Michael's Alchemy Room was the third-sturdiest building in Free City. The Mage Tower, still under construction, ranked first; the City Lord's Mansion ranked second.
He was very good at making things explode. According to his neighbors, they heard dull thunder rumbling from the strange building all day, like a ship caught in a storm at sea. No one ever came out.
For safety's sake, the cook who brought him meals left the food at the door.
As Annan approached the Alchemy Room, he caught a faint whiff of rot... "Michael hasn't died and started decomposing, has he?" he cried, rushing to the door. The source of the smell turned out to be a meat cutlet that had sat there for at least three days.
Fortunately, Michael had merely gone three days without eating.
At first, no one answered Annan's knock. It took Copperbeard pounding on the door with a bang, bang for Michael to hear.
Click—
The door, locked from the inside, opened. Behind it stood a man with wild, frizzy hair, pale skin, and a gaunt face. If vampires weren't so well-groomed, Annan would have wondered when Michael had become one.
"You haven't come out in far too long." Annan smelled body odor beneath the stench of rot... Free City's dirtiest resident was no longer an Orc. Michael had earned that title.
"But I'm close to improving it."
Michael's excitement was at odds with his physical weakness. "By activating the seventh, ninth, and thirteenth Reisbloto Points, I built a magical circuit that forms a new spell using the logic of the Deli Hidalgo Model!"
Annan looked thoughtful. "Would it be better to replace the Deli Hidalgo Model with Flash Snissif?"
Michael froze. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"That's what I was thinking."
Realizing he was speaking to