Day 312 (290)((280))

Day 312 (290)((280)):

I am not sure how long we slept before Echo's mental cry woke us. She relayed that a Duergar had been sighted on level thirty-three. We magicked our clothes on as we raced out into the dark of night. Darrknots were heading towards the trapped rooms. Gorval and the Darrknot commander stopped us at the entrance to the lower levels.

"This is well planned, but we would like you to monitor what is happening," Gorval explained.

We set up a place to sit and let our perceptions give all of us the details of the actions below us.  

The Darrknots quickly secreted themselves in the dark rooms. The bat-dragons did not hamper the gray one's path. This led him to feel confident and smug, convinced the "Clock" had truly found the perfect opportunity for his incursion. He quickly traveled to the higher levels. As planned, the rugs, tapestries, and other materials forced him to take the designed paths. He quickly found the trapped rooms and chose one as both the Keeper and his own greed told him to seek. In short order, he entered one and was caught. As soon as we told the others of his capture, we proceeded to the trapped room. The Darrknot within secured the Foot in a small wooden box.  The gray one fought feebly to regain the Foot, but was denied and subdued by the Darrknot.

We arrived at the room marked "Treasury" to find the Duergar in shackles, begging for death from his captor, stating that the "horrible deed" we had done to Larix was worse than death. The Foot, through the small gaps in the box, radiated the same feeling as the Rod had before it was encased. We assured Gorval and the others it was still within and had not been switched. The Duergar was taken away as we found a place to sit and examine the Foot. 

"Can such a simple thing keep this Keeper from retrieving 'his' property?" Gorval asked the assembly as a whole.

"Uncertain, Sire, but now would be a good time to call upon divine aid," I responded.

The dwarfs nodded and encircled the box. In an older form of dwarfish, they asked for protection of this item from being spirited away. Around the box, a bubble of power formed in the colors of dwarf magic and divine energy. Soon, Foot, box, and a hand-span around it was encased. None of us could sense the Foot. We hoped that the Keeper was likewise blocked. We all stood in silence, staring at the box and Foot, which, to those who could not see magic, hovered in the air above the outstretched hands of the dwarfs. The "floating" box was handed to the Darrknot commander and he led to a secure area. 

A couple of levels and several thousand feet later, the bubble rippled as another power touched it. We stopped. The other power continued to range over the bubble, searching for any way pass it to the Foot. When no path was found, the power assaulted the divine energy. Sparks arced over its surface. The dwarfs backed away save for the commander who was holding the bright ball, his gauntlets keeping him safe.

"What is this?" several asked in awed whispers.

"The Keeper wants the Foot back," Alice said plainly.

The assault continued for many moments. The commander "dropped" the bubble, yet it still hung where he had held it. The dwarfs stood there, helpless, with no idea what to do. Many of them looked at us, silently pleading to end this activity. Seven swords were drawn. We encircled the sparking mass.

"Power follows power. Return to the caster," We intoned together.

Seven points of magic pierced the sparks. The lights died almost instantly. We continued to pour power, following the invisible trail back to the Keeper. I could not tell if my sisters sensed it, but I rode that power to him. I felt his pain and anger from this counter attack and being denied "my" property. Using the power we were funneling, I, with my sisters' agreement, projected my image to speak with him.

"Keeper," I began as my image formed, "you are denied. The High Fathers guard the Foot, which is in the jobans' keeping."

The Keeper looked up from his conjuring, eyes a bit bleary from focusing in very little light. He took a moment to hear my words and understand my meaning. Anger flared and he knocked his workings across the room.

"Chimfla! Filthy bitch! They...you have no right! That is mine! My father's foot belongs to me, as his only family. The Divine Clock rescued it and enchanted it and his leg to compensate for his maiming. I demand the return of my property!" he screamed at my image.

I slowly shook my head, pitying him in his ignorance. I knew trying to tell him the truth was useless. Instead, I issued our challenge.

"Come and get it, then. You and the Clock. Meet us in level thirty. Prove the superiority of its power and yours. If you are stronger, the Foot is yours."

He stood in silence. Finally, he answered, "Fine! When?"

My sisters funneled the dwarfs' answer. I told the Keeper the time, which was the next day. The Keeper demanded that the Foot be present when they arrived or the Duergar would invade that very day. Upon our agreement, he dismissed me like a servant. To spite him, I did not leave immediately, but looked about to see if the Mech was in this room. Not seeing it, I left.

Returning to myself, the dwarfs were staring. My sisters relayed that they had told the others what we had said to each other. The Darrknot commander retrieved the Foot and carried it to a special room. They placed the Foot, box and all, in a place of honor with a plaque telling the Master Miner's history and the powers of Foot, Rod, and Wand. They also had places for the other parts.

"When the Keeper and Clock are defeated," Gorval explained, "we plan to reunite the three parts. While we know where the Rod is, we are still searching for the Wand."

The bubble sank through the table to allow the wood box to sit upon the spot assigned to it. After sitting it down and backing away, the box changed. The top and sides slid down to form a tray, leaving a layer of wood to cradle the Foot. We all left and followed Gorval back to the Palace.

The sun was up, but had not been up long. We seven went with Gorval, Lanara, the Darrknot commander, and a member of the council to the royal dining room. A hearty dwarf breakfast was laid out. More chairs and seating were quickly added when they saw the King had extra guests. We all sat and ate for a while in silence. The dwarfs were sorting out their emotions and ideas. The commander and Lanara were already accepting what had happened. Gorval was slowly reconciling this morning's activities and coming to accept divine and magical influence. The councilor, however, was hardening, using the things he had witnessed as fuel for anger and hatred. Slowly, he gathered his courage.

"Sire," he finally began, "I must, officially, log my protest. Kayla is not joban nor even dwarf. Neither she, nor they, has any authority to speak on our behalf. I know it is done and cannot be undone, but I needed to be heard."

Gorval looked to Lanara to confirm she had recorded his statement. When she finished, Gorval spoke.

"Councilor, I hear your protest. As you said, it is done and cannot be undone. I, however, am grateful it was she, and they, who made the challenge. How else could we have issued it? Any messenger would have been captured or killed. The Jambacas, likewise, may have been harmed. With their power, no one was in danger. Furthermore, Faerie was known far and wide by many as neutral beings and, as such, can be a liaison between joban and Duergar. Is my position clear, councilor?"
"Crystal clear, Sire. I shall inform the rest of the council of your position so no further protests shall be logged," the councilor rose, bowed, and left. The Darrknot commander left as well.

Lanara finished her transcribing and set the record aside to finish eating. Gorval silently finished his meal and left. We looked at Lanara.

"Protocol," she said after swallowing her last bite, "Council is allowed to voice a protest to the King's actions if they perceive a breach in protocol. You did not ask to issue the challenge. We understand that you seized the opportunity and we find no fault in that nor you. Some, however, demand strict adherence to protocol."

We understood. Lanara escorted us out of the Palace. 

News of the Foot's seizure was coursing through Stahendring, causing a nearly steady stream of dwarfs to the holding room to look upon it. Also, the Keeper's error in who's foot it really had been was a heated topic as well as what they expected from the Mech. Guards were placed at the lowest joban levels to make sure none from below tried anything sneaky. We seven, Callie specifically and often, were pulled into some of these debates during the day. As Callie had actually channeled Jordsonn, she became the center of many discussions. The population wanted to confirm that the history on the plaque was accurate and complete. This took up most of the day, lunch being shared by the debating dwarfs. 

We were very tired when we, finally, returned to Callie's home. Nana and the staff did not fault us for refusing dinner and going to our rooms to rest. Our companions were fed well and joined us afterwards. As we settled in, we prepared ourselves for tomorrow's confrontation.