《The Adventures of Rich Burton, Knight》


 Prologue

    Two identical blue white diamonds lay half buried in sand surrounded by large stingrays, likewise hiding under a thin layer of sand. The two diamonds flickered in a glowing light show. Despite each diamond being on a different world the light show was identical.


    Slowly the light show slowed and ceased as the two halves of the being that inhabited them ceased sharing memories and experiences and terminated her daily merge and each half of Mary Silvestre, dungeon core and demi-goddess went her own way.


    On Earth, Mary was feeling bored. It had been a few hours since anything interesting had occurred to her. She really wanted to get her hands on some of the liftwood that she had recently learned was available on the world of Tarifax. She just knew that it would just by its very existence cause a furore on Earth, and then she could use it to goad her friend Cass.


    ¡®Right what do I know about Tarifax, it is a right dump. Honestly are all those New Gods a bunch of morons? Why the beep were they encouraging the locals to burn all that sulphurous coal. Sulphuric acid, even greatly diluted sulphuric acid was no joke. Fixable yes, but not nice.¡¯ Mary thought to herself. She winced internally at that beep. She had never become fully resigned to Bluey, aka The System censuring her thoughts and speech.


    ¡®Right I need an agent, and from what I can see it had best be a male human. Well a sea human I can¡¯t create humans after all. I suspect I will need to enhance him too. ¡¯K so be it.¡¯


    Mary stirred and concentrated. The diamond on the floor of the Pacific Ocean near the island of Maui resumed flickering even as a gigantic sea serpent swam past on one of its patrols of the large ocean dungeon.


    Down in one of Mary¡¯s laboratory caves a shape started to take form, a tall strong looking dark haired sea human male emerged. His mind was granted a full life story and given many skills by his creator. He remembered a full life on Earth and Parthia, but mostly Parthia. Rich Burton remembered growing up in the Blue Lagoon, he knew the Manga decorated children¡¯s dungeon and the temples in the lagoon. He remembered Drina and Tomcat. His lips twitched at the thought of Tomcat¡¯s women.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Rich remembered visiting and spending time on Earth and even spending a stint in the marines. He finally woke and knew what Mother, Mary Sylvestre desired of him. He also knew with absolute certainty that she wished him well and if he wished, he would be allowed to ignore her and make his own way on Earth or on Parthia. He smiled and stretched as he tested his body and rejoiced.


    Rich dressed, donning the light, flexible chainmail shirt and leggings, strapping on his broadsword and storing the heater shield in his storage device. The twin colt dragoons he inspected closely before storing them along with their tools and cleaning kit.


    Then he examined the elaborate breather mask that had been lying next to his things. He tried it on a few times to ensure he could don it easily when needed. It reminded him, not surprisingly, of a gas mask. Then there was the heavy hooded oilcloth cloak. He somehow knew it would resist acid. This he stored.


    That left the other storage device. He found it contained a generous supply of trade goods and twenty breather masks. These were far more basic than his, lacking the specialised enchantments.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready Mother.¡±


    Mary materialised her avatar in the cave. ¡°Good. You know what I want and I can see you¡¯re happy to do this. It will be risky an¡¯ my reach on Tarifax is tenuous an¡¯ will remain so until you get my marble, my talisman into one of the local seas. An ocean would be ideal.¡±


    ¡°Yes Mother, I¡¯m ready. To be honest I can¡¯t wait to see another world, to explore, to be the first.¡±


    Mary laughed. ¡°Well you will be the first, sort of. Good luck Rich. Don¡¯t forget you can always use the talisman to contact me. If you can learn something about the local gods all the better, but that is optional. Lewis will see you to Tarifax.¡±


    Mary suddenly remembered something she had seen in the little scarfaced pixie¡¯s mind. ¡°Considerin¡¯ how screwed up the town of Conimbriga is, if you want a local guide you¡¯ll have to buy one. I believe the Caradix Emporium is one of the best place to find slaves.¡±


    Rich made a face, ¡°Can¡¯t say I like the idea of a slave but if needs must. I will need a local guide. How can I tell if he or she is trustworthy and not a liar?¡±


    ¡°Rich, oh Rich, check your abilities. You can detect lies. As for trustworthy,¡± Mary spread her hands and shrugged. ¡°Promise them their freedom and a lucrative job if they do a good job. No guarantees but it might work. It¡¯s a twisted world. Slavery is the only way the poor have of stayin¡¯ alive thanks to the poison in the atmosphere.¡±

 Chapter 1 – Arrival

    Rich Burton stepped through the back door of the rather seedy eating-place. He drew the attention of the two patrons who were perched on tall stools in front of a long bar. The bronze collared rabbit ¡¯folk woman who was acting as cook and waitress acknowledged him with a nervous curtsey. His cold blue eyes swept the room. With one hand resting on the hilt of his sword Rich slipped his breather mask on with the other before striding out into the foggy street.


    A roar of mixed joy and despair came from the arena across the road as he left the narrow grubby eatery. At least it proved easy to obtain a cab this close to one of Conimbriga¡¯s arenas. It wasn¡¯t a firewagon, just something that had more than a passing resemblance to one of the old hansom cabs. Only on Earth the horses weren¡¯t fitted with bulky breathers.


    Rich strolled into the Caradix Emporium trying to look as if he owned the place. One of the bronze collared uniformed footmen came up and took his cloak and breather mask. Footman XI passed the gentleman a claims tag and directed one of the guides to lead the gentleman to the main receiving room. As the customer followed the scantily clad leather collared young woman he hurried to alert the sales force that they had an extremely rich foreigner in the Emporium.


    Sales VII hurried to be in place to meet the new customer. Sales XIV nodded and withdrew half glad to cede the place to his more experienced colleague.


    Sales VII bowed politely when the stranger entered. The customer was armed and armoured, that by itself was unusual, but unless he was mistaken that chainmail was made from mithril. Sales VII held his bow for slightly longer than was strictly appropriate before straightening. ¡°How may the Caradix Emporium serve you master?¡±


    Rich nodded perfunctorily and smiled slightly at this gold collared slave. ¡°I have only recently arrived in your fair city and I have need of a valet and a guide. The guide should know some of the less salubrious areas and inhabitants as I have in mind a... Well let us say a somewhat risky venture.¡±


    Sales VII bowed again and led the way deeper into the Emporium. He was thinking furiously. He suspected he knew the ideal guide but he doubted this arrogant foreigner would agree. As for a valet, there were several possibilities. He ushered his client into one of the luxuriously appointed display rooms before directing the attendant to fetch the merchandise he decided would best serve this client¡¯s needs.


    Soon the display room held the six slaves the Emporium, and Sales VII considered best suited to act as valets. Sales VII shivered in apprehension as the customer looked at him with narrowed suspicious eyes. There was something in the depths of those eyes that worried him.


    Rich invoked his ability and ascertained that Sales VII considered these six slaves to be the most suitable valets available currently. He then turned his attention to the slaves in question.


    ¡°Show me your hands please,¡± ordered Rich. He moved down the short line of slaves before returning to stand in front of the short stocky ¨C half dwarf? He certainly looked to be a half dwarf, and those calluses looked to be similar to the ones he had gained as a result of wielding a sword.


    Sorenar glanced furtively up at the man standing in front of him. His mithril chainmail was finer than any he had ever seen. It was truly superb workmanship. Then the pommel and guard on his broadsword were also of mithril, only no dwarf would have engraved a fish on the pommel.


    Rich snorted, ¡°How did you get those boy?¡± he asked indicating the calluses on Sorenar¡¯s hands.


    Sales VII held his face expressionless with some effort.


    Sorenar answered as he had been coached, ¡°I used to cut wood for my father master.¡±


    Rich snarled, ¡°I¡¯m a truth reader, never lie to me again. Now tell me the true tale.¡±


    Sorenar jerked back slightly. ¡°I¡ªI used to use a sword m-master.¡±


    Rich stared for a few minutes before producing a large coin that he tossed to Sales VII. ¡°I¡¯ll take him and I want to see him in a silver collar. Not having a valet in leather or bronze.¡±


    Sales VII glanced at the mithril coin in his hand and bowed so low his forehead almost touched the floor. ¡°It shall be as you desire master.¡±


    Once the potential valets had been removed a new set of slaves was led in for inspection. The new selection was a far scruffier band. Rich looked long and hard at Sales VII before turning to question the assembled band, finally he decided.


    ¡°So Sales VII, any more or is this it?¡±


    ¡°There are a few others master, but they don¡¯t know the city as well.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll take him,¡± Rich pointed to a short slender man with a greenish tint to his skin and a mouthful of sharp teeth. ¡°And her,¡± this time he pointed to a wheezing slightly hunched elf girl.


    Sales VII held his expression blank through the force of long experience. The foreigner had not picked the slave he had expected him to select. But he had not picked the one he personally considered the best suited as a guide. At least the Emporium was going to get something for the dying elf.


    Rich produced three gold Nobles. ¡°Will this cover it? And stick the girl in a pool of preferably salt water and let her use her gills before they dry up and take her lungs with them. I have no use of a dead sea elf. Bronze collars I think.¡±


    ¡°Yes master, your will be done,¡± agreed Sales VII.


    = = = O = = =


    Overseer IX watched bemused as the elf girl clung to the bottom of the pool, her skin fluttering at the sides of her chest as her gills worked to expel the water she was breathing in. He had assumed the idiot noble was killing the elf he had just purchased but¡ª


    Trainer XIX finished exchanging two of the newly purchased slaves¡¯ collars and was waiting to fit the water breathing elf with the bronze collar her owner had purchased. ¡°I thought that one was going to die soon. What made you think of trying to drown her and why haven¡¯t you done it before if it works.¡±


    ¡°Her owner ordered it. According to Sales VII he said something about her gills collapsing and taking her lungs with them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a new one on me. That carver that came in with this one is in much the same state. Maybe we should stick him in the pool too. No great loss if he dies after all.¡±


    ¡°Let us see if it does this one any good first. Any loss is a loss and I never thought anyone would be daft enough to buy this one.¡±


    * * *


    Minnow endured. Her gills were hurting as the fresh water of the shallow pool tried to leach out the salt they needed. But already she could feel her body recovering, she was breathing, she was no longer exhausted.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡®How did he know? How did my new master know? How much does he know?¡¯ the thoughts went round and round in her head.


    Finally, all too soon one of the overseers pulled her out of the pool by the rope that was tied round her waist. One of the trainers removed her collar and replaced it with a bronze one. Minnow stood straight and fingered her new collar in resignation.


    The overseer was examining her minutely, and then he said, ¡°Try to see if the carver will benefit from a ducking Trainer XIX.¡±


    * * *


    Artificer III carefully examined the breather masks the foreign noble had provided for his new slaves. They were of good workmanship and used chemical reactions to filter the air. The idea was ingenious and effective. The chemical reservoirs needed to be exchanged frequently but it looked to be easy to do. They wouldn¡¯t last as long as a properly enchanted breather but they would be far cheaper. He¡¯d have to find something to replace that flexible material but it would not be difficult to recreate these.


    After asking when the slaves would be ready to be turned over to their new owner he went in search of the supervisor.


    Darintus Galeontar the Emporium¡¯s part owner and supervisor made time to receive Artificer III. He always made time to listen to his gold collared slaves. No one gained a gold collar without proving to be loyal, ambitious and intelligent. He watched and listened as Artificer III demonstrated the strange looking masks and showed him the chemical reservoirs.


    ¡°Master, would it be possible to obtain at least one of these and a couple of recharge packs. They should be cheaper to produce than the current models, and any competent craftsman could do the job with the help of an alchemist or chemist.¡±


    Darintus Galeontar rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Return to your tasks Artificer III, and thank you for bringing this to my notice.¡±


    * * *


    Eldaan stood quietly beside the valet. He was feeling shocked, he had expected to end up as a sacrifice for one of the arenas. He had after all been taken up as a thief and his blood was another count against him. No one liked or trusted goblins. But expendables did not end up wearing metal collars. The collar meant he had some rights, not anywhere near as many as the valet in his silver but he couldn¡¯t ¨C legally ¨C be disposed of out of hand.


    Eldaan waited quietly, motionlessly while the valet kept looking round and fidgeting. When the elf girl who had been sold with him finally arrived Eldaan was surprised. She was wearing a bronze collar like his and was walking straight and smoothly, no longer shuffling along. Her face did show signs of strain.


    When the girl joined them the valet seemed to collect himself from wherever his mind had been wandering. ¡°Our new master is a truth-reader,¡± he warned sotto voiced just before one of the overseers led them out of the holding room. As they left one of the artificers handed them each a breather mask. Eldaan promptly examined his carefully as if his life depended on it, as in fact it did.


    They found their new master frowning at a tray containing several elegant bottles while a ring on his right hand flickered redly. Eldaan suppressed a grin Hardin Brandy and Gulph Wine not to mention Tincture of Suulmar. Slow poisons all, very popular but they were addictive and would kill you in the end.


    Eldaan watched his new master carefully trying to take a measure of the man who held his life in his hands. His master looked them over and his lips thinned when they rested on the elf girl, then he produced two ¨C pads? From some kind of bag of holding, only his bag of holding didn¡¯t need a bag! The pads were handed to the elf.


    * * *


    Minnow was startled anew when her new master passed her a pair of gill guards. She hastily raised her tunic and used them. Their enchantments were solid if slightly strange; they seemed to incorporate an automatic release if submerged.


    Half an hour later Minnow found herself entering a DUNGEON! Their owner strolled though the back door a nice eatery and they were in the dungeon! Most of the themes featured the sea or coastal areas such as mangrove swamps. Finally they slipped through a hidden door into a nice set of rooms that overlooked a large pool.


    Then their new master, Rich Burton, explained everything. He was the agent of a sea goddess who was fighting the New Gods. A year¡¯s faithful service and then they would be freed. Rich swore it in his goddess¡¯ name. And they could move to a better world if they wanted.


    = = = O = = =


    Captain Bordal Vitrius stared glumly at the half filled tankard of ale on the rickety table in front of him. Dercat Gutripper was snoring with his head resting on the table. Gunner Telman was contemplating the collection of empty tankards that he had been collecting throughout the afternoon.


    One of the scantily clad leather collared barmaids of the Flying Pig Tavern came round with a jug and filled one of Gunner¡¯s tankards and collected the empties while he was distracted.


    Gunner blinked blearily at the empty table, ¡°That was sn-sneaky of he-her c-cap.¡± *hic*


    Bordal eyed his chief gunner and despaired. They had had a bad couple of cruises and the Silver Sparrow needed urgent repairs. She was still worth a pretty penny and if he sold her he would be able to live for several years but he¡¯d have to go back to work for some conniving townsman.


    Gunner and Bordal ignored the far too common sound of shots coming from the street. They clashed their tankards and drank. Gunner sighed and joined Dercat on the table.


    Captain Bordal contemplated his loyal officers and signalled for a refill. He watched incuriously as Greenie came through the door of the tavern. Greenie seemed to have done well for himself; he was dressed better than was his habit.


    ¡®Ah poor Greenie he¡¯s been collared, bronze though I wonder why anyone would waste the ready doing that.¡¯


    The next person through the door was a rich man in a hooded cloak. Bordal¡¯s eyes tracked to the slender girl that accompanied the rich man.


    ¡®So he¡¯s got his very own elven doxy, Bronze collar too.¡¯


    Then Bordal was jerked out of his contemplation by Greenie who had made his way to his table unnoticed while he was distracted.


    ¡°Good afternoon captain Bordal. My master is looking to charter a sky ship,¡± said Eldaan, ¡°Are you interested?¡±


    Captain Bordal blinked, ¡®damn it of all the times to be drunk,¡¯ he grumbled to himself.


    ¡°I could be interested, yes. But I¡¯ll need something up front Greenie.¡±


    Eldaan smiled showing many teeth. ¡°I¡¯m sure my master won¡¯t be unreasonable captain. And I feel I should warn you he¡¯s a truth-reader.¡±


    Bordal hissed in disgust, in his view truth-readers were only slightly less obnoxious than mages. Then the rich man was standing by his table. He carried a faint odour of gunpowder with him. The doxy stood at his shoulder and was watching the tavern with wary eyes.


    Captain Bordal signed to one of waitresses. ¡°Sit, sit, do you fancy anything sir?¡± then he turned to the waitress who was eying the elven doxy with distaste. ¡°Get me a coffee and a sobriety potion, and get the gentleman whatever he wants.¡±


    Rich looked round the dirty tavern and the ill washed tankards, ¡°I¡¯ll have an ale please.¡±


    Once captain Bordal was feeling more himself they got down to serious bargaining. Once a preliminary agreement had been reached they withdrew to examine the Silver Sparrow. An untouched tankard of ale remained on the table.


    * * *


    Rich could see that the Silver Sparrow was ¨C well worn. It had obviously been in the wars at some point in the recent past and needed some loving care in the form of the attentions of a shipyard. Eldaan kept up an informative running commentary in a low slightly hissing voice.


    He smiled blandly at captain Bordal, impressed that the man had managed to get this near wreck safely to harbour. This could be just what he needed to fulfil Mother¡¯s wishes. He placed a hand a hand on Eldaan¡¯s shoulder and squeezed gently, approvingly.


    ¡°So captain, I believe we can do business but, but I will require a formal contract. The base duration will be a year and a day. You will go where I say though you will be allowed, nay, encouraged to tell me if something I wish is ¨C inadvisable. I will pay the crew¡¯s salaries at the standard rate and purchase the necessary supplies. You will arrange for suitable repairs and I will negotiate with the shipyard of your choice to have them carried out. I do not guarantee that I will not use a different shipyard should your chosen yard seem exorbitant. You will be paid a sum at the end of the first year.¡±


    Captain Bordal wasn¡¯t happy. This would mean they would be shackled to this stranger for one year. They would be in debt to him for one year, or as good as and that would give him rather more power over them than he liked. But he would keep the Silver Sparrow and they would be free at the end of the year, and they would have a sum of cash.


    The two men retired to shipyard¡¯s office to discuss the terms of the contract and then they involved the representative of the shipyard to discuss the necessary repairs, timetables and costs. Some hours later everything was signed and agreed and both the lawyers who had been called in were grumbling. Nobody liked truth-readers after all, especially lawyers. They tended to act like grit in the smooth operation of business as usual.

 Chapter 2 – Recruiting

    Dinobar Voorman known to his friends as Dingbat frowned at the representative of the lawyer¡¯s guild who was currently seated in front of his imposing polished oaken desk. He blinked in bemusement and was having trouble paying attention to anything but the fact that the representative was a woman.


    Meerina Alagarina hid her smile of triumph. Uncle Doon had been right, this reactionary old fogey had been thrown completely off his balance and he seemed to have been rendered incapable of using his truth reader¡¯s abilities. The young bronze collared stenographer had been recording everything she had said, and as the old fossil hadn¡¯t objected to anything she had said so far, it had all been accepter as true.


    ¡®So now to use our diversion to throw the old fossil and his guild off the scent, not that this matter is not unimportant of itself. We don¡¯t want to come up against truth readers by surprise.¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°So master Voorman, what say you to this matter of unregistered truth readers?¡±


    ¡®What? What did she say? Unregistered? How dare those benighted lawyers send a woman!¡¯ thought the indignant master of the truth reader¡¯s guild.


    ¡°What unregistered truth reader? Even if you meet one he isn¡¯t allowed to use his abilities.¡±


    ¡°Well master Voorman, two of our guild members were involved in negotiating contracts yesterday in which an unregistered truth reader participated. His presence impacted on both contracts.¡±


    Dinobar looked confused. ¡°Who is this renegade and why did your members not refuse their service? I believe this is the standard procedure.¡±


    ¡°The man appears to be a foreign nobleman. He carries a knight¡¯s sword and wears armour in addition to carrying the more usual pistol. His name is Rich Burton. He is not a resident and has obtained a month¡¯s pass from the city guard.¡±


    Diobar looked at Meerina for a few seconds. ¡°So he¡¯ll be gone shortly. I don¡¯t see the problem.¡±


    Meerina narrowed her eyes at the old fidget. ¡°The problem is that he is wealthy, arrogant, arranging contracts and buying a substantial staff. He needs to be registered so as not to surprise any more of our members.¡±


    ¡®So that¡¯s it, the damn lawyers are getting out of hand again. But they do have a weak argument here. If this nobleman is working for himself...¡¯ Voorman suppressed a smile, ¡®...then we just have to talk to the noble gentleman. As a truth reader, if he is one that is, he¡¯ll undoubtedly be sympathetic and we, the guild could benefit greatly. I don¡¯t like that he is buying slaves...¡¯


    ¡°Very well, we will speak with the man. Now is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°No master Voorman. Please let us know the results of your discussion.¡± Meerina stood, curtseyed briefly and left the room.


    = = O = =


    Rich tapped the folded letter against his thumb and tried to think. He thought he was planning to do the right thing. Mother had been frustrating, but when it came down to it, he actually agreed with her. He could still hear the answer to his prayer. ¡®if you want me to I¡¯ll tell you what to do. But Rich, we¡¯ll both be better served if you did as you thought best¡ª¡¯


    Rich rose from his chair and headed for the exit of the dungeon. Minnow was currently exploring the saltwater cavern lake, Sorenar was tending to his clothes and equipment. Rich shook his head bemused, he could understand Minnow¡¯s joy in the miniature fake sea but not Sorenar¡¯s deep joy in looking after his clothes and equipment. Eldaan was sprawled out on a couch fast asleep, that too he could understand.


    Sorenar looked up from his self imposed task as his master headed for the door. ¡°Master, if you¡¯re heading for the emporium you should buy a bodyguard. There are always some former gladiators available. Also a messenger or two would be useful if you intend to persuade people that you are a nobleman. And you need a livery of your own.¡±


    Rich stopped as he was about to leave their apartment in Lewis¡¯ dungeon and turned to face Sorenar. ¡°Honestly Sorenar, how safe can I be with an armed slave at my back? And I, and you, are entitled to use Mother¡¯s unif¡ªah livery.¡±


    ¡°Safe. Here in Conimbriga, well slavery is... it is slavery or death master.¡±


    Rich winced slightly at the ¡®master¡¯ but shrugged it off. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. Now are you recommending anyone?¡±


    ¡°No¡ª¡± Sorenar remembering the faint wince on his master¡¯s face hesitated slightly before concluding with, ¡°¡ªSir, but if there are any dwarves buying them with mithril will make us loyal.¡±


    Eldaan who had woken when Sorenar had started speaking stirred, ¡°Gladiators, especially those with orc or ogre blood are popular but I suspect that would be a bad choice. I would advise avoiding ex-gladiators. The really good ones will not be found for sale at somewhere like the emporium.¡±


    Rich nodded thoughtfully and headed out, he glanced back at Eldaan who was now trotting at his heels. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to accompany me.¡±


    Eldaan grinned showing a disturbing multitude of needle sharp teeth, ¡°But it is not good for your image not to be accompanied now you own slaves. Nobs use slaves like me as their purse carriers so they don¡¯t have to soil their hands with money. And Sorenar is right, you need a bodyguard, maybe not in fact but certainly for your image. While it might not be safe for most, I think you should visit the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. It¡¯s almost defunct but as you¡¯re a truth reader it should be safe enough.¡±


    Rich sighed as he made his way out of the dungeon. ¡°I find it hard to believe some of the bastards I¡¯ve met since my arrival in this dump would trust a slave with their money.¡±


    Eldaan kept a wary eye on the snakes coiled in the branches of the mangrove he was passing under and sobered. ¡°Well boss, they don¡¯t, not really. They only let their purse bearers carry copper and some silver.¡±


    ¡°Ah, incidentals. Pay for cabs and the like?¡± Rich stopped and plucked a ring that he spotted hanging from a thin branch. He checked the storage device¡¯s contents and grinned wryly. ¡°My thanks Lewis, Alice. Here,¡± he passed the engraved bronze ring to Eldaan. ¡°You¡¯ll need this then to perform your new, self imposed, duties.¡±


    ? You¡¯re welcome Rich. ? Lewis said smugly in the back of his mind.


    Eldaan slipped the ring on his finger and fumblingly inspected the contents. He was staggered at the amount contained therein. Mostly copper but also six of the largest silver coins he had ever seen.


    = = O = =


    Darintus Galeontar climbed into his gilded and overly decorated litter. He really would have preferred a comfortably spacious firewagon but as one of the owners of the Caradix Emporium he had to show off his stock. He felt the click as the liftwood slats were turned. Then his bearers were off at a trot pushing and pulling him along barely needing to lift the now almost weightless litter.


    With four guards leading the way and four fetching up the rear Darintus Galeontar moved through the streets of Conimbriga. Streets that emptied themselves as he approached and filled again as he passed.


    His destination appeared to be a half buried featureless low granite cube. As the litter and its guards approached part of the wall sank into the ground with a muted rumble. The little procession trotted into the gap and as soon as they passed inside the disguised stone door rumbled back into place.


    * * *


    Dingus Iornfounder examined the coin in his hands. He had already tested it for purity and he just couldn¡¯t resist running his fingers over it. Finally he looked up at his unwelcome visitor. Dingus despised the slaver but his face and attitude showed nothing but polite interest. He well knew he and his race needed this snake¡¯s good will.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never come across these Royals before but the metal is extremely pure. I believe it is worth a bit less than twenty-seven Guineas. Will you accept twenty-seven for it?¡±


    Dingus was startled, he hadn¡¯t expected that much. He gazed at the coin in the big red haired dwarf¡¯s hands with speculation. ¡°Certainly ambassador Iornfounder. That would be entirely acceptable. But, if you don¡¯t mind explaining, how do you know what it is called if you¡¯ve never seen one before.¡±


    Dingus counted out twenty-seven guineas and shoved them across the table with a pang of regret. ¡°We have a specialised translation spell.¡± He held up the coin showing the fish tailed bearded man holding a trident and weird looking trumpet. ¡°The script clearly states ¡®One Royal¡¯, damn cheek.¡± Dingus turned the coin showing one of the almost extinct dolphins. ¡°And on this side we just have ¡®Blue Lagoon¡¯. So whoever minted this calls it a Royal.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Dingus sat back and produced three gold coins, all of them bigger than a local Guiney. He passed one across, ¡°And what about these? And before you ask, the same foreign knight who bought a half dwarf with that Royal bought two other slaves with those.¡±


    ¡°A half-dwarf you say. With Mithril. Umm.¡± Danilus picked up the coin. Same pictures.¡± He dropped the coin in the bronze ring set into his desk. ¡°Very pure, ¡®Blue Lagoon¡¯ again and ¡®One Imperial¡¯. Interesting.¡±


    ¡°If you see this man again please let him know we would appreciate a word with him.¡±


    = = O = =


    Rich alighted from the hansom cab and looked at the ramshackle half ruined building that occupied the entire frontage of a small block. ¡°Really? This is the Adventurer¡¯s Guild?¡±


    ¡°Yes boss, I did say they are near bankrupt,¡± explained Eldaan.


    Rich turned to the cabbie, ¡°can you wait? I don¡¯t think I will be long.¡±


    The cabbie looked round apprehensively, ¡°Sorry boss, this place isn¡¯t safe, that¡¯ll be a tanner boss.¡±


    Eldaan grinned and passed the cabby six grimy copper coins, hesitated and passed him a seventh. The cabbie touched his whip to the bill of his hat and started his cab.


    ¡°Tanner?¡± enquired Rich.


    ¡°Smallest silver coin boss, also called a bender,¡± replied Eldaan as he followed Rich into the near derelict building.


    Rich was not impressed. The large reception room was nearly deserted, not surprisingly as the air was strongly tainted with the pollution prevalent in the city. As he strode towards the reception desk at the end of the room a big brute of a man lurched to his feet and lunged at him sword in hand. Rich drew his revolver and when the man didn¡¯t stop, he shot him. Twice.


    * * *


    Cinders cursed. She rose from her seat behind the reception desk and while making sure her hands were in plain sight pressed the alert button with her foot, though she strongly doubted anyone would be there to respond. Woofie looked to be dead. It had taken the well dressed stranger about a second to produce that strange pistol and drop Woofie.


    She approached the stranger warily making sure to keep her hands in sight. The big fellow obviously had a hair trigger and she had no desire to take a shot. And the way the big fellow had still not dropped his single barrelled pistol made her suspected it still had at least one shot available. That and the way Greenie just stood there radiating confidence in his new master.


    ¡°With apologies for Woofie, he was getting more erratic by the day.¡± Cinders glanced down. Yep Woofie wouldn¡¯t be getting up again. One bullet had gone through his chest, punching through his armour, and the other had hit him between the eyes and blown the back of his head off.


    She watched with wary eyes as the stranger turned a cylinder on his strange weapon and lowered the hammer before replacing in a holster that was tied to his leg. This action did not reassure her much as she already knew he could produce that peculiar pistol and fire it in under a second. And the damn thing was enchanted against fire magics. Then too, his broadsword¡¯s hilt looked well used. ¡°So what can the adventurer¡¯s guild do for you sir?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking to hire a bodyguard or two for a year and a day. For pay and a share of the loot. But they¡¯ll have to satisfy me. And I¡¯m a truth reader.¡±


    ¡°I might be interested. But it doesn¡¯t look like you need a bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°Cinders is a real mean fire mage boss. And the boss needs bodyguards for his image Cinders. Can¡¯t have a nob, err, noble without bodyguards,¡± explained Eldaan.


    The big man regarded her measuringly, then he said. ¡°If I hire you will you be loyal to me and my goddess. The pay will be a Royal per fortnight paid in advance.¡±


    Cinders felt slightly insulted, ¡°I am loyal to who hires me. And what¡¯s a Royal.¡±


    Her potential employer narrowed his eyes, ¡°Truth. But not good enough. The question was, will YOU be loyal to ME and MY GODDESS. Not to whomever hires you.¡± He then produced a large silvery coin from his pocket and held it up.


    Cinders felt her mouth drying. ¡®That is a Mithril coin! The dwarves will have hissy fits!¡¯ She licked her lips. ¡°If you hire me I will be loyal to you and... and your goddess. But I will need to know who your goddess is. Um, and what should I call you?¡±


    His smile looked somehow, malicious. ¡°My name¡¯s Rich Burton, a knight in the service of Mother, Mary Silvestre, the Mother of Monsters and Blackbeard¡¯s Bane. You may call me Rich.¡±


    Cinders licked her lips again. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that goddess. What does she rule over?¡±


    * * *


    Rich swayed as he was buffeted internally. He grabbed Eldaan¡¯s shoulder to steady himself. His consciousness was dragged into the godsrealm in the wake of Mary and the Spider Queen. Luckily for him the fight had already occurred on Parthia but Blackbeard was also present on this world. The Spider Queen and Mary had work to do. For a few endless seconds he watched and was duly rewarded as the Spider Queen put her house in order and Mary chose her people.


    * * *


    Cinders cringed. Here was proof positive, Sir Rich Burton had been pulled into the Godsrealm in front of her eyes. That aura was unmistakable. Then less than a minute later he was back. And hovering over his shoulder was a spectral blue eyed dolphin that she just knew was Rich¡¯s Mother of Monsters. And behind and above the Mother of Monsters stood the Spider Queen in all her ghastly glory.


    ? Little Fish is the lesser Goddess of my children the Drow and Occidon¡¯s consort, Goddess of the octopi sapiens, the sea humans and she is gaining the beastfolk and shifters. Monsters for the Mother of Monsters. ? Hissed the dry voice of the Spider Queen throughout the adventurer¡¯s guild building and for a kilometre all around.


    ? Really dearheart, did you have to announce it to all and sundry like that. ?


    ? Yes sweetie, I did. ? then the Spider Queen¡¯s laughter filled the minds of all in range slowly fading away until it was gone. As was the Spider Queen herself.


    Cinders felt like crying. She suspected that she had wet herself. She looked up at Rich. ¡°You want me to be loyal to the goddesses of the drow? And worse still they have seen me. I am now KNOWN to them, and gods never forget something like that. And poor Greenie is too.¡±


    ¡°No, just to me and Mother,¡± the exasperating man replied.


    ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll take your coin. Better be hung as a wolf than a lamb.¡±


    = = O = =


    Rich was thankful when they finally stepped down in front of the Caradix Emporium. It had been difficult locating a cab. Then the journey had been slow as wild rumours were flying around town causing worried crowds to congregate in odd corners.


    Rich noted a subtle improvement in the way he was greeted this time, whether it was because of his previous visit or the use of an attendant and bodyguard he didn¡¯t know. He suspected it was both. Then there was this itch in the back of his head and he just knew he had to be very careful how he asked for this. He knew Mother agreed.


    He recognised the salesman from his previous visit. Sales VII if he wasn¡¯t mistaken. He hated the way these people dehumanised their slaves not even granting them the dignity of a name. Mother¡¯s distaste was at heart intellectual and he knew she truly opposed the idea of slavery. His objections however were becoming visceral.


    ¡°I have a few more needs Sales VII. I also bought the two breather masks Mr Darintus Galeontar mentioned he wished to obtain. I find myself in need of a few messengers or runners, nothing specialised you understand. And one of my previous purchases mentioned a skilled carver. Finally I would like to obtain an exotic. I have heard rumours you have a drow? And considering the wild rumours that are making the rounds at the moment...¡± Rich shrugged.


    Sales VII thought for a moment. He wondered who had been the blabbermouth but he understood the noble¡¯s interest under the circumstances. It would be a coup for him to be able to parade a drow about.


    ¡°Runners are easy enough master, we have three items that would suit. The carver I believe the girl mentioned isn¡¯t that skilled, we have better. The drow, well it is very dangerous. It is not resigned to its fate yet. It was destined for one of the arenas.¡±


    Rich smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not worried, I just need to display it not take it round to show off. As for the carver, I¡¯ll look at him and maybe one or two of the better ones. Maybe a sample of their work.¡±


    Sales VII bowed low. ¡°Certainly sir. And the Drow?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it or them sight unseen, put them in a wheeled cage and I¡¯ll hire it for the day.¡±


    Sales VII fought to hide a grin of satisfaction as he bowed again. The last statement allowed him to rid the Emporium of another long running problem. He¡¯d have to clear it but¡ª Sales VII bowed again and led the way to one of the display rooms.


    Rich had to fight to keep his emotions in check. They were offering him children! Intellectually he had known runners would be young but seeing how young was another thing altogether.


    ¡°Fine, looks good I¡¯ll take the lot. I suppose their collars should be upgraded if they¡¯re going to be delivering messages. See to it, whatever¡¯s usual in this town. Now how about the carvers.¡±


    Rich was surprised at the quality of the carvings on show. He also could see why Sales VII disparaged the sea elf¡¯s skill. He fingered his Talisman, he knew it was a new name for the marble but it fit it like a glove.


    ¡®Mother, please look through my eyes. Will you allow me to spend your money to free this degree of talent?¡¯


    He felt Mother settle in the back of his mind and sensed her use his senses.


    ? Yes, and get the males daughter too. I can see the link between them. It¡¯s the right thing to do. ?


    Rich picked up the carving of a small bird. ¡°This isn¡¯t his, but it holds promise.¡±


    ¡°That is the work of that one¡¯s child. We can throw it in for a small consideration.¡±


    ¡°Do so. I¡¯ll take them both. And now for the elf.¡± Rich moved in front of the sea elf, ¡°Not accustomed to these land creatures are you. Can you carve fish spears and fishing hooks suitable for enchanting. Floats for nets and could you carve a dolphin such as the one engraved on the hilt of my sword?¡±


    The Elf¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the engraving, ¡°Yes naturally master.¡±


    Sales VII closed his eyes briefly. ¡®Damn it we missed it again. So now we know this foreigner comes from one of the coastal or island states. One that hasn¡¯t taken wholly to the skies as yet. And we can¡¯t calibrate the price correctly because we don¡¯t truly how skilled this slave is.¡¯


    Sales VII drew in a calming breath. He suspected that the next thing he been ordered to offer might be dangerous but orders were orders.


    ¡°We have one last thing to offer. You asked about exotics and runners. Well we have a few pixies that you could still use a few times before they died. They are very sick but they should last for a few weeks.¡±


    Rich felt Mother freeze his rage. ? Buy. Send them through to Maui. We may be in time. Don¡¯t get yourself killed or enslaved by these true children of Vortexius Blackbeard. We need information to take them, and him down. Hard. And I want those drow. Be ready to fork out two or three Royals. Even four would be cheap as we will get them back.  ?


    ¡°What do I want with dying pixies? Surely I can¡¯t get much use out of them in less than a month?¡±


    ¡°You misunderstand the merchants and nobles of this town. It will enhance your reputation that you are willing to spend on slaves just to impress.¡±


    Rich did his best to look unconvinced and finally allowed himself to be convinced.


    Finally it came time to pay. Sales VII looked at him calculatingly. Rich produced two Royals, placed them on the table by the locked cashbox. Sales VII looked torn. Rich added five imperials. Sales VII nodded and bowed low.

 Chapter 3 – Surprises

    Sorenar looked up and stood alertly as Minnow, still dripping entered their new home. An obscenely tall woman with the shoulders a hard working dwarf woman would be proud of followed in her wake. She was trailed by two very alert, strangely armed and armoured leopard girl bodyguards, and then by a small force of beastfolk. Wolf, Cat and Badger mostly.


    Sorenar was bemused to notice a certain similarity between this young woman and Minnow. They moved in similar ways. Swimmers both he realized.


    Minnow for her part was feeling overwhelmed. This¡ª this, sea human, for she, just like her and the chief had gills. And she could somehow feel the ocean. Minnow turned to face her, ¡°Why can I feel the deeps?¡±


    ¡°Call me Mary. Possibly because the only temple I have that is wholly mine is located in the deepest location available in my domain.¡±


    Minnow bowed her head and dropped to her knees. Sorenar froze and watched.


    Mary snorted, ¡°Oh get up, do. Minnow what can you tell me of the local sea gods?¡± Then she turned and gestured the motley band that had followed her towards the entrance. ¡°Go. Rich is going to need help with the cages.¡±


    ¡°The sea gods. Um, they seem to have withdrawn in despair. Most seem to have vanished entirely and their temples are... empty. Collapsing.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s room for me an¡¯ Ocidon.¡±


    ¡°But... but the air is killing the sea. Why would you?¡±


    ¡°¡¯Cause I believe I can fix that if only there¡¯s enough time.¡± Then seeing the looks on Minnow and Sorenar¡¯s faces she shrugged. ¡°The sea, not the air, at least not yet. I¡¯m a water girl after all.¡±


    = = O = =


    Rich felt like some kind of old time oriental potentate leading a gaggle of ragged followers and towing a couple of cages along. He found the liftwood slats in the big cage clever. Though he wasn¡¯t sure if the damn thing wasn¡¯t more dangerous now it was mostly weightless but retained all its momentum.


    ¡°Hiya Richie, need a hand?¡±


    He looked round and spotted Tessa at the door to the eatery. She wasn¡¯t wearing a mask but she was, all of her, surrounded by clear, pure air.


    ¡°Show off. Yes please Tessa. How are you managing that?¡±


    Tessa grinned showing her fangs as she flicked her right ear causing her earring to flicker. ¡°Just one of Mother¡¯s toys. Do you want one?¡±


    Rich noted that the other beastfolk were using masks as they swarmed out and collected the cages and his recent purchases. ¡°Damn it Tessa, the carters and cabbies are going to spread the news of that enchanted earring of yours to the winds.¡±


    Tessa chuckled, ¡°Who¡¯s going to believe ¡¯em. Or rather, no self important high falutin¡¯ nob¡¯s gonna believe ¡¯em.¡±


    ¡°Too right,¡± grumbled one of the carters as he watched the two withdraw into the Eatery after their followers. He followed them and watched as they disappeared through a door at the end of the room. He then returned to his wagon and took up the reins of his horse. ¡°They went through a big door at the end of the room, it¡¯s marked private,¡± he informed his friend and the cabbie.


    * * *


    Rich was not surprised to find Mother in his suite. She was frowning at the three children he had bought to act as runners. She looked up when he entered the room. ¡°You know these poor brats have lead poisoning. They also seem to be contaminated with mercury and a few trace amounts of other heavy metals.¡± She frowned at his ring, the one that detected poisons. ¡°Mmm, that should detect lead, it¡¯s a poison after all. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to use it on all your drinks if these idiots are usin¡¯ lead pipes for their water.¡±


    ¡°Can you cure them Mother? What about the rest of these people?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not as bad, but I¡¯ll have to set something up to strip out heavy metals,¡± she frowned and then looked blank. ¡°Yeah that could work.¡±


    * * *


    Mary looked up, still looking unhappy. ¡°Let¡¯s see the pixies.¡± There were five unhappy lethargic pixies in the cage.


    ¡°Get them out of there and take them to the flower cave on Maui. Now!¡± ordered Mary. Three of the beastfolk picked up the sufferers and left.


    ¡°Now the Drow.¡±


    When they removed the covers from the cage they found that they had two males, one female and one child. Mary straightened and started to glow. Minnow dropped to her knees, and then the carver also dropped to his knees with a look of surprise on his face. Eldaan seeing this did likewise. In the cage, the two males and the child did likewise. The female, wide eyed tried to stand, but then she curtseyed deeply. Rich bowed his head and dropped to one knee as did all the beastfolk. Two of the young would be messengers or runners looked round apprehensively and dropped to their knees.


    Sorenar locked his knees, ¡®I¡¯m a dwarf of the blood of Sulfurus Swordsmith, of the line of Swordsmiths. I¡¯m a dwarf, and dwarves don¡¯t kneel to anybody.¡¯


    The Drow grew wider eyed if that was possible when they perceived the Spider Queen¡¯s manifestation hovering over Mary. They all promptly prostrated themselves.


    Mary shook herself and looked round at the stunned company. She moved to Minnow and placed a hand on her head. ¡°You¡¯ll do. I hereby appoint you my priestess to this world. Sorry but this is goin¡¯ to hurt, but you¡¯re goin¡¯ to need the knowledge girl.¡±


    Minnow moaned and collapsed to the ground while clutching her head.


    Then Mary stopped by Eldaan. ¡°I accept your allegiance, but I think I need to strengthen your human side or you will die of old age far too soon for my liking. So sleep...¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Mary continued while behind her Eldaan dropped to the ground as his body writhed and blood began to pool around him. She came next to the two kneeling children. ¡°You two I claim and will change to my purpose. You will assist my priestess. Sleep and wake healthy and truly mine.¡±


    The children dropped and their bodies too writhed and far more blood pooled and flew along with scraps of flesh as they changed.


    To the other slaves who were kneeling, and now terrified, she simply offered the chance of accepting her and Ocidon. About half did. When she came to Cinders, she found her trembling on one knee. ¡°Can¡¯t swim? That won¡¯t do, I absolutely refuse to have one of mine incapable of swimmin¡¯. So I¡¯ll gift you with the skill. And with this.¡± Mary touched her ear and left an earring matching the one in Tessa¡¯s ear. ¡°And yes I¡¯ll accept you as one of mine.¡±


    Finally she was in front of the cage containing the drow. She opened the door and held out a hand to the priestess. Her collar and chains dropped away. ¡°The thief no longer holds you. Be true to your Goddess.¡±


    The priestess of the Spider Queen rose to her feet and bowed low. ¡°My thanks Balancer.¡±


    Then Mary turned to the youngster. ¡°I think I will claim you boy. I see this moment is not that far away so I will move it forward as I see your experiences have aged you. So, conditions met ¨C you have been offered Shadow Mage ¨C accept yes / no. C¡¯mon Bluey you¡¯re up...¡±


    Something seemed to shift in the world.


    ? conditions met ¨C silver-tongue of the drow you have been offered the path of the shadow mage ¨C accept yes / no ?


    Silver-tongue reached out with a wondering hand, his heart racing. He whispered, ¡°yes.¡±


    ¡°Shadow Mage?¡± wondered Silver-blade who was just climbing to his feet. He looked at his son speculatively and fingered his bare neck.


    Finally Mary looked at the wall next to the entrance to the sea cave and stone flowed and a smaller sea cave formed. The water writhed as assorted modified plankton and krill formed and settled into their new home.


    ¡°Rich, make sure the people suffering from heavy metal poisoning spend time in that. And unpleasant as it will be make sure they swallow a mouthful or two. It¡¯ll take time but some of the organisms in that mess will infiltrate any organism and latch onto heavy metals allowing them to be expelled.¡±


    Mary then grabbed the arm of a tall somewhat spindly wolf ¡¯folk man. ¡°This is Charlie Parsons, he¡¯s an expert on steam engines. Something tells me the ones that are makin¡¯ a mess of the planet aren¡¯t that good so Charlie is here to help you. I¡¯ve given him one of the earrings ¡¯cause he tends to forget things when he gets interested in something. Oh,¡± Mary handed Rich a small box, ¡°there are another five in there. Do with them as you will.¡±


    = = O = =


    Dercat Gutripper woke with a pounding headache and a truly foul mouth. He realised his head was lying in a pool of drool. His eyes squinted almost completely shut as the light drilled twin needles of agony into his brain. Once again he vowed to never again drink this much.


    ¡°You two awake? Good I have to close so you have to leave,¡± somebody said in a much too loud and cheerful voice.


    Dercat gingerly pushed himself upright. He noticed that his friend Gunner seemed to be even worse off than himself. He squinted warily at the elderly owner of the Flying Pig Tavern and croaked. ¡°Got a sobriety potion Fats?¡±


    Fats snorted and placed a small bottle on the table. The muted click of the bottle hitting the table reverberated loudly in Dercat¡¯s mind.


    Fats watched with a certain sadistic satisfaction as Dercat clutched his head and groaned as the potion took effect. Fats knew from long experience that it took about two minutes of hell before the potion took full effect.


    By the time Dercat was thinking straight and feeling as if life was worth living Gunner started groaning and reaching around blindly. Gunner somehow found a mug of ale, blinked at it and downed it with a shudder. Then, with extreme reluctance he uncapped the potion Fats placed in front of him and downed it.


    Dercat eyed the empty potion bottle in his hand in confusion. ¡°How come you handed these over without arguments Fats? Not like you.¡±


    ¡°Your captain paid for them earlier. He¡¯s made some kind of deal with a toff. Figure he needs you. Said to tell you to make tracks for the yard. Now get out before I get into trouble for being open after hours.¡±


    Gunnar and Dercat made their way cautiously through the early morning streets of Conimbriga, hands on weapons. ¡°You remember anything about a deal with a toff Gunner?¡±


    ¡°No. Last thing I remember is Luuribelle, ah Waitress III, stealing my collection of tankards.¡±


    When the pair returned to the shipyard where they had left the Silver Sparrow, they found her surrounded by scaffolding. Captain Bordal was smoking his pipe in the enclosed veranda of the boarding house located on the opposite side of the road of the main entrance to the shipyard. They moved through the crude airlock into the Young Gentlebeings Boarding House and went to find their captain and friend.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on Cap? The old girl seems to be the centre of attention. I thought we couldn¡¯t afford to fix her up properly?¡± asked Dercat.


    ¡°Welcome back to the world of the living. We have a charter. We will be at the beck and call of a foreign nobleman who just happens to be a truth reader for a year and a day after the Silver Sparrow is ready to fly. He¡¯s paying for the rebuild and he owns Greenie. Greenie seems happy enough, bronze collar, no bruises or whipmarks.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do for a crew Cap?¡± asked Gunner. ¡°We will need to replace that incompetent ass of an engineer. Trimsmen, stokers and deckhands are two a copper but a competent engineer...¡±


    ¡°Worse come to the worse we get Sir Rich Burton to buy us one. A truth reader should make an excellent recruiter of talent. The way our employer¡¯s throwing money around I suspect we¡¯ll be ready to go in a week or less.¡±


    = = O = =


    Rich found his hands full after Mary¡¯s departure. The visibly amused drow didn¡¯t help, as nobody trusted them. The young shadow mage was enjoying himself practicing what the leopard girls had taught him in the short time before they left. Minnow, now collarless was drilling her two young acolytes, also collarless. Or maybe they were just playing as she had dragged them into the sea cave. Her uncle the sea elf carver had followed them.


    Then when everyone had more or less settled down he took his shell-shocked bodyguard, the visibly taller and less green Eldaan who somehow managed to look younger, and Charlie Parsons to inspect the Silver Sparrow.


    ¡°Honestly Rich old man, those engines are a pile of junk. They¡¯re primitive, heavy and inefficient. Also two props would allow this scow to handle better. Two small steam turbines would be far more efficient and even one of the bloody things could handle both props.¡±


    Captain Bordal who had just hurried across from the boarding house when he had spotted Rich head towards his baby was incensed. ¡°Look you hairy lanky dog man, how dare you call the Silver Sparrow a scow!¡±


    Charlie screwed a monocle into his right eye and elevated his snout. ¡°That¡¯s Wolf man my dear chap. Just who is this excitable chap my dear sir Rich?¡±


    ¡°This Charlie, is Captain Bordal Vitrius of the Silver Sparrow and he¡¯s the man who managed to fly this wreck back to town.¡±


    Charlie inspected the slowly purpling Bordal with apparent curiosity. ¡°I suppose allowances must be made for these provincial sky sailor chappies. Pleased to meetcha captain.¡±


    Dercat and Gunnar watched their fuming captain with appreciation. They could see the glint of humour in the wolf man¡¯s eye and they grinned.


    ¡°Captain Bordal, this is Charlie Parsons whom my goddess assures me is the most knowledgeable being on this world when it comes to steam engines.¡± The he dropped his grin. ¡°And he will be replacing the engines. You may have an engineer watching, and if you want I¡¯ll pay to replace them with the rubbish you are using when the charter is concluded. But I won¡¯t pay to store them.¡±


    Charlie removed his monocle, cleaned it thoughtfully as he examined the sky ship. ¡°Very well old boy, I will need to have a word with Lewis and possibly Mother.¡± Then he turned and strode towards the entrance of the yard.


    ¡°See you soon captain,¡± said Rich before following Charlie.

 Chapter 4 – Revolution

    Some eight months previously.


    Frog threw himself behind the parked Lexus and winced at the sound of his hog scraping across the pavement and crashing into the wall behind him. What the fuck had he just ridden into, it sounded like a war zone. He crawled until he was sheltering behind the Lexus¡¯ engine block and cringed trying to make himself small as several bullets tore right through the luxury car¡¯s body.


    He cradled his head and broke into a cold sweat when he realised a chunk of his helmet was simply missing. ¡®Fuck that was close.¡¯


    Frog removed his destroyed helmet and produced his phone. He hit 911. He was busy trying not to die, which exasperated his stress levels as he tried to tell the nice lady on the end of the line what was going on and all but begging for help.


    Then he felt a wrenching, almost as if someone was ripping him in half. He gasped, half screamed and fainted.


    * * *


    Frog felt dizzy, what in hells name was going on? He seemed to be in a huge nebulous room, or was he? He didn¡¯t seem to have a body, was he just another of those airy glowing spheres that he was surrounded by? Did this mean those lunatics had killed him? Was this the afterlife?


    He ignored the babble of incoherent voices that seemed to bypass his non-existent ears. He focused and forced them out as he tried to examine his surroundings. He noticed a lectern had appeared in the space he and the others were sharing. Or maybe it and the tall slender big-breasted blue haired woman had always been there and he simply hadn¡¯t noticed them. Frog found himself ogling those breasts with approval.


    ? teeheehee! My new helpers are all here, don¡¯t worry dears, you did not die! As you all are, or maybe were all atheists none of you had any attachments to your local gods whoever they were, and as your world has so many people you are all new souls and thus devoid even of lingering attachments. So I merely appropriated your souls for my use. Teeheehee. ?


    Frog got the distinct impression that the woman floating behind the podium was smirking at him.


    ? Don¡¯t worry dears, I left a scrap of your soul behind, just enough to keep your bodies from dying, it should regenerate in time. Possibly. Maybe. Teeheehee. ?


    ? I¡¯m Azurea, Goddess of dungeons and you are all my new subjects. If you want to succeed you need to hurry up and worship me already. ?


    ? Forget your names, you are now ANS 1 through ANS 100 ¨C stands for Atheist New Soul. Teeheehee. ?


    Deep in his head Frog heard, or maybe he sensed ¡®ANS 96¡¯.


    ? I¡¯m sending the dungeon cores ANS 1 to ANS 25 to the planet Diavlo, you are needed there and will be a blessing to the locals. ?


    ? As for the cores ANS 26 through ANS 50 you are going to the Planet Parthia. ?


    ? ANS 51 to ANS 75, you are going to help Ambuila. ?


    ? ANS 76 to ANS 100, Teeheehee, you will be needed on Tarifax. Teeheehee. ?


    * * *


    Frog was in freefall, below him was a planet, a green and blue cloudy planet. Frog due to his acrophobia fainted.


    ANS 96 woke with a blank mind. He gazed incuriously around the dark cave he found himself in and apathetically accepted the demand of partnership from Deepsix the wisp.


    Deepsix for his part cursed. This was worse than anything he had been told. The dungeon core was all but empty of anything, it certainly had no personality worth mentioning.


    ? Azurea my goddess, how am I supposed to fulfil your will with ANS 96. It¡¯s a blank, there is nothing here. Please Azurea I pray, advise me. ?


    ? Ok dear, Teeheehee, the poor thing fainted and the mindwipe had nothing to fight against so it was a little too successful. Teeheehee. Sorry dear, just do the best you can for now. ?


    Some two months later, six months before the present.


    Magister Rufus Calitroglia received his visitor in his mansion in the noble quarter of Conimbriga. He offered Bartold Kennings wine, Bartold smiled in pleasure and accepted.


    ¡°My friend, several new dungeons have appeared. I have um, mislaid the details of one of them. It lies just within the great swamp, about one hundred and fifty kilometres from our fair city.¡±


    Rufus felt a bolt of pure greed but was careful to show no sign of it. ¡°So Bartold my friend, how long do I have before you have to, find this mislaid dungeon?¡±


    ¡°I have a review coming, so I can give you two weeks but to be quite honest the sooner the better as far as I am concerned.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, personally I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need more than a week for something that close.¡±


    * * *


    As soon as Bartold Kennings had left, Rufus stated spewing orders preparing to fulfil one of his long held ambitions. Then donning his breather mask he left his home noting with pleasure that the filter spell was still functioning perfectly. Latrox Caldane might be expensive but he did do good work.


    He climbed into his firewagon and gestured for to Driver II to proceed. The firewagon started with a subdued chuff and was soon edging its way through the thick yellow tinted fog that coated Conimbriga.


    Rufus made his way into the Caradix Emporium and handed his breather and cape to one of the footmen. Then he made his way to the exotics section.


    Sales XV smiled politely and bowed deeply to the prosperous looking gentleman who walked into his department. He held the bow for the appropriate length of time and straightened. ¡°How may the Caradix Emporium serve you master?¡±


    Rufus looked indifferently through the silver collared slave and replied. ¡°I have need of a female pixie or sprite for an experiment. Please understand I am not sure it will survive the experiment so I am not after your best stock.¡±


    Sales XV bowed again, grateful to be able to hide his expression. ¡°Certainly sir, please come this way.¡±


    Rufus examined the half dozen sprites and four pixies on offer. Three didn¡¯t look healthy or strong so he ignored those. He also ignored the dungeon sprite. ¡°How much do you want for the scar faced one?¡±


    Sales XV glanced at the disk hanging from its grok hide collar, ¡°Two guineas master.¡±


    Rufus narrowed his eyes in displeasure and checked the notation himself. After checking the price of the other options he had considered he grunted. ¡°Bloody expensive for a one eyed slave,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything cheaper?¡±


    ¡°The males of this species are cheaper master.¡±


    ¡°No! Females are easier to manage,¡± Rufus snapped as he glared at the unfortunates presented for his inspection.


    Sales XV merely bowed and remained silent his face blank.


    ¡°Very well, clean it up and replace that collar with a bronze one. My man¡¯s got a filter cage in my firewagon. Use that, see to it while I go and pay.¡±


    ¡°Yes master, your will be done.¡±


    * * *


    Strelitzia was still feeling numb at the destruction of her colony. She was indifferent to her fate and frankly surprised to be alive. She just hoped that some of her friends and relatives had managed to escape in the brief, very brief delay she and a few of the more desperate of her friends had bought at the cost of their lives and freedom.


    And now she¡¯d been sold to some arrogant free-born parasite. His words still echoed in her head, ¡®females are easier to manage¡¯ she¡¯d give him ¡®easier to manage¡¯ even if it killed her.


    Strelitzia endured being washed down by a surprisingly gentle older slave and endured having her collar exchanged. She fingered the bronze band wondering why if the bastard who bought her as a potential expendable experimental subject he had upgraded her status. Leather collars had virtually no rights, bronze collars had far more being guaranteed two meals a day and exempt from being killed at their master¡¯s whim.


    The filter cage was clean and surprisingly roomy. It even had a built in chair. She tried to avoid looking out at the yellowish fog outside her new owner¡¯s firewagon. She knew she wouldn¡¯t last fifteen minutes out in that poisonous atmosphere.


    Then the journey ended and the firewagon¡¯s stoker was carrying her cage in her owner¡¯s wake. They crossed what she thought might be the floor of an amphitheatre to the armed yacht resting on the sands with black smoke pouring out of its tall chimney.


    As soon as Rufus was on board his prized Grey Gull Stoker III passed the filter cage containing the pixie to Steward III before returning to the firewagon. Strelitza¡¯s cage was fastened down in the Steward¡¯s office and she watched fascinated as the balancers went about their trade meticulously turning the liftwood planks that enabled the Grey Gull to take to the skies even as her engines started turning the large propellers at her stern.


    * * *


    Rufus Calitroglia stared down at the crude hole at the centre of the miserable excuse for an island in the mosquito infested isle near the Sothern border of the Great Swamp. The Grey Gull was easily able to maintain station above the entrance to the new dungeon.


    Rufus sipped from his glass of fine whisky as he watched a party of his gladiators descend the rope ladder to the isle where they primed their rifles before making their way into the dungeon.


    Less than an hour later they emerged helping two of their number. Rufus noted approvingly that they had suffered no fatalities, not that he had expected any but accidents could always happen. He ordered the crane rigged and stretchers lowered. Then he waited until the leader of his capture squad climbed the rope ladder and returned back on board.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Everything went well I trust Leanna Fireseed?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir, we faced lizardfolk and giant bugs. Nothing very difficult. The hornets were the nastiest things down there. The companion was a wisp and I think it was the driving force in the defence of the dungeon. The core seems very lacklustre sir, I hope you can use it.¡±


    Rufus accepted the dull Tiger Eye that barely flickered. He narrowed his eyes and examined it carefully.


    ¡°Well it¡¯s still alive, and I don¡¯t need anything that can think for itself so it should do. Pray congratulate your team. You have all earned your rewards.¡±


    Leanna Fireseed watched her boss leave carrying the dormant dungeon core, then turned to look after her team.


    = = O = =


    In her heaven Azurea watched as one of her newest dungeons was enslaved. She narrowed her eyes in displeasure and contemplated her options.


    ¡®And now little pixie I can use that roiling fury and despair to salvage something from this debacle. So some knowledge, if you are to bond to one of my dungeons you need knowledge. Let me give you vision and the claws you will need to ¨C interact with divine magics. Risky yes but then I can¡¯t see a way to save Tarifax. Pity there is only one Mary Silvestre.¡¯


    Azurea lounged in her comfortable couch and used her divine sight. Slowly a cold smile grew on her face. ¡®Risky, oh so risky but it might work especially as there are two of her. And both of her are dungeons... Oh so ambitious dungeons... rogues... And it is to save two worlds... well one... I really can¡¯t see how Tarifax can be saved.¡¯ Azurea shuddered at that thought. ¡®What can I do, if we loose another world... The Great Gods will...¡¯


    = = O = =


    Strelitzia froze in shock as information poured into her head, information about dungeon cores and the dungeons they controlled and became. Her destroyed right eye stung and burned causing her to cover her face with her hands.


    She raised her head when she heard footsteps on the wooden deck of the cabin. She watched as her hated owner opened a small hatch in her cage and shoved a large dull Tiger Eye gem into the cage with her.


    ¡°Well Scarface, if you want to live bond with this dungeon core. It¡¯s very young and very lacking in anything resembling intelligence and ego. So you are going to run it for me. Do well and I¡¯ll upgrade you to silver. Fail and I¡¯ll replace you. Understand?¡±


    A blue flame flickered at the bottom of the pixie¡¯s empty eyesocket and Strelitzia realized that the dungeon core¡¯s being was bound. ¡®It should be possible to free it ¨C him, how do I know this?¡¯


    ¡°Um, master, how do I do this bonding thing, I know dungeon pixies bond but, how?¡±


    ¡°You think at the core Scarface, then when you connect you offer to bond. If it accepts, then the bond is done. I suggest you be convincing as I have no use for a damaged pixie.¡±


    ¡°Yes master. I will try,¡± replied Strelitzia.


    Strelitzia used her new knowledge and abilities for the first time. She offered the bond to the empty core even as she slipped a thread through the barrier and did the same to Frog? Ah Fredrick Richards Olpe-Garrison.


    Frog stirred and linked to the thought that was, had, ever so slightly woken him. Knowledge flowed in both directions and the bond was formed with just enough spill into the vacant awake part of the core to allow Strelitzia to drive the core¡¯s abilities.


    Rufus relaxed his magical sight and smiled. ¡°Well done Scarface. Now we will return to town where you will claim my amphitheatre so that you can generate beasts for the games and clean the air for my clients.¡±


    One month before the present


    By now Strelitzia knew far more than she wanted to of Arena games, gladiatorial combat and beast and monster hunts. The coldblooded slaughter of the injured and unsuccessful that Rufus had ordered to feed his new spell chained dungeon had made Frog powerful. It also turned her stomach.


    Frog had gained many levels in a remarkably short time. They, well she, had been using Frog¡¯s core to filter the air and create the monsters and beasts destined to die in Arena. More experiences she wished she could forget.


    At least she had finally managed to find a few weak points in Azurea¡¯s barrier and she was making slow progress. Then there would be Rufus¡¯ spell chains to defeat. She just hoped that she would be able to persuade Frog to proceed cautiously when she finally managed to free him.


    At least they now had lots of monsters and creatures in their data banks.


    Strelitzia merged with Frog¡¯s core and examined the Arena. Up above the rising banks of seats around the round sand floored arena the yellow stained fog pressed against their domain seeking to poison all life. Strelitzia shudder and swept her gaze around the arena and assured herself all was in order for the next day¡¯s spectacle. She sincerely hoped that Rufus wouldn¡¯t be hosting any of his so called light relief specials. His truly sadistic specials.


    Then it happened. The intruder was in their heart chamber. Strelitzia¡¯s eye flew open in shock. The intruder was in the core, in Frog¡¯s core together with a strange echo of her Frog. It was another dungeon, a terrifyingly strong dungeon.


    ¡®Is this going to be the end of us? Gods it¡¯s SO unfair.¡¯ Strelitzia despaired.


    ? ¡®Lo little one. Do you need any help? This is a truly unpleasant world I¡¯m surprised it still has pixies. ?


    Strelitzia shuddered and dared to hope. ? There aren¡¯t many of us left. Many creatures only exist in the various arena monster reserves. Why are you offering help? ?


    ? I¡¯m becoming a goddess, the more world¡¯s I and my consort have a foothold in the better. So anything I can help you with? ?


    And back to the present


    Charlie was supervising the installation of his babies on captain Bordal¡¯s Silver Sparrow when he heard a gasp of surprise. He turned languidly, ably suppressing his surprise, to regard the young runner who was staring at him through the visor of a bulky respirator.


    ¡°May I be of assistance youngster? Why the big eyes?¡±


    The runner stared in astonishment but remembering his duty, he said, ¡°Excuse me sir, are you Charlie Parsons?¡±


    ¡°But of course my dear chap. Do you see any other erudite wolf ¡¯folk around here?¡± drawled Charlie.


    ¡°I have a message for sir Rich Burton from the master of the guild of truth readers. Can you tell me where to find him?¡±


    ¡°Not at this precise moment, no. But I am fairly sure he said he was planning to pass by the yard to personally assess my progress in an hour or so. So pray excuse me youngster while I get on with it.¡±


    * * *


    Captain Bordal for his part was haunting the scene. He could see the advantages of having two propellers in place of the singleton, and he approved in the abstract at the changes Charlie had supervised. The gearings were interesting but he was very dubious that the two small strange looking steam engines would provide enough power to turn the two big metal propellers. The lack of pistons and crankshafts also worried him.


    He was more than happy with everything else regarding his Silver Sparrow, the sky shipyard had done an excellent job. He had rounded up many of his old crew and even signed on some new stokers and deckhands. He had been keeping his trimsmen on half pay in the hopes of retaining them. Luckily this charter had come up in time to prevent them signing on with anyone else.


    Provisions were being packed and they would be ready to go by the end of the week. Always assuming those weedy looking engines would work as advertised. He had been unable to get the opinion of his former engineer because the drunken sot had got himself killed in a tavern brawl.


    = = O = =


    Rich Burton dropped down from the hansom cab and assisted Minnow to descend. His new bodyguard, visibly disgruntled descended from the hansom cab that had been trailing his. She was followed by Eldaan. All four of them were using the new enchanted earrings and surrounded by clear air not needing breather masks.


    Eldaan paid the cabbies and trailed them into the rather poky looking soot stained building that housed the truth reader¡¯s guild.


    They were ushered into a comfortable meeting room, where they were soon joined by a tall, somewhat stooped man with short grey hair and a young, neatly dressed bronze collared woman with pad and pencil.


    ¡°Sit, sit, do you wish for some tea or maybe something stronger,¡± the elderly man asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m Dinobar Voorman and my charming stenographer is Giina.¡±


    Rich took one of the offered chairs. Cinders took up position behind him. Minnow seated herself in one of the other chairs, while Eldaan remained hovering by the door.


    Rich smiled, ¡°So Mr Voorman, might I ask why you seem so anxious to see me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not very important, but I had to be seen to do something once the guild of lawyers came to me with a formal complaint,¡± Dinobar grinned. ¡°You put their noses out of joint. They have no grounds for complaint as you acted on your own behalf, but I have been forced to remind you, that as a unregistered truth reader you are not allowed to charge for your services.¡±


    Rich got the distinct impression that the old man was very pleased with the lawyer¡¯s discomfort. ¡°Just that? Can¡¯t charge. I thought I wouldn¡¯t have been allowed to help anyone but myself.¡±


    Dinobar chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s what most think. But the law merely states that unregistered truth readers may not charge to use their abilities. Oh, and please call me Dinobar.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Dinobar, please feel free to call me Rich.¡± Rich sat back in his chair, ¡°do you have any advice for me? Not charging seems hard to prove.¡±


    ¡°True, but we are truth readers. It makes things easier.¡±


    A loud, sustained, peal of bells rang through the town of Conimbriga bringing the conversation to a halt. It continued for several long minutes. Rich noted that Dinobar was looking shocked. He glanced around and noted that Cinders also looked ashen and shocked. She seemed to be counting. Minnow was holding her ears, Eldaan was gazing at the ceiling, and he too seemed to be counting. Giina had collapsed into a chair and looked frightened.


    When the bells finally fell silent a full ten minutes had passed.


    ¡°What?!¡± asked Rich still stunned by the cessation of the incredible noise.


    ¡°The full count... that was a full count... one of the bound dungeons has broken free... and it is still free...¡± half whispered Cinders.


    ¡°Yes,¡± agreed Dinobar.


    Then the peal of bells resumed for another minute.


    ¡°Oh gods, it has started killing everybody within its domain and the mages weren¡¯t able to reimpose the binding,¡± stated Cinders.


    Rich bowed his head, ¡®Mother, is it Frog?¡¯ he prayed.


    ? Yes Rich, Frog and Strelitzia have broken their chains. You couldn¡¯t be in a better place if you had planned it. Go to the dwarven embassy next. ?


    Minnow jerked upright in her chair. A look of surprise flashed across her face.


    ¡°I think the most disturbing thing I found when I arrived in town was the... the bound dungeons. The great market, and the various arenas among others; it seems reckless to me to treat such beings as tame chattel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it is inevitable given greed and gods like Feltax, Holistos the Tinkerer and Vortexius Blackbeard,¡± said Dinobar sadly. ¡°I suspect this puts paid to our meeting. We are going to be needed when all the recriminations start flying. I¡¯m glad to have met you Rich. And remember,¡± he said with a wink, ¡°you have been formally warned by the guild that you are not allowed to charge for your services.¡±


    = = O = =


    Frog separated his mind from his Earthbound half. He beamed his satisfaction at Strelitzia and merged with her briefly. He felt joy as she smiled in glee. His Earthbound half had claimed a patch of swampy ground in Louisiana. He/they had been careful and followed Mary¡¯s suggestions and accepted that this act might limit his/their freedom on Earth soon. Mary had warned him/them that she had found herself bound to her core a few months after first claiming a domain. But then she had gifted him/them with her secrets in regards to her avatars. And hopefully they would gain the ability to form a useful avatar soon. After their rebellion in fact, he/they now had full knowledge of the Allin-designed trapdoor breech-loading mechanism that allowed the conversion of the local muzzle loading rifles to breach loaders. In fact he/they had a simplified more rugged version than the original and he had suitably equipped Springfields for his troops too.


    Strelitzia and Frog watched as Magister Rufus Calitroglia entered their domain. They noted with amusement as he tested his bindings on them, his magical slave chains. Several bodyguards, his friend Bartold Kennings and several other self-important dignitaries accompanied him.


    They were soon ensconced in the luxurious owner¡¯s box and watching the opening ceremonies. Strelitzia and Frog waited patiently until the benches and stands were full and the gates closed. The gladiatorial matches started and the bloodthirsty crowd became entranced with the betting and the spectacle.


    Frog summoned his monsters and waited, then he summoned some more. Standard fare for a day at the circus. But he was summoning more than usual, and his current master and owner Magister Rufus Calitroglia hadn¡¯t noticed anything, occupied as he was with his most recent sex slave.


    Strelitzia was grinning savagely and Frog wished he could do likewise. It was time, he twisted his will and stretched his mental limbs. His master¡¯s magical chains shattered and evaporated in a swirl of foul magic.


    They were free! Time for revenge!


    Squads of crocodile ¡¯folk armed with his breach loaders and bayonets trotted to the entrances to the arena where they set up barricades and assumed guard. Further squads headed up the stairs to the highest point of the banked seating behind groups of feathered Deinonychus.


    A tide of lizardmen flooded onto the arena sands and killed any gladiator that resisted while two of their shamans targeted the owner¡¯s box with offensive spells. The confusion allowed some croc ¡¯folk snipers to infiltrate the arena and start taking pot shots at the inhabitants of the luxury boxes.


    The crowd cheered at first, very few of them liked the arrogant wealthy folk in their private boxes. But then realizing that the magic barriers that held the action in the arena had vanished, they began to recoil and force their way up the stairs towards the exits at the top of the arena. Only to be met by the rampaging Deinonychus heading down. Those that got past the rampaging Deinonychus were met with crashing volleys and sporadic sniper fire.


    Strelitzia shrieked in glee when Magister Rufus Calitroglia who had been successfully defending himself and his guests from the lizardman shamans failed to spot the rifle armed snipers and was killed when two .58 calibre bullets struck him.


    In all the confusion few noticed the arena¡¯s entertainers sneaking out of the luxury boxes and encouraging many but not all of the slaves that had been brought along by their owners to leave and scurry down the rough cramped undecorated underways. Soon as they were clear more of the feathered Deinonychus flooded up the slave ways and into the boxes of the rich and powerful.

 Chapter 5 – Shopping and Stuff

    When they were ushered out of the building containing the Truth Reader¡¯s guild they found a carriage awaiting them. Standing by the driver was one of the guild¡¯s messengers. He nodded to them with a mischievous grin and trotted back into the building.


    ¡°To the dwarven embassy please.¡±


    They were slightly delayed by several crowds that were congregating around some newspaper sellers. Rich cast them a look of derision. ¡°No way the papers have any solid news yet.¡±


    ¡°But they will have the government¡¯s and the guild¡¯s statements. The statements are standardised after all. And they will also know which dungeon went rogue,¡± said Cinders.


    Rich smiled sarcastically. ¡°Hardly news. Frog and Strelitzia broke their chains. I suspect they¡¯re going to create a veritable fortress. They¡¯ve promised Mother they¡¯ll close the entrance opposite the eatery.¡±


    Cinders just stared in surprise.


    ¡°Come, come Cinders. Surely you must know by now Mother is both a dungeon and a goddess. We¡¯re not going to be blindly hostile to dungeons. Especially as you must also know Mother is not in favour of slavery.¡±


    Minnow grinned and rubbed her bare neck. She winked at Cinders.


    ¡°But Rich...¡± started Cinders before pausing while she thought things through. ¡°What about the dungeon we are living in? I thought Mother...¡±


    ¡°Mother is Lewis Carroll¡¯s suzerain, he is her vassal. They both have formal obligations one to the other.¡±


    * * *


    There was a muted rumble and then the sound of the horses pulling the carriage changed, the sound of hooves becoming clearer and echoing slightly as they entered the embassies cavernous enclosed front yard. Their carriage swung round and came to a halt, its door was opened by a liveried footman. Rich and Minnow descended from the carriage followed by Cinders and Eldaan.


    A grey bearded dwarf in splendid robes awaited them. He regarded Minnow with badly disguised distaste. ¡°The ambassador would like to see you Mr Burton. Your entourage can wait here and we would appreciate it if you left any magical items and your weapons with them.¡±


    Rich regarded the dwarf steadily. ¡°I see.¡± Rich turned to the driver of their carriage. ¡°Please take us to the great central market.¡± He then handed Minnow up into the carriage before getting back on board.


    Cinders looked from the slowly purpling dwarven dignitary to Rich, and back again, before collecting her senses and getting back into their carriage.


    Minnow, seated on the rear facing padded bench was watching Rich wide eyed. Rich relaxed when he heard the rumble of the entrance to the embassy open and they passed back into the fog. He smiled ruefully at Minnow and Cinders. ¡°Well that could have gone better.¡±


    ¡°Could have gone better!¡± exclaimed Cinders. ¡°How could it have gone worse?¡±


    ¡°Well we might have had to fight our way out,¡± Rich chuckled. ¡°Not that surprised. Mother is at odds with the dwarves on Parthia too.¡±


    Minnow blinked surprised, ¡°She is! ... Oh, I see. Um, how do I know this?¡±


    Eldaan smirked. ¡°Mother did say it was going to hurt ¡¯cause she had a lot of information to give you.¡±


    Cinders slumped back in her seat. ¡°Goddess! This is going to be all over town soon. Those people the dwarves hire are none too fond of their masters and tend to gossip, then there¡¯s our cabby.¡±


    Rich stiffened slightly, and then he relaxed and grinned again. ¡°Nothing we can do about it now.¡±


    * * *


    Once they reached their destination their cabbie was quite happy agree to await their return, especially after Eldaan slipped him a few coins. The cabbie led his team into an enclosed waiting area and set about making his team comfortable. Removing their cumbersome breathers, watering and feeding them.


    Eldaan easily caught the others as Rich had delayed to examine the elaborate main entrance to the great market. It was set into the huge iron framed glasshouse that housed and protected the market. Several teams of goblins with accompanying by orcs patrolled the exterior of the edifice.


    Rich drew in a deep breath while fingering his new earring, relishing the fact that he no longer had to wear the damned uncomfortable and restrictive breather mask before stepping into the domain of the bound dungeon that controlled and maintained this market.


    * * *If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Ruby felt the dungeon bound party enter her domain but beyond studying them did nothing. Her master had only hours ago renewed and increased his control, leaving her with virtually no freedom to act. So she studied the strangers and envied them greatly. She could dimly sense the power of the one that they were bound to.


    Sighing with regret she reached for Twinklegrin her wisp and companion of many years. They merged and commiserated with one another.


    ? Ruby dear, shouldn¡¯t we tell the master just in case? ?


    ? How? Our new orders are to obey without question. We are only allowed to disturb the master if an attack we cannot handle occurs. They are not attacking. ?


    * * *


    They wandered around for a fair amount of time examining the booths and stalls. The goods displayed were of varying prices and quality. Heated haggling that involved much screaming seemed to be everyone¡¯s favoured pastime. Then they stopped for a quick snack at one of the pie stalls.


    ¡°Huh, the eatery has better at lower prices,¡± muttered Eldaan.


    ¡°True,¡± agreed Cinders.


    Eldaan grinned in delight, ¡°you¡¯ve already tried it?¡±


    ¡°Yes well ... those apple pies and fritters smell ... and taste ... divine.¡±


    Rich chuckled, ¡°well the rabbit girls do have an unfair advantage. Their ingredients are superior, and free, after all.¡±


    They continued meandering through the market after their snack. Then Rich spotted something that stopped him in is tracks. In a booth dedicated to toys a couple of tiny tethered airships floated. He stopped and stared. Then he walked up to the booth and started to talk with the proprietor.


    They left that booth with one of the toy airships and a bag of liftwood seeds. Rich had been surprised and delighted when he learned that liftwood seeds were used in several toys. He had bought all the ones Arensoon had been willing to sell.


    Eldaan was laughing quietly as they walked back through the market. ¡°Boss you are a pushover when it comes to haggling. You could have got that lot for less than half what you paid. Arensoon must think you¡¯re a pushover.¡±


    Rich sighed, ¡°But it would have taken forever.¡±


    Minnow giggled, ¡°But think of the fun you¡¯d have both had screaming insults at each other and bewailing your fates. Telling each other about your starving children and elderly grandparents.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you must have taken all the fun out of it for Arensoon. He must have felt let down after cheating you so easily,¡± snickered Eldaan.


    = = O = =


    Strelitzia and Frog¡¯s revolt ¨C Another POV


    Bartold Kennings was lounging in the comfortable chair sipping a glass of his favourite wine with a most cuddlesome armful of a girl occupying his lap. He chuckled at a witticism his benefactor Magister Rufus Calitroglia had just uttered.


    He paid little attention to the fights going on in the arena below. The gladiators were not the best as they were only the opening act. And for a connoisseur like himself they weren¡¯t worth watching. Better fare would be along later.


    He vaguely noted the change in the sound of the audience¡¯s roar; he definitely noted the first shots. He just couldn¡¯t believe his benefactor was so crass as to use guns in his arena. So he looked up from the little leather-collared girl in his lap and watched in astonishment as a job lot of lizardmen charged onto the arena killing some gladiators and chasing the rest off.


    It was only when Rufus stood ashen faced and started defending his guests from the two lizardmen shamans, that Bartold realised that the spell barriers defending the audience from the denizens of the sands were down. Bartold stood abruptly dumping the girl to the ground. He could hear screams and crashing volleys from the top of the stands and benches. He fumbled his collar out from under his tunic. Not unexpectedly his guild amulet was telling him he was in a free dungeon. And by what he was seeing, the dungeon was in one hell of a snit.


    Rufus seemed to be holding his own against the lizardmen, or he was until two bullets hit him almost simultaneously. Bartold for his part was feeling very scared. He dropped to one knee to make use of the parapet as cover as he tried to make some kind of plan to save himself.


    He winced as the Rollonds fell to bullets. That was going to do the chartered R&T company no good at all. Their heirs were a vicious and ambitious lot. He looked round bewildered. Where were the slaves? The only ones he could see were Rufus¡¯ butler and the Rollonds¡¯ boy toy, and they were both dead. Then he heard a set of blood chilling screeches and a feathered two-legged monster appeared framed in the doorway of Rufus¡¯s box. Those guests of Rufus¡¯ who were still alive started screaming.


    Bartold fumbled at his necklace, his fingers almost instinctively finding the Amulet of Halis. He yanked it free and smashed it to the ground breaking it. There was a flash and he found himself kneeling in his office at the guild.


    He staggered to his feet and noting absently that the alarm bells were still pealing he walked quickly to his sideboard where he poured himself a glass of gulph wine. He moved to his desk and collapsed behind it. Then he drained his glass and shuddered.


    ¡®By the gods, this has been an appalling week. First the Spider Queen materialised in the reception room of his guild along with the new balancer of the drow, the oddly named Little Fish. Then when I got there I only found poor Woofie¡¯s corpse. Naked and mutilated where someone had harvested it for alchemical ingredients. And Ciders quit via letter. Well her pay was over a month in arrears so it wasn¡¯t that surprising. And now this. I¡¯ll miss old Rufus. Denning is a mean spirited little prig, nothing like his father.¡¯


    * * *


    Bartold Kennings might not like it but he knew his duty. He knew what he had to do if he was to retain his hold on the local Adventurer¡¯s Guild. So after scouring the building and surrounding streets and bars he managed to put together a party of fifteen ¡°adventurers¡±.


    Half an hour later they poured out of the guild¡¯s somewhat dilapidated firewagon and joined the city guard keeping guard on the large concrete dome that stood where formerly the Calitroglia Colloseum had stood.


    The iron-collared guardsmen had already cordoned off the roads surrounding the dome and were keeping the curious at a distance.


    They were facing the only opening in the dome. It stood about half way up at the top of a wide but steep flight of steps. Above the arch that surrounded the entrance tunnel was a sign that read:


    Strelitzia and Frog invite all and sundry


    To visit the Arena of Blood


    Welcome to Hell!


    Bartold really didn¡¯t fancy what was coming next. Thankfully the representatives of the mages¡¯ guild hadn¡¯t shown up yet. Mabe he wouldn¡¯t have to lead the raid into the dungeon today. He was sure he could find an apropriate excuse given time.

 Chapter 6 – Tangled Webs

    The carriage stopped yet again. The cabbie opened the small communication hatch in the roof to inform his passengers that their destination was sealed off by order of the city. ¡°Sorry sor, so where do you want to be dropped off?¡±


    ¡°You might just as well drop us off at the drow embassy,¡± joked Rich.


    ¡°Ha ha sor. There ain¡¯t no such thing,¡± retorted the cabbie.


    Minnow¡¯s eyes flew open in shock as a very familiar voice whispered in the back of her mind. She licked suddenly dry lips and whispered, ¡°Junction of Deepwell Avenue and Wall lane.¡±


    ¡°What was that Minnow?¡± queried Rich.


    Still looking shocked she complained, ¡°They are bickering in the back of my mind, it is getting crowded in here,¡± replied Minnow tapping a finger to her forehead. ¡°Anyway, the Spider Queen suggested we go to the junction of Deepwell Ave. and Wall lane. It¡¯s not far but it is not a nice quarter of the city.¡±


    ¡°Why? Did she say?¡±


    ¡°Because that is where the Embassy is located.¡±


    Rich looked round at his companions and received a series of nods and shrugs. ¡°Very well. Cabby please take us to the junction of Deepwell Ave. and Wall lane.¡±


    The cabby¡¯s look was suitably dubious. ¡°Well if you¡¯re sure sor?¡±


    * * *


    Rich descended from the carriage in front of what he recognised as a reasonable faithful replica of Linderhof Castle in Bavaria. The real thing didn¡¯t feature a statue of the Spider Queen on the peak of the roof nor did it feature octopi, squid and dolphins decorating the frieze. Then too the interior bore not the slightest resemblance to the Earth original.


    He was not surprised to be received by Silver-Blade. The presence of drow guards did surprise him. ¡°Good afternoon Silver-Blade, where did the guards come from?¡±


    ¡°My aunt has already consecrated the shrine. Our Lady opened a portal to the secret temple. The High priestess sent the guards. What the Goddess decrees gets done.¡±


    ¡°So this is truly an embassy? That is going to be amusing,¡± commented Rich with a smile as he watched the commander of the guard hand Minnow a nasty looking barbed bullwhip and a skill crystal. Minnow accepted them gingerly and fumbled as she fastened the whip to her belt.


    Silver-Blade chuckled. ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t it? And our cousins are going to be so jealous of this elegant little palace Mother gifted us with.¡±


    = = O = =


    Magister Kee-an Fordoran, the first councillor of Conimbriga scanned the unbelievable document in his shaking hands once again. He couldn¡¯t grasp the sheer gall represented by this brief missive. He looked round at the ruling council of the realm and tossed the document onto the desk. It couldn¡¯t have come at a worse time.


    ¡°We have several problems gentlemen. We have three members of our council to replace. We have a rogue dungeon to subdue or destroy. And we have a new embassy in town.¡±


    Darintus Galeontar cocked his head to the side and looked at the big man sitting at the head of the table. He noted with some concern that Kee-an¡¯s normally rosy cheeks were flushed with restrained rage. He knew from long experience that the normally calm mage could become extremely reckless when he actually lost his temper.


    ¡°Councillor Fordoran, I think I speak for all of us when I say that replacing our missing members can wait on settling the matter of the murderous dungeon in our midst. That would seem to be the most pressing thing on the table.¡±


    ¡°Read that damn letter and tell me that Darintus.¡±


    Darintus looked surprised but picked up the letter. Minutes later he looked up, ¡°This has been confirmed? The Drow have set up an embassy and temple in Conimbriga?¡±


    ¡°So what? Another temple to Vortexius Blackbeard is hardly a problem,¡± said Coranmac Beltrrasive.


    ¡°What rock have you been hiding under Beltrrasive? The Spider Queen has retaken control of the drow. Her and some other goddess I never heard of before,¡± scoffed Kee-a-ran Fordoran, high priest of Holistos the Tinkerer.


    Darintus tapped the letter on the table. ¡°So how serious is this. Can this ambassador Silver-Blade truly represent all the realms of the drow as he claims?¡±


    Kee-a-ran spread his hands in exasperation. ¡°He was accredited by the High Priestess of the hidden temple. So yes he can and does. Just like the damn godless dwarf in the cube.¡±


    Coranmac Beltrrasive looked puzzled, ¡°Surely it is simple enough. As chairman of the council Magister Kee-an Fordoran will remain here with his brother Kee-a-ran Fordoran to receive the new ambassador and the chief priest or priests of the new temple while Kee-an¡¯s deputy in the mages guild leads a party to assist the guild master of the adventurer¡¯s guild to subdue the dungeon.¡±


    The other councillors exchanged looks of exasperation amongst themselves. ¡°Yes, but¡ª¡± started Darintus as he passed a mental review of the two men in rising horror.


    Kee-an shuddered, well knowing his deputy, while an excellent paper shuffler, was indecisive and a total failure as a mage. ¡°Unfortunately you¡¯re correct Coranmac.¡±


    Kee-an tugged at his close cropped white beard, sighed and directed his gaze at Darintus Galeontar, ¡°Make sure your iron-collars don¡¯t get dragged into the ... err ... into guild affairs. We don¡¯t want to tread on any sensitive toes do we?¡±


    Darintus narrowed his eyes and thought about the current situation. ¡°I will see to it personally magister.¡±


    = = O = =


    Rich and Cinders moved through the Mock Turtle dungeon and returned to their chamber. They found Alice Liddell awaiting them.


    ¡°Hello Rich, Mr Carroll wants to know if you want these apartments moved deeper in the dungeon, or closer to the Drow Embassy.¡±


    ¡°Hello Alice, I hope everything is well with you and Lewis? I think moving this area closer to the Embassy would be a good move. But is there any chance of setting up another eatery, restaurant or shop so we don¡¯t have to use the Embassy as an entrance. The local authorities will be watching it, as will other powers.¡±


    ¡°Mr Carroll says that will be possible. He¡¯ll see to it soon. What do you want done with the current eatery and the rabbit girls? It¡¯s doing well, the iron-collars are very fond of it. We will need to explain why it isn¡¯t running out of food.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit it now and have a chat with whoever is in charge. We should be able to arrange or explain something.¡±


    * * *


    Rich settled into the comfortable chair and sipped from the cup of strong scalding hot tea one of the rabbit women had handed him. Cinders for her part was surreptitiously blowing on hers in a desperate effort to cool it.


    At last satisfied that the woman were happy to continue running the eatery despite the current circumstances and that they all knew of the available boltholes they could use in case of emergencies Rich headed for the eatery itself trailed by Cinders.


    When Rich stepped through the back door of the eatery he became the centre of attention of all those present in the establishment.


    ¡°Welcome master Rich,¡± said Heather as she looked up from the grill.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see how you are doing Heather. And to see if we will need to close when the food runs out or if we can come to some arrangement about getting supplies with these gentlemen.¡± Rich moved towards the counter and Cinders followed cautiously.


    The soldiers looked unhappy at the thought of the place closing. One of them came over to Rich. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m Private XXXII. If you are willing to wait I¡¯ll get one of the sergeants here to talk to you about the supply issue.¡±


    Rich blinked and sighed, ¡°Damn it man, what¡¯s your name? I refuse to call people by job description and number.¡±


    Private XXXII¡¯s mouth dropped open in surprise, and someone near the door said, ¡°That¡¯s Alton sir.¡±


    ¡°Well please get a sergeant Alton. The ladies are willing to keep the place open but without supplies that become impossible.¡±


    ¡°Could you serve drinks Sir?¡± asked someone from the mass.


    Rich leaned back against the bar, ¡°This isn¡¯t a tavern, it is only licensed to serve small beer, ale and cider. And cider wasn¡¯t selling so...¡±


    After some back and forth with the soldiers the soldier who had gone to find a sergeant returned with not only a sergeant but a lieutenant too.


    The lieutenant scanned the room and made his way to where Rich was leaning against the bar. The sergeant followed him.


    ¡°I understand you¡¯re Rich Burton the proprietor of this establishment. And that you prefer names, or was that just to ingratiate yourself with the men?¡±


    ¡°I am, and I do. And no, I just happen to come from a place that isn¡¯t into dehumanising it¡¯s people.¡±


    ¡°So you feel free to ignore the law?¡±


    ¡°I obey the laws, some reluctantly, but I do not find it necessary to obey rules and customs if they are not laws.¡±


    The sergeant grinned nastily. ¡°Are you not scared to be so close to a free dungeon?¡±


    Rich laughed. ¡°No. But then I¡¯m here and it is somewhere over there. So long as I don¡¯t set foot in it there is no problem.¡±


    The sergeant nodded slowly. ¡°I think he not shitting us sir.¡±


    The lieutenant grinned crookedly. ¡°My men need relaxation and feeding. This place is nice and the food is good if limited. But it is too small, Think you could expand it?¡±


    Rich glanced at the Heather and raised an eyebrow. She looked down then nodded slightly. He looked back at the lieutenant and said, ¡°Possibly, but there really isn¡¯t room.¡±


    The lieutenant pursed his lips. ¡°The shop next door relied on the arena. I¡¯ll lay odds you could buy or lease it. The guys will help with knocking down the wall and dragging benches and tables.¡±


    ¡°Heather what do you know about the shop next door?¡±


    ¡°Um, master Rich, Dodem was a widower and he was in the arena with a tray of his goods when ... when. Well he won¡¯t be back. We¡¯ve been feeding his kids. We¡¯ve got them in the back.¡±


    ¡°So the orphans will be collared and the shop¡¯ll revert to the city. I can arrange for the sale,¡± offered the lieutenant.


    Rich grimaced. ¡°No the kids won¡¯t be collared. I¡¯ll take ¡¯em on. Mother would never let me hear the end of it I let them be collared. But I¡¯ll buy the shop if you arrange it. As for supplies will you allow wagons through?¡±


    The lieutenant grinned and stuck out his hand. The two men shook. ¡°I¡¯ll have the papers here in a couple of hours. We¡¯ll be watching as Bartold Kennings leads the raid on the Arena of Blood with the support of Magister Deelon Arrdolson and his team. Might as well get something done while we wait.¡±


    ¡°Kennings and Arrdolson! You¡¯ve gotta be kidding. It¡¯ll be a slaughter!¡± exclaimed Cinders.


    ¡°You know them ma¡¯am?¡± asked the sergeant.


    Cinders looked wild eyed, ¡°Kennings is an ass and he¡¯s hooked on gulph. As for Arrdolson, he¡¯s an excellent administrator.¡±


    Rich grinned at their stunned looking audience, ¡°She should know, Cinders is a kick ass fire mage and up until a few days ago worked at the adventurer¡¯s guild. Maybe you should lay money on it. I assume bookies are takin¡¯ bets.¡±


    Shortly after the eatery was mostly deserted. Rich sat on one of the now empty stools at the counter. ¡°Tell me Heather, are there any more widows and kids needing help because of Frog? And if so can we help them?¡±


    ¡°There is a old granny, she has a couple of granddaughters but none of them are kids.¡±


    ¡°Well if they¡¯re in danger of getting collared and we can help ... well let them know alright. We will need more help if this becomes a tavern or Mother forbid, an inn.¡±


    Heather giggled. ¡°You still don¡¯t want the girls to take customers, right.¡±


    ¡°No. I won¡¯t stop them if they truly want to follow that career path. But only on their own time, and it will be without our sanction. Not to say we won¡¯t try to help if trouble ensues but I want them to believe we won¡¯t help.¡±


    * * *


    Some hours later the lieutenant and sergeant were back with two clerks, one in the uniform of the army and wearing an iron collar and one from the town hall in bronze. Heather was sent to fetch the orphans and returned with clover and four children ranging from thirteen to six. A table and chairs were also found and papers spread across it.


    The shop was claimed by the city and purchased by Rich. The orphans were apprenticed much to the surprise of the city clerk who found his papers of servitude and the leather collars unneeded. As soon as the papers had been signed and money passed over a squad of sappers moved in and after a quick survey started clearing away the wall dividing the eatery from the shop.


    That evening Lewis Carroll claimed the shop and did some hasty and much needed repairs to the house now that one of the major load bearing walls had a big hole in it.


    = = O = =


    Frog and Strelitzia watched with anticipation as the seemingly well equipped adventurer band and the hand of mages that looked to be dripping with enchanted items and scrolls moved confidently through their entryway.


    The partners examined their visitors with a degree of incredulity. The mages radiated power, or their gear did. The adventurers however didn¡¯t. With the exception of three individuals they bore no magic, and their gear looked shoddy to their arena-sharpened senses.


    ? Looks like the mages are going to be a challenge but... ?


    ? Or maybe not Frog. They seem confident in the ability of those... ?


    ? Would be adventurers. Hey Strelitzia, we know that guy leading the fakes. He was in piggy¡¯s box. ?


    ? Yes he was wasn¡¯t he? He was swilling gulph wine. So if we tailor some of the treasure... ?


    ? Yeah lets do that. ?


    They watched as the raid entered the first chamber on what was now their first level. The lizardmen were outnumbered and on the face of it outgunned. Frog and Strelitzia watched in anticipation of the slaughter of their monsters. They intended make use of the overconfidence that they hoped the first few encounters would generate later.


    Frog and Strelitzia were stunned.


    ? How did our outnumbered lizardmen manage to kill four adventurers and wound all those others? And their healing potions don¡¯t. Heal that is. ?


    ? This is silly Frog. They¡¯re all scared. And the idiots think we have an anti-magic field... ?


    ? ¡¯Cause their defective equipment isn¡¯t working. ?


    The second encounter went better due to the mages blazing away with all their magic. The next encounter was more of the same. And the raid party started to swagger with confidence.


    ? Um, Strelitzia I think their mages are getting low on manna. I know it¡¯s early but I think we should hit them with a squad of crocodile ¡¯folk. ?


    The partners watched as their soldiers lay in wait, literally lying behind some sandbags. When the raid arrived in the chamber, they received a volley that dropped two of their mages and three adventurers. Staggered the raid grouped prepared themselves to attack the crocodile ¡¯folk while they still had empty rifles.


    The crocodile men flipped open the breaches of their rifles, reloaded, raised themselves to their knees and fired again. On of the opposing mages, more quick witted than his fellows discharged a wand at the dungeon denizens dropping two with the resultant fire ball.


    Seeing the surviving crocodile men charging them with bayonets most of the surviving adventurers broke and fled. They were accompanied by one of the surviving mages.


    Two of the adventurers fought valiantly but in vain. Magister Deelon Arrdolson, the mage who had remained, frozen with indecision and doubt, was quickly killed.


    Strelitzia and Frog watched as four adventurers, all wounded, and one mage staggered out of their domain into the hands of the awaiting iron-collared soldiers. Then they absorbed their loot and reset their dungeon and awaited further developments.


    ? Did you notice that druggie teleported out again Strelitzia? ?


    ? Yes, pity. He seemed to have lots of interesting equipment. ?

 Chapter 7 – Diplomacy?

    Minnow contemplated the whip fastened to her belt with distaste, personally she couldn¡¯t conceive of a more useless weapon for a sea elf. It would be totally useless underwater, but she had to admit Mother had read the drow correctly; they were all admiration for a goddess that issued such a cruel weapon as the demarcating symbol of her priests and priestesses.


    Then there was this pretend firewagon, this, what had Mother called it, oh yes a ¡®IAG Armored Anti-Riot Truck¡¯. And it had ample room for twelve. Well maybe not ample. Compared to a firewagon it was heavily armoured, fast, quiet and the rapid-fire gun in the turret on the roof was already beloved by the drow.


    Silver-Blade the ambassador and his aunt the priestess knew they were being insulted by the Council not offering them transportation and an honour guard but it tickled their fancy to use the Balancer¡¯s gift as it was so much better than any firewagon they had ever heard of.


    Then they were being presented to the Fordoran brothers, Magister Kee-an the first councillor and head of state and Kee-a-ran the high priest of Holistos the Tinkerer. Standing among the witnesses was Wingfane Hazel of the wood elves. Minnow could feel his incredulous eyes on her.


    The ceremony was brief; Silver-Blade¡¯s credentials were presented and accepted. Honeyed barbs and insincere smiles were exchanged. Then they all retired to the ballroom for refreshments and mingling.


    ¡°Excuse me lady Delphine, may I ask how you ended up the priestess of the Balancer?¡± asked Wingfane quietly.


    Minnow regarded him with a smile. ¡°She chose me. I had no say in the matter, but then she is and was a Sea Goddess before she woke the Spider Queen and became the Balancer.¡±


    Wingfane looked shocked. ¡°You¡¯ve actually met...¡±


    ¡°Oh yes.¡±


    = = O = =


    ¡°The Queen of Hearts Inn you say, humph, I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± Daaras Bolgrado sighed feeling much put upon, ¡°Very well Clerk, arrange for one of the firewagons to be made ready. Be sure to fetch all relevant documents and agreements, and alert the on duty truth reader.¡±


    Clerk XIX bowed low and restrained himself to a curt ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    Daaras Bolgrado was feeling distinctly annoyed as he clambered into the chuffing firewagon. He had better things to do than chase after self-important would be adventurers. It had taken Clerk XIX hours of valuable time to track down this irritating woman. The city¡¯s agreement with the useless guild was clear. They should always have a guild master and assistant guild master available for emergencies.


    Daaras smiled sourly to himself as he settled himself on one of the comfortable leather covered seats. The agreement he had with Bartold Kennings was profitable, but he hadn¡¯t counted on the man¡¯s insatiable greed. Not paying the woman had been an error. He sneered with contempt. But then who would have expected an otherwise competent mage and city councillor like Rufus Calitroglia to loose control of a new dungeon. He smiled, mind you Calitroglia¡¯s potential heirs were already sniffing around, if he played his cards right it could be very profitable.


    The Queen of Hearts Inn turned out to located near the East Gate. It had obviously been recently built as the blank exterior was designed with the prevalent fog in mind. It even had adjustable airlocks to allow its guests to step from a modern firewagon in complete comfort while avoiding letting the firewagons into the pleasant gardens in the central courtyard. Daaras found himself taking note of the more practical points of the design.


    The lobby was comfortable. Nice if rather understated and the staff was odd. They seemed all to be dogmen of some breed he was unfamiliar with. ¡°Clerk, what type of dogs are these?¡±


    ¡°I find out sir,¡± replied Clerk XIX. He bowed respectfully to Daaras, then he made his way to the reception desk whilst his master gazed around disdainfully.


    Clerk XIX was soon back, accompanied by one of the inns footmen. ¡°Sir, a meeting has been booked, with suitable refreshments. Mage Cinders Lockdown is being informed, and the dogmen are of the coonhound breeds.¡±


    ¡°This way gentlemen, pray follow me,¡± said the slightly mournful looking footman. They were shortly ushered into a comfortable room with a view of the central garden. A pair of waters arrived on their heels with refreshments, which were set out on the scattered tables. Daaras, while not showing it was impressed.


    About fifteen minutes later, which proved to be more than sufficient time to irritate Daaras, Cinders entered the room. She regarded Daaras and the truth reader with a raised eyebrow.


    Daaras Bolgrado leaned back in his chair, ¡°Mage Cinders, I am the assistant to the minister of public order. I am here because the council is unhappy with the performance of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. The council has allowed the guild to continue to exist in return for certain considerations.¡±


    ¡°So? I don¡¯t see what that has to do with me anymore,¡± stated Cinders.


    ¡°You are the designated second in command of the guild for a very good reason mage Cinders.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Not any longer. By not paying me for three months that contract lapsed. It is no longer valid. I am now the well paid bodyguard of Rich Burton. Paid in advance at that.¡±


    ¡°The city has an agreement with guild master Kennings, and yourself. We need a competent adventurer to lead the effort to subdue the dungeon.¡±


    Cinders leant against the wall by the door. She looked down at the seated Daaras. She noted the clerk was taking notes at one of the tables. The truth seeker had been the only one to rise to his feet when she entered.


    ¡°Your agreement was dependant on my being paid. I wasn¡¯t. For three months at that. It is no longer valid.¡±


    ¡°The city has paid Kennings every month. The city is not at fault.¡± Snapped Daaras.


    ¡°The city did not ensure I got paid. The contract has lapsed. Make use of Kennings, he¡¯s the acting guild master, not me. I¡¯m just the bodyguard of a foreign noble.¡±


    Daaras snorted. ¡°Bartold Kennings has proved himself to be, less than successful. The city needs the Arena of Blood subdued. It is willing to pay you a substantial bonus to undertake the task you are in any case contractually bound to do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a nasty little contract you have there. I never signed it. And anyway by not paying me for three months it is not valid. I will not help you with your little problem. I do hope you are aware the local guild just doesn¡¯t have the resources to subdue any but the weakest of dungeons.¡±


    Daaras glared at the truth reader who just spread his hands. ¡°She believes what she said to be true boss.¡± Clerk XIX looked up from his notes briefly then looked down again.


    Cinders smiled sweetly at Daaras. ¡°I can not say it has been pleasant to meet you Bolgrado. In fact I find your company to be unpleasant. So I¡¯ll leave you and hope we never meet again.¡±


    Cinders opened the door and left.


    Daaras glared at the closed door, then he glared at his truth seeker. ¡°What good are you? Anyway I can always say what I want and you will keep your mouth shut. Understand!¡±


    ¡°Err... She works for a truth reader. Um,¡± Diretus Folgadus squeaked looking worried.


    Darras gave his truth reader a disgusted look, then said, ¡°Be back at the firewagon in about three hours, now I¡¯m here I might as well go and have lunch.¡± And Daaras stamped out fuming leaving Clerk XIX and the truth reader behind.


    = = O = =


    Captain Bordal Vitrius was conning the Silver Sparrow as they rose above Conimbriga. His passengers had come abroad shortly after dawn. They had arrived in a strange looking firewagon that seemed to lack a chimney and was being driven by a grinning drow.


    Bordal nerved himself and asked for half ahead. He staggered back two steps as the Silver Sparrow accelerated rapidly. Cursing at the incompetence of his new engineer he rand for quarter speed. What was the stupid aggravating wolf man up to?


    Muttering under his breath Bordal asked for a further reduction in speed. The big props at the ends of their outriggers turned smoothly and he strained his eyes while Gutripper kept an eye on the radar screen that was now mounted next to the wheel.


    ¡°Careful captain, this thing says there is a flyer dead ahead.¡±


    Bordal found it hard to believe that anything could see through the fog but just in case he edged the Silver Sparrow to one side. And sure enough one of Conimbriga¡¯s patrol flyers showed up just where the radar contraption said it would. He eyed the blocky looking pedestal speculatively. If it proved reliable it could massively increase their security.


    ¡°Anything ahead of us Dercat?¡±


    ¡°Not according to this captain.¡±


    ¡°Time to see how the new engines and rig perform.¡± Bordal rang for full ahead, and the Silver Sparrow jumped forward as her props whined. The city¡¯s patrol flyer seemed to vanish as they shot forward. Bordal gazed in shock at his speedometer as the needle jumped and hit the limit. They were exceeding eighty knots and they were still picking up speed.


    With a shaking hand Bordal moved the engine room telegraph to cruising speed and noticed the sound of the props ease slightly but his speedometer continued jammed against the stops. ¡°Blimey Dercat, this is unbelievable. Those weedy looking engines... Wow!¡±


    ¡°Charlie did tell me he thought our standard cruising speed would be something in excess of a hundred and fifty knots. Now I believe him. We need to get an engineer that can tolerate Charlie for him to train. No way can we let those boilers go.¡± Dercat Gutripper examined the radar repeater, ¡°Selford is coming up captain.¡±


    ¡°What! Already?¡±


    = = O = =


    Rich leant against the rails next to Minnow as they gazed down at the rolling sea below. This far from the shore the air was mostly clear. They had passed over a handful of barren looking sandy islands an hour ago. Rich could make out a vast ring where the sea looked lighter.


    ¡°This is the place Rich. Under the surface there is a vast ring of mountains that fail to break the surface. Many of the peaks come to about fifty yards from the surface. As you can see they form a circle about fifty miles across.¡± Minnow looked down with longing. ¡°We are not really that far from my original home now. We could visit couldn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Yes Minnow, we could and we will. But first let us go down and see how Mother likes this place.¡±


    * * *


    Captain Bordal Vitrius watched bemused as his employer and the elf girl stripped down to virtually nothing and dived into the trackless sea. He had tried to see what was so important about this tractless bit of ocean but hadn¡¯t been able to.


    The elf carver had followed his employer into the sea. ¡°Tell me Gree¡ª Eldaan, what are we doing here?¡± Bordal looked closely at the youth. ¡°You have changed kid, you look well.¡±


    ¡°Yes captain. The goddess fixed me. She assures me I¡¯m going to have a human lifespan now. You can see I¡¯m less green, and taller. The Mother of Monsters is a sea goddess first and the balancer second. Minnow and the Boss are here to see if this spot will suit her.¡±


    Bordal cocked his head to one side. ¡°Huh. And how long are they going to remain under the sea?¡±


    ¡°As long as they want. Didn¡¯t you note their gills?¡± grinned Eldaan.


    ¡°Gills?¡±


    ¡°We serve a sea goddess, are gills that strange?¡± laughed Eldaan.


    Bordal decided to take a quick stroll around his deck grumbling all the while.


    * * *


    Minnow and Rich reached the floor of the huge crater. The sea tasted sour to Rich. They regarded their talisman. Looked each other in the eye and evoked it. Slowly a shimmering surrounded the talisman and a portal formed.


    Jerica darted through. She clearly didn¡¯t appreciate the taste of the water. Jerica placed a small diamond in a patch of sand and concentrated. Rich soon felt Mary¡¯s domain sweep over him. He relaxed and smiled. Merrow felt herself relax.


    Mary and Mary spent the energy they had been stockpiling and spread their domain widely. Even as Rich and Minnow swam slowly towards the surface they could feel the water being partially cleansed and various monsters swam through the portal by the anchor point of this new extension of Blue Lagoon.


    The surface was choked by a mass of plankton and other microscopic plants and animals.

 Chapter 8 – Setting the Scenes

    Among the peaks of the Skynest Mountains lay Shag¡¯rilan, the highest settlement in the world. Yet even here amongst the peaks the thin air was tainted. As far as the eye could see the big village was surrounded by groves of liftwood trees.


    Despite the best efforts of the big chested locals the groves were not thriving, many of the trees had brown and dying leaves.


    There was much soul searching and worry occurring in the halls of the liftwood growers association. They were meeting regularly in their lavish headquarters building in the centre of the village. They had tried many things and consulted with the finest mages in the world but nothing was working. The groves continued to decline. And the rate of decline seemed to be accelerating. This year the trees had not seeded.


    So today every able bodied inhabitant of Shag¡¯rilan between the ages of sixteen and thirty-six was gathered in the central plaza watching the chairman of the liftwood growers association reach into a pottery urn and fetch out a small wooden cylinder. They were watching the drawing of the lots with a mix of apprehension and excitement.


    Tsomo Ryatem unscrewed the top of the little cylinder he had just drawn from the urn. He fished out the scrap of paper and squinted at the writing. Then he passed the scrap of paper to the village crier.


    ¡°LHEKSHEY ORATEM,¡± bellowed the village crier.


    From the middle of the crowd Lhekshey made his reluctant way towards the steps leading up to the growers association building.


    = = O = =


    Gardenia Stracanis looked up in irritation at the knock on her door. ¡°Come in!¡± she barked.


    Folssana Mirabilis poked her head in, ¡°Sorry Guild Master, but there is a most urgent message from the council at Conimbriga.¡± Folsana looked worried as she edged into Gardenia¡¯s inner sanctum. She was carrying a well filled folder.


    ¡°Humph, and what do those self satisfied idiots want now. Aren¡¯t they the ones who refused the guild master we appointed?¡±


    ¡°Yes guild master,¡± concurred Folssana as she placed the folder she was carrying on the desk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave dear,¡± hissed Gardenia, ¡°sit, sit.¡±


    Folssana gulped and did so, albeit gingerly. She watched apprehensively as Gardenia perused the contents of her folder.


    ¡°Right! Folly love, please see to getting Conimbriga and the surrounding area scanned for dungeons. I don¡¯t trust anything that acting guild master Kennings sent us. Find out what you can regarding the Arena of Blood dungeon.¡±


    * * *


    Gardenia Stracanis glared at the door to her office, ¡®How can a knock sound hesitant?¡¯ she thought to herself. Sighing in irritation she barked, ¡°Come in!¡±


    Folssana Mirabilis edged her way in leading the guild¡¯s chief mage. Bolithico Pasmado stroked his carefully cultivated and waxed mustachios. A habit that told Gardenia he was nervous and unsure of himself.


    Gardenia narrowed her eyes at them and said, ¡°Please be seated.¡± She waited impatiently until they were then asked, ¡°So, what do you have for me?¡±


    ¡°Two things guild master,¡± said Bolithico smoothly. ¡°As for Conimbriga, there are currently between fourteen and sixteen dungeons in the town and not the ten we were informed of by the local guild.¡±


    ¡°Why the uncertainty? Are there fourteen or sixteen. I thought your scans were more accurate than that. And why do I think the other thing you have to say is going to be ¨C worse?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say worse exactly, unexpected and surprising yes. Not worse.¡± Bolithico looked hopefully at his guildmaster and realised that he had better continue with his explanation. ¡°Um, yes well, I believe one of the dungeons has three exits and is actively seeking to hide. I seems to be rather deep but I, we could be wrong and it might just be three similar dungeons.¡± Bolithico smiled hopefully.


    Gardenia looked at her assistant, Folssana sat up straight in her chair. ¡°We have the two remaining arenas, the race track, the two principal markets, the arsenal, the naval shipyards, the city palace, Ashleigh¡¯s and the self styled Arena of Blood. And four others.¡±


    ¡°So that incompetent idiot missed four dungeons ... any word on Yuuliox, Bonehead or Cinders?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say Yuuliox and Bonehead were killed by the Arena of Blood. As for Cinders, she recently left Conimbriga. She is working as a bodyguard for a roving noble.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunate, so we have no trustworthy local adventures we can tap.¡± Gardenia turned her head slightly causing Bolithico to stiffen, ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten you, what is this ¨C interesting, bit of information you have for me?¡±


    ¡°Err, we found a new dungeon. It must be very powerful as it¡¯s far from Conimbriga. It¡¯s close to the equator in the Ithampar Ocean.¡± Bolithico smiled hopefully again, ¡°Err, we caught an echo of it when we scanned ... like we catch echoes of the other two Godlike dungeons ... we scanned for it and found it. It occupies a patch of ocean about fifty miles across.¡±


    Gardenia looked daggers at Bolithico, he wilted slightly and seemed to squirm in his chair. ¡°Are you telling me, that the guilds oh so talented mages managed to totally miss a dungeon until it hit godlike ranking?¡±


    ¡°Erm... Yes,¡± admitted Bolithico. ¡°But we can¡¯t be sure it is a godlike dungeon until an evaluation team has verified it guild master,¡± he added hopefully.


    Gardenia hit her desk with her fist several times making everything on it jump. ¡°And. Just. How. Do. You. Expect. An. Evaluation. Team. To. Handle. A. Patch. Of. Ocean?¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    * * *


    Bolithico Pasmado was feeling very hard done by. He had finished packing and now he gave his comfortable quarters one last look. He was not looking forward to the next few weeks or possibly months. It would be far too long before he would be able to rest in his comfortable home again.


    Shoulders slumping slightly Bolithico made his way to the rooftop landing pad followed by two porters with his bags. ¡®Damn her, I¡¯m too old to be trotting around the world putting out fires for the Guild. And our guild master Gardenia Stracanis knows that only too well. This is her idea of punishment for missing that dungeon.¡¯ Bolithico fumed and wracked his mind for a plan on how to evaluate that dungeon. ¡®How are we going to do it? It¡¯s in our charter, so how can I evaluate a dungeon from the outside, without examining the core?¡¯


    Bolitico blinked round at his team, the cabin of the guild cutter was crowded with the six of them and their gear. He looked round, cleared his throat, and began, ¡°I trust you are aware our task in Conimbriga is to assess the difficulties the Guild will face. We are tasked to chart the location of all the dungeons present in that city, both domestic and wild...¡±


    ¡°Wild!¡± Exclaimed Fertadacto Felmeiras as he sat with head bent due to the ¨C for him ¨C low celing.


    ¡°Yes wild. The local acting guild master has informed us of ten tame dungeons, one of which has broken free and needs subduing. However, our scans indicate that there are at least four more dungeons present in Conimbriga.¡± Bolitico looked round at his team, ¡°I must empathise that we are not present to subdue or destroy the Arena of Blood. That task will fall to a properly constituted and equipped Raid Group. Then we will have to proceed to ¨C check out ¨C yes check out a dungeon we only discovered a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Surely we¡¯re a bit overqualified to evaluate a new dungeon,¡± suggested Leemanda Stracanis as she looked up from her prayer book.


    ¡°On the contrary Leemanda, your aunt ordered us not to enter unless invited. It showed up as an echo when we scanned Conimbriga. Just as Diamond Point and Titan Deeps show up as echoes on most scans.¡±


    It was a thoughtful group that boarded the passenger liner Princess Royal from the guild cutter as they made their way to their berths.


    = = O = =


    Captain Bordal Vitrius held the Silver Sparrow in place as the customs cutter approached. He watched in appreciation as her captain brought her alongside so the local customs officer could come aboard. After seeing how his employer and the elves had disappeared underwater he suspected there was a lot more to Zeehaven than this small island and the small town he knew.


    He watched as lieutenant Coryphaena came aboard, his green hair blowing in the wind. Bordal smiled wryly as he watched one of the more pleasant custom agents of his acquaintance jump onto his deck.


    ¡°Good afternoon captain Bordal, what have you done to the old girl? Long time no see.¡±


    ¡°Welcome aboard Cory. Had a run in with pirates and had to accept a charter. My employer had her fixed up to his taste.¡±


    ¡°Charter? So have you anything to declare? Are you still in the market for gems and spices?¡±


    Bordal sighed, ¡°For myself, Yes. Sir Rich Burton has two sea elves, I think he¡¯s returning at least one of them home.¡±


    Cory stilled. His eyes flicked around the deck of the Silver Sparrow. ¡°So where is your charter?¡±


    * * *


    Rich was standing by the window of his cabin, he grinned at the sight of Minnow pouting at having to carry that ugly whip hanging from her belt. Carver was seated at their small table head in hand.


    Rich recognised the knock on their door and said, ¡°Come in captain.¡±


    Bordal opened the door and gestured for someone to enter. Rich watched as a tall uniformed sea elf stepped into the cabin and stumbled. Carver shot to his feet and embraced the newcomer. ¡°Young Cory, It¡¯s so good to see you again.¡±


    Rich smiled, and his smile grew into a grin when he noted Minnow taking an involuntary step forward. Obviously his friends liked this newcomer and were glad to see him. The newcomer for his part looked incredulous.


    ¡°Saltor You¡¯re alive! Bonadur said you¡¯d been killed by a band of sky pirates that raided the splithead isles.¡±


    Carver, or Saltor closed his eyes as a look of pain crossed his face. Minnow hissed and radiated anger. Lieutenant Coryphaena¡¯s glanced in the direction of the hiss. ¡°Little Minnow? But Bonadur said...¡±


    ¡°We were drugged! We were sold to slavers. Uncle was invited to display some of his works and took me along...¡±


    ¡°But Bonadur said, the two principal trade pavilions were destroyed, burnt, there was blood and Bonadur said, and several of his guards were killed,¡± protested lieutenant Coryphaena.


    ¡°The two principal trade pavilions on Grand Splithead isle?¡± asked Saltor bitterly. ¡°So now Bonadur owns the most important trade pavilion on the isles. And what happened to Fantail and Finnair?¡±


    ¡°They... They were killed defending their pavilions and goods.¡±


    ¡°Right! Poor old Fantail who had hit his millennium and was getting feeble fought and died. And I bet Lesstander and Fintail died with their father too and that slimy thing Poplectus inherited?¡± scoffed Saltor/Carver. ¡°Minnow¡¯s right. We were drugged at the select reception Bonadur held for a group of promising artists he planned to showcase.¡±


    Cory stepped back looking troubled. ¡°Please promise me you won¡¯t make those accusations public Saltor. You won¡¯t be believed. Bonadur was appointed the council representative for the Splithead Isles. And Poplectus is the head of the Fantail clan and is being mooted as the successor to Epigonus the current minister of trade.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry uncle, I can always place them under a ban,¡± interjected Minnow with a sharklike grin.


    Cory glanced at Minnow, he was obviously puzzled by her statement.


    Rich chuckled, ¡°Now that would be interesting Minnow. I like it.¡± Then Rich looked at the lieutenant and noted his look of incomprehension. Smiling again Rich bowed slightly, ¡°It¡¯s with great pleasure that I present Minnow, the chief priestess of the Balancer, known by the drow as Little Fish and everyone else as Blue Lagoon, Mother of Monsters and Blackbeard¡¯s Bane.¡±


    * * *


    Minnow meditated in the middle of the partially ruined former temple of the Sea God. It was a blocky stone building set in the middle of overgrown gardens. She did not approve of it and she knew Mary wasn¡¯t impressed either.


    It had been three days since their arrival and she had been unable to find any former priests of the vanished god, and there seemed to be no trace of his faith left. Even his name and titles had vanished. It all suggested an intentional, and apparently successful effort to erase his presence.


    Minnow rose and worked her way out of the overgrown gardens and made her way down the cobbled road towards the sea. The walk took her several minutes. She looked back at the unsightly ruin squatting on the top of the raise.


    ? Yes it has a lovely view of the sea, but it¡¯s too far inland. It¡¯s absurd to have a temple in a predominantly sea elf settlement that doesn¡¯t embrace the sea. ? whispered the voice in the back of Minnow¡¯s mind.


    ? Aren¡¯t we going to claim it then? ?


    Minnow could almost feel Mary¡¯s shudder of distaste. ? No! Somethin¡¯ is just plain wrong ¡¯bout that place. ?


    Minnow stepped into the surf and dove through the breakers. She stopped as she trod water and looked back at he rise. ? How about a temple to Little Fish? Dig into the rise and set up the inner sactury below the water table with a tunnel to the sea? ?


    Minnow felt Mary¡¯s amusement. ? That might work but I still don¡¯t like the place. No we¡¯ll leave that eyesore alone. And Blackbeard¡¯s got his claws set here. That place feels like a trap. Tell your uncle to gather those who wish to move. I¡¯ll send a ship for them. ?


    ? And a temple? ?


    ? Find somewhere under the sea, nowhere on the surface feels ¨C right. ?

 Chapter 9 – Complications

    Tsomo Ryatem the chairman of the liftwood growers association stood as the ten young men and women who had been chosen by the lot entered the tastefully appointed meeting room. He bowed politely and served them with the traditional tea prepared from the leaves of their trees.


    Once everyone was seated and had sipped their tea he sighed sadly as he looked at the nervous youngsters.


    ¡°As has been laid down in the holy books by our ancestors, you have two years. You will go out into the world and seek an answer.¡± Tsomo blinked away tears and wiped his eyes on a fine linen handkerchief. ¡°If you fail,¡± Tsoma sighed, ¡°well you know we will have to enact the ritual and your blood shall feed the trees. Yours or that of one of your family should you fail to return on time.¡±


    ¡°How will we leave, where should we go?¡± asked Lhekshey Oratem.


    ¡°You will go where you will, we will arrange your passage on one of the trade ships when they arrive for the brandy we brew from the fruits of our trees.¡±


    ¡°But there are no fruits this year, how will we manage next year?¡±


    ¡°We still have our reserves. It will be enough for a few years yet. Especially as we will be rising the price of our Hardin Brandy,¡± explained Tsoma.


    = = O = =


    The Princess Royal floated majestically over Conimbriga, her fog-horn hooting mournfully warning all lesser airships to keep away. With her bulk the Princess was unable to manoeuvre easily and with her solid build any collisions would tend to favour her. Captain Frostheart Stonefist stroked his full beard and squinted out of his bridge windows in vain. The fog was worse than usual. He watched his instruments carefully and ordered the Princess to be brought to a halt. The fog-horn switched to double hoots letting the world know that the Princess was requesting a pilot.


    In his stateroom Bolithico noted the change and gathered his things and gathered his party around him to await the arrival of their porters. Then they helped Flamehand remove his everyday right arm and replace it with his war arm with its built in flamethrower and gun. Bolithico double checked the manna stone and its backup to ensure Flamehand would not suffer any unexpected breakdowns.


    Then they were disembarking into the Empress Lines section of Conimbriga¡¯s principal commercial airship terminal. Soon they were installed in a firewagon belonging to the Empress Lines and being driven to the Mount Royal Hotel.


    The Mount Royal Hotel was disappointing. It was grimy, the staff was visibly overworked and they were asked to share rooms. It seemed that several of the better Inns and Hotels were temporarily closed, having been seized by the city until their ownership could be determined.


    Bolithico was not happy; he demanded to see the manager.


    Triffidor Poticus was dismissive. ¡°Sorry sir, I kept two rooms for you, under the circumstances there is not much else I could do. I¡¯m not even charging you a premium. I suggest you find somewhere else to stay.¡±


    Bolithico returned to his friends in a foul mood. He found them at the bar, there Flamehand after a quick look round suggested, ¡°I heard rumours of a new inn. It would appear to have built almost overnight. And it is roughly where one of the unsanctioned dungeons is located. Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone?¡±


    Bolithico leant back and tossed back his beer, He shuddered and glared at his tankard with disgust. ¡°What is it called? And does it have room?¡±


    ¡°The Queen of Hearts. It is really new, so probably. I¡¯m told it is linked to the new fangled telephone network they have here.¡±


    Bolithico gave his tankard another disgusted look, slammed it down on the table and stood. ¡°Can hardly be worse than this place. Let¡¯s go and have a look. We can always get our things if we decide to move.¡±


    = = O = =


    Lady merchant Velvet-Starbright kept her face straight with an effort, her sons¡¯ constant grumbling at having to accompany her when she came shopping was a never ending source of amusement. She stopped at yet another shop in Street of Gems. The window was framed with black silk and contained a tasteful scattering of rings and bracelets.


    ¡°Now behave, these poor folk are mourning for one of their own,¡± she murmured to her sons before she opened the door and entered.


    * * *


    Minnow trotted down the road in anticipation of seeing her parents again. She barely gave a thought to her acolyte who was having to run to keep up with her. Now that she had checked out the old temple it was time to see her parents.


    She waved in passing to some of their neighbours as she passed, not noticing that she was attracting a tail of surprised old friends. When she arrived at her parent¡¯s shop she entered barely noting the black silk framing the display window.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Minnow burst into her parent¡¯s shop, her mother looked up from her workbench at the back and shrieked, ¡°MINNOW!¡± before fainting. Her father, rather rudely, looked away from the client he was serving to look at his wife. He hurried to pick her up from the floor.


    Velvet noted her youngest drop to one knee and bow his head. So she ignored the shopkeeper¡¯s rudeness and looked towards the door. She noted the whip coiled at the newcomer¡¯s waist marked with the silver dolphin of the balancer. She bowed her head even as her eldest dropped to one knee.


    Minnow¡¯s father with his wife in his arms watched wide-eyed as the haughty drow lady bowed to his scapegrace daughter even as her guards knelt.


    Minnow stopped surprised. ¡°Please rise with the blessings of the Balancer.¡± Minnow felt something stir in her head and her eyes widened.


    ? Will you serve me Steelheart of the Starbright clan? I have need for a fiddlefoot like you. C¡¯mon Bluey you¡¯re up. Paladin time. ?


    ? ... Humph ... conditions met ¨C you are offered the class Paladin ¨C accept yes / no ?


    Steelheart looked helplessly to his mother, she gave a very slight nod and he said, very softly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ? additional class gained: Paladin of Mary Silvestre, The Balancer, Mother, Little Fish, Mother of Monsters, Blackbeard¡¯s Bane: aura of protection and water breathing gained ?


    Steelheart felt something change, his hand reached for his belt and he realized the ceremonial sword he had had been carrying had been replaced with a businesslike rapier and paired main-gauche.


    ? Enjoy your new rapier, name it and it will wake an¡¯ serve you well as will the main-gauche. ?


    = = O = =


    The minister of trade for Zeehaven, Epigonus Pinegrove stepped down from his barouche and flicked his cloak to ensure it fell correctly. He smiled a tad sourly at his successor as Poplectus Fantail was helped down by his groom. Epigonus hid his scorn for the ridiculous fop who felt the need of help to get down from a carriage.


    They then walked side by side towards the building that currently held the drow trade delegation. The two guards at the front door seemed perturbed. Then they crossed their polearms in front of the door.


    Epigonus stopped bemused, this had never happened to him before. ¡°We are expected. Please allow us to enter.¡±


    ¡°Certainly minister, you may pass but the other may not.¡±


    ¡°What! How dare you! Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± Poplectus exclaimed angrily.


    Another drow appeared at the door, Epigonus recognised her as the commander of the trade mission¡¯s guard. ¡°All we need to know is that you¡¯re under the Ban of the Balancer. You are not welcome.¡±


    Epigonus watched incredulously as Poplectus empurpled with rage, before almost screaming at the guards. ¡°By Vortexius Blackbeard¡¯s name, YOU will let me in so I can talk to the head of your delegation.¡±


    All the drow¡¯s eyes went bleak and cold. The guard captain drew her sword. ¡°You are doubly unwelcome,¡± she said in an icy voice. ¡°The Spider Queen does not welcome the followers of the Thief.¡±


    Epigonius closed his eyes in pain, he could see months of hard work evaporate in front of his eyes. He had no influence over Poplectus and his patrons. He stepped back hoping to distance himself from the furious Poplectus and looked round for some kind of help. He blinked in surprise when he spotted an unlikely group approaching from the commercial district.


    The lady merchant Velvet-Starbright was walking side by side with a young sea elf girl, they were chatting happily with the lady¡¯s two sons walking at their shoulders, trailing this foursome were the Delphines, husband and wife and a blue haired human boy in the tabard of an acolyte. Then behind them there was a tail of several merchants and artists who worked in the merchant¡¯s district.


    Then the group seemed to loose their smiles on seeing the scene outside the drow trade delegation. What startled Epigonus most was the way the sea elf¡¯s expression hardened and the way her hand went to the whip at her waist and the practiced way she prepared it for use.


    ¡°What are you doing here slaver? Get lost or prepare to die Poplectus,¡± snarled the elf girl to the obvious shock of the Delphine couple. The boy grinned in anticipation and the drow smiled in anticipation.


    Epigonus drew in a deep breath and gathered his courage as he prepared to step in and defuse the situation. Why one of theirs was siding with the drow he couldn¡¯t fathom but the Delphines were sensible people, as were their neighbours. And then he had his groom, coachman and ceremonial guard. Hopefully reason would prevail...


    Then a huge black bearded figure materialised around Poplectus. The elf girl snarled and an equally large figure enveloped her. Epigonus staggered back in fear, things rarely went well for mortals when gods disputed, he had no difficulty recognising Vortexius Blackbeard. He didn¡¯t know the gilled short haired female wearing the scanty clothing that would have marked her as one of the unsophisticated deep sea cousins were she an elf.


    ¡°Do you really want to try your strength ¡¯gainst me here in the middle of the ocean?¡± asked the unknown goddess.


    ¡°You will be hampered by trying to save the cockroaches that will be scuttling under our feet,¡± sneered Vortexius.


    Chillingly the goddess laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t know me well do you? Please feel free to stamp, they¡¯re mostly yours.¡±


    Epigonus kept backing away, he noted the sound of his horses hooves clattering away at high speed. He also noted that the building housing the drow trade delegation was protected by a wavering blue-green aura, as was the acolyte, the drow in the street and the Delphines.


    The female god shook out long nasty looking metal barbed bullwhip. Vortexius sneered, ¡°Stupid dungeon, that can¡¯t touch me here.¡±


    The whip snaked forward slicing through Vortexius torso and causing an explosion of blood inside his hip. Vortexius looked startled for a moment, then his form wavered and dissipated. Epigonus turned and vomited at the sight of the two halves of Poplectus¡¯ body splattered all over the street.


    ¡°Stupid fool,¡± muttered the goddess, ¡°as if I didn¡¯t know where something that was under my ban hid.¡±


    Epigonus felt despair as he noted all the respectable tradeselves and artists hurrying away, even the Delphines. It would not go down well amongst them that the council had been pushing for a follower of the god of cutthroats, pirates, bandits and thieves to be his successor. So that was the Balancer. Epigonus shivered in apprehension and after a despairing look at the hard-faced contemptuous drow he hurried after his townsfolk hoping to salvage something from this debacle.


    * * *


    Minnow coiled her whip, linked arms with her new friend and they entered the trade delegation¡¯s building ignoring Epigonus as he hurried past shying away from her.

 Chapter 10 – The Migration Starts

    Rich leaned back in the chair and stretched. He was starting to feel irritated, nine o¡¯ clock they had said and it was now ten. And he had been on time. Ah well, he relaxed back in his chair, placed his booted feet on the delicate side table he had appropriated for the occasion and crossed his legs, picked up his copy of Dragonsong and returned his attention to the travails of Menolly.


    Finally he came to the end of his book. Rich glanced at his wristwatch and snorted. Ten to eleven. He stood and made his way out the Zeehaven council¡¯s waiting room. He left the citadel without looking back and made his way back to the island¡¯s skyport.


    Rich made his way across the gangplank to the Silver Sparrow. He smiled in relief and nodded to Dercat before making his way to Captain Bordal Vitrius. ¡°Well captain, is everyone on board? The new passengers too?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir. Can I say again that I really don¡¯t like the idea of having drow on my ship.¡±


    ¡°You can say it all you like captain, but the paladin of the balancer and lady Hellwing are accompanying us. Please cast off, we are leaving.¡±


    ¡°THE lady Hellwing? That cripple is the scourge of the skies?¡±


    ¡°Yes captain, her injuries were the result of her last fight. She destroyed three pirate ships and Mother intends to reward her. We¡¯ll be escorting the big clipper back to her domain.¡±


    ¡°Humph!¡± snorted the captain, ¡°sailing ships like that can¡¯t compete with airships. They¡¯re too limited and slow.¡±


    ¡°Possibly, but they don¡¯t need coal or liftwood. And Mother needed something in a hurry and she already had that pattern available and the skillsets too. Needs must, not ideal but why change what works.¡±


    = = O = =


    Meanwhile in the council chamber the oligarchs of the council were in disarray. The old guard sensed a chance to upset the self-professed progressives who wanted to move their society and form of government closer to the forms increasingly practiced on the mainland.


    Bonadur was visibly unhappy as his prot¨¦g¨¦e had been slain by the upstart lesser goddess of the drow, while the old guard secretly relished that it had happened when Blackbeard had been possessing the fool.


    Neither side liked that there seemed to be a voluntary exodus happening. Prior to the confrontation between the gods in the capital the only ones leaving had for the most part been unimportant malcontents. But now several well regarded artisans, merchants and artists had joined their number.


    Bonadur and his progressives refused to acknowledge that the cause of the exodus was the very public revelation that they were followers of Vortexius Blackbeard. They seemed incapable of seeing that the solid, hard working elves of the middle classes did not approve of a god of thieves and cutthroats.


    The reactionaries of the old guard, for their part, were more flexible when it came to religion, but they firmly believed that the citizens should respect and obey their betters and not pack up and leave.


    When noon came and they realized that the young girl¡¯s mentor and employer, sir Rich Burton had decided not to await their pleasure they, both progressives and reactionaries, made a common cause and after some further heated debate ordered the council guard to go fetch the upstart human.


    On being told somewhat later that the upstart had left the island resulting in the irritated and now lunch deprived oligarchs ordering their sole warship to up stream, to chase and arrest the insolent human and force the runaways back home where they belonged.


    = = O = =


    The Silver Sparrow ascended slowly into the sky her propellers turning slowly the faintest wisps of smoke curling from her tall funnels. Bordal squinted at the funnels, he grumbled softly to himself.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem cap?¡± asked Dercat.


    ¡°I can¡¯t judge how the engines are doing by the smoke anymore, how is Charlie doing it?¡±


    ¡°When I asked him, he replied magitech. When I complained to Rich he explained Charlie uses his pet salamanders to get the most out of the coal.¡±


    ¡°SALAMANDERS!¡± bellowed Bordal, ¡°For the gods sake Dercat those things are... are...¡±


    ¡°Dangerous, devious, unpredictable, treacherous?¡±


    ¡°Yes! All of those... How can you be so calm about this?¡±


    ¡°What can we do about it cap? You agreed the charter. Charlie will take his pets with him when the charter is over. Until then,¡± Dercat shrugged. ¡°Personally I¡¯m more worried by the fact that the Zeeland¡¯s Pride is raising steam.¡±


    Bordal kept his eye on the island¡¯s principal warship as smoke started to rise from it¡¯s three funnels, even as it¡¯s crew came scurrying from the barracks and making their way on board. The Silver Sparrow slowly got under way and turned after the big clipper as it heeled under a full spread of canvass and made its way south, its rail lined by elves waving goodbye to friends and family.


    * * *


    Rich grinned at Minnow when his ears caught the distant rumble approaching swiftly from the south. H grinned at the badly scarred legless drow in the wheelchair. ¡°I think you¡¯ll like this lady Hellwing. They¡¯re similar to the flyers that will form the strikeforce your carrier will house. Mother is counting on you and the forces you train to sweep the skies and seas clear of pirates.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°How am I to capture them when I can¡¯t even walk?¡±


    ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t want prisoners. She wants dead pirates. And I would be surprised if Blackbeard¡¯s temples won¡¯t find themselves on the to be destroyed list. As for your injuries, I¡¯m sure Mother will fix them.¡±


    Hellwing cocked her head to one side and grinned crookedly. ¡°It¡¯s been too long. Healing magic won¡¯t work. It believes this is how I¡¯m supposed to be,¡± she said bitterly.


    ¡°Mother uses DNA manipulation, not spells. She¡¯ll fix you. Though you might come out of it with gills like Minnow and me.¡±


    Hellwing didn¡¯t answer as her attention was captured by the two small silvery delta winged shapes that flashed past the Silver Sparrow in a roar of jet engines before banking and turning back and flying a large looping set of circles around the clipper and the Silver Sparrow.


    ¡°Mother tells me those are slow, they can only reach six hundred knots or so. They have a crew of three and are armed with two air to air radar controlled missiles and a fixed forward firing 30mm rotary autocannon.¡±


    = = O = =


    Captain Gullwing of the Zeeland¡¯s Pride contemplated his orders with distaste. He watched as the Silver Sparrow rose into the sky, turned to the south and headed off. His eyes narrowed as he noted the fact that barely any smoke was coming from her funnels despite the fact that her propellers had blurred into near invisibility.


    By some miracle the Zeeland¡¯s Pride raised steam in under an hour. She rose majestically into the sky, dense black smoke pouring from her funnels. Slowly she set course for the south.


    = = O = =


    Rich watched the Zeeland¡¯s Pride through his binoculars. They seemed to be preparing their six pounder bow gun. He raised his radio handset, checked that he had the right setting, then spoke. ¡°Alpha One, can you use a missile to take out that six pounder on the Pride¡¯s bow?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir. Easy.¡±


    ¡°Then when they fire it, do so.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir. On it.¡±


    The Zeeland¡¯s Pride crawled closer. Finally they fired. And a missile separated from Alpha One, curved and headed towards the Zeeland¡¯s Pride. It started to turn away but the missile corrected its trajectory and hit its target. The explosion destroyed a good part of the skyship¡¯s bow in addition to destroying the gun.


    Rich watched as the Zeeland¡¯s Pride turned away and limped off.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± murmured lady Hellwing.


    * * * CONIMBRIGA ¨C BOLITHICO * * *


    Bolithico walked through the flexible tube that had been attached to their firewagon¡¯s door and into the lobby of the Queen of Hearts. He was closely followed by his team.


    It was immediately obvious that the Queen of Hearts contained a dungeon, the lobby was comfortable in a rather understated way. It was quite obviously aimed at a different strata of society than the Mount Royal, merchants and trades rather than high society. It was however spotlessly clean and the staff, mostly mournful looking dogfolk, attentive.


    Bolithico introduced himself to the clerk manning the reception desk and asked to speak with the manager.


    Just over five minutes later they were speaking to a tall burly smiling Lion ¡¯folk lady in her office.


    ¡°I¡¯m Leona Africana, the manager of the Queen of Hearts. How may I help the Guild?¡±


    Bolithico got right down to business. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we have been tasked by the guild with cataloguing all the dungeons in Conimbriga. Yours is one of the ones that was not known to the guild. Could you tell us something about it? And would it be possible for us to observe the core?¡±


    Leona considered them tilting her head slightly to the right. ¡°I don¡¯t have authorisation to allow you to see the core. I would have to clear that with the owner.¡± She paused for a few seconds. ¡°The dungeon is called Mock Turtle and is ranked Elite. His name is Lewis Carroll, his companion is a human girl named Alice Liddell.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t joke. It is impossible to dominate a dungeon ranked Elite.¡±


    Leona played with the signet ring on her finger. ¡°Lewis Carroll is the vassal of Mary Silvestre. She is his Suzerain. He is not the property of anyone.¡±


    * * * SAMAROBRIVIA ¨C GARDENIA STRACANIS * * *


    Gardenia was feeling worried, she had just come from a meeting with one of the guild¡¯s spies. This one had spent a few months in Shag¡¯rilan. He was certain that the liftwood groves were dying. Over a third of the trees had masses of brown leaves and there had been very few flowers. Also the high mountain bees seemed to be dissapearing.


    Once the groves around Shag¡¯rilan disappeared there would be only a few small cluster of liftwood trees left scattered around.


    She nodded to her secretary and strode into her office. She settled into her chair and pulled her in tray closer. The top letter was had a green flecked blue seal with the coiled whip and dolphin of the Balancer. She held the envelope and wondered about the symbol. The whip matched what she knew of the drow and their imagery but the dolphin somehow just didn¡¯t fit.


    Carefully she opened the envelope and eased out the letter. Idly she opened it and began to read.


    ¡°To the most excellent lady, guild master prime of the adventurer¡¯s guild Gardenia Stracanis,


    Dear Lady,


    I wish to solicit your assistance for a new foundation of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.


    As I am sure you are aware several of the dungeons seeded by Azurea in this last year hail from a peculiar world. The world is called Earth or Terra by its inhabitants.


    I wish to inform you that several of those dungeons retain links to their former homeworld through their alter egos. I was able to game those links to expand my influence into your world, and am now the proud owner of powerful dungeons on three worlds. I have every intention of expanding onto at least one more world.


    Earth was, until Azurea¡¯s meddling, a world almost totally devoid of magic. Science and technology ruled, as in fact they still do. The System is now establishing itself on my former homeworld and it is causing Earth to change rapidly.


    Earth is far more advanced, in a technological way than Tarifax, and thanks to a differing format of technological advancement it is not hindered by the acid fogs that so beset your world. We learnt how to avoid that trap and how to fix the damage that had been caused.


    One of the first true adventurers on Earth; a Mr. Jacob Hennessy has established the first branch of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild on Earth. He and his Assistant Guild Master, a Mr. Carlos Mendez are in need of knowledgeable assistance. I have informed them of the information available through the System but as you are no doubt aware, it is badly organised and worse explained.


    If you wish to help this new and no doubt struggling guild master I will be happy to deliver to him anything you wish to send to Earth along with an appropriate language skill crystal.


    Please send any help you deem useful to Guild Master the honourable Jacob Hennessy, C/O Blue Lagoon at the Queen of Hearts Inn in Conimbriga.


    Wishing you a long and prosperous life,


    Blue Lagoon, dungeon.¡±


    Gardenia Stracanis laid this missive carefully on her desk, she examined the green flecked blue wax seal carefully. Her finger rubbed the design of a coiled whip overlaid by a leaping dolphin and stared into the distance.


    Gardenia bellowed for her assistant and almost immediately Folssana Mirabilis poked her head round the door. ¡°Yes guild master?¡±


    ¡°Prepare a pack with everything a major guild office would need, see if you can get a reasonably senior and intelligent volunteer willing to venture into another world. Make them aware that this might be a trap but allow them to read a copy of this letter.¡±


    ¡®Bolithico is going to be so surprised, and that idiot niece of mine,¡¯ thought Gardenia even as she smiled.

 Chapter 11 – New Beginnings

    Rich watched the stupefied look on Captain Bordal Vitrius¡¯ face with amusement as the man looked down on the island that hadn¡¯t existed ten days before. Rich leant against the airship¡¯s rail and breathed deeply of the sweet clean air. ¡°Well captain, is there a market for sulphur? We have a stockpile of the stuff down there. You¡¯re welcome to stock up free of charge.¡±


    Bordal swung round to stare at Rich, ¡°How? An island can rise quickly but there is no volcano. And it¡¯s covered in vegetation?¡±


    ¡°How? You¡¯re asking me how a goddess does something.¡± Rich waved his hands, ¡°Magic? Miracles?¡±


    Bordal gave him a long sour look then turned to prepare the Silver Sparrow for landing. Down on the surface of the sea the big clipper dropped anchor in the deep water of the protected bay. On the island two silvery delta winged shapes rested at the end of a short runway.


    Once they had landed, Rich watched as Hellwing was helped down from the Silver Sparrow. Captain Bordal Vitrius caught him at the top of the gangplank where he was conversing with Steelheart the paladin.


    ¡°I wish to protest sir Rich. You have no business installing Salamanders on my skyship. They are dangerously uncontrollable. And the presence of drow is likely to cause trouble for us in future. They are not to be trusted.¡±


    Rich looked coldly at Bordal, ¡°I find your sense of gratitude lacking. I understand you are stating the truth as you see it. Very well I will release you from our agreement. You may keep the engines as agreed but the radar is remaining here to be installed on Captain Steelheart¡¯s new ship.¡± Rich turned to Eldaan, ¡°Eldaan, please go tell Charlie we¡¯re staying here and for him to collect his Salamanders and gear and come ashore. Then tell all the others we¡¯re staying and to pack and come ashore.¡±


    Eldaan snapped out a ¡°Yes sir¡± and dashed off.


    * * *


    Bordal watched as his latest passengers disembarked led by his now former employer. Derkat and Gunner watched with their captain. ¡°Are you sure this was a good idea captain?¡± asked Derkat.


    ¡°I wanted those infernal Salamanders off my ship and we are free and clear with holds full of sulphur. I think we¡¯ll manage. I figure we can exchange those engines for the best Conimbriga has to offer.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be a lot slower captain,¡± complained Gunner.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lay odds it is the new gearing and those propellers that make us fast,¡± suggested Bordal wistfully.


    = = O = =


    Mary examined Hellwing as she floated unconscious in the first of her experimental caverns on Tarifax. The block of nutrients she had summoned up floated beside Hellwing. Mary felt satisfied, the drow¡¯s DNA was undamaged so the task ahead was going to be simple. Slowly a thread of force connected the drow with the nutrients and it started to shrink as Hellwing¡¯s legs started to regrow themselves.


    * * * CONIMBRIGA ¨C BOLITHICO * * *


    Bolithico stepped down from their hired firewagon and stood glaring at the half ruined ramshackle building that occupied the entire frontage of the small block. He snorted in indignation. ¡°What has that idiot been up to?¡±


    He strode through the front doors followed by his fellow party members. The big room was empty and strewn with dirt and what looked like dried blood. The reception desk was unmanned. Bolithico looked round then he strode through the back room. The guild master¡¯s office on the second floor showed signs of a hasty exit. It had quite obviously been stripped of anything of value. The office safe was open and empty of everything except dust. A telegram announcing their arrival lay crumpled in a ball beside the waste bin.


    Bolithico glared around the room taking in the luxurious furniture, the antique oak desk and the paintings on the walls. He flicked the fingers of his left hand and flame dart impacted the portrait of Bartold Kennings leaving a burnt spot on the wall and scraps of burnt canvas in a singed gilt frame.


    Dropping into the luxurious office chair behind the desk Bolithico shared a look of near despair with the rest of his team. ¡°This ¨C this is worse than anything I expected.¡± He looked at Leemanda Stracanis, ¡°I think you¡¯re the best of us at gleaning facts from files Lee. Do you think you could find out if there are any guild members still present in this cesspit of a town?¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Lee sighed and made her way to where three filing cabinets stood against one of the walls. ¡°They¡¯re locked, could you unlock them for me Polly?¡± she asked Poliarcos ak Bowyer.


    The elven woman nodded and glided across to the metal cabinets. After studying them for a moment she disarmed a couple of simple traps and had them open in no time.


    * * *


    Bolithico mopped his brow. The communications room was as neglected as the rest of the guild. The shards of the room¡¯s previous enchanted mirror had been swept into one corner of the room along with a pile of dust. On the wall in place of the broken mirror he¡¯d found was a much plainer, and considerably smaller mirror holding a temporary enchantment.


    Bolithico dropped onto the sole chair in the room to recover from his exertions. Lee joined him in the room, she looked peeved. ¡°No point tidying this place up Bolithico. It is mortgaged to the hilt and Bartold hasn¡¯t been keeping up with the payments. He knew the Council wanted to keep the Guild office running so he knew they wouldn¡¯t kick him out. This building belongs to the local city council.¡±


    ¡°We could pay the mortgage,¡± suggested Bolithico.


    ¡°And the penalties for missed payments. Better to buy something new and start over. The city council still needs our guild with that Arena of Blood dungeon sitting in the middle of the lower guilds quarter of the city.¡±


    Bolithico sighed, rose from the chair and activated his mirror. It shimmered, the image trembled slightly but it connected, and he was able to update guild master Gardenia Stacanis in Samarobrivia and receive her instructions.


    Bolithico shared a look of incredulity with Lee. He reclaimed his mirror and they left the room. Soon they had collected all the files and left the building. While they were making their way back to their lodgings in their hired firewagon Bolithico and Lee updated their team.


    * * * SAMAROBRIVIA ¨C GARDENIA STRACANIS * * *


    Gardenia looked at her the two guild members. They were sitting in the uncomfortable wooden chairs she kept in her office just for occasions like these. She smiled briefly at Fidget, the gnome mechanic was not pushy, unlike Swiftfall Sunhigh the rogue. She frowned slightly why the exiled drow was so insistent on accepting this distinctly uncertain mission.


    ¡°Why are you so insistent Swiftfall, we need a mechanic of researcher for this mission not a rogue?¡±


    Swiftfall braced his legs to keep from sliding off of his chair. Mentally he cursed his guild master¡¯s nature and these chairs with shorter front legs than back. ¡°Auntie Hellwing messaged me by mirror. I accepted the accepted quest. One of the rewards is getting my exile lifted.¡±


    Gardenia thought about this answer. ¡°So you really are the scourge¡¯s nephew? What¡¯s happened to her?¡±


    ¡°She was betrayed by the followers of Blackbeard.¡± Swiftfall grinned happily. ¡°They¡¯re all dead of fled now. The Spider Queen doesn¡¯t like the thief. And as for the Balancer...¡± Swiftfall just grinned.


    ¡°So you are confirming that the goddesses of the drow actually fought and defeated Vortexius Blackbeard. The gods are fighting again. I thought that as a rogue you followed Vortexius.¡±


    ¡°Well I paid the thief lip service, had too after all.¡± He grinned even wider, ¡°The Balancer doesn¡¯t approve of thieves but she¡¯s perfect for a rogue.¡± He rubbed a small gold brooch in form of a coiled bullwhip pinned to the underside of his coat¡¯s collar.


    Gardenia threw her hands up into the air in exasperation. ¡°Oh all right! You might as well go.¡± Then she turned her attention to the uncomfortable looking gnome, and once again tried to remember her name. Giving up she addressed her, ¡°Well Fidget, are you still willing to do this?¡±


    ¡°Yes guild master. Everyone at the machine shop is bursting with curiosity about the new gadgets the Balancer¡¯s followers are using.¡±


    ¡°Well I expect you to share your discoveries with us. But the main thing is to teach this new guild. It¡¯s quite a coup if we get the credit for helping set up the guild on a new world.¡± Gardenia smiled beatifically at the thought.


    ¡®With any luck I¡¯ll join the likes of Guild Master Iron Falx of Melomix. My name like his will reside in the System¡¯s archives for millennia.¡¯


    * * *


    Swiftfall watched as the local stevedores loaded their crates into the old tramp airship. The blatantly misnamed Dancer was almost ready to depart, smoke was already pouring out of its funnel. He watched unsmiling as Fidget clambered aboard. With a jump he grabbed the rail and swung aboard behind Fidget avoiding the rickety gangplank that had creaked and complained under the slight weight of the gnome.


    He tried hard to ignore the itch by his nose, as his breather mask prevented him from scratching it. He watched indifferent as the Dancer¡¯s big propeller groaned to life and the whole airship shivered at the out of sync thump of the old engines. He was unable to contain a wry smile at Fidget¡¯s horror and discomfort. He bet himself that she would disappear into the engine room out of desperation before their short trip was over. Happily the guild had paid the captain a bonus for taking them direct to Conimbriga.


    * * * CONIMBRIGA * * *


    Bolithico and Flamehand strained their eyes in an almost vain attempt to see the tramp Dancer dock in the commercial docks. As soon as it was secured they ascended the gangplank to meet the odd duo that had been sent by Gardenia to act as ambassadors from their guild to the nascent guild on the other world.


    Fidget and Swiftfall for their part were happy to see Bolithico and Flamehand and after a brief exchange of news they went to confer with the Dancer¡¯s cargo master.


    Fidget spent the entire return journey to the Queen of Hearts badgering Rolf, the black and tan dogman driver of the flatbed truck that was carrying their crates. She was rather frustrated by the time they arrived because Rolf¡¯s knowledge of the big truck¡¯s mechanical makeup was limited. As he freely admitted he was a trucker not a mechanic.

 Chapter 12 – Mission Resumes

    Hellwing stood on her new legs, she was a little shaky at first and was glad to be alone. Both her eyes were working perfectly, and her body was unscarred. She blinked back tears of joy. She was whole, she had expected to come out of this with some grotesque clockwork legs, instead, the Balancer had done exactly as promised.


    After getting reacquainted with herself, Hellwing explored her rooms. She spent half an hour looking out of the thick glass window in her bedroom admiring the fish swimming amongst the coral. Then she opened one of her trunks and dressed in clothing she had thought she would never need again.


    She spent a further half hour marvelling at the wonders of the brace of navy colts. Revolvers. Guns capable of shooting six times without having to be reloaded. Admittedly reloading them would take some time but she had another pair in her private armoury.


    Smiling, Hellwing made her way to the central meeting room where she found Steelheart conferring with Charlie and Rich. They were studying some plans on a table. She joined them; she slapped Steelhart on the back in greeting. He turned with a broad smile and greeted her.


    Rich just nodded and gestured to the table. ¡°Mother sends her apologies but something came up. She finds that she has to find time and resources for two new worlds. So her plans for this world will have to be ¨C less ambitious. Your carrier will have to be something for the future. Instead I think we can provide you with two much smaller vessels. They will be fast and relatively well armed. Here take a look, what do you think.¡±


    Hellwing looked over the plans on the table. ¡°Not much room for marines. Where are the magazines?¡±


    Rich shrugged, ¡°Don¡¯t forget Mother doesn¡¯t want captives. She wants to deprive Blackbeard of followers. The magazines are the storage devices mounted near each set of guns. Same goes for provisions, coal for your airships and diesel for the ship¡¯s fighter bomber.¡±


    They discussed the merits of the design and sketched in some changes Hellwing wanted, then they went over the plans for Steelheart¡¯s airship which had grown considerably from it¡¯s original concept now that it was going to have to double as Rich¡¯s principal mode of transport.


    Both Steelheart and Hellwing were shaken by the way the plentiful supply of storage devices changed their concepts of what was possible when it came to airships. Then there was the thin sheet of aluminium that was being used to seal the liftwood chambers. It barely impaired the efficacy of the liftwood. And by sealing the liftwood off from the corrosive atmosphere, greatly prolonging its useful life.


    Once the plans were finalised, construction commenced in one of Blue Lagoons subterranean caverns.


    = = O = =


    Rich was getting restless. They had been kicking their heels on Newland isle for a week now. It had been interesting to watch as the elves settled in and the town took shape. All the innovations Mary had added and was using solar panels to power had completely won over the elves. Hot and cold running water, electric stoves and ovens. Lighting.


    Rich had truly enjoyed watching and explaining but now he was becoming bored. Elves might pride themselves on being conservative and set in their ways, but hit them with creature comforts and labour saving devices and they learned and adapted as fast or faster than any humans.


    Now he was standing by the shore with his companions watching as the Morning Pride rose from the depths of the ocean like a whale, then she rose slowly into the air. She was completely enclosed, even more so than most airships he had seen, and aerodynamic. She looked and was fast. Impressive for a mixed cargo and passenger carrier.


    And thanks to Mother¡¯s machinations, she boasted a truly impressive restaurant. Mother had gone and purchased staff for use in one of her schemes on earth but some of her potential recruits hadn¡¯t wanted to leave Tarifax so now... Rich grinned, the Morning Pride would be able to entertain royalty.


    It would work. He wouldn¡¯t be able to sneak anywhere in the Morning Pride, but then nobody, but nobody would take them for a smuggler and spy. And nobody would ever guess they could double as a submarine.


    As for Steelheart, Rich knew he was in seventh heaven by the fact that the engines driving the props were electric and he could use the batteries to get under way while Charlie was raising steam in his beloved turbines to power the generators. Nobody else on Tarifax could get an airship underway with cold boilers. Well except for Hellwing with her destroyers.


    * * *


    Rich stood on the bridge and watched as the crew worked like a well-oiled machine. Captain Steelheart was smiling. Rich could see they were testing the radar, something they didn¡¯t need at the moment.


    ¡°So captain, how is she handling?¡±


    ¡°Like a dream Rich. I¡¯ve never commanded anything like her.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°We seem short handed. Or is it just that I got used to the Silver Sparrow?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fully crewed. But I do intend to pick up a few more for appearance¡¯s sake. We need to reassure our future customers. Where do you want us to go first?¡±


    ¡°I think we have time. So first let¡¯s go and deliver Hellwing¡¯s letters. And your mother¡¯s too, I suspect that they are even more important.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Depends. We have to see if the letters need a response. If not we go and try to have a look at the liftwood plantations. Mother is curious about them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised Rich. I didn¡¯t think Mother needed them.¡±


    ¡°What! How do you know that?¡±


    Steelheart chuckled, ¡°Our liftwood planks have green ¨C highlights. And they¡¯re bigger. Mother obviously has another source. A better source at that.¡±


    Rich sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll have to warn her. You¡¯re right. Ours are being grown under the waves. And not on Tarifax. At least not yet. But she is still curious. She thinks the plantations will be in trouble thanks to the rampant atmospheric pollution.¡±


    * * * CONIMBRIGA * * *


    Bolithico watched wide-eyed as their dogman driver kept half his attention on a greenish tinted screen that showed the road they were following in real time. To Fidget¡¯s questions Rolf merely replies that it was sonar or radar, he wasn¡¯t sure what, only that it relied on sound waves somehow, before adding, ¡°like bats you know.¡±


    Then they slowed and entered a curving tunnel. Bolithico calculated they descended about one hundred yards. The truck finally stopped next to a canal. Even as they descended from the cab of the truck their crates were being transhipped to a mid sized barge that was tied up at the side of the canal.


    Fidget and Swiftfall were shown to a rather spartan cabin on the barge. Two wolf beastmen offered them refreshments and assured them that the trip to Earth wouldn¡¯t take long. Bolithico noted with bemusement that Fidget seemed to start going green as soon as she stepped onto the barge. The two crew wolves noticed and offered her a pill they claimed was good for sea sickness. Surprisingly they appeared sympathetic rather than contemptuous.


    He heard Flamehand ask, ¡°Why all the boats over there, wouldn¡¯t it be faster using skimmers?¡±


    ¡°Mother is a sea goddess. Boats and ships are our thing,¡± came the reply from their chauffeur.


    Then with a subdued ¡®put put put¡¯ the barge made its way out into the canal and slowly made its way into the tunnel and out of sight.


    * * *


    ¡°You wanted to see Lewis¡¯ core. Well he is disposed to allow it so I will permit it.¡±


    Bolithico spun round at the unexpected voice. The woman was standing next to a pool, she was dripping water onto the floor so she probably had just emerged from it. She was backed by an armed leopard girl and the huge octopus that was partially surfaced in the pool reeked mage to his senses.


    ¡°Thank you lady, that would be most welcome, will you allow me to attempt...¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, the name¡¯s Mary Silvestre by the way.¡± She grinned her eyes narrowing.


    Bolithico bowed his head, ¡°Thank you lady; please feel free to return the compliment.¡± Then he concentrated. The Octopus proved to be an Elite ranked water mage, the leopard girl a Veteran ranked shadow mage titled Defender. All he gained from Mary Silvestre were her titles: Mother of Monsters and Blackbeard¡¯s Bane.


    ¡°Blackbeard¡¯s Bane, are all men stupid enough to grow a beard at risk.¡±


    The Octopus laughed, something that stood the hairs at the back of Bolithico¡¯s neck on end. ¡°Onrry if the marre¡¯s name shourrd be Vortexius Brrackbeard.¡±


    * * *


    And then they were following their hostess, surrounded by a assortment of guards. Bolithico was able to read their loyalty to their mistress in their eyes, attitude and body language. He kept looking at Draccad Goldenhand. Draccad had been a famous adventurer before falling foul of a pack of werewolves and infected. He was the last man Bolithico had expected to encounter in Conimbriga.


    ¡°Draccad, you are Draccad Goldenhand aren¡¯t you. How?¡± asked Bolithico.


    ¡°Fancy you remembering Bolithico. Mother killed and destroyed the mad god. She offered us, the cursed, the chance of being rid of the madness and bloodlust. So I have a new goddess. One who asks little beyond loyalty.¡±


    * * *


    Then they were in what looked like a crowded throne room standing in front of a large yellow diamond, a young dark haired girl dressed in the stiff uncomfortable looking clothes of the upper classes was standing beside it resting her right hand on the diamond.


    ¡°Bolithico, this is my vassal, Lewis Carroll. Spinner of fantastic tales and bridge of worlds.¡±


    ? conditions met: Lewis Carroll: Bridge of Worlds. ?


    ? Huh! You do love throwin¡¯ a spanner in the works doncha Bluey. ?


    ? Yes I do Mother of Monsters. ?


    * * *


    Much later Bolithico tried to relax with his team in the private room of the Dancing Bull. Then he and Flamehand recounted their experiences.


    Leemanda seemed to pray to her god. Then she looked up. She looked serious, ¡°So we have a new goddess that is willing to mix with her followers and has a most disturbing title. She counts an Elite Dungeon as her vassal. We knew the Balancer had helped defeat Vortexius Blackbeard but to have that title she must have done it before and be an active enemy of his.¡±


    ¡°And yet the inn is full of slaves,¡± said Bolithico.


    ¡°Is it? A collar does not a slave make. Nobody notices slaves after all,¡± offered Flamehand.


    It grew very quiet in the room. Then Bolithico produced his messenger mirror and set it on the table. Then he cast the cantrip that allowed him to contact the Guild. They had a lot to report. Fertadacto went to stand outside the door to ensure nobody interrupted them or overheard their report.


    None of them noted the tiny metallic thorn that was caught in Bolithico¡¯s sleeve. It was not magic so it didn¡¯t register on their anti eavesdropping spell.


    * * * SHAG¡¯RILAN / L.G.TITMOUSE * * *


    Tsomo Ryatem watched as young Lhekshey Oratem boarded the L.G. Titmouse. He desperately wished the young man well. He had tried to convince the youngster to join one of the groups but he had insisted on going on his own. With a fervent prayer to the gods Tsomo watched as the skyship swung round trailing smoke and made its way east threading its way through the peaks.


    Lhekshey Oratem, supercargo and assistant navigator stowed his possessions in the chest that had been allocated to him, then he made his way to report to the first mate. By the end of the day he knew the names of all his crewmates and had picked up on some of their peculiarities.


    That night he took a couple of star fixes before retiring to his hammock in the forecastle. He fell asleep hoping that he had made the right decision.

 Chapter 13 – Meetings

    * * * CONIMBRIGA * * *


    Bolithico and his team were once more gathered in the private room of the Dancing Bull. They finished their meal and after moving the debris onto a side table they prepared to work on what needed to find its way onto their report.


    After an hour during which they went over their experiences in Conimbriga, the sat back and waited while one of the tavern¡¯s waitresses collected the remains of their meal and delivered a tray with a jug of ale and full tankards.


    Once she was gone and the door once again secured Bolithico looked round the table and started. ¡°So to conclude, the bound dungeons are under tight controls. It could be argued the controls are too inflexible, and all have been renewed and strengthened recently.


    ¡°The Imperial Arena¡¯s core is dangerously close to becoming too powerful to control, but we all know that that very strength is making it very useful to its owner. The other arena is relatively low levelled so is safe. The markets, Ashleigh¡¯s and the naval shipyards are being stifled. However I suspect they are too weak to break free. Or they would be in normal circumstances.


    ¡°The arsenal and the city palace refused us access.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± added Polly, ¡°I don¡¯t like the looks of that paladin of Azurea¡¯s. The scarfaced bitch is acting weirdly. I¡¯ve never known the followers of Azurea to be as twitchy as they are round here.¡±


    ¡°Personally I suspect she was responsible for the murder of that slaver that specialised in dungeons. Something that should be expected,¡± offered Flamehand.


    Bolithico waved a hand dismissively, ¡°Let us get back on subject. Mock Turtle is worrying in another way. He is a free agent and is controlling the Drow Embassy and the Queen of Hearts. Then it is connected with that new tavern that is so popular with the iron collars. It is too close to the Arena of Blood not to be allied with it in some way.


    ¡°The dungeon in the thieves quarter seems to be allied with the thieves guild. How there can be a thieves guild unaligned with Vortexius Blackbeard is beyond me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because they seem to deal in information, Creevar seems to have an interest there,¡± explained Polly.


    ¡°Two other dungeons are not actually in town, and Azurea seems to be actively hiding them. They both open up to the surface in grounds claimed by a shrine of Azurea. And the priestesses in charge of those shrines are not Azurea¡¯s usual style of nose in the air priestess,¡± said Leemanda.


    ¡°The last unreported dungeon seems to be the property of the Fordoran family. And they deny its existence so our task is mostly done,¡± concluded Bolithico.


    ¡°What about the Arena of Blood?¡± asked Leemanda.


    ¡°Leave it alone,¡± offered Flamehand.


    ¡°Actually that is what I am going to suggest. The guild does not exist in Conimbriga, and that is through no fault of ours. I am going to suggest doing nothing until they come to us on their knees. This place is too incendiary at the moment. There are visible cracks in the unity of the new gods and we have a new sea goddess moving in through a vassal.¡± Bolithico looked round soberly, ¡°any contrary views?¡±


    * * * AIRSHIP L.G.TITMOUSE * * *


    Lhekshey Oratem meandered around Rox¡¯rilan, this was the Titmouse¡¯s first stop since he had joined her. He had been ordered to get himself a decent breather and he was making the most of his break, besides his grandfather had come from here and he was curious.


    The air was thicker than he was accustomed to, but according to his new crewmates it was still remarkably pure and sweet. And yet it had a faintly acrid smell to his sensitive nostrils. And the fields round about seemed wrong, totally bereft of the liftwood trees his grandfather reminisced about.


    Finally he made his way to the shop that the purser had recommended. He entered and blinked in surprise. He wondered if something was wrong as he examined the mostly empty shelves.


    ¡°What do you want youngster? Or are you in the wrong shop?¡±


    Lhekshey looked towards the back of the shop and spotted the old woman rocking slowly in her rocking chair, her hands busy with her knitting. ¡°Good morning lady, I was told this was the best place for breather masks suitable for the plains.¡±


    ¡°Why would a mountain lad like you want to go down to those gods forsaken lands? You realise the mask will be the only thing keeping you alive in the worst of those hellpits.¡±


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m supercargo on the Titmouse. The purser did say I¡¯d need one.¡±


    The old lady put her knitting aside and rose from her rocking chair. She moved behind her counter and started rummaging around under it. She ended up placing three masks on the counter. ¡°The cheapest costs twenty guineas, the best costs fifty-five guineas.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Lhekshey winced. ¡°What would you give me for two pint bottles of Hardin Brandy?¡±


    The old lady sighed and shook her head in disapproval. ¡°Twenty guineas.¡±


    Lhekshey feigned outrage and settled in for a bout of vigorous haggling. In the end Lhekshey handed over three bottles and three guineas and walked away with the best breather mask.


    * * *


    Two weeks later Lhekshey had visited two other small towns, and the air was thick enough that he occasionally had trouble with it. The Mask had proved to be just as necessary as the Purser had claimed. Lhekshey was wearing it constantly as were most of his crewmates. Even the black gang who boasted of their hardiness and of the Tinkerer¡¯s aid.


    Lhekshey was no longer classed as supercargo, and was now the assistant navigator and fourth mate in training.


    Then their lookout spotted two cut down airships, they looked like typical pirates, so their captain steered away from them. They turned to follow the Titmouse which confirmed their fears. However, not surprisingly they proved to be considerably faster than the Titmouse. Their captain by dodging in and out of the ever present clouds and fog banks managed to make it to the Fangs Massif.


    The game of hide and seek among the hills and fog banks continued to prolong their existence but by now the Titmouse was limping and loosing altitude. The pirates had long since lost patience and started shooting in earnest. Lhekshey was surprised how many of the crew who had been doing as little as possible started really working hard at that point in the running fight.


    For his part he was acting as loader for one of their four pounders. Not that they were hitting anything. Then they swung round a cliff, almost scraping it and they saw what looked like a luxury airship all crystal clear windows slowly rising out in the middle of the valley.


    ¡°Hope the damn pirates forget us when they see her,¡± muttered the gunner, even as their signal light flashed a frantic warning to the stranger from their bridge.


    Lhekshey watched tensely as they inched their laboured way past the cliff, losing altitude all the while. When the first of the pirate ships that was hunting them swung into sight on their tail, a puff of smoke showing they were still shooting at them. A blister on the stranger turned, revealing itself to be an enclosed turret containing a short stubby gun.


    The Titmouse shook and started listing as the latest shot crashed through their deck and exited through their liftwood chamber. Lhekshey grabbed hold of the rail and hung on for dear life even as the gunner let off another shot that went the gods only knew where. The other loader for his part slipped and fell, plummeting to the ground below with a scream of despair.


    Then there was an incredible roaring tearing noise and the pirate ship seemed to shudder and stop even as it disintegrated, falling in pieces to the ground.


    The Titmouse, trailing smoke, headed groundward, its engines moving in reverse to kill its speed. Lhekshey could hear their captain yelling orders. And yet he couldn¡¯t stop looking at the luxury airship, as several turrets turned seeking the sky for enemies. Then it was releasing a very strange looking skiff.


    The other pirate came swinging round the mountain into sight. And that tearing noise sounded again as smoke and fire showed at two of the turrets. The pirate was literally torn apart in mid air.


    Then Lhekshey just concentrated on hanging on as the Titmouse hit the ground, bounced and scraped its way to a stop.


    * * *


    Lhekshey Oratem stood beside captain Oakwood as they waited for their saviour¡¯s launch to land. The captain had ordered him to accompany him as he was the most inexperienced of the Titmouse¡¯s officers, and thus the one that they could best spare from the rescue operations. Lhekshey noted the captain wince minutely at every shot that came from where the strange skiff was searching the debris of the pirate ships.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem captain. Aren¡¯t they just pirates, and isn¡¯t that crystal palace of a ship overly well armed?¡±


    ¡°Yes Lhekshey, but they¡¯re killing them out of hand. That¡¯s a way to earn the enmity of all the others and their god. And no, luxury liners need to be well armed. Quiet, here they come.¡±


    The crew of the launch were all armed, and they were all elves. Lhekshey noted that that seemed to surprise the captain.


    * * * AIRSHIP MORNING PRIDE * * *


    Captain Steelheart was smiling coldly. It never ceased to amuse him that killing pirates without mercy was seen as virtuous for his new class. Mother had created a paladin class supremely suited to his race. It was easy for even his kin to be soft on and indulge children for like all elves children were rare. Innocents could be ignored, and mostly that was it as far as good was concerned. He somehow suspected that many would see them as anti-paladins.


    He gazed out of the windows of his bridge and awaited the arrival of the captain of the pirate¡¯s victim. Rich and Minnow were watching from the radar station. When the captain of the crashed ship together with one of his officers entered his bridge, he met Rich¡¯s gaze and they both grinned at the look of shock, quickly suppressed on the man¡¯s face.


    ¡°Welcome to the Morning Pride captain. I¡¯m Steelheart Starbright, a paladin of the Balancer and the captain of this ship. This is Minnow Delphine high priestess of the Balancer and Sir Rich Burton her champion. How may we help you?¡±


    Captain Oakwood looked round the spacious airy bridge and it was obvious to all present that he had to work to contain his reaction. All the officers of the Morning Pride were either elves or drow. The only human present was Rich, and he had been introduced as the Balancer¡¯s champion.


    ¡°My Titmouse can¡¯t fly, and I don¡¯t think we can fix her. Can you contact a shipyard for us and get a rescue vessel out here.¡±


    Steelheart smiled, ¡°I suspect we can do better. We should be able to rig something and lift you up. You wouldn¡¯t want to remain here. You are just over five miles from Sidehame. Please feel free to search the wreckage, I recon they owe you.¡±


    * * *


    Rich watched as they finally left the vicinity of Sidehame, it had taken two days, but the crew of the Titmouse along with some help from their people had been able to scrounge up enough liftwood from the wrecks to give the Titmouse some lift. Now they were towing them. He was glad they were able to help and didn¡¯t begrudge them the loot they had found. After all there had been no slaves on the Titmouse which was rare.


    And it had been a bit of luck finding the young man from the hills on board. Mother was right; the liftwood plantations were in trouble. Well they had gained a new supercargo. The youngster had been willing, nay, eager to transfer when he realized they already suspected that his people were in trouble. And he suspected the prospect of waiting for a couple of months while the Titmouse was being repaired did not sit well with him.

 Chapter 14 – Things

    * * * AIRSHIP MORNING PRIDE * * *


    ¡°So let me see if I¡¯ve got this correct, you are responsible for the liftwood that your hometown is selling on consignment. If so I suspect I know where you can sell it at a good price.¡±


    Lhekshey Oratem found it hard to concentrate. They were in a large damp room containing a small swimming pool. Rich Burton was lounging in a chair and he found himself unable to prevent his eyes from constantly returning to the slits that were leaking beads of water on the side of Rich¡¯s chest. The room was full of elves and many were in the pool. All had the same peculiarity as Rich.


    ¡°Yes I am, and the Hardin Brandy too,¡± Lhekshey finally answered.


    ¡°No interest in that,¡± Rich waved the idea of the brandy aside. ¡°Mother would have my hide if I involved her in the drug trade.¡±


    Lhekshey shrugged, ¡°It sells, and at the price no one is forced to take it.¡±


    ¡°Possibly, but Mother wouldn¡¯t approve. Mind you unlike with slaves where we are encouraged to buy, and see to arranging for them to earn their freedom as quickly as possible, with drugs it is a case of hands off.¡±


    Lhekshey licked his lips as things shifted in his understanding of past events, ¡°Is that why you were willing to help the Titmouse? Because they didn¡¯t employ slaves?¡±


    ¡°It certainly helped. Now as to your liftwood, are you interested in selling it at a premium? Say ten percent above market value?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but why?¡±


    ¡°Because the trees take years to grow before reaching a useable size. Very well once we drop off the Titmouse, we¡¯ll take on your cargo and be on our way back to Sidehame.¡±


    ¡°The drow? But why would they want it?¡±


    Rich grinned crookedly. ¡°Guess. Please feel free to explore, I¡¯m goin¡¯ for another swim.¡±


    * * *


    Lhekshey found the airship bewildering. The black gang were beastmen, they all seemed to be mostly wolves as was Charlie their commander. And Charlie was rather peculiar. And they used salamanders! The damn things were playing and giggling with some of the crew. He left hurriedly, wondering why no one else used fire mages in the engine room.


    The restaurant was over the top, and the kitchen staff were the only, well not exactly slaves, indentured workers on board. He¡¯d talked to the maitre d¡¯ and had the difference brought to his attention. They were earning their bond and while not exactly happy, seemed to understand it was so others could be set on the same path to freedom.


    But the biggest shock came in the lift room. More beastmen, cats this time, but they were so very few. The planks were huge! And the blueish wood was speckled with small green blotches. It was only after that shock settled that he noted how smoothly they rotated, and how smoothly they interacted as the cat folk watched from small consoles scattered amongst the periphery. And about two thirds of the planks were slotted in the inactive position.


    He was left with so many questions. The principal one being, what was their source of supply? Followed by wanting to know just how high the Morning Pride could go, and how the crew and passengers were able to survive at that altitude.


    = = O = =


    It was almost noon when the Morning Pride and her tow arrived at Petavonium. Once they had dropped the Titmouse in the sprawling half abandoned shipyard Lhekshey saw to the transhipment of his cargo, leaving sufficient liftwood to ensure that the Titmouse wouldn¡¯t suffer. He was able to sell most of the brandy entrusted to him at a good price. The rest joined the liftwood in the Morning Pride¡¯s huge cargo storage devices.


    * * *


    Rich with Cinders and Eldaan explored the commercial and civilian side of Petavonium. Rich noted that the town was moving from being just a garrison town on the periphery of the loosely knit Reearmen Empire into a far more diversified place. It looked to him as if the town would prosper. Probably helped by being in a fairly remote area that still allowed for reasonably efficient agriculture while the air was not excessively poisonous. Or at least not yet.


    He didn¡¯t envy Minnow and Steelheart. They were meeting the governor general Diocles Vallaerii to discuss the drow situation. He grinned to himself, the locals had never had a high priestess of one of the drow¡¯s deities come calling and were understandably uncertain as to how to handle the situation. As the presence of the drow town of Sidehame was one of the major causes for the existence of Petavonium it didn¡¯t surprise him that the meetings were occurring.


    Then the Morning Pride was fleecing the local nobs. The restaurant and ballroom were booked solid. It seemed that anyone who was anyone wanted to be able to boast that they had dined and danced on the elven luxury liner.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    * * * CONIMBRIGA & RUSTY RAPTOR * * *


    Bolithico was getting frustrated. There seemed to be nobody willing to charter an airship for a journey to the Ithampar Ocean, especially the area near Zeehaven. Bolithico had been told repeatedly that the pirates were massing a fleet to do something unpleasant in that area.


    Then they had a break, the group was relaxing in the Mad Hatter Bar at the Queen of Hearts when a runner sought them out. He came from the principal commercial shipyard. He politely waited to be recognised before handing over his message. Then he waited to see if there was a reply, and more importantly, if there was going to be a tip.


    Bolithico broke open the seal and perused the message; he tossed the messenger a groat for his troubles. ¡°This might be good news. Polly will you please see if we can hire one of the inns firewagons for a trip to the main shipyard? There might be an airship willing to take us.¡±


    * * *


    Thanks to the ever-present fog Bolithico was unable to make out much of the airship as he boarded it to talk with the captain. Shipyard workers were swarming over the area containing the engines. The cargo was being loaded from a couple of wagons and seemed to consist almost entirely of artillery and muskets.


    The captain was one of the rare hawkmen. He listened carefully as Bolithico introduced himself and stated his requirements.


    ¡°You¡¯re in luck mate, We¡¯uns have an urgent delivery for the Zeehaven council. They¡¯s having pirate troubles and gods are fighting in their streets. Kroopsteel got an urgent mirror order and they¡¯s paying us¡¯uns to deliver. Can take you wi¡¯us for a guiney a head as a favour fer yer guild.¡±


    ¡°Very good. When are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°Soon¡¯s we¡¯uns loaded. Say four hours.¡±


    ¡°Damn! We¡¯ll be ready.¡± Bolithico hurried back to the inn¡¯s odd firewagon.


    * * *


    The adventurers only just made it in time. A bare ten minutes after they boarded the Rusty Raptor clawed its way into the skies over Conimbriga and slowly gained speed on its journey.


    After the second day things settled down though the Rusty Raptor remained close to the ground, even winding its way around some hills.


    Bolithico leaned on the rail near the airship¡¯s cargo master, ¡°Tell me Daaroos, why is the captain hugging the ground?¡±


    Daaroos laughed, ¡°Because he has to. Rusty¡¯s grossly over laden. We¡¯re packing far more weight than is safe. We¡¯re using maximum lift now, luckily the ocean is lower than this so we¡¯ll have a little flexibility soon.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± Said Bolithico as he strained his eyes to see through the fog, ¡°What was that your captain mentioned about gods fighting in the streets?¡±


    Daaroos grinned widely, ¡°You know that trick that scumbag Vortexius has of using his champions to manifest? Well he tried it on one of the sea priestesses, her sea goddess did the same thing using the priestess and killed the asshole champion banishing Vortexius.¡±


    Bolithico froze for an instant as he stared at Daaroos, ¡°Truly? You¡¯re sure of that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The Kroopsteel rep was spreading the tale in all the bars.¡±


    Not long after that Bolithico went to find his parties priestess Leemanda so that he could tell her the tale.


    * * *


    Three days later captain Blackfeather was worriedly staring aft as he nudged the course his Rusty Raptor was following further to the south. Smoke was pouring out of the funnel as the engines strained to push them as fast as possible.


    Behind them, closer than any of the people on the Rusty Raptor were happy with came a mismatched fleet. Said fleet was not maintaining a tight formation, it was spread across the sky in a straggling line making it impossible to work around.


    Everyone on the Rusty Raptor was armed and armoured. The cargo master had broken out several muskets and most of the crew had a couple of loaded muskets by their side. Bolithico was cursing the clear skies and surprisingly sweet air.


    Slowly the pirates were catching them. Then the lookout cried, ¡°Airships ahead.¡±


    Bolithico looked around. Two small sleek airships were approaching at surprising speed. They were preceded by six small silver flyers.


    ¡°Hey Bolithico, d¡¯yer know that flag them guys r¡¯flying?¡± asked Blackfeather as he lowered his brass telescope from his eye.


    ¡°What flag?¡±


    ¡°Blue wi¡¯coiled whip and white jumping fish.¡±


    ¡°The Drow? What are the Drow doing out here? The good news captain is that the Balancer is at war with Vortexius. The bad new is they are Drow, and flying the flag of one of their goddesses, they are followers of the Balancer.¡±


    Blackfeather cursed and lowered his airship until it was almost skimming the surface of the ocean.


    Bolithco watched as the greatly outnumbered drow squadron darted past them towards the pirates. Then they fired rockets! Bolithco was not surprised when the rockets started curving. The wildly inaccurate things were virtually useless after all. His hair stood on end as the rockets oriented on the pirate ships and homed in on the two largest airships.


    The crew of the Rusty Raptor watched in fascinated horror as the drow easily maintained their distance and used their homing rockets and the single destructive light beam weapon each of the sleek warships was equipped with. It quickly became obvious that the drow did not accept surrender.


    Bolithco watched the drow ships with a sort of fascinated horror. The way they shrugged off spells implied strong anti-magic defences. At least they didn¡¯t have too many of those homing rockets, or maybe the drow had decided to use them individually to prevent them ganging up on one or two targets at a time. Their light weapon would be of very little use in the fog that was starting to cover much of the mainland.


    Then there was the admiral¡¯s flag. Unless he was very mistaken it was the flag of lady Hellwing, the scourge of the skies. Though it too had gained the seal of the Balancer. He made his way ton the captain¡¯s side. ¡°Any chance we can get away captain.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance ifen they don¡¯t want us¡¯uns to. They is chopping the pirates out of the sky too fast. Mind you matey, it is a foine sight but...¡±


    ¡°But we are reliant on Admiral Hellwing¡¯s whim.¡±


    ¡°Hellwing the scourge? Us¡¯uns thought she be daid.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s her flag back there...¡± then Bolithco fell abruptly silent as a very familiar sensation swept across him, he unfocused his eyes instinctively and sought...


    ? You have found the ocean dungeon Blue Lagoon. ?


    Captain Blackfeather resumed his cursing and started bellowing almost inarticulate orders. The Rusty Raptor started to gain altitude even as it engaged in a one hundred and eighty degree turn.


    The guild party quickly gathered around Bolithico. The priestess Leemanda was wide eyed with shock. She licked her lips nervously. ¡°Bolithico, the dungeon, it is... I¡¯ve been studying the surface of the ocean, it has... something, that is cleaning the air and waters. That something is coming from this dungeon. This dungeon is spilling over... it is more...¡±


    ¡°I know Lee, I¡¯ve met her. She is the Balancer. What to do; that is the question.¡±

 Chapter 15 – Dungeons

    * * * RUSTY RAPTOR * * *


    Captain Blackfeather turned the Rusty Raptor again almost as soon as they left the dungeon. It looked to Bolithico as if he was trying to skirt the dungeon in hopes of avoiding the attention of admiral Hellwing.


    Bolithico shook himself free of his stupefaction and started to set up his analyzer on deck. Leemanda watched over his shoulder as he cast the spell.


    Lee drew in her breath sharply in shock, while Bolithico paled. What their analyzer was telling them was almost unbelievable. The flow of life energy was staggering. Thousands of sapients must be involved. The only way those numbers could be correct was if¡ª


    ¡°Oh Gods! Look¡ª¡± exclaimed Poliarkos as she pointed at an area of disturbed red tinted ocean to the south west.


    ¡°That looks like there¡¯s a major battle going on somewhere under the waves,¡± rumbled their tank. ¡°I¡¯m even catching the smell of blood,¡± remarked Fertadacto.


    ¡°With your nose that¡¯s not surprising Ferty,¡± grumbled Polly.


    ¡°Gods above and below!¡± Exclaimed Bolithico as he suddenly looked to the north. He licked suddenly dry lips.


    ¡°Did ¨C did the analyzer just jump when Hellwing¡¯s squadron entered the dungeon?¡± asked Lee staring at Bolithico¡¯s analyzer with wide eyes.


    ¡°Yes it did Lee. Which means...¡± Bolithico trailed off.


    ¡°They belong... We have to be extra careful when we contact this dungeon, this goddess rather,¡± sighed Lee.


    ¡°No time like the present,¡± interjected Polly as she watched one of Hellwing¡¯s airships come racing up to them flashing the standard challenges given to merchant shipping.


    They heard Captain Blackfeather bellowing orders, followed by the whistle of escaping steam as the Rusty Raptor let off steam from its straining boiler. Their propellers lost speed and feathered to a stop even as the approaching warship slowed rapidly.


    The guild party collected around their leader, they all kept shooting looks at the growing bloodstain to the south west. But mostly they watched the cutter that detached from the sleek warship and headed their way. Bolithico¡¯s eyes narrowed as he made out its crew, they were all beastfolk even the officer.


    Captain Blackfeather was visibly taken aback, he kept glancing at the flag flying proudly from the airship behind the boarding party and then back at the approaching uniformed inspection party.


    Blackfeather turned to them looking exasperated, ¡°Damn it! ya done told us¡¯ns that they was drow. They aren¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°That is the Balancer¡¯s flag nonetheless. And the Balancer is the lesser drow goddess,¡± replied Bolithico flatly.


    Blackfeather returned his attention to the cutter and watched with reluctant approval as the cat ¡¯folk officer and two sailors jumped down from their cutter.


    * * * SHAG¡¯RILAN * * *


    Tsomo Ryatem was roused from his gloomy thoughts by his grandson. The young scamp came bursting into his office screaming with excitement. ¡°Granpa come quick! There¡¯s a shiny airship coming over the twins.¡± Then Sil grabbed his grandfather¡¯s arm and was trying to pull him to the door.


    Tsomo smiled almost reluctantly and allowed himself to be led out of the house. The whole story was ridiculous, nothing could come in over the twins. Those two peaks rose to incredible heights and were bitterly cold, not to mention that the air near their peaks was too thin to support life.


    But the plaza was filled with people looking up at the twins, and, sure enough a glittering airship was floating majestically over the twins. It was obviously slowing and only wisps of smoke were coming from its twin funnels.


    Still holding Sil¡¯s hand Tsomo accompanied the crowd as they made their way to the landing field. ¡®I wonder what this means. Who worked out how to fly where the air is too thin to support life? And just how much liftwood does it take to lift that crystal palace of an airship? And how can it have a closed lift chamber?¡¯


    The crowd watched silently as the strange airship, the Morning Pride settled onto the landing field. It was the first passenger liner the villagers had seen and it carried more turrets than any warship that had visited them previously. A wide gangplank appeared from a slot under the main entrance and slowly extended itself until it was resting on the ground. The doors withdrew silently into the hull on either side with a subdued hiss revealing two elven guards, and of all people, Lhekshey Oratem.


    * * * CONIMBRIGA * * *


    Silaana el-Fordoran despaired as she heard the cell door crash open. She curled up around the pain in her stomach. Hiding as best she could in the far corner of the cell and hearing the despairing whimpers of her cellmates.


    ¡°You! Red!¡± barked the voice from her nightmares, ¡°lay hold of her ladyship and come along, the boss wants the two of you.¡±


    She wailed in despair as the burly half-orc seized her by the neck and dragged her towards one of their worst tormentors.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    * * *


    Mesca Fraamos jerked awake when his cell door crashed open. ¡°Come along you!¡± snapped the turnkey even as the ill-favoured guard slapped his club into his hand with a sadistic sneer.


    Mesca swung his feet to the floor with a muted clang from his manacles. Then he stood half bent to avoid the low roof. Reluctantly he shuffled towards the open door, even this careful movement made his head swim as the failing mage collar he was wearing pulsed with his every movement.


    The guard lost patience with his slow movements and slammed his club into his back. ¡°Move scum. The nobs are waiting.¡±


    Mesca jerked and the collar spiked at the sudden movement. The spike of pain dropped Mesca to the floor all but unconscious.


    The turnkey looked at the grinning guard with a jaundiced eye. ¡°Look if you want to carry him keep triggering the collar. I¡¯m not touching him till he¡¯s been deloused. And the boss won¡¯t be best pleased iffen you kill one of the only mages we have.¡±


    ¡°They can always buy one. What¡¯s the difference?¡± sneered the guard.


    Shaking his head in disbelief the turnkey snapped back, ¡°This one¡¯s free, a mage slave is expensive and this lot aren¡¯t expected to survive. The boss doesn¡¯t like to waste money. Use your head. Now get him to his feet.¡±


    Mesca felt himself hauled to his feet and stood swaying even as he digested the previous conversation. He felt a mix of despair and hope as he resumed his shuffling progress.


    He watched with half-opened eyes as with a clash of steel the gates at the end of the damp tunnel opened and he was led through. This tunnel was much cleaner and they waited as just ahead another gate was opened and another turnkey accompanied by two guards led forth a big red haired half-orc woman who was half carrying a bedraggled girl wearing nothing more than a bloodstained loincloth.


    Mesca breathed evenly doing his best to feel nothing as his collar pulsed again. Then he was being shoved into a small bare stone floored room, and his rags were being stripped from him. He heard the big woman complain and the smack of a club hitting flesh.


    The next few moments passed him by as his collar objected to the sudden deluge of freezing water that inundated the room. When he woke next he was sitting in a bare wooden room, no he quickly realized, it was the back of a cart. And with him were the two women and three others. They were all naked and shaved bald. He checked himself unbelievingly. He was only left with stubble and a few shaving cuts.


    ¡°What... what¡¯s going on?¡± he asked.


    The big grey skinned troll looked at him with pity in his eye. He rubbed one curved rams horn and replied. ¡°We¡¯re the sacrifices to procedure. We are all now members of the adventurer¡¯s guild of Conimbriga. You missed guild master Bartold Kennings swearing us in and keying our lifestones.¡± The troll made as if to spit in contempt, but realising where they were didn¡¯t.


    ¡°We are about to be sealed in the rogue dungeon. They told us our equipment would be waiting for us in the first room. Barty the Ass told us you were our mage and that the key to your collar would be with our gear. Me, I¡¯m supposed to be the tank, a role for which I¡¯m grossly unqualified. You can call me Grey. Lia is supposed to be one of our warriors along with Ax.¡±


    The half-orc woman raised her hand when Grey said Lia as did a dull eyed scarred man to Ax.


    ¡°Ana is supposed to be our thief,¡± Lia added pointing to the curled up girl. ¡°And lastly Fingers is supposed to be our archer.¡±


    A skinny yellowish skinned needle toothed goblin lass grinned at him. ¡°I haven¡¯t ever touched a bow in my life, I¡¯m a fair hand with a pair of daggers and a skilled dip. Not bad at locks and traps. Mind you not bad does not mean I¡¯m good at it.¡± She shrugged.


    Ana uncurled slightly. ¡°I was taken for embezzling. So yes I¡¯m a thief. Just not the right sort,¡± she said tugging at the silver plated collar that was fastened round her scarred neck.


    They fell silent when the wagon jerked to a stop. They watched with trepidation when the door was pulled open. To show they were in a large room. The air smelt acidic which told them they were both indoors and in a building with poor filtering spells. Several iron collared masked soldiers were watching them.


    ¡°Come on out. You¡¯ll soon be free.¡±


    The newly minted adventurers slowly filed out of their transport and huddled together under the impassive eyes of the slave-soldiers.


    ¡°Right,¡± barked the sergeant. ¡°Listen up. Your lives will depend on you understanding me.


    ¡°One: You will hurry through that door and cross ten yards to the dungeon. I advise you to hold your breath.


    ¡°Two: You will enter the dungeon. You will find your gear. You will equip yourselves and explore the Arena of Blood.


    ¡°Three: You will not be allowed to leave until one full day has passed. If you are found in the entranceway during that time you will be killed.


    ¡°Four: After one day six breathers will be left in the entranceway and you will be allowed to use them. The city will take a fifty percent toll to allow you to pass. You will be handed a free pardon for your services.


    ¡°Now move your asses jailbirds. You have five minutes.¡±


    * * *


    Mesca shuffled his way into the dungeon, he read the legend above the door with a twisted, resigned amusement.


    Strelitzia and Frog invite all and sundry


    To visit the Arena of Blood


    Welcome to Hell!


    It seemed horribly appropriate, but somehow he found the sense of humour it displayed to be somehow heartening. They might have a chance, however slim.


    When he rejoined his fellows they were examining a heap of cheap shoddy gear, that is all bar Ana who was dropping a key and hurling her collar against the wall. She looked at him with a grimace and offered him a key. ¡°This one didn¡¯t work on my collar. It should be yours.¡±


    Mesca took the key with a muttered thanks and slipped it into the lock on his collar. It was stiff and rusty but after a bit of a struggle it turned. His collar dropped to the floor as he gloried in having an unshackled mind for the first time in months. He felt the manna flood into the core of his being and he sighed in satisfaction.


    He looked in disdain at the blue robe with tacky stars and moons embroidered around the hems and sleeves. He completely ignored the conical hat with ¡°mage¡± embroidered on it. At least his spell book was present. He hugged it to his chest and then looked through it with relief.


    Grey was eying a breastplate and massive two-handed mace. ¡°I¡¯m a priest of Ustraldis. I¡¯m a pretty good healer but I have no warrior training. I guess I can hit things with this mace. I am strong. What about you lot.¡±


    Mesca blinked. Grey didn¡¯t sound like any troll he¡¯d ever heard off. Far too well spoken.


    ¡°My lady has blessed me by removing the bloodlust. I regenerate. I can Tank,¡± offered the still naked Ana. ¡°I won¡¯t need weapons,¡± she added as she started sprouting fur and bulking up.


    Mesca spoke up after donning the cheap robe, ¡°I really am a mage. I specialise in wind spells.¡±


    Lia donned a studded leather hauberk and picked up a shield. She was examining her longsword somewhat dubiously. ¡°I was in the militia at home. I do know how to use this thing.¡±


    Ax had an identical hauberk and shield to Lia¡¯s. However instead of a sword he had a battleaxe. ¡°Was a gladiator. Won the wooden sword. Can fight but not smart.¡±


    After a wary look at Ana Fingers busied herself using the werewolf¡¯s discarded tunic and belt to fashion a sling. ¡°Guess I¡¯m the scout.¡±

 Chapter 16 – Delvers

    * * * CONIMBRIGA ¨C ARENA OF BLOOD * * *


    Grey turned to look towards the entrance of the dungeon. He looked scared, ¡°Shit! Come on gather everything up and lets get out of here. The guards are coming, guess our five minutes are up.¡±


    With an ¡°eeep¡± Fingers darted into the tunnel that led deeper into the dungeon. After letting off a rippling snarl towards the entrance, Ana stalked down the centre of the tunnel after Fingers. Lia and Ax looked at each other and moved after her. Finally Mesca and Grey followed.


    Almost as soon as Grey disappeared around the first bend the squad of slave-soldiers arrived. They swept the entrance room, collected the mage collar with its embedded key and withdrew back to the entrance.


    ¡°Guess that¡¯s the last we¡¯ll see of those jailbirds Corp,¡± said one as they were reaching the exit.


    ¡°Shut it you horrible little man,¡± replied the corporal. ¡°Right, pull back! Let¡¯s get out of this hellhole.¡±


    The iron-collars withdrew, making sure not to turn their backs to the dungeon. They left an empty chamber in their wake.


    = = O = =


    Frog felt a stir of interest. This looked like something new. With a flex of his dungeon muscles he slid a few barriers around reconfiguring his first level. Strelitzia peered through his eyes at the rag tag bunch of adventurers that were now entering their alternate first level.


    ¡°That Ax looks dangerous. His level is almost higher than all of the others combined,¡± murmured Strelitzia.


    ? True my love, but check the tag, he is suffering from brain damage due to inadequate healing. ?


    ¡°He is, isn¡¯t he? The mage is quite good but ¨C um.¡±


    ? He¡¯s a weather mage, he¡¯s not a combat mage. Not a real challenge. We can challenge him though; let¡¯s see if he can grow. ?


    ¡°Accountant? The werewolf is a level 4 Accountant? And that goblin¡¯s only four-years-old!¡± Strelitzia sounded outraged.


    ? She¡¯s a level 2 thief, and she¡¯s the equivalent of an eleven-year-old human. This probably seems like a great adventure... But I agree. This is outrageous, ? fumed Frog.


    ? Level 6 Farmer dual classed with Fighter level 2. And finally we have a level 4 Cleric. ?


    ¡°They are working well together,¡± said Strelitzia as she watched the party healing up and looting the room they were in, they weren¡¯t skinning the four wolf carcasses but that wasn¡¯t too surprising.


    ? I¡¯m toning down some of the challenges. It¡¯s tricky or Ax will do everything with a bit of help from Ana. Will you keep an eye on things? I think I should send a message to Lewis for Mary. ?


    ¡°Because of Ana?¡±


    ? Yes, she hasn¡¯t given way to bloodlust. And that means she¡¯s one of Mary¡¯s. Not that that would mean much in most circumstances. ?


    ¡°Go ahead Frog, I¡¯ll keep an eye on things. It won¡¯t take you long after all.¡±


    = = O = =


    They had been at it for hours and Fingers was getting tired. She stopped, she felt that something was wrong but everything looked normal. The corridor in front of them was dead straight and about thirty yards long. She turned to look at the group, ¡°Something¡¯s not right. I¡¯m not sure why, I think we should go back.¡±


    Grey sighed in resignation, ¡°We barely got past those big spiders in the last room. If we go back they¡¯ll be waiting for us. Any ideas?¡±


    Ax just looked blank but Lia blanched at the thought of facing the spiders again. ¡°How about we continue, but carefully?¡±


    Ana shrugged her shoulders while Mesca said, ¡°I vote for continuing.¡±


    Grey looked glum, he glanced back and then looked at Fingers. ¡°Sorry Fingers, it goes against the grain not to accept the advice of the scout but¡ª¡±


    Fingers nodded her acceptance, ¡°Yeah, I understand. I¡¯ll be extra careful.¡± And in a lower tone of voice she murmured, ¡°but those spiders were so cute...¡±


    They were about two thirds of the way through the corridor when with a muted set of snaps the end they were moving towards dropped knocking them off their feet and connected with a steep ramp. They all slid down the ramp. Behind them the corridor once relieved of their weight swung back into the air cutting of their chances of returning.


    The group sorted themselves out; they now found themselves in a high ceilinged corridor not far from a two way intersection.


    ¡°Sorry Fingers, we should have listened to you,¡± apologised Grey.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Saright Grey. My detect traps has gone up, but how are we going to find the entrance again?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we will.¡±


    Fingers just nodded, she checked on her gear and sighed in relief. Her little improvised tool for looking round corners was not broken. She moved silently to the intersection and crouched down. She used the scrap of mirror she had found earlier and fastened onto a stick, and holding it near the floor, used it to check the new corridor.


    Very carefully she backed from the intersection and returned to the group. ¡°Two lizardmen with rifles. To the right. They¡¯re waiting for us. They must have heard us arrive,¡± she reported quietly.


    = = O = =


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll head down the other way?¡± asked Strelitzia.


    ? Think so. They can take out the guards but not without losses. That Grey is remarkably cautious. The safe room will help them. ?


    * * * CONIMBRIGA ¨C ADVENTURER¡¯S GUILD * * *


    Bartold Kennings dragged himself out of his bed. He looked back at the bruised weeping slave girl who was chained to it. He licked his dry lips and rubbed his aching head. He stumbled to the cabinet by the window, he filled a glass with gulph wine and drained it with relief. Immediately his hands stopped trembling and his head cleared.


    After splashing some water on his face and dressing he headed for his office. He had been glad to reclaim the guild house after those stuck up prigs from head office had left. He felt bitter that they had destroyed his portrait, it had been painted by Heliophel el-Beltrrasive and had been worth a fortune.


    He settled himself and poured himself another glass. He sipped it and opened one of the drawers on his desk. He drew in a sharp breath as he removed the six glowing life gems and placed them on the blotting pad in front of him.


    ¡®Not good. How can those losers still be all alive? Old Doon is going to be pissed!¡¯


    He jerked his head up at the sharp rapping on his door, he checked himself quickly and said, ¡°Enter.¡±


    The door opened and Leanna Fireseed stepped into his office, she sneered at him and said, ¡°Meerina Alagarina has arrived guild master. She¡¯s here on behalf of Almergaron Doon.¡±


    Bartold gritted his teeth, knowing the former gladiator would not betray her paymaster, but still, he intended to pay back all those sneers when the time came. ¡°Please show her in Leanna.¡±


    Meerina Alagarina swept into his office with what Bartold recognised as a false smile. He acknowledged that the woman was an excellent actress and he knew her to be dangerous, so he was cautious.


    ¡°Welcome lady, and what can I and my guild do for you today?¡±


    ¡°You can assure me that that el-Fordoran bitch is dead.¡± Meerina smiled maliciously as she examined the unkempt looking guild master.


    ¡°Unfortunately none of them have died yet. But even if they get out of the dungeon alive,¡± Bertold gestured dismissively, ¡°They won¡¯t last long. Will they?¡±


    Meerina lost her smile, ¡°That¡¯s not the point. Darintus wants her dead, it will hurt her father and stain the reputation of the first councillor. You know this. The bitch was awaiting trial and the old fossil would have made sure the case was buried. He might even have rid her of the ¡®el-¡¯. Made her legitimate. We need her to disappear. To vanish. See to it.¡±


    ¡°This was you uncle¡¯s plan Ms Alagarina. I warned you dungeons are tricky.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the guild master. You see to it. It wiped out your raid, and it saw off the iron collars with grapeshot. How can five losers still be alive after six hours.¡±


    Bartold shuddered as the true Meerina Alagarina revealed herself. ¡°Six. There are six of them. Kee-a-ran ordered me to include the half-troll. He said something about non-humans in the priesthoods.¡±


    ¡°So what? It¡¯s only a low level priest.¡±


    ¡°He is a scholar. He probably knows enough about wild dungeons to keep them alive. So blame the girl¡¯s great uncle for them still being alive.¡±


    Meerina¡¯s eyes narrowed and her mouth became a thin-lipped slash as she fumed. ¡°The girl has to die and vanish. See to it. Gather another group and send them in. Offer them a bounty if they kill the losers.¡± Then she stood and stalked out.


    Bartold looked at the empty doorway, glanced at the glittering life jems and emptied his glass of wine.


    * * * SHAG¡¯RILAN * * *


    Tsomo Ryatem was paying full attention to young Lhekshey Oratem. ¡°So you are saying that this new goddess and her followers know our trees are dying. And they are buying up our product because ¡®the trees take years to grow before reaching a useable size¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Yes master Ryatem.¡±


    ¡°From that I gather they can¡¯t save our trees but they think they can help us grow new.¡± Tsomo looked grim. ¡°We might be able to live with that. But it could mean our end when the world realizes there will be no liftwood or brandy for at least five years.¡±


    Lhekshey looked worried, ¡°They don¡¯t want anything to do with our brandy master. I wouldn¡¯t count on the new trees being good for that.¡±


    Tsomo¡¯s head jerked up, ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°I think you need to talk to the champion and the priestess. They are the ones who can speak for their Mother.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes but, but I need to know as much as possible before then. Our very lives depend on this. Do you have anything else for me?¡±


    ¡°We flew over a valley with a wild forest. We could probably tunnel to it. It¡¯s beyond the red ridge. It is completely surrounded by high hills. As it is the spoiled air from the lowlands that is poisoning our trees... We would have to be careful how we did the breach.¡±


    ¡°The air? You are sure? We suspected but...¡±


    ¡°Yes. That much Rich Burton confirmed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... You¡¯re doing well Lhekshey. Go now and see your family. I¡¯ll go and see what help we can buy from our visitors.¡±


    = = O = =


    Rich Burton was lounging by the pool with Minnow and Cinders. They were looking through the big widows that lined the poolroom. Shad¡¯rilan was a dreary looking place with no shops of any interest. Their storage space holds were empty now. Everything Lhekshey had bought had been off loaded and they were ready to leave.


    They had their samples, Eldaan was really a remarkably talented ex-thief. Rich glanced at his wristwatch. ¡°Five more hours and we¡¯re gone. I¡¯m not waiting for the youngster. Mother doesn¡¯t care whether this lot get improved trees or not.¡±


    ¡°But, even the improved trees won¡¯t last. Will they?¡± asked Minnow.


    ¡°Not if the air keeps deteriorating. But as things are it would grant them ten years or so of hope.¡±


    ¡°And then they¡¯ll come running back to us,¡± said Cinders.


    Rich grinned. ¡°We¡¯ll warn them. But I¡¯ll be surprised if they do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°Can they?¡± asked Minnow.


    ¡°Yes. They can wall themselves off, and use airlocks. But it would be a herculean task to get the walls high enough.¡± Rich looked up at the crewman who had just entered the poolroom and was making his way towards them. ¡°Yes, what is it Tommy?¡±


    ¡°A messenger has just arrived with a message from the chairman of the liftwood growers association. They are asking you go and meet the heads of the association.¡±


    Rich glanced out of the window and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not going out there again. The air is far too thin and dry. Give the messenger my apologies but no. If they want to meet me they are welcome to come here.¡± Rich grinned at Tommy, ¡°We don¡¯t need them after all.¡±


    Tommy grinned back and his tail wagged. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know sir.¡±