Another Kobold with indigo scales was there, waving at Vonn for attention. "You're back, thank the Dragons!" The scout at Vonn's side echoed the prayer.

Vonn said, "Kotta! You're not joining in with the fighting, are you?"

Kotta bore a lute and a club, both of which he called his instruments. "I've been pacing for long enough and trying to keep your sister sane. I need a break from the waiting. What's that expression of yours? I'll try to 'stay in the back row' for this one."

Vonn glared back over one shoulder at the western land. He could've done more, but likely would've died again trying it. The System's energy meters didn't convey how strung out he was from travel and stress. He gritted his teeth and said, "Okay. We've done our part for now. Good luck, everyone."

The Baron and a force of fighting men of several species crossed the spell separating Vonn from them. It briefly became visible to Vonn like a rippling flag. Kura and Vonn handed over the dark gems for the Kobold magic expert to examine. He leaned his staff in the crook of one arm, cupped the gems between his hands, and made them float in a swirl of ugly violet energy. He hissed again, muttering, "I've seen the like only once before, thank... the gods. My lord, I can now swear that this is indeed magicite from a dungeon tainted by vile rituals. Since we have samples from the same dungeon last year, we can prove their origin."

Baron Bogstep said, "Then we're in the right. Forward!"

As the march began, the analyst handed one tainted gem back to Kura. She gulped, and both she and Vonn got the implication. These people weren't sure they'd be coming back.

Dad patted Vonn's shoulder on the way. "Good work. We'll handle this."

Vonn shivered but nodded. He'd have said something, but Tazo grabbed her in a ferocious hug. Dad smiled and marched on.

#

Vonn traveled with Kura the scout, and with his sister Tazo and his friend Selen, to the east. They trekked from the border of Kolm's land to the riverland ruled by Baron Bogstep. They said little; there was only so much they could mutter about the horrors behind them.

Vonn finally changed the subject. "I think what happened is, the pistons ignited the oil and turned the cylinder into an internal combustion engine. By accident." Instead, his airplane had worked on a principle that he'd named the "frostfire engine". Since magic crystals could produce heat and cold, he used the temperature difference as an energy source to turn a wheel. His thoughts kept drifting back to the tainted crystal Kura was carrying, and what evil had made it that way.

Selen started to apologize, but Vonn said, "Not your fault. I'm the Engineer; I should've seen that."

Still, the owl-girl said, "I'll make you more of those slow-fall rings, of course. If we're not conscripted tomorrow to start building guns."

Vonn nodded. "So Kura, what's the plan? We wake people up and stand ready to join in a war against Baron Kolm? Or send a message up the chain of command, to the Duke?"

The sneaky Kobold frowned. "I'm not handling the politics of it. But our lord was spooked. Turning a dungeon into a, a sacrifice pit like that is legally treason. Punishable by any neighbor immediately capturing him. And Bogstep outright said, 'dead if we have to'."

Tazo huffed and panted as she marched. "So then the Duke who rules both of them will get presented with proof that one of his nobles was evil."

Selen shivered. "The Duke likes his executions slow."

Vonn said, "I hate to suggest it, but are we sure the Duke is unaware of the problem? I'm, uh, suggesting only that he didn't notice."

Selen let out a frustrated sigh. Where she and Vonn were from, it was still legal to say that the rulers were crooks.

They made it back to Vonn's home, the town of Shieldpoint. Along the east-flowing Little Star River stood fields of wheat and summer gourds in mid-harvest. Low buildings of wood and thatch lined the north bank. A bridge crossed the water and more buildings gathered around its south side. Vonn pointed out the candle shop where a single light was burning in the window. Mom, of course, had stayed up.

Vonn opened the door, waved, and got squashed in Mom's arms before he could speak. She ushered them all inside. She fussed over Vonn, demanding to know where to apply a basic healing spell or two.

Kura began explaining the situation while Mom's hands shined faint white, easing Vonn's bruises. The house and workshop smelled of tallow mixed with the nicer scents of beeswax and herbs.

Mom's ears stood up high and she said, "What a monster on our doorstep! Our Baron will handle this. Do you know whether the Reeve is out there with the soldiers?"

That was the village's one-legged mayor equivalent, a decent old man appointed by the Baron. Tazo said, "No, he stayed here."

Mom was dressed in her usual sturdy work dress and apron, and had obviously been nervously tending the wax vats in their workshop room. "Then let's go. Do you need healing too, miss Kura?"

"It can wait."

They went out and roused the Reeve, who hobbled to the door with a crutch. He looked like he'd been napping but had stayed dressed. "How bad?" He listened to Kura and nodded, saying, "Boggy said to get my beauty rest until we heard more. Time to roust everybody. Ring the bell."

Vonn and his family covered their big ears as Selen rang the iron alarm bell beside the Reeve's house, with annoying enthusiasm. Hundreds of people must've heard that, and most of them hadn't been briefed.

When his eardrums quit hurting, Vonn saw people rushing to arms. Shieldpoint did a lot of things together, and while they hadn't had a war lately, they did train for trouble. The orange pelts and reflective eyes of Vulin stood out in the darkness. Tall Humans arrived half-dressed but wielding slings and bows. The small population of feathered Aves and scaled Kobolds and a few others came too, those who weren't already at the Baron's side out west. Vonn even recognized a few regulars from the seedy wharf district of drifters, like a matronly Centaur who ran a general store.

The Reeve called out several times as the people gathered. "We're on duty tonight for a possible march on Baron Kolm's turf. He needs arresting."

A Human man with his pants on backwards said, "That's what the flying machine was for?" He saw Vonn and added, "Kid, what'd you see?"

Vonn blushed as many eyes turned toward him. He spoke loudly: "Baron Kolm is a criminal. We have proof. He's killing his own people."

The Reeve waved a hand in front of Vonn. "Stay light on the details, for now. Everyone, we're waiting for a signal from the Baron to see if he needs backup. Non-combat people, make sure everyone else has food and water in case we march."

The latest arrivals included a Human and Elf duo in grey robes. The Elf said, "Reeve, I assure you just as I did our lord --"

"What'd I say about details?"

These two were necromancers, from the fringe of Baron Bogstep's territory. The western edge, where their legal obligations were fuzzy and their activities always suspect. Nobody was eager even to stand nearby, though they didn't have their usual undead "pets" along.

The militia waited, yawning but alert. An Aves and a swift Human runner were with the Baron as messengers, so word might come any minute.

Instead, a flash of sickly violet light tore the western sky, like a towering bonfire. Thunder boomed and the ground shook.