Nine's Notes:

Red Malys: Thanks for the review! My fanbase is returning! Muahahaha! And I promise that I'll update… well, I was going to put this up as soon as I read your comment, but my dad's computer is a malfunctioning PC. I will continue typing on my lovely iBook, Feynman, so even if I have to wait a while, there will be plenty of material!

----

Looking back, I should have cast shinbratha on Dracart before he could tell me that I was needed. After all, when I'm needed, it generally means something's going to happen, and generally that something is not very pleasant for me. In this case, that something was a Council of the gods and goddesses of Krynn, many of who, like Solinari, seem to harbor a vicious, illogical hatred for me…

Did I mention I don't trust Raistlin?

-----

I begin to survey the extended "family" of gods and goddesses before me. I already know Solinari and Lunitari. Whenever I make eye contact with the Mistress of the Red Robes, she gives me a knowing, calming smile. I don't know what Solinari is thinking. I don't look at him closely enough.

Gilean has set up a small table, on which he has ink and parchment to record the proceeding. I think I see Dalamar for the barest moment, then I realize that the handsome elf is Kiri-Jolith, and he's holding his sword in an unfriendly way.

Majere and Shinare are discussing something intently, Zivilyn hanging onto every word, while Sirrion glares daggers at both gods.

Someone taps me on the shoulder, and I jump. "Shh, girl, is that any way to greet your grandfather?" I turn and I'm facing a minotaur.

"Oh, Sargonnas, I didn't realize you were here-"

"I noticed that mage Dracart's not working as page anymore. He wasn't here to announce us."

"Oh, I invented this neat little spell, too bad there aren't any mortals around for me to show you. Raistlin Majere calls it a 'mage-bane' spell. It's a combination of hold person and a very targeted silence…"

"I'd like to see you use that one on that crazed avatar of your grandmother's… show her that you're the granddaughter of the god of vengeance!" he says proudly. "You have your grandmother's eyes… I think her blue dragon head."

I feel slightly uncomfortable, standing next to a guffawing divine minotaur who just happens to be my grandfather.

"I think I'll go talk to the rest of the… er… family. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Um… what is that son of mine calling you again?"

"Renetari." I bow neatly. "Ren, if you're around Solinari."

"That nephew of mine has always hated our side of the family." I never expected that the god of vengeance would have a habit of laughing at anything even remotely amusing.

"I wonder why… thank you, grandfather." I wander off into the crowd of gods.

-----

"So, you propose that…"

"It seems that you are the only thing she truly sees as a threat… except possibly myself." Raistlin looked at the lich appraisingly. "And my former apprentice her only vulnerability."

"I believe that I could be convinced to help with one more Test…" Fistandalius licked his half-decayed lips. "For a price…"

----

"Excuse me!" Another god wants to bother me, a golden-haired elf male. "Lady Renetari!"

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure…"

"Branchala. God of music, patron of bards." He says, and gives a little bow. "I've heard that you were imprisoned on a world called Earth?"

"Don't remind me."

"Oh, I meant no offense, lady…" he says tactfully. He seems to be remarkably good at what he does. "I just wanted to know… what sort of musical forms are there on Earth? Do you know any of their music?"

Music! A small thing, but just remembering the notes makes me feel more like Ren, the girl, and less like Renetari, the bug under the glass. "I'd be glad to share with you!"

"Please, teach me." He says with humility.

"Well, there's an instrumental form that I like, called jazz… its main distinctions are the swung beat and the use of blues scales. It's largely improvised…"

"Is jazz popular among the people of Earth?"

"It was, decades before my time there. It's a revered but not popular form. Now, there's rap- I won't disturb your sensibilities by going into it- but I personally liked rock music."

"Rock? Like the stuff Reorx over there works?" He gestures to a stout but gruff-looking dwarf.

"No… actually, I don't know how it got its name. I'm a decent vocalist- I could sing a song for you…"

"Please! Please do!"

"Very good, daughter." My father comes over. "Your first day, and you already have a god of good on his knees."

"Excuse me, I'm trying to share some music. You don't have to follow Branchala in order to appreciate that!" But, what song to share? What song could bridge the gap, and completely communicate the meaning of Earth music?

Before I can really think, opening chords sound in my head, and I begin to sing.

Catch me as I fall
Say you're here and it's all over now
Speeding to the atmosphere
There's no one here and I fall into myself

This truth drives me
Into madness
I know I can stop the pain
If I will it all away
If I will it away

Don't turn away
Don't give in to the pain
Don't try to hide
When they're screaming your name
Don't close your eyes
God knows what lies behind them
Don't turn out the light
Never sleep, never die

Wonderful. As my first representation of Earth music, I sing an Evanescence song. They get a quasi-emo, quasi-religious band. Of all the songs! I could have just sung REO Speedwagon if I wanted to embarrass Earth culture in front of the gods. They probably don't even know what an atmosphere is… maybe Zivilyn or Gilead, but otherwise…

"It's a shame she's yours, Nuitari." Branchala finally breaks the silence. "She's got a fine voice."

"The Council of the Twenty-One will come to order!" The colossal platinum dragon at one end of the room bellows.

"Ah, that's Paladine… time to listen, I suppose. It's been a pleasure meeting you, Renetari." Branchala gracefully snatches my hand and plants a single kiss on it, then returns to the other side of the room.

"He's a charming rogue." My father says disdainfully. "I've never liked bards."

"Order!" The dragon bellows again. "We have gathered here in the Halls of Nuitari- thank you, Devouring Dark, for that courtesy- to discuss what is to be done about Takhisis!"

"It requires a swift and painful vengeance." Sargonnas pounds a fist on the table Gilean is seated at, almost spilling his inkwell.

"Her avatar Mina is disrupting the balance of nature itself." Chislev says mournfully. "The dead should remain dead."

"Excuse me?" Chemosh apparently objects. "You say that I should have no power!"

"There will be order!" Paladine sighs. "Well, since order is a lost cause, I will introduce the twenty-first in our Council of Twenty-One- Renetari, daughter of Nuitari."

"I object." Solinari stands. "She is not a goddess, and she will not be allowed to stand as such! It is even worse you call her by the pretentious name her father gives her."

"Cousin, we are attempting to do something productive here, so if you'll put your petty arguments aside, sit down, and shut up…" my father half-growls.

"How dare you address me like that?" Wonderful. The second clash of egos in less than an hour… a fairly good track record for the Halls, but these past two were far more dangerous than most of the petty posturing that went on around here…

"Both of you!" I hear myself call out. "If you would both kindly sit down and shut up, I'd like to get this over with so that I can make sure a lich isn't sucking out my comatose shalafi's life force!"

Most of the posturing stops then, although I think I hear Chemosh say, "Good on the lich, then."

"Thank you, Renetari." Paladine nods, a calm and sagacious expression on his face. "I am certain all of you have your arguments against Takhisis. However, this is not a time to air grievances and commiserate. It is time to act."

My father walks up to the dais. "I have a plan to attack my traitorous mother when, and where, she's least expecting it. It is bold, it is unprecedented-"

"Stop telling us what it is and tell us what it is!" My aunt, Zeboim, shouts, her temper flaring.

"Thank you, sister." He glares at her. "As I was saying, this bold and unprecedented plan involves sending an avatar of our own to Krynn. With a few good companions, even Takhisis' most ironclad plans can fail- the second War of the Lance should make that clear."

"A second coming of the Heroes of the Lance? You, of all people, plan to resurrect Sturm Brightblade and Flint Fireforge?"

"Hardly." He dismisses the comment. "My daughter is a clear choice. She has the power of a goddess, but she is still human enough-"

"Our mages are gone, Nuitari." Lunitari speaks. "It will seem strange for a black-robed mage to be wandering the surface of Krynn."

"We can deal with the details later! We just need to get this vote through!"

A noise one would expect to come from twenty worlds rather than twenty gods overtakes the room.

"ORDER!" Paladine thumps his tail viciously against the wall. "Since it is obvious that no agreement will be come to in this state, we will reconvene the Council in a ten-day. Hopefully that will have given you all time to think about Nuitari's proposal."

As the gods begin to leave, Mishakal comes to me. "Renetari. I am glad to see my healing aided your recovery."

"It was a great help, lady."

"How is the elfmage doing? Has he awoken yet?"

"Not as of the last time I saw him." I shake my head. "And I can tell you, if he's awoken since, he will not be pleased… I was forced to leave him under the… watch… of Raistlin Majere and a magebound Dracart."

"The shock was intense. Earth is very far removed from Krynn, and you both incurred a massive amount of damage…" she trails off. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

"You did more than I could. Thank you."

----

"A price contingent on failure, Fistandalius?"

"That was what it always was."

"I evaded you."

"You were a special case."

"I believe her emotions will be far easier to manipulate than mine… the way I see it, you have an even chance of obtaining what you seek…"