When Arnel entered the Happy Tankard Tavern, he found the tavern as empty as it was the night before. There were a few people sitting strategically at various points in the tavern, but the tavern was empty saved for the bartender. Arnel walked to the bar and ordered an ale. Rusty Augus arrived just as the bartender placed the mug in front of him.

“Things must really be bad for me to get such prompt service.”

To Arnel’s surprise, Augus actually chuckled at his joke. “That’s actually quite good. You’re a jester?”

“There had been some people who called me that,” Arnel lied. “Though I seldom jest when doing business.”

“Ha! That’s exactly when you should do it. Laughing in the face of death is the true mark of courage.”

Arnel raise an eyebrow at this. “Opening a gate is a life and death matter here in Yachium? If it is, I may have to inform my employers about the dangers of doing business in your fair city.”

“Normally that’s not the case but time is different.”

“In what way? Or is this you way of saying the price for opening a gate is quite high here in this city.”

Augus made no effort to pacify his potential partner in crime, instead the criminal just shrug. “Price is high but not for the reason you think. The dark mage is moving.”

“Dark mage? The one that defeated The Grand.”

“Yeah. Since then, the Councils has been wanting to go at that mage again but the Duke has been preventing that. Now he may not have a choice.”

“Typical. Let me guess; he’s more interested in his safety than taking out a danger that’s away from his city.”

“You’re right there. The Duke thought the dark mage would be satisfied staying in the mountains…but the mage is moving.”

“There’s news?”

“No, and that’s the problem. Patrols by the Kar Forest has been disappearing for weeks and now even the scouts on the plains are missing. Who would have thought that one rogue mage hiding out in the Keg Mountains could cause this much trouble?”

Arnel took a sip of his ale and kept calm. It wasn’t really a guess for Arnel as the former Guardsman knew what the people of Yachium has been saying about their cowardly ruler but news about the missing scouts was interesting. If patrols had been stopped then it made sense for the city to send out scouts. Lone scouts had a better chance of slipping away from the Kin. Arnel knew that the Kin were stealthy but moving a force that size quietly on the Homeless Plains was easier said than done and it wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility that the Kin had missed a scout of two. He need to know what the…humans know about their plans.

“Is there something I should know Augus? I haven’t heard anything but you sound as if we are all in danger.”

“Danger? Not really. You sound like you came from the north my friend but here on the plains, things are different. From the city walls, Yachium would notice any approaching danger well before it arrive. Alarms are up due to the missing scouts but the city is not in any danger.”

Unless you have a creature with the power of the Fox Mother! Arnel wisely kept his consult and just nodded. “So what’s the problem?”

“The city is on high alert. That means more guards at the gates, which means more people to pay off. Price is naturally higher.”

“How much?”

The spy and the criminal began negotiation. After some back and forth, they agreed to a price that Arnel knew was too high. The former Guardsman made a show of reluctantly agreeing to the price and implied that at the price, this may be the last time they would be doing business. However Arnel was a happy mutant when he stepped out of the Happy Tankard Tavern. Augus may not know it but the criminal was never going receive his gold.

***

The Hive had spent the whole day enlarging their tunnels. From the ninth floor to the fifth, all the tunnels grew significantly bigger but even then the dragon had to crawl on its belly to squeeze itself to the huge cavern that was the underground forest. From there, things got complicated.

It didn’t start out that way. When the dragon first reached the underground forest, it happily spread its wings and flew. This was the first time the dragon flew and it couldn’t be happier. The joy and freedom it felt when in the air was something it had never experienced before. That joy was increased even further when it was joined in the air by the Porkauas. One of the biggest creatures in the world flying side-by-side with a flying pig? It was a pretty hilarious sight if the spirits within the Hive said so themselves. Unfortunately there were few Kin around to see this funny sight. Most of the Kin had left the underground forest either for the human city of Yachium or the Great Kar Forest. The few poisonous Lizardmen the Hive just created were about the only ones still around. The dragon flew across the cavern and reached the other end where a spiral staircase linked the underground forest to the floor above. The Hive and the dragon immediately realized their problem.

“How am I supposed to get up there?” The dragon fumed. “This staircase is way too small for me. Who was the idiot who suggested this stupid spiral design?”

“Hey, you were in the Hive too when we made it. Stop complaining. We’re gathering energy to enlarge the exit. Just wait there.”

“I still has five floors to go and then I need to fly there.” The dragon could only shake his head. “I told you idiots to stop throwing energy at me! I am going to be so late.”

Silence greeted the dragon’s complain and it realized the Hive was having an internal discussion. The dragon could only sit and sigh.

“WE GOT IT!”

“What? What did you guys get?”

“We got an idea!” The Hive happily replied. “We got a way for you to reach the human city in time for the attack. Just wait. We are going to gather energy for a Nothing-Untouched-Killer-Explosion!”

“Uh…what would that do?”

“We are going to cast the destroying kind that the Fire Hive first invented; only upwards.”

“Upwards?”

“Yeah! We are going to blast a big hole to the surface for you. You can then just fly up. Great idea right?”