High in the air above the Collegium of Arcane Runecasters and a half-mile to the south, Splinter descended carefully toward the inflatable dragon as it slowly rose to meet her. Maria was using her control of the winds to assist Ben in bringing the dragon alongside the smokejammer. When close, Ozzy cast out his chain to pull them together and anchored the balloon to the side. Damien was the first over the railing, bursting with excitement.

"First a ride on a draconic sex toy, and now thermionically resonating flying ship? You're spoiling me, Benjamin! All of this just to convince me to come for a visit? I'm flattered you think so well of me. That's highly unusual in our family and something you should probably keep to yourself. I'd hate to have to rescue you from an intervention and flogging."

"That's kind of you to say, Uncle."

Damien turned to him, alarmed. "Please, don't take that as a term of endearment. I really would hate to rescue you and will avoid doing so. Too much chance I'd get caught myself. Oh, are those sails made of bound heat? I simply must have a closer look." He ran over to the tallest mast and began climbing quickly. Ozzy and Ben shared a concerned look, and Ben watched Damien as they moved around the ship, concerned at first he might fall, then more worried he'd experiment with the sail configurations. The crew, though, was keeping a close eye on him. Ozzy saw that Damien was a hell of a lot better running along the spars than he was.

Ben indicated Ozzy's bag. "I'm a little worried about having my eccentric uncle on the ship, but we also have another group of crazed mages hidden away in your bag. Do we let them out or keep them in?"

Ozzy carefully climbed aboard Splinter with his bag. "I think the best thing to do is keep them safe in the bag. I doubt our good Captain would enjoy the trip home with a dozen passengers fresh from a mental institution running around the ship. That place was a nightmare, and I suspect that most of them were political prisoners; even if they weren't crazed when they went in, they are now. They're safe in the bag, especially with Suzette making sure they get some food and rest, and Granny can keep them quiet." He yelled to the crew. "Fasten chain to that dragon, and I'll pull the plug. It gets hauled aboard and stuffed into the hold."

Woodrat laughed at him. "Are you sure? I think it would be a grand thing to tow behind us. A little bit of air resistance, to be sure, but we have heat and speed to do it. We can tell the story in taverns all over the smoke of being chased by a dragon."

Ozzy grinned. "Did I mention the part about it being a lure for love-sick dragons, and we already have one would-be-boyfriend searching for it."

The Captain looked at the balloon, looked at Ozzy, and decided that he might just be telling the truth this time. He yelled to his crew. "Into the hold she goes, double-time people. Benjamin, the course is set for home. Get up here and work your magic to give us a solid tailwind."

The winds suddenly picked up a gain, and Splinter started to turn. Ben heaved on the wheel to keep the course steady. Below and to the North, a glowing blue spiral of untamed magic turned faster and faster, drawing the storm around it tighter and tighter. Maria came screaming up from below. "We need to leave! Something is happening down there. The storm is circling around the ruins of the tower, the winds are increasing, and the temperature is plummeting. If we were in Sky, I'd swear a Cyclone was forming. In any case, we don't want to be here."

Ben started to increase Splinter's speed now that everyone was aboard and the dragon safely stowed. "I don't think there is any objection to leaving quickly. After all, that small explosion wasn't our fault, but who wants to be blamed for small catastrophes in case of a misunderstanding."

Flying an airship in the dark was no easy task. The land below them was dark, hiding rising land, ridges, and low mountains. Maria flew ahead of them as a scout, and Woodrat instructed Ben to increase his altitude. Below them, the heartland of the Northern Province of Grultain was spread out, small beacons of light showing where each little village was located. Ben knew from his travels that, besides the four provincial capitals, the Empire was composed of small villages and Legion outposts. He began to wonder about that. When Woodrat gave him a break at the wheel, he climbed up to where Damien was in the crow's nest, chased there by the crew after his curious fingers had started investigating how the furnace in the hold worked.

"Uncle Damien, a question for you."

"Certainly, nephew."

"Explain to me the demographics of the Empire. Why aren't there more large towns or small cities?"

The old man nodded his head. "Good, you noticed that and are curious. Most aren't. It's the way it is and the way it's always been. Except it wasn't, and it doesn't have to be. The history behind the wars and politics surrounding Gadobhra and the Wheel of Eight alliance could fill a library full of history books. Well, if the Inquisition hadn't burned them. Say what you will about the Inquisition, but they know how to throw a party. I've always loved big fires. Talking about the Wheel is dangerous when you're words might carry to certain people. Let's just say for now that each posed a unique challenge to the Emperors who vied with them over who would control this part of the world. As to the rest of the Empire? It got eaten."

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Um, eaten? By what."

"Bugs, lots and lots of bugs. The Swarm of the Hive Queen is one of the most terrible foes humanity has ever faced. Legends say she was chained in Tartarus but escaped by making a deal with a Hero. Perfidious, the Near-Blind went to Tartarus to rescue a daughter of Medusa, who was imprisoned there. The boy was blessed with incredible Far Sight, able to see over the horizon and spot an enemy army marching a thousand leagues away. Up close, he was blind as a mole on a sunny day. This led him to charge into fights against terrible foes before he understood the danger. That surprised many of them, letting him get in the first blows. It was a winning strategy, and people started calling him Perfidious the Bold. He fell in love with little snake-haired Christal, who turned anyone who saw her to stone. Perfy was the only person who had ever had a second date with her and became upset when she was imprisoned in Tartarus. He went there to rescue his love but couldn't read the signposts and got lost. The Hive Queen offered to guide him to her and help him escape, but for a price: He had to accept a small part of her, placed inside his chest, next to his heart. The lovesick fool agreed. A month later, he'd rescued his lady love and settled down to farming silkworms and protecting his city from enemies as he kept watch from a tall tower. Quite fitting that he missed the danger close at hand."

Ben knew the next part. "She evolved and burst out of him?

"Excellent! You've kept up on your biology. She escaped Tartarus as a larva but feasted well on a Level 37 hero and gained much of his power and abilities. The first thing she did was corrupt the inhabitants of his silkworm farm and head for the wilderness. She could have been stopped early on, but no one suspected the danger. Too reliant on a hero who saw everything coming. Eventually, her hordes of hungry worms and monstrosities munched their way across the Empire. She avoided the large cities of the Wheel and the Capital cities. The Swarm isn't good at sieges; they need to eat constantly. The Hive Queen's forces exemplify how any magical aspect taken to extremes is horrifying. Druids and Shepherds use the Life Aspect to heal injuries and increase their flocks. The Swarm used it to continuously grow, breed, eat, and increase their numbers. Eventually, not much was left of the Empire except the large cities, the Swarm, and the armies trying to destroy her. I wrote a paper in my youth proposing that the Swarm did as much damage to itself when it ran out of food as the Butcher's Brigade had done. They laughed at me, which was my first important lesson: Other people are idiots!"

"And it just stayed that way? Why"

"Oh, politics and money, of course. Few nobles died; they were all safe in the walled cities. Not so the peasants. The land was empty and reduced to boring Tier One areas. It was decided to keep it that way in case the swarm ever returned. The higher-tier areas filled with better crops and more powerful peasants were like a smorgasbord to the Swarm. And many of the growing towns in higher tier areas had rebelled against the nobles, demanding elected officials, lower taxes, and a say in their own destiny. Now, they were all worm food. Laws were put in place to govern the repopulation of the empire, such as special taxes if a Baron or Count allowed his peasants to gain too many levels, or worse, increase the Tier of a large area. Fear of the Swarm and fear of losing control made the Empire what it is now. You have to go deep into the wilderness to find any fun these days. The rest of the world isn't nearly so boring."

"Well, don't worry, Uncle. I don't think you will find either Sedgewick or Gadobhra boring."

"Oh, looking forward to it. I should have left that tower years ago, but it's important to take a break now and then and let the pursuit die down."

Two hours later, in the quiet darkness before dawn, the ship flew over Sedgewick and tied up to the top of ACME tower in the center of Gadobhra. Billy and Layla were waiting for them, drinking wine at a small table lit by a single candle. The dark buildings of Gadobhra were pieced here and there by lights. A few candles and cooking fires gave Hungrytown a haunted look. The entrance to the Pit of the Butcher glowed a sullen red, and from the noble's quarter, three tall spires showed lights in every window. The Endless Dance continued, as it did every night, much to Billy and Layla's annoyance. No matter how much he pounded on the main door, no one answered, and a dungeon had yet to be found.

Ozzy jumped off the floating ship along with several of the crew to chain her securely to the building. Butterbelly handed down his bag to him carefully, both conscious of the people inside. Woodrat leaped down and greeted the Baron and Baroness. "Fair winds made for a fast trip, and while there may have been a few minor glitches, the mission was successful. While I'd normally stay to talk about the adventure and drink your wine rack dry, I think my ship and I will be heading out soon. We left in the dark, and we'll be gone again. Gives you and I a bit of plausible deniability."

Layla handed Woodrat a bottle. "Take this then; it was next on the list." Woodrat accepted. He'd grown to like the sweet wines of the Conjunction."

"My thanks for the bottle and for the gold. It's a nice bonus here at the end of the first trading voyage. We'll return soon with a full cargo of goods from the Smoke and anything I can get from Sky or Fire. Give my goodbyes to Bob for me."

A moment later, the ship took off into the air, gaining altitude for the transition to Sky and then the trip to the Seas of Smoke.