/Ratpack: Deidra: All of Talumbir are members of the same house, however, that is in name only. There are many subdivisions within the House of Kane, we are heading to the most powerful one. Talon Kane lives there.

/Ratpack: Nix: Dragon Pong's house? Great.

Diedra scurried up the ramp with Nix and Beta following behind. After exiting the grate, the six lesser rats scattered in separate directions.

/Ratpack: Nix: Stealth up, but stay hidden. The ability to see through stealth isn't that rare.

/Ratpack: Wind: I don't know what I was expecting, but this isn't it.

/Ratpack: Nix: Problem?

/Ratpack: Semmi: Streets are empty, no patrols or alert.

/Talumbir City Message: Jargon Kane: The City has been locked down as part of a SkyKingdom exercise and will remain that way until further notice. You may resume normal activities.

/Ratpack: Deidra: He's keeping it quiet. I'd probably do the same thing, since breaking into a secured Dragon City is impossible. They aren't on alert.

/Ratpack: Pon: Where should I go to really make a bang?

/Ratpack: Semmi: No idea. Pick any target.

/Ratpack: Nix: Find where the tavern stores their booze. That shit will create a bang.

/Ratpack: Pon: Yep. I'm on it.

/Ratpack: Nix: Also anywhere that deals in alchemy. They have a large variety of things that can be problematic.

/Ratpack: Beta: I know what to look for! Thanks.

Rat-Deidra slinked along the edge of buildings and across streets as the three Nether rats made their way towards the main house of Kane. There were no guards and although the gates were locked, the rat-trio easily passed through the spaces between the bars. They moved quickly under the cover of shrubbery and after a few minutes were within range of their target.

/Ratpack: Deidra: What's the plan?

/Ratpack: Nix: There are four levels. I think we can rule out the fourth floor. We head down first.

Nix took the lead and led the group around the edge of the house. There were no obvious entries like there would be in a normal house. After completing an entire circuit around the estate, he spotted an open window on the second floor.

/Ratpack: Nix: It's one of the corner rooms. We're climbing. I'll go first, wait for me to signal.

The brick sides of the Kane House may have presented issues for a person to scale, but to a Nether Rat with curved sharp claws, it was only a few seconds of effort.

Nix went straight up the wall at full speed. He paused on the window sill and peered in. It was definitely one of the four pillar rooms. Once inside he discovered three doors, two of which were open. One was obviously a closet and after taking a quick look, the third was the bathroom.

/Ratpack: Nix: It's a pillar's room. Come up fast.

Nix moved into the bathroom. It was quite spacious with an impressive looking bathtub. Rat-Nix hopped over the side of the tub and gripped the metal drain with his sharp teeth.

/Ratpack: Fajii: Nix?

/Ratpack: Nix: Bathroom.

Nix already knew that the teeth, claws, and physical strength of an Emperor Nether Rat puppet far exceeded normal rats. After seeing the metal drain that had been chewed up and then bent off, his companions realized it also.

/Ratpack: Deidra: Wouldn't taking the hall be easier?

/Ratpack: Nix: See a lot of rats in the halls of Greater Houses? There are dozens of rats in the area, but all of them are below us.

Without speaking further, Nix pushed into the drain, using his sharp claws for traction inside of the slick pipe.

Rat-Fajii waited patiently for Nix to navigate. Instead of all going at once, Rat-Nix found the best route and then passed on directions. The other two waited inside the pipe at the first intersection.

/Ratpack: Nix: Right at the first intersection, then four meters will be a downward pipe, it's easy to miss since it's partially clogged.

/Ratpack: Fajii: With what?

/Ratpack: Nix: Um... Don't ask. This pipe takes you to the first level, it continues down don't go that way. Take the first right you can. That one angles downward and comes out in the basement.

Fajii followed the directions, unhappy that her sensitive rat nose could easily identify a wide variety of scents. The basement exit that Nix mentioned was the drain of the basement utility closet. By the time they joined Nix, he was already digging a large hole in one of the corners.

/Ratpack: Nix: Now we'll go in the walls. A much easier method of travel.

Deidra remained mostly quiet while Nix led them into the house. He was confident and resourceful, an entire raid team had entered a secured Talumbir without anyone raising the alarm.

/Ratpack: Fajii: Are we splitting up now?

/Ratpack: Nix: Yes. Deidra will search this level. This is the outside wall, chew small peepholes at the corners. Fajii will stay on this level too, making her way from the other direction.

/Ratpack: Deidra: What will you be doing?

/Ratpack: Nix: I'm going up to the first floor to scout. Not sure what I'm looking for at this point. You two will be looking for Elan, and perhaps whatever is keeping him from creating a breach.

/Ratpack: Fajii: I thought he couldn't breach because of the lockdown.

/Ratpack: Deidra: Lockdowns should only prevent breaching in. Something else is preventing him from exiting.

Nix entered the hole he created and then climbed straight up, the slight change in temperature, and the floor joists told him he was on the first level. It was here he abandoned his plan to use the walls and instead started chewing into the floor vent. Every room was likely to have a floor vent that he could scout from.

The first vent he checked was obviously the entryway. Nix could see the front doors and the reception area. From there he easily scurried unseen from room to room, it only took a few minutes to find his target. The set up to the main office was exactly like his own room at the Greater House of Inferno. As he progressed forward, he scouted the bathroom and then the bedroom. The sound of voices made him slow his progress, he inched forward on his soft furred stomach.

"-matter that you were enhanced? They played with you because you aren't a threat to them." Jargon's voice was easily distinguished, it dripped of arrogance, even when speaking to his own champion.

"I should have summoned Delex and Bovin. I was caught unprepared." Talon Kane spoke respectfully, it was obvious to Nix that he was scared of the Talumbir Dragon Master.

After several seconds of painstakingly slow movement, Nix was finally in a position to see Jargon Kane sitting at the office desk with Talon directly in front of him.

"It wouldn't have mattered, Talon. That was a Titan cub, he would have taken you and your companions by himself." Jargon drummed his fingers on the smooth surface of his desk. "That other one... the water creature. She would have made you kill your allies and then commit suicide. I was forced to lose the contest to stop you from confessing everything."

/Ratpack: Nix: How can Jargon have dragon spawn? Who birthed them?

/Ratpack: Deidra: There are two ways to create a dragon spawn. Females accomplish this with their eggs, while males use blood fusion.

/Ratpack: Nix: So basically they overload them on dragon blood?

/Ratpack: Deidra: Yes. Although the rate of death is very high if they don't use a dragon descendent to start with.

/Ratpack: Fajii: I've found him.

Jargon stood suddenly and walked toward the door, his champion followed on his heels.

Nix considered the options for a moment and then pushed against the floor vent cover. He might not ever get another chance to search Jargon Kane's office.

/Ratpack: Nix: Wait for Deidra, the two of you be very careful. Keep me posted. I just need a few minutes.

The Rat-King was inside the room within a few seconds, after scurrying across the floor, he clamored up the chair and started using his paws to pull drawers open. The first drawer had a few items that seemed too mundane to bother with. There were two vials of a gold liquid in the second drawer. Nix thought they looked similar to the gold element that Chiba got from Eidengal, so he carefully put them both in his mouth.

/Ratpack: Deidra: He's unconscious Nix, there's some sort of poison in the room.

/Ratpack: Nix: Almost done.

Nix opened the bottom drawer, a gold pen was the first thing that caught his eye. He picked it up with his front paws, cursing the fact that he didn't have a backpack. "Damn... That's a really nice pen." Under the pen was a small silver case with several rings in them. Some of them were plain, while others had elaborate jewels.

/Ratpack: Nix: I wonder if the One Ring is in here.

/Ratpack: Fajii: What?

/Ratpack: Rhy: Ring? What are you guys talking about?

It only took Nix a few minutes to reunite with his rat group. Together, Deidra and Fajii managed to chew enlarge a small hole in the corner.

Elan Mtui lay on a single cot small room. There were no windows or lights, a large pan of liquid nearby cast a reddish glow in the room. A crimson tinted fog hung in the air.

/Ratpack: Deidra: Dragonsbane.

/Ratpatck: Nix: That sounds ominous. Bad for dragons?

/Ratpack: Deidra: No. However, it is very useful against dragon spawns and descendants. It was used against our forces the last time we fou...

/Ratpack: Nix: Last time you fought Khione?

/Ratpack: Deidra: Yes. We destroyed every bit that we could find.

/Ratpack: Fajii: Why is he wearing the House of Kane uniform?

/Ratpack: Nix: My guess was that he was charmed and disguised. We'll ask him later.

Nix dug out one of the small flowers. They looked exactly like a red flower that used to grow in the fields next to the Camden apple orchard. His mom had called them 'devil's paintbrushes.' He fished another one out of the pan and dragged it to the hole in the wall.

/Ratpack: Fajii: Remove them?

/Ratpack: Nix: It's a good start. There's only a dozen or so by the look of it. Leave them in the wall for now.

/Ratpack: Deidra: None of Jargon's people could come in here, he'll have to do it himself.

/Ratpack: Nix: I'm counting on it. Less of a chance that we'll get caught.

/Ratpack: Fajii: It may be rare in the SkyKingdom, but Colonial has an underwater variety that is quite abundant.

/Ratpack: Nix: Uses?

/Ratpack: Fajii: Remember those explosives that the Elite Aquarion's made when they attempted to invade Lohai?

/Ratpack: Nix: Sure, they looked like pineapples and had air sprites inside. Throw them at something and they blow up. (Reference Ch 61)

/Ratpack: Fajii: That flower is one of the main ingredients.

Nix jumped on the side of the pan, tipping it over and spilling the contents onto the floor. "This stuff is volatile?"

Rat-Fajii nodded her tiny head.

/Ratpack: Nix: You two get under the bunk. Is Elan immune to flame damage?

/Ratpack: Deidra: Of course.