Last Destiny Volume 2 Chapter 3

Charlotte and Helen arrive at Jim's house, where he reveals his creation of "coffee pots," which are wooden mechanical shells infused with magical energy. Jim explains that he obtained the knowledge of summoning from ancient inscriptions and combined it with his expertise in black magic. Charlotte and Helen express concerns about the ethics and potential dangers of this endeavor. However, Jim reveals that the coffee pots also contain a portion of his essence and considers them his children. He invites Charlotte and Helen to have their own coffee pots for protection. The coffee pots come to life, and Jim is excited about their potential. Charlotte and Helen have mixed feelings about the situation but decide to give it a try. Chapter 3, Coffee Box. On the harsh high seas, a ship pushes through to a occupants. The pirates have long left debris behind. Charlotte steers and Helen stands toward the edge. Charlotte calls out the acts of Helen Conceit Lamb yet. Helen responds, yes, Charlotte, but you are going to have to row closer southeast. I can't wait to see Jim. It's been so long. Charlotte tries to hide her smile as she thinks, yes, so long. I'm curious what he has created, what he looks like, and if I am still in his. Soon enough, Helen says, there, there, bring them on in. As they reach their destination of lamb, Charlotte forcefully pulls into the deck. With her back to her, Helen sneakily asks, Charlotte, do you want me to come along? Charlotte hastily responds, yes, Helen, why wouldn't I? Besides, you know where he stays. Helen, without moving, lowly laughs. Soon enough, they get off their ship and walk into the village. Charlotte steadily asks how far they are until Helen jokingly tells her to stop being so hasty. They eventually walk to a fielded area where a solitary house stands. The house is rather plain and old-fashioned. The back area noticeably has a lot of junk piled up. A nervous Charlotte pops up and says, do you think he's married? Helen stops walking and smiles toward her saying, I don't think so. Charlotte says, I mean, it's sort of a marriage-looking house, isn't it? Helen, instead of replying, starts walking and laughs. Charlotte goes quiet and walks at a faster pace to catch up with her. At the door, Helen gestures Charlotte to knock. She then shakes her head as Charlotte actually knocks. Nervous, Charlotte stops because she thinks she's overdoing it. Helen puts her hand over her mouth to stop from laughing too hard. The door soon opens to reveal a well-groomed, tall, brown-skinned male Iowan who carries a sword on his side. He pauses looking at Charlotte and smiles deeply. Charlotte begins to look down, though she blushes. Helen breaks the silence and says, hello, Jim. You mentioned a magnum opus in your letter to me. So we came to see Sid's magnum opus. Hope you didn't mind me bringing another childhood friend along to see a cornerstone in your life's work. Jim, still looking at Charlotte, says, no, why ever would I be so? I mean, obviously, I sent, so she, I mean, Charlotte will come. Realizing he has said too much, he looks toward Helen and, though ready to panic, Helen just puts her hand down to avoid laughing at the two of them. Helen gestures toward Charlotte to say something. Charlotte herself, running with so many questions, says, first thing which comes to mind, are you married? I only ask because of the house. Jim says, why, no, with my duties as a scientist so expansive, I really do not have the time nor patience. Why don't you all come in and see what I am so proud of? With a welcoming gesture, he moves out the way and lets them in. The two pirates stare at each other and smirk and walk in. He walks them from the living room through to the backyard. As they walk all through from his desk in the living room into the kitchen, there are books laying all up about and on top of another. Also, there are various coffee pots scattered about as well. Helen and Charlotte are disturbed by this. Helen, with an awkward expression, says, you are going to invest in a maid in time to come, if not a wife. Jim smiles as he realizes why she acts on the contrary. That is why I haven't neither. I am my work, after all. I have to be able to bury myself in it in a moment's notice. Charlotte, unimpressed by his answer, says, bury yourself in the coffee pots as well. Helen says, yes, I mean, we know coffee keeps you going, but this is rather ridiculous. Jim turns at the back door laughing and says, everything is not as it seems. Come along. As he gestures them out the back door, the two pirates look at another, with even odder expressions than previous. In his backyard are piles of coffee pots, sheets, clothing, and mechanical junk. He walks them past into what would appear to be a pair of very unusual human figure machines. They all have coffee pots where their heads will be. Charlotte, with a very odd expression, says, machines, as you say, are a new breed of Ionians. Helen looks at Charlotte, foolishly puzzled at her answer, though she herself can't come up with a better one. Jim, actually, Charlotte, the term is robot instead of machines, of which these are neither. They are closer to the term new breed of Ionians. Helen and Charlotte both step back, at least from the inventor's understanding to you, says Jim. I call them coffee pots. Helen and Charlotte are speechless. Finally, Helen musters up the ability to speak and says, pots? M-pots? Coffee pots? I get it. So, well, what are they, really? Jim happily says, they are combined pure living magical energy processed into wooden mechanical shells. They take on emotions by being exposed to them over time. They can walk, talk, and protect themselves and their companions. Charlotte says, how is such a thing possible? Jim continues, this is so because, as I pointed out, they are combined magical energy. I can bind conjuring spirits with casting black magic in their purest form. Charlotte, puzzled, says, so many magic is supposedly extinct. So, so, how could you do it? Jim continues, actually, it's not extinct. This portion of detail I can only trust in telling childhood friends. In the land of Doha, the elf king possesses it, though he does not utilize it. Besides him, his son, who he claimed passed away 300 years ago, was the only other. As a disciple, it was known to have destroyed the lot who called themselves Summoners. Helen says, Bill, how do you know? Jim continues, remember I said, as a disciple, I was meaning of the king. Years ago, I studied in Doha and met the great elf king. He allowed me to gather research in their personal excavations. He had me taught how to decipher their ancient language. While in the excavations, I could buy the summoning discipline from the ancient inscription. He also trained me in mastering fields of black magic few can comprehend. Helen and Charlotte looked toward him, then at one another. Helen says, so wait, you basically stole the discipline from another ancient inscriptions? Without inquiring, a stare, they both look at him, waiting on his answer. Jim, with an ashamed expression, says, I, well, yes I did, I took no pride when I decided to do so, but for the greater good of science, I mean I had to. With disappointed expressions, the pirates look at him, but Jim continues, look what I used it for, these aren't as if I were harming anyone or trying to take over the world. Charlotte says, it seems you are not sure, and I mean it's a dead art for a reason. It deals with spirits which once lived, yet no longer do. The possibilities are frightening what might come from opening such a door. Really Jim? Jim continues, Charlotte, believe me, I thought of those things, the ethics, and I know my heart was in the right place, and that these coffee pots are a new life form, so to speak. Helen says, how so? Jim continues, because what I didn't tell you all, which I was kind of afraid to, is they, the coffee pots, have a portion of my essence in them. Helen and Charlotte look at him, startled. Jim continues, I consider them my kids, especially in case I never had them. Helen looks at Charlotte with her mouth open, but Charlotte looks unamused. Jim finishes saying, it's why I'm so proud of them. Charlotte walks over to him and reaches up touching his face and says, I'm not sure of all of this, I mean, aren't you giving up portions of you in doing this? Jim smirks and says, Charlotte, I really don't know the answer to that, it is so beautiful when one summons, it's as if the entire universe pours into you, spirits from the great unknown flooding your essence. The unknown becomes so, so powerful, you embody them as an avatar, they do your bidding, the control of God, the fundamental themes which created everything. Already, having taken her hand down, Charlotte thinks, my God, I love them. Jim continues, utterly beyond exhilarating, then at that moment, I pull from them, I was wise enough to grasp the potentials, I pull from myself and combine them, it's as if I give birth. Helen seems about ready to cry, she thinks, I shouldn't have bring Charlotte. Jim continues, if only you all, I mean, you all can. He grows silent. Charlotte, with tears about to fall, says, sounds as though quite the experience, I'm worried about you, Jimmy, what this could do to you. Jim looks down, then away, Helen says, is this all you wanted us here for, was to see them, or? Jim, with a hopeful expression, says, actually, you all are the first, I haven't spoken to the council I belong to yet, I didn't just want you all to see them, no, I want you all to be the first to have one. They both look at him shocked. Helen says, but what if it hurts us, I mean, if we are the first, who could know what those things may do? Jim says, Helen Pierce, laughing, they have only observed me, you two's oldest friend, and Charlotte Stanton's first love, you all have no more to fear from it than I, Charlotte thinks, but that's the problem, with all you've told us, we do fear you, Helen says, well, when you put it that way, Jim says, also, they will protect you all, like I've expressed in letters to you, the high seas are a dangerous place, it's no place for pirates, he can be your first recruit, Charlotte thinks, maybe he is still in there, Helen says, Jim walks over to the second one and touches its eyes, wake up, fellow, he says, its eye holes glow bright red, it looks at itself, slightly lifting its arms, everyone, even Jim is startled, it moves its legs and walks forward, Jim is overtly excited, Helen jokingly says, come on, coffee pot, going to put you's to work, the coffee pot follows behind her closely, and Helen thinks, maybe I shouldn't have said that, Charlotte and Jim walk together, but don't share a word as they walk to their ship, they all board except Jim, Helen and coffee pot are close by another, while Charlotte stands away from them, the two pirates wave to him at first, and coffee adjusts well slowly to which Helen oddly smiles.