Chapter 10-7

Almonihah bared his teeth and growled, but after a long moment he shook his head. “Wish we could help, but... 'f we don't get rid 'f this...”

“It may be that these purposes are not as separate as you might think,” the councilwoman interrupted.

“Yes,” one of the human councilors said, “You see, they keep their slaves not too far from their ships. And most of them are captured seafarers.”

“So 'f we freed 'em, we might be able t' get on a ship 'nd get out before they could catch us,” Almonihah surmised, nodding slightly.

“It's risky,” the dwarven councilor said, “But we've got some plans already. If you three are as good with those weapons as we'd guess, you'll be a great help, and we might be able to get you off our island with that thing.”

“If you aid us in this thing, we will likewise aid you,” the elven councilwoman added. “Will you do this?”

“Yes,” Garkhen replied, instantly. Almonihah nodded.

Zakhin'Dakh screeched an enthusiastic agreement from the doorway, bringing startled looks from the councilors... and a bit of a grin to Almonihah's face.

“He said yes,” the half-dragon explained, breaking the tense silence.

This brought some uneasy chuckles from the council, but they relaxed somewhat. “Good, we can use him,” said one of the elven men, who then turned and looked at Zakhin'Dakh. “We shall need all the help you can supply, good griffon.”

The big griffon nodded cheerily and screeched again.

The other elven councilor stood. “Come, there is much to do to prepare. We must wait until an opportune time, when most of the pirates are sailing. Those few of our number who hide among them will tell us when the time comes, but until then, we must plan and prepare. 

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Zakhin'Dakh likes being included in conversations. 

Chapter 10-6

Almonihah growled, baring his teeth. "No."

"Almonihah..." Garkhen murmured, reprovingly. He turned to the council. "As we said before, we do not think it wise to do so, given the proven powers of the artifact..."

"We are aware," one of the male elves said, "And thus have prepared ourselves. While you may not believe this sufficient, we cannot simply trust your word if we are to support you."

Garkhen sighed, with a slight nod. He looked up at Almonihah.

The half-bronze dragon looked back and forth at the two druids, the council, and then down to Garkhen. Finally he grumbled, "Don't like it..."

"We have little choice, my friend," the Warder replied. 

After a long moment of muttering under his breath, Almonihah said, "Fine. Short look."

Garkhen smiled slightly, then turned back to the council. "We will show you what we bear."

He pulled a small box out of his pack, and slowly walked forward, stopping several paces from the table.Cautiously he undid the latch on the box, and then opened it, revealing the chains binding the multi-hued rock.

The two druids cried out in unison, and the elven councilwoman shot to her feet. "Close it!"

The Warder snapped the box shot and latched it, letting out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. "That is what we seek to destroy."

The two druids looked physically ill, and the councilwoman's face was ashen. "You bear a heavy burden," she stated as Garkhen put the box away. 

Almonihah snorted. "Gotten a lot 'f people killed, too."

"And if it is not destroyed it will kill many more," Garkhen added. 

One of the druids managed to recover his composure well enough to speak. "That... thing must not remain here." He turned to the council. "They have spoken truly about its danger. Whether or not the Mages of Midport may divine the means of its destruction, it must leave."

Several of the council members nodded or voiced agreement. The other elven councilor stood.

“We now see the necessity of your quest, but you must know of our situation. Our ancestors have lived here since before living memory, making a living from the jungles here. But as men built ships and explored the oceans, pirates also followed in their wake. Many times they landed here, and many times we drove them back to the sea.”

“But eventually, they gained a beachhead, and since that time they have expanded their depredations to our own people. We have no access to the sea any longer, for it is their domain, and some of our people they have enslaved.”

At this the dwarf stood. “And some of mine, and some of theirs,” he pointed at the nearest human councilman. “We've been able to free some, but...” he balled up a fist and pounded on the table, “They keep capturing more!”

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I struggle with secondary characters. Hopefully these council people don't seem too flat.

Chapter 10-5

The next morning brought the now-familiar group of villagers, this time with breakfast. After dropping off their loads, the dwarf said, “The council will see you when you're done with breakfast. Fellthien and Gwinthel here,” he gestured at the elven guards, “Will escort you when you are ready.”

“Thank you,” Garkhen said, with a nod at the dwarf.

They ate quickly, then left the fenced yard. Zakhin'Dakh again just stepped over the fence (the guards seemed a bit worried by this). The pair of elves led the three companions through the village, the big griffon looking curiously at everything around him, to a long, low building next to the opposite side of the stockade.

Almonihah looked back at his big friend. “Sorry, don't think you'll fit,” he said.

“Perhaps the doors or a window could be left open?” Garkhen suggested, looking over at the guard next to him.

“You can request such of the council,” the guard replied, opening the door for the two half-dragons.

Grumbling, Almonihah followed Garkhen into the council hall. It was clear the room they entered did not occupy the whole building, but it was still quite sizable. The six council members they had seen before were seated around half the arc of an oval table, facing the entrance. Two men with staves stood slightly to the sides of the table—men Almonihah was almost certain were Druids.

The elven councilwoman stood as they entered, gesturing to a seat and a stool on the other side of the table. “We greet you this morning, with apologies that your griffon friend will not easily fit within our hall.”

Almonihah pointed at the doorway they had entered with his thumb while he walked forward to take a seat. “Could leave th' door open.”

The elf glanced at the other council members, none of whom indicated dissent. She then nodded at the guards at the doors, who stopped closing them and instead opened them wider. Zakhin'Dakh screeched appreciatively and settled down, sticking his head in to watch and listen.

The councilwoman stayed standing until Almonihah and Garkhen had taken their seats, then sat down herself. “We have discussed amongst ourselves, and we have agreed to aid you on a single condition.”

“We must see this artifact you carry.” 

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Dun-dun-dun!

Chapter 10-4

Garkhen sighed. “Yet somehow, I doubt they have ships.”

Almonihah grunted in acknowledgment, but said nothing. After a moment's silence, Zakhin'Dakh screeched, I could fly more!

The half-bronze dragon patted his big friend on the flank. “Too far t' fly, Zakhin'Dakh. You'd get so tired your wings'd fall off 'nd we'd all drown.”

Zakhin'Dakh screeched in disappointment at this news. Garkhen gave the Ranger an odd look, wondering if he'd just got a glimpse of a sense of humor from the usually dour half-bronze dragon. But Almonihah's stoic expression revealed no hint of mirth that the Warder could see.

They spent quite some time in the yard, chatting. At last a pair of elven guards, in company with a human and a dwarf carrying a couple of sacks, approached the small group.

“The council's apologies, but their deliberations are taking... a considerable amount of time,” the dwarf announced. “While you wait, we have come with a meal.”

He and his human companion came up to the fence and lifted their sacks over it. Garkhen stood and walked over, accepting them with a quiet, “Thank you.”

“You'll be informed as soon as the council has come to a decision, but...” the dwarf looked up at the sun, already on its way down, “I would not count on that being today. Will you need bedding for the night?”

“I would appreciate whatever you can provide,” Garkhen stated.

Almonihah shrugged. “Don't need it. 'nd Zakhin'Dakh's fine with th' ground, too.” The griffon nodded in agreement with a cheerful chirp.

“Right, well, we'll see what we can scrounge up. Not exactly used to friendly visitors here, not least... ones so unusual,” the dwarf said, seeming a bit embarrassed. With that, he waved a farewell, and he and his companions went back to their business in the village.

The sacks held simple fare—some fruits and nuts from the village, and a fair-sized piece of meat that was enough to make Zakhin'Dakh content for the time being. After their meal, Almonihah stood up and started going through combat drills while Zakhin'Dakh watched. Garkhen was... less than enthused about this activity, but when none of the villagers seemed concerned by it, determined it was better than the restless pacing Almonihah sometimes resorted to while waiting, and settled down himself to watch and rest.

Near sunset, the same pair came with a couple sacks of ferns (“Sorry, the best we can do on short notice like this.”) for bedding, then left the three friends again. Garkhen arranged them as comfortably as he could in the small building after the sun finished setting. Zakhin'Dakh settled down in the grassy yard and soon fell asleep, and Almonihah propped himself up against a corner and shut his eyes.   

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Yep, just a quiet, short section while I work on homework. 

Chapter 10-3

After a moment of shock, the other councilors all burst out into arguments at once, their voices blending into a cacophony of senseless noise. After another moment, it died down, as discipline overcame their first instincts to object.

Once they had restored order among themselves, the louder of the two humans said, “Perhaps it would be best to discuss this in more... comfortable environs. It is clear we must at least allow these... people into our village.”

The other councilors nodded in agreement, and soon the elves who had watched them on their way here materialized out of the forest around the three friends to guide them in less hostile fashion. For all this, though, there was much mistrust in their gazes as the odd group made its way through the jungle.

Almonihah watched those around him with equal mistrust. He knew they'd been ready to shoot him just a few minutes ago, and he didn't doubt they'd be just as willing to do it now if their leaders decided they should. He just wondered why they were all elves when half of the councilors hadn't been—maybe only the elves came out to hunt?

The Ranger also noted the way these elves moved. Zrathanzon was half-elf, and so the half-bronze dragon had learned something of elves from his mentor. But these elves were not like any Almonihah had seen or heard of before. The elves he knew of were lords and ladies, or merchants and craftsmen, or farmers and laborers. These... they moved like the jungle was the only home they'd ever known. Were they natives of this island? And if so, why did they differ so much from their kin on the mainland?

Garkhen caught none of this, but he did watch how the councilors spoke among themselves. It seemed that the female elf held some seniority or authority above the others, but that did not mean they agreed with her. The non-elves seemed to be arguing the hardest—including the dwarf, in contrast to his comparative quiet earlier. But he didn't know who was arguing for which point.

Zakhin'Dakh didn't really understand what was going on. He thought these other people were threatening his friends, but they weren't fighting, so he guessed everything was okay.

It took a couple more hours before they reached their destination. It was heralded first by a thick layer of underbrush, which their guides led them through in an odd pattern that Almonihah realized was probably done to hide tracks.

At last they broke out of the underbrush and came face-to-face with a rough stockade. The front of their group was already entering a nearby gate, and their guides soon led the three friends in behind them. Behind the stockade was a village of surprising size, its homes oddly elegant compared to the rough nature of the stockade protecting them. They still had a certain roughness to them, but the wood was carefully worked and closely fit.

Almonihah and Garkhen were led over to a small building with a large, fenced yard.

“You will stay here while the council deliberates,” one of their guards told them. “You may stay in the yard,” he added, looking at Zakhin'Dakh.

The griffon, pleased at being addressed individually, perked up and nodded his head with a cheery chirp, then jumped over the fence and settled down in the yard. Almonihah followed, while Garkhen went inside the building.

He came out to join his two friends after a few moments. “It is empty,” the Warder stated. “I do not think they intend for us to stay long.”

Almonihah shrugged. “Don't really want t' stay.”

Garkhen nodded. “Indeed. I only hope that they will aid us, for we are in sore need of help.”

The Ranger snorted. “Could say that.”

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Sorry for missing the post last week! I'm still getting my schedule for this semester figured out. I'm rather looking forward to being done...

Chapter 10-2

Try as he might, Almonihah could catch only glimpses of their captors. He could tell they were all around his friends as they led them through the jungle, but they moved like they were part of the trees. All that Garkhen or Zakhin'Dakh could keep track of was the voice ahead of them, telling them which way to go.

Eventually they stopped, in a patch of jungle that seemed much like the others.

“You will wait here,” their guide said, still concealed in the underbrush ahead of them, “While I go and inform the council of your presence.”

And with that, he was gone. They waited for a long, tense time... maybe an hour, Almonihah guessed. At last someone returned... and this time they showed their faces.

A small party of people—three elves, two humans, and even a dwarf—emerged from the jungle. The elves moved like their brethren, unseen and unheard until they chose to reveal themselves. The other three... well, they weren't as bad as Garkhen or Zakhin'Dakh, but the elves certainly put their skills to shame.

“Well!” The dwarf exclaimed as he made his way into view. “This is quite the little group, eh?”

“Well-armed, clearly dangerous,” one of the humans remarked, looking at the two half-dragons and the griffon suspiciously.

“The bronze one moves as if elf-trained,” one of the three elves commented—their guide, from his voice.

Another of the elves, the only female of the group, held up her hand as if to stop the discussion. “We will hear them out before making our judgments,” she firmly stated.

“Yes,” the third elf agreed. “What brings so unusual a group to our shores?”

“Javni'Tolkhrah,” Almonihah stated, flatly. “Madness-Touched. Big one attacked our ship, so we drew it off 'nd landed here.”

“Why didn't you return to your ship?” The suspicious human asked.

Almonihah glanced over at Garkhen. He didn't really want to talk about it...

Garkhen sighed. “We carry something that we wish to destroy, which seems to attract such creatures.”

That caused some rapid discussion amongst the small group.

“We certainly don't want something like that here!” The suspicious human said, loudly enough for the three to hear.

The other human, quiet until now, spoke up. “And yet such a thing would hardly be less dangerous in the hands of the pirates.”

“I don't know, maybe it'd get some of them eaten!”

Things continued in this vein for a while, until the female elf again cut the rest of the group off. Once they were quiet, she turned to Garkhen.

“What is the nature of this item you carry?” She asked. “It seems we shall decide little without knowing more of it.”

“Dangerous,” Almonihah stated, scowling. “Not safe t' talk about.”

“It... has shown the ability to tamper with memories and desires, yes,” Garkhen said to his friend, “But I think speaking of it is safe, so long as we do not remove it from its protections.” He turned to the group questioning them. “We do not know its true nature, save that it is difficult to destroy and possessed of considerable chaotic powers. We know not how to destroy it, for which purpose we were going to the mages of Midport. And we have had no desire to experiment with its powers. But it seems capable of drawing the Madness-Touched to it of its own accord.”

“We have no more desire to bring trouble upon you than you have to receive it, but we have no way to safely dispose of it. I fear that, were it cast into the ocean or deep in the earth, it would twist the animals or the soil itself to its purposes. We must destroy it... we need only know how.”

Almonihah growled, unhappy at how much Garkhen had revealed... but it was too late now.

The six were silent for a long moment, taking in what the half-blue dragon had said. At last the elven woman looked at her companions. All nodded at her, though the louder human seemed reluctant.

She turned back to the three companions. “Then we must aid you.” 

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Gasp! Help? But can they trust it? 

Chapter 10-1

Chapter 10: The Price of Shipping

“The ends do not justify the means, nor the means the ends. That the goal was righteous does not excuse evil deeds, nor do good deeds cover an evil heart.”

“And yet does this mean that evil deeds can never be done to stop a greater evil? My heart says no, but my mind...”

It wasn't long before Zakhin'Dakh wanted to hunt. Almonihah wanted to get further from where they'd been spotted, however, so he urged his friend to fly a little further.

When he spotted some prey below, however... there was no stopping him.

Almonihah kept a wary eye out for any pursuit while Zakhin'Dakh ate and Garkhen stretched his legs. He doubted anyone could follow them very quickly through that thick of jungle, but... it never hurt to be sure.

Zakhin'Dakh had just about finished eating when the Ranger heard a soft sound. He nocked an arrow and raised his bow... only to spot three arrows pointed at him.

“Your ears are keen, dragon-man,” an elven voice said. “But you are outnumbered, and our arrows fly true. Put down your weapons.”

Almonihah growled softly, and Zakhin'Dakh growled much more loudly. Looking around, Garkhen raised his hands.

“My friends, I do not think it wise to fight...”

Almonihah just bared his teeth in response... but slowly, he lowered his bow, and stored his arrow back in his quiver. Zakhin'Dakh kept a wary eye on all the arrows pointed at them, but he stopped growling.

“Now,” the elven voice said, “You will follow us, and we will see what we should do with you.”

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Yeah, a short post because I had too much fun with my time off. But hey, another cliffhanger!