The Secret King

Spider Glass

The next morning, after breakfast, a meeting was held in the council chamber. About thirty beasts attended, including the specific persons Chumley had asked Deerdor to invite. After apprising everyone present about the events at Seth-e-Raman as well as those on Xenoth, Chumley introduced Herman.

The big hedgehog stood nervously and faced the table.
"Good day ta all ya fine beasts, my name is Herman Corkspike and I be a gaffer, a worker o' glass. That wizard feller, Vattus, has asked me ta make something what ain't never been made before, a glass tank what can hold the...Asheroumajig...," gasps emanated from the table, the hedgehog continued, "mah pal Chumley tells me I can count on you guys ta give me the help I needs, so I'll be tellin' you what that might be. I plans on moldin' all five pieces of the glass at the same time, so first off I needs ta know if'n you fellers can build a furnace hot enough ta melt glass that's a hundred-twenty feet long and fifty feet wide... can ya do that?"

An old ferret named Bemar stood, he was the head of the metal-workers guild in Thoth.
"That's a mighty big furnace, but we got our works outside of Thoth on the Flamin' Fissure, it's a long crack in the earth that descends into the pits of this world, full of melted rock. It's what we uses to melt the iron, we could funnel enough of the heat into an oven that size, no problem. It'd be more'n hot enough to melt your glass. 'Course the furnace gotta be built first."

Orgor, the stoat head of the stonemasons called out.
"We kin build it fer ya in a week."

Herman clapped his paws.
"Marveylous! Can ye get me a ton o' tin, I'll be needin' it ta float the glass?"

Bemar answered.
"We got ten times that much, use it in all sorts of ways. Anything else?

Herman was feeling more comfortable now, seeing the respect he was being accorded.
"We'll need plenty of sand and cullet, that would be broken glass and the like."

Orgor replied that that too, was easily achievable. Herman listed the other ingredients required and each time was greeted with an affirmative response.

He went silent in thought for a bit and then continued.
"I guess what's left is fer me ta give mister Orgor a drawin' of the furnace he'll be a buildin'...and then we gots ta wait fer Arisha's web ta mix into the glass. I sure wish we could test it and see if'n it'll work, seems a shame ta put all you fellers ta work afore we even know how the glass'll fare."

Chumley who was sitting next to Herman reached into the breast pocket of the vest he was wearing and pulled out a necklace which held an Asherouboros tooth like that which Egbert wore. He removed the tooth from the narrow strand which held it and handed the string to Herman.
" 'Ere's a piece of  'er web, is it enough for you to make a small test batch?"

The hedgehog held the delicate strand of web and examined it.
"I'll give her a go, should know before night falls."

Deedor rose and addressed the group.
"Don't wait for the results, it's not like we have a backup plan. Everyone gather what you need to proceed. Mister Corkspike will provide the plans for the furnace before days end, we need to move as quickly as possible."

Everyone present nodded in assent and then exited the room. Only the hedgehogs, Chumley, and Deerdor remained behind. Chumley sighed.
"I 'ope this works. Do ya think we could use a metal tank if the glass isn't strong enough?"

Deedor shook his head.
"The water in the Circe sea is pretty much an acid, it'll eat through metal in a couple of days at the most. I'm afraid it's the glass or nothing.

Herman looked down at Winnie and patted him on the head.
"In that case, I reckon we got's to make glass like we never made it before, ain't that right, brother?"