"-NO FRICKING WAY!"
"Pretty Please!"
"No!"
"Well screw you, I will go and ask myself"
This little girl is getting more of an attitude every passing day. Vincent humphed in exasperation. He had just asked her to go and ask around the market where to find materials.
It would be a lot less suspicious if a little girl goes asking for sulphur, phosphorous, and other dangerous chemicals.
Well after asking around he had to give up.
The most he might get was some coal. This world hadn't even begun the steam revolution yet. Widespread magic has reduced a lot of innovation, not to mention the frequent warring where the strong prey on weak culture is bred. Research work was almost non-existent.
They had gotten admitted into the Flaming Knights. The captain and vice-captain were quite the unique bunch. For now, they only had one job, and that was preparing for the army meet.
So, accumulating strength was the most important for now. A good arsonist prepares. Looks like he will have to improvise and experiment with the native elements of this world to find the best explosives.
"Let's go Kate. We are going to go find a place to experiment with all the crystals we collected in the loot. If I am right then things are going to get a lot more heated out here."
-------------------------
"Yes, I will join you," Lilith answered. "It's not like I have much of a choice."
"Well, For now, secretly visiting people in their homes will take too long. We will need to directly prepare for a big show at the army meet."
"The magical artifacts in this world are extremely low and all the artificers seemed to have fled to the elves for safety from the war. So, it seems we will also have to improvise and build our own devices for the coming time. It is time to arm ourselves"
"I didn't know you had such skills?"
"I don't...but I know someone who does. All we have to do is wait for the signal."
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Martin had been in a trance ever since he had returned to the inn. He didn't know what and how to process the situation. Just a few weeks ago he had seen everyone go up in ashes, now at least two of them, the most important ones at least we're still alive.
Martin was happy. Yes he was thrilled that he would get to see them again. However he wasn't sure what he wanted anymore. He clearly had a mission to kill the demon lord.
Now, he didn't know whether any of this was important anymore. What was necessary was to meet and clear things up.
He did want to end this war, as an anarchist it was his duty to fight against the injustice of the world. Lucas would also be interested. They had to meet but not as anarchists but under their current identities.
He went and called Marcus and Freya-
"So, what did you want to tell us?"
"Well, there have been some developments. First, I would like you to meet a friend of mine."
"First follow me."
They slowly exited the inn and started walking on the empty streets of the city.
"Did you make a new friend while you were investigating yesterday. Is there some sensitive information?" Freya asked thoughtfully.
"You will see, when you meet them."
"Them?"
"Just wait for the signal."
"Is it like some super-secret code that only you guys know?"
"No, It's just - look there!"
"What?"
Then at a distance far from the border of the city, they could see a huge explosion and dust cloud that looked like a mushroom rising up into the sky.
"That....is the signal. I knew that there is no way that lunatic could spend a day without making a huge scene."
---------------------
"So that was done by your friend who is supposed to help us make the artifacts?"
Lilith asked "Are you sure he won't blow us up instead?"
Lucas awkwardly scratched the back of his head the replied- "Well, he does have a bad habit of attaching self-destruct buttons on his devices. Never mind. We have to reach him before anyone else does."
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"Holy shit, when you were experimenting with explosives, you didn't say anything about weapons of mass destruction," Kate yelled at Vincent while washing the soot off of her face.
"You are too naive, this is not even close to a real terror weapon.
It is equal to a few stacks of dynamite at best. Just a little firecrackers.Wait till you see the missiles I make, those are basically explosions on wings. Absolute beauties."
Kate shook her head, no doubt thinking that she had gotten herself in the wrong company. Her parents had always told her to avoid crazy people, looks like she had discovered the truth far too late, then again she herself wasn't the sanest of creatures roaming the land.
"Let's leave to another place to test out more prototypes. Trying to forcibly react fire and water crystals, is good enough. I can't wait to see how Light and Dark react.
However, before they could move any further Vincent could barely see a blue streak of light speeding towards him from the corner of his eyes. Just as he dodged it, It came back towards him and a big punch smacked him right in the face, sending him flying into the crater left by the explosion, he was able to balance himself easily thanks to his snake lineage.
As the Blue blur slowly became visible, Vincent couldn't help but have his jaw drop.
"Is that you Martin? Did you miss me so much that you decided to cross worlds to find me. I am still straight so don't have any ideas ok!"
Martin just glared at him coldly before punching him the face once again.
"What the hell was that for Martin!"
"I just felt like it! You just keep blowing everything up perhaps some of your screws would have been blown out of your head, I was just helping screw them back again!"
"But why the face. You always bully me."
Just as they were bickering they suddenly stopped as they saw someone walk out of the shadows next to them, rubbing his hands in glee as he made an entrance.
"Well, I am glad to see that you two are getting along well."
Vincent turned and saw the face of the newcomer. Sure enough that smug face that just made you want to beat him up was still there. Lucas...
"Lucas..is that you? Wait....why do you have horns."
Lucas's face instantly darkened, he then regained his composure and asked-
"Why is your skin green and why do you have a tail sticking out of your butt."
Vincent opened his mouth then closed it again.
"Let's all agree to never speak of this again."
The three of them all nodded in agreement and an awkward silence slowly settled over them.
Looking at each other they couldn't help but...
collectively burst into maniacal laughter like the lunatics they were.....
The chorus of laughter was like an enchanting orchestra that filled the entire crater.
It seemed to be announcing to the world that they were once again united, and now there was nothing anyone could do to stop them.
A few meters away Marcus, Freya, Kate, and Lilith couldn't help but look at the trio while huge question marks seemed to be written all over their faces.
What they could realize that this seemed to be the start of something new, something that the entire-multiverse would remember for years to come.