Once the visitors from Earth Bet were settled in, things began in earnest. Which meant that while Taylor was busy with Ed, nearly everyone else was left at loose ends. Except for Chris, who found himself being instructed on how to
properly modify his hand crossbows, and Colin, who could actually work the forge in a blacksmith's shop.
When asked, he answered, "I found it is best to know how to make your own weapons. That way, you can tell when something you have purchased is utter garbage. It has saved me from some embarrassing moments using substandard articles."
Later, Pinako Rockbell, Sabri's adopted grandmother, would be heard to comment, "He does good work. The plowshares he's forged are all nearly exactly alike and will only need a little sharpening.
"Now, his young apprentice? He's a little rough around the edges. At the very least, I can teach him how to modify someone else's work without having it look like it was just slapped on." The old woman turned to glare at where Vicky was trying to sneak a cookie from the cookie jar. "And don't think I can't see you," she warned the girl before throwing a wood spoon at her. There was a smack as the spoon hit the blonde's hand.
"How does she keep doing that?!?" Vicky exclaimed as she rubbed her hand. Like every other time in the last few days it had just rapped her knuckles – right through her force field.
"Better you than I," Dennis said from where he sat. He was working on something he'd gotten from the Bard's guildhall in town, which was actually an old, retired bard's house. "I'd rather think about somethin' Master Robinson told me; he and Mellony heard rumors of some Lolthite drow in the area."
Sabri threw her arms up into the air, giving a shout of frustration. "Great! That's all this place needs, a bunch of spider-demon-worshiping psychotics running around in the dark, when half the population here is an artificer or alchemist and at least five specialize in weapons and another five in explosives! And most of them are almost paranoid about thieves or being spied on!"
"Not to mention that so-called warrior of justice," Dean added. "You know, the one who likes to make dramatic entrances by leaping down from high places?"
"And makes annoying but corny and heartfelt speeches?" Takara added. "A few people have started throwing veggies at her, while a few others hold up score cards."
"Yeah," Dennis interjected. "The crowd here is tough. Still, I could see her doing okay on Earth Bet, Mouse Protector style."
"At least the tall blond guy and his friend were nice," Dinah added from where she was winding up some of her silk. "They were mainly curious about me, and were very polite."
"Then there was Miss Princess-in-her-cups," Vicky added from where she was floating. "She looked depressed and drunk despite not having had anything to drink. 'Too expensive' I heard her mumble. At least the outfit she's wearing should provide enough support, otherwise she's gonna be needing a chiropractor when she gets older."
"Or magic," Melissa said. "That's a thing now."
"But does anyone back home make a bra with magical support?" Vicky queried.
"Does anyone here?"
"I… didn't check," said Vicky. "Hmm."
"Ears burning now," Chris said as he got up.
"I take it Amy is in town, helping?" Dean asked.
"Yeah," Vicky said, now floating upside down. "That accident a day ago had a couple of people hurt badly, and the local hospital was looking for some help. Ames and the tall and short chicks with black hair went down to help."
There was the sound of the door opening and closing. "And I'm back," Amy called from the entryway. "It was a bit touch and go there for a bit, but they'll all live. And yes, Amelia and Gracia were of immense help, though the latter fainting at the sight of blood was only amusing the first time it happened."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
In the inn at the center of town, a certain tall, black haired ex-princess lay back on her bed, an ice pack on her head.
"Really, we can't take you anywhere," Amelia groused as she watched over Gracia.
"I'm so
terribly sorry," Gracia muttered. "When you kill the assassin sent after your mother with a spell that you think is only going to tie them up but instead turns him into neat, bloody chunks and you're only ten, I'll get to see what phobias
you come up with."
"At least you helped while you were able," Amelia continued. "And sorry, I didn't know."
"S'Okay," said Gracia. "You were, I think, only two when it happened, and I left Saillune before you were five. So what's this about another Amelia?"
"That would be Amy," Amelia replied. "If only to cut down on the confusion. She's a healer from another world. Not only does she have white magic, she also has some kinda healing power that's really freaky and cool to watch."
"Yeah, I'll skip the body horror," Gracia said.
"Where she comes from, a lot of people have some kind of power that might do all sorts of weird things," Amelia continued. "Amy's sister Vicky is really strong and can fly!
"And, from what I could tell, they may have run across Lina
and Sylphiel," Amelia nattered. "I mean, it could have been anyone, but there are very few people who could reduce a slaver cult's compound into a crater with magic. So – new lead?"
"What do Zelgadis and Xellos think?"
"They both think it's possible," Amelia answered. "Xellos did mention that it's one of the worlds he's unwilling to enter. Someone named Mab
scares him to the point he doesn't want to even think about going there."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"I would again like to thank you for taking the time to spar with us," Colin stated to the two men in the list with him and Dean.
"Eh, always glad to help," Gourry said. "'Sides, I've been getting a little rusty. Too much traveling, not enough swordplay."
Zelgadis shrugged. "I'm willing to be a fencing instructor. People need to learn how to defend themselves." He'd chosen a wooden training sword from the rack after going through several looking for one that wasn't too bad.
"Let's warm up, and then we'll pair off and spar, and we'll work on some training exercises," the chimera instructed.
Soon, Dean and Zelgadis were facing off with their training weapons in one list, while Gourry and Colin were facing off in another with live steel.
"Both are skilled enough that they'll be fine," Zelgadis reassured Dean. "You, however, aren't. Let's see if you remember yesterday's lesson." With that, he brought his sword up to a guard position, and gestured for Dean to begin.
Gourry watched as he fended off Colin's attack, and then riposted. "Eh, the kid's not doing too bad, all things considered."
"Due to interfering busybodies," Colin responded, "he has gotten very little chance to use his training." He parried Gourry's blade out of the way and brought his blade around for an attack, only for his opponent to return the favor.
"I don't ever think I've encountered one of those before," Gourry said, maneuvering his blade in a way that was causing his opponent some difficulty.
"You are lucky," Colin answered. "They are a most difficult foe, slowly draining your will to live." He deflected his opponent's thrust, and brought the flat of his blade around to smack the hand.
"That's a good one," Gourry complimented his opponent. The dull sound of wood hitting someone caused both to come to a halt. "Kid took a hard hit."
"I had to work for that," Zelgadis admitted. The chimera put his training weapon back on the rack. "So he's doing pretty good." He walked over to Dean. "May I?"
"Sure," Dean answered.
Zelgadis poked the area that he had hit, and noticed Dean's wince and sharp intake of breath. "Yeah, sorry about that." He muttered something and carefully placed his hand on the spot. "Not as good as your girlfriend's sister, but it'll do. Should ache for a couple hours and be fine by morning."
"Thanks."
"We'll start on some more advanced saber techniques tomorrow. You're probably better than most bandits and rogues that you'll run into. Let's make sure that if it comes down to you or them, it's you staying on your feet."
= = = = = = = = = = = =
Faevras Eilservs leaned back against the wall of the cave her group were sheltering in. There were tunnels in the Ring that led from the city under the surface, which would come out at various places around the Ring.
One of her late, unlamented aunts had spent some time mapping some of the tunnels, to be used for her clan's advantage if they needed to move unseen in the city (Hah. The Lady was everywhere in the city. Everywhere.) and move goods and people in and out of the city as needed.
Right now they were tracking a drider, a loathsome abomination cursed by the Demon Queen of Spiders for their failure during a rite of passage ubiquitously called "The Test." Those who passed were unchanged. Those who survived failing were changed and became outcasts, abominations driven to the edge of what passed for drow society, and left to rot.
She'd also learned that her dear younger sister, Sabri, was present in the small town that could be seen from the cave entrance at night.
This should prove to be an interesting visit, she thought to herself.
Let's see if the little sister is worthy of retaining her clan's name.
= = = = = = = = = = = =
From where Lolth observed one of her chosen, the Demon Queen of Spiders facepalmed. Yes, she promoted cutthroat competition between her followers, which mostly led to a stronger next generation.
She also had to admit that some of her followers should be drowned at birth, Eclavdra's brood being a prime example. Eclavdra herself was the perfect instrument for her will on Oerth. Her three eldest daughters, however, had tried to push an agenda that the clan of Eilservs should rule all drow.
Threatening the power of the priestesses of Lolth was a sure way to gain the Demon Queen of Spiders' attention, and have her throw her favor to anyone who would oppose that plan. Which would be any clan not Clan Eilservs.
Normally this wouldn't bother her at all, because her worshippers should be strong enough to defend themselves. However, there were two glaring issues with what was going on. The first was that Dinah Alcott was
not a drider. She'd altered the girl with a variation of the transformation she'd normally use on those who fail her trials, which had none of the ongoing pain and suffering that accompanied the transformation from elf to drider and produced obviously different results. The second one was
where the foolish girl was attempting this!
Lolth didn't mess around on the Ring of Sigil. It was a useful meeting place, and the merchant clans of the drow treated the city as neutral ground, where they could meet and trade with other races. If Faevras caused a ruckus with one of The Lady's family…
She might be called to answer for her followers' actions.
"Ezzan!" she called out, summoning one of her generals to her.
The Balor appeared in a burst of fire. "You rang?"
A scroll materialized in Lolth's hand. "Take this scroll to our agent in Plaguemort. They are to get it to Sigil and The Lady with all due haste. Failure to do so will have very unpleasant consequences."
"Alright, I get the message." With that the demon took the scroll and disappeared in a flash of fire.
= = = = = = = = = = = =
Taylor leaned back after finishing with the day's work on making the ring. She and Edward had reduced a couple of her scales down to its mithril and gold, then made a mold for the ring out of the clay. The next day they'd mixed the philosophical mercury, gold, her blood, and the silk from a cocoon. All while exercising her shapeshifting power while she focused on it.
Edward had helped by locating a copy of an old spell for the caster to change their shape. That had gone straight into her ritual casting book, which got used every day as well, just to be sure the enchantment took. With the alchemist's help, things were going well.
She got up from the workbench where her project was still in the mold. The recipe said to leave it in there for ten days, each day casting a spell that would allow the wearer to change their shape, or apply a shape shifting power while focusing on the ring. She walked over to the basin near the door of the workshop and took the soap in hand, washing up to remove all traces of anything alchemical before she wandered over to the Elrics' house. It definitely smelled like Al had cooked up a good stew for the evening meal.
Once clean, she left the workshop, locking the door to the bunker like construction and started towards the house. After she was halfway there, a shiver ran down her back, causing her to stop and look around.
Not seeing anything immediate, Taylor continued to the house. She'd say something to Ed, Al, and Sabri after dinner.
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