“Fedru?” Isa and Marissa both jumped at the name.

“I shouldn’t be surprised,” said Isa. “Afterall, I saw Joth. Why wouldn’t his master be nearby?”

“Who is this Stonegrime?” asked Marissa. “What’s he got to do with this?”

The name was immediately familiar to Isa. She clutched Alice’s arm. “From the quest log – the bandit’s quest log.”

“Yes,” Alice nodded, “Walver Stonegrime. He wanted the crown.”

“And he got it, didn’t he?” said Mery. She turned to Gil. “Your girlfriend there, she stole a mummy’s crown from us. But fate has turned right around on her. Ha!”

“If she hadn’t,” Alice said quietly, “that would be us dead on that stone floor.”

Alice’s words sent Gil into panic mode. He was all for charging down the hill and into the caves without another thought.

“She might not be dead.” Mimay glared at Alice. “But if you go attacking everyone, they’ll kill her, surely.”

Lund folded his arms across his broad chest and stood in front of Gil. “Think twice, now. We want to be a help to her. Charging in, swords out, no plan, what good is that for anyone? Maybe we win through, but what if we don’t?”

“But they’re going to kill her.”

“If they are,” said Mery, “it will be done by now, and all our rushing won’t remedy it.” She held up her hand. “But on the other hand, prudent haste, that’s a good idea. Go fast when we can and slow where we must. More importantly, we know that a powerful bastard of a wizard stands between Dockma and freedom. And this dwarf, too. Do you know him?” she said to Mimay.

“Stonegrime. Yes, he comes through Mefal sometimes,” the cleric said. “Sometimes he’s got gear to sell – inventions or salvage. He’s made a name with his constructs, but lately he’s been talking up a shooting staff. Another invention, I suppose.”

“Shooting staff?” Isa frowned. “Like a rifle? It shoots out bullets? Does it make a boom and give off smoke?”

“Yes,” Gil nodded. “I’ve seen one. It can fly farther than my best arrows, with the same accuracy. But I don’t think that’s his invention, Mimay. Lately he’s had fewer wares and more salvage,” said Gil.

Marissa said, “He’s buying those from their world.” She pointed at Isa and Alice. “And giving magic in exchange. I was supposed to figure out who was behind it.”

“The rift in the Shimmer,” Alice said, “we’re tasked with closing it to prevent just this sort of contamination. Your world doesn’t need rifles and monster truck tires, and mine certainly doesn’t need magic.”

“That’s debatable,” said Mery. “But entirely beside the point – at least right now. Right now, we need to get Dockma and have a chat with our old friend Fedru. Gil, lead the way. We’re with you.”

The ranger nodded and hurried down the sloping trail. The way down from the heights was narrow. Sand and pebbles shifted under their feet as they made a hurried descent. The rough stone of the cliff face was a welcome friend as Isa tried to keep her footing as they hurried down. Gil and Mery were in front, barely able to walk two abreast. Next were Alice and Mimay, then Isa and Marissa, with Lund in the rear.

Why was Mery so anxious to recue Dockma? Or maybe she wanted to confront Fedru. But that didn’t seem right to Isa either. Mery had barely mentioned the wizard the whole trip. If she had a quest to capture him or stop him, why didn’t she share that with the group?

“It’s a big party,” Marissa murmured. “What would Michelle think about a group this big?”

Isa was glad for the distraction. She could ruminate about everyone’s motives for days, but instead of answering her friend, Isa said, “Why in the world did you start playing a game that’s based on your world?”

Marissa shrugged. “I needed to make friends, and when I first heard about this group game with magic and elves and dragons, I thought, ‘I’ll be great at this!’” She grinned at Isa. “At first, when I said weird things or made cultural mistakes, people assumed I was just a weird role-player. Nary a red flag from the other people at the table.”

“And people chat so much while they’re playing,” said Isa.

“Our group does. Some are more serious than us and only speak in character, but I like the mix we have. Felix helps keep things light, and I like that. So different than the real world.”

“Yeah,” Isa muttered as she steadied herself against the wall. “If you die there, you just re-roll.”

At the base of the cliff Gil knelt to examine the ground again. He moved away from the group about ten yards and knelt again. When he rejoined them, he said to Mimay, “More of those strange tracks. They seem to move in a sweeping curve.” He swept his hand out, encompassing the whole vista.

“Patrol, you think? But what kind of creature?” She looked up at him and frowned.

Alice said, “Our lore says that the dwarves are clever with their tools and, and their machines.” She glanced at Marissa. Machines? she mouthed as if asking for the right word.

“True,” said Mery. “Let me see these tracks. Saw a man in Deney once who had a big metal spider.”

“How do they get power?” asked Isa. “You don’t have gasoline engines – do you?”

“How old are the tracks?” Marissa asked. Everyone else ignored Isa’s question.

“No, really how would something like move without—”

“Magic, babe.” Alice’s voice in Isa’s ear. “It would be powered by magic.”

Without another word Gil crept forward and lay flat on the sand. After a moment he gestured them forward. Once the group had reformed around him, he said, “There are fresher tracks here. Short strides,” he pointed at four small mounds in the sand, “but walking fast.”

“The dark dwarves,” said Mery.

“But are they tracking or being tracked?” Marissa bent to look at the mounds.

“Or in yoke with them,” said Mimay.

“The strange tracks are older,” Gil told them. “So, if they are not in league, the dwarves are following the tracks for their own purposes.”

The wind whipped the sand into small funnels that spun and dissolved in a moment. Isa pulled her cloak tighter. “Will we overtake them? You said they’re walking fast.”

Gil snorted. “Fast for dwarves. But we can avoid them. I don’t like having them behind us, but we need to get to Dockma.” He knelt and put his forehead to the sand. Isa and Alice looked at each other, and Alice shrugged. Isa caught Mery’s eye as Gil remained prone and the silence grew. Mery held one hand up as if to say Wait.

Just then Gil pushed up from the ground. “They don’t have any fiends or undead lurking around. That much I can tell, but I can’t spare more time to study the land. We have to pick up the pace.”

He started forward, and Marissa grabbed his cloak. “I’ve been waiting for you to cast pass without trace. What’s the problem?”

“The spell?” Gil frowned. “I don’t need that.” He swept his arm out, taking in the desert, the dark hills, and the Shimmer. “This is my land.”

“Yeah, but maybe you noticed that you have other people with you? Maybe they could use a boost? Leaf and star!” Marissa pulled a small box from her pocket. “Gather close everyone. Thirty feet is the limit. Goddess, shield our path, hasten our steps, blind our enemies.” She dipped her thumb and forefinger into the box, pulled out smudged fingers, and held them aloft. “In Ysel’s name, we pass without a trace.”

Dark dust, picked up by the harsh desert winds, swirled away from Marissa’s outstretched hand. Isa watched it and then brought her gaze back to the group. “Shouldn’t we be,” she said, “like, invisible or something?”

“Too showy,” said Marissa. “Trust me, we are untraceable now, practically invisible to others.”

“For all intensive purposes,” Alice said with a smile.

“Right.” Marissa gave her a grim smile. To Gil, she said, “Lead the way, Ranger. Everyone keep up. Thirty feet, remember?”

With almost unerring movement, Gil led the group forward over the sands. Only once did Isa see more of the strange triangle-like tracks, but if the creatures that made them were nearby, they kept out of sight.

When they were about thirty yards from the low hill that denoted the entrance to the catacombs, Gil threw himself to the ground, and the others followed his lead. He rested his chin on his folded arms and stared at the hill.

“Why are we stopping?” asked Mimay.

“Can’t be as easy as walking in; you know that.”