Day 298-299 (276-277)((266-267))

Day 298 (276)((266)):

The majesty of the field was revealed by the rising sun. The closed moon flowers still shown the edges of their pale petals hidden in green capes.Snap dragons abounded, marking both dragon and rider blood spatter. The ogres were marked by tall thistles of bruise purple and deep green. In daylight, the vines were just as dark green and red as they looked by torch light. Those who had been wounded seemed connected to the plant that grew from their blood. Also, friends of the fallen told us they could feel their friend's energy in the blossoms that marked where they lost their lives. Some of the healers stayed behind to document this and catalog which plants grew from who's blood. We packed up to return to Gowgornok.

A great crowd met us as the illusion barrier opened. Family found their members and either rejoiced in their return or mourned their loss. The council was informed of the location of the field, healers, and the wondrous plants. As our "army" separated to return to normal life, the council gathered scholars, wizards, and clerics to go and thoroughly investigate the field. We seven were called to the council chambers to discuss how to cloak the Rod so it would not continue to light the way to Gowgornok.

We hashed it out for hours. Maudrin and other riders were asked for options as well. We took a break when the group from the field returned with an extremely detailed report. Samples were shown of everything but the vine. None of them could break, cut, or slice even a chip from it. Detailed drawing of it was the best they could do. Some flowers were named in honor of the fallen. The vine was named "Ogre's Folly". They decided not to name it after Nurz as they concluded he was "dead" long before the battle. The thistles were simply called "Ogre Thistles". 

We still had no solution to the Rod dilemma. It was decided to sleep on it, perhaps to let other powers guide us.

Day 299 (277)((267)):

(Dream)

I was not in Andros' home, Fate's dwelling, or anyplace I knew. Vanity was at my side as was Set. All three of us were confused. The room was gray and empty.

"Kay? Are we in trouble?" Set asked as he leaned against me in fear.

"I am not sure. What a strange place. I wonder what drew us to a cold, empty room?" I asked as I comforted Set.

A laugh echoed from the emptiness. It died away just before a male voice spoke.

"Fearless young thing, isn't she? She can even comfort her young charge while faced with the unknown. Let us test her a bit more. I do not wish to take their word for her metal."

The voice fell silent and the walls began sliding inwardly. I felt Set's attempt to enter kirlan.

"Kay! I can't pop! We're stuck!" Set yelled as he shook in my embrace. Vanity also looked fearful. I grabbed her hand and we sandwiched Set between us.

"Set, look at me. Remember your big size? This is the dreamland. You can be as big as you want to be," I told him.

His eyes looked away as he remembered. Suddenly, he began to grow rapidly. I pulled Vanity around to my side when he got too big for us to encase him. When Set grew to meet the ceiling, he folded a bit before giving it a mighty shove with his horned head. The ceiling lifted off the room and sailed off to the side. Squeals preceded the falling of the walls to crash on the floor. Small, gnome-like people fell forward to lay on the walls that were thin boards instead of the stone it was made to resemble. Behind us, two male and two female dwarfs stood, laughing at the small people's distress. Set, realizing the dwarfs had imprisoned us, faced them crossly.

"That was not funny! Maybe we should put you in a box and see how you like it," he chastised the group, flames and lightning leaking around his lips.

"Stand down, dragon!" one of the males, the same who had spoke before, ordered, "You know not whom you address."

"No," I interrupted as Vanity and I came around Set to the group, "we don't know who you are or why you have done this. So, unless you are finished with us, I suggest you explain."

The four exchanged looks. They closed up to whisper to each other. I heard, "Told Brimagor off too" among the noises they made. Finally, they turned back to us.

"We are High Fathers and Hegi Jomfru of the dwarfs. We wanted to see if the stories about you were true. And here, in an unknown place against unknown dangers, you found the solution that did the least damage and kept everyone from real harm, proving every word. Also, not knowing us or our power, you reprimand us for our behavior as you did with Brimagor. Let us put away hostility and get to the matter at hand."

I turned to Set and began calming him, which let him return to his normal size. Chairs were brought as the "room" was taken away. When everyone was settled, they began.

"We apologize for the fright. We had difficulty believing what others said about you. Also, the report of how you handled the ogre mage was hard to believe. Now that we have seen you for ourselves, we offer you aid. The gnomes cannot return the Master Miner's Rod to the dwarfs. Our dark children, the Duergar, would do unspeakable evil with it in their possession and any mountain is vulnerable. They have the Foot, which is the least of the three, but it enables them to go anywhere, even the most secure area inside the mountains. Fortunately, the Wand, the one that summons elements, is far away and safe."

A gnome returned with a handful of parchment. This was given to the dwarfs.

"Herein lies instructions to cloak the Rod. Emphasize that this is to be followed precisely. We know the gnomes will want to modify it, but it must be this way in order to work. When they argue, and they will, tell them 'Gal-tol greenakmar' . This should, hopefully, end their reluctance. Now, return to them and let them know the solution is in hand."

We took the parchment and the three of us held them together as we returned to the waking world.

My sisters were standing around me as I woke. They looked concerned and worried. As I sat up, papers rustled under my arm, on top of Vanity, and under Set's heavy tail. I moved them to lay on my lap. 

Finally, Callie broke the silence, "Where did you go? The swords said you were 'summoned', but they didn't know where. Set was growling and smoking something awful and Vanity was humming fiercely. The council is still at Sourmortane, so we are the only ones who know."

 I got them to sit as I explained. Callie thought my "test" was rather mean. Anna asked me to describe the other people in greater detail. She explained that they were not gnomes but what the clerics called "Waiting Spirits", who may or may not be reborn. They help all gods, not just gnomish or dwarfish gods.

As we sat, we looked over the parchments I had been given. The plans were rather simple. We could not see why anyone would seek to change them in any way.
A staff woman interrupted our conversation. We dressed and went down to the council chamber. Worry hung in the room like a cloud. Each councilor had their own cloud and looking downtrodden. Finally, one addressed us.
"Ladies, we are at a loss. No wizard, cleric, or any other magic users has any idea on how to shroud the Rod. Please, can you give us any hope?"
We passed the parchment to the council. They were allowed to look it over. Just as the High Fathers said, they began talking about a tweak here, a pinch there, to make it "work".
"Council, those plans do not need any changes. The ones who gave us those said the plans must be followed precisely," I interrupted them.
They looked at me questioningly. They exchanged looks with each other. The looks they gave me were like disapproving parents.
"Kayla, while these are very good plans, their skills still require refinement," a councilor told me.
My sisters held their retorts. Facing the council, I took a deep breath before responding.
"The designers gave me a message if you decided to make changes."
That got all of their attentions. After a few heartbeats, I told them "Gal-tol greenakmar."
Items crashing was their only reply as cups, utensils, and other things fell from limp hands. Staff who happened to hear my words were standing as if turned to statues. We seven looked around. Anna had told us what it meant, but we did not expect this kind of reaction.
"Why are they quiet, Kayla?" Set asked as he looked around at the motionless gnomes.
"I don't know. Those words surprised them. They should recover shortly," I assured him.
We waited for the council to find their voices as we finished our breakfast.
Finally, one of them spoke, "Ladies, you may not know this, but our deities told us that any who spoke with their words would use that phrase to let us know to believe what we were told. We shall follow these plans to the letter."
We nodded in understanding. They asked where we had gotten the plans. Cautiously, I told them. Some of the councilors and staff passed out. We attempted to aid them, but were asked, tensely, to leave so they could tend their own. We walked out and went to the riders' outpost. Some of our allies were still around, helping finish the outpost to be a comfortable living space. A pair of unicorns spotted us first. Running to meet us, they faltered just before reaching us. A storm of emotions raged within them. They snorted and pawed the ground. They cast hard looks at the council building.
"They dismissed you for trying to help? We will teach them proper respect!" their mind voices shouted.
"No, don't do that," Anna told them as she stepped between them and the building. We joined her.
"They must learn! You give them honesty and they only give you doubt and heartache. We will make them learn," the largest countered, pawing as if to charge.
I approached him and took his head in my hands. I isolated the two of us from everyone else, "Starebane, cool your anger, Some two-legs do not have open minds and do not hear as we do. They are foals still at their mothers' side. They have much to learn, I agree, but must learn on their own, not by force."
Starebane thought for a bit, then nodded, "I understand, Kayla. We will let the two-legged foals find their own way."
We parted. He told his group and they walked with us to the outpost.  The riders were curious about our face off. We told them about our morning. They saw both sides and let us know they could intervene with the council when they found dealing with us difficult or we with them. We thanked them for any help we could get. We stayed at the outpost doing little things to make it feel more like a home. We did not see the council for the rest of the morning and most of the day. The oddlings, knowing the riders did not adhere to the separation that the rest of Gowgornok shared, walked openly in the outpost and were learning how to care for dragons. They also provided helpful skills, like metal-working and leather crafts, that will be invaluable to keeping the riders' gear and weapons in good repair. Also, in the outpost, they were allowed to do any ritual they wished that did not interfere with the riders or dragons. The oddlings cooked a fantastic lunch. The gnome riders explained that most of Gowgornok avoided certain foods and spices as "uncivilized" or "barbaric". The oddling has no such restrictions. Some of their spices were becoming favored by the dragons. I was given a bag of it for Set to "spice up" his food.
By early evening, the council found us. The riders stood with us while the oddlings vanished. The council looked forlorn.
"Ladies, we have to apologize and ask your help once more. We apologize for questioning you and even attempting to change the plans and, also, for not allowing you to aid those that fainted. We realize that you were not bragging or patronizing us, even though we took it that way. We are glad you were concerned about us and should have not denied you."
We accepted their apology then asked what was troubling them. It seemed the plans required magic they did not have. Gnomes, both wizards and clerics, were excellent at illusions, but other magic was not their specialty and they were barely apprentices at them. The plans called for evocation, summoning, plus a few other skills they did not posses. We did not know how much we could help, but we would try. With the riders and dragons, we were shown the plans and walked through the steps. The council pointed out this magic and that magic that they could not perform. Some of the riders offered to do bits that they could. The dragons also offered here and there. Near the bottom, one step puzzled us all. It called for an item none of us knew and a dance done none of us had seen. Around us, I felt the oddlings and sparks of understanding.
"Nagle, do you know these things?" I asked one of the elder oddlings mentally.
"Yes, they are still in our tradition. These do not know it because it, like us, were cast out of their teachings."
Quickly, we seven worked out how to bring this news to the council. The oddlings became agitated that we might force them to openly display their private practices to the rest of Gowgornok. We told the council we would seek experts to clear this confusion. They left to confer with others about it as well.
The oddlings cautiously reappeared. Nagle looked both sad and worried. The rest also looked downcast.
"We cannot do our ritual in public. This is the reason we are oddlings. We know it is needed, but we cannot."
We talked this over for the rest of the evening and after dark. Finally, we hit on a solution that we would present to the council. After dinner, we went back to our suite and prepared to pitch the idea to the council in the morning.

Day 297 (275)((265))

Day 297 (275)((265)):

Just before dawn, we were woken by a knock on the door. Maudrin was in full armor.

"It is time, Ladies. The ogres have been seen heading this way. We ride out to meet them to keep them away from Gowgornok." 

In a blink, we were dressed and following  him to the outpost. Horses waited for us. A few of the unicorns offered to be our mounts. We thanked them, but reminded them we were to stay at the rear while they would be near the front. They agreed that it would be best for us not to ride them. We formed ranks. Dragons and riders at the front. Unicorns and other creatures behind them. We seven were placed among the gnome fighters, guards, and volunteers at the rear.

A few hours after sunrise, we saw the ogres heading not directly at us, but at an angle. Even with the magic radiating from the Rod like a beacon, they still had not homed in on it. They saw us and changed course. We began to feel them. Aside from Nurz, all we felt were ogres. Nurz, unlike the others, rode a creature that looked like a wingless dragon. At around a mile apart, Nurz's demon possession became clearer to us. We told the riders. They were not surprised, but not pleased either. At the half-mile mark, we took our positions. Nurz selected one of his men and gave him a scroll. This ogre trotted over and threw the scroll at us. He did not stay for us to read it or even pick it up. One of the gnome riders picked it up and read it aloud:

"Gnomes and allies,

This fight is not needed. Give up the Miner's Rod and we promise to no longer harm gnomes. It is a simple request to save innocent lives.

Sincerely,

Nurz, Master of Ogres"

Loud protests were the response from our side. A knot formed to pen a reply on the back of the scroll. As they did, Maudrin asked us seven to come forward and to give them a reading on the ogres facing us. We stopped a few paces in front of our group to better feel out the other side. 

Quietly, we each gained knowledge about them. Anna and Alice seemed perplexed by conflicting information. Se looked at them, shook his head, then looked again.

"What is it, Set? What do you see that troubles you?" I asked him mentally, away from the others.

"The one on the lizard is hard to look at for long. He has sparkles that don't look right. It is like he is underwater or something."

I looked at Nurz. Apparently, Set's dragon eyes saw something my eyes could not. Getting off of my horse, I went to Set. Placing my hand on his head, we shared his sight. Around Nurz appeared to be two cloaks. One was similar to the other ogres. The other was very different. Flashes at the edge wavered like light bouncing off disturbed water. This second cloak appeared unstable and forced. Through Set, I asked the other dragons to get a good look at him. With a dozen sets of eyes assisting us, we penetrated the magic and revealed the lizard rider's true identity. The dragons informed their riders as we informed the rest of our assembly.

"We are being tricked!" I called to everyone, "The one on the lizard beast is not Nurz. He hides somewhere near!"

Our side, again, erupted into shouting protests. This information was added to the response on the scroll. Once done, the scroll was handed to Dawn, who flew it over to the ogres. The fake Nurz grabbed it and read it aloud to his troops. The second cloak dropped, revealing the true ogre beneath the illusion. We seven were ordered back behind everyone as the ogres began notching arrows. Magical shields went up as a rain of large arrows descended upon us. Each bounced off and none were harmed. As the arrows were falling, the fifty or so ogres in front of us ran to bridge the gap between us. The dragons, taking several paces forward, loosened fire, ice, lightning, and a collection of various clouds of gasses. The first few ogres got hit with the full force, being burned, frozen, struck, or otherwise engulfed by these attacks. The gnomes with us began to believe the battle already over. We had to dash that hope by telling them of more ogres we felt heading our way. When less than half of the first group struggled to fall back, three times their original number came running from hiding towards us. Since it would take a bit for the dragons to "reload" their breath weapons, they, the riders, unicorns, and other creatures ran to intercept them, following gnome arrows from our side. A few ogres lost all of their courage and ran away, along with the survivors of the first lot. Arrows, horns, claws, plus other weapons met the crude arms and armor of the ogres. Many fell. We felt the demon possessed ogre getting closer, but not in the group fighting before us. The dragons regained their breaths and, after alerting the others, let loose another volley. Burning ogres ran in random directions, running into block of ice that contained their fellows or tripping over those hit by bolts or gas. Nearly all that were left ran away, leaving a few to face our fighters. The ones running plowed into another group that ran from their hiding place. Nurz was not in this bunch either, but he was getting closer, if slowly. Some in this third group, seeing bodies and the remains of some of their clan, lost their courage and fled. Over one hundred ogres charged at our fighters. Gnome arrows and other quality weapons clashed with their crude arms and leather armor. Some of our fighters fell, but far fewer in number than fallen ogres. The dragons, once again, launched their breath weapon assault. Apparently, repeated use did not diminish the power of the attacks. Some seemed to gain strength. We witnessed great teamwork as some blew great clouds of gas that, when ignited by dragon fire, became a cloud of searing vapor, burning intensely as fire but clinging like pitch. Not many survived this assault. Only a dozen or so were still moving and they were all running away. We watched for another wave. While we felt Nurz still headed towards us, he and those with him were not in a hurry. This gave our fighters time to return to where we stood and access their wounds. Our fallen were also brought back to us. Sarah and other healers swarmed over them, mending bodies and soothing minds. 

We watched Nurz and his group come into view. Evil rolled from him. His cloak made a void around him, blocking out everything behind him. None who had fought and survived were in this group. I doubt any of the runners were there either. These ogres looked older or more experienced than the three previous groups. Nurz was astride another lizard beast while everyone else walked. He looked at the battlefield and snarled. He cast his eyes to our side, looked for something. We seven rode to the front. The demon inside him seemed to recognize us. He and four others advanced to the middle of the space between us. We seven, Maudrin, and a gnome went to meet them. Nurz tried to keep a calm mask even though his emotions were churning inside him.

"So, the reports are true.The heroes of Selvis came to the aid of Gowgornok," he rumbled when we stopped in front of him, "You have made a fair mess here. Don't you realize they will hate you when your return with your dead and tell the city they have to give us the Rod?"

We looked at each other. His forces were decimated, but he still believed he was winning? Our group began laughing. That did not set too well with him.

He growled, "Enough! Let us end this here and now. A one-on-one fight. I win, I get the Rod and a host of gnome slaves. You win, we find a new home, well away from any gnomes."

"Agreed, " Maudrin barked, brandishing his axe, "let's have at it."

"Not you," Nurz stopped him, "I choose my opponent."

He dismounted and looked at our group. For a few minutes, he walked back and forth, sizing us up. Finally, he stopped.

"You, purple-eyed girl with red hair. Fight me now."

Many protested. I called for silence.

"If it ends all of this bloodshed, I agree."

Amid their arguments, I dismounted and faced this ogre who towered over me. Set stood at my side. My sisters backed the others away as Nurz's group retreated from him. Nurz looked at Set and snarled. Set did not flinch.

"Keep your pet, if it gives you hope. It will not help."

Nurz grabbed his rough sword and took a battle stance. I drew Vanity and simply stood. He snarled and growled, trying to frighten me. I stayed calm and did not budge. He posed and postured, but did not strike.

Huffing, he barked, "Well? Does the mighty Sword Sister fear to attack?"

"No, but I will not play your game. You like to play the victim. I will not give that to you," I told him plainly.

Nurz roared, denied his excuse to attack out of retribution or revenge. We faced each other in silence. One of the ogres grumbled something. Nurz turned and beheaded him where he stood.

Nurz shouted at those with him, "I will not be questioned! My will is law!"

The other ogres stepped back, leaving their fellow's body to bleed on the grass. Nurz turned back to look at me. He gave me a hard look before looking at Set.

He sneered, "As I have lost, so shall you. Your pet dies now!"

He raised his sword to strike. Nurz closed his eyes, putting all of his strength into it, and struck. Hitting resistance, he opened his eyes, hoping to see his sword embedded in Set's body. He was shocked to see his large rough sword blocked inches from Set's head by Vanity's polished, thin blade. Nurz pulled his sword back to see a clear notch in it, exactly the shape of Vanity's edge. Even the other ogres were shocked. Nurz raised his sword again and tried to strike me. His sword contacted with Vanity again as I blocked his blow. This time, his sword broke, the point landing behind me. This had some meaning to the ogres. The ones with Nurz turned their backs on him and simply walked away, even leading the lizard beast away. Nurz yelled at them, ordering them to come back and stand with him. He called after them for several minutes. The group on the hill also left. He was left utterly alone. Holding the remains of his sword, Nurz, or rather the demon inside him, began yelling in a language we seven recognized, even though we did not understand it. Six other swords joined Vanity as my sisters appeared at my sides. In counter to his demonic shouting, we began softly chanting. He tried to continue, but found his voice catching as his body spasmed. Nurz let out a great shout. A bluish blob rose from his open mouth. The ogre mage body fell to the ground and did not move. A demon face formed in the blob as it tried to condense into an orb. We seven continued. While no sound issued from it, the face screamed either in rage or in pain. Its substance was falling apart, like ice in a fire. Some of the gnomes joined us, adding to the power and making the mass deteriorate even faster. Then, like a soap bubble, it popped, leaving only the dead ogre mage as evidence he was ever there. Everyone cheered. 

The wounded were fully healed and rites given for the dead as the rest of us made camp. We determined not to try to return to Gowgornok in the dark as it was late evening when Nurz had been destroyed. The dragons and riders gathered the dead ogres and piled them in a large mass. Nurz and his broken sword were placed prominently on top. 

Maudrin explained as we helped them, "Nurz, as leader, had the best of everything. His sword was their master work, the finest of their master weapons makers. His sword breaking after hitting your's only twice told them they were  no match for us, or you, specifically. As Nurz would only choose the 'weakest' of us, they knew the fight was lost and left to both live another day and save themselves the embarrassment of losing to the weakest soldier in our company. Positioning them this way tells other ogres not to cross us unless they want to meet the same fate."

We thought that would best keep ogres out of the area. Seeing even a pile of bones years later would let them know to stay out of this place and leave the gnomes alone.

During the night, we witnessed a curious sight. Some of the unicorns had been wounded. Out on the battlefield, where their blood touched the ground, moon flowers bloomed to greet the rising full moon. Likewise, other plants appeared where some of the other creatures had bled, even the ogres. Around the mound of bodies, thorny vines grew. They did not hide them, but held them together. By torchlight, we examined this event. The vines were dark green, nearly black. The thorns, each as long as one of my fingers, were blood red and sharply pointed. None of us had ever seen the likes of this and could not name the plant. It was decided to leave its naming for others skilled at such. We left the field to find our bedrolls and put this day to an end. 

Days 289-296 (267-274)((257-264))

Day 289 (267)((257)):

It was past dawn when a great noise woke us. Magicking clothes on as we ran outside, we found the outpost being pulled apart by shouting gnomes. The other riders had not returned. Scarlet Rain and his rider were trying in vain to stop the mob. A quick look showed that this was barely two hundred gnomes and the rest of the city looked empty. Alice quickly told us that this was a single temple who's cleric had denounced the riders and called for their removal from Gowgornok. The cleric also denounced the council as "worthless" and told his congregation to take matters into their own hands. They decided, "No outpost, no riders". Unsure, we, together, could freeze so many, I felt my riding set grow hot.

"Brimagor is with us," I told my sisters, "He strengthens us."

As one, we shouted, "FRIEZE!"

In the blink of an eye, the mob stopped in mid-action. A few fell over as they had been on one leg or were jumping. Scarlet and Erik looked at the frozen gnomes is shock. We circled around to check on them and explain. Behind the frozen gnomes, the rest of the city came running from their temple, churches, and other gathering places. The council and this group's cleric arrived from opposite sides.

"My children!" the cleric shouted, "What have you done to my children?"

He looked at the council and started in on them, "This is all your fault! You gave these monsters permission to live here and pollute our great city. My own son wants to be a rider! Tell your tall pets to release my congregation so we can demolish this awful building and remove this poison from our city!" he demanded.

The council was dumbstruck. They could not believe their ears. We seven, however, had heard this spouted before. Anna, in gnomish, told him we were not pets, the dragons were not monsters, the building would blend in nicely with the rest of the city, and they would stay frozen until they decided not to tear down the outpost. Upon hearing that option, a few dozen unfroze and walked away, pledging to leave the temple if he stayed as its chief cleric. A few more unfroze when they saw we meant what she had said. The cleric continued to demand the expulsion of the riders and us or the city elect Gengans who would. The rest of the city muttered and whispered to each other. A few more unfroze. Then, the question was put to the cleric.

"How do you propose to keep Gowgornok and the Rod safe?"

All eyes went to him, waiting on his answer. He sputtered  for a few moments before telling them his idea.

"The Miner's Rod is a dwarf relic. It should go back to them to guard. We have held it for three generations. It is time for them to step up and be responsible for their own property. We have suffered enough due to that thing."

In the silence following his words, one third of the frozen gnomes unfroze and vowed to leave his temple and his "stupidity" behind. The council informed everyone of  yesterday's declaration. The cleric was appalled and took up his demands for a new council.

From somewhere, a clod of dirt hit the cleric following a shout of "Shut up!". He looked like a spoiled child who had just received his first spanking. Several more unfroze. The council, calmly, explained that, they were certain, a combined force of gnomes and dragon riders, with us at the ready, could defeat Nurz and his ogres. Erik reported that there was less than five hundred ogres in Nurz's camp. Knowing this increased the number siding with the council and decreased the muttering and frozen gnomes. 

The cleric began preaching the "wisdom of Knolwerg" to abstain from violence until all other options have failed and to cease violence when another way was opened. The city full of gnomes exchanged puzzled looks. Even the former members of his temple did not understand. 

Quite a few shouted, "Who is Knolwerg?"

The cleric was shocked. Apparently, he believed everyone knew this person. From his robes, he produced his "holy book" and showed the cover to those around him. Some laughed while others got angry. He finally showed it to us. The council grew very angry.

"Is this what you have based your Sourmoratane upon? Are these the lessons you have been teaching?" one scolded him.

The cleric went pale. Several more gnomes were unfrozen. 

As the council educated him and the city on who and what Knolwerg was, the riders returned. We got them filled in quickly. The gnome riders joined in the teaching.

One rider asked, "Did you not think it odd that no other cleric taught those lessons or quoted those passages? In there, is the 'naghle' mentioned even once? Anywhere?"

"No, but it says 'the chosen race'. That is us," the cleric answered.

Laughs erupted around him. The cleric was very confused. 

Finally, a councilor told everyone clearly, " 'Knolwerg' was a mad mind flayer who thought he was a cursed elf. He wrote many books to teach the 'universal truth' as it was 'told' to him by 'the Universe'. Each book contradicted the previous. By the way, it is not 'Knolwerg'. Part of the letters are missing. His real name is Knahverga."

Gasps went out. This name they, even the cleric, knew. The rest of the gnomes were released. The cleric handed the council his book and removed his clerical symbols and dropped them to the ground. He apologized and offered himself for punishment. Some of the council walked him to their building. The rest told the city to go about their usual business. The ones who had attacked apologized and helped replace what they had damaged. 

A calmness began to bloom in Gowgornok

The other councilors were there when we arrived and let us know that the cleric would not be causing any more trouble. Over breakfast, we talked about how best to face the ogres. While we knew little of military strategy, we told them what was done against the Baalocs. Notes were scribbled as we spoke and flashes of inspiration lit up many of their faces. By the time the dishes were being gathered, they had "a wealth of options" to pursue. They asked us to "hang around" should a point or two need clarification. We returned to the outpost to see if we could help in any way.

We spend most of the day working on the outpost. The city was accepting the riders' and dragons' presences and began treating them warmly. Some oddlings quietly let them know of services they could provide at night or during Sourmoratane. The dwarfs had difficulty in understanding why these gnomes hid from the rest as they could see no physical differences or any other reason for their segregation. The gnome riders, even though they disapproved, explained as best as they could. The riders, dwarf and gnome, vowed to treat them all equally as a new rider could be among any of them.

A few hours before sunset, strange sights appeared in the sky. Bigger than lightning bugs, but smaller than hornets, glowing bugs began hitting the illusion barrier. Some hit it once and just hovered around. Others hit it over and over until they killed themselves.Once dead and harmless, the bodies fell through the barrier. We and the riders inspected a few. The gnomes had never seen such before. Anna was able to tell us about them.

"They are bees who gather magic instead of nectar. The more they gather, the brighter they glow. The Rod is attracting them like a field of flowers attracts honey bees. No, they are not natural creatures. They were created a long time ago and set free when their maker died. I don't know how many survived to breed or how many exist. This may be all of them or only a small fraction."

 While watching, we observed that the ones who held back were physically different from the ones dying. Dawn, Bo, and Set went out to capture one of the "smart" ones. Set crushed a few before he gave up, their "blood" made his front claws swell up and itch where it coated him. Dawn and Bo got one each but had to kill it to get it through the barrier. Anna confirmed that the "smart" ones were pure bred or nearly pure bred while the "dumb" ones were half-breed or less. We seven, a few councilors, and a couple of riders and dragons went outside the barrier to get a better look at the  living ones.
Almost immediately, we had a swarm around us. The councilors ran and found none followed them. Rider and dragon were likewise ignored. The seven of us and our companions stood together with a cyclone of insects cutting us off from everything else. We drew our swords. Each gained their own mass of swirling insects.
"If we cast on them, they will only suck up the magic and want more," Anna warned mentally, as talking aloud was nearly impossible.
"Let us reverse it," Lisa suggested, "They may leave if they lose magic."
We agreed and began pulling the magic out of them. Their glows dimmed. Some went out and fell at our feet. The "dumb" ones continued to swarm until the last spark left and they fell. The "smart" ones, after even a bit was drained, decided it was not worth the trouble and fled.
As the swarm got smaller, the councilors braved them to snatch us back through the barrier one-by-one. Even protesting, they continued until Set and I were alone in the swarm. My sisters were held by many hands in spite of their pleas. I don't know which made me angrier, the gnomes or the bees. I told Set to get away from me so I did not hurt him. He whimpered, but obeyed. Vanity did not ask as she could feel my anger. In one move, I pulled every bit of power from all of the bees and directed it right at their illusion barrier. A large hole was blasted in it, revealing part of the city in the middle of an "empty" meadow. I looked at the gnomes holding my sisters.
"Release them at once," I commanded, pointing Vanity at them, my voice ringing with power, "They were not in danger. We knew what to do. We had it under control."
My sisters were released. They surrounded me, worry in their eyes. I was shaking. I felt like I was going to explode.
"Help me. It is too much too soon. My anger overrode good judgement."
My sisters, Dawn, Bo, and Set touched me, draining the power away to a tolerable level. I stepped out of a ring of dead bees. I felt so guilty for both them and the people I frightened. I looked at the hole I had made and the circle of dead bees. I fell to my knees.
"I am so sorry. I did not mean to kill them or damage the barrier. Take it! Take everything! I don't deserve any of this if I can't control it."
I sobbed. All I could hear was my own crying. Taking a breath, I heard a small buzzing. My sisters also heard it. We looked at the pile of bees. Some were moving. Then, a few more. The pile moved. Bees began flying away.
Anna gasped, "They are normal bees! They have all changed to normal bees."
We all, gnomes included, watched the pile of lifeless magic eating bees become living normal bees. A quick look inside the city revealed those, too, were alive and changed. We were all baffled. Many, if not all, of us were asking how this was happening.
From everywhere and nowhere, a voice answered, "You did it, my dear. True tears of regret undid what the wizard who changed them had done. He felt nothing when he forced regular bees to steal magic in order to live. Your tears at doing them harm broke his powers."
We all looked around. Before us, grass swirled and formed the shape of a tall woman. The gnomes fell to the ground before her as did some of the riders. She lifted me to stand before her. She brushed my tears away.
"Weep only in joy, you have done no wrong, Kayla. In time, you will understand this had to be done. As a Faerie, you are a force of nature unto yourself. The gnomes did not understand and acted to save your sisters. If they could have reached you, they would have pulled you away as well. It is easy for people to forget that a gentle breeze and a devastating cyclone are both wind. They saw only young girls in danger. Forgive their error, they meant no harm."
The gnomes nodded and verbally confirmed her words. I looked at the hole still in the barrier.
"I forgive them. It was an honest mistake."
Like a wound healing incredibly fast, the hole was sealed. The gnomes and riders rose and cheered. My sisters embraced me in a crushing hug.
Between them, I spoke to her, "Not to seem rude, but may I know who you are?"
A great laugh echoed over the meadow. The gnomes looked frightened, as if I had said something wrong.
"We have not been properly introduced. You have only met my aids and helpers. I am the Goddess Nature," she replied cheerfully.
We seven stopped as still as statues. We did not know how to react. Do we bow? Kneel? Our minds were reeling. Again, she laughed.
"Unlike my fellow deities, I am not one for personal appearances. It has been a pleasure, Ladies. I look forward to watching you fulfill you destinies."
Nature dissolved into wind-blow grass and vanished. The bees went on their ways to be regular insects. We went back inside Gowgornok. Even though it was early evening, I was exhausted. We grabbed some food and went to our suite. I don't know about the rest, but I was asleep before dark.

Days 290-296 (268-274)((258-264)):
For seven days, Gowgornok prepared for the ogres. My "attack" was forgiven and, for a day or two, was a city-wide joke. The Rod attracted some other magical creatures. Fountains in the city gained some temporary residents in the form of small water elementals. They announced their presence by splashing any who walked by "their" fountain. Likewise, pixies, grigs, unicorns, and other like creatures were attracted by the Rod's magic. Some of the larger creatures volunteered to aid against the ogres.
By the end of the seventh day, there was a fairly large group to face Nurz, his ogres, and any others he might have with him. The outpost was complete and housed many of our allies. The gnomes were quite nervous and just wanted tomorrow to be over.
It took a lot of meditation and focus to block their emotions enough to sleep.

Day 288 (266)((256))

Day 288 (266)((256)):
We awoke on our own again to find an empty building. We felt around and found the gathering places where the gnomes were attending Sourmoratane. We also felt the oddlings going about their usual activities. The riders had returned so we went to visit them while we waited for the council's return.
The gnome riders, apparently, had informed the rest about the morning meetings so they were not surprised by the empty streets. The outpost was coming together rapidly and strongly, as Callie pointed out. She showed them soft spots and places prone to have standing water. With her input, they made the appropriate adjustments.
We knew when Sourmoratane was over when people began filling the streets. The council met us at the growing outpost.
"Sisters, we have reached a decision. We cannot simply wait in hiding for Nurz and his bands to find  us. We are calling him out, challenging him to face us. His power against our's. The riders have shown us that we are not weak nor helpless. We do ask one thing of you ladies. Stand with us. We do not know this thing inside Nurz and do not know what it is capable of doing to us. You have faced its kind. Will you stand with us?"
We drew our swords and saluted them, "We stand with you," we replied in unison.
Tears of joy sprang to their eyes. It took a few moments for them to regain their voices. We seven, the council, and a couple of riders went to the council chambers to pen the  formal declaration. Outside of Gowgornok, we would meet Nurz and the ogres in battle. The winner got the Rod. The loser agreed to never bother the winner's people again. We felt that was simple enough for them to understand. We set the time of battle on the next full moon, which was about a week away. A rider was dispatched to take it to Nurz.
While we waited for a reply, the council invited us to tour the city and do "your Sister thing".
It was early evening when the rider returned. Both he and his dragon had not been well treated. At first, they thought the rider was attacking them. When they stopped firing at him long enough for the rider to announce his purpose, they let him land, but began beating him to get "the real reason" he was there. Even after they read the declaration, they refused to believe it or him. The dragon even told them it was true, but "dumb lizards" were not to be believed nor trusted. When no other "story" came from all that abuse, Nurz let him go to return to us their acceptance of the battle and its consequences. The only "formal" reply was Nurz's hand print on the rider's back in the rider's own blood.
Sarah healed the rider as he told of his ordeal. I comforted the dragon. My riding set was very warm as I stroked his head and scratched the spots where all dragons seemed to enjoy getting attention. I saw his wounds heal and life energy return to his pain-filled eyes.
"Lawnoss Kayla, I feel Brimagor through you. He heals me. I do not understand his anger, though. Did I displease him?" Scarlet Rain asked me mentally.
I felt for a moment, then answered, "His anger is not at you. Nurz and his ogres are the objects of his wrath. Any that survive our meeting will know no rest as long as they live near any dragon."
Scarlet Rain sighed and relaxed as he received Brimagor's healing. Sarah, finished with the rider, came over to mend his partner. She was surprised to find him almost fully healed. As an answer, I held my riding set for her to see. The eye "winked" at her.
"I see," she answered, "Dragon magic for a dragon. Still, it wouldn't hurt for me to take a look."
Sarah, gently, inspected Scarlet Rain nose to tail. While causing no injury, she did pull out broken arrow and spear points that could have caused irritation later on. The riders and council inspected these to get a sense of the ogre weapons and weapon-making skills. Scarlet Rain and his rider stayed at the unfinished outpost to fully heal while the rest left to get more building materials and things for battle.
Dinner was quiet as we all dealt with the emotions of the day. The council barely acknowledged us when we parted to go to our suite. We spent a good hour, nearly two, discussing both the treatment dragon and rider received and what fate the surviving ogres might expect from an angry dragon god. We, finally, laid down to sleep.

Day 287 (265)((255))

Day 287 (265)((255)):

I do not know when Callie finally settled and fully slept. It was well past dawn when we woke. Our other sisters had food laid out for us. Sarah told us she felt "something" passing between Callie, Set, and myself. The swords had explained that they were using my body's experience channelling other entities to get Callie's body healed from her ordeal. Set's dragon magic was also a great healing factor. Callie and I ate as the others told us of the gnomes' reactions to the change in the Rod. The injured guard was well and returned to his post. The magical cage around the Rod did little to dampen the power radiating from it. The barrier illusion seemed strengthened but the Rod's power was still felt nearly a mile beyond Gowgornok. Every gnome magic user was scrambling to find a way to contain it and stop the city from shining like a magical beacon. The riders had returned to begin building the outpost. They, too, were consulted on how to contain the magic.

Callie was still a bit weak, so we left her and our companions in our suite to visit the riders. Maudrin and many others  were assembling a large building at the edge of the illusion barrier. Some of the townspeople were watching, murmuring, and whispering to each other. Maudrin waved us over.

"Where is Callie? We would like her to see if the ground is stable enough to support dragons."

We explained yesterday's events. After they regained their voices, we were asked if we could provide any information. Anna told them that nothing had ever been built there before nor had that area been dug up nor plowed. Both Lisa and Sarah told them the land was clean and untainted. Through Set, I inquired about Callie, in case she was sleeping. He said she was sleeping and he would tell her about the building when she woke.

The crowd became thicker as the day went on. Most were just curious. We did detect a knot of people who were angry. We found them and walked over. They stood like they were expecting an attack.

"Excuse us," Anna began calmly, "what about this is making you angry? The council approved this outpost and all the materials are being brought in. Please, we just want to understand."

The group looked at each other. Anna repeated her words in gnomish. A female stepped up.

"Why are dwarfs building a dragon barn? Are those gnomes servants or slaves? Are we expected to feed all of those dragons and people? What are they doing here? We don't need them. Gowgornok is secure. They will attract attention and lead enemies to us. We don't need them!"

The rest began echoing her words, shouting at us. We called to the riders. A male and female gnome joined us. The crowd yelled at them to  "leave your dwarf oppressors" and to "unshackle yourselves from slavery to dragon tyrants". The pair got them to be silent and listen. Calmly, the riders explained their bond with the dragons and Maudrin's position among them. The crowd took a while to understand. It was hard for them to accept that gnomes, dwarfs, elves, humans, plus many other races worked alongside each other not only as equals but in harmony with dragons. They also had a difficulty in accepting that each race earned their ranks in exactly the same manner. They argued this for hours. Even the dragons joined in, which startled the citizen gnomes who did not know dragons had the intelligence or ability to speak. 

Around mid-day, we received a grand visitor. Falcon landed near the skeletal outpost. The whole city seemed to gasp. Falcon barely paused at the structure. He stepped to an open area.

"Gowgornok! I am Falcon-with-flaming-eyes. I am the trainer of new dragon riders. It has come to my attention that the citizens of this city have some concerns with this outpost and the presence of dragons in Gowgornok. Assemble here. I will educate you all in the ways of riders and how they are found. Knowledge will replace ignorance. Plus, I will explain why your illusion barrier is no longer enough to protect either yourselves or the Master Miner's Rod. Have lunch if you have not yet. Assemble yourselves here in two hours."

Without another word, Falcon turned back to the outpost and its builders. He began aiding them in its construction, letting everyone know that there would be no discussion until the appointed time. Those in our discussion dispersed to gather others for this assembly. We six parted from the riders to go check on Callie.

Set informed me that she was awake and they had food waiting. Callie rattled off question after question about what was going on, why was Falcon here, what was he talking about, plus many others. We answered her as we ate. We kept looking out the window. 

As the time drew nearer, a crowd grew in the open area Falcon had designated. As we were not far from there, we did not rush our meal nor did we make Callie walk too fast. She was stronger, but stumbled occasionally.  We gathered near the riders as Falcon prepared to instruct an entire city in the ways of dragon riders.

"Citizens of Gowgornok, I thank you for your attendance. We know you have many questions. Hopefully, most will be answered. Once I am done, you may ask any questions I have not answered.
"First of all, my name is Falcon-with-flaming-eyes. Every new rider is trained by me. I have trained every rider for the past 700 years. Regardless of race, each new rider must pass a series of challenges to advance in rank. Some riders take longer to advance than others. No race is favored nor barred from being a rider. Some races, like humans and mixed human races, we send rider finders almost yearly as they mature so fast. Other races, like gnomes, elves, dwarfs, and longer lived races, we only send out finders every decade or two. Plus, our queen only clutches every ten years. The last clutch has been fully matched with sixty-three new riders. Our queen is old and may not clutch again in her life that remains. Our new queen is still very young and will not clutch for about thirty years.

"We look for older children. Around twelve-years-old for humans and those who are mixed and mostly human. About sixteen for halflings and their kin. Gnomes and dwarfs are in their late thirties before they are sought. Elves are at least one hundred before they are considered. Other races vary as much, depending upon their longevity and when they reach the suitable age. I am not saying every race can be a rider. Ogres, centaurs, satyrs, plus many other races have yet to produce a single dragon rider.

"As you can see, it may seem that some races are preferred because their cities and villages are visited more frequently. Likewise, those that hunt dragons are avoided. Even if only the capital city hunts dragons, we avoid the entire land, region, or kingdom it governs.

"You may have noticed a few differences between riding dragons and so-called 'wild' dragons. While the two can and do interbreed, there are many differences. Riding dragons are smaller upon hatching. Riding dragons age and grow faster, becoming adults in thirty years instead of fifty. Wild dragons breed with the same color or type: red to red, ice to ice, water to water, and so on. The riding dragon queen is solid white. Only she lays eggs. All these dragons you see here are male.The queen is the only female and there is only one per clutch and she lays every color and all types but water dragons or sea serpents as some call them. When she is ready to mate, she chooses as many as ten males to mate with while wild dragons usually mate for life or chooses one or two males with whom to mate. Both riding and wild dragons do not always have every egg in the clutch hatch. We have found some eggs empty, where nothing lay within. We have had dead ones that never matured enough to hatch. Riding dragons in the shell can delay their own hatching until they sense their partner is near. Some, however, never meet their partner and die in the shell. If their partner is near when they are ready to hatch, the rider-to-be finds him- or herself mesmerized by the being within the shell. That does not mean riders are enslaved by the dragons. Just as your life partner captured your heart when you first saw them, so is it with riders and their dragons. Upon hatching, the bond is instant, two halves of the same soul finally united is how many riders liken the feeling of bonding.

"Over the past fifteen thousand years, we have noted a curious phenomenon. Riders, regardless of race, once bonded, find their bodies aging slower than what is normal for them. Humans have lived to nearly five hundred years of age. Elves to well over one thousand. Gnomes have also reached the one thousand year mark. However, both riders and dragons are still mortal. They can become ill and die or be killed. Riderless dragons pine away and give up living. Dragonless riders, many times, commit suicide upon the deaths of their dragons. Those who do not, they shut themselves away from the world and slowly go mad. Usually, though, both rider and dragon are killed at the same time or contract the same illness. The whole of us feels the loss when we lose one or both. It saddens us greatly.

"You may be wondering about me. I am a wild dragon. I have never been bonded to a rider. I bonded to a kingdom. A king of Selvis and I worked out a deal where I watched out for the kingdom and the royal family. For four hundred years, I kept my end of the deal. Unfortunately, I was in Demagram when I received news of Selvis Prime being attacked. Even going through kirlan, I was too late to save the royal family. I almost pined away due to my failure, but my students' need kept me going. When the youngest princess was discovered to be be alive and well, my guilt was greatly lifted. While I still wish I could have saved all of them, it still feels good to know that line continues.

"Well, that is all I prepared. I will take your questions now."

Among the great crowd of gnomes, a sprinkling of hands went up. One by one, they asked. Many were minor clarifications. One asked if dragons ate their riders when both grew too old for service, to which Falcon flatly responded, "No." Diet and upkeep were also asked. He explained that food and other goods would be purchased just like any other inhabitant of Gowgornok did. He let them know that most of the dragons' food would be wild caught far from the city. The riders would be purchasing food from them and raising some on their own. The citizens were not expected to feed them just as they were not expected to build the outpost. On the other hand, many places where rider outposts had been built experienced increases in plant growth as dragon "fertilizer" made many plants grow quite large.

The last question, which was probably the hardest to ask, was what did the citizens of Gowgornok get out of this deal. Falcon, with patience only a dragon of his years could have, carefully told them about the ogre mage Nurz and his clan's attacks upon their neighbors and kin. Some fainted when he told them how the illusion barriers had been breached. He also told them of the purging of the creature essence from the Rod and how its renewed power could guide Nurz and any other magic user right to their doorstep. This caused much fright and some panic. Falcon calmed them by reporting the lack of ogres or any grays in the area.

It was nearly dark when this meeting was concluded. Citizens welcomed the riders and dragons. They thanked Falcon for his honestly and candor. The riders told them they had more materials to bring and would return in the morning. All but one left as the sky began showing stars. We returned to our suite to find food waiting and a note to meet the council promptly after Soumoratane. Callie was almost back to her usual self. She whispered that she now understood why I passed out when visited by Fate or other entities. She did not envy me in that regard. I told her I did not mind the fainting.

"With all of you here, I know I am safe."

We discussed some of Falcon's words before settling down to sleep.

Day 286 (264)((254))

Day 286 (264)((254)):

We awoke on our own. That was odd. The sun was barely above the horizon, but the town was strangely still. Anna cast about, but could not find the cause. Alice also came up empty. None of us felt anything wrong, just empty. We walked through the still building. It appeared deserted. Not a soul was around until we reached the stables. The men out there seemed shocked by our arrival.

"Ladies?" an elderly one asked, "What are you doing up and about? Soumoratane won't be over for another hour. You should be abed."

"Soumoratane? What is that?" Anna asked.

 "What is...? Oh, I guess no one told you. I guess you could call it morning prayers. Just before dawn, the naghle population of town goes to the temples, churches, and what all to listen to the clerics tell them what they expect of them today and how well or poorly they did yesterday. It can take hours."

"Why are you not there?" Sarah asked gently.

The men exchanged looks. The elder rolled up his left sleeve to reveal and O with an X on top of it. The others revealed identical marks.

"We are Oddlings. We are not permitted to socialize with the naghle part of the city. That is why we have the hardest, dirtiest, and least desirable tasks in the city. It keeps us invisible."

"Why?" Lisa asked, "Are you criminals?"

They all laughed.

The elder continued, "We are below criminals. We are heretics. We refused to follow the teachings and instructions of the naghle clerics and continued the ways we learned from our parents, which they say is not 'correct', " they all rolled their eyes at that word, "All we have to do to be among them is to renounce everything we were taught and believe and do what they tell us. I, personally, would rather be executed."

The others echoed his statements. 

We were very confused. This seemed like an open and tolerant people. Now, we find out they punish their own just because of a variation in belief and teachings. We decided to stay with these men to learn more of this division. We were told of the hundreds that received this discrimination and the hundreds more who secretly adhere to their old ways while appearing to have accepted the teachings. Being able to voice their hurt, anger, and sadness to people who could sympathize and not blame them seemed to lighten the burden these men carried. We found out that most had grown up in small villages and outlying lands where they still sang to the sun, danced beneath the moon, and gave gifts to the gods whenever a child was born. Here, in "civilized society", such activities made them outcasts. Some villages, we were told, are not allowed to trade with Gowgornok for this very reason. The road was even removed so to visually disconnect the two places.

I don't know how long we sat in that chilly stable, drinking a warm tea, and listening to their tales. Suddenly, the men got up and disappeared into the shadows of the stable. A staff woman of middle years appeared in the doorway.

"Sisters? What are you doing out here? We thought you would still be asleep. The council is waiting to take you to see the Miner's Rod."

We left the cups and followed her, secretly leaving blessings for the men who had been such gracious hosts. 

We followed her to the council chambers. The staff woman whispered to them, telling them where she had found us. The council looked at us and dismissed her. While they did not openly mention it, the event lay just below the surface, along with a list of other peculiar things we had done. Quietly, we all ate with them. Their silence was louder than any accusation they could voice.

Once we were finished, the council guided us to the place where the Rod was housed. Barred doors and windows made the small structure look more like a prison than the home of their most treasured item. Guards were at every entrance and patrolled inside and out. Also, the guards had badgers on leashes, almost like guard dogs. Set attracted these animals' attentions and nearly every patrol man had to hold his back to keep it from charging at us. We were checked, rechecked, and checked again for any hidden weapons, sacks, or items that might be used against the Rod. 

Finally, we reached the center of this building and looked upon the Miner's Rod. We all had to stifle laughter. It looked ridiculous! A bone covered in metal plates and jewels, lying on a large overstuffed cushion surrounded by four heavily armored guards. Invisible to many, I could see a web of magic surrounding the cushioned pedestal. 

One of the guards approached us, "State your business, " he ordered.

"The council brings the Seven Sisters of the Swords to view the Master Miner's Rod," a councilor told him.

The guard nodded and waved at the other three, who reached down next to them and touched a panel. Most of the web disappeared. The guard before us walked us to the pedestal. He touched a panel and the last bit of magic vanished. With it gone, we were able to receive impressions from the item. Anna confirmed most of the story Cara told us about.The bone was a dwarf's leg bone. The hide on the handle was not animal. In spite of the hairiness, the hide was the dwarf's own skin, most likely from the same leg as the bone. Gretta confirmed the value and purity of the metals and stones encasing the bone. The gnomes around us grew wider bands of pride as we revealed these things. 

Lisa seemed to be feeling something. The council noticed her strained expression.

"Sister? What is it? You look as if you are in pain," one asked, very concerned.

"It is a good thing this was not reattached to the Master Miner. Whatever bit it off had poison in its mouth. The healer must have been very good to save his life if the poison is still detectable after all this time."

Two of the guards looked at the large end of the bone and gasped.

"She speaks true! There is something foul on the head of the bone," one shouted.

The council murmured and ran around to look for themselves. We joined them and saw the inky substance nearly covering the top of the bone. It reminded me of puddles of soul poison. 

The one who had not spoken reached out to touch it. We tried to stop him, but his finger lightly touched it. It leaped off the bone, pulling cleanly from it, and covered the gnome's hand. He jumped and swung, trying to get it off. It grew, still covering his hand, to crawl up his arm, under his armor, to his face. His screams were stopped when it entered his mouth and nose. The council and guards prevented us from aiding the guard. Suddenly, he went stiff and fell over. We gathered around, but were still kept back. The substance left his hand and arm and completely entered the guard's body.

"How is it no one has touched it before now?" Lisa barked.

"We have only used it a few times. Even then, it was handled with gloves, gauntlets, and in near darkness. It has lain here for over three generations. We have had no reason to closely examine it and no way to know anything dangerous lay upon it," a councilor countered.

 The soldier lay very still, but was still breathing. Sarah began weeping. We gathered around her to comfort her as she explained.
"It is taking him over, pushing the guard out of his body,"
The guard stood quickly and faced us, "Nomkak du rask may su," he spoke as stiffly as he stood.
We all looked at each other, very confused. None of us understood a word. This did not matter to him. Stiffly, he began walking towards the Rod. The three remaining guards and some from outside surrounded him. Try as they may, he walked on, as if nothing lay between him and his goal. The council looked at us in panic.
"Set, grab him," I called out.
With a bark, Set seized the gnome. With all that weight, the possessed guard could not move forward even though he continued to walk. Shackles were nearly thrown upon him. Still, he continued moving. We seven formed a wall between him and the Rod.
"You shall not pass," we told him as one.
"Dag ka shone tay nak alawn," he replied, still attempting to walk in shackles against Set's weight.
 "He is not stopping. I can hold him a long time. My tail weighs more than he does," Set informed me.
"Good," I said aloud, "Hold him. This will probably cause him to twitch a bit."
We started the soul poison spell. The guard stopped walking. He tried to lunge at us, but Set held him fast. He opened his mouth and the inky substance flowed out to pool upon the floor. The guard collapsed onto Set, who pulled him off to the side. The substance rose and formed a roughly gnome-sized figure. The guards and council backed away, nearly to the wall.
"Do not bar me, Sisters," the form rippled as the words sounded in the room, "I am taking the Rod. These chotas are not worthy to keep it."
"Are you the creature that bit off the Miner's leg?" Lisa asked sharply.
"What is left. This portion of myself landed upon this leg as I was being slaughtered by his servants. I have waited until a living being touched me to return. The Miner pushed me deep inside. It has taken a long time to return to the surface."
"Do you power the Rod?" Sarah asked.
"No, its power made freeing myself more difficult. Now, I am taking the Rod to not only return to full power, but have my revenge upon these chotas and the wagnas that slew me."
"No, you will not!" we told him in unison.
We began the hybrid demon spell. The creature roared loud enough to bring the guards and patrols from outside this chamber and building. They collided when they stopped in the doorway and saw the scene before them. We were not disrupted and continued the spell. The creature shrunk but continued to roar. A few of the gnome clerics regained a bit of their courage and helped us make it disappear completely. With it gone, everyone was able to breathe easier. The guard, Set informed us, was still alive but "asleep". Men were ordered to take him to the healers. The three other guards returned to their positions around the Rod. The council huddled together and spoke low.
With the creature gone, we all felt an increase in power from the Rod.
"Wow, the Rod feels much stronger now. That thing was blocking a lot of power," Callie commented mentally.
"Something has changed," I told them as I looked at the Rod, "The aura around it shows divine magic. I think the Master Miner may have been a god after all."
"Do you think we can touch it? To tell exactly what it is and what he was?" Sarah asked.
"Surely we have proven ourselves enough to allow it," Lisa commented, casting a glance at the council.
"We should still ask," Anna added.
We walked over to the council, who actually recoiled from us.
"May we touch the Rod? The creature leaving has caused a change in the feelings we receive from it and we need to touch it to understand all of it," Anna explained.
The council stared blankly. We attempted to tell them what had changed, but we were stopped.
"Sisters, we are humbled by the power you have displayed. Our illusions to hide our dwellings pales to what we have seen. If touching it reveals something we need to know, so be it," one told us softly.
The guards stepped back to give us room. The Rod was nearly humming with power. Divine magic spiraled around it, mixed with god sparks, dwarf magic, and cleric yellow. I was leery to touch it, but my sisters and our companions encouraged me. I took a few breaths to calm myself, then grasped the Rod. It vibrated and pulsed.
Clearly, in my head, I heard, "Not dwarf. Only dwarf."
With it in my hand, I turned to Callie. As I handed it to her, I smiled, "It says only a dwarf."
Her eyes went wide and she looked between it and I very quickly and repeatedly. I took a step forward. She looked fit to flee. I took her hand and placed the Rod across her palm.
As soon as I released her and it, Callie stiffened and seemed to hold her breath. The council had cautiously approached to witness what was happening. Callie took a deep breath and looked at the council. She spoke in a deep male voice that was not Wrath.
"Gnomes! My history is wrongly recorded. Hear my words and write them true."
The council scrambled to find something to record his words. Also, chairs were found for everyone. Callie sat as if on a throne, in a very masculine way. The council sat on the edges of their chairs, eager to hear every word.
"My name is Jordsonn Gudfarspokelse. My father was one of the High Fathers referred to as grandfather spirits. He gave me my powers over dirt, stone, and metal. My mother was a Hengi Jomfru, one who tended the sacred fires. She gave me the powers of the earth elementals and walking through stone and on molten earth. I did not gain any of these until after being thoroughly trained and they passed to the Other World, when I was well past one hundred years of age. It took another decade to get the master miners to let me carve even one tunnel. Only by proving that my finding metals and gems was not luck or a fluke did they believe in my powers and allow me to use them on a regular basis. 
"With each strike and vein, my 'rank' increased and my status grew. By my two hundredth year, I was among the master miners with apprentices and journeymen at my side almost constantly. My village grew into a city and my lord became a king.
"The day I lost my leg, my crew and I were investigating old tunnels that had been abandoned as 'cursed' or 'haunted'. We had been deep in these tunnels for a couple of days when one of my crew vanished. We found a creature unknown to us eating my apprentice. We attacked it with all of our might, but barely caused any damage to it. Hearing me be referred to as master, it decided my death would let it be left in peace. It ignored my crew and focused all of its attention on me. We fought long and hard. I had it pinned under me, determined to kill it. It rolled and grabbed my leg. It teeth and claws painfully ripped my flesh and muscle. With a crack that echoed in those tunnels, it broke my leg and snapped it off at the hip. In my pain, I called to my parents. I looked for my crew, but none were to be seen. Two bright lights entered that area. They assaulted the creature and caused it to be torn to shreds. I drifted in and out of consciousness, but the lights stayed. My crew returned with a squad of fighters. I, my leg, and the remains of my apprentice were carried back to the city. A healer saw my condition and began caring for all of my wounds. I was asked if I wanted my leg reattached, a new leg, or no leg. My old leg was ragged and had bits of the creature all over it. I would not be able to mine with only one leg, so I opted to have a new leg. Magics, potions, and a lot of pain later, I had a new working leg.
"During my recovery, I decided on turning my old leg into magical items. I had no spouse nor children, so my bloodline and powers would end with my death. My crew stripped all the hide off to leave only bone. The bits of the creature stubbornly clung to the bones. A cleric and I managed to get all of the bits on the thigh bone and stuffed them deep inside the bone. Blessings and magic transferred my powers to these items. The Foot was for stone and lava walking. The two lower bones were tied together to make a Wand to call earth elementals and powers. This Rod, we labored on the most and took the longest. By my three hundredth, all were made, empowered, and my crew trained in their use. I died at three hundred forty-six years of age. My parents, who were the lights that killed the creature, took me to the Other World to be a High Father and watch over my city."
The gnomes wrote every word as it was spoken. When Callie/Jordsonn finished speaking, one of them asked, "Why did you never have children?"
Jordsonn laughed, "Even after all the power and riches I gained for my city, I was still considered a freak and no woman would have me."
This was also written down. They also wrote his instructions on using the Rod, which, from their reactions, differed greatly from what they knew before. Finally, they were warned that, without the creature damping its power, the Rod could now lead magic users to Gowgornok. This worried us all.
Jordsonn left Callie, who was weak, but could still walk herself back to our suite. Food was brought to us and we remained in there the rest of the day. Callie was very quiet and slept fitfully. To truly sleep that night, she and I shared a bed with Dawn on the headboard, Bo on the foot board, and Set's tail draped over both of us. She muttered in her sleep and woke a few times. The night seemed endless.

Day 285 (263)((253))

Day 285 (263)((253)):

A timid knock awoke us. A staff woman informed us the council wanted us present with them when the riders arrived. We dressed and found the council at breakfast. Even though they spoke easily with us, there was an underlying tension among them. They kept looking to the sky in anticipation. The dishes were gone and we were walking about the building when I felt the presence of many dragons.I informed the council, who led us to an open area that was still inside the barrier. Once there, I directed the riders to us. Above us, a squadron of ten dragons of various colors descended, passing harmlessly through the barrier. They landed almost in unison before us. Maudrin and Emerald landed closest to us.

"Well met, good people," he called as Emerald settled onto the grass. He dismounted.

Behind him, the others dismounted and assembled around him. I could feel the council's surprise at seeing seven gnomes and three dwarfs standing before them with dragons. They walked up and saluted the council.

 "Tell us the situation, Gengan, so we may know how to aid you," Maudrin requested as we all went back into the council chambers. Set stayed with the dragons.

Inside, the council laid out their troubles to the riders, much freer than they had with us. They went into more detail about the raids and the ogre mage. We told the riders what we had learned about Nurz and where he gained his new skills. This caused a murmur among the riders. Maudrin asked to speak to us seven privately.

"Ladies, this news troubles us greatly. What you saw was not merely the exchange of knowledge. Whomever was inside that orb is now inside the ogre mage Nurz. He has become possessed. It is possible that the soul of Nurz was pushed out and the soul in that body is not an ogre. Can you tell us any more?"

We relayed Sky Thunder's description of the un-ogre-like smell he caught when flying over their camp Maudrin called to one of the other riders to get a better report from Sky. That rider raced out the door. We seven and Maudrin returned to the others. The council and riders began hammering out plans for a rider outpost in Gowgornok, provided only gnomes and dwarfs populated it. We excused ourselves to let them discuss the specifics.

Outside, the nine remaining riding dragons and Set were a focus of much activity. Scholars, wizards, and other learned folk were studying them intently. Not as receptive as elves, the gnomes could not fully understand the dragons' mental speech. The dragons' verbal speech was passable, but it took listening carefully to understand it. Upon our arrival, we became translators.The gnome children were frightened at first. Set's presence helped them become more at ease around the "ginormous" beings.  The gnomish scholars wanted to know absolutely everything about dragons.From hatching to dying, inside out, and everything in between. Just about every one of them had to experience kirlan for themselves, and argue about it down to the smallest detail. I became an object of interest when they found out I could go there on my own, without Set. I've never been so poked and prodded in my life.

Upon Set, I demonstrated the riding harness after someone commented on the "disappearance" of the others' tack and saddle. I must have saddled and unsaddled Set a dozen times before they were satisfied. The scholars received a boon when the rider returned from speaking with Sky. They got to watch them pass through the barrier, land, and remove the saddle. I could see that Sky's information was quite upsetting to the rider as he walked straight through the crowd that was shouting questions and straight inside. He was quickly forgotten when someone referred to a dragon as "she" and received very nasty looks. Our explanation of gender was interrupted by the riders and council pouring out of the building.

"Sisters, grave news. It seems we are up against old and ancient enemies. The ancient ones, the Duergar, have, indeed, taken possession of the ogre mage Nurz. However, it is not one of them who possesses him. That is where the old enemy comes in. They have found a surviving demon, still in its realm, but, like the rest, stripped of immortality. We learned of this from Sky Thunder. He took it upon himself to 'question' a higher ranking ogre, who confessed all he knew. This demon willingly became pure spirit to take over the ogre mage and make the rest of us 'pay' for his loss, unable to bear his 'worthless' state any longer. While they do not actively control the demon, he is still working with them to get the Miner's Rod and kill their 'sun-loving bastard brethren'. As far as this ogre knew, the Duergar do not have the other two parts, but he wasn't certain," Maudrin told us all.

We seven looked at each other in shock. The demons were still twisting the facts to make it seem as if they were the victims. The scholars and children were sent away as we seven, the riders, and the council went back inside for dinner, lunch having been forgotten in the midst of all this activity. The dragons and Set went to hunt their own dinner. Bo wanted to join them, but it was feared he might get hurt among ten grown dragons. Set promised to bring him back something and some for Dawn too. We went back to the council chambers where a nice dinner awaited. We seven were nearly ignored as the councilors and riders continued to discuss both the outpost and patrol area for the riders. Some of the riders had heard of my riding set but had not seen it.The council became silent when we mentioned who created it. Those who were also clerics demanded a "good" look. I had to stifle a laugh when the eye "winked" at them and they backed away, some of them shrieking. This caused me to be assaulted with questions. I tried to explain Brimagor's humor, but the council did not seem to understand that dragons, specifically the god of dragons, had a sense of humor. I felt my riding set vibrate and "heard" instructions rumble in my head. I laid my hand out flat on the table. The "eye" glowed and a ball of light rose from it.

"Silly mortals," rumbled Brimagor's voice as the ball shaped itself into his face, "Is it so difficult for you to see dragons as intelligent beings who can tell a joke? If you trace your language to its oldest form, you will find draconian words and phrases. As one of the oldest mortal races, most languages have some dragon in it. It is not riders' 'wild imaginations' that their dragons play tricks on them. Besides, your own deities have told jokes and played tricks as well. Or did you 'forget' that about your deities?"

The council looked at each other, puzzled. The members who were also clerics seemed to be searching their memories for references to any trick or jokes from their gods. This silence informed us that they could not recall a single one. Brimagor huffed.

"As I suspected. Does anyone in Gowgornok sing to the sun every morning?"

Heads shook all around. The gnome riders gasped. We informed Brimagor of the villages that still sang. Dawn added her own sunrise participation. This made Brimagor smile, a gesture that required explanation as the council was unaccustomed to seeing dragons smile. The council resolved to correct this error. Brimagor left with a promise to tell the gnomish gods about their "serious children".

The room was quiet for a long time afterwards, until Set returned, clutching some bundles of fur. The three of them went to a corner to feast upon these bundles. Set mind-spoke to me of their hunt. The rest asked what they had caught. Set answered by laying out a pair of large pointed teeth before Maudrin.

"Emerald said you collect tusks," Set stated aloud as an explanation.

"Yes, I do collect tusks," Maudrin replied aloud, "What a fine boar this must have been. Was it enough for all of you?"

"Almost, but we also found a deer that walked hurt. It had a leg that didn't work," Set replied.

"It was good to put that deer out of its misery. Walking around with a wounded leg, it could have caught a disease and spread it to other animals. You did well."

Set blew happy smoke puffs and thumped his thick tail on the floor, which echoed a bit. Set returned to the other two in order to tear the tough hide that Bo and Dawn had trouble getting through. 

The talk turned to hunts of the past and some of the amazing creatures that were encountered.

We parted. The riders took off to bring the outpost proposal and ogre problem back to Demagram.  The council went to their rooms and we to our suite. Our companions were very full and very sleepy. Set nearly fell onto the mat, his sides showing how much he had eaten. Bo coiled at the foot of Lisa's bed, looking a bit lumpy from his dinner. Dawn took her place on Alice's headboard and cleaned up before settling in to sleep. We were exhausted as well and fell asleep quickly.