.^^ Mazel ^^
— Cassidy —
I felt a little bad for my sister, who had never really seen combat, as she realized she'd brutally murdered nearly the entire population of an entire city of less-than-innocent people. I didn't like it, but seeing as the people who were dying were willing servants to what Glade swore was the true incarnation of Evil, I steeled myself against the sounds of their terror and pain, and led her back inside.
The sound was blocked out as we entered, and both younger girls stood up quickly. "What's happening out there? Did it work? Did it kill them all?" Iris asked eagerly.
I glanced at Sandy. "Up to you, Lover. It's pretty gruesome. I've seen some shit, but that's a new one. I'll probably have nightmares of that one, and I know Tommy will." I said softly, and settled Tommy in Glade's lap, where she cuddled into him slowly.
Iris tilted her head. "Is it that bad? It's just a bunch of Duergar, isn't it?"
Sandy snapped her head to her before I opened my mouth, and dragged the two girls outside without hesitation. Around a minute later, they returned, eyes wide and haunted, and she sat them both down next to Glade forcefully. "Think before you speak." She commanded sharply.
I hummed, and looked at Glade. "A little music to make them sleep wouldn't be amiss."
He nodded, and pulled out a pan pipe, playing a deep, soulful tune which put the girls and Tommy to sleep almost instantly, obviously magic of some kind.
"I've got first watch on the river. Glade, you watch that tunnel the dragon made." I gazed at it warily.
He nodded and sat down near the tunnel, cleaning his sword, while Sandy sat next to me. "I'm going to get some sleep." She said softly, and leaned against my back, snoring softly almost immediately.
I kept watch as the people that remained in the city were rallied and corralled into a building that somehow was untouched by the acid, in the middle of the city. When they reemerged in pairs or alone, a few minutes later, their hideous wounds were gone.
The bodies of the dead were tossed into a large pile, but with no cloakers left to eat them, (and in fact the cloakers made up half the pile,) but someone had the idea of throwing the bodies into the acidic lake, where they dissolved quickly, leaving only Bones.
In the center-building, a small tower with about four levels, I could see movement as people prepared for retaliation, perhaps. Letting them prepare was a mistake, but my comrades were less capable of stomaching something like this than I was, so getting everyone up and attacking wouldn't be possible, at the moment.
I checked the other grenades in Tommy's launcher, and pulled a few out, cracking them and tossing them into the river one by one, to increase its acidity and get rid of those bones. I didn't want a necromancer getting ahold of them and building an Eldritch Beast for us to fight.
I spent the rest of my watch looking at my staff, practicing making different two-handed weapons with it, finding that it could do everything from a Claymore to a Scythe, if I commanded it. The staff was now encased in the same crystal, and heavier than before, heavier than the wand and staff together, which was a physics question about conservation of mass, but for another day.
I smelled a few invisible scouts, and moved Sandy and I back into the cave gently, deciding to leave them be for now. They patrolled the entire city, it seemed, then walked down the tunnel as far as they could go before the walkway disappeared, returning and leaving us in peace.
'Anything on your side?' I contacted Glade mentally, or tried.
He didn't move for a moment, before glancing at me. 'Were you trying to contact me?'
'Didn't work?' I frowned.
'I've seen worse attempts. I could feel something, so you're getting there. What was it you wanted to say?' He smiled.
'Anything on your side? I've got invisi-scouts and something in that tower healing the enemies the acid couldn't kill. They don't even have wounds anymore.' I hummed.
'Not good... but no, I've got two adolescent and one adult blue dragons conversing with the Ancient, but I can't hear it. They brought gold with them, so I think a homage to their elder? A tithe?'
'I'll try to listen in. Switch.' I leaned Sandy against the other sleeping girls gently, then took his spot, as he sat at the mouth of the cave. I closed my eyes and simply listened, letting my ears become like bats' ears, picking up the slightest bit of noise.
"-the Elves will clear the city, yes, but what guarantee did you receive they would not kill us all afterwards?!? Trusting them is a mistake!!!" A loud reptilian voice hissed in the distance, speaking draconic.
"I assure you, Bexin, that I need not any reminder of the folly of trusting mortals. But this one is a Light Genaasi, and they are creatures of Honor and Kindness. They will give us the caves, and we will attach the Warren to them! A safe place to call our own with no one hunting us, isn't that worth a little risk?" The Ancient hissed back.
"Elder, if I may... what guarantees did you receive... specifically? What was the Deal? For the Northern Caves, and a spot on the Council, and freedom to walk the streets if we are nonviolent? Did she swear not to let us be hunted?" A softer voice asked.
"Yes, she promised to leave us be, if the younglings hunted away the beasts and monsters that like to call caves such as that one home. Also discussed was a job for the younglings, to create a Grid for the River, like the Southern Tunnels. In return, the Warrens would be declared private and for dragons and guests alone. No hunting would be allowed in them without my consent." She chuckled.
"Then Uncle Bexin, I do not believe we will have an issue... we may wish to be cautious for the first few months, and make sure that no traps have been laid, but I feel like the only issue here is that they have a map of the Elder's Warren. Your Warren is by far the largest and most Vast, Elder, and it touches several other Ancient's, and even the three other Elders'... that could be an issue." The younger one sighed.
The Ancient scoffed. "Do you think me so stupid? The map I gave them was thirty years old, and I have made many more tunnels since then, and collapsed a few. It is still a good map of the city, because not much has changed, but they could never use it to attack the Elders or Ancients... unless I wished it."
The louder male voice spoke. "And do you, Elder?"
"Perhaps... I've been promised a portion of their Hoards, upon their deaths. The other Elders hate the elves and tieflings with a passion I know will never allow peace... killing them and taking their Hoards will do more good than letting them stew up trouble at their leisure." She said casually, and practically.
"Yes, Elder... if that is your wish, we will make it work. The other Clans might have Issue, though." The younger female hummed.
"Yes. And when they bring their issues to me, I will mediate them. As the Last Elder, I will assume the duties of the leader of our people, while someone is elected to that council of theirs to make sure the Blue Dragons are properly represented, and treated fairly." She explained.
"And do you think we will be?" The male asked.
"This Skøll Genaasi seemed like a good sort; kind, but intelligent, too intelligent to be tricked by lies or such. I found myself impressed. I rarely find mortals impressive. As for the rest, that is to be determined. Either way, fair or not, we will finally be able to breathe easy." She hummed.
"I don't follow."
"... Killing mortals individually is not difficult. They are weak, alone, like Behir; but when they send group after group to kill you, one of them is eventually going to get lucky. Eliminating that possibility is our best course of action. Ergo: Treaty. Now go, and inform the others that the babies are alive; captured, not killed. The retaliatory attacks are no longer necessary... but keep the plans, just in case." She dismissed them, and they scampered off in two directions.
I leaned away from the hole as the female slipped past our cave, and watched her slip off into the caverns. 'Interesting... did you catch all that?' I looked at Glade.
He nodded slowly. 'Curios... but it makes sense that they would be organizing an attack to avenge 140 dead younglings, if we'd killed them. That would be understandable. We should return the babies soon... very soon.'
'I plan to... Tommy promised, and I'm not making her break her word. In fact... I'll do that now. Keep a watch, please, and contact me if anything happens. Just fire Tommy's sidearm, it's loud enough I'd hear it echoing.' I slid him the revolver, and nodded, slipping into the hole and traveling towards the elder's cave.
'Be careful, please, Tommy seems to need a little bit of help after what just happened...' He sighed.
'Hey, that's what you're here for, eh?' I chuckled, feeling the connection fade with distance.
The Elder Dragon gazed at me as I entered. "Hmm... the Other one... identical but for your scars. I didn't catch your name." She said calmly, counting the coins in her hoard, and I forced myself not to look at them.
"Cassidy. The elder sister. I decided to give you back the babies now, instead of waiting. You've given your word to control them, and keep them in the Northern Territory, so I don't mind." I shrugged.
She looked behind me. "I do not smell them?"
"It's a portal spell, actually. They're all the way in Silver Ridge by now." I nodded and placed the silver circle on a piece of flat wall, forming a French door.
She flinched, then hummed as it opened, revealing the Vault, at the Trophy level, thankfully, so the gold and platinum was hidden. "Curious ability..."
A dwarf appeared, cleaning his hands, and was entirely unfazed by the dragon, which I gave him props for. "Yes Sir Skøll? What need you of the Vault today? The Cloaker is dissected and it's Hide has been sent off to be turned into a Cloak of Invisibility, if that's your worry. Two months and it'll be finished." He nodded calmly.
"Very good, but no, I'd like the baby dragons, the ones that were tranquilized and kept for observation? A large amount, 120, I believe?" I stressed the number, and he nodded, understanding my meaning.
"116, actually, Sir, but yes, I'll fetch them, one moment." He bowed and walked off, returning with a massive cage, opening it and shooing tiny dragons out into the cave. As they exited the vault, they grew to their natural size over the next few moments, and began clinging to the Elder like baby bats, coating her like tiny (compared to her) scaled wombats.
Once those were out, and the smaller cage, which contained the Adolescents and a few babies for study, was quickly hidden, I nodded and thanked him, closing the door and tucking the disk away.
"Well, I can see you're busy now, so we'll talk in the morning." I called over the noise, and started walking.
She roared once, and the sound stopped, then the dragon's leapt off her, coating the walls. She snorted. "That's better... yes, in the morning, then. I thank you for not harming them. They're totally daft, at the moment, really only as smart as puppies; their intellect develops in adolescence." She sighed and nuzzled one that was still sticking to her, and it transferred to her neck, hiding in amongst her horns.
"Makes sense. Good night." I waved, and started walking, fighting not gripping my weapon as I turned my back to a hoard of dragons. One of them followed me, crawling on the roof, and covering its head in its wings when I looked at it. I chuckled, and the Elder snapped her jaws shut loudly, making it flinch, then scurry back into the cave.
I made it back, and sat next to Glade, facing the hole. "Well, that went well." I nodded.
He placed a finger to his lips, and pointed out the illusory door, at a humanoid in full plate armor, but skin-tight, oddly enough, like it was his skin. He had lightning dancing over his metallic skin, centered on a large diamond in his chest and each palm and heel, with tattered robes wrapped around him.
Currently, he was examining the blood-spatter of our earlier battles. I slowly exited the door while he wasn't facing us, and leapt to the other side of the river silently, so that when he focused on me, he'd give Glade his back, then cleared my throat.
He leapt up straight with astounding swiftness for someone covered in armor, and pointed his palms at me, reminding me oddly of Ironman, as a blast of white light exited each palm, the same attack that Dagor the Tiefling had used against mother, the first time we'd seen magic.
I waved a hand calmly, and the light died down, sucked into my hand. "No need for that, I just want to ask you a few questions. Is that alright?" I asked calmly, squatting next to the river in a faux-relaxed position.
The light died down, and he stared at me for a moment, before slowly assuming the same position. I cast Comprehend Language, slowly and carefully, then spoke to him. "Greetings...? I'm Cassidy. What are you doing down here? Do you work for the Beholders?" I asked calmly.
He twitched, and a rough, raspy voice exited the throat-portion of his armor, not his face. "Beholders? No, I came here looking for materials. This is said to be a den for Behir... I must be in the wrong place."
I hummed, and cast 'Detect Lie', a new spell from my grimoire, then frowned when it lit him up like a Christmas tree. "I'd like the truth, please. I don't like liars."
He tilted his head, then hummed. "And you are entitled to truthful answers why?" He chuckled creakily, like his throat was made of rusty metal.
I laughed. "True, I'm not entitled to the truth, but I'd still prefer you just say it's none of my business than lie to my face. It's very rude." I began polishing my staff casually.
He nodded. "Then I respectfully decline answering the whole question. Though no, I do not work for the Beholder Queen in that ruin. I did come here for materials, but what materials are my own business."
I cast the spell again, and nothing happened, though I saw his own hand glowing stealthily, so I tried to cast Comprehend again, needlessly, then smirked when it didn't work. "I see. You're countering my attempt to see through your lies. Alright. If that's how it is, my friend, you need to leave. I can't have you revealing our position while we rest. And if the Material you're after is Light Genaasi, Dragon, or Elf in nature, understand that I will rip you to shreds before you take one step in the wrong direction." I warned him, and stood up, leaning against the wall calmly.
He hummed again. "I do not believe I will be leaving. There is fresh Spectator blood here, and I will find the creature, for my research."
The spell got through this time, and he was lying again. "Alright, Buddy. That's strike two. Leave, or get pummeled into oblivion." I said clearly.
He paused, and blinked the metallic slits that served for his eyes, reaffirming my theory as to what he was. "Common, then. I don't see why I must leave. You are the one trespass-... damn." He sighed at the slip, then flung a glowing hand out, only for Glade's sword to slice it off at the bicep.
I leapt across the river as he roared with pain, and cut off the other arm with a heavy swing, surprised at how tough he was, to require that much force to pierce and even more to truly Maim. Then it came time for the legs, because I didn't want him running anywhere. No blood came out, as I'd expected, though a thick oil-like fluid that smelled like tar and rust did.
I placed the axe at his throat, as he growled, and hummed. "Quick question, are you a Golem or something different? Seems to me you're an artificer of some kind that placed his soul into a Golem to attain eternal life or something of the sort?" I asked.
He growled again, and spoke in that language, which I now recognized as what the Spectator had spoken. "I am Mazel, Lord of Light and Knowledge! The God of Secrets blessed my efforts to gain immortality Himself, seeing my greatness for what it was!!! I serve His Agents in the Prime Material Plane, the Beholderkin, in an attempt to spread His worship-"
I sighed and placed my grimoire against his heart, the crystal, and allowed it to transfer his soul into the grimoire, making the grimoire sentient and obedient, like father's. After that was finished, I cast a healing spell, (just to see what would happen, really, my curiosity got the better of me,) and his left arm reattached a little, though his other limbs and his main body remained inert.
"Interesting." I nodded, and dropped him into the Vault, then nodded to Glade. "Well done, that probably would've been very bad. Let's get back inside, more will likely come to investigate that noise."
He nodded, and returned to his position at the entrance, while I leaned against the wall and asked questions of my new friendly neighborhood grimoire-inhabiting spirit.