Count Only The Happy Hours

Part 1: III

For all of Sil's worry about the truth, news of Nerevar's victory started to spread, and because of it, they were finding more and more support. Houses offering their arms where needed, and a few more mer agreeing to join them at their next base–a city, they'd decided, which would need a touch more subtlety than out here in the less populated isles, but would certainly be a much safer meeting point. They even had the very vocal support of a princess –who, as she wrote, despaired over the fact that she couldn't join them until she was of age.

And, more locally, it seemed as though word found its way underground, too. Because one day, after a long visit down below–it was becoming increasingly clear that Nerevar, friendly to a fault, was staying far too long for it to simply be business talks–ended with Nerevar returning with a king in tow. King Dumac, to be more specific, ruler of the Dwemer; laying out the Nords had been the last bit of proof he needed that Nerevar's plan was viable, and he was ready to talk strategy.

Though, in truth, the "planning" was more like a prospective spouse coming to dinner. While a bit of lip service was paid toward using Dwarven technology against the Nords, Nerevar and Dumac were joking and chatting, and each member of the council, for lack of a better term, were being introduced: loyal and noble Dagoth Voryn, who had been here from the start; quick-witted and swift-footed Vivec, who fought with all the same passion he put into his words; Alandro Sul, the immortal son of Azura. (Despite all of Vivec's prodding, Alandro never did confirm whether that was simply a title or simply a statement of fact, which was terribly vexing.) Nerevar was quick to praise each of them.

But they weren't wholly alone. Along with a few of Dumac's retainers, a young boy hung near the table. Sil had said he didn't want to talk, but clearly he'd wanted to listen . For the most part, he went unnoticed. But there was no ignoring the beacon his eyes became as Dumac pulled out what he called a "prototype centurion spider"–it was a little thing, about the size of Dumac's wide palm, that looked somewhat like its living namesake. Sil, still silent, made his way up to the table as, with a little spark of magicka, Dumac brought the little contraption to life, metal legs skittering down from his hand and over the table.

"Obviously the ones we have below are much larger," Dumac explained to the dumbstruck table. "The size of a nix-hound, I'd say. They're better for repairing our other animunculi. For a true battle, we'd want spheres and centurions, of course."

Nerevar grinned at the rest of the table. "I've seen them. Just about scared the piss out of Alandro and me, so I can't even begin to think of how a superstitious lot like the Nords will react." He looked up at Dumac, who was rumbling a laugh at his comment. "And this'll keep our losses down, too."

"Will they... work above ground?" Voryn asked, squinting suspiciously at the spider as it skittered past him.

"Of course! Down below we use steam to power them, but if you get a few mages and an amplifier or two to get them started, we'll have a full army automated for battle," Dumac assured. He glanced over as Sil set his hand in front of the spider, coaxing it into his palm to get a closer look at it. Even beneath his full beard, a wide smile was on display. "Do you like it, boy?" He leaned over as Nerevar beckoned him, listening to a very quiet, urgent whisper, but he nodded without saying a thing.

"How does it work?" Sil asked, his whole focus on the spider. "You said you use steam underground, but magicka above?"

"Oh, we use magicka in both," Dumac said, clearly eager to explain. "At least, to get them started; a little shock will usually get them up and running, and of course a bit of Alteration to get them programmed. But then the steam pushes the mechanisms inside, which is how they move. We have plenty down underground–the magma helps with that–so that takes a great load off of our personal magicka reserves. In a situation like a battle, though, we use metals to amplify our magicka, and then we power them that way."