Next chapter coming up.

Thank you for all the comments, I really appreciate you having the time to put them up. It just makes me wanna keep going with it. As I'm sure you're all aware, I am not a fan of the submission procedure on this site and if you want an easier time reading this story just copy and paste this to go to /spots/dresden-files-series/forum/post/162546/title/cold-days-version-new-dresden-files-book

Here you go.

Chapter 4

The catacombs and tunnels below were extensive and it took me a good fifteen minutes to navigate them and find the war room. Several times I came across wardens and their stone temple dogs, eliciting looks of astonishment from them and even an interested sniff whenever I got close to their four-legged companions. The torrents of raw energy beneath my feet, from the ley lines, making my hair stand on end and my pace quicken. Before long, I was admitted into the War Room where several Wardens were milling around or grabbing some sleep on the comfortable couches scattered around the room.

I gazed around the room to find McCoy sitting in a quiet corner all by himself; with his head rolled to one side he might've been asleep. I didn't have a chance to find out though as he stirred and turned his head in my direction, responding to the sudden quiet that had descended on the room. All motion had stopped as heads turned in my direction, before they resumed whatever they were doing with a nervous quickness that preceded vacating a room as soon as possible.

When only McCoy and I remained, he rose from his seat and approached me slowly, eyes locked on my own. When he stopped right in front of me, I smiled uncertainly at him before saying "Gramps," in a quiet tone.

"Hoss, my boy" was all he could get out before suddenly catching me in a rough hug, tears gathered in the crinkles of his weathered face. Pulling back, he looked me over as if unsure it was really me and chuckling, said "Mab's work?"

"She has a great tailor and dry cleaning service if she doesn't Sir," I replied.

Ebenezar's booming laugh rang in the chamber this time accompanied by a smile that lit up his face, "good to see you my boy at any rate." He added.

"That it is," I said as I surveyed the room, "where do you think everyone went?" I asked, winking at him.

"Somewhere else I'd imagine, who knows. Now, what happened to you after we last saw each other because rumours about you have spread far and wide and I didn't know what to believe about any of them. Not that an old farm hand like myself pays attention to them anyways." He said as he seated himself in a nearby chair and motioned I sit as well.

So I made myself comfortable as I told him what had happened after we parted ways at Chichen Itza and how my excursion into the ghost plane had been a gamble taken by Uriel to correct the imbalance of my death and the lesson I had learned from the trip. I finished by telling McCoy of my conversations with Mab and my current investigation.

As I talked, I saw McCoy's face falter with astonishment and sadness in equal amounts as I described the darkness spreading through my hometown and my verbal sparring with Mab.

By the time I had finished talking and told him of the suspected involvement of the Fallen on the attack of Arctis Tor, he got up and started to pace slowly. "So you're here to find out all you can on these Fallen, their allies, and whether we have any recent intelligence on their movements?" he concluded for me.

Hey, you don't live as long as someone like McCoy unless you have the intellect he does.

"Where can I get the information I need, though?" I mused.

"Ancient Mai would be your best bet, especially when talking of the fallen. She did some research after we took to the field against the Reds and a lot of it concerned the possibilities of mortal involvement when dealing with the Outsiders." He said with a wry smile as I cringed. Mai scared the hell out of me and she didn't like me one bit after I dropped a challenge to the whole White Council a while back.

"Is she here now then?" I said with certain trepidation.

"Aye, she is. Most likely she's in the Crystalline Hall or the Offices. All of us have been rather busy as of late in the time since you've been gone Hoss, though whether your appearance here will bode well or ill with others remains to be seen I fear." He replied with concern etched on his face. "If you want I'll come with you and make sure she plays nice", he added.

"I could use the company in that case, Sir. Though knowing that Mab is finally ready to throw her weight in with us would give me a little wiggle room if Mai's distaste gives us problems."

Rising from our chairs, McCoy rubbed his legs as he said, "could use a walk to work out the stiffness in these aging limbs anyways." Shaking his head, he adjusted his robes before leading the way out through another door and into the damp corridor beyond.

Lengthening my stride to match his, we walked side by side through the extensive corridors and hallways, passing Wardens with more shocked faces every hundred or so yards. I offered the staff back to McCoy, but with a little shake of his head he refused, saying that he had brought a replacement from his farm and left it in his chambers here in Edinburgh. I was relieved I got to keep it, as it would have taken me ages to make myself a new one even if he had brought another blank for me.

Little conversation passed between us after that as we continued on our way, though we found comfort in it as we were happy with the company. Before long though, we passed another pair of Wardens and were admitted into the Crystalline Hall.

I'd only been in the Crystalline Hall once before, and only in passing through to get to LaFortier's chambers a few years back but the place was huge. Spanning an area nearly as large as the Speaking Room, it was representative of its namesake. Embedded within the granite walls were precious gems that glittered in the soft glow of lanterns that gave off a warm glow. Rubies, sapphires, diamonds, emeralds and other precious gems and metals were scattered throughout the Hall and the lighting made it look like each shone from within.

Whenever the White Council moved its headquarters, it usually took time to put up the nigh-impenetrable wards and other security protocols so during that period, time would be spent on areas like this. Things like the veins of gold and copper that laced through the granite were there already, but over time, the Council had hoarded a lot of the gems and the Crystalline Hall demonstrated the raw power upon which the Council was founded and what is still possessed.

Standing there with my mentor and grandfather at the entrance, I allowed myself a sweeping look around and was taken in by the grandeur which I had missed on my first pass. Aside from the gentle lighting of a thousand gems, there was very little else in the room. Small alcoves in the granite were filled with either bookshelves or writing desks and chairs where guests and some of the older and more permanent Council members could peruse the old, and sometimes crumbling, books, journals and scraps of parchment present.