RavensDagger

  Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Two - Move Fast and Break Things

  Major Springsong rolled out a map onto the surface of his desk. It was one of those bd white elevation maps with lines all across it and plenty of little notes. “This is the old quarry,” he said, tapping part of the map with his forefinger. “This is the locatiohe quarry is supposed to be diggi, this part of the mountainside here. The stohere’s the right kind for a specifid of runework. I’ll admit I’m ly sure what they look for in the rocks to know which would be suitable.”

  “And the mole people’s vilge?” Bastion asked.

  “Over here, more or less,” the major said as he gestured off to the side a little. “Their vilge has been expanding in nearly every dire, so our initial survey of its location is likely wrong. We started digging a new quarry here, o the vilge, and over that line we agreed upon, but it shouldn’t have been an issue.”

  “Only because of their expansion it is,” Bastion finished.

  “Exactly,” the major finished.

  “But they’re allowed to expand that way, right?” I asked.

  The major nodded. “Certainly. Sylphfree doesn’t usually care what the mole people do underground, as long as it’s not likely to cause some ndslide that might threaten a sylph settlement.”

  “Alright,” I said. “So where’s the dragon?”

  “Not actually a dragon,” the major said quickly. “If we had an actual dragon on our hands, you bet we’d have the entire army here by now, with every airship we arm and every wizard and padin worth their salt ready to fight.”

  “Wow, you really don’t like dragons,” I said.

  Bastion shifted a little. “Sylphfree has had... multiple issues with dragonkin. Of which this might be one. What are we dealing with here?”

  “An amphiptere,” Major Springsong said. “Not some little sh wings, but a matriarch.”

  “Age?” Bastion asked. He was being very serious, I sensed.

  The major shook his head. “I don’t know. It seems somewhat dormant. The snake has a small injury along one side. I think it might have injured one of its wings. Perhaps it was hibernating and something fell on it, but that’s just specution. It’s about sixty metres long, two metres wide.”

  That was about twice the length of the Beaver Cleaver. That had to be a huge snake.

  “So it’s an older one. Any idea of the level?”

  Another shake of the major’s head. “Three marks from my highest level scout. He’s at twenty, so...”

  “So at least level forty,” Bastion said. “I know some of them be clever enough to enter a dungeon aheir way through to the end. Otherwise, it simply aged enough to gain natural csses.”

  “Sounds like it would be a tough fight,” I said.

  “A very difficult one,” Bastion replied. “And no, before you ask, you ’t iate with dragonkin.”

  “But I’ve spoken tons before,” I said.

  “What?” the major asked.

  Bastion waved him down. “She’s an airship captain who isn’t from Sylphfree,” he said. That seemed to pcate the major. “Dragonkin, such as amphipteres, drakes, or wyrms, aren’t any more intelligent than a wild dog.”

  “Oh,” I said.

  “They occur when a dragon... mates with a non-draic creature. The offspring will have some traits of each. If you want more details... ask Amaryllis.”

  I couldn’t help but feel that the st ent there was some sort of joke at Amaryllis’ expense. “Alright,” I said. “So, the amphiptere is a monster-monster. We ’t reason with it, and... is it dangerous?”

  “It’s a quiet threat for now,” Major Springsong said. “As long as it’s still mostly dormant, it shouldn’t be an issue. The problem es from when it awakens. The beast will be hungry then. But that could be weeks from now. For the moment, I’m seg the new dungeon, assessing it, and proteg it.”

  “You haven’t done anything about the creature yet?” Bastion asked.

  “I sent a request to the office of the Inquisition for assistance. A padin or two to deal with the monster.”

  “I don’t know if even two padins would be enough to deal with a creature in its fourth tier or above,” Bastion said. “We’d need assistance from the local garrison, as well as yroup here.”

  The major seemed entirely onboard with that idea. “That would be wonderful. It’s hidden in a creviear the old quarry. So hitting it from above won’t be possible. We’ll o bait it out.”

  “I wouldn’t want to fight that kind of creature in any sort of crevice or cavern,” Bastion said. “No room for formation fighting.” Bastion shifted, a hand ing up to cup his . “This... is a problem. I came here to address the quarry though.”

  “We stop digging immediately,” Major Springsong said. “It wouldn’t be hard. The issue then is that we hat stohere are new fortifications going up across the kingdom that rely on near-daily shipments of stone from here. It’ll create a natiotleneck.”

  Bastiohed out a huff. “I see. We ’t tio move towards the mole people.”

  “There might be a way to mine some small pockets he old quarry, but that’ll mean having the workers hat monster, and I don’t know if there’s much left to find there,” the major said. “At the very least it will slow down produ by a siderable amount.”

  Bastion heapped at the map. “This is where the amphiptere is?” he asked.

  “A group of miners found it a week ago. I swore them to secrecy. It’s in the locatiohe new quarry should be.”

  “And if we remove it, the mining operations tinue in this area unhampered.”

  “Effectively, yes. It will mean moving some equipment back, but that’s half a day’s loss, at most.”

  I leaned over the map myself, then hummed. “So, the solution to everything is to scare off that big beasty.”

  “There’s no sg off dragonkin. They’re prideful to a fault. We o kill it.”

  “It might mean a great bounty of meat and such as well,” Major Springsong said. “I know alchemists enjoy w with dragonkin scales.”

  “Don’t t your basilisks before they hatch,” Bastion said. “This will have to be a joint effort. I’ll need pen and paper—I’m sending a letter to ander Warmwood, as well as General Holey.”

  “The mole person?” the major asked.

  Bastion nodded. “They despise amphipteres more than the sylph do, and participating in an a to eliminate one might be a good way to smooth out any ill will between the local settlement and Granite Springs. ander Warmwood will be informed because he has the troops to assist.”

  “And Captain Ward,” I added.

  Bastion nodded. “Good point. The guard may be able to assist as well. Though I’d rather they not be the front lihey might assist with the -up afterwards. If the... spoils o be carved up by civilians, it would be good to have the guard in pce already.”

  “It’s already nearly noon,” I said. “Is everyone going to be ready for this today?”

  “If we move quickly they will,” Bastion said. “Broccoli, I entrust you with a pair of letters? To Captain Ward and General Holey?”

  “I’d love to!” I said.

  Major Springsong didn’t seem entirely onboard with the idea, but he didn’t stop Bastion. He found paper and pen, and pced them before Bastion, who immediately started posing three letters.

  “The third is for ander Warmwood?” I guessed.

  “That’s right. Major, do you miing me use one of your faster men? The ander’s garrison is already on high alert. They should be ready to move within the hour if all goes well.”

  “I’ll get one of my scouts,” the major said.

  Bastio oer aside after signing it with a flourish. “This is for Captain Ward. I think he’ll trust your word oter ht, but reassure him that things should, hopefully, end in an amicable way.”

  “I’ll do what I ,” I said.

  Bastion hummed as he posed the letter. It seemed to take him longer, and he was more careful with his writing. I guessed that there was a lot more stuff involved when writing to a general, let alone one from what was basically another nation. “Here,” he said as he folded the letter. He checked the drawers around the major’s desk until he came up with a bar of wax. A small fme summo the tip of his fingers melted it and he pressed a ring into it to seal it. I’d never really paid much attention to the ring he wore. It was just a small bck thing that was tucked ly under his glove.

  “The captain first?” I asked.

  “If you run across him,” Bastion said. “The general is of a higher priority. I’m sorry for using you as a courier like this.”

  “I don’t mind!” I said. “Good luck hug for the road?” I asked.

  Bastion sighed, but he did allow me to squeeze him as best I could before I darted out of the tent and bato the middle of the camp. I made sure both letters were tucked away in my biggest pouch. They’d be a bit rumpled, but that was better than ht missing.

  A few of the soldiers looked at me as I bounced past, but I paid them no mind as I started to hop along. My sense of dire wasn’t the best, but it wasn't hard to make it to the quarry, then past that and bato the main road leading towards the mole people dam.

  Feet thumping, I raced along, not so fast that I’d burn through all of my stamina, but still going at a good pace. I kept Bastion’s lessons in mind, pushing myself, but only enough that I wouldn’t tire.

  It didn’t take long for me to run into Captain Ward and the rest of the guards Bastion and I had ridden over with. “Captain!” I called out with a wave.

  The captain pulled on the reins, slowing the horse drawing the wagon until he came to a full stop. “Captain Bunch,” he said. “What’s the matter?”

  I guess seeing me rushing over armed him. “I have a letter for you,” I said as I moved closer and tugged the letter out. I stopped o the wagon and reached up for him to take it. “I have another letter to deliver to the mole people.”

  “I see,” Captain Ward said as he took the letter. “Any news?”

  “A bunch,” I said. “I think the letter will cover some of that. I don’t know if Bastion wants you to ght for the quarry or back to Granite Springs though.”

  “I see,” he said as he popped the letter open and started to read it, his brows bung together as he sed the page. “Hmm. So, it all es down to one monster, doesn’t it?”

  “Seems like it,” I said.

  “Don’t know if my guard manage against a big amphiptere. But with the Inquisition there, and the army as well... not to mention the padin.”

  “Hey, I’m no slou a fight,” I said.

  The captain ughed. “Of course. Well then, it’s off to Granite Springs for me. I’ll gather what I think we need aurn to the quarry. Will I be meeting you there?”

  “Of course,” I said. “I wouldn’t miss out on an adventure like that!”

  “Good on you,” the captain said. “We’ll be off again.”

  “See you in a bit!” I called out as I started to bounce off.

  “You as well!” he called right back.

  The sylph might have been stiff, but they weren’t bad people. Now I just had to go say hi to all the mole people again, and then... then I’d see what it was like to fight a big old monster!

  ***

  RavensDagger

  Are You Eained?

  Bastion, by Lar!

  My buddy Actus has been posting a ory called Steamfed Sorcery, and he asked me to shout it out. 't see the harm in that. He does good words, so it's probably good... wow, I need more time to read.

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