Nine's Notes:
For all ye who are reading this, I will be embarking on vacation over the Labor Day weekend. Sorry, Dalamar Nightson, Feynman will be remaining at home, so I won't be able to post! I promise that I'll continue to write, and although there will be a week's break, there will be plenty of new Lux et Veritas for you to read when I return! Also, to make up for this, here's an extra-long chapter (seriously, this is almost as large as some of the chapters in my NOVEL. If I put half the effort into my novel as I'm putting into this chapter, I'd have the final edit done.). I expect you to review!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dragonlance. Capiche?
There are nine days left until the Council of Twenty-One reconvenes. My father is concerned about the vote- as it stands, we have two votes from evil for sure, and one from neutrality. In order to pass this, we need four votes from good, three more from neutrality, and one more from evil- Takhisis' presence has been completely discounted in this vote. We won't bother going to speak to some of the gods- Sargonnas is already pledged to my aid, as is Lunitari, while Kiri-Jolith and Solinari are lost causes.
Today, my father and I will travel to the Zhan. I've read of it- it is the sacred forest where Chislev rules, and where we might also find her consort Zivilyn or the god of animals, Habbakuk. I'm nervous about traveling there because the souls of virtuous elves and unicorns come to the Zhan. I fear they will be as hostile to Black Robes in death as they were in life.
I'm equally nervous about leaving Dalamar alone. I did some research on my own and discovered a spell that creates a phantom watchdog, and I plan to cast it before I leave. However, I don't know exactly how clever Fistandalius is- after all, if he managed to live for thousands of years as a lich, he must have some wit about him. I considered asking Raistlin, but I haven't been able to speak to him. I tried to look in his study, but there were three warding sigils on it- as close to a polite request for privacy as he'll ever make. I settled for slipping a note under the door… if none of the sigils light it on fire, then he should notice eventually.
The curiously chemical smell of this "hospital" assaults my nose and throat. The rest of my body doesn't hurt as much, although I've recently noticed that there's a clear tube of some sort inserted into the back of my hand. I pulled it out once, but it bled, so when I woke up to find it in my hand again, I decided that it would probably be better just to leave it alone.
The men in white coats- "doctors"- spend long periods of time puzzling over the wounds in my chest. This deeply amuses me. I haven't bothered telling them that they're an eternal punishment for treachery, inflicted upon me by my master. That, as the boy Adrian said, would make it all too easy to believe that I'm insane. One of the reasons we accelerated Renetari's return was the threat that she would be drugged beyond touching because of her mental "problems".
There's a strange toggle on the side of the bed that makes it magically change form. I keep the back up. I don't like lying supine. It makes me feel helpless.
Adrian's package contained a sealed metal cylinder with some sort of liquid inside, a hard, sweet smelling bar wrapped in metal foil, and a book. The cylinder confounds me still- I haven't been able to determine its purpose. I opened the foil-wrapped bar, and found it to be a bitter chocolate, far too bitter for my tastes. So, to entertain myself, I either attempt to reverse-engineer the cylinder or read the book. Both endeavors are equally unsuccessful.
The book is titled "The Elegant Universe". On the inside cover is a triangle and the word "Gwen", written in silver ink. Many of the margins have hand-written notes like spindly gray spiders. The language is similar to Common, with only a few minor changes; however, the content is nearly inscrutable. I do not know who this Einstein is, or why he's so important, and still don't understand what a cat named Schrödinger has to do with anything. However, I am intrigued by the idea that time can be like space…
Another of the "doctors" comes into the room.
"Good evening, Mr. Nightson. I am Dr. Gupta, from the Wound and Trauma Unit, and I just need to see your chest…"
I sigh and put the book aside.
"The smell here is heavenly." I remark. "The wet leaves, the ozone…"
My father raises an eyebrow. "Ozone?"
I allow myself a self-depreciating grin, remembering that chemistry is still a proto-science here. "The smell after a lightning strike."
"I'm fond of that one too." he replies. "Although I do prefer the smell of cities burning after lightning strikes…"
"It doesn't surprise me." I laugh, and it resounds through the great expanse of the Zhan.
I feel a warm tingle of love- no, approval- emanating from my father. I'm not disappointed.
Suddenly, I hear something. "Father?"
"I hear it." He says. "We can't kill anything in these woods, not even if it attacks us. It would destroy our chances with Habbakuk and Chislev, and very likely Zivilyn."
I run through the spells I know. Sleep is a good harmless one to begin with, and I could advance to holding spells and shinbratha… charming spells too, if it came to that.
The sound around me begins to separate into beats. "Equines." I say.
"Unicorns. A large grace, I believe." He replies. "They normally don't get much larger than six, but there are different rules in the Zhan." He draws me close to him, the black fabric of his robes draping over my shoulders. "We will have to be careful, my daughter."
"It goes without saying." I set the words of magic to my lips and watch the treeline intently.
I suddenly hear hoofbeats, and my father turns, releasing a wave of magic that catches the graceful creature mid-charge. Its knees crumple beneath it and it falls sleeping to the ground.
The hoofbeats pause for a moment, then resume again.
Another unicorn flies from the forest, its horn pointed squarely at my body.
"Shinbratha!" I shout, and it falls stiffly.
The other unicorns come out from the trees. Besides the two we felled, I can see seven.
"Listen," I say, hoping they'll understand. "You and I both know it would be a lot easier for us to release a cloudkill and be done with it. Consider why we're spending our time using spells a mageling could cast. Why would a god use a sleep spell if he meant you harm?" I don't mention that I actually haven't studied cloudkill- it's an area-effect spell- although I know that I could pull off a powerful enervation if I was called upon.
Their horns still remain pointed at us. "Nice try." My father says sarcastically. "They're creatures of pure good. Why would they make accords with two evil immortals?"
"How about another mageling spell?"
"And that is?"
"Expeditious retreat."
"Let's go one better." He speaks the spidery words of magic, and we begin to lift into the air.
"Fly… I need to learn that one." I still feel gravity, but my father holds me tightly to his chest. We are soon far above the unicorns, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
This sigh of relief proves premature when an arrow flies past my head.
"Elves." My father half-growls.
"I know a arrow-deflecting spell!"
"Then by all means, cast it!"
A few words, and a sphere ripples around us.
"Abjurations are Solinari's territory." I'm not exactly sure if he approves or disapproves.
"Not getting hit by arrows is mine." I shrug. "If it makes you feel better, I'm working on a variant that reflects the arrows back at their firer."
"That's my girl." He says proudly.
Another unicorn charges out of the woods. It is larger, and has a slightly ethereal appearance to it. It rears up, neighing proudly. "Nuitari! Renetari!" I hear a woman's voice, and am momentarily confused, at least until I notice the steed's rider. "I apologize for the poor behavior of my subjects. I assure you that it is quite safe for you to come down."
"Chislev." My father calls down. "I notified you of my visit beforehand. Surely you could have made sure that your subjects understood that they were not to attack us."
"And for that lapse of judgment I deeply apologize." Chislev says. "Now, come. You said you wished to speak with me."
"If one of those 'corns tries to impale us this time, don't expect as benign of a reaction." My father says warily.
"I can understand natural, paternal instinct." She dismounts, and gestures for the unicorns to fall back.
With a shudder of trepidation, my father lowers us to the ground, but he still does not release me. The unicorns glare at us. An elf comes forward out of woods, bow in hand and eyes flaring, and whispers something to Chislev.
She nods a dismissal, and he retreats to the cover of the woods. "Melenthas reports that you attempted negotiation with the unicorns, Renetari."
"Quite futilely, I may note." My father says bitterly.
She bends down and sets her fingers on the neck of the held unicorn. "No wonder they attacked you. It appeared dead, even to me."
"I'm sorry. It's a spell I invented myself, and I can understand if they haven't seen anything like it before-"
"I understand. You felt threatened." She whispers something, and the hold of my shinbratha spell is removed from the unicorn. It shakes its head, stands, and moves back to join the circle around the clearing. "So, Nuitari, what business brings you to the Zhan?"
"My daughter and I wish to discuss something with you, and we felt that you might be more comfortable having the meeting on your own territory."
"Of course. May I propose that we return to my residence to discuss this?"
"We would be more than happy to accompany you." My father says courteously.
"My standard form of transport here is unicorn-back, but I'm afraid they exude an aura that prevents evil creatures from approaching… I apologize for the inconvenience."
"I have not yet revoked my spell of flying. We will follow by air." He regrips my body, and we rise again, this time only about ten feet above the ground.
Chislev remounts her unicorn and spurs it forward.
The speed of our flight paces that of the unicorn, even as we dodge the branches.
"That unicorn seems different from the others." I remark.
"He's Chislev's special mount." My father says, his voice softened for its proximity to my ear. "From the celestial planes, and significantly more powerful than a normal unicorn. Faster, too- this spell would outpace a normal unicorn."
We follow Chislev's steed to a tower that looks more grown from the woods than built. Chislev dismounts, and my father lands.
"Welcome to my home." She says graciously. "If you'll excuse me, I need to speak with the leader of the elves in order to ensure that an incident such as happened today doesn't occur again. Kiba!"
A brown-haired elf woman in studded leather armor comes forward out of an alcove and bows respectfully. "Yes, lady Chislev?"
"See to it that Lord Nuitari and Lady Renetari are made comfortable. I have some minor business to attend to." she said. "I will meet them in the lounge."
"Come with me, lord, lady." She bows again.
The elf woman seems to serve the same function in Chislev's tower as Dracart serves in the Halls- a greeter and page for the goddess. She is significantly more courteous than the mage.
The tower seems mostly occupied by elves, with the occasional rugged-looking human. However, I've seen far fewer residents here than I see mages in the Halls.
"Kiba-" I try to start a conversation.
"Yes, my lady?" she says formally.
"Well, this is my first time coming to another immortal's residence, but I did notice that there are much fewer spirits within this tower than within the Halls of Nuitari."
"Oh, many of my kind prefer to live within the forest itself. I became page here as special reward for my service during my lifetime."
My father raises an eyebrow. "My page has his position because I disapprove of the actions he took during his lifetime."
"M'lady Chislev does not have to deal with such… undesirables, sir. We tend to be selective in the Zhan." Kiba's step is purposeful, silent, and almost military. "I do commend you on your patience with the Black Robes, sir. I… dealt… with some in my life."
Kiba leads us to a sitting room furnished with sofas and chairs that grow out of the floor. "Please, sit. I believe there's a good Silvanesti vintage on hand-"
"That won't be necessary, Kiba." My father dismisses her, and she leaves the room with the same disciplined stride. "It appears that many of the complications are already past. We have passed safely through the Zhan to Chislev's stronghold."
"Yet, most of the work has yet to be done…" I trace the grain of the armrest with my left hand.
"These negotiations will not be easy." He nods his agreement and sits, his robes flowing around him. "However, they will most likely be easier than the rest."
"We'll think about that tomorrow."
He smiles, and I know I've said something right.
A rush of cool air fills the room, and Chislev enters. "Nuitari, Renetari, I again apologize for the untoward behavior of my subjects. I have met with Gilthanas Kanan, and he will have the word out to the elves in the forest. My own steed is already visiting the unicorn graces. Before you leave, they should know that they are not to attack any immortal without my permission, and particularly not such illustrious visitors as the Devouring Dark and Renetari."
"You… called me by my name." I say, astonished.
"I am not as prejudiced as the Mighty Hand." She smiles. "Although I may not agree with the name's meaning, it is the name your father gave you."
"Thank you, lady Chislev."
"Now, if we can begin?" My father says impatiently.
"Certainly, Nuitari." She replies. "Your errand here is?"
"We came to determine your position regarding my proposal."
"So this is what it comes down to." Chislev says pensively. "Your plot against Takhisis."
"Chislev, you know full well that I only leave the Halls on business."
"Nuitari, the balance is at stake." She says with a sigh. "The unicorns attacked Renetari, therefore, she must have some evil in her. How do I know that she won't just go on a rampage, destroying all that lies before her?"
"Renetari, if you would care to enlighten us as to the nature of the Black Robes?" he looked to me. Now, apparently, I was supposed to prove his point.
"Well, one of the first things my shalafi taught me- after the basics of magic- was the philosophy of the Black Robes. Although we are evil, the magic and the balance are of paramount importance. If we went around causing random destruction, it would threaten the magic itself."
"You see, lovely Beast, as the Black Robes have restraint, so does Renetari." His smile seems akin to a venomous snake's. "In fact, she may practice this restraint more strongly than others. For example, out for concern for her master- who is unfortunately incapacitated- she has foregone working with important area-effect spells to ensure his safety from the lich she mentioned during the Council meeting yesterday."
"If you ever want to be rid of the foul creature, Renetari, send him here. The 'corns and the elves will make short work of him." Chislev says. "I shall have to consult my consort. If you will excuse me, I will go fetch him- I sense his return to the Zhan. Kiba!"
The elf returns. "Yes, my lady?"
"Find some refreshment for our guests. I will be gone but a moment."
"Yes, m'lady." She bows again, then leaves my father and I alone in the room.
After an extended silence, he says, "She has offered you aid. That is a good sign."
"I hope so." I stand and begin to pace. The room seems much smaller when I'm walking it.
I don't notice Kiba returning until I nearly bump into her. "M'lady." She says, then sidesteps me. A low table grows from the wood, and she sets a tray with fruit, two pitchers, and four glasses onto it.
As she walks out of the room, she stops. "Lady Renetari… I was wondering if you could… do me a small favor? I don't have any way to repay you, but… I haven't been able to find another way. There isn't much traffic between the Black Moon and the Zhan…"
"Speak, and I will consider it."
"I mentioned earlier that I'd dealt with Black Robes during my life… in actuality, one was my traveling companion. A Dark Elf mage from Silvanesti." She takes off a ring from her left hand. "We've both been dead for a while now. I was wondering… could you take this to him?"
"Who is he? Dalamar?"
"No, none so illustrious. If you ask him, it's Gale, Descendant of Vecna. His common name was Gale Lammas."
"East-mage?" I raise an eyebrow.
"A running joke between us." She says kindly. "Would you take it to him?"
"I haven't run into him yet, but I'll find him for you." I reply. "In thanks for your courtesy."
"A thousand thanks, Rebirth of Magic. If you are ever in the Zhan again, just ask for Kiba Wyrmslayer, and I will aid you." She bows again, then leaves the room.
"You are unusually good at winning allies." My father says.
"It's not hard. Just say the right word here, do the right thing there… it pays to be calculating."
"You approach it intelligently. Analytically, even." Another of his whisper-smiles crosses his face. "Exactly the way I would."
"Chislev, the Beast, and Zivilyn, Tree of Life." Kiba announces, then retreats to the hall.
Zivilyn strikes me as a strange fusion of Father Time and the drawings I'd seen of Celtic druids- a long beard, an upright posture, and the readily apparent connection to nature.
"Nuitari, you already know my consort. Renetari, this is Zivilyn, Tree of Life, god of wisdom." Chislev says. "Zivilyn, this is Renetari, daughter of Nuitari."
"It is good to meet the youngest god." Zivilyn offers me his hand. I take it, and he shakes it firmly.
"I'm happy to meet another member of my family." I say, then extract my hand.
"I assume you know our reason for being here, Zivilyn?" My father stands, taking advantage of the scant inches he has on the other god.
"Your proposal." He nods. "I have foreseen it, yes."
"So, god of wisdom, do you believe my proposal to be a wise one?"
Zivilyn paused. "At first glance, it does seem dubious. After all, sending a dark goddess to stop a dark goddess may only compound the problems."
I sigh. Hadn't we already beaten that metaphorical horse to death?
"However-" he catches me off guard, "I believe that Renetari has a great deal more compassion than the majority of the Black Robes. Her will will overcome her blood when faced with the Dragon Queen in all of her glory. I have discussed this with Chislev-" he touches her arm gently- "and we have decided that we shall support this resolution."
"Thank you, Lord Zivilyn, Lady Chislev." I smile.
"It is our honor, Lady Renetari." Chislev replies.
"You should be proud of her, Nui." Zivilyn says. "We would not say no to a child made in her image."
I feel the warmth in my cheeks that can only mean blushing.
"If you would take pride in your child having half of my tendencies, I would call you mistaken." My father says. "However, I have never been more proud."
That was the cue for me to blush even harder.
Raistlin smelled something burning. Cursing, he swept towards the source of the smell- the door to his study.
He stamped on the burning parchment until it ceased to combust, then gingerly picked it up. "'Gone to the Zhan'." He puzzled. "Most likely Renetari. Most likely attempting to make sure that that apprentice of mine stays safe."
He hadn't wanted any interruptions, and hadn't expected any, with three warding sigils on the door. Tenacious godchild. Of course it would be her who interrupted him and that green dragon of envy residing in his breast. He resigned the scorched parchment to the fireplace and returned to work on the illusion concepts.
Clarifications:
-Our poor, poor friend Dalamar is reading the book The Elegant Universe, by Brian Greene (one of my personal favorites). It deals with cutting-edge theoretical physics, in particular string theory… Poor Dalamar. The Krynnese don't even have a concept of space-time, and he's already being subjected to eleven-dimensional spaces… and by the way, Schrödinger's cat is a famous thought experiment to 'explain' quantum mechanics. Yep, I'm a physics major to the core!
-If you haven't caught on, Dalamar is attempting to reverse-engineer… a pop can.