Silent Sphere

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The Clockwork Cosmos


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The Silent Sphere

A Powderpunk Faerie Tale in Four Parts

Book I of VI

Seven Sons for Seven SistersStirling Newberry


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Prologue

The Chorus speaks:

Come with me to the lokwork osmos! where natural laws are defaed by the workings of magi and

by the mahinations of gods and godlings" A sphere no farther aross than in our own world would fit

within the orbit of #erury that fleetest of planets" $ithin this plae %& realitrant deities were sent tolearn lessons on how to reign o'er a uni'erse! and outgrow their selfish lusts" In se'en suns were

plaed se'en gods! and in se'en spheres plaed se'en goddesses! with the ferryman of death to wath

o'er them"In this time knights still ling to their lane! and go on (uests for their fair ladies ensoned in

their towers! but it is a passing age" Instead! younger orders 'ie for supremay) new kings! new houses

of merhant power! and new men! armed with firearms" #agery of all kinds is loosed on the world)with alhemists mi*ing subtle ompounds! sorerers and thaumaturges altering the ourse of e'ents!

summoners alling dark and bright spirits! withes using raft to hone the outomes" Swords are still

rossed! but pistols and hakbuts blare in battle! resting smoke and flash to hurl their shot that rends

the flesh"In this osmos souls struggle to be born! whether in the smallest li'ing thing! or born in great

mortal bodies) dragons! monsters! men! and animals" They stri'e to gi'e themsel'es a plae in the after

life that will weigh upon the fate of the worlds" They ount spiritual oin as muh as they do the hipsof metal that are urreny in the breathing world" All is wo'en with the fights of little godlings! who

grow fat on worship of their followers! and gi'e small tokens to those that hold their little faith"

+ah sphere danes on a omple* wea'e! around the se'en suns! and eah season is made bywhih sun holds the attention of a sphere! and asts his influene to make night and day" At times! at

times! at times! a on,untion allows a god and goddess to inarnate! and there engage in orgy of their

di'ine desires" From these unions ome the moons that irle round the spheres"

The spheres are lose! and by powerful alhemy! ships may sail the ether winds! amongst thereatures that li'e between them! na'igating the swirls and shoals! but only in short leaps! and at 'ery

narrow times"

In this osmos the gods and goddesses hatter! endlessly flirting and hoping to arrange theirfa'ored unions at fa'ored times! they ha'e learned little in the epoh that they ha'e spent in this prison"

The story set at the end of these happy pagan times! when many godlings rae to ser'e their

many mortal partners! when there is! as yet! a omple* balane that no one god or goddess an betray"-arkness has ome and gone many times! but only in lashes o'er the margins of the power" It has been

se'eral generations sine any atalysmi war or plague has marred the sunny times of planting!

bearing! and reaping! though ambition.s thirst is often slaked in blood"Come with me to the lokwork osmos! where natural philosophy! rather than natural siene!

is the basi truth! and stumbling forward are the mortal li'es! towards a future as yet unwritten"

The Rhyme of Seven

The Cosmos is a prison!And sons and sisters loked within!

/oked by outer god!

for ommission of sin! both ordinary and odd"

0ne a year around the fi*ed stars spin!


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all the Sons and Sisters loked within"

The suns are fi*ed! the spheres do wander!

the suns will wath! the spheres will pander"As will and

+orl the eldest is the high Summer Sun!

Si* weeks around his hot embrae!

Si* weeks to ripen in his fiery golden fae"

Tir is the soft Summer mane!

who brings days of dri11le and gentle rain"Two weeks is his allotted tour!

fourteen days! not one more"

2estral alls for har'est days!

four weeks for the stalk and wheat to part ways"

Then four weeks with -arith to spend!

where old begins! and ,ourneys end"

In spring 3iro first! Alari ne*t!

Sometimes without winter to spirits 'e*"Four weeks with eah is all you.ll know!

4ntil another orbit go"

And in the distant is Isir!

si* weeks of ie to teah you fear"

And round and round a sphere an go!

beause he.s hard as e'ery sister knows"

The se'en spheres with their moons in tow

are easier to meet! and harder to know!their moods are different and sublime!

hanging with the season and with the time"

2orana of the golden sands and silk oasis

3as but the moon 2ohepta to put through paes

Tehnashirin of the fiendish born!

home of greens and ripened orn"

+owilonwey and her /ilith hild

are home of ities soft and forests wild"

Aliornthia a loser sister is!

$ith four moons born of her skin!#atha of the towers!

Inweih of the flowers!

2endra of the showers!and sweet Siona! who idles hours"

Tian*ian of hea'en.s mandate!


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Two moons 5yka and $eiling are her fate"

Then 3ilono6a6oh of sultry seas!

3as fi'e moons about her knees!3ona! Tula! 0na! 3eata! -ira!

Islets still without yet friends"

Finally terrible #idrash that you will learn!

as the plae of giant wars!

and souls that burn"There three moons irle well)

3eate! Ithira! and one alled 3ell"

The Cosmos is the shell!

and we are loked within!

but by dane the 7ods will tell

that they are the ones imprisoned"


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Part I

i

A tower on the surface Eowilonwey, amidst the fir forests of the north, and surrounded by the Sea of

Nod !t is locked in an eternal and ma"ical ni"ht

0n the surfae of +owilonwey! outside! whih faes the Se'en Suns and all the stars! there is a

tower that is under eternal night! where the Suns themsel'es are at most orbs! but the distant sky isalways lear" It is! of ourse! magi of an eldrith kind! that keeps the blaring ha1e away! and satters

almost all the louds" 0n the other si* worlds! there is no plae (uite like it! and in it li'es an astrologer

who has seen more time than any other mortal man! ha'ing heated death at ards thrie upon a time"The tower spire rises 89 meters from the ground as blak granite! with a spiraling stair around its

outside! and windows that are either too bright to look at! or darker than the darkest night" At the top a

platform lies! with a railing round" From outside it is hard to tell what is atop it! but e'eryone knowsthat it is the most fiendishly omple* orrery e'er made! rumored to ha'e a sympatheti element of

e'ery Sun! e'ery $orld! and e'en all the moons that irle them"

$hether none of the Se'en Suns an be seen! or all together at one! it is possible to wath! and

obser'e e'en the faintest ob,et" And so! though bent with many years! and with a beard that hangsround and round his shoulders! and drags on the tail of his threadbare robes! the keen6eyed tan skinned

astrologer is always there found! tinkering with the orrery! whih shows the se'en worlds looping

around the se'en suns! in their whirring progression from station to station in the elestial dane : oralmost as often staring into the telesope! and sribbling notes with a fine hand on the 'el'et reamy

'ellum imported from Aliorntha! the green and ripe sphere from whih the softest feathers! leathers!

and women ome"There were an array of instruments) the orrery! a 'ery large telesope! se'eral smaller ones! a

mehanial lok that traked the hours! a water6lok that was ombined with a fountain! a age with

a mehanial bird! and se'eral other smaller de'ies of 'arious desriptions" The result is that the air

softly liked! hummed! and spun with the singing of gears! bearings! the tiking of rathets! theflowing of water! and the 'ariety of bells from eah of the instruments" The floor is a urious pattern of

tiles! alled knot tiles! whih ne'er (uite seem to repeat! but ha'e a strange adene and order to them!

highlighted by the bright erami gla1e olors of blues and oranges" 7lints of light refleted from themoons and on to the floor shine here and there! reating small fi'e pointed bits of sintillation in the

eternal darkness" The tiles are worn! beause long in the past he had many 'isitors"

But the astrologer is long past aring of the omings and goings of people! and their throngs! ore'en of his mahines sa'e the one he is using! instead he ares only to stare beyond the stars! into what

lies beyond! and listens to the ether hatter of the gods imprisoned in the se'en suns! and the goddesses

imprisoned in the se'en worlds! and the mewlings of the moons as they grow from birth toadolesene" 3e listens as the sons within the suns maneu'er and flirt to attrat the sisters in the

spheres! bekoning! entiing! hoping to ,oin with them at the proper on,untion! and! perhaps! there to

onei'e a deiti soul that ould be ome a moon"

3e listens and then in an instant startles! beause 2orana has gone silent" She of al6lat! ofalmond eyes and almond skin" She! the sphere he was born within! on Arafar! the ontinent that splays

like an otagonal star! in the ity of Bahir" The ity whose eight gates and eight minarets are famed!

whih sits upon the gate between the outer skin of 2orana! and the inner lands were most people li'e!and thus is one of the great trading ports between the worlds" 3e knows and lo'es her ether 'oie more

than any other! and has another memory that is not his! but was left with him"

She falls silent! and his brow furrows" This has ne'er happened! not in his memory! nor in any book he has read that he trusts! nor in the mention of any spirit! dragon! or deity he has heard" 3e

swings the telesope to see her! though she is not far away" 3e noties nothing amiss! e*ept! perhaps!

it is hard to fous" The larity is not there" But this is ommon enough! it ould be anything! from


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turbulent nymphs of the air! to more malign influenes in the aether between them" But he is onerned!

and reali1es that he needs more wisdom than is in his harts"

3e sobs a moment! feeling ut off from his plae of birth! and more distant than in all the years

sine he was within 2orana! truly alone" 3is eye tremors! but his body is too derepit for tears" 2oranais the last spirit in all the worlds that he ared for! sa'e for one human friend he has left"

3e ponders! knowing that none of the se'en sons are to speak to him! as he flouts their

radiane by taking o'er the tower raised on this peuliar spot! and the si* daughters do not deign tonotie anyone that the sons will not speak to" So he listens to their hatter and waits" 3e knows they

must know! if she is truly silent" Perhaps that is it! he thinks! it is ,ust some eddy in the ether that arries

her words away" But then! as he listens! he noties that she is not alled to! nor is their any hanging(uestion or soliitation that implies her presene" No in'itation! no plotting for the ne*t on,untion! no

reounting of some time by a son when he and she were inarnate! and en,oyed the physial aress of

se*ual and spiritual union" No wry ,oke! or witty aside on the other daners! or the dane"She is silent not only to his ears! but erased from the on'ersation" 3is fae grows blak! and his

white beard twithes like a tail" 3e needs more knowledge! and walks to the rail leaning out and

looking" 3e thinks! perhaps! that a omet is bloking all her influene" This he knows is possible! at

least in theory) a truly malign omet ould do this! though it ne'er has before"But suh a omet would be a bla1on banner! striking a streak aross the sky that would make

mortals (uake" 3e sees no suh thing" $hat he does reali1e is that his eyes ha'e failed to fous! and

that! in fat! he an see ribbons of darkness around 2orana! that look like louds! but are beyond theayres of the world he stands on! +owilonwey! also alled +o for bre'ity.s sake"

And so he thinks! and reali1es that it is time to onsult with more than mortal soures" $ould!

he thinks! that he were a summoner! but suh is forbidden to any who wath the stars! beause theinfluene ould suk the summoner down! or the summoned up" And! if nothing else! he is a reature of

order" So he walks to his desk! o'ered with srolls and the tools of his trade) fine astrolabes! se'eral

loks in 'arious states of assembly! ompasses! rulers! aids! inks! annealing bowls! and piks up a

large ring! upon that are so many keys that it is impossible to guess how many" Some are gold and ,eweled! others are tiny! many are rusted or tarnished" 0ne small key shines with many olors! and it is

this one that he piks"

From there he walks to a gilt age! where within is a small mehanial sparrow! made of sil'erand lapis la1uli! with feathers of the finest wrought preious metals of many kinds! and metiulous

raftsmanship to form eah soft feather in its plumage" 0ne is was polished! but now has dulled with

years! looking all the more 'aluable for its age" It sits with one leg down! as if roosting" 3e winds inarefully! and then whispers a message into its ear! that turns the thousand le'er gears within! and

stores his breath inside a tiny sphere of urious metal" 3e opens a small door between the wings! shifts

the gears about! and tosses the bird into the air" It opens its wings! and takes flight of its own! flappingoff into the distane" 3is old dear friend! a summoner of some renown! will hear it sing his message in

his ear! howe'er far he may be" Sine it is ommon for that friend to be wandering the great wood that

o'ers muh of this sphere! searhing for rare woods that! when burned! will produe the proper smoke

to all spirits from the 'asty deep! he hopes that it will not be long" But who knows; Sometimes thesummoner! means sometimes the summoned! and the bird would ha'e to ho'er until his return from

whih e'er dark lamented plae he abides in"

In this plae! where /ilith the moon by some fiendish mirror magi is always mirrored in fi'e plaes through the sky! days are not ounted as in other plaes" Instead! he trusts the orrery! and a small

homunulus who turns a small hour6glass o'er and o'er again" 3e turns to it! and tells it to begin

ounting from this moment until the sparrow.s return" It doffs its tiny 'el'et ap! and mumbles numbersunder its breath"

3e then sets down and begins writing se'eral letters! some to people who are important! and

others who merely think they are" This is news! and while there are others who listen to the ether as


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well! they are few! and some are not always generous with what they hear" 3e sets down the aount of

what he knows so far! and with a pantograph making opies! he is soon ready to send these off" But he

has only one mehanial bird! and not being a summoner! has few spirits at his ser'ie : the hourglass

homunulus was a gift! you see : he then walks down to the base of the tower" 3is doorman! one of hisonly ser'ants! is snoring away! as usual it might be said! and has to be roused" 3e takes out two small

sil'er oins! and instruts his doorman to make haste to where these an be distributed" The town is two

day.s ride away! and it is urgent" 0r! thinks the astrologer! as urgent as the affairs of mortals an bewhen speaking of the se'en sons and se'en sisters"

3e slowly makes his way bak to his obser'atory! and sits to rest! the flourish of ati'ity has

made him tired" 3e awakens from his slumber sometime later! and begins writing a letter"

To #yself

! have become for"etful of little thin"s of late, and you must be even more so, so ! am sendin" me thisletter from myself, in hopes that if ! have for"otten anythin", this letter will serve as sufficient reminder

$n the back ! copy out the celestial positions from the orrery, and the countin" of my clock, so that you

will know how lon" it has been since this letter was written $f the event that precipitates it, there canbe no doubt at all: %orana has "one silent ! hope it is some uni&ue and perfidious part of the

comple'ities of The (ance between The (ancers ! hope it is some malicious influence, or a comet that

is black as ni"ht and which ! cannot see ! hope that it is some event that, even if it is without precedent, is a temporary interlopin" in the pro"ression of the spheres )ut ! fear it is not As our little

universe is a hollow sphere, within that the Seven Suns and Seven Spheres are made to imprison the

Seven Sons and Seven Sisters, it cannot help but be true that malicious and mali"n events, even on this scale, are created and intended as a punishment The "reat hierophants of the outer "ods speak of the

endless evil that is possible, and of the torments that rei"n beyond the skin of the skin, where the dead

clin" to it, fearin" what will happen should they be sucked into the vastness of the outer space Since

they seem to speak from some communication with the outer that ! have never &uite understood, butcan sense when they perform it, you, meanin" me, must trust me when ! say that this is a "rave

situation

*et me then summary the actions that ! have taken ! have sent Sparrow to the Summoner, sothat he mi"ht call forth those with more knowled"e than mortals are allowed to remember ! have

written a letter e'pressin" the "ravest ur"ency of the situation, and warnin" all of the ha+ard to

navi"ation ! am "oin" to set down a trace of the orrery, so that what happens after this will haveindelible record ! am writin" this letter to you ! have made a careful search for comets, of which !

have found none, but will make another After this, ! will rin" the tower bell, and it will attract those

who are supposed to hear it Also the homunculus is on a count from this time, so please do not "ive

another instruction, as he is easily confused #iraculous %orana that "ave birth to us is silent, and it is incumbent that you, meanin" me,

make all efforts #y head is weary, and ! will sleep a"ain after rin"in" the bell !t is impossible for me

to believe that ! have taken all necessary steps, so concentrate carefully and rouse what is left of our,meanin" my, brain, to the tasks that will further effectuate what is needed

ehan-ir Al.Akbar, Astrolo"er

After this he then slowly walked down a small spiral stair through a hole in the floor! and there

inside a room of se'en windows! that an only be seen out of! not into! there is a 'ast in'erted halfsphere! made of bluish porelain! and a large hammer with that to strike it" It has been a 'ery long time

sine he ould lift the hammer! and so he arefully made a set of gears that would allow him to loose

the power in a spring! a spring wound by a waterwheel that athes the oasional rain! and stores the


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trikling of it" It is rare for him to ring the bell more than one in an ordinary lifetime! and so! this is

enough" 3e has many times thought to impro'e the mehanism! but a windmill.s onstant mo'ing

would distrat him! and as well the spirits of the air! and it is a 'ery long way to the stream itself! as it is

behind the roks! and through the small wood nearby" It would be a great deal of work to eret a seondwaterwheel! and he had only dallies with plans for it" Too many other things to do with his time! and

his limited energy" Ah! to be old again! he thought" Perhaps two hundred would be perfet" But that was

a long time ago"3e gently looses the le'er! wrapped in polished leather! and warm to his touh! he an feel the

small homunuli satter from it! used! as they are! to sitting and resting! so rarely is it used" There is an

obser'able! though barely obser'able! darkening of the air! and a flikering of the lantern! as they rusheither away from the gears! or about their appointed tasks of turning the oil of the spring into

mo'ement" The hammer! wrapped in silk! strikes the bell! and there is not a sound" Not a sound! but a

sense! that something has happened" Something wondrous and dreadful all at one" At the same timethere is trepidation that shakes the bowels! and a moment of elan" 3e draws breath! stands up straight!

and then straighter! for it is the property of this bell! to gi'e 'igor to those the sound is meant for! in

proportion to the danger" 3e is not merely aged! nor e'en old! he feels young again" The sensation is so

striking that he annot belie'e" it"And so! he walks bak upstairs! takes out a mirror! polished of platinum and looks into it"

Staring bak is firm and full flesh! though a bit lined with ares" 3e is not the anient astrologer any

more! but a man of perhaps! fifty years of age! with only the slightest of gray at his temples! and a shortsmartly lipped! and still mostly blak salt and pepper beard" 3is heeks are not hollowed out! though

he is still markedly thin" 3e looks down and sees hands that are still subtle and strong! not laws of

arthritis that they were moments before"This effet sweeps aross him! and his mind is shaking in terror! e'en as his body feels a health

and youth that is long forgotten past forgetting" 3is musles are tense! but inside he rattles! and shakes!

and he runs to the pri'y beause his insides annot ontain his last meal" 3e does not know whih end

will rebel first! and spends se'eral minutes 'omiting out from his mouth! and then feeling as if hisintestines are ready to drop out of his body and down into the abyss" 3e is about to all for his 'alet!

but reali1es that while he is spattered with the onse(uenes of his illness! he is also easily hale enough

to lean up his own mess! and thus forgo both the humiliation! and the re(uirement of e*plaining whathas happened"

Thus he deftly steals his way up to the day bed that is on the roof obser'atory! made of sarlet

'el'et and embroidered with gold thread in floral designs! and takes out his spare set of lothes that islaid there! and doffs the hose! undertuni! robe! and sandals" 3e looks at himself in the mirror! and then

takes a turban that normally rests on a hook beside his desk" It has been a long time sine he ould wear

it! e'en the linen would be too hea'y! let alone the ruby set in the enter of the forehead! whose pin ismade of almost unbreakable metal! a sli'er of the mattok of a titan" 3e nestles it smartly on his head!

and stares at himself in the mirror"

Truly! he thinks! we are utterly doomed" Ne'er has the bell gi'en suh youth" 3e knows that it

will only last as long as the emergeny! but he is ertain that this is a portent that he is destined to dieyoung" The bell has peeled away enturies! he thinks! that means destiny has taken away whate'er

years I ha'e left" It is a pity that part of his deal with death! was that he would ne'er again ast his own

horosope" But then! he mused! perhaps it is better to meet ones end unknowing! the way a 'irgin ne'er knows what awaits her in the marriage bed" 0r a groom the morning after"

0r a mortal! enthused by the spirit of a son! does not know what it will mean to wath as his

body ouples with a mortal woman who is similarly possessed by a sister.s spirit! and what 'iolentuphea'als in spirit and flesh are possible when sun and sphere truly align" That night is burned upon his

brain! and the energy it ga'e him sustains him still"

3e sets about his work with haste! fi*ing the myriad problems that ha'e aumulated with the


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orrery! and his telesopes! and e'ery other piee of e(uipment" 3e knows he will need all of them" 3e

then waits and looks out in e'ery diretion! hoping to see some trae of oming aid" 3e swings a small

refrator around! and spies aross the hori1on! whih is bloked in many plaes by stands of firs! but

that also looks out o'er the sea that surrounds his island" It is open water now! beause not long before+owilonwey was daning with +orl! the big! bright! yellow sun of 3igh Summer" Thus! right now!

while she is taking a haste and formal turn with Tir! the sphere is still warm with the near embrae that

she and +orl shared" It was a bumpy ride! but the glow was still upon the world"I an only tell you that it is dire! she knew not else"?

An outer god;?

>If you will"?>Then pour forth what you ha'e! so that your knowledge might beome my wisdom"?

>It is so) this is an e'ent that marks a turning in the tide"?

>$hat ha'e mortal men to do with this; $e are beneath ants to e'en the spirits of power ande*ellene here" #y lords and you lord! are muh beyond e'en the mightiest"?

>And so it is! and thus I ome and speak to thee"?

>$hy not the dragons of the aether! whose wings are miles long;?>They would be sense as soon as they fluttered breath of wing"?

>$hy not the d,inn of many faes! whose reah an streth from sphere to her moons and turn

them;?

>There weighty steps would reak should they e'en mo'e"?>$hy not the daemons of the abyss! who belh and then onsume whole omets;?

>Their stenh would poison the aether"?

>So the great spirits who I ha'e not named! would they also be as this;?>The wyrms and all the others would be to e'ident in their presene or their absene"?

>$hy not homunuli; Are there no nymphs or maenads! triads! or satyrs; $hat of the million

unborn souls whose task it is to run the osmos;?>They ha'e no freewill! and an only flek the fleks of foam from the oean of time" They

annot wish away what is willed"?

>And of lesser inarnate beings; $ould they not be more perfet spies;?


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>0nly the middle raes will do! those who are less! are too little! but those who are e'en a shade

more! are too muh" Though! of ourse! humans are not alone in this! it is they who straddle the perfet

balane"?

>But what ould I do! or e'en an army! or all the fleets in all the spheres do;?>@ou are ommanded thus) 'oyage to 2orana! and make report of what you find there"?

>But you ,ust ame from hene! surely your perfet senses know more than I ould know"?

>+'en now 2orana is desending into a shroud of darkened ether! that would dri'e an angelmad to stare at it"?

>And how ould I 'oyage there;?

>@ou rang the bell! it sluied me here to speak to you! and it also alls the aid of others who will be your ompanions in this geas"?

>And not you;?

>No! I am fading! my time of times is done! and I! as spirit unborn! will 'anish as the dew"?>@ou ga'e your e*istene for this;?

>For my lady! and for the sister that she ser'es! I do so gladly and with a bright heart! hoping!

perhaps! that I will return to the slumber and be allowed to be born in mortal ase"?

>It is rare that your kind is this allowed;?>5are! but not so rare as gold! nor as ommon as sil'er is to you"?

>Is there nothing more;?

The angel pulled forth a bone asing for a sroll! and handed it to I thank you and take these your gifts" I wish you well in all your hopes"?

$ith this the glowing orb 'anished! lea'ing only I see the spirit of


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>That was simple! though at some ost to the bird" I wound it with one hand! and set the gears!

but with the other I imprisoned myself in a small shell! and when I was suked in! the bird was free to

fly" I had already whispered the ounter spell to the bird! and so! it arri'ed before you! and deli'ered an

almost soundless message) me! in a bottle! as it were"?>Ingenious" Fiendishly so! old friend"?

They embraed! but as they pulled bak the Summoner spoke)

>In my work! it is unhealthy to ompare oneself to fiends" They hear well! but listen poorly"?>Fair enough then! may any fiend listening take it as a ompliment to their legendary aumen!

and not your omparing yourself to them"?

There was a rumble from the ground! ob'iously! a fiend had been listening! and the entire towertrembled"

>3ow ould the bell ha'e done this;?

>It is the great bell made on the sphere of Tian*ian! in the great astle of Bao,ing" A whole ityof bones were ground to make it"?

>3ow ould a thing built of suh slaughter be good;?

>@ou do not know the tale; I thought I had told you"?

>No! you did not"?>The ity was slaughtered! but their souls still bound to their bodies" By gi'ing their bones in

sarifie! the departed gained great spiritual wealth for their afterlife! rather than underneath as

imprisoned ghouls" By sarifiing! and gi'ing the greater neromaner This tower! and this bell! are not of my workmanship"?

>But it is you who ha'e the means to ontrol them"?

>Perhaps I ha'e a turn or two that bends things to my will"?

>A turn or two" So! the bell ares nothing for me! I am as aged as e'er! and feeling it in my bones" I! unlike you! ha'e ne'er been enthused! and if I were! I doubt I would ha'e had your ourage to

then bet death on a single turn of the ards" $hat am I here for;?

>I need you to summon some spirit from the ether who might be able to tell us more of 2oransfalling silent" $e need to mount an e*pedition and report on what we find"?

>$e; I am not to lea'e this sphere without permission from +owilonwey herself! and she.s not

speaking to me"?>I mean we in the broader sense"?

>@ou mean! .we! not you". 0h for the nuanes of an older tongue"?

>$e an use the +lder! my friend! if you ha'e impro'ed your use of it sine last we met"?>A turn or two with some older spirits has done me some good"? 3e winked and smiled"

3is friend gently slipped to a language that was before languages! and they on'ersed in that

high speeh that was used to lay the ourse of the osmos" It is a slow and ponderous tongue! e*at

beyond e*at! and it took them the better part of a day to deide how best to proeed" 3ow do you know;?>Beause I am able to ast the ourse of part of it! whih means that I am not in'ol'ed in the

'oyage"?

>Perhaps you are to remain here"?


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>So! it seems" And what of your efforts;?

>I am ready any time! in ontrast to most of my ilk! I arry all I need! and lithe gossamer skill

substitutes for weight ingredients"? And by ilk he meant e*atly that) summoners ease to use their

name! and are alled merely .Summoner. e'er after"@ou! again"?

>4ntil you get a life! I ha'e ertain! pri'ileges! Direal"?

>0r you get an afterlife"?

>I.m sure you.ll be happy to arrange that! but! I think you know! at the moment my spiritual balane is (uite positi'e! my life! onsisting as it does! of making preter6life diffiult for nasty! naughty!

spirits like yourself"?

It grimaed and buked against the sides of the irle">#ust this be so unomfortable;?

>I think we both remember what you an do gi'en e'en the smallest freedom of mo'ement"?

There was a deep tiger growl in response">#ake this (uik"?

>In a hurry! as usual! I see"? The Summoner sighed"

Another growl">#ake this (uik"?

>2orana has gone silent" I am going to ask you how this has affeted your tasks"?

>3er sphere bloks the ether! and it is pulling all near it in" There ha'e been no ollisions as of

yet of anything endowed with spirit! soul! or sentiene! but it is a matter of time" The dragons ho'er ina ring around her! wathing" But nothing that has gone in! has ome out! and not one word has been

breathed in the ether of it by any of the Sons! or Sisters" They a'oid it! for the moment! as a topi"?

>But surely they know"?>Their silene is profoundly deafening! and the terror oo1es out aross spae" @es! they know!

and they know others know"?

>3a'e you heard anything that they whisper;?>Those are bloked to me! but we all an feel they are happening"?

>3ow so;?

>I belie'e that they ha'e agreed that Isir will take 2orana around him! far out of the way of the


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rest of the dane"?

>No winter until this is o'er;?

>The opposite! all the spheres will be strung like pearls! loked in fro1en darkness! orbiting

around Isir alone"?>Is this your belief; 0r a rumor;?

>It was done before! se'eral times! but for different reasons"?

>$hy;?>A onflit! between the dragons and the Se'en Sons" It was foolish! and many suffered for it"

@ou should remember that! from your preter6life"?

The Summoner ga1ed into the distane! as if pulling a memory from beyond the 'eil! for as suhhe was" 3e took a brief breath in"

>That was when we righted the worlds"?

>That was our task! yes" It had its 'irtues" Now! let me go! please"?>Sine you ask so niely"?

>@ou had a name one! if you let me ast it you would remember so muh more easily"?

>Prefer the li'ing /ethe! to the preter6li'ing Sty*"?

The Summoner traed the lok! that would pre'ent any re'enge for the summoning" It was notornately phrase! but! instead! had a brute simpliity that ame from raw power and e*ellene" 3e lit

this on fire! it 'anished in a sulfur laden burn! and with that ame to glow" Then the haraters began to

spin around the original magi irle! gradually ontrating until the ar'ed the irle in half" Theirle! one 'iolated 'anished! and with it! its oupant! but slowly! lea'ing behind a white shadow that

none the less! seemed darker than all around it"

In preter6life! before I was born as I am! I was his wife as an ether

fiend! $e swept the orbits of the world of the debris that they trail behind"?>3is wife;

>@es" There are reasons why souls gi'e up suh power and e*ellene of being effreet or d,inn!

or angel! or fiend! in order to be enased in mortal flesh" But listen to me


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me on the ship! so that we an esape from this world without detetion"?

>And then break you out;?

>@ou are not going"?

>I knew that" I ould not elude the notie of a dragon thrie sleeping and deeply drunk! howe'er sated on his mate he might be" I must remain here"?

>And you are right! master summoner! I must go"?

>@es" This is your (uest! for whih you were born too soon"?>It is good to be young again" Perhaps it would be a pity to waste it on being old"?

They set bak to tasks! and waited for the oming of the appliants for the (uest"

ii

They gathered on the obser'atory!


17/103

toe! with high boots that uffed half way up his legs" 5ih rope braids of offie were on both shoulders!

as he was both /ord 3igh #ayor! and Admiral of the Fleet" 3is name was Bartine! /ord 3igh #ayor

Admiral Bartine dun Aberwon" 3e affeted an oiled beard and mustahe! in a style he liked to imagine

was as sophistiated as those on 2orana! where men were known to take great are in their appearane"Instead! it looked as if it were ar'ed of something and srewed to his lip"

>7reetings all! greetings allE $e ha'e ome here and the kind and generous in'itation of the

#aster Astrologer! I do not understand all of the nature of their woeful tidings! but it is lear that this is adisastrous e'ent! e'en as it is! marked by no omet to underline the portentiity of the e'ent"?

This got little attention"

>/et me remind all that trade is the life blood of worlds! and I do not see a man or woman heredress only in homespun and loal leather" $e are all in'ol'ed in anything that might disrupt trade"?

There was some nodding about this from the ontingent of merhant aptains" There were board

looks from some! but not many! beause one thing all these professions had in ommon was regular

dosing in turgidity">As I understand our illustrious hosts! it falls to us to mount an e*pedition! and report bak with

whate'er knowledge we an glean"?

>$ill there be a reward; $ho is baking this;? This from one of the merhants"Another ried out" >Better to form a ,oint stok ompany and send grab all the ships that an

make it" The markup will be truly remarkable" #iraulous"? At this there was some general nodding"

>$hat say you! astrologer;?>This is the fate of worlds! and you think to make one last run for profit;?

>And why not; Aording to your own numbers 2orana will ha'e to head out! we an ,ump!

ath! ha'e days to pak up with whate'er an be gotten ash! or paid to esape! and be bak out" I

think if it is as bad as you say! then many would be willing to pay handsomely" $e.d be in position in a bit o'er a week! and so ould e(uip (uite a s(uadron"?

The astrologer! used to enturies of derepitude was shoked at the fore of his own 'oie"

>I will not ha'e my home turned into the trading floor of Al6huran! or $ood Street" @ou an dothis if you wish! but you will ha'e no help from me"?

At this point! the #ayor! who despite his fumbling e*terior! was no fool! broke in"

>$hy not hide one ship among se'eral; $here is the best plae to hide akey;? The mayor pointed at the astrologer.s own key"

At this


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0f those who were left! religious figures and mages were now far more represented" Not one

warrior remained! and only a few aptains" Finally one man! with a rounded fae and stern features! a

bit weathered! but still not by any means old! looked up! he.d been leaning his nails wit the point of a

dirk! and seemed obli'ious to the arry on" 3e slipped his dirk bak in his boot">I am the man to take this e*pedition out" T.is good riddane to the mob! beause most ha'e

done little but leap from a world! and wait to be swept up by the ne*t! plying only suh ether wind as

they need for stability or orretion" That is not what is needed" The admiral! who you under6estimated!you under6estimate again" 3e.s among a small and selet group that ha'e ommanded s(uadrons in

battle" Bartine has lost the three battles he has led! but he has been in them! and ould pilot a ast of a

do1en to 2orana! e'en on these e'il tides" 3owe'er! he.s the only one they ha'e"?>I don.t reogni1e you"? It was a lithe and tiny woman with features that marked her as from

Tian*ian" She was dressed in nearly sheer silks of bright reds! sarlets! yellows! oranges and whites!

that layer upon layer ga'e only the suggestion of her tiny body" But it was a rather hea'y suggestion ofhow they lung to her breasts! and slithered around her hips" She was almost the shortest person there!

but her gra'ity and utterly unlined serenity of mien ga'e her a height in the eyes of those who looked

upon her"

>I.m Captain Niolo" No last name! gi'en or asked for"?>$ell Captain Niolo! I ha'e heard many boasts from many men" 3ow are we to measure your

instrument while it is so keenly sheathed"?

There was some nodding among the four Captains left! and one or two stifled giggles! but thenthe astrologer looked o'er at his table and glaned among the horosopes that remained" 3e nodded!

but said nothing"

0ne of the other aptains looked at him">Come now! tell us what you see" I am all for glory beyond glory and undying honor! but not if I

am not the right man"?

>0h I think you are the right man! but not for this" $e will need to raise the defenses here! and

the Admiral seems to be tilted towards the offense"? 3e piked up a sheet of aged parhment and held it between to fingers" >I see leadership here! and in abundane! the trines are powerful! in it! but not for

the 'oyage" $ould you Captain Blakmore! beome the Admiral here; That is how I wold 'ote"?

The aptain! hugely broad6shouldered and barrel hested! with a shok of blak hair on his headand blak urly hair on his hest! smirked" >I imagine that the other aptains would ha'e something to

say about that"?

>0h I imagine they will not be so proud so soon" $ill you do it; I will write to some key people! and you will ha'e summoned to your disposal! ? here he ast a sidelong glane at the

Summoner! >aid of an indispensable nature"?

The Summoner smiled" >Ah its been ages sine I.'e had a hane to rela* in the bakwaters ofhuman ourt intrigue" Come with me Captain Blakmore! I think we ha'e plans to lay"? $ith this he

plaed a friendly arm around the soon to be Admiral.s shoulder! and began walking to a orner of the

obser'atory! where he unrolled a map and began making pointed gestures too and fro"

>I would suggest that you! my honorable aptains! are best suited for the plans that are beingmade o'er there! Niolo is the man for this season"?

>It seems you are in ommand here! Astrologer"?

>It was I who saw and see the danger! and I do not belie'e that others do" And you are"?>A priness of the +mpire! daughter of the holder of the #andate of 3ea'en! and soreress of

the Forbidden Palae" Call me your highness"?

The astrologer made an elaborate bow! but did not kowtow as was the ustom in the +mpire ofthe


19/103

>Priness the mandate of hea'en is not upon any of us" And I would wish you gi'e your name"?

3e pointed to where 2orana should ha'e been showing brightly in the sky! but instead was a barely

'isible blak bloth"

>Very well then! you may refer to me as 3ighness Si6yeona" So you delare that it is on you;?>Thank you Priness Si6yeona! -o you pretend to read the hea'ens better than I;?

She stopped! thinking arefully"

>I am here beause I was asked! not ommanded"?>And it is I who selet who to bestow my knowledge on" I hoose Niolo! but of the rest of the

rew! I will lea'e that to others! though I would offer ad'ie if asked"?

>And what would be your ad'ie;?>That two of the members I would ad'ise are not here"?

>0h really;?

$hat;?

>$ill you reonsider this as a touh duel;?

>I shall grind your bones little man"?

>I will gi'e you a hane to reonsider! it would be a waste"?>@ou will not pass me"?

The smaller man sighed and frowned" 3e spent se'eral seonds obser'ing his ad'ersary! and

then struk up a stane! feet pointed forward! somewhat spread! and the left planted ,ust behind thetoes! and the right foot firmly on the ground in front" 3e le'eled the rapier at the eyes of the giant man!

and twirled it round in his fingers! until the ross6piee was parallel with the ground" It had a solid up

to the hilt and a sweeping hand guard that ame down from it! there was an o'al ounterweight! with asmallish ounter point at the end" It wasn.t lear whether this was sharp enough to stab! but it looked

sharp enough to ser'e as a bludgeon" 3is lothes were hardly of high fashion! but his ap sported a

feather! and his s(uarish ,aw was losely sha'en"


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The mayor lifted his broadsword! and shouted >BeginE?

The maul wielding giant shifted his weight from foot to foot! and began slowly irling" 3e

tilted and mo'ed his hammer! and his mouth was silently breathing some kind of prayer" Though not

generally notied! the priness made a short gesture with her own fingers! to detet if any forbiddenmagi was used" But! she onluded! it was a simple prayer for interession! and therefore! she

assumed! within the rules"

The rapier wielder merely stood" And stood" And stood"The giant stopped"

At whih point the rapier wielder spoke up"

>Tired 3igar; That thing must weigh more than an o*"?>@ou will find out when I land it on you"?

>0h I doubt that! it must be getting hea'y in your hands e'en now"?

>I an hold this long enough to rush you"?>I think! nay" I see it is already wobbling in your hands"?

+yes turned to the giant! and! indeed! it seemed as if his hands were wa'ering" The shakes grew

larger! and larger! and then the head dropped to the ground! lea'ing a large dig in the earth" 3e grabbed

the handle of it! and desperately tried to pull it from the earth" 3e planted his feet to get a better grip"It was at this moment that the rapier armed man took a half skip where his bak foot rossed in

front! and then he lunged" It was without flourish! but at its end a small bloody srath was inised on

the giant.s hest! and then! as (uikly! he withdrew and took a defensi'e stane"From the rowd there were ,eers"

>Forbidden magiksE?

?ForfeitE?>And penalty of his goodsE?

The mayor held up us hand" >3oldE?

>There was no magi your honor"?

>I will be the ,udge of that"?The priness stepped forward"

>Are you ad'aned in the arts of sorery;? She spoke! not with an abrupt arrogane! but with a

hanging rih (uestion" There was a softness to her 'oie and fae">And who would you be;? the #ayor asked! but then! seeing the rihness of her lothes! he

onluded that she must be someone! and therefore added! >/ady"?

>Priness Si6yeona Chang! of the +mpire of the 3owe'er! ? she went on! >more importantly I am somewhat touhed with magikal gifts! and

would be happy to trae a irle around this ombat! that would show as olor any magiks used by the partiipants" Is this aeptable;?

The #ayor looked at both ombatants"

>0nly so long as he remo'es the urse on my hammer"?

>There is! good giant! no urse! on your hammer"?The #ayor bowed with all formality to the priness! and asked) >Can you asertain this as

truth;?

>0f ourse! good marshall of the list"?$ith this! she pulled out a small round de'ie" She pressed upon it! and up popped a pyramid

made of gold wires! from whih hung a pendulum! whose bob was a round smooth stone that looked

like oli'ine marble" She let it pass bak and forth! and then pointed it first at the 7iant! whose armor pulled the ourse of the swaying pendulum towards it! and then she bent ne*t to the hammer at her

knees! and brushed up and down it" Finally she walked o'er to the swordsman! who ga'e a smooth and

gallant bow" She e*amined up and down his ostume and rapier! into his hat and feather"


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>The lady seems to like to e*amine him losely"?

>#aybe more losely"?

She looked in the diretion of the words! almost blushed! and then went bak to e*amination"

>As far as I an di'ine! /ord #ayor! there is no magi about the swordsman! and there is someabout the leather of the giant" But there are no urses ast in either diretion"?

>I don.t belie'e it"?

She turned and looked at the giant! almost with almost a sorrowful look" Instead of blasting him!as the bated breath from the onlookers seemed to presage! she spoke in a sing6song softness"

>I ha'e e*amined it arefully! and would ne'er lie about what I found"?

>I think you fa'or my enemy"?>Is he really;?

>3e wanted to pass! and was bloked" It was agreed to ha'e a pas d.armes to deide"?

>Is that really the best thing; I mean is this your tower! good giant;?>It is not! but it is our way"?

At this point the astrologer walked forward! and spoke! there was a deep powerful resonane on

his 'oie! and he seemed to grow in height as he spoke! though this was entirely an illusion"

>By right and grant and tenure longer than any of you ha'e been ali'e! this tower is my tower!this land is my land! and I ha'e high and low ,ustie within it" I demand that you disperse! and if any

are of a mind to ome to my tower! let them by! without further hindering"?

The flikering torhlight that ast strange highlights and shadows on eah and e'ery fae! andthere was silene" Finally one of the aptain.s said"

>Alright! bets ride! and let.s go"?

The priness took a areful note of who this was! he seemed to be some kind of ringleader ororgani1er" The rowd mo'ed on! walking down the road towards where out of diret site! there was a

lighthouse and a small boatyard" The swordsman stepped bak se'eral paes! and the giant was easily

able to pull his hammer out of the earth" The giant glared! but said nothing and turned and walked

away! bringing up the rear of the assembly"0nly one person was left! the swordsman" 3e bowed low to the priness! and then I was told you were organi1ing ane*pedition! and that there might be of some use for those who ha'e some skill at arms"?

>$ell! ? began I did indeed send word for this! but am wondering why you ame" I

know nothing of your e*ploits" Nor ha'e I ast your horosope"?>I am far far far from the most renowned of swordsman! but as you may ha'e seen! matters take

a different turn when I am present! I know not why"?

The Summoner! who had remained silent! took out a pair of ruby olored glasses and staredabout" 3e took them off! polished them! and looked again" >I ha'e a speulation! but I will ha'e to

in'estigate further good gentles" This is the man we want! howe'er"?

Captain Niolo inter,eted" >3e hardly seems the most skilled of swordsmen! I would rather

someone with greater flair and finesse"?Albreht raised an eyebrow"

>Thank you Captain! for your kind 'ote of support"? 3e didn.t smirk or betray any emotion in

his fae"The priness looked both ways"

>I would ha'e him"?

The Summoner smirked! >0h! and in how many ways;? Captain Niolo stiffed a hukle">I meant! on our 'oyage"?

>0h"


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The Summoner! looking unomfortable! gestured upwards towards the obser'atory"

>I think that Time and Tide are not our friends at this moment" I would suggest that all must be

made ready for a launh of Captain Niolo.s 'essel at the first possible moment"? 3e began asending

and one by one he was followed by the others" They reahed the top a few minutes later"

iv

$hen they reahed the top of the tower again! they were surprised to find a somewhat older

woman! think in the middle with wide hips and breasts that were learly large! but beause she was

wearing a baggy grey green tuni with pleats that only partially disguised the poor (uality of the fabri!it was diffiult to tell her e*at proportions" 0n her grey haired head she wore a garland of holly and

green oak lea'es! whih was studded with aorns and wo'en through with mistletoe" This ontrasted

sharply with her mahogany dark skin! but framed her button nose and round heeks that ga'e her fae a pleasantly hubby softness" In fat! what others notied is that while her lothes were definitely out of

fashion! and her gray hair made her seem old! he skin was lustrous and smooth! with a partiular glow

of health"

She smiled awkwardly">I am sorry for dropping in like this"?

>3ow did you get here; /ady Priestess of """? his 'oie trailed off"

>#orwethe d.Arlaine! Priestess of! well! his name is hard to pronoune"?>Not going to get many worshippers with a tongue twisted name"? 0bser'ed the Summoner"

>3e goes by the name the master of healing"?

>That might attrat some attention! but healing is a 'ery rowded nihe"?>I was summoned"?

>Ah"? The Summoner nodded"

>I did do a (uik summon for any gods or goddess that might be in the area" 0ne of them must

ha'e sent her here"?>After a manner of speaking! he had an oak soop me up and throw me"?

>That must ha'e been a hard landing"?

>A bit! but he healed me"?There was a short pu11lement" Finally Niolo broke the silene"

>#ighty trust you plae in your 7od! #orwethe" 3owe'er a ship.s surgeon is hard enough to

find" -oes your 7od reah into high spae! we are not staying here! and ha'e little use for deities thatling lose to one or the other spheres"?

She nodded"

>#y lord is anywhere that faith in him abides"?>$ell then! I am sold on her! at least"? The aptain bowed to the Priestess" >@ou are welome on

my ship! /ady Priestess of the unmentionable 7od"?


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>It is a flying serpent"?

The Summoner srathed under his ear" >Someone wishes to send us a message" I doubt it

friendly"?

Albreht noted) >Friendlier than a note attahed to a dagger! I feign"? Niolo twisted his mouth about! and added" >But not by muh"?

>$hy don.t we either prepare to meet an unfriendly 'isit! or wait and listen;? #orwethe.s plain

'oie seemed both high and low6pithed at one"But it was to the Priness to ask the (uestion of protool) >Is it a herald;.

After a moment! the astrologer s(uinted and asked the Summoner to take a look" The

Summoner! more on'ersant with the intriaies of reature lore! nodded" >The Priness has sa'ed usworry and trouble" That is a herald of a dragon lord! I would ha'e to refer to find whih one! though I

imagine we will be told long before I ould e'en find the e*at 'olume to referene"?

The priness allowed herself only the softest of glowing smiles of triumph"The spinning motion of the serpent grew more distint! and it ombined the slithering of its

body like a snake through dense grass! and the mo'ement of its wings! whih seemed to go all the way

around the twisting and turning of its elongated torso! and well as a fluttering and shifting mo'ement of

its feathered feet! of them! that seemed to be to stabili1e it in its flight"At last it grew large and 'isible! and ho'ered ,ust beyond sword reah of the obser'atory!

ho'ering in air! its wings beating so fast that they had beome a blur and hummed in the air" Its

slithering motion was redued to a 'estigial wa'ering in plae" Its four eyes under golden lids fousedon different figures at different times! its roodilian mouth alternately grimaed and grinned as it

yapped syllables to whih it was learly not adapted"

>Iomewithamessageforthelordfrommylord"?The astrologer stepped forward" >7reetings friend herald" $e welome you in parlay! but would

ask who your /ord is! by name"?

>3eislordofetherwananddragondukeoftheeastouterompassbynameone+rehwyre'e"?

The Summoner softly spoke as an aside) >Ah! he is from +rehwyre'e! a lesser -uke! or greater+arl! among the -ragons" 3is realm is near the fi*ed sky and stars! to the elestial east" There are

suh in that irle"?

>3e hisses so! ? remarked the priestess! >and looks as if he would rather be eating us"?Captain Niolo! his hands diplomatially raised and away from weapons! ga'e a laoni

re,oinder) >Aye"?

The astrologer walked o'er to the balony">And what message bring you from your dread lord! herald; -eli'er it so that we may onsider

an answer"?

>NoanswerwillbelistenedToforThisisthe#essage"?The herald paused and then started again"

>Abandonallhopeofane*peditionto205anafortheaffairstherearenone0FyourlP4nyB4Siness"?

The end of this rose to a sreehing wail that made both the Priness and the Summoner o'er their

ears in pain"The astrologer! unaffeted! bowed! and started to raise his hand to dismiss the serpent! when! at

that moment! a hammer! the si1e that most men would use to split logs! sailed through the air! hitting

the herald on the head! and bouning off" The herald wa'ered for a moment turned in all diretions! andthen lunged for the astrologer"

>Treaheryandyouwillpayforitwithyour#ortTA/e*isTANC+agedfooloffools"?

3owe'er! e'en as he did so! the Albreht stepped in the way" -espite the wyrms fearsomehissing! his two forward fangs were only the length of small daggers! and not that muh fatter" Albreht

had a rapier and main6gauhe at the ready! parrying in ross the strike! and then duking down and

turning o'er resulting in the herald flying by and hitting the telesope! whih langed and spun about


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%8 degrees" The astrologer wined"

>Cease thisE At oneE?

3owe'er! there was no end to the ommotion! as the giant lambered up o'er the railing and

attempted to bring his maul aross and into the head of Captain Niolo! who pushed #orwethe out6of6the6way before duking himself under the sweeping stroke" 3e drew a hea'y single6edged ship.s saber

and balaned himself in a defensi'e posture! but it was lear from his fae that he had no hope of

defending or bloking suh a massi'e weapon"The herald! for its part! oiled around the large telesope and then struk the way a poisonous

serpent strikes! aiming for the leg of the astrologer! ignoring the swordsman entirely : who seemed to

duk in a passata soto! dropping to the ground on one hand! and going below the strike" The herald flewin a slight ar! but found itself rudely halted by the sudden ,utting of the short main6gauhe behind its

,aw! it rolled end o'er end and found itself entangles with the swordsman! its wings now 'isible as

being more like an iridesent beetle! with omple* gossamer 'eins and a flashing olor in the shiftinglight" At least more this than either bird or bat! were badly bent and dented" The herald and Albreht

loked in a mortal wrestling math! with serpent trying to strangle the life out of Ar'id by rushing his

hest and s(uashing his abdomen! and Albreht stabbing o'er and o'er again into the gap between

sales he had reated and gripping the serpent with his glo'ed right hand" The serpent kept trying tostrike with the barb on its tail! and law with its legs! but the barb would not land! and the legs turned

out to be (uite weak for ombat"

Near the desk! the giant kept taking powerful! but slow! swipes at Niolo! who! for his partspent muh of his time duking under! ,umping o'er and bloking with any large ob,et to hand" 3e

was able to slash now and again! but the saber was unable to do more than nik the leather armor the

giant wore! whih seemed to ha'e more than ordinary resiliene and strength! and was baked by somekind of wire mesh" The giant tried to double his hands together and bring them down in a rushing

strike! but only managed to lea'e himself e*posed" Niolo howe'er! ould do little to e*ploit this! as

his saber bouned almost harmlessly off the giant.s metal ollar! not one! but three times"

The giant spun around! swiping with a double fisted blow again! and getting enough of Niolo.s shoulder send him spinning" The giant turned and lifted his hands to deal a massi'e blow to

the priness! who was ooly standing in plae! seemingly unphased by the oming onslaught" She

dropped one hand to the right! re'ealing a metal sphere! somewhat larger than her fist! and in the other!a bit of phosphorus and flint" $ith a flourish! she snapped her fingers! reating a trail of flame that lit a

small hole in the sphere" Instantly sil'er sparks began sputtering out of it! and she tossed it straight into

the gut of the giant" There was a thundering pressure! an almost blinding flash! and the giant waslaunhed bakwards o'er the edge of the railing"

This sound seemed to deafen the wyrm! and Albreht used the opening to wrap his arm up and

around piering one of the herald.s four eyes" The herald then began igniting like a pounder fuse! anddisappeared in an orange flash of his own! leading to a loud of dark hoking smoke" Albreht was not

burned! but was o'ered with some kind of glutinous soot"

As (uikly as the brawl started! it was (uiet! with only the remaining undamaged e(uipment

spinning" The astrologer sur'eyed the damage! whih was worse to the telesope! but otherwise minorto e'erything else! though one of his wood stands had been utterly smashed being used as a makeshift

shield! and one hair was in splinters" Papers were sattered about! and se'eral small wire instruments

were tangled and rumpled" It ould ha'e been worse" There was also a layer of grey and blak asho'er e'erything" 3e reali1ed that #orwethe was missing"

>$here is the lady priestess;?

Niolo piked himself up and strained his in,ured shoulder! he pointed to footsteps aross thesoot that lead down to the spiral" >I think she must ha'e run down after the giant"?

The Summoner was! likewise missing" 3owe'er! he rawled out from behind the desk! some

ruined omponents in his hands" The astrologer ga'e a (ui11ial glane! and the Summoner made a


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gesture with his right hand holding up one finger and spiraling it upwards" I thought we ould lea'e him behind"?

>Then he would be dead" It is not a loose end that a dragon would lea'e"?>So we ha'e to take him with us;?

>$ell of ourse! #orwethe! and anyway! you need him to plead your ase with the dragon"?

>I didn.t know one ould"?>Trust me! dear! plead is a 'ery good world to keep in mind when dealing with dragons"?

>But it wasn.t our fault"?

>The old law! is done to the herald! done by the lord" The astrologer is lawful liege here! and

he.s responsible for what happened"?>So we ha'e to take the giant with us! and at some point will ha'e to ha'e the dragon not to take

this out on us;?

>@ou will ha'e to be more persuasi'e than that! but yes"?#orwethe stared in the air! and frowned"

>This is already a disaster"?

>No! but it isn.t beginning under an auspiious sign" 3owe'er! we need this" @ou need this" Thise*pedition will make us renowned and gather worshippers to us"?

>Are you sure"?

>0h! I am remarkably sure that there will be ample hane to heal all manner of gra'e in,uries"?#orwethe frowned"

>Is this your ommand;?

>I would rather make it a 'ery strong suggestion based on our mutual interests"?

#orwethe urtseyed low! know that this was the best deal she would get" She then sank to herknees and began praying"

The priness and the swordsman wathed all of this silently! still stunned at the magnitude of

the regeneration and restorati'e power that they had witnessed"Finally Albreht found his tongue"

>$ho was that;?

>That was the 'oie of my 7od! of ourse" Through me he healed 3igar"?3igar for his part was still roking in plae nursing the intense agony of ha'ing been nearly

ground to a flour like onsistently! and then almost killed bak to life"

>And he.s going to ome with us;?


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The priness inter,eted" >The dragon will kill him if we lea'e him here! it is an affront that no

lord ould aept"?

There was a (uiet nodding" At this point 3ow bad is that;?

>It is 'ery bad! ? returned Niolo! >beause without the lighthouse and boats there! it is a 'ery

long way bak to Astronoma! where the ships are" $e would be days behind them! And there is a goodlaunh that we will miss" The ne*t one is not as good"?

The Summoner stroked his hin" >I ha'e! I think! a solution" Though I would need help from our

esteemed Astrologer! and some aid in sorery! and your alhemial skill Captain! assuming you do your

own work in that line">I do"?

>And you are a shipwright;?

>I am"?>Then draft out a ship for us" She will be made of ash! beause I saw a stand of ash! with masts

of fir"?

>And then what! it would take weeks and many workman we do not ha'e"?>-o not fear for workers" Though men will be beyond my ability to pro'ide"?


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Interlogue

Ei"ht Solar /ouses

+ight the houses that rule the elipti plane!

eight the greater that are gi'en names"

Four the ardinals! four for the medes!The leopard is south! strong from the kill!

the falon is north! rying and shrill!

the elephant west leading to night!the heifer is east bringing the bright"

Tween leopard and heifer is the hunting dog!Twi*t attle and falon! rises the swan"

Treading between the paa and raptor!

is the hare who surries to a'oid talons and apture!

#edial last omes the running ram"

#aw tooth horn!

wing law ear!tusk! horn! tooth

round they ran"

South north south5ound and round!

sine worlds began"


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Part II

i

As the outside measured time! it was a day later" They stood in a strangely o'al shaped learingin the 'ast fir forrest! a green wall surrounding them! with boughs lose together and rinkled with

needles"

0ne full6time the stars had risen and set abo'e the tower! and Captain Niolo had labored on plans" Albreht had 'olunteered to help! and it was rapidly lear that the rapier was not the only thing

with a point that he used well" 3is freehand lines were almost perfet! his ur'es 'oluptuous" It soon

beame lear that Niolo was better off doing the rough sketh! and allowing Albreht to turn out fineink finished drawings" The ship was small! it would be ramped! but Niolo put three enormous masts

at right angles! and a small folding mast below that would be deployed after they had leapt off the

surfae of the sphere" 3e had the astrologer make an e*tremely detailed model of it! down to thesmallest detail" 3e alled forth small le'er homunuli to speed the work" Some would atually ut and

ar'e and eth! but others would form themsel'es into tools so preise that no human hand ould use

them"?

-uring the working! Albreht set himself up on a drawing table se'eral floors down in thetower! and rapidly around him a pile of finished 'ellum srolls formed" 3e stayed onentrated on his

work! but was ama1ed that the pen ne'er seemed to log! the ink ne'er smeared! and the tip ne'er

srathed" 4sually! when he worked this (uikly there were diffiulties! that he o'erame by ha'ing ametiulous are" $ith eah sroll that he tossed salt upon to dry! he ga'e a furrowed e*amination that

ended in a look of (ualified appro'al" There was something in the air about him! a sent of some

unnamed flower! that he grew aware of as he took deep breaths in while he paused between setions!howe'er! when e'er he looked around! he ould not see anyone"

#orwethe notied that the priness was hard to find! and was seen only in entering and lea'ing

the obser'atory" 3igar followed her omings and goings arefully! ausing #orwethe to remark to him)

>@ou would snap that one like a twig"? 3igar frowned! learly aught out in lusts that he had thoughthidden" Pri'ately #orwethe noted that the Captain! as well! seemed to ha'e a 'ery fine eye for the

priness and her omings and goings"

But now they were assembled on the learing" The Summoner had them walk off the plans! and

in the enter he drew one of his irles! this one insribed by an almost s(uare that rotated slightly with

eah repetition to produe a %G pointed figure" 3e gestured for the astrologer to ,oin him in the enterand then for the others to mo'e away"

@ou are the great Astrologer of our age"?

>Surely! you know I do not are for suh boasts by now"?

>This is no boast! it is the hope that I plae e'erything upon"?>For argument! say I am" 3ow does this help"?

>@ou know! and ha'e mastered the art of attration"?

>Surely! but for hea'enly bodies"?>/et me go on then" For a hea'enly body! e'en were it to be dissol'ed! you ould use your skill

to draw it together"?

>$ell so long as I ha'e an orrery for it! and it is not too large" I ould in'oke a omet! though I


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ne'er would"?

>$ell what if I gi'e you a star;?

>A star; But that.s a departed soul"?

>$ell it will be soon"?>I ould assemble a star that had faded or been tarnished" I was alled upon to do that one! a

soul was fading into the beyond" But I still do not understand how that will help us"?

>7ood" /isten arefully! beause we do not ha'e long" I am going to depart now! only not (uite"For a time! my soul will reside in that model you hold in your hand" @ou will! from this irle! summon

it into full form! my ser'ants will ar'e the wood and make the metal! and in some ases e'en beome

it"?>But that would mean"""?

>I will be imprisoned in the ship for a time" Burn the ship! promise me! and I will be free then"?

>#ust it truly be the end;?>Tis only a hange" I ha'e enough rihes for the afterlife! and think! I will be the 'essel that will

arry you on this (uest"?

>I am not sure that will arue to your benefit"?

>Perhaps! perhaps not" But it won.t hurt" /ike your bell! I will gi'e my life for this ship"?>@ou didn.t know the story"?

>That.s beause I ha'e ne'er ast anything e*ept with li'ing forms" This will be new for me! an

e*periment that reahes out beyond what I ha'e so far done in life" $hat better way to depart! than bydoing something new"?

>So you imprison and depart! and when that happens! I draw the full si1e ship around this

model"?>@es"?

>But it will almost instantly leap" It will ha'e no attration to this sphere"?

>3mmm" A flaw in my plan"?

>Call Niolo"?The Summoner gestured to the Captain! but wa'ed him to stop before the rossing the irle.s

outer edge"

>$e ha'e a problem"?>If it were only one! I would feel muh better"?

>$e are going to ast a spell that will build your ship! but aording to A few moments! but not long"?

>Could you get e'eryone on;?

>$e ha'e no supplies here" Can you summon some bearers;?>$e an send 3igar! beause I an.t summon now without ruining the irle! and I need

e'erything I ha'e left for! ummm! summoning the ship! as it were"?

Niolo nodded"

>@ou aren.t going to ome through this! are you;?>Is it that ob'ious;?

>#ariners an see death on a man.s fae! muh more often than not"?

>Then it is on mine! without a doubt"?>@ou are a bra'er man than I! summoner"?

>No! I am a rih man going to an eternal feast" But your ompliment is touhing"?

>I will tell the others! gi'e us some time" 3igar is bound now! and knows better than to break a blood bond to the priestess"?

>3e would die! wouldn.t he; $ell! not immediately" 3e would probably be allowed to linger to

ontemplate his sins first"?


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>In his ase! the sin is breathing"?

>3e is not as bad as that! atually! he was following along" If he li'es! he might e'en dig his

way out of debt and debasement"? The Summoner said these words in the way a steward ounts oins!

without the smallest room for e(ui'oation" Niolo nodded"

>I will be about our part"?

It is as it must be"?

$ith that the separated! and the Summoner pointed a single finger towards the sky" A strand oflight appeared that piered the hea'en! and then! gradually! and far abo'e! a pastel blue tinged with

orange began to appear"


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sails! that were half transparent! and had on them the markings of /ilith as eah were a map of that

moon" Behind was a tail! like the feathers of a bird! before whih was Niolo at the wheel" Below!

$hat is going on;?+'eryone below! we are going to hit the shok soonE? Niolo.s 'oie was hard to hear abo'e

the roaring din of the air rushing way that filled the spae around them" It blew aross the front of theship! and he turned the wheel half a irle" The rush hit the lanterns! whih then bla1ed with an

unearthly brilliane" The ground was now indistint! and seemed like a loud abo'e them! rather than

rushing away as it had done at first" They were in a kind of blue sky twilight! where the sun abo'e themwas losing its prominene! but the stars were only partially 'isible"

Then! ,ust as suddenly as a lap of thunder! the blue of sky e'aporated! and they were bak in

night! buffeted by unearthly winds" The ship bukled and bolted! like a stallion being broken" The priestess had to hold her breath to pre'ent from 'omiting" The astrologer turned his eyes upward and

grabbed the nearby mast for dear life! it had been a 'ery long time sine he had 'entured into spae"

The priness lung to the swordsman! who used his legs to wrap around a bulkhead and hold them bothin plae"

The turbulene ontinued with yaws around the a*is of the ship oming between hea'y dips"

Niolo.s hands were not! howe'er! gripping the wheel white! instead! eah turn lead to a light

response! and the oasional hard pull if the ship buked him">@ou need a name little raft! though I suspet you ha'e one that I do not know"? 3is hand

aressed the knobs as he turned the wheel! and gripped as he pulled bak on it" Before him was a white

rippling of the bow shok of +o! whih now was a huge orb! but no longer a plate that o'ered theentire hori1on to hori1on" 3e stared down at her! sparkling with long planes of green and moderate

strethes of brakish blue" There were whirls of louds! and rakling rowns of green at the poles! that

enompassed around a swirling white of the polar gyres" The pattern of the land and see left water andland almost e*atly e(ual! and from here it ould be seen that all of the land was one giant ma1e!

sometimes thiker! sometimes thinner! but! on this side! all onneted" But he rapidly looked away out

into spae! searhing for the fold in the ether that they ould ride" The huge rolling aurora of the bow


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>It would seem to me they are wasting ammunition" $hoe'er Bartine is! he seems remarkably

profligate"?

From the wheel! the Captain turned them again! and the entire 'essel skipped up and o'er the

wake of the annon shots">Bartine.s strategy is always to seem stupid and spendthrift! but! in fat! to be 'ery deliberate

and direted" $hether with words or ammunition" 3e has se'eral ships! we ha'e one" All he needs to

do is keep us from being able to ride the bowshok! and it will gi'e him a tremendous ad'antage" If oneship is left behind! it is a small loss"?

At this point 3igar ame shambling up! and looked at e'eryone"

>Is there something we an do;? Niolo took a deep breath"

>I would imagine that depends on whether we want to try and risk being hit and riding the

shok! or ome to grips with our attaker"?3igar looked"

>Bartine is a bad man! his eyes and his mouth are always saying different things" If he is on that

ship! I would want a hane to rush him"?

>Then why did you follow him"?>@ou weren.t going to take me"?

$e should ask the ladies"?>@ou ha'e not told us what you would fain to do! skipper"?

>I would take my piloting o'er his marksmanship! but I will not 'ote e*ept to break a tie"?

$hile there was a sowl wrapping his features! the swordsman nodded" >#ore than fair!

skipper" 3e grabbed a rail for balane as the ship swirled on its a*is! almost stopping for a moment before sliding up the inside of a url of the bowshok! the wings on the sides twisted in opposite

diretions! and the ship rode upwards! tilting until it irled the tube of rests all the way around"

It was 3igar who obser'ed) >Strange to think that my head and my feet get re'ersed like that"? Niolo merely smiled wanly" >It is a strong magik that binds us to the dek" The Summoner.s

raft was truly astonishing" At least! I am astonished at how well she takes diretions"?

#orwethe slowly walked to the luster and waited for an e*planation" The astrologer whisperedand pointed for se'eral seonds! and then she nodded"

>I would rather we not fight" /et me go ask her highness"?

>$here is she;?>She.s string the hammoks and putting what meager supplies we ha'e in order! and! I think!

ataloging them"?

>$e ould use a (uarter6mistress"?

#orwethe walked down into the hold! and returned only a few minutes later" Se'eral annonshots had streaked through like omets! but none were partiularly threatening" But eah was ha'ing its

intended effet) Niolo had to fre(uently steer away from the best rests" She merely had to look at

Niolo to ommuniate that her highness also preferred to a'oid the ha1ards of ombat">3e.s a sharp one! whoe'er Bartine has"?

Albreht arhed an eyebrow" >$hy! what is he doing;?

>The shots are not intended to hit us! but are in the best bow6wa'es" $hih! sine he has riddenthem! he has some good idea of where they were" If we ride fast enough to ath him! then we risk

taking fire" 0therwise! he maintains his distane! and we are slowed" Astrologer! it is to you" If you

'ote for blood! then it is =6H" If you 'ote for sailing! it is =6= and I break the tie" If you abstain! then it is


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=6= and I will take Captain.s pri'ilege"

The astrologer snapped out his spyglass and looked" 3e lowered the spyglass until it rested in

front of his hest! radled softly in his hands" >I wished to open the innkeeper.s pri'ate stok! rather

than drink from the publi asks" I remember asting his horosope many years ago when he was born"There was a peuliar hain to it! one thing tied to another! without e'er rounding off" I saw it then as his

always ha'ing a plan behind e'ery plan"?

>$hat do you ha'e in mind;?$ith a wa'e of his hands! the older man gestured to the sails"

>The sails are attuned to /ilith" 5ight now she is oulted by +o.s disk from our perspeti'e!

howe'er! if we slide to the other side of the bowshok! it will be"""? he paused! slowly losed thespyglass! whose many rings folded to something (uite small! and then took out of his poket a sphere

that he ould ,ust wrap his fingers around with both hands" In it was a tangle of gears and wires!

spheres and springs" It took some time of staring to reali1e that the rystal! gold! sil'er and polished brass added up to an inredibly small orrery" 3e stared at it and ad,usted it" 3e then stared at it some

more" >""" ,ust 'isible on a line" If we unfurl to full sail! we should be able to rush past them" It is a

different line than they are e*peting"?

Albreht arhed an eye! 3igar frowned! and #orwethe blinked trying to see if she ould di'ineany sense from the orrery! but its parts were too small and fine"

>-o you trust that orrery! Astrologer;?

>The greater orrery bak in my tower has essenes from of the G suns! all of the spheres! andmost of the moons" It is often able to show how a ritial moment will turn! e'en before the spheres

ha'e mo'ed themsel'es" This! is not so fine an instrument! but for this purpose I am ertain"? 3e

showed around the base! where there were graduated markings! whih! when spun! allowed him torapidly make alulations"

The responses to this were mi*ed) Albreht stared out into the 'oid of spae! 3igar let his ga1e

mo'e from fae to fae! trying to ,udge the reations! #orwethe rumpled her mouth! and then

e*laimed) >I like this"?$ith paper and small nub of haroal in hand! Niolo opied out a series of numbers and then

wedged them in the wheel! before reali1ing that Albreht had been thoughtful enough to add a small

board and plae to lip paper" Niolo almost left the paper ,ammed in! but then reali1ing that Albrehtwas standing there! he took and put the paper on the lip! and began turning the wheel o'er slowly"

>I suggest people go below! there is a 'ery harsh roll oming"?

3owe'er! Some one is going to ha'e to loosen them for him"? 3is heery 'oie seemed to indiate thatAlbreht was 'olunteering! not ommenting" Before there was e'en an assent he had his rapier and

other aoutrements stashed in the weapons rak on the rail! and was limbing out along the port mast!

preparing a series of slipknots" They were not e*pertly tied! more the way a landing would tie boots ora ,erkin than a sailor would stay a sail! but the seemed to be enough for the purposes"

>/ady priestess! you should go below"?

>Someone may need the touh of my 7od"?


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The fae of the aptain pulled bak! doubling hoping that this was not neessary! sine the ure

seemed to be almost as painful as the wound"

>I would prefer you out6of6the6way"?

>$ell then! I should go bak to the lanterns! and prepare to feed them a bit of this and that toenourage the ether to fill our sails"? She smiled brightly and wandered bak"

There was a furrowed glane from the aptain"

>@ou aren.t the only alhemist on board" It pays to ha'e a alling between times being alled"?$ith some measure of onfidene she went bak to the lanterns! were the ether born wind blew with a

peuliarly throaty wine! and! despite the heat from the lanterns! made a bone hilling old near them"

Presently they burned a flikering red and yellow" >Tell me! my aptain! when we need more fore"?>I will! sir"?

The musles of his fae pulled bak again" No end to surprises of this rew"

$ith a all! he snapped the wheel! and the whole ship twisted around three times! and seemed totumble entirely off of ourse" They skittered aross the miles that separated this stream of the

bowshok from the ne*t! piking up speed with eah filament of disturbed ether" It was a long hour! and

e'eryone! e*ept Niolo! had deep pits in their stomah from nausea by the time the reahed the other

wall of this greater gyre" At that moment! they shot straight and true! and the Captain alled for all ofthe sails to be opened" There was a rapid and ma,esti flowering and eah layer of sail grew another"

The ship with no name was not! yet! (uite underway"

#orwethe and


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he was almost flattened like a dwarf" 3is murmurs beame shouts! the words fell away until there was

only one repeated yell of >3old" 3old" 3old"?

-eep below the priness looked up! and stared! as if she ould see through the hull">5ainbow! that.s who you were! Summoner! a rainbow"?

iv

Not all plans are suessful! howe'er a selet few! refleted Niolo! were too suessful! and

so this one had been" They had taken off like a shot! raing past the ship that had been assigned to pinthem bak! and had then oursed towards the main fleet! and now found themsel'es in the midst of a

tangle of ships! whih were sprawled out irregularly around them" 0f ourse! the admiral was no fool!

when he saw a multi6olored winged 'essel under four masts areening past his fleet at full sail! he prepared hain and grapple shot! and had e'ery ship blast away"

$hile it was near impossible for anyone to fire a onsidered shot! and se'eral slashed through

their own fleet! enough tore through sails and masts of their 'essel to form a growing tangle of spars

and hains! ropes and hooks" Boarders took kni'es in their teeth and began swinging aross" 3owe'erthe annon fire stopped! learly someone had deided that this 'essel was too important as a pri1e to

smash to bits"

Albreht tried walking on the mast! and then rawling! finally reahing a leather strap that wentdown to the hammer that 3igar still gripped! hanting his one word o'er and o'er again" $ith a (uik

grab! there was nothing more to it than to ride along the leather! and put feet up to use the massi'e torso

of the giant to break the slide" 3igar shook his head and startled as if waking from a dream" Albrehtwa'ed around! showing that they were surrounded! outnumbered! and outgunned"

3igar stood up with a reak! and then ,umped fore to grab his maul" Albreht pulled his rapier!

and se'eral smaller assorted throwing dirks! along with a main6gauhe" 3e was bak on the left mast

,ust as the first sallies were upon it swinging and swaggering down the spire at him" 3e had to sweatand limb upwards" Viewed from the dek it seemed as if a slow and lumsy man was about to be

o'erwhelmed by an elite guard! so smooth the dropping boarders were"

3owe'er! one by one the fell 'itim to kni'es" +ah throw seemed painful! as Albreht arhedhis bak and twisted his torso to unloose a small ross6shaped stiletto" Somehow as Albreht losed!

the attakers seemed to lose their footing or their grip! easy swings missed their mark! and then beame

ghastly failures" +ah fae a mask of horror as its wearer flew into brisk spae! on'ulsed as he hit the pure ether and oughed up blood! lungs and guts" Foot by foot the leather lad defender rawled

upwards! knoking off their grip those that still held on! stabbing others in the hands! and finally

shafting the few left as they fell down into his rapier! almost omially spinning off into spae oneskewered"

0n the starboard side the sene was a more diret arnage! as 3igar.s maul simply spattered and

rushed" 3owe'er! at the same time the hooks and spars were tearing apart the sails" $ithin minutes the

'essel was no longer under sail but was a sribble of lines and shredded an'as"At this point a small group of helmeted men gathered on the side of one nearby 'essel" They

were armed with tridents! and their great helms had mesh masks! they wore plates that o'ered muh

abo'e their waists! and had additional protetion along the front of their legs" These were members of afeared ompany of freebooters! found on the worst pirate 'essels! and the most brutal and rapaious

looting e*peditions" They were alled the -ragon.s Company! and it was said they would take their

sworn enemies to be fed to waiting wyrms! their souls to be tormented for a thousand years before being allowed to depart! or so the stories went"

They pushed off and slung tridents to stik in the side of the brutali1ed small ship" Behind eah

was a wrapped wire that the freebooters slid down! swinging around and around in a remorseless and


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relentless desent"

0ne reahed the aft! and began haking at the lanterns" 3owe'er! he negleted the hubby robed

priestess who unlathed one of the wheellok hakbuts on the rak that in earlier hours she had

arefully loaded" $ith an easy air! she plaed the stok against her shoulder and fired at point6blankrange" A huge hole gaped in the attaker.s mask and blood spattered in e'ery diretion! as the helmet

tore away and slowly tumbled! along with the remains of a head! into the distane" She gingerly pulled

one hakbut after another off the rak and with a pratied ease! drew a bead down the trident" She blasted eah off! taking two or e'en three attakers with eah harge! as the first would tumble

bakwards into his omrades" A great ha1e of sulphur and onsumed haroal grew around her and

then flooded down along the dek! o'ering e'eryone up to knee height in green" Phlogiston began tofoul the air" It was left to the old astrologer to ha'e the presene of mind to take out his small wire

lippers and begin snapping the bo

Silent Sphere

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