Runt of the Litter - Tales from Alirast

Stas returned with Layla shortly after the Eternal had left Trillia there. Queen Alliyah had turned back into her mostly human form and was sitting on the ground with her shoulders slumped, struggling to draw enough air into her lungs.

"Can I do anything to help?" Trillia asked hopefully.

"No. She shouldn't have even called on this title. She just needs a few weeks of rest." Stas spoke for the Queen. The little goblin had pulled out a folding table and a host of books, vials, and herbs.

"Was it a mistake? To wake them up?" The little orc glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the supposed fortress. Then opened her status and glanced at the blinking notification.

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"We won't know until we can sit down and speak with them. Alliyah is linked up to me telepathically, from the feeling she got from the one who dropped you off, if they are on our side. We won't have much to worry about. Especially not if there are a hundred more that strong."

Trillia thought back to the numbers the panel had shown her, hundreds of thousands of people all at the level of the Great Generals. Just how powerful were the eternals?

"I should have scanned them. I just...things were moving so fast." She opened her mouth wide as a yawn forced its way out. Her skills certainly helped with exhaustion, but now that the battle was over, the past two days were rapidly catching up to her.

"It's better you didn't. Some creatures don't take kindly to people snooping. You made the right moves, kept it cordial and quick. I'm more curious why in the name of all creation have none of our fucking deities shown up." The little goblin poured some boiling water into a large glass bottle, slowly swirling the mixture of herbs into it.

Trillia knew it was some sort of alchemical creation, but the ingredients were well beyond her minimal expertise.

Layla spoke softly as she looked over at Stas. "They couldn't...they couldn't hear us. No one could. It was like he had sucked all of the sound out of the realm itself."

Miah's voice didn't startle the exhausted group, but it did bring some measure of comfort. "That is because Exardescere's title makes it so that even deities cannot hear the things spoken around him. At least not deities so weak as all of us."

"Sorry, Mother. But I can't heal those wounds."

Alliyah waved a hand towards her daughter, dismissing the words as soon as they were spoken. She chugged the liquid mixture that Stas handed her without a fuss.

Tapping the goblin on his shoulder and making a few motions, he pulled out some parchment and an enchanted quill.

Miah wandered over and started reading what her mother was writing. Trillia had to wonder why she didn't just read her mind.

"We need to invite their leader to Kadessa as soon as possible. The woman who brought Trillia was a mortal infernal, I didn't think that was possible. Her obfuscation was enough that even using my Valkyrie title, I wasn't able to see any details. It means that whoever is their patron is on the same level as Kain. Perhaps he is their patron."

The quill paused, and the Queen slumped over into Stas' waiting arms. "Damn. That fight really did a number on her. Goddess Miah, can you get her safely to Kadessa? I'll get the kids back on my own."

Miah looked down at her mother, who was still clutching the quill in hand. "I...can't move her like this, Stas. My ability to open portals that mortals can use is primarily limited to Kadessa. It's why I sent Simon to fetch the kids from the dwarven lands. I can move myself, but especially in her condition, I fear it's not safe."

"Let's take her to the Fortress then." The group shot Trillia a myriad of looks, none of them said it was a smart idea. "Look...something in me tells me they won't harm her. Yes, I am willing to bet her life and my own on that. That woman who dropped me off? She could travel through the Aether as easily as the Queen did. I don't know much about them, but I don't think they view us as enemies yet. Maybe showing some trust and faith would help cement that."

Miah scratched her chin in serious contemplation, and Stas looked down protectively at Alliyah. "She can't fight back right now. I'll agree if Riten and Arlyss are willing to show up as well."

"Riten can come easily enough, but Arlyss struggles to travel on the central continent. I'm not sure why, but...it's unpleasant. I'll ask, all the same."

-=====-

A few hours later and they were all standing near the outcropping of stone in the mountain range that Trillia had descended. Stas was even more nervous.

No less than fifty of the Eternal Council were above ground, each wielding enough mana to devastate a small army with impunity. All for the sake of moving dirt and stone.

The same infernal-looking woman walked over with a smile, waving. "Hello, little sister! What brings you here?"

"My friend here is exhausted from her battle with that dragon. It's a long trip back to her home, and none of us are in a good position to fight. I was wondering if you'd let us camp nearby for a few days, so that she can recover."

"Ahhh. Not my call to make, let me fetch Geo." In a pop of flame and light she was gone, a few minutes ticked by and Trillia got her first real look at Geo when he wasn't cramped inside the facility.

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He had very obvious troll features, a long hooked nose, floppy goblin-like ears, and massive teeth. The same build as Tormash. But he was twice as tall as any book she had ever read on the creatures said he should be.

Annoyance scratched at her mind as she grumbled. "Just fucking once, I'd like the people I meet to be friendly short people. Maybe I'll go live with the dwarves when this is all over. It will save my neck."

"I could give you longer legs. Or some of these climbing limbs." Stas offered helpfully as he waved the eight spider-like legs on his back around in her face.

"Greetings!" The giant troll bellowed at them in orcish. He wore the same carefree smile that the infernal woman did. "Sonya said that you had a request of us?"

Trillia stepped forward on instinct. Still exhausted but feeling like she had the best shot at diplomacy.

"Forgive me, Lord Geo. But yes." She quickly explained the same situation, leaving out for now that Alliyah was the Queen of Kadessa.

"This is also my patron god, Arlyss Darktone, and his siblings." She motioned to the three deities who were standing very close to Stas, Layla, Alliyah, and Dire.

"Ahhh. Yes, his Lordship's children and wife. You needn't have even asked. I'll have rooms prepared for all of you immediately. Would you like our healers to take a look at Her Majesty?"

The group froze and just stared at the large troll. After a few seconds of silence, confusion crossed his face as well.

"Geo, you numbskull! They are not used to our abilities." The serpent man from before slithered up next to the troll and swatted him on the shoulder.

"Gaius is not known for his gentle touch in diplomacy. Perhaps we can explain more tomorrow, when the Queen wakes up. We are fine if all of you rest inside. I understand that there is a miasma in the area that is heavily restricting Lord Arlyss' deific presence. You needn't worry about defending yourself in these lands."

Arlyss stepped forward while extending his hand. "I am Arlyss Darktone, a pleasure to meet you. Would it be ok if I asked a few questions?"

Ask extended his own hand and shook Arlyss' hand vigorously. "I'd rather wait until the Queen has recovered some. Plus, our saviour and your best diplomat looks as if she is going to pass out at any moment. Now, our food supply is...rough right now. We are mostly sourcing meat from the large six-legged beasts that roam the area. I fear our internal farms have all failed and turned to rot, so it will be some time before we can prepare proper food."

"Warm meat sounds amazing." Layla said with her own wide smile.

Stas grumbled something under his breath about orcs, but the group followed Geo down into the cave, with Riten carrying his mother.

"How are we going to get inside?" Trillia asked after about half an hour of walking.

Ash was leading them with Geo taking up the rearguard. "We've created a portal to bridge the gap. We are in talks with the conjunction core at present, while I do not wish to destroy it, I will if negotiations break down."

"What is a conjunction core?" Arlyss asked, a large book was floating next to him with two quills scribbling furiously.

"Ummm. That's....does the realm no longer have numerous conjunctions? They are places that the realm, or a nearby deity, creates to serve as a sort of testing ground. They are often populated by creatures that are Eternal, like all of us are, so there is no reason to hold back. Particularly old or powerful conjunctions tend to have sentient cores that lead and create on a whim."

"We call those dungeons." Arlyss responded. That caused Ash to give him an odd look.

"Dungeon? But...I mean, I guess you could lock prisoners up in them...but for that to be their primary purpose, what has befallen Alirast?"

"Uhh...no. We...we don't use them to lock people up. Huh...I wonder why the name shifted..." Arlyss seemed perplexed now.

Riten spoke up with a laugh. "Maybe just an issue with the evolution of language? The things we call dungeons are what you are referring to. Conjunction points seems significantly more of a reasonable name."

Ash nodded and they continued in silence. When they arrived at what had been the room leading down into the dungeon, Trillia wasn't all that surprised to see people carving out large stones from the room to expand it, a small door way sat in the center of the room with a swirling green portal in it.

Arlyss' eyes widened. "This....this is the portal technology..."

"Uhhh, yes. I did mention we had created one. Is something amiss?" Ash asked as he stood next to the portal, which was only the size of a common door in the complex.

"I...don't see any enchantments. There is no stone arch to house it. How is it being powered? I recently discovered some of the early plans for constructing these portals, and it has taken an immense effort to replicate."

Ash shrugged. "Hope is better suited to answer that question. I am not the brains of the Eternals, only its leader."

The group was ushered through, and all of them stood at a pause. The golems that had sat mostly dormant when Trillia first entered were now all moving. Pulling the stones from the other side of the portal out of thin air and walking them through various doors. The sounds of hammers and machinery whirred in the background.

Stas looked as if he had stepped into a wonderland. "Machinae praeteritae futurae conservent."

Ash looked back at him in shock. "Yes! That was our friend's motto! I think in the Orcish dialect, you speak it translates roughly to May the machines of the past preserve our future."

The little goblin dug around in his three different pouches before pulling out a book that was only held together by some extremely powerful enchantments. "Lord Darktone delivered this to me years and years ago. It was the most in-depth book about machinery and golems I have ever come across."

The serpent man leaned down and inspected the cover. "Yeah...we can get you another copy if you'd like. This one looks like it's falling apart. It was a beginner's instruction manual that Alucard wrote, so that the regulars we marched with could do maintenance on combat golems."

Stas had tears form in his eyes as he looked up at the very nonchalant Ash. After an awkward pause, the little goblin started laughing.

Geo leaned over and whispered something with obvious concern in his eyes. Ash gave a knowing and sympathetic nod. "We understand that your battle with the dragon must have been harrowing. Please...let us lead you to get some rest and warm food."

That only caused Stas to laugh even harder; the abomination had braced all of his many limbs as more laughter racked his body. "The most mind-blowing machinery I've ever seen in my centuries as an inventor. And you call it the basics for the regulars. We're so fucked if you all decide to fight us." Their group paused as Stas' half-laughter, half-sobbing made them even more unsure and uncomfortable.

Geo put a heavy hand on Stas' shoulder. "We are tied to the same Lord. His lordship does not suffer the weak or the foolish with a pact. Unless you are going to reveal you wish to side with the things that threaten mortal kind, we have no reason to be enemies."

Stas' laughter slowly subsided as he looked up at the troll, still shaking his head. "Forgive me...it's just. I've spent centuries trying to find a way for mortals to fight back against the things that prey upon us. My greatest breakthroughs have been because of that book."

The troll smacked the little goblin's back with a big smile. "Then you'll be happy to help us with the maintenance on all of the foundries. The conjun- sorry, the dungeon core did some serious damage to them after our initial wake-up. We could use a trained set of eyes. Alucard didn't survive our last fight, so we are down an engineer."

Trillia was pretty sure that if there was a forever after of eternal peace and happiness, this fortress was where Stas would want to go. The group followed them through the hallways to a set of rooms to recover in. Trillia glanced once more at the blinking notification, would they let her stay here in safety for two weeks?