly humamander spoke up instead, "Tree climbers." His voice was sharp, cutting the air in a way ours never could, but was still unpracticed and clunky, even still I sent him a silent thank you and he nodded back.

"Oh, I didn't know it could talk!" she yelped, a bit surprised. Humamander glared back in response, but he remained silent. He seemed satisfied having got his point across. At least I wouldn't have to worry about any more questions.

"So how did you get that thing anyways?" she asked.

Never mind "I made him myself." I said curtly

"Care to enlighten me" She prodded.

"Sorry, trade secret. I wouldn't want to give it out so freely." I stated matter of factly.

"Fine, maybe next time." She said dejectedly

"Man I didn't know never would come and go so quickly" I teased

"I was joking." she deflected

"Yes, I'm sure you were." I seethed at her obvious lie

"Whatever" she scoffs, "There. That's, that. All done." she said as the final piece dropped onto the ground, "Now leave."

At this point I was about done so I decided to taunt her, "Thanks for your help, I'll be sure to drop by and rub it in when I find someone else to do it better." in response she shot a rock at me. I didn't bother dodging as it passed through my form harmlessly, but it struck humamander on the forehead. He once again sharply glared at the rock, I could tell he deeply desired to do something but he knew it would be unwise. He simply walked over to the weapon parts and picked them up before heading for the door. Once he was safely outside of the rocks chamber I said, "If you're wondering why, that's why." and I turned to leave. I subconsciously slowed down as if expecting a response, but none came. When I was sure she had nothing left to say I sped along, trying to catch up to humamander to hitch a ride.

It was only once I looked at the pieces through the eyes of Humamander that I could truly see their quality. Their edges were sharp and the cuts were done even better than I was capable of asking for with my vision, the sword blade meant for humamander even had an engraving of him wielding the finished blade in a readied stance on its flat. Seeing the obvious care put into my request caused me to feel a creeping guilt. I had assumed she would do a shoddy job to spite me, but she had put her best foot forward. I don't think I could find someone better, no wonder she was pissed.