Tad was wide awake now, sitting straight up, "Are they attacking? "

"Not yet. We seem to be outdistancing them. They captured one of the dwarven scouts who went to investigate the dust cloud," said Kettle.

"How far are you from the valley? " asked Tad.

"Still a few hours Tad. We will be there about the time the sun comes up, " projected Kettle.

"Keep me updated, Kettle. Be careful if they attack the wagons, close up the Artifact, and don't let anything in," said Tad.

"Tad, if was able to open the door on this Artifact, they might be able to as well," said Kettle.

"Yea, do what you can. Keep me posted on your progress. " projected Tad.

"I will. "

Tad stood up and looked around. Zanna was sitting on an upper bench, looking down at him. She really needed to find something to do when everyone slept, he thought.

"Get up. Bismuth has found us, and they will be here right after the wagons," said Tad loudly.

Nico and Lamruil both were awake fast, moving to gather packs. Nico was already munching on some of their remaining mushroom rations from the dwarves.

Maximilianus was up also as Tad saw his bed and items disappear into his pack. That was some neat magic too. He will have to find out about those items. He was thinking they stored like his Cittern.

Maximilianus spoke, "Tad, we should discuss what you need for Bubbles. If the sand storm curtain holds the Bismuth automatrons out, I do not think they will leave. If that is the case, I have a proposition for you, depending on what you can tell me about Kettle and this Artifact he is in. "

Tad stared hard at Maximilianus. How much did this creature know about Kettle? Tad was trying to think of options. If those creatures of Bismuth couldn't get in, would they camp there for years? He knew they didn't eat or care about the heat. The sandstorms would be an issue, but he doubted it would trouble them for long once they recognized its danger. What if they found a way in? He wasn't the only one with magic, and those things were older than anyone knew. They also had some communal memory or brain. He really should have read that book on the subject.

"I assure you it's nothing that will harm you. It will benefit both of us now and in the future. First, though, the cocoon appears to be solidifying, and she will be emerging soon. We will need the Goddess's Artifact offering, a good one. Please do not offer that cursed neckpiece to her. The results will not be good. Your staff will not do. Do you have a plan for the magic item to offer her? It will become a central part of her and the religion formed around her, " the metallic man said.

"I think the dagger I have will work. It has strong magic, but we were unable to identify it," said Tad. He didn't know what it was exactly, and Galadinidú had ignored any questions about it. If that didn't work, he had his staff or Cittern. He didn't know if the instrument would work, but he could try. Would the god emerging consume the item?

"Let's hope that works. Do you have any plans if it isn't useful? " asked Maximilianus.

"Yes, my staff or instrument might do it. I have some other items we haven't identified either," said Tad.

"Well, it can be anything created with magic, the more powerful, the better. We agreed to teach you how to identify items. Would you like to learn this now? You have some items you recovered last night that would be a good way to learn. " said Maximilianus.

"We do not have much time, Maximilianus. I need to make sure the path across the fallen god's body will work for the wagons," said Tad.

Tad saw Herman coming down the stairs now. The metallic man still had his grey beret on and walked over to him.

"Sir, I have completed the survey of the upper island and cathedral. Would you like the report now, or should I continue with the lower area? " asked Herman in his deep accent.

Tad had forgotten Herman was working on the survey, "Herman is there any way to fortify the bridge area of this island? We might have a problem if the Bismuth army makes it through the curtain. " said Tad.

Herman thought about this and looked at Maximilianus for several seconds. Maximilianus nodded, and Herman turned back and spoke, "You could set up barricades on the bridge or even knock the posts out of the far end, causing it to collapse near the shore forcing the Bismuth attackers to wade the lake. This will not stop them, though. They do not breathe and will easily cross under the lake, given time. You will also need to fortify the stairs leading to the water on both sides of the island. Your best choice is to flee." said Herman.

Tad looked over at Bubbles, "I am done fleeing, and I am not going to leave her here at the mercy of these creatures. I'll give myself up if I have to, but I will not let them harm her. "

Tad sent out a mental call using the Torque around his neck. Suddenly the statues in the niches started moving. They gathered in a line at the base of the stairs leading up. Then single file went up the stairs. Tad ordered these and the city guardians to the bridge to stand guard and wait for further orders. He left four of them in the temple guarding the cavern entrance. He did not change the instructions for the giant construct standing over Bubbles. By his count, he had nine temple guardians and six city patrols to guard the bridge for now. It wasn't much if there was an army coming, but if he could choke the enemy at some points, he would not need a large front. Right now, he was thinking of the stairs to the water and a bridge.

Tad turned back to his companions, "If anyone would like to leave, you can ride with the dwarves when I ask them to leave after they unload the Carnival wagons. "

His companions looked at each other, none of them said a word, and Nico just smiled.

"Ok then, I intend to bring the wagons into the cathedral and set up a defense here. If the curtain keeps them out, then we should be fine until we decide to leave. If it doesn't, then we will defend here. If they are beyond our ability to hold off, then you all will go into the lower temple, sealing it off while Kettle and I give ourselves up. If anyone has other ideas, let me know now. " said Tad.

Lamruil spoke, "How do you intend to get the wagons inside the curtain? They are much bigger than the chest of that fallen god. "

"The war wagons are bigger. The Carnival wagons are narrow at the frame. I've ridden them across many bridges in the past. They will make it across if we fill in a couple of spots. The patchwork won't last long, but if I hold the shield for each Wagon, we should make it one at a time. We can use the constructs or lizards to bring them down the ramps and across the bridge. The heaviest is the quartermaster's Wagon. If we have to, we will leave it. " Tad paused for a moment.

"Kettle, when is the next storm due? " projected Tad.

"One day, It will start in the morning," said Kettle.

"We have one day till the next storm wipes the dunes bare. With any luck, it will take out the Bismuth army as well. They have no idea that it is coming, so they will not be prepared for it. " said Tad.

"Thaddius, may I recommend you prepare for the goddess to emerge first and foremost. If her needs are not satisfied, none of the other events in this valley will matter," said Maximilianus.

Tad took a deep breath looking again at Maximilianus. He turned back to Herman, "Please continue with your survey. Could you go back over the island first to see if there are any improvements we could make to stop them from crossing under the water? When you are done, look for ways to seal up this stairwell again. Most of the stones that were removed are in that pile on the side there. "

"Lamruil, will you and Nico look for the best ways to make the areas Herman designates into choke points. We will have only a handful of guards, and people, so plan on sealing and reducing the numbers needed to defend. I'm going back to the cursed altar room to learn to identify items. Lamruil, contact me if there are any other issues. " said Tad, then he turned to leave. He knew Zanna wasn't going to do anything but follow him no matter what he said, so he skipped that for now. Things were going to need to change soon, one way or the other.

" Maximilianus, if you will, " then Tad started towards the lower corridors.

***

Tad, Zanna, and Maximilianus had just passed the secret door which they closed and latched. Tad stopped moving and turned to the metallic man in his wide-brimmed hat.

"Maximilianus, your not a theologian, are you," asked Tad.

Maximilianus looked taken aback at first, then he smiled. "You are a clever one, aren't you. I can see why he picked you. I assure you I am a theologian. "

Maximilianus looked at Zanna. Then he moved his fingers. Suddenly Tad and Maximilianus were standing in Tad's soulscape tent. Time outside appeared to freeze. Tad knew this wasn't the case. The soulscape was just so much faster. Tad had never been taken to his soulscape before, and he didn't understand how Maximilianus could be in his like this.

Tad just waited, watching the metallic man. He had loosened his staff in its loop when Maximilianus was pushing the door open. He didn't know if he needed it, but it was best to be ready.

Maximilianus chuckled loudly, then, "Ah well, you were bound to find out at some point. I am the curator of Vilamra's Great Library. " then he bowed low with some flare and an arm moving out at the bottom of the bow.

"Your Vilamra then?" asked Tad.

"No, he passed long ago. I am his replacement. There are few of us left, and I was chosen to fill the role. It is one of the reasons I'm so interested in you and Kettle and that Artifact." said Maximilianus.

"What do you know about the artifact? " asked Tad. He couldn't tell if Maximilianus was going to lie, but he doubted the creature could pry Kettle out of that thing without Kettle's assistance.

"Well, there is a long history here. I'll make it short. There are four artifacts. They were once called phoenix eggs or world eggs. They are relics from before the maelstrom that changed the universe. " said Maximilianus.

"And how do you know this?" asked Tad, he thought he already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it.

"Well, the Library possesses one of them, " said Maximilianus.

No, that is not what Tad was thinking at all, really.

"So why do you want mine? " asked Tad.

"Tad, I do not fully trust your friends. Neither should you. If another Demon manages to consume Zanna he will inherit most of her memories along with the power she contains. Be very careful until you are certain that can not happen. I will tell you a short history, and then you will have to choose how you wish to proceed. " Maximilianus paused, thinking, "Thaddius, my people, are dying out. The ones you see when you hold that coin are the last of my race. We are very long-lived, but we can't have children as mortal flesh creatures do, nor are we tied to a source like Demons and Celestials. We live, and we have souls. My race was one of the first and one of the few that remembers before the maelstrom. " said Maximilianus.

"How do you remember before the maelstrom? I thought it changed the universe and all beings? " asked Tad, remembering what he saw when Kettle had first revealed it to him.

"My race did change, Thaddius. The very first of us was what was originally referred to as a Biological AI. The first of my race was the creature that ran the ship that transported a World egg. It dwelled inside the egg in one of the many containers that your friend Kettle now inhabits. Each egg was controlled by one of the prime races when technology ruled the universe. These races tie directly to the four brothers and their foci. Each domain has a world egg artifact. My race came from the one you would think of as the Domain of Law. Even though now we are neutral to all, we were once similar to the automatron of Bismuth. All laws and processes, it made us content to know we brought order to the world around us. Like all things, we changed over time as we gathered more knowledge, and we now understand that order can not exist without chaos, and life can not exist without death. They are relative and connected. So we, the last of my kind, are neutral, and the four brothers respect and leave us alone for now. We have a great deal of knowledge, and we will withhold that if any one of them attempts to break our neutrality or causes us harm. " said Maximilianus.

"So what do you need from me. It seems like you have everything already figured out," said Tad.

"Thaddius, we are far from having everything figured out, as you put it. We know a great deal, and we barter this knowledge to keep ourselves safe. We also swear to remain neutral in all conflicts, great or small. What do we want? Well, it depends on what is in your world egg. " said Maximilianus.

Tad projected to Kettle, "Are you hearing this, Kettle? "

Kettles avatar appeared in Tad's soulscape tent then.

"Yes, Tad, and as I said earlier, he can hear us when we talk," said Kettle.

Maximilianus smiled but didn't say anything.

"Maximilianus, what is your race called? " asked Kettle.

Maximilianus stopped smiling and considered the question for a few moments, "Long before the war between the brothers, mortals thought of us as Angels or Divines. When the brothers went to war, we shed that image when our numbers were decimated. There are few of us left now, and I suppose Librarians would be the best name for what we have become. We do not engage in war or conflict unless threatened without a means to escape."

"You still didn't answer my first question, " said Tad.

"Yes, that. You see, we have been searching for the other artifacts for more years than I wish to count. We believe the means for the survival of our race might be contained in one of these artifacts. There are only two remaining unaccounted for, well, one now. " said Maximilianus.

"What happened to them? " asked Kettle.

"One I have at the Great Library. One was destroyed by the void when it was used to create the Devourers. You are now in number three, and the Artifact of Chaos is still lost somewhere in their domain.

"So this world egg is the life domain artifact," asked Kettle.

"Yes, Kettle, and I think it is intact. This brings me to why the Great Library is helping you and not making you an indentured gardener for the next fifty years. " Maximilianus chuckled after saying that, then continued, " There should be a storage container that is locked with a riddle in your world egg. There is a particular item that I would like to trade for with information that I will share if you agree to give it to me. " said Maximilianus.

Tad cut in, "Why exactly would I give you something from this? I have no idea what you intend. You will need to share a lot more than what I just heard. "

Maximilianus nodded, "I intend to continue my race, Thaddius. Do you know what the original purpose of these world eggs was? "

Kettle spoke, "They were used to seed worlds to a specification the biological AI was tasked with. "

"Yes, that is the primary part of it. Do you know how? " asked Maximilianus.

"No, " replied Kettle.

"They poisoned the planet if it contained life. In some cases that required the world egg to be dropped into the molten core of the tectonic plates of the world, they were to seed. There it would cause catastrophe. Magnetic poles would shift. Years later, they would seed the planet after all life had died out. That is if it contained life. If not, it would proceed with reseeding. In the first stage of reseeding, it used what was referred to as primordial ooze. This altered the target planet at the lowest level. The ooze would expand to create oxygen, water, and an atmosphere if one didn't exist. The process was complex yet simple. As long as there was a sun to power it, it worked. Time was not an issue. Sometimes this process was done without a world egg, but in the most extreme cases, the world egg was used. The density of the world egg's metal and its very nature made it almost indestructible. The World Eggs were very heavy and required a giant special ship to carry them. Now its magical version can be carried in your large Wagon. There was only enough metal found to create the four eggs. They didn't know what to do with it, really, but the greed of the four races caused a great war. In the end, the only thing that ended the war was to divide the metal equally, and it was only to be used for this one purpose. Other metals and materials had been tested, but this was the only metal that survived it all with extreme heat, pressure, and acid. It was believed this metal was the original material surrounding the universe before it expanded. It took many years to gather, and many ships were used to troll space looking for the most minute specks. Thousands of years and thousands of spaceships were put to task. That is what they called the void then, space. It is different now but has many of the same qualities. Magic permeates all now, and the differences can be pronounced. For example, the Astral plane is one such type of change. " said Maximilianus.

Maximilianus looked at Tad intently, "I would like to trade you for a container of the primordial ooze that your world egg should have if it wasn't plundered already. "

"Why? " said Tad.

"My race descended from the original AI housed in my world egg. It used a single spec of primordial ooze to bring us into existence. Every member of my race was birthed using this substance. It is quite magical now, and this would guarantee our continued existence. We simply can not give birth without it. " said Maximilianus.

There was a long pause after that sentence. Tad didn't expect that; how does one answer that?

"I will need to think about this, Maximilianus. What happens if Bismuth captures Kettle? "

"They would extract him, open the capsule and plunder the storage containers. I do not know how this will affect the universe, but I do not think giving Bismuth a potential weapon of this magnitude will end well for the other domains. I would assume the three brothers would stop what they are doing to attack or seize it for themselves. " said Maximilianus.

"What happens if I give this ooze to you or keep it? " asked Tad.

"The major players have all agreed to allow free will in the universe. It's what drives it, after all. But I'd expect their underlings or independent powers will come for it. You will need to be strong enough to protect it or make it not worth the risk to acquire. Most older beings are terrified of dying, so being a risk to attack would be enough warning for most to stay away. There are too many possibilities for me to see all of them. " said Maximilianus.

"And if you had the ooze, how would you protect it? " asked Tad.

Maximilianus responded quickly, "The Great Library is considered neutral territory and is also protected by three of the four. As long as I do not violate our neutrality in all of this, we should be fine in the long term. "

"In the short term? " asked Tad.

"We would protect and hide it with powerful magic, " said Maximilianus.

"You would close the Great Bazaar, wouldn't you? " asked Tad. He had already made some connections when he had first talked Libby into letting him go.

Maximilianus briefly had a shocked appearance, "Hmm, how do you know of this? "

Tad had guessed this long ago, having visited the library shop upon first entering the Bazaar to buy books. It had the exact same pillars and structured entrance counter that Libby used when he had been pulled there for an overdue book.

"Your library is under the Bazaar? Are you the reason the whole place runs on the intent of action and ejects people to the wilds? You're the reason there are wilds in the first place. " said Tad. It all meshed while he thought about it.

"Yes, to some degree, that is all true. You can't be neutral if you have cities around you with their own wants and needs. We also must let anyone enter and make withdrawals from the library. But we can't do that for just everyone; it would be unmanageable. We make select copies available through our shops there and in other cities. I would appreciate it if you kept this to yourself. It would not hurt us, but we would hate to have to eject the residents in the Bazaar into the wilds. Most would not survive, and we would spend decades getting more sentient beings to move in to replace them. " said Maximilianus.

"You can help us get back to the Bazaar then? " asked Tad.

"No, we can not. To be neutral means we can not allow that. Nor can we allow you special access to the Bazaar or the Dome of the city. " said Maximilianus.

"You could pass a message for me if I asked? " said Tad.

"Perhaps if you were to make a book purchase to be delivered to someone else, that included a note. You could probably do this without telling us it was being done. We can not help you directly, Thaddius, in something like that. Right now, you are purely paying us for knowledge and a survey of a new property, and the survey is on the edge of what we can offer. " said Maximilianus.

"So you can trade knowledge, isn't that just like interfering? " asked Tad.

"I said neutral, not interfering. They are different. If everyone has the ability to ask and pay for our time and knowledge, then it is neutral. We are very careful about what we can or can not do. I am making a slight exception here for you because of our overwhelming need for the item you possess. Even for this, though, I would not risk the survival of the remaining members of my species for this one chance, " said Maximilianus.

"Ok, I will think about it. Can you share with me the magic needed to identify the items, please," said Tad changing the subject.

"Certainly, " said Maximilianus as his avatar closed his eyes.

Then Tad just knew. It flooded in, much like when he learned new magic from Jack. Complex computations of energia and force of will.

"You will find this identify works with your soulmancy powers and isn't a earth or life-based spell. Those have more limitations than the soulmancy version," said Maximilianus.

"Thank you, " said Tad. Then he willed his soulscape emptied, and time sped back up where Maximillion was still looking at Zanna.

Tad continued as if the conversation had not to be interrupted, "Let's continue. "

The three of them continued down the hall to the room where they had left the two items. Tad had taken the gold and silver but didn't want to touch the magic items any more than he had to till they were identified.

"Ok then, let us see what these are, " said Tad as he cast the identify spell for the first time using energia directed with soulmancy. This was his first actual spell that wasn't a shield or a light using soulmancy, as powerful as those abilities were, they were not spells like this.

His mind filled with knowledge as the spell took hold of the red gem that looked like an eye.

Eye of the Appraiser, you feel this object will help you know the true worth of a known item when you gaze at the object through the eye.

"Hmm. Eye of the Appraiser, I feel it will help know the true worth of a known item," said Tad.

"Good, you have a name, and your feeling of what it does is not always exact. There might be some nuance, as you get used to the spell, it will be easier to figure some of them out. Here you said known item, which means you have to have identified it. I won't work if you haven't identified the item first. " said Maximilianus.

"Does the identify spell work on creatures? " asked Tad.

"No, that would require another spell with connections to a lexicon of species. I know one, and obviously, I have access to lexicons," said Maximilianus with a smile.

He knew Tad wanted that spell, holding out for trade on that Primal ooze.

Tad cast the spell again at the needle this time.

Needle of the Artful Loom, you feel this needle will allow you to construct or repair magical garments when used with a skillful hand.

Tad told them the information then made a quick conjecture, "The needle is for a seamstress that has a great deal of skill in sewing and magic."

"That sounds reasonable. The word loom means it could also be used for making the magical cloth, I think. You will have to try it and find out if it can, " said Maximilianus.

"Zanna can I see your mace a moment, please? " asked Tad.

Zanna had been holding it by the haft balanced in one hand for the last day.

Zanna put the mace on the floor. Tad cast his identify spell.

Mace of Neutralizing, you feel that this mace, when it strikes an enemy, can drain enchantments for a few moments causing them to stop functioning during that time.

Well, that explained a lot about the fight with the Imp, thought Tad. He told them what the spell revealed.

"That is an interesting item. It appears to only work on enemies, which means carrying it or sitting on it won't hurt you. It won't counter something like the shield on the altar, but it could counter, say, a ring of healing or any spell giving an effect that is persistent over time. There are many of those that will be very useful. It won't work on innate abilities. Such as, some creatures are immune to metal or wood, or fire. Those are not enchantments. It will work on effects that do enchant, though. I wonder if that would work on a basilisk victim that has been turned to stone. Hmm….. " said Maximilianus.

"Will any of these work for Bubbles?" asked Tad.

"The mace is a no. The effect is actually the metal it's made from. It is not enchanted enough. Which I guess makes sense as it could disenchant itself. Hmmm… that's an interesting idea too. If you would let me examine that sometime we could test that. The metal is rare but not unheard of. Many of the very low magic planes have that metal all over, really. It is almost impossible to remove it from that plane as it tends to wreck any spell used to transport it. You should try the Eye of the Appraiser on it,

" said Maximilianus.

Tad picked up the red jewel that looked like an eye and looked at the mace through it. You feel your ability to appraise this item is insufficient.

"It seems I'm not skilled enough to know its value, " said Tad.

"That is unsurprising. You probably need a shop that sells items or enough knowledge of the magic to know the value of the item. Well, at least for this rare of an item. I bet that will work fine on a chair or bed, something that isn't made from a scarce metal from a hard-to-reach plane of existence," said Maximilianus.

"You are saying that I need skills and, in some cases, another resource or even a store to use some of these things? What good is there in identifying things then? " said Tad in frustration.

"Well, it's much like your staff. That is an exceedingly powerful item, and you are barely wielding it correctly with years of training using a staff. Having a magic cup would not help you if you didn't know how to drink, " said Maximilianus.

Tad shook his head. What did he mean he could barely use the staff? He was exceptional with it, thought Tad.

Maximilianus just smiled.

"Fine, let's head back. We need to check defenses and get up to the dead god's bridge before the sun is up," said Tad as he picked up the items handing Zanna her mace.

He wondered what Bubbles would do with a magical needle as her Artifact. Was it powerful enough for that? Tad doubted that would be useful. How can he make sure the goddess emerging picks items beneficial to him and his people?

***