"Dear Boss" [14]

  "Alchemic mister. What is the matter?"

  "Nothing's the matter," a frail old man bowed at a table filled with flasks, "-my attempts at restoration failed. Who was it?"

  "Who was what, mister?"

  "Ingrate," he flipped, "-I asked you a question, give me an answer," *cough, cough,* he gripped the table's ledge, lamenting the future. 'Who closed my portals… they destroyed the vase. I was this close to becoming a true god. I've used the extent of my mortal body, I need to reincarnate.'

  "Engratse."

  "Artanos…" a not-so-inviting tone returned, "-what brings you to my workshop?"

  "I heard the latest update from the Alchemic Mister's workshop. You pathetically failed. So much for being a man of true intellect. I thought you'd be wiser."

  "Acting like you know everything," he shot his discontent. Artanos dipped under the feeling and fed the fracas, "-why are you here? Had to go and ruin my plans at taking Draebala."