Book 8: Chapter 30
A dream without image or sound was still a dream if you knew you were having it. Each time, he did, and it was a welcome dream.
Not a happy dream. Not agood dream. But not a bad dream, either. So he clung to it. Hoping each second would last a bit longer. Until he woke.
The dream without anything was preferable to seeing something. It was about half-and-half that he got that kind of rest. So when the Gnoll sat up automatically, before the dawn broke, he felt glad.
Chief Warrior Merish heard rustling around his small yurt; comfortable, large enough to do a small circle around in, and as plush as you could want, really. It was packed with pillows, blankets, enough so that he had complained on seeing that he didnt need the bed; he could lie on the blankets and stay several feet off the ground.
Someone stopped just outside the tent flaps. They sensed Merish waking up; or just knew him. A furry head poked through the flaps. A grin; russet brown fur with a bit of red, like his. Unlike his though, there was no blue and white dye in a warriors pattern, magic, the source of part of his powers.
His sisters fur was just fur, and for a second she reminded him of a giant squirrel, poking her head through to smile at him.
Merish, another good morning! Did I wake you?
No.
Good! ThenSveha, Ikl. Your uncle is awake, yes? You can be louder.
Merish heard a rustling sound, and then something small and even more squirrel-like popped through the tent flaps.
Yay! Uncle!
Sveha and Ikl, the two children of Merishs sister charged into his tent. They leapt onto the bedding and the big Gnolluntil their mother called them back.
I didnt say you could attack your uncle! Behave!
Its fine, Khaze.
Merish got up, and stared at the two little Gnoll cubs rolling around. They sat up obediently, and he looked at little Sveha, still running around on all fours, and her older brother, Ikl.
Khaze sighed, but in the next moment she was smiling again. She led Merish out of the guest-tent in their subclan, part of the great Plains Eye Tribe that was camped at the Meeting of Tribes.
Around Merish was a sea of tents, and Gnolls rising to greet the pre-dawn day. Many still slept, but it reminded him of an armys campand not of one at the exact same time. So many tents, but lacking the military straightness, the layout he was used to. At the same time
Two Gnolls rolled out of the tent behind him. Merish and Khaze turned. His younger sisters children literally rolled out, doing somersaults forward until they got dizzy and lay on the ground. Merish just stared at them. Khaze snorted with laughter.
You two are too silly. Where did you learn that from?
Uncle Viri!
Merish blinked. Uncle? Khaze, though, just laughed again.
He would do that.
She wasnt perturbed by it, so Merish said nothing. He stood in the middle of the tents, the hustle and bustle, and realized he didnt have his axe. He wore only a loincloth; he didnt need armor with his shaman markingshe was a [Shamanic Warrior], after allbut a weapon was different.
He almost went back into the tent for it. Almost. Then stopped himself, deliberately. Hedidnt need it.
Well, I hoped you were up. Ikl, Sveha, get more baskets. Twono, three. Viri will be up soon, and Ikl and you can share.
I dont want to carry it!
Ikl protested, but he was already running off. Merish looked around. He felt lost. He didnt have morning duties, unlike his sister. He was a returning warrior from abroad. From Rhir.
A war hero, they called him. Which meant he had nothing to do, unlike his sister. Yet it seemed today she wasnt preparing for her usual job[Knife-edge Slicer].
An odd class, to non-Gnolls especially. What it meant waswell, that Khaze was an expert in using knives in a variety of cutting tasks. Not combat, but butchering, cutting up ingredients for both food and alchemy, cutting fabricanything you could want in a vast tribe like this. It was the sort of class you didnt really get in cities unless you worked all kinds of jobs.
Today, though, she handed Merish a basket. He gave it a blank look.
Whats this?
His sister gave him a sheepish look and put one finger to her lips as her children ran up. She looked around for a [Shaman] and whispered conspiratorially.
I know youre on vacation, Merish, but you would help your sister gather some plants, wouldnt you? Theres some fine plants to be picked today, and I need every paw I can grabespecially since few are awake at this hour!
She had another basket and her children had two. Merish stared at the gathering basket, which he hadnt used for over a decade, since earning his warrior markings. He didnt mind the task, but he had to point out something he thought Khaze had forgotten. He gestured around at the tents. They stretched as far as the eye could see and hundreds of cook-fires were already beginning to glow.
This was only a fraction of the Meeting of Tribes, though. Soon, there would be countless tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of Gnolls mingling and mixing. Tribes from across Izril had come. Perhaps there were millions of Gnolls here?
An army. He forced the comparison away and looked at Khaze.
Gather what? Were at the Meeting of Tribes, Khaze. Even the grass is being stomped flat.
She laughed at him and slapped Merish on the shoulder.
I know thatbut the Gaarh Marsh tribe and three others got up to something last night. Now there are plants blooming everywhere! Edible ones as well as pretty flowers! A nice present, yes?
The Gnoll blinked. He looked around and saw it was true. Unlike yesterday, the grass and dirt from so much activity had changed. A little plant had shot up overnight right next to his tent. He walked over as Khaze brought out a little bulls-eye lantern and shone it down. Merish squatted down and stared.
Thats a tomato.
The tomato plant sat there, three full-grown tomatoes hanging from the plant, which was already sagging under the weight. Khaze happily grabbed all three and yanked them off the plant.
And thats breakfast, yes? Why are you looking so surprised, Merish? [Shamans] and their tricks. Hrm. Youre still talking like a City Gnoll, too!
Merish glanced up at her as Ikl and Sveha begged for a bite, complaining they hadnt had food yet! Khaze assured them they would get breakfastafter gathering the unexpected plant bounty.
It was the second time shed told him he was speaking differently.
Merish still felt like a Plains Gnoll, but his accent had changed, much to his bemusement. He had grown used to being told he spoke funny by other species thanks to his rolling rs and some of the idiosyncrasies of Gnollish expressions, like how yes was both affirmative and indication of goodness, but it seemed to Gnolls from home, he had an accent.
Years abroad in Rhir had done that. Merish shook his head. Everything had changed. Sveha had been a baby, and Ikl had been younger than she was when he left. He had been eager, even ambitious, anddifferent.
He had come back with scars, quiet, to hear his friends and sister say it, with nightmares and stories of horror and war. And with Viri. The Plains Eye [Warriors] who had gone with him had come back too.
Eight of them. Many times more had gone, from many tribes. Many had gone again, to avenge the fallen. In that sense, Merish was among the lucky ones.
Commander Cirille was dead. So was Uxel. Delezza. Vorn, Lacten
Merish. Merish!
He blinked. His sister was poking him in the side. He stared at her. She grinned, and he realized hed spaced out.
Take Sveha and Ikl with you. I would, but Im going to fight for the rare cooking ingredients! I have to run, many thanks!
Wait, but I dont even know what Im looking f
She was already gone, jogging off on a quest to find something nice. Merish stared down at the tomato plant. It stared up at him, denuded of the tomatoes, probably fated to wither away or be stepped on.
Youve taken my fruit. Leave me alone, you monster.
He looked after his sister, who was shooing Sveha and Ikl back towards him. Because they were too slow to elbow other Gnolls away from rubyroot plants and the like.
Uncle! Mother says we have to stay with you!
Sveha padded back over and sat there. Ikl yawned, blinking up at Merish. He looked around helplessly, almost amused, exasperated at Khaze. She hadnt changed. She left him with her children, as if she was a cub still and foisting dishwashing duty onto him. Merish sighed, but inwardly, he smiled.
Why it didnt translate to a smile on his face, he didnt know.
Why is there a carrot outside my tent? Is this a prank? Ahoy! Merish! Sveha! Ikl! Its meeeeeee
Someone shouted. Merish, Ikl, and Sveha looked aroundthen up. A loud, exuberant voice cut through the quiet morning. A little figure bounced from the tent hed hopped out of, and flew through the air like a giant grasshopper. Sveha and Ikl stared up, open-mouthed, though theyd seen Viri many times before.
The Lizardman hopped through the air and landed, planting his stick on the ground. He grinned, leaning on it as his one leg planted itself on the ground. He had only a stump for his second leg, but Viri hadnt changed.
Uncle Viri! I want to go hopping!
No, me!
Ikl pushed his sister away. Viri hugged Sveha and Ikl and grinned.
Merish! Theres a carrot over there. How did it get there?
Viri could still smile. He pointed at the carrot sprouting from the ground in front of his tent, laughing with delight at it. Merish had to explain.
Were gathering plants. A [Shaman] made them sprout.
Really? Wow! That sounds like fun! Lets go!
The Lizardman hopped around excitedly, taking a basket from Sveha. He didnt moan about the hour; other Gnolls were doing that, but they were used to the Lizardman, the foreigner from Baleros. Merishs friend from Rhir.
A survivor of 5th Wall. That was what Merish couldnt explain to Khaze. Oh, she knew enough. He had spared her all the details, but his tribe knewand didnt know.
5th Wall. It had come to be a phrase, almost like a password. If you understood what it meantit was because you had been there. Merish went to gather plants on a day in the wondrous Meeting of Tribes, with his family, Viri.
He still felt like he was standing there, on distant Rhir.
-
Uncle, why do [Shamans] make plants appear?
Sveha let Merish carry her as he trudged along. Viri was hopping with Ikl, who was trying to copy the Lizardman as they bounced from plant to plant. The blooms were everywhere. Merish stared at a sunflower taller than he was and gingerly plucked the entire head and tossed it into the basket. Sveha sniffed it, then looked up at him.
Yeah, why do they do it, Merish? We dont have [Shamans]. Our Nagas have all kinds of magicbut this is more like Centaur stuff. Dullahans are mostly [Geomancers] and stuff. Maybe its a [Druid] thing. But why plants?
Viri looked expectant too. Merish shrugged.
As part of a way to demonstrate the power of their tribes, I suppose. Impress the others. A fun activity.
Viri nodded. Sveha, on the other hand, looked up.
Why can [Shamans] make plants grow?
Because they have the tribes magic.
Why does the tribe have magic?
Merish looked down at Sveha.
Everyone has magic, Sveha.
Why does everyone have magic?
Merish was stumped by that one. Sveha was little, and curious. She asked why so many times he felt like a [Shaman] himself.
How about we find more plants? You can ask your mother about that later. Can you smell anything interesting, Sveha?
And Khaze can deal with existential questions about magic. Merish was a [Shamanic Warrior], but he didnt have time for an hour-long lecture about harnessing magical power. Sveha nodded. She cast around, sniffing, and then pointed.
There! Smells good!
All three gatherers trusted Svehas nose. She was a Level 2 [Sniffer], a childs class, so her sense of smell was even more acute than other children. Merish jogged over, seeing more Gnolls eagerly grabbing plants. They were arguing already.
That pumpkin is on our tribes land, friend.
But I was uprooting it before you came along, good fellow Gnoll, yes? This is a bounty for all.
So why dont we share it?
Two friendly Gnolls were arguing over a huge pumpkin. Merish took his group around what might be an impending fight, and saw a tiny flower. He blinked.
Good nose, Sveha. I think this is valuable.
Instantly, both arguing Gnolls looked over. They were from different tribes. Sveha stared down at the purple flower with the red pistils.
It smells good. What is it?
I think its useful. Viri, do you recognize this?
The Lizardman hopped over.
Nope!
He announced triumphantly. Ikl, surprisingly, identified it.
Thats saffron! Mother said to grab it.
Well, it goes into the basket, then.
The non-native plants to Izril were growing thanks to the [Shaman]s magic. Merish grabbed the entire flower and decided to uproot all of it.
Hey! Thats on the Decles Tribes land
One of the Gnolls began to stride over. Merish straightened and the Gnoll hesitated. He looked at Merish, who outweighed him, out-heighted him, and certainly out-leveled him.
Merish, whose fur glowed with magical markings. The Gnoll blinked.
But the Plains Eye Tribe is a friend of ours! Why dont we share everything? Heres your pumpkin, friend.
He backed off. Merish was amusedhe would have split the saffron flower if the Gnoll insisted. Viri chortled.
This is why you have to have a Merish.
He whispered slyly to Ikl, who gave his uncle a proud look. Embarrassedhe hadnt meant to intimidate the other GnollMerish hurried off with Sveha.
More Gnolls joined the search, exclaiming over plants that had popped out everywhere. Merish wondered how long they had to gather; until they filled their baskets, he decided. They were almost done when Ikl pointed.
Look! Therere some nice plants! Ill get them!
He ran over, ahead of other Gnolls to secure a spot. By now it was a competition. Hed found a patch of plants with fat fruits. Merish glanced at him, then his eyes narrowed and he snapped.
Herthee! Ikl dont touch that.
Some other Gnolls looked around. A male Gnoll blinked.
Herthee? Grab it!
The Gnoll boy froze, one paw raised. He looked from the Gnoll to Merish, confused. So did the other Gnolls picking the herbs.
Viri eyed the plant, hopping over.
Whats Herthee and why are we grabbing and not grabbing it?
Merish trotted over to confirm he was right. He squatted down and eyed the bush-like growth.
The long, almost stalk-like plant of Herthee was strange. It was bright yellow turning to a healthy greenish white at the roots, with fat, appealing seeds that could be larger than your fist. Fleshy, a tangy yellow that when split open, looked almost like the inside of golden flatbread, but puffy and chewy. They hung from the stalks on miniature branches, inviting anything to just come over and eat it.
It is Herthee! You should grab it, friend.
The other Gnoll came over. He didnt have markings, but he had a triangular cap on. He gave Merish a friendly nod, which the Gnoll returned. Sveha looked at Merish.
Why dont you want it, Uncle? Does it taste bad?
Merish shook his head. It was a vegetable, and the looks didnt actually deceive. Herthee tasted as good as it looked. The trouble was that it was also deadly.
Nobut it has side effects.
The [Shamanic Warrior] glanced at the other Gnoll. The hat-wearing Herthee supporter shrugged.
Its not that bad.
Merish begged to differ. If you ate the Herthee seeds, you experienced the secret poison in the plant, which allowed it to harvest the corpses of those who thought theyd found an easy meal.
Your tongue swelled up and you choked to death. A horrible way to go. Death by suffocation, rightly giving the plant its dreaded reputation among small, foraging animals.
Gnoll-sized people were by and large resistant to Herthees effects. Youd get a fat tongue and be in danger if you really gulped them down, but they were mostly annoying.
Even so, no one wanted a swollen, slightly irritated tongue for the next two hours, so Herthee had a dubious place in the culinary world. If you had anti-allergen Skills or knew how to neutralize the effectsor were just desperate or hungryit was for you.
Ikl, youll puff up if you bite it. I once had a tongue so big I had to breathe through my nose and keep my mouth open because it wouldnt fit. For six hours straight.
His [Shaman] had laughed so hard shed nearly passed out. The others snorted and Viri almost fell over, laughing. Ikl backed away, but the hat-wearing Gnoll encouraged Merish.
Any good [Cook] can deal with it. Id gather it, friendsbut my basket is full.
He indicated his basket, which was full of the damned Herthee. Merish bared his teeth.
We will, then. Good idea, friend. Welladd it to the gathered produce if our camp doesnt want them.
The Gnoll smiled as Merish and Ikl plucked the seed. He waved and headed back to wherever his tribe was. When he was out of eye and earshot, Merish dumped all of the Herthee into Ikls basket and turned to the boy.
Ikl, take all of them and toss them in the nearest fire.
The Gnoll boy nodded and ran off. Merish sighed.
Lets go back to Khaze.
They found only one more plant on the way back, another plant more endemic to Izril than the rare saffron. This time, Merish brightened up because unlike Herthee, he actually liked this plant.
Lyepeppers. Viri! Come take a look. You too, Sveha. You will like this.
Both Lizardman and Gnoll girl watched as Merish hurried over and began to pluck the fat peppers. Both gave Merish a very dubious look.
Uncle. Those are bad.
Yeah. Are you sure thats not poison, Merish?
Viri pointed to the peppers. They resembled the tooth-like peppers you could find in other varieties, fat and fully-grown. The difference waswell, the coloration.
The Lyepeppers were a mix of colors, each so bright as to seem artificial. One was bright red with green spots that almost looked like warts on it. Another was distinctly yellow, with tiny blue dots as if it was sick. If there was any unhealthy or poisonous lookit was that.
Lyepeppers arent bad, Sveha.
Merish assured his niece. He offered her one, but Sveha, normally eager to bite any snack or treat, even dirt, closed her mouth.
They have spots. I was eating this thing, but not this with spots and Mommy said no.
The Gnoll girl stared up at Merish as if that last sentence made sense and had a conclusion. Her gaze somehow managed to convey accusation for Merish going against Khazes rule against spotted plants.
He tried to explain and reassure her.
Lyepeppers areliars, Sveha. Only Lyepeppers are edible, even though they look like
He showed her a purple, striped Lyepepper crossed with an unhealthy orange.
They try to trick you. Theyre good, see? Just be careful; they do mix with weedser, bad plants. So you break a bit off and rub it on your skin. Under your fur. If you dont get itchy, its probably a good Lyepepper. So you take a little bite and wait. And then
He gave up on the survival explanation because she was giving him an even more mistrustful look.
We have [Cooks] who can appraise all the ingredients. So well gather it all.
The little girl watched Merish and Viri pluck the rest of the peppers. She didnt like themor her empty stomach.
I want Mommy!
She scrunched up her face, casting around and glaring at Merish, but Khaze was nowhere to be seen.
Well find her.
I want her now.
Her face turned dangerously upset. Merish sighed, and looked for Khaze, but before Sveha could start crying, a claw tapped her on the shoulder.
Sveha. Psst, Sveha.
She looked around. Viri popped up beside her.
Bleargh!
He made a huge face, sticking out his tongue and making his eyes wide as possible.
Sveha just stared at him. Viri stared back. Neither one laughed. After a second, Viri dropped the face.
How about a Lyepepper? Look, isnt it funny?
He offered her one that seemed like it had a face on it, a unique striped look. Sveha grabbed the pepper.
No!
She hurled it away, grumpily. Viri cried out.
Nooo! My pepper! What are you doing, you mad child?
He hopped after it, waving his one arm in dismay. Sveha peeked after him, and to Merishs relief, began giggling. Viri came back, a mighty frown on his face.
Okay, I got it and it looks good. But promise me you wont throw it again, okay? Hereput it in the basket.
He handed the pepper to Sveha. She picked it up, stared at it, and then at Viri. He waited.
She tossed the pepper.Yôur favorite stories at novelhall.com
My pepper! How could you?
The Lizardman leapt in horror, splatted comically on the ground, and rolled over until he could grab it. He pushed himself up and began hopping back.
Okay. Sveha? I need you to put it into the basket. Hereno, dont!
Away the pepper flew. Viri chased after it, brought it back, and didnt seem to understand what would happen next if he handed it to Sveha. The little Gnoll girl forgot her tantrum and began laughing in delight as the little Lizardman grew increasingly more dismayed.
Dont throw it away again!
The poor pepper! Oh no!
Nagas help me! Shes gone mad! Shes throwing my pepper! Merish, stop her!
-
By the time they got back, Sveha was panting from laughing too hard. Khaze laughed herself as Ikl waved at them.
I was told you got rid of some Herthee, Merish? Good job! Remember when your tongue looked like a slug? Sveha! Are you making poor Uncle Viri chase after your pepper?
I dont mind, Miss Khaze!
The Lizardman hopped over, a huge smile on his face. She looked at him appreciatively.
You are so good with cubs.
Everyone liked Viri. The cheerful little [Longstick Jumper] had ingratiated himself into the tribe on the first day hed met them. Khaze took Merishs basket.
Ooh, you found saffron? Well done. LyepeppersSveha, stop throwing that.
The Gnoll girl looked disappointed that the game was over, but she hopefully stared at the cooking station set up. Breakfast was going to be more special than the regular; Khaze was chopping up some of the findings and preparing a pot. She gestured at the table.
Put everything on there and well see what else we can put in. We have some goatI just need to make a fine stew around it. How do tomatoes sound? Tomatoes andwhere are my spices?
She looked around. Merish set the basket down as Sveha whined.
I want beef.
Goat is fine. Dont whine, Sveha.
Her mother, exasperated, looked at Merish.
Children. She complains about the type of meat, never mind that we get it every breakfast.
The [Shamanic Warrior] felt his lips move up. He smiled, for the first time that day.
As I recall, Khaze, you used to throw beef jerky on the ground because it was too salty.
She blushed under her fur.
I was just
Boom. Merish saw a flash out of the corner of his eye as he heard a sound. Viri screamed.
Spell
The [Shamanic Warrior] whirled. He looked up and saw an unnatural flash cross the heavens. A spell. An attack.
Lights fell down from the sky.
A second dawn; a false one, tricking the defenders of 5th Wall into believing they had survived the night of Demons.
It only brought oblivion as Merish looked up, seeing the Demon soldiers fade to nothing and realizing he had battled an army of ghosts. His companions, friends fallen to aspell.
It took Cirille as he watched. A flash from above, something hidden beyond the clouds. Then she and everyone around her were gone. That brave Drake who had led themgone in a second. Before she even saw their foes face.
The Death of Magic.
Merish. Merish!
For a second, the voices were intermingled, the shouting from his warriorsMerish was on 5th Wall. Thenhe was back in reality.
He came to his senses. The Gnoll was panting raggedly. He heard Khazes voice, shocked.
Merish?
Merish was crouched behind the upended food preparation table, the hard-gathered ingredients lying on the ground, utensils and dishes overturned.
Gnolls gathered around cooking fires were staring. Viri was flat on the ground. Everyone else, from Khaze to Ikl and his clan were justlooking at Merish. He straightened, then flinched as another boom echoed in the air. He turned to see the flash
A silly little face, a cartoonish Drake, floated overhead. Mage lights. Someone was artificially darkening the air and shooting up spells into the sky. A [Merchant] or someone with a wand, perhaps. Not [Shaman] spells. Merish stared up at the lights. Then at the table.
I
He heard a small sound. Then he looked down and saw Sveha.
She was lying next to the table. Sveha was whimpering, curled up and holding her leg. HedMerish saw her staring at him.
Uncle. Uncleyou threw me! He
Then she began to howl. Khaze instantly raced over to her and scooped her up.
Its alright, Sveha. Show me your leg. Its just bruised? Merish didnt mean to do it. It was just
Merish stood there, staring at Sveha. He walked over, but she wailed and swung a paw at him, and Khaze fished for a potion.
I dont have a healing potion. Sveha, its not bad! One second
I have one. Let me
Merish was blocked as something hit his leg. He looked down. Ikl had seen his sister crying. The little Gnoll boy began to punch Merishs leg as hard as he could, snarling.
Ikl! Enough!
Khaze shouted at her son. Viri was getting up. He looked at Merish. The Gnoll looked at Khaze, at the others coming over to pick up the fallen goods. Khaze met his eyesthen hurried for a potion. Merish stood there, trying to say something. Explain? In the end, he could only look at Khaze, and repeat himself.
Im sorry.
-
When he dreamed of nothing, it was welcome. The alternative was nightmares.
Blood and terror. Hacking down a Demon [Soldier] in his way. Turning. Hearing the bang. Ser Vorn falling.
Light from the sky.
He woke up with his fur matted with sweat, howling a cry to arms. Seeing light flash down from the heavens.
It was another day. Merish woke before dawn, the day after the disaster with Sveha. No Khaze to greet him. He wondered how upset she was. Understandablyor was she giving him space?
Of course, the day went on after the incident in the morning. But it colored everything. What had he done after that? Merish washed his face, wondering if hed woken anyone up. Then againhis clan might be used to it by now.
He stared into the bowl with water taken from a flask. The Gnoll found he couldnt actually remember. Hed done something. Eaten. Gone around with Viri, maybe?
The world was grey, sometimes. He forgot what he was doing. He feltout of place, no matter where he was, even with his sister. He was glad he wasnt with the entire clan; shamefully, Merish was glad his mother didnt see him like this, which was part of the reason why he had volunteered to join the Meeting of Tribes.
He wondered, if his father had been alivewhat he would have said. Maybe he would have understood. Merishs father had been a [Shamanic Warrior] too, and even if he had never gone to Rhir
The Gnoll did not leave his tent for a while. He sat, rummaging through his things. He nearly reached for his enchanted axeleft it be. After the incident with Sveha, he didnt trust himself with it. No accident had been fatal, or injured people beyond Svehas leg. But if it did?
Merish unfolded a bit of costly paper. He sat, cross-legged, and conjured a bit of light from his fur markings. The pattern lit up his dark yurt, giving him ample light to read by. A beautiful pattern. He didnt look at it.
I still feel like I am at 5th Wall. I have to go back and settle things there. For Commander Cirille. If you choose to come back, there will be a place for you with us.
The writing was neat, cursive, and Merish had found it hard to read at first. Yet hed read it so many times he could recite the letter by heart.
Captain Shellc. Nohadnt he been promoted? Merishs finger traced down the letter.
Ah, yes. It said here. [Swordgrace Major] Shellc. Merish stared at the letter and thought about it again.
If you choose to come back
Would that be for the best? He had leveled too, even if he hadnt changed his class. Their reward for surviving the massacre was to level faster than anyone else. Merish had left, to come back home. Perhaps he would leave? What would Khaze and his family say?
Merish folded the letter. Then he went to wake up Viri. It was just a hunchbut it proved to be correct.
The day after seeing the lights-show, Viri did not emerge from his guest-tent beaming and smiling like normal. He was thrashing in his sheets, crying out. Merish heard him even before he pushed back the thick fabric. Viri was shouting in his sleep, like Merish.
Call the charge, Uxel! Uxel! Where are
His face was twisted up, and his legs were kicking. Both legsthe whole one and the stump. Merish reached down.
Viri. Youre dreaming. Viri
He touched the little Lizardman and Viris eyes opened wide. He looked at Merish and cried out.
Demon!
He slept with his staff by his side. The little staff blurred.
Viri struck at Merish three times with his staff in a fraction of a second, so fast the Gnoll couldnt block the third blow. Merish stumbled, his head ringing with the impact. Viri dragged himself upthen, like Merishcame back.
Merish? INagas
He reached out, but Merish waved him away.
Im fine. You were having a nightmare.
Iwas.
Viri swayedthen fell over. He stared at his missing leg. Then he curled up.
Im sorry, Merish. Cancan you leave me alone for a moment?
Merish nodded. Without a word, he backed up and left the tent. He heard Viri crying before he swung the flaps closed.
What a wonderful day in the Meeting of Tribes.
Merish stood in the darkness, shoulders hunched. Head bowed. He waited for somethingfor Viri to emerge. For something to happen.
It was someone else who came to find him. Merishs head rose. He saw someone walk towards him, straightened, and then dipped his head.
Chieftain.
Merish did not kneel or bow, but he was surprised. This was not his clans leader, but the [Chieftain] of the Plains Eye Tribe.
Chieftain Xherw smiled. One of the greatest [Chieftains] of Gnolls here or anywhere walked forwards, out of the night. No bodyguards or escortnot among his tribe.
Merish. I hoped to speak with you. Is now a bad time?
He could hear Viri too. Merish hesitated, then stepped away.
No, [Chieftain]. Of course not. Is something wrong?
Not with the tribe, Merish. Walk with me.
Xherw gestured, and Merish fell into step with him, walking through the camp. He looked at Xherw, sidelong.
The Gnoll had dark fur, almost black, but with faint lines of silver breaking the uniform fur. He was not as tall as Merish, and he was certainly far older. Twice Merishs thirty three years, nearly.
He wore a [Chieftain]s garb. Lightweight, free clothing, like most Plains Gnolls wore, but ancient cloth, still perfectly maintained by magic. Practically relics unto themselves; the Raiment of the Plains. They were decorated with motifs of their tribe, and the cloth was probably stronger than Vorns steel plate had been.
Xherw also carried a light hand axe, for throwing or close combat. It wasnt the spear he would take to battle; just decoration at the Meeting of Tribes. His pawed feet were bare, as were Merishs, and if you could not see the power of the magic he wore, he might look almost normal.
That was just physical appearance, though. The Chieftain of the Plains Eye Tribe was more than just his looks. Where he walked, you felt it. Merish could feel it.
It was like walking besidesolemnity. A temporal disturbance. Gnolls looked up, or came out of their tents, feeling it even from afar. They called out, waved.
Chieftain!
Xherw waved at them, calling greetings, but led Merish away from the tents, and the Meeting of Tribes itself. If he was careless, he could wake up everyone within a hundred feet of him just by walking past them as they slept.
It was the power of Merishs [Chieftain]. That he had come here was humbling, and Merish wanted to know if hed heard about Sveha, or
Well. He was respectfully silent as they walked away from the Plains Eye camp, past sentries, into the Great Plains. It was dark, and the two Gnolls strode along at a good clip. Only when they were truly alone, and the wind blew in a distant gale across the dark plains did Xherw speak.
It is beautiful, isnt it? Is Rhir so, Merish? I have seen images on the scrying orbsbut never been.
Merish hadnt expected that. He looked across the flat Great Plains, which stretched out in every direction as far as the eye could see. Flat land, that made you want to run forever. OnceMerish would have raced into that distance.
He thought of Rhir.
It is different, Chieftain. No part of Rhir save the Blighted Lands is not in some way managed. They have glorious fields, tall structures. Beautiful and deadlybut it is like walking through an armory. The walls are magnificent, but Rhir is all geared to war.
I see. Some beauty there.
Xherw paused, and the two Gnolls slowed. Merish waited, trying a few different sentences out in his mind, but he couldnt break the silence.
He was a [Chief Warrior]. This was the [Chieftain] of the Plains Eye Tribe, far beyond him. Normally, [Chief Warrior] was a rank close to [Chieftain], but the Plains Eye Tribe was different.
It was one of the largest tribes of Izril. It had so many Gnolls in it, hundreds of thousands, that it rivaled Drake cities in population alone. Accordingly, it had many clans which were all part of a greater whole. Xherw commanded it all, such that there were at least a hundred [Chief Warriors] under his command.
Still, Merish was important enough to have been chosen to lead the expedition to Rhir. That he was important enough for Xherw to meet himselfwell, that was as much his brush with the Death of Magic as anything else. He had been questioned by the [Shamans] and other [Chieftains], as well as Xherw.
I heard you were disturbed by the light show yesterday. I asked they confine it to the night-time, or inform the tribes when such displays would take place.
Merish jumped. Then flushed.
Chieftain, that was my fault. All the tribes?
It disturbs children, and we should regulate it. Think nothing of it, Merish. The nightmares and visions of Rhir continue, then?
Xherw looked at Merish. The Gnoll nodded. The [Chieftain] sighed.
We will send for an expert if our [Shamans] cannot mend your pain somewhat, Merish. It is not good to heal the body and leave the mind behind, no. Tell me. What do you dream of? Is it alwaysher?
Yes. The Death of Magic.
The wind dropped for a second, as if even here, the name alone had power. Merish shivered. He saw her, laughing, sweeping down and blasting the [Clown], before attacking 4th Wall. Xherw shook his head.
I have seen great names, Merish. I have met Zel Shivertail, and Sserys of Liscor. I have even beheld the Centenium. I saw one die a final death during the Antinium Wars. I dream of them, sometimes. But the Death of Magic? That is an old legend. I grieve that it haunts your waking and sleep.
Merish nodded.
I am ashamed. I thought even if I met the Deathless on Rhir, I could stand against them. Fight. Now? I suppose this is what it is like to see a true story, not dream of it, Chieftain. It ispainful.
He did not daydream about fighting the half-Elf, or even hurting Silvenia. He couldnt picture it. Xherw touched Merishs arm. The Gnoll started, but his [Chieftain] just shook his head.
I do not mean to judge, no, Merish. You saw something I have not. Tidebreaker, even the Antinium are recent tales. The Death of Magic is the oldest of stories. Like a Dragon of ancient days reemerging, not the hatchlings who sometimes appear every few centuries.
He stood there, arms folded, shaking his head. Merish listened as Xherw stared across the empty plains.
I have lived three Meetings of Tribes. The [Chieftain] before me lived six. Six, Merish. And she told me that the elders when she was a cub said how small the Meeting of Tribes had become. Small. Look.
He pointed back at the sprawling encampment. Merish looked, and couldnt credit it himself. So many Gnolls, so many tribes.
Then he thought of the Death of Magic. Xherw nodded, knowing Merishs thoughts.
Old stories. I would like to see the Death of Magic gone for good, Merish, but part of me does not.
Chieftain? Why not?
The Plains Eye Chieftain stood there, sighing.
Dragons are dying out. Perhaps they are all dead already. For the best for them, yes. One could say the same of Giantsthey made terrible war and sided with the Demons. Perhaps we say the same of Cyclopes when they go too, hm? Then there will only be nicknames, like that for Pallass Cyclops, Grand Strategist Chaldion. But each time they gothey become stories, and we forget they were real. We are an old tribe. If stories die out, do we lose our power too?
Merish had no answer. That was a [Chieftain]s dilemma. Xherw speaking of such things before Merish was an honor.
Will you go back to Rhir?
The [Chieftain] also saw through Merish. The Gnoll hunched his shoulders.
I do not know, Chieftain. Viri is thinking of it. If he goesI would go with him. If not?
I understand. Know this, Merishyou have done enough. You could stay with our tribe, and I would give you the position of [Chief Warrior] in any clan with an opening. Or a post among the warriors in the central tribe.
That is a great honor, Chieftain.
Merish ducked his head. Xherw studied him.
Perhaps it is not what you need, though. Ah, Merish. I come to you with my worries, not to help! I am sorry.
Not at all, Chieftain.
The two Gnolls stood there in the darkness a while. Merishs ears perked up. He glanced sideways.
Voices? Xherw had heard it too. He looked to the side and three [Shamanic Warriors], like Merish, the elite of the Plains Eye Tribe, appeared out of the darkness.
Xherws bodyguards after all. One nodded to Merish and Xherw.
The Gnoll, Kerikool, is asking to see you, Chieftain.
Again? Tell him later.
Xherw scowled. Merish glanced at Xherw, not recognizing the name. The [Shamanic Warriors] nodded and melted back into the darkness. Merish saw their dyed fur glowthen they turned transparent.
[Camouflage]. They took on a glass-like appearance, melting into the landscape. Scentless too. The power of his kind.
Who is that, Chieftain?
Merish wasnt sure he should ask, but Xherw just snorted derisively.
Just another pest from Manus. Asking if we will represent the Walled City before the other tribes.
Manus? For what?
Merish was not surprised that someone would seek Xherw out. The Plains Eye Tribe had strong relations with the Walled Cities, actually. As Merish recalledwell, they had some kinds of longstanding trade agreements. Xherw waved a paw.
[Soldiers]. Experts, as always. Anyone they can lure to their High Command. I will talk with him, later.
If I am keeping you from him, Chieftain
No.
Xherw looked at Merish. He stood there a moment longer, then sighed.
The Plains Eye Tribe is old, Merish. Gnolls areold. We have endured much, but even in the days when Dragons hunted us with Drakes and we hid under the earth, I cannot know if we were thisfew.
Such somber words. Merish would have flinched at them, but then a paw took his arm. Strong, even now. Xherw smiled at Merish, and the touch had that power in it. It made Merish feel strong, for a second. Strong enough to face dreams. To go back to Rhir.
We will survive. With your strength, the strength of Gnolls like you, with cunning, and with resolve, Merish. I am glad you returned. I came here to tell you that. If you would staywe have need of you.
He turned before Merish could reply, and walked away. The [Shamanic Warrior] stood there, feeling humbled at the trust. He walked back to camp an hour later, thinking.
-
Xherws meeting with Merish was more than a gesture. It meant something. Well, a [Chieftain] singling you out was already a sign you were honored, or on your way to it.
But the touch was something too. Merish feltalive. That was Xherws power, or part of it. He felt clear-headed, hungry.
When he came back to the clan, he actually smiled and waved Viris apology aside. He ate breakfast, apologizing to Sveha, talking with Khaze. She nearly dropped her plates.
What has gotten into you, Merish?
I met with the Chieftain.
Olmpe? Why would that old nag make you feel better. Unless
Ikl and Sveha looked up. Khaze spun around, wide-eyed.
No. Chieftain Xherw?
Merish smiled. Khaze made a sound and threw up her paws.
I have to brag about this! My brother! What did he want?
Just to talk. He touched my arm. I feelgood.
Of course you would! What an honor! Noyou might be Honored Merish! Do you hear that, Sveha, Ikl? We might be moving up! He touched your arm? I heard a Gnoll ran a hundred miles after that happenedwithout any movement Skills!
Merish smiled, enjoying Khazes excitement. The energy that blew away his depression seemed to fill Viri toosuch that they were actually out and about the camps, rather than being tugged into something by Khaze.
Merish, Merish. Do you want to play some games? You can win money if you win some of the tossing games.
There was a Gnollish game that involved tossing bolas, or just balls if you were smaller, through goal posts. Playing was free, and there was already a crowd. It was just one activity among the Meeting of Tribes, and Viri was being practically carried by Sveha and Ikl towards it. Khaze had work, and Merish for once felt tempted. However, his conscience pricked him.
I actually have someone to call upon, Viri. I will catch you laterdont buy sweets for Sveha and Ikl with your money.
No promises! Sveha, are you good at tossing things? Want to show me?
Viri bounced away, Sveha clinging to his leg and shrieking with delight. The Lizardman was watched by a bunch of Gnolls, shaking their heads at the odd sight. Merish smiled. Thenhe went to call on his friend.
-
Merish had friends. It occurred to him he had not prevailed on any of them since returning. Now, with Xherw giving him energy, he tried to make amends.
They were glad to see him, mostly. Some werent sure what to say, but Merish was a [Warrior], and thus many of his comrades just clapped him on the back, avoided talking about Rhir. He knew Gnolls from many clans in the Plains Eye Tribe, and did a circuit of the entire camp for four hours.
Four hours of straight walking and he didnt clear the Plains Eye camp. That was how large it was. Merish actually called on the power in his markings to relieve the exhaustion in his legs. He greeted a fellow [Shamanic Warrior], Ghamen, and the two Gnolls stood a while.
Anything interesting happening where you are?
Aside from the clan wanting more [Hunters]? Or in the Meeting of Tribes?
Ghamen leaned on his spear, then shrugged.
Ah, well, I heard my sister kissed Lehra Ruinstrider.
Huh. And?
Thats something. Not everyone can be visited by the Chieftain!
Ghamen slapped Merish on the shoulder, pretend-irritably. He grinned.
Aside from that, I wish youd been there in a competition yesterday. Twenty eight of our [Shamanic Warriors] engaged in a brawl with other tribes warriors.
A fight?
Noan organized thing. You know, to show how good we are? Just fists. Not weapons. Disappointed some of the tribes, but weve had too many injuries already.
So a tournament.
It looked like a brawl, yes? I was in it. We did pretty well, of course. But Steelfur? Its like punching chainmail. And some of those tribeswell, all the regular [Warriors] were easy targets.
Merish smiled. The tribes were competitive, and [Shamanic Warriors] like Ghamen and himself considered themselves to be the best of all. He inquired after about ten minutes.
I have to keep going, Ghamen. My friend, Viri, cant be left alone or he spends all his gold on my niece and nephew.
Of course. We will see each other another night. I am glad you are not as gloomy as before.
Ghamen nodded, and Merish smiled.
Me too. Here is hoping the Chieftains touch lasts a while. But Ghamendo you know where Yelroan is? I think he would be at the Meeting of Tribes, yes?
Ghamen snorted.
Yelroan? Try the central camps. I forgotwell, hes certainly here. Tell himno, just have fun meeting with him.
Merish bade farewell to his friend and headed for the center of the Plains Eye camp.
[Warriors], [Scouts], [Hunters], [Rangers], [Trappers], and so on. Warrior-friends, and childhood friends in various non-combat roles. All were part of the Plains Eye Tribe, in various levels and positions. Merish realizedhe was above them all in status. Especially after leveling and surviving Rhir.
And all of them, even Merish, had a class that was not unique to the tribe. They had many [Shamanic Warriors], even though it was a higher-level class. Every role overlapped, and Gnolls could occupy any place within the tribe. You were only expelled if you truly could not fit in; there were places for the solitary, the grumpy, and the odd.
However, Yelroan, Merishs land friend from childhood, was truly unique. No one in the Plains Eye Tribe had a class like his, Merish knew. Perhaps no one in the entire Meeting of Tribes had a class like Yelroans.
-
The Plains Eye Tribe was one of the greatest traditionalist tribes in the world. Azmuzarre, Wild Wastes, Gaarh Marshthey were the tribes you spoke of.
Plains Eye were alchemical ingredients. [Shamans]. [Shamanic Warriors]. Tradition.
Yelroan stood on a stump, striking a pose. The Gnolls around him tried to ignore him.
Children, if you want to learn how to huntwith me!
A [Hunter] was trying to entice a bunch of Gnolls old enough to begin learning a profession away from a [Cook] who was cunningly handing out snacks to an eager group. Merish watched.
It was a job market, of sorts. The Gnolls were competing, trying to lure promising young Gnolls to apprentice with them.
Yet this crowd of nearly two hundred of the most promising Gnoll cubs taken to the central camp to apprentice with some of the best instructors was distracted.
By Yelroan. The Gnoll was posed on the stump, standing above all the other instructors. It wasa pose. Merish stared up at his friend.
Nobody stood like that. Yelroan was perfectly balanced on one leg, the other pawed foot resting against his leg, yet he stood perfectly straight. One paw was laid across his chest, two fingers forming a V. The other paw was held to his face, as if supporting the flashing spectacles perched under his eyes.
Hed somehow managed to stand just so the sun glinted off the glass. It was currently blinding one of the [Shamans] trying to gather her own promising apprentices.
Spectacles on a Gnoll. That was already strange, but Yelroans fur was combed up. He had a proper mane, dyednot in shamanic colors, but like hair.
He also had full-body clothing on. No loincloth, no easy, simple and free cloth like most Plains Gnolls, but a City Gnolls attire.
If City Gnolls had such vibrant colors. Long, dark leggings cut with white, and a flashy red jacket. Merish covered his own face, trying not to look.
Erapprentices, if you want to hunt
The [Hunter] trailed off. Even the [Cook] was failing to get commitments from the two hundred potential apprentices.
They were all staring at Yelroan. How could you not? He had a crowd around him, little Gnolls who were waiting to see what his class was. After allthey might well follow this Gnoll, right?
Everyone waited. Yelroan held his pose perfectly still. He let the silence build, then dramatically raised his head. The Gnoll had piercing eyes. He smirked, glancing around at the lesser classes around him. The other instructors glared at him. Yelroan took a breath, exhaled. Then he pointed at the sky, striking a second pose.
Math!
-
Merish came to find Yelroan after everyone had left. His friend stood on the stump, in the same pose.
No Gnolls had chosen to learn from him, even just to try it. Again. Merish didnt think hed ever seen Yelroan acquire even a single apprentice, and that had been years before hed left for Rhir.
The clothing is new. So is the pose. Why?
Yelroan sprang to his feet. He beamed at Merish.
Merish! Do you like it? I tried to do something and it almost works. They stare at me.
Right until you start talking.
Merish shook his head. Yelroan sighed.
I got an apprentice last year with this trick. She lasted forhalf a day. I need more respect.
And you think doing that will get respect? Yelroan, just be honest.
I am honest. Math is amazing!
Yelroan did another pose, arms crossed. A [Hunter] tried to hurry her apprentices away, telling them not to look. Merish smiled. He reached out and hugged his friend. After a second, Yelroan did the same.
The one, the only, the unique [Mathematician] of the Plains Eye Tribe embraced Merish hard.
Im glad youre okay, Merish. Chieftain Xherw told me hed see you.
Merish blinked. His friend was slimmer, although a bit taller; not a warrior. He looked at Yelroan.
Did you ask him to see me?
The [Mathematician] gave him a sly look and pushed his glasses up. Somehow, they caught the light and blinded Merish with an afterimage.
I may have made the request. After all, I had good odds.
Merish stared at Yelroan. His friend gave him a sidelong look, holding the pose. After a few seconds, they laughed so hard both had to hold onto each other.
-
Yelroan was the most interesting Gnoll that Merish knew. A [Mathematician], a class so rare that even city-people didnt know what it was.
It just meant Yelroan was good at math, as far as Merish was concerned. Really, really good at math.
It didnt sound too impressive. Until Merish told stories about their youth, like when Yelroan had answered a math question that had stumped every [Shaman] in the Plains Eye tribe. It had been something likewhat was it?
Add every number from one to a hundred up.
Yelroan entertained Merish in his private tent, overflowing with parchment, paper, quills, and books. More books and ledgers than anywhere else in the Plains Eye encampment, and many written by Yelroan himself.
Ah, yes. That. Why did we even wonder about it?
Yelroan grinned.
The [Shaman] mentioned it to us. A clever question posed by someone from Chandrar. And I solved it while you were all adding numbers up.
Yes. But why does it matter?
It was a test. Theres a way to solve it quickly. Well, that set the tone for my future, didnt it?
It did indeed. Yelroan hadnt gained the [Mathematician] class at first. Hed become a [Scribe], an [Accountant]then, as he was appointed to calculating the entire clans income, managing supplies, and such, hed morphed into the [Mathematician] class, rather than [Administrator] or some reasonable class.
You could have been a [Manager] or [Accountant] or something. Why [Mathematician]?
Because Im good at numbers, Merish. Not scribing. Not managing. Numbers. Im fairly good at managing things. Math is my talent, though. You see?
Merish did. And fairly good meant that Yelroan was the administrator for the entire Plains Eye tribe. He calculated income from each clan, assigned supplies, made sure the numberswere the numbers.
It hurt Merishs head just to see one of the ledgers that Yelroan wrote out. His organizational strategy, his calculations had caused fights with the [Shamans], who normally oversaw such things.
Yet it worked. The [Chieftains] and then Xherw had decided just toleave Yelroan alone. Within a year of taking his position, Yelroan had found over sixty three cases of misplaced supplies going nowhere, faulty incomesonly two examples had been actual cases of [Chieftains] embezzling money.
He was the kind of Gnoll who could tell you where the coppers went missing when you bought supplies. If the Plains Eye Tribe went to war, the [Warriors] owed Yelroan a debt of gratitude because he could calculate how much they needed to carry.
It didnt get him much respect. As his lack of apprentices each year indicated. Yelroan was in the central camp, but he wasnt Honored Yelroan. He was an outsider among his people for his odd, City Gnoll ways.
Even though Merish had never met a City Gnoll who could calculate half as fast as Yelroan. He quite liked his friend, who had a penchant for showing off and touting maths many virtues.
Yelroan could also do moreinteresting things. Even as a child, hed shown Merish interesting tricks.
I still remember when you calculated how many ants were in that ant hive based onsomething something with squares.
Averages.
Yes, that. We tried to count them all and Khaze had so many ants in her fur the [Shaman] threw us in the lake.
The two chortled over that as Yelroan poured glasses of juice. No alcohol for Yelroan; another oddity. Yet the Gnoll had more talents than just the magic of good math. He sighed.
Math is power, Merish. I keep telling Chieftain Xherw that. He knows my Skills. If we hadeighteen Gnolls with my class, Plains Eye would make Pallass look over its shoulder.
I thought we traded with Pallass.
Merish was reminded of Xherw talking about Manus. Yelroan flapped a paw, exasperated.
Of course we do! And quite profitablywe have an exclusive trade deal, the only one of any tribe, as far as I know. I have no idea how Xherw negotiated that back in the daywe have other deals too that keep us on top. But give me eighteenno, seven more [Mathematicians] and some deals with tribes, and we could replace Pallass and sell everything directly.
Mm. Seven more Yelroans. I cant imagine it.
You cant imagine parabolas.
Those arent regular bolas? Magical bolas?
Yelroan groaned and Merish grinned to himself, having done that last bit on purpose. He had to take Yelroan to task for one thing, though.
Why the spectacles? You dont need them.
Yelroan had perfect vision, in fact. The Gnoll winked at Merish.
Do you like them? I had to figure out how to make them catch the light like that. Theyre specially treated with alchemical substances to reflect the light.
That is the most obnoxious thing I have ever heard of. What kind of [Alchemist] would make that?
Saliss of Lights. I did an accounting job for him, once.
Merish put his head in his paws. But he laughed. Yelroan fiddled with the glasses, doing the pose again.
I decided to wear them after I saw some people with glasses. The stylish [Scholar], you know? I thought it would help my image. Actuallyyou met someone like that on Rhir.
I did?
Merish glanced up, frowning. Yelroan scribbled something down; he was working as they talked.
Perhaps not directly. It wasBastion-General Quiteil. Um
Fourth Wall.
The tone of Merishs voice made Yelroan look up. The Gnoll nodded slowly.
Yes. Him.
How do you know him?
The [Mathematician] smiled slightly, but watched Merishs face.
He offered me a position. Quite well-paid. I said no. Im a Plains Gnoll in the end. A member of the tribe. Even ifwell.
He leaned back in his chair.
If you go back to Rhir, I might take the job. But youre probably not going to.
Merish started. Yelroan knew about that? Then again, if he had persuaded the Chieftain to visit himhe was important. People just forgot that.
How do you know Im not going to go?
Yelroan glanced at Merish, then pulled out a sheet. He handed it to Merish.
Theres your odds of going.
Merish stared down at a strange series of notations. Then at the final number.
22.8%?
Yep.
You can calculate that?
Merish laughed. Yelroan looked at him over his spectacles.
Merish. I can calculate anything.
The [Shamanic Warrior] blinked. Yelroan held the gaze, serious as could be. It reminded Merish of the time hed shown his friend the true power of his Skill. Probability. Calculation. If you gave a Skill to that?
Then Yelroan crossed his arms and did a pose.
Math!
The moment ended. Merish put his friend in a headlock and laughed.
-
The moment Viri saw Yelroan, he was awestruck.
That is the coolest Gnoll I have ever seen!
Yelroan posed in front of Ikl and Sveha, who stared at him open-mouthed. Merish was much amused.
Sveha, Ikl, you dont remember Yelroan?
Mother says we shouldnt copy him.
Ikl piped up. Yelroan laughed and swept back his dyed hair. His glasses caught the light and flashed.
My eyes!
Someone screamed and toppled from a ladder. Merish hurried the group off.
The Meeting of Tribes was brighter to Merish. Or maybe it was Yelroan plus Viri and the children. Khaze met them, sighing at Yelroan, but she embraced him.
You dont visit us at all, Yelroan. Not that we see you in the central clan apart from gatherings like this.
Im often busy. Besides, I heard what your partner thinks of me.
Khaze coughed, and Merish wondered what her husband, Inir, did think of Yelroan. The Gnoll was occupied with the tribes job all day, at any rate, so there was no conflict.
Ah, the tribes! What shall we do, now were all together, like when we were cubs?
Khaze looked around. Yelroan glanced at Merish, but the Gnoll had no preference. Viri gestured at the festival-section, which had lots of games, some of which you spent money on.
Weve been playing games all day! I uh, spent some money. Want to play? And pay?
Sveha and Ikl tugged the older Gnolls over to some of the games. Many were indeed free, and prizes were given out to winners; it was the Meeting of Tribes, not just a place for [Merchants].
However, there was money to be made anywhere there were this many Gnolls, and theyd already wrung Viri dry. He pointed accusatorially at one booth.
Look at that!
It was a variation of a game many cultures hada guessing game. Some Gnoll, a clever [Craftswoman], or expert in string or just games, had created a huge ball of thread, with multiple outlets. Pull the right string of the dozens upon dozens dangling there, and you got to win whatever it was connected to!
Predictably, the cost of a pull was only three coppers while the prizes were worth much more. A fabulous little Centaur doll that made Svehas eyes go round, a sharp daggerViri had tried multiple times and refused to tell Merish how much hed lost.
Yelroan glanced at the stall, amused. Merish agreed to try and stared at the string. His [Shamanic Warrior] class let him see and interact with magic, so he tried to use that to his advantage.
One string looked magicaland there were a few magical strings connected to the winning prizes. He pulled the magical string.
Nothing happened. The owner of the game smirked slightly and Merish knew it had been a lure. Sighing, he watched as Khaze refused to play.
What about you, Yelroan?
If anything, her status weighed heavily on her. She had to be a leader. To inspire! Gireulashia Ekhtouch would lead her tribe in the decades to come. She might be mother to the greatest [Chieftain] of this era.
It was a heavy burden. Too heavy for a fifteen year old girl.
Sometimes, Gireulashia, who preferred Gire rather than her portentous name, thought even her tribe forgot how young she was. She spoke like an adult and thought with their complexity, but that was just how she was.
Other Gnolls had no idea, obviously assuming you didnt get to her height without being at least fully-grown. They thought she was half again as old as she was, if they wondered at all.
Being treated like an adult, especially an attractive one, was not fun either for Gire. So many requests, subtle and otherwise, made her very uncomfortable. Only Venaz had instantly figured it out. When she had asked how, he had snorted.
Ive seen noble children surrounded by [Nursemaids] before. There is a difference between that, and an honor guard.
Honored Gireulashia. The Chieftain wishes you to meet another tribe. Will you attend?
The Gnoll [Paragon] opened her eyes. She rose in one movement and nodded.
Of course.
Boredom took many forms. It was uncomfortable to meet the Gnoll [Chieftain] of the tribe who tried to introduce her to his fine son who was far too old. Or she too young.
Gire tried to hide behind the tallest Gnoll there, nearly a foot shorter than she was. She spoke, demonstrated her perfect etiquette, made an incisive comment, and slunk away as soon as she could.
They thought she was aloof. Some superior Gnoll who looked down on the others. Gire went into her tent and put her head under pillows custom-made for her.
Honored Gireulashia, are you hungry? There is food if you require it.
Someone bothered her no less than thirty four minutes later. Gire already knew it was time to eat, and they worried about her growth.
Mm. I am content.
We shall put aside meals for you, then.
The Gnoll bowed and retreated. Honored Gire sat up. They had made her an Honored Gnoll before she was even grown. That was expectation for you.
She sulked. She hated sitting and making pleasant-talk with all the other important Gnolls and her [Chieftain] and [Shaman]. It was okay now and then, when tribes met, but that was every day in the Meeting of Tribes.
And she couldnt act her age. Gire listened to Ekhtouchs children playing. They were allowed to be children, even for the superior tribe. She rummaged around her private possessions and pulled out a doll.
She had really wanted the Centaur doll, but it did not become Honored Gire to ask for one, or carry one around in the Meeting of Tribes. That dratted Gnoll with the spectacles had gotten it. Shed heard him muttering; he hadnt seen the lines of thread, but hed used a Skill. Hed watched twenty six Gnolls take turns, then made his move a fraction before Gire could.
Had he counted the Gnolls, observed which strings they pulled and somehow extrapolated the right answer? It was a function of his class, but which class?
Gires mind sorted through factoids. Lets see. His scent, location, and markings all indicated Plains Eye, as had the Gnolls he joined, despite his flashy dress. Plains Eye Tribe had few Gnolls of such description, but they were rumored to have
a [Mathematician] of all classes
Her mind connected the dialogue shed once heard in regard to rumors about that tribe. She matched the Gnoll to the class in less than a second, putting the clues together.
That was easy. It was just how she thought, which other Gnolls took to be supreme calculation. It was justhow she was born. Did other people applaud Gnolls for breathing? Gire was not proud of her attributes because they were not earned. Ekhtouch was wrong to place excessive pride in that, to her mind. There was a word for that. Hubris.
Her ears could pick out a fly rubbing its legs together fifty feet away. Her eyes could see tiny bugs and things other Gnolls didnt believe existed, like the munching bugs that ate plant leaves.
Which was terrible, really, especially in crowded places like this. Thankfully, Gire had long learned how to adjust all her senses down to a normal Gnolls level of perception to prevent being overwhelmed. Even so, she had taken precautions for this event.
She removed a bit of beeswax shed stuck in her ears in the privacy of her tent. That she could hear as well as regular Gnolls despite that was also a virtue.
A curious sound made its way into her ears in the brief moment when the overload of countless voices and sound filled Gires ears. She could hear conversations, could eavesdrop on any conversation not warded if she chose, and she did not choose to hear such things. Too often, she could sort through the layers of sound and hear a Gnoll having a really bad, just explosive time in an outhouse.
Smell it too. However, this sound called to Gire because she had never heard it before. She blinked.
Whats that?
She rose from her tent. Gnolls instantly approached her with food, but Gire waved it off.
Iam going to walk about the Meeting of Tribes.
We shall accompany
No. I shall simply observe.
The Ekhtouch Gnolls wavered.
The Chieftain would not want you to be hurt, Honored Gireulashia.
She fixed them with an arch glance.
What could harm me here? Raskghar? Other Gnolls?
Faced with that, they couldnt rightly object. So Gire strode off before they could find the Chieftain and stop her. She wound her way through the Meeting of Tribes as Gnolls stopped. Pointed. She heard them.
What is that? Ekhtouch?
Shes magnificent. So tall.
I dont even know if were the same species
That hurt her. Gire affected not to notice, her chin raised, posture perfect. She walked forwards, slowed, turned her head. Following the sound.
-
She had to traverse the Meeting of Tribes for a while to hone in on it. It turned out the sound was coming from the exterior of the camps, and Gires ability to use her hearing wasnt perfect yet. Still, she eventually tracked it down to a foreign Gnolls camp and sighed.
It was hard to just walk in, so she pretended to be looking at activities. She waved away Gnolls who approached her, asking to talk, flirting, or just curious. She paused as she circumnavigated the ring of tents.
Hmm. Hmm.
Gire paused, and watched Gnolls playing a curious game with lengths of wood where you hit a ball and then ran around a diamond. She angled herself.
There.
She leaned against a post of wood that could support her weight. In theory, to those who looked at her, she was watching the game.
In truth, she was staring into the other Gnolls camp. At a tent where the sound was coming from. Gire stared at the tent.
She stared through the tent.
Her eyes sharpened, piercing through the weave of fabric. It was hard to see unless it was poor-quality cloth, but Gire could still put together a picture of what was happening inside. Againshe usually didnt want to, as there were only a few things Gnolls did inside tents.
This time, though, she slowly pieced together two figures. She listened, focusing on the voices from within. It was hard, very hard, to tune out everything, but she eventually put together a picture in her mind.
Two individuals. One Gnollfur brown. Male voice? Female non-Gnoll. Can see skinHuman? Stitchfolk? Dullahan? Half-Elf?
so strange. Is it alright for me to see this?
The Gnoll was speaking. The female one had a laugh in her voice. They were sitting together.
You know about me, and your aunt says it is alright, Tkrn.
Tkrn. Gire realized she was staring at Silverfangs camp. She knew his name from Ekhtouch, who had journeyed with Silverfangs tribe. A Tkrn had been part of a brawl
And it doesnt run out of manapower?
Not with the spell, Rose said. I dont know what Krshia did! Everything is different. Even the data islet me see.
Can you play another song?
Song. That was what shed heard. But it had been different than even the song-crystals of the Singer of Terandria. A sound she had never heard.
She couldnt see whatever they were staring at. Her eyes could see through holes in the fabricbut not actually pierce it completely.
Shed have to get closer. Gire rose, glancing ahead. There were walls of cloth or actual material that allowed tribes their privacy. She rotated her head, checking the camp.
The two were in a secluded spot at the back; there were sentries on the outside, but it was clear they were in private, far from anyone but her hearing. It would be hard for Gire to find an excuse to walk into the camp.
So she didnt. She pretended to walk out of the Meeting of Tribes, as if she was going hunting or for a run. She checked the landscape around her.
Gnolls roaming the plains, playing games. Games of tagshe didnt care what they were doing, only the positions of their heads.
Cones of sight. She waited, forming a picture of the lines of sight. Waiting, waitinguntil the sentry nearest her glanced down at a bug crawling up her fur. Until all eyes were off her. Then Gire jumped.
She jumped straight over the wall of the Silverfang encampment. The Gnolls inside the camp never saw her land; shed jumped such that the top of a tent hid her. She landed in a squat.
In theory, a nine-foot tall Gnoll was the most obvious thing in the world and impossible to hide. In theory.
Gire had Skills as a [Paragon]. Her class was one of those rare ones that encompassed countless areas; in time she might consolidate it. Like [Paragon Warrior] or [Paragon Chieftain].
At her young age, she had more general Skills. One of them[Superiority Made Manifest]was terrible. All it did was let her beat whatever someone was doing. A superior punch, a superior actionit required something to exist first.
She liked her other Skill better.
[Perfect Action: Stealth Roll].
A giant Gnoll flashed so fast past one tent to another that a sneezing Gnoll never saw her. [Basic Perfect Action]. If you could name a low-level Skill and Gire had seen it, she could do it too.
[Paragon].
She padded over to the tent where the two were and sat down. Now, without anyone realizing, she was right behind Inkar and Tkrn. She listened.
There are games too?
Tkrn exclaimed as he played a curious game. Gire craned her neck. Now she could see the bright screen, but it was at an angle as the two kept fiddling with it. What was that strangelight? She caught a flash of tiny, pixelated dots, a strange substancebut if she unfocused her eyes, it became a picture. How clever!
Yes! Your paw isnt working well.
It wont let me press!
It was made for Human fingers.
Thats speciesist.
Gire listened to the two. Flirting. You could even hear it in the pitch of their tones. She didnt care about that. She was fascinated by the device. She edged closer. Damn this fabric! She wanted to see this wonderfultoy.
-
The new iPhone was the latest model from Earth. It was a model invented after Inkar had left, which made it all the more impressive that Krshia had somehow managed to upgrade her old one into it.
There was just one problem. There was no headphone jack anymore, and so Inkar and Tkrn had to play it out loudaway from curious Silverfangs. Well, his tent was at the back of the Silverfang camp, so they had elected to mess with it there.
It was a magnificent device. Inkar admired it more now that she was away from Earths industry. Smooth, Plexiglas screen. Beautiful details. A camera with such accuracy that Tkrn had insisted on taking pictures of everything and marveling at how he could save what his eyes had seen.
A shame there was no internet, and many apps were functionally useless. A shame Inkar didnt have many movies or bits of data that were useful. Rose had wanted to bring a computer to load movies and other things onto Inkars phone, but shed given up when she heard it was an iPhone. Kevin had a Windows.
None of that made any sense to Tkrn, of course. This was just magic. Fun magic! Accessible magic, despite the touchscreen not liking his paws.
Ooh, whats that? Whats that? Press that app.
Tkrn was already learning the lingo, unlike Krshia. Inkar laughed, lying next to him on cushions. They were very close.
Its Podcasts. Umstories people read out, or conversations.
Lets listen to one!
I dont have any.
Oh.
Inkar patted Tkrn on the shoulder. The [Worldly Traveller] smiled and pointed.
Dont worry. Look, I have all these little games.
All the game-apps shed installed to pass the time on train rides and so on were on the iPhone. Here was the curious thing that was important and useless: Krshias Skill had changed the software of her iPhone too.
Somehow, all the free apps shed downloaded now thought she had paid for the full versions. Inkar did not like wasting money on such things, so it was a pleasant discovery, especially because no one would ever buy apps on this iPhone againunless she went back to Earth.
Lets play that one! That game! Whats that game?
Umtossing birds at buildings.
What? Thats hilarious. Lets play. Why is that a game? Waitnever mind. I answered my own question.
Inkar giggled. She had set the iPhone to English instead of her native language since everyone apparently spoke and read it to some degree or another. No Kazakhstan peoplesjust her.
It made her lonely, but she had good friends. A tribe who protected her. Deskie, Eskaand now Tkrn and Rose. Rose was interesting, a bit excitabledifferent.
Tkrn? She trusted Tkrn.
The two were playing as Tkrn let Inkar show him how to play, then tried it himself. It was so addictive, so fun. Inkar had played it many timesthe free version, of coursebut she found the lure of the electronic device was magnified for its uniqueness.
And it was just a fun game. They bent over the iPhone, arguing about placement. They played for minutesthen an hourgoing through levels.
The problem was, Tkrn was bad at the game. He didnt know how to use the touchscreen, and the paw-pads of Gnolls werent what this highly-sensitive touchscreen was customized for.
Inkar helped him out, more patient and amused by Tkrn than the game itself. He was a bit frustrated as he tried to get the best score on a level.
Stop tossing it so high! You want to crash everything and hit that piggy, see? Poor piggy.
Inkar heard Tkrn growl, annoyed.
Is this special bird better? I hate that piggy. I want to cook and eat him. Ooh. Thats cool.
Ooh.
Inkar grinnedbut her smile turned curious after a second. Had she just heardtwo oohs? Her hearing was enhanced by her Skill, but even so, it had been the softest sound.
She frowned, but Tkrn was struggling on the next level. He had spotted a way to win the entirelevel in one go, but predictably, it was a perfect shot, and he hadnt figured out the geometry of the arc.
Maybe here? No. Damn. Let me restarthere? No? No
Frustrated, he tapped on the phone, trying to figure out the right angle. Inkar was amused, and exasperated because he wouldnt let her help.
Its a bit up! No, its notlet me help.
Ive got it! I want to do it!
But youre not aiming right.
Ive nearly got it
Tkrn frowned at the screen. A furry finger reached out and tapped the screen. He blinked. But then he saw the little bird fly and topple everything and the screen rewarded him with a cheering explosion of light and sound.
Tkrn focused on that, then turned to Inkar as something occurred to him. He stared at her hands. Her fingers, long and distinctly not paw-like. He saw her head turned, eyes wide, mouth wide open.
The [Guardsman] slowly turned his head. He saw a giant Gnoll, looming over both of them, sitting right behind Inkar and Tkrn. She had somehow snuck into the tent and was so close her fur nearly brushed their backs without either noticing.
It was she who had been watching for the last hour, and unconsciously, unable to help herself, touched the iPhone. She stared at Tkrn. At Inkar. Gire came to her senses. Her eyes went round and thenshe panicked.
Im sorry. I was only looking!
What th
Tkrn went for his blade, or tried to. Inkar opened her mouth to scream. Gire saw it all, andacted instinctively.
She reached out and tapped Tkrns jaw with her fist. His eyes rolled up. She did the same to Inkar so fast both were unconscious before their heads hit the pillows. Then Gire was out of the tent, over the wall, and running, so fast the sentries only saw a blur, fleeing back to her camp.
Gire stormed into her tent, hid under her blankets, ignoring the questions from her tribe. It was only after shed stopped quaking that she realized she had only made all of it worse. A child, as Venaz would have said, was still a child. Worse
This child had taken the iPhone. She hid under her blankets, a giant mound of terrified Gnoll, until someone began calling her name.
Gire? Giresome Gnolls from the Silverfang Tribe and a Human are looking for you.
-
Another strange encounter in the Meeting of Tribes occurred at roughly the same time. Another iconic Gnoll walked through the crowd, focus of many eyes and speculation.
The difference was that he looked back. The metal Gnoll roamed the Meeting of Tribes, eyes locking on individuals, passing over manystopping on the ones who mattered. Adetr was looking for powerful Gnolls, and he knew when he found them.
Adetr Steelfur, nephew of the famous Iraz Steelfur himself. Ironically, it was he, not Irazs offspring or even grandchildren who had taken most to their tribes heritage.
His body was metal. Tougher than steel. He weighed twice what a normal Gnoll did. He was tougher than a [Knight] in plate armor, one of the greatest warriors of the mighty Steelfur tribe. Some whispered he would be the next [Chieftain], regardless of bloodlines. Adetr wondered if that was so. There was more to leading than just physical might, or so Iraz told him.
He would be fine with just physical might, for now. If only he could be the best.
Unbreakable body, indestructible heart. That was all of what Steelfur believed you needed to win any battle. He passed by the strange Gnoll [Warrior] he couldnt read.
He wondered what kind of item that Gnoll [Warrior] hador Skillthat let them deflect his Skill. Even Honored Berr and heroes like Garsine Wallbreaker, or adventurers like Lehra Ruinstrider couldnt prevent this Skill from working on them.
Many had Skills that analyzed their opponents strengths, even revealed Skills, levels, etc. There were even spells for thatnone of which worked on most Gnolls here. Any [Chieftain] or famous Gnoll had protections against them. Yet Adetr had a Skill few possessed.
He was a [Battle Seeker] along with his primary class. That was how much he craved proving his worth. Some Gnolls loved and lived battle like Honored Berr.
Adetr dreamed after it, lusted for it more than anyone he had ever lain with. Thus, his Skill was this.
He came to a halt and spotted a towering Gnoll racing back through the Meeting of Tribes. A worthy enemy. He didnt know why she was so upset, but the [Paragon] was in his sights. He stared at Gireulashia and used his Skill.
[Analysis: Vision of Greatest Battle].
Adetr died.
He died snarling, the Ekhtouch tribe surging around him. They were good! Yet he had killed nine already. The Steelfur warriors were trading less effectively. Ekhtouch were few, but they made up for it with strength, reach, even skill!
He was aiming for their Chieftain when she appeared. The giant, covered in wounds, swinging a sword that bit through the Steelfur warriors hides. Adetr roared a challenge and saw her turn. He charged, a [Bulls Rush] through the others. She saw him andtossed
The Gnoll blinked. Staggered. Gnolls passing by saw him stumble, clutch at his eye. Then recover. They looked at him, but he just growled and walked on. He tried to look at Gire again, but she had already left.
A pity. He would have liked a rematch. He had no idea she was that good. Adetr had died; shed thrown a javelin straight through his eye. It was a weak point.
-
Greatest battle. Adetr learned more about the Ekhtouch tribe from that momentreal knowledge.
Such as the fact that they could back up their claims to superiorityto a point. If Steelfur and their tribe fought, they would lose. Steelfurs warriors were weaker than Ekhtouchs, a rarity, but they had numbers and Ekhtouch wasnt armored with that many relics.
Still, Adetr had died so he hadnt seen the final tally of the battle. He might have understood, then, just how matched both tribes were.
Not that they would ever fight. Steelfur and Ekhtouch were too well-respected, the consequences too fierce. It would never happen, so Adetrs longing had given him this Skill.
What a wondrous Skill. With it, he could see glorious war. Appraise his weaknesses, gauge how much he should truly respect his betters.
For instanceGarsine Wallbreaker. Adetr went to watch a wrestling match with some Gnolls for about twenty minutes, then hunted her down again. He saw her walking through the Meeting of Tribes, creating a passage as Gnolls looked up at the [Shapechanger] and backed away.
To his amazement, she was bending down and sniffing at flowers.
This one.
She was picking out flowers to plant when they returned home! An old woman, not the hero of old, to look at her like this. Garsine held a tiny little flower and paid the Gnoll for the seeds.
She tore off his head as her tribe fell around her. Wallbreakers tribe was not as strong as she, though they had shapechangers. But Garsine? An army apart! She turned into her true form and he roared as she lifted him up
Death. Adetr bared his teeth. Now here was a true hero of Gnolls. He had to watch out for her reach; if she got him, he was dead.
Garsine twitched and glanced around, but Adetr was gone.
Reel in some fish! Biggest fish wins a prize!
Adetr went fishing. He failed to win, but it passed thirty minutes and then some. The pond that had been made for the competition let him recharge his Skills. Then he found her again.
This time, she went down, but only because Steelfurs entire tribe went after her. He saw her bring down nearly a hundred aloneand that was because hed taken her tribe down around him. He heard the howling of triumphthe Steelfur warriors were never ones he recognized. Just generic warriors, with the few strong ones of his tribethose over Level 30. They never recognized their foes. It was a simulation. Adetr howled in victory.
He was back in the real world. The Gnoll grinned to himself. Well, heroes died and he was used to seeing that. Even his Chieftain fell when he used that Skillsometimes. The third time hed
Garsine Wallbreaker walked towards him. The giant Gnoll broke away from her inspection of paintings. Adetr went still as Gnolls behind him backed up.
Her huge, snarling mouth opened. Her elongated form bent down, and he saw two eyesyellow. Not brown! They glowed with power as the bear-cape swung around her. She breathed, one word.
Enough.
The Gnolls of her tribe stared at Garsine, then Adetr, confused. He saw some Steelfur Gnolls staring at him. Adetr met Garsines eyes. Somehow shed sensed his Skill and what he was doing.
Apologies, great Garsine.
She stared at him, snorted hot breath, and turned away. Adetr bowed after her, abashed. Only a few people had recognized what he was doing.
He was more circumspect after that, but he spent his time thusly. Thirty eight minute increments, thenbattle. It was a shame he couldnt level, yet the Meeting of Tribes was what hed dreamed of for the last six years; he hadnt attended the last one, being far too young.
He tested himself on almost every Gnoll he could find. Lehra Ruinstrider was an interesting foe. She was weaker by herself than a Named Adventurer should be; compared to the others he had met. Her team was good, though. That damned Gazer could actually lock him down.
I should buy more anti-magic protections.
What was also useful was learning how each tribe fought. Generic warriors with a few powerful individuals they might be, but they still fought liketheir people. Adetr used it on the Minotaur, Venaz, and was rewarded with a fight.
The King of Minotaurs herself wiped him out. He tried three times and she killed him before he even touched the Minotaur lines. It was actually a disappointment; he wanted to fight the House of Minos, not see a giant axe filling the world and feel his death. He supposed Venaz was fairly important in the House of Minos after all.
Then again, Adetrs Skill gave him the greatest battle possible. Not solo-duels. Sometimes he regretted thatbut it suited him. He always had Steelfur at his back. Always faced his foes at full power.
Well, should I try it on Plains Eye? If they sense it like Garsine and I offend their [Shaman] or Chieftain
Adetr growled. He could use it on a lesser warrior, but less of the tribe showed up. Presumably because a lesser representative couldnt get all of his or her tribe behind them. He cast around, but there was no fun Gnoll to see at the moment.
Maybe that Garuda.
He looked up, hopefully. They made much of Pomles strength. Orwhat about the Dwarf? Something had gone wrong that one time hed used it on a Dwarf. Hed won eighty nine simulations against Dwarvesexcept for one. A weak Dwarf, but someone in the projection had slaughtered Adetr so fast he couldnt see what it was.
That was why he lived, to know there were worthy foes like that. Hed level up, challenge them again. Who next?
Azmuzarre. Of course! He found one of their warriors and grinned.
Lets see how the greatest warriors of the Great Plains fare.
He fought the entire tribe and died in seconds. Adetr grunted.
Not bad. But cheap.
Dragonbone weapons. That was how they cut through him and his warriors in moments. A weapon with unmatched attack power.
Surprisingly, Adetr didnt respect that. They were bearers of relics, whose power was given to them by what they held. Take it away andwell, his Skill didnt let him choose the parameters of the battle, but he could choose to do it himself.
Thirty eight minutes to reset.
This time he yanked a blade off one of the Gnolls before they killed him. Sure enoughthe snarling Azmuzarre champion was less effective, just striking ineffectually with a mundane weapon while her companions ran him through.
So they relied too much on the weapons. Adetr lost interest at once. Maybe some were betterbut that was annoying. It was half and halfthe Gnolls who stood up to the stories, and those who turned out to be exaggerated.
Aimlessly, Adetr chased through the crowd. You know who was good? The Pallassian Drakes. He went hunting for oneor a City Gnoll. Where was one of them?
There. He found one after a few minutes, a group striding along, arguing.
Are you sure it was her?
She was huge.
I do not understand. Why would one of Ekhtouch, especially their [Paragon]she knows. We must be careful, Chieftain Eska.
We have the right to be angry, Krshia! If she appeared in their tents
He aimed. Krshia Silverfang. Adetr whispered.
[Vision of Greatest Battle].
As always, he went still. Then he jerked. He snarled.
Antinium!?
Gnolls around him turned. Krshia didnt hear, as she strode off. Adetr felt at his fur.
What was
Liscors first defenses had folded up depressingly fast. Despite the citys walls blasting them with decent wall spells, Steelfur was a powerful tribe and their Watch wasaverage. No high-level Drakes beyond one with a sword and a few [Senior Guards]. Hed heard there was a powerful duo, but he hadnt seen one. Theyd taken the walls, fought towards the Watch Captain
Then the Antinium had come out of the ground. Thousands! Adetr had fallen into a pit, where it was dark, fighting shapes that came out of the darkness, the earthhed killed many, until they bore him down.
He had to do it again. See more. Instantly, Adetr followed after the groupthen cursed as he remembered the recharge time.
Hrm. This is excellent. I can fight them. Watch the ground. We have to lure them out? Stick to the walls
He was planning the battle, excitedly. He strode about, nearly hopping with impatience, then set out for the Silverfang camp.
To his great disappointment, Krshia Silverfang wasnt there. Had they been talking about Ekhtouch? Adetr paced back and forth, then decided to go there. But before he could, he heard a voice.
Oh my god. Where? Ekhtouch? What are we going to do?
Something wasoff. Adetr frowned. He saw a young woman hurrying with a group of Gnolls out of the camp. A Human woman.
Hrm.
Adetr had met many non-Gnolls at the Meeting of Tribes, so a guest didnt surprise him like the Lizardman with one leg. He guessed this young woman was a friend to Silverfang.
Maybe she was from Liscor? It was worth a try. He pointed at her.
[Vision of Greatest Battle].
-
Adetr awoke under a strange sky. It seemed smaller. He frowned, sniffing the air as his tribe howled their traditional call to war. Then he heard a strange sound. An explosionlouder than anything.
Gnolls vanished next to him. Adetr recoiled, knocked sideways by some powerful blast. Was that a [Fireball]? Nohe stared ahead as they pointed at a strange object.
What is that?
He charged towards something. Awere those Humans standing over there? What were they holding? What was that giant metal thing?
He saw a strange metal tube swiveling to point a long nose at h
-
Adetr died. He stopped, staring, as Rose ran past him. His head turned to follow her. The Gnolls jaw was open. He had died quickly beforealways to high-level warriors who could close the distance. He had seen many battles. Many armies.
Never that.
What was
They were heading somewhere. Adetr stared at Rose, then instantly followed after.
-
Gireulashia Ekhtouch stood behind her Chieftain, head bowed, the iPhone on the ground in front of them. The tent where they talked was filled with commotionalbeit warded so no one could hear the intense discussion taking place. More Silverfang Gnolls and Ekhtouch stood tensely to one side.
Adetr didnt care. He stared at one person, and one person alone.
Rose. He lurked, but couldnt help but stare at her. Every forty minutesthe transit through the sprawling Meeting of Tribes had taken a while, and the discussion looked to be a long onehe blinked for about five seconds.
And his questions multiplied.
He survived the fourth time long enough to see more. It was a small force. He counted barely two hundred Humans, not counting the strange Golem-vehicles. He supposed that was all Rose was worth.
They still ravaged the Steelfur tribe. The second time hed gone down tosomething. A shard of metal that hit him, propelled through the air.
It didnt kill him, not the first shot. Nor the second. Nor the hundredth. He was metal, and a stronger metal than this.
Yet he was hit by hundreds, thousands of rounds in moments. Each Human had some kind of weapon that flashed and
Lesser Steelfur warriors went down before they even closed. Their fur resisted the deadly projectiles barely at all. One, two, four at most, and they died.
Worse was that onething. One, or two; it did varygiant boxes that destroyed everything they aimed at.
Worse than [Fireballs]. Somehow, it tore him apart. So he didnt let it hit him.
The fourth time he managed to survive. Adetr had control of his tribes assets. Chieftain Iraz was there, as were [Shamans].
Walls of earth! Barrier spells! Hide us under the earth!
That seemed like the best way to survive. Adetr followed the Silverfang tribe as they concluded negotiations. The other Human and a Gnoll were talking with the huge [Paragon]he didnt care.
He had to know what this Humans army was. The thirty eight minute cool-down was killing Adetr.
Six times.
They couldnt hide under the ground! The Humans just punched through with those damn explosions! Adetr snarled as he raised his head. His skull rang and he fell back as Steelfur warriors cried out and dragged him back.
Something had lodged in his head. More of the bits of metalthe only reason he was surviving was that his body was tougher. Theyd still cracked his skull. He snarled.
Through the earth! They die if we touch them!
The fortifications were failinghe saw his Chieftain go down as another round blasted through a wall. Adetr knew the Humans had to come in, though. He refused to let his tribe charge. Then he heard a sound and saw something streaking down through the air at
-
Something had blown up their entire tribeor just the ones around Adetr. He could have sworn he saw something in the sky. The Gnoll snarled.
Night fell. Gnolls ate. Adetr did not. He ran around camp, to burn off the adrenaline running through his veins.
Thirty. Eight. Damn. Minutes.
-
Eleven tries. Seven hours, almost. Adetr was worried Rose would go to sleep.
He finally found their weak spot.
-
Blind them! Blind them!
The Humans were in disarray. Adetr stood, shielding himself and watching the battle turn at last.
The [Shamans]. That was the key.
In his desperation he had tried everything. Skills? Even Irazs Skills didnt overturn whatever the Humans had, but the [Shaman]s magic had stymied the Humansuntil that thing in the skies came and hit them.
So Adetr had tried other spells. The Humansthese ones had no magical guard. They went blind, fell asleep, unable to block even Tier 1 spells.
If the [Shamans] lived long enough to cast the magic. Adetr watched as the blinded Humans in the metal vehicle fired ahead. Killing Gnollsbut the Steelfur Tribe was on them, trying to rip open the metal armor. The Humans on the ground held their fireuntil they realized it was fire or die, then they fired, but fell as Gnolls closed.
Adetr was striding towards the first vehicle, which had been disabled, the long nose a smoking ruin after one of the Gnolls bent it out of shape and it exploded. The Humans were blind; they couldnt detect the [Invisible] Gnolls who had assailed their ranks.
Eleven times. Such a strange battle. It had gone from annihilation to victoryand Adetr wondered what they were. Why did they not tell stories about this army, if it was so powerful? What weapons were they, that spat metal?
Where was he? Why did the sky
He stared up. Another object streaked down and the Steelfur Tribe vanished. He stared up.
What is that thing in the skies?
Then he died.
-
Rose went to bed. Adetr was so furious he considered storming into the camp and making a pretext to keep her awake.
Reluctantly, he went to sleep, though he had to literally go to a [Shaman] to beg a sleeping draught. The Gnoll gave him a concerned look.
Are you using your Skill, Adetr? The Chieftain worries
I am fine. Im leveling!
Adetr snapped, snatching the medicine. He consumed the foul elixir, felt himself tire
[Battle Seeker Level 27!]
[Skill Foreign Lands Training (Landscape) obtained!]
His eyes snapped open. Adetr shot out of his bed with an oath.
How?
He shouted so loudly the sentries shot to attention and half the tribe woke up. Adetr told them all was well, but Chieftain Iraz himself fixed him with a sleepy glare. The Gnoll bowed his head. He didnt quite know how to tell Chieftain Iraz he had leveled in his non-primary class overnight.
Four times.
-
Adetr. Garsine Wallbreaker complained of your Skill. The [Shamans] tell me you have been erratic. I am concerned. Is there something you need tell me?
Chieftain Iraz was a strong Gnoll, a Chieftain who had turned his tribe into one worthy of standing with the best of them in one generation. It was his Skill which turned his entire tribes fur to metal.
He did not pry, but let Adetr and his people act as they would. Normally. Adetr was a protg, and one of the best warriors, so his uncle was concerned. Adetr sat in a private meal in the Chieftains tent. His head was bowed. He did not touch his breakfast.
Adetr.
Iraz prompted after a few minutes had passed. Adetr finally looked up.
Obsessed, Chieftain?
His eyesthe flesh parts that remainedwere bloodshot. Iraz wondered if his nephew had slept.
Must I prohibit you from using your Skill? What are you fixated on?
Icannot say, Chieftain. Not yet. I do not know. Give me leave to find out.
Will this cause trouble with other tribes?
Possibly.
Adetr admitted. Iraz frowned.
Why does it consume you so, Adetr?
The Gnoll warrior took a long time in replying. At last, he looked at the Steelfur Chieftain.
If I cause trouble, if I am obsessed, Chieftain. Let me. Let me do what I must. I leveled four times last night. As a [Battle Seeker]. I have a new Skill.
Iraz slipped in pouring himself tea. He splashed tea all over his fur and stared at his nephew.
Four times? How many Skills?
Adetrs eyes glinted.
One. A good one. Chieftain. I climbed Mount Sernis this morning.
The Chieftain went silent. Mount Sernis was well-known to him. It was a mountain where the Steelfur tribe was foundedeight hundred miles from here. Steelfur warriors honed their bodies and climbing skills there.
I see. Can you take me there?
Adetr shook his head.
Not yet, Chieftain. May I go?
Iraz stared at Adetr. The Gnoll was trembling.
Go.
-
He was not actually there. But he could visit his homeand train. Even fight monsters and learn how to take advantage of the geography.
Adetrs blood boiled. There were no people in his Skill. Not yet. He felt like the Skill wasincomplete.
Landscape. Did that mean if he grew more, if his other Skills combined, he could walk another nation, fight their people, all in his head? He had thought it was a class that might weaken him. Iraz felt so, sometimes. Now?
Adetr sought out Rose. His obsession made manifest.
The fifteenth time he won everything.
-
Thirteen.
It was simple. Steelfur died en-masse. There was something in the skies. There werethings that shot across the air and destroyed everything in vast sections. The Humans even had a whirling thing that appeared twice out of the fifteen times and raked the Gnolls from above with some kind of weapon even more destructive than on the ground.
What was worse was that Adetr was sure, sure, by now that this was a skirmish. If you used his Skill on weaker members of a city or tribe, you got less of them. A [Chieftain] or leader? All their might.
Rose gave him a fraction of whatever army this was. Some kind ofpatrol? Imagine tens of thousands of Humans like this.
They had no magic. That was how they died.
[Invisible], [Muffled]. Artifacts borrowed from his tribes armory. [Mage]s artifacts. Adetr didnt need to use them to bring them into the simulation.
They werent idiots, these Humans. They knew he was there, but they let him study them. He let them win, and watched the rolling machines, listened, saw how their weapons worked.
Some kind of bow or crossbow. Not magic. It smells. Adetr stared at a Human, noting the odd helmet. Why not a face-guard? Whycloth?
They knew he was here. They had some tools that were trying to pick him up. However, he had their weaknesses.
You cant stop spells. You cant detect magic. Adetr bared his teeth. He swung his axe, watched the Humans head vanish. The other ones in the squad jerked, lifted their weapons, aimed at him. They fired. Adetr lifted the object in his other hand. He heard a tremendous sound of ringing, that tore at his ears. Yet when he lowered the shield, he saw they were dead. He checked the metal, and it was unblemished. The projectile had bounced.
You cant break artifacts.
He laughed. Then saw the giant metal turret turn. Adetr dove, shield raised
-
His body couldnt survive the impact, but he was almost positive the shield had survivedjust lodged halfway through his spine.
Still, it was proof he needed to take lessons from Azmuzarre. Adetr tore through the Steelfurs armory. The Steelfur warriors watched him with significant concern as he went for a walk wearing armor, enchanted metal, the highest-grade he could find. Adetr was famous for relying only on his bodys toughness.
-
Fourteen.
Adetr threw up. His body was ringing.
Damnarmor
It didnt break, but his body still rang with each impact. The giant vehicles tossed him around. He was almost there, though. Blind them. Something would come from the skies, but it detonated on a mage-barrier. If they used clouds to hide their locationthey won! He could now save sixty-percent of the Steelfur
-
Adetr woke up. Something had hit him in the eye, past the visor of his helmet. A Human [Marksman]? He shook his head.
One more time. Thirty eight minutes.
He stared at the Human, determined to win.
-
Rose felt like someone had been staring at her all day and yesterday. She eventually went up to Beilmark and whispered in her ear.
Beilmark, whos that Gnoll in armor who just stormed off?
Beilmark had seen him too, especially after hed begun showing up in armor. She frowned.
Adetr Steelfur. A great Gnollish warrior, so Im told. Young. Why?
Diddid you think he was staring at me?
Beilmark hesitated.
Perhaps, but I cannot imagine why. Did you offend him?
What? Me? No, I havent even spoken to him!
Hrm. That is odd.
-
Fifteen.
Adetr stood on the battlefield, howling victory. Less than a hundred Steelfur Gnolls lay dead. The Humans?
There was a way to beat their strange weapons. Blind them, paralyze. Adetr had survived a round from thatthing that spat metal, then torn it open. Ambush them! Defeat them!
Even whatever was in the skies had gone down to a [Shaman]s hex. It hit the earth and exploded. He roared his triumph, and raced across the ground, leaving the Steelfur tribe to celebrate. The clone of Iraz lifted a paw in victory.
Adetr was racing towards the downed craftwhat remained of it. He wanted to know how those vehicles worked. They didnt look like Golem-devices, or even magical craft! The [Shaman] with no real face had shook her head when he demanded to know if it was magic.
Still, Adetr laughed. Victory! Victory! He wondered if hed level. He knew this was a battle in a box, but if he went up against this army just so, his tribe would win.
Adetr slowedeven in the simulation and looked back. All of Steelfur. The entire tribe. His battle-rage, his frustration left him suddenly. He felta chill.
All of Steelfur beat this force of two hundred Humans after fifteen tries in which we all died. True, once they found out the weaknesses, they won with a strange reversal of strengths, but
Chieftain Iraz has to know. But what is this army? Where is this?
Adetr didnt know. He looked about. The sky was wrong. Themountainswere wrong. Even the ground looked different. It smelled so strange. He looked up.
Even the sky. They were different stars. One moon? Where am I?
Thenhe blinked. He thought he saw something.
Wait a second. High, up there. So far only his keen eyes could even make out something. A flicker past the clouds. Was there a second craft?
Of course! If he hadnt ended the SkillAdetr pointed up.
[Shamans]! Barriers!
They broke off celebration, cast as Adetr looked up. He saw something drop out of the skies. Adetr braced, grimly raising his shield as he knew he would not reach his tribe before it fell. Which was it this time? The rain of explosions? The curving thing?
It was just one object. It dropped down, a bit off-target of his tribe. Adetr saw it break. He saw a flash and saw
[Greatest Battle]. Adetr died. But he saw enough when he died. When he opened his eyes in the real world?
He was no longer smiling.
-
Rose watched as the Gnoll jerked. He had stared at her, seemed to whisper something and
Youre right. He is staring at you.
Beilmark sipped from her cup. They both watched as Adetr looked around. He had been smilingthen it drained away.
Do you think he likes me?
Rose tossed her hair in a show. Beilmark chortled.
That would be funny. Almost as funny as that GnollGireulashialearning the truth, eh? One problem at a time.
Mhm. Wherere Inkar and Tkrn?
Talking with her.
Rose was a bit envious. Ekhtouchs outrage over being accused as [Thieves] aside, and the ramifications of their tribe knowing, Gire was full of questions and in awe of Inkar. That was nice. Maybe
She saw Adetr stride forwards, snarling, and blinked. Beilmark sat up a bit.
Hold on. Thats diff
You!
Adetr roared. Silverfangs turned, and the Steelfur Gnolls who had been told to watch over him. They dropped what they were doing and bounded forwards.
Uh
Rose froze. The Gnolls face was twisted in sudden fury. He stormed towards their camp.
What is it? Where are you from? What weapon
Adetr! Stop!
Steelfur Gnolls grabbed his arms and shoulders, trying to slow him. He pulled eight behind him in his fury. Beilmark put out an arm.
Rose, back in the camp. Rose?
The young Human woman was frozen. Adetr roared.
Everything was gone! What was it? Who are you? What weapon destroys mountain and land like that?
Weapon?
He stormed towards her, picking up speed. Adetr reached for Rose, to tear the secrets out of her. If that army came herehe had seen it, before whatever it was reached him. It could destroy the Meeting of Tribes. It would change the landscape. Had they more? It was a skirmish. It could destroy the High Passes.
Tell me.
II
Rose was trying to back up, but she was terrified by the Gnolls sudden, battle-raging fury. Adetr had lost himself, blending the Skill and reality. He lunged.
-
Chieftain Iraz ran out of his tribe, to stop his nephew before an incident occurred. He did not know what Adetr had seen, but his warriors had come howling Adetr had lost his mind.
He skidded to a stop, having raced through lines of bewildered Gnolls. Five minutes too late, no matter how fast hed run. He saw a commotion, pushed his way, breathless, through Gnolls gathered around
Rose. She lay on the ground, face white. Pale. Unmoving.
Not dead. She had fallen on her butt in terror. In front of her, paw still outstretched, lay Adetr. He had fallen while reaching for her. His face was a rictus of fury, but he was pinned by countless Gnolls.
But someone had knocked him down. How? Iraz panted.
Who stopped Adetr?
A Gnoll moved. He turned and saw Senior Guardswoman Beilmark. She flexed her paw and shook it out. There were great wars, and Skills, and battles you could dream of. Reality?
Adetr had never been arrested by the Watch.
[Immobilizing Touch].
She explained.
-
Chieftain Iraz sat with Chieftain Akrisa, Eska, Orelighn, and the Chieftain of the Ekhtouch Tribe, Chieftain Firrelle.
Steelfur, Longstalkers Fang, Silverfang, Ekhtouchand Greenpaw.
Greenpaw definitely didnt fit. You could sort of make the connection with the other tribes, given some variance in fortunes, specialties, and their great Gnolls, but not Greenpaw.
Yet here they were. Adetr was not present, but Gireulashia was. Iraz would have liked his nephew here as instigator of this mess, but Adetr was so worked up, Iraz had told his Steelfur warriors to sit on him until he calmed down, or pin him under a boulder or something.
At last, Iraz broke the silence.
I must apologize again for Adetrs behavior. It isrude for him to use his Skill like he does. He is young, and it does not bother most if they even notice it. I am ashamed.
Young Gnolls do what they do out of youth, rudeness or not.
Firrelle offered. She glanced at Gire, and the huge [Paragon] hung her head; she was so tall she threatened to touch the tip of Akrisas tent with her head.
Nevertheless, it seems that while two tribes have given offense, both incidents were because of our Humans. Perhaps we have been careless. Do not apologize overmuch, Chieftain Iraz. You cannot control every Gnoll perfectly.
Chieftain Akrisa lifted a paw, and Iraz was grateful. He nodded to her; they said Silverfangs Chieftain had a silver tongue to match, and she had not been found wanting.
I ahdont hold any ill will against the Steelfur tribe. Or Ekhtouch. But if the secrets are out
Chieftain Orelighn didnt have Akrisas reserve or gift of gab. He was nervous at having two powerful tribes here. Technically they had offended the others, but offense could turn to retribution if not handled right.
Iraz was not that kind of Chieftain, but he bowed slightly to Orelighn.
It is our mistake. Adetrs mistake. He will be punished, but it seems we have
He trailed off. How did you even say it? We have stumbled upon a secret that may change this world forever?
We have learned of weapons Adetr claims could wipe my entire tribe out in a moment if used?
We have seen artifacts that run on no magic, that come from a land only Humans inhabit by the billions?
He had been told, of course, as had Firrelle. They had to be. Adetr had seen too much through his Skill. Gire? She was too intelligent. Inkar had let her touch the iPhone by mistake.
Gire had opened up the specifications, and been about to start inquiring about the Apple company, and locations listed in the details with the nearest Mages Guild before Tkrn tackled her and she helped pick him up and dust him off.
Firrelle looked disturbed, but she was trying to appear unfazed. Iraz hoped he was half as stoic.
learned of something that might influence your great gift to the Meeting of Tribes. That is no small matter.
He finished, choosing the most understated way of saying it. The other Chieftains nodded. Firrelle sighed.
Knowledge is power. So [Mages] claim. This? I would agree with. It is hard to believe.
It will change everything. Firrelle, Firrelle. They said you could make things move with harnessed electricity. If that is so, you could make a horse out of metal and wood! You could do what great enchantments do without needing levels!
Gire piped up. She fell silent as her Chieftain looked at her warningly, but she saw what might be.
Iraz only knew what Adetr had insisted on telling him. Weapons that spat metal a hundred times faster than arrows. Great armored war-vehicles that could kill even Adetr in a single strike.
It is not here yet. These are travellers from Earth, Chieftains. They are our gift. Soon, all the Chieftains will know this secret. We will decide as one people what will happen. Butit must be the right decision. That you know is concerning. I had hoped to have an accord before then.
On what will be done?
About the other world. About the children who appear across this world. Unity, Chieftain Iraz. Longstalkers Fang, who has adopted Inkar, Silverfang, who knows of more such children, and Greenpaw, who have relics of their land, all stand together. We will gather them, protect them, and learn. Prepare, perhaps, to make ties with a world apart.
Chieftain Akrisa looked at him. Iraz shifted. Firrelle glanced at him, and he kept his thoughts inside.
What if this world fights like Adetr saw? He fought two hundred to our tribes death fifteen times. He never won; he only saw them destroy him a different way at the end.
I like them. If Ekhtouch does nothing, we refuse to act on a matter that will invariably force itself. Therefore, we should act or oppose and since they have done nothing wrong, Firrelle
Gireulashia! Be silent!
The [Paragon] sat up, flushing, as Ekhtouchs Chieftain scolded her, scandalized. She almost shrank and the elegant speech broke off. She was a child thenuntil her spine stopped bending.
I am Honored Gireulashia. Ekhtouchs [Paragon]. I say it so, Chieftain, and this is my word.
You are still young. I said be silent while I think!
The room fell silent as the two engaged in a battle of wills. Firrelle seemed surprised at Gires adamancy. Gires eyes slowly narrowed. The two traded looksthen, of all things, Gire reached out and poked her Chieftain in the side. The Ekhtouch Chieftain recoiled and swatted at her, but Gire poked her again, and again, her paw darting quickly.
The others in the tent stared at the odd display. Firrelle moved faster, trying to block Gire with both paws now, but she was too slow. Gire began poking her harder, until she was practically shoving Firrelle off the cushion, never changing her narrow-eyed expression.
Rose nearly snickered, but fell silent. Firrelle eventually snapped.
Alright! Alright! Stop poking me! If that is the wisdom of the greatest of Ekhtouch, so be it!
She turned to the others.
MyHonored Gireulashia, who has the wisdom of her blood and nature in her, declares your tribe and mission worthwhile. Ekhtouch stands with you. We must learn more
Another poke. Firrelle twitched, and went on.
But we will join our influence to yours.
Iraz stared. He knew Gire was fifteen. Firrelle listened to her?
Then againshe was Ekhtouch, and Gire was the greatest of them. It was an astounding display of another tribes politics and decision-making.
Hewished he hadnt seen that. But then all eyes turned to him.
And you, Chieftain Iraz?
He hesitated.
I will keep what I have learned secret, Chieftains. I cannot promise Steelfur will join your tribes. But I swear I will keep
He hesitated. The Gnoll wanted to talk to other Chieftains he respected this instant, after questioning Adetr. Akrisa saved him.
They will know soon enough, Chieftain Iraz. Perhapsconsider this a gift in advance. We will consider no harm done, if Steelfur will agree to present this issue first among the Meeting of Tribes, along with the issue of Raskghar and perhaps one other.
She locked eyes with Krshia. Iraz thought about that.
That isexceptionally kind, Chieftain Akrisa. I accept.
It was. Steelfur had the power to press to hear one of the myriad issues before all the tribes first, and if he threw his power behind Ekhtouch and the others, they had a chance of beating even Plains Eye. Given what he had learned, he agreed wholeheartedly. If they wanted to tack on a personal Silverfang matterit was a cheap concession.
I will keep the news private as I may, and I would like to speak toRose, and Inkar.
Of course. Will you take tea and discuss it? There is much to say.
They were eager to make allies of him. Iraz hesitated, but demurred.
I shall return tonight. FirstI must calm down Adetr. Chieftain Akrisa, Eska, I have one last request.
They gazed at him. Iraz would learn, talk to others, and decide what was best. But firsthe looked at Rose.
If I can ensure he is calm, would you consent to talk to Adetr? I could have all of my best [Warriors] ensuring he is restrained. Whatever works.
Me? He wants to talk to me?
Yes, I think. It wouldcalm him. I know I ask for much, Chieftains.
Akrisa exchanged a glance with Eska and her sister.
It is up to Rose.
Iif he doesnt charge me, I guess? W-why? I didnt do anything, he just sawwhat he saw.
Rose was still unclear on that. Iraz nodded.
I am sure he has many questions, Miss Rose. I only ask that you talk to him, that you might reassure him.
About what?
Your world. He saw war, Miss Rose. Greatest war. That is the flaw of his Skill, and his fault, of course, but still.
Iraz turned.
I have never seen him that terrified.
He walked off, as the secret of Earth spread. Iraz went to find Adetr. Thenas soon as he could, he would talk to Chieftain Xherw of the Plains Eye tribe. He was not sure he had the wisdom to know what should happen next.
Authors Notes:
Its me! p-pirateaba. Did you remember me?
Im off my break! Its been a nice two weeks. Really, I realized how tired I was about halfway through it. Breaks are good. Breaks are important. But I am back!
I wrote a lot. Not all of the chapter I intended to, but Im getting back into grove. I can tell you next chapter MIGHT be the edited chapter. I have the letter, I have the notes, and Ill be working on it
If I cant get it done by Saturday, Ill write a chapter and release it whenever the chapter is good. Either way, though, I have lots of energy so Ill be writing all month and probably take my monthly break early August and go from there. So its chapters! Writing!
Relc? Well, well see what the future holds. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and lets get into it.
I could still use a 3-year break. But thats probably called retirement.
Nutball, Sariant Lambs, and Pirate (not me, Pirate), by Kalmia the [Threadweaver]!
Sun, Seborn the [Pirate], Pawn and Erin, and more by /demoniccriminalKo-Fi: /lechatdemonStash:https://sta.sh/222s6jxhlt0
Yvlon, Let Me Inn, Snowball, and more by Chalyon!
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