Chapter 15 - Part 2

Thomas slid off of his mount carefully, making sure that the stormstalk did not come out from his cape, and that the hood shadowed the worst of the unnatural gleam in his eyes. He could feel the symbiont wriggling, wanting to be free, to burn and zap and fry all of the humans who were coming forward to talk to Delegado.

Wonderful flesh, perfect to build, take apart – no I will not – wonderful – stop – mother’s people they are, can we not form flesh as mother did in her stomach? Thomas pressed down on his scattered mind with a force of will that came from experience. When younger he had thought himself possessed, or perhaps a madman who talked to himself due to isolation, but he had gradually realized that was not it. He simply had two different ways of looking at the world, and the two thought in different fashions, with different sections of his mind. He distinctly recalled as a child when trying to walk that part of him was trying it out as a normal baby would, but another part of him was thinking of building legs from other people that were already walking. The same way that normal people heard and saw at the same time, he thought in two different frameworks at the same time.

“Are you well?” whispered Iron Orphan to him. He let his gaze settle on the warforged, and his two mindsets calmed. Iron Orphan was built of wood, stone, and metal, things that the daelkyr did not think of using when manufacturing. As such it was like staring at nothing for him. That part of his mind that always wondered what would happen if he took someone’s ears off and put them over someone else’s mouth was silent, untriggered by any stimuli.

“I fear for how I will be treated,” Thomas said simply. There were druids here. Where there were druids, there were Gatekeepers. Hate them, kill them, dangerous, burn their parts – unusual for him, every living thing was a potential pile of construction materials, but the Gatekeepers – I cannot allow – I should not be here. His stormstalk buzzed softly.

“Let Delegado do the talking,” Orphan said with a slight gesture. “He knows how the dragonmarked talk.”

What flesh does the dragonmark – Thomas thought that he could trust Delegado, but he didn’t think the orc trusted him – grow from? Fortunately the Vadalis people assumed Orphan was Delegado’s property – they are property themselves, cut and stitch and improve as kings we are – and that he was some other servant.

“Here’s the scroll written by Pienna, with her seal,” Delegado said, showing it to an older woman with white hair and a Vadalis-themed shawl – the deeper hair root can be taken out and she can be given white scales. “Aundair attacked with several wizards and five hundred warforged on lease from a Cannith excoriate named Lo’Paih. Many died, including Vuchen. House Sivis’ presence there was obliterated. Chubat, Pienna, and the militia fought back bravely, as did I, and as did the two behind me. That is Thomas, a hermit who was called to defend Merylsward by mystic dreams. That is Iron Orphan, a unique warforged that thinks for himself, a monk, and the last member of the Balanced Palm. He is now in the employ of my House. Both of them are valued comrades of mine. All but one hundred of the invading warforged and all of the Aundairians were slain. The remaining warforged were talked into accepting a cease-fire by Iron Orphan here, and they returned to Aundair.”

“And the civilian causalities?” the old woman asked.

“Vadalis lost twenty, and another two dozen injured. The town itself lost just under two hundred.” Several people swore or wept.

How to make their tongues swear in a tone that only dogs can hear? First – shut up – must improve – that’s mocking their dead – those dead were wasted, what beauty could have been created from them?

“There was evidence that a shapeshifter manipulated the Aundairians, but this does not excuse Aundair’s crimes,” Delegado said. “Pienna sent us here and arranged the rental of your pegasi for another reason. A prophet, a halfling touched by something we could not understand, has decreed that we must speak to Oalian. And this halfling was the first being targeted by Aundair. They may have attacked the village just to get to him.”

“Why tell them all of this?” Thomas groused to Orphan. “What trouble do we attract by talking about the prophecy?” Prophecy is wrong, it makes thing straight that I must bend to my will – but it also leads to peace – too long has it been since blood was released to be twisted – but now is not the time. I would be caught. I would be caught.

“Delegado’s call,” Orphan shrugged.

“He doesn’t even believe in it,” Thomas muttered. Show him by improving him. “Why didn’t he tell us that he was going to do this?”

“Why do you fear it?” Orphan asked him.

“You follow him blindly?” Thomas retorted. He felt his mind calm again as he focused on the monk.

“I acknowledge that he is the one who knows this situation, not I,” Orphan said, nonplussed.

“Chanting,” Thomas said, now listening past the conversation between Delegado and the woman people called Grandma.

“We are heroes, apparently,” Orphan said.

Thomas watched sourly as dozens more people turned the corner, singing their praises, led by an older man in armor who was flanked by two warforged. Each warforged seemed almost double Orphan’s mass. The older man was leading the chanting, but his mouth fell open and his voice trailed off as he caught sight of Delegado.

The Vadalis people around the old man stopped, staring at him curiously.

Fix their eyes when they look at him, they need five more – that’s a Deneith insignia on him.

“Why Brogan, you flatterer you,” Delegado said. The half-orc’s back was to Thomas, but the half-daelkyr could almost hear the big, nasty, triumphant smile that Delegado saved for special occasions. “I haven’t seen you since – well, since I watched Oalian kick your sorry behind out of this town.”

“Delegado,” Brogan said, his voice dripping with disgust and bitterness. He could do it better with a tongue in his nose as well, and insect wings on his eyes. It was beginning to become clear to Thomas was Delegado had so consistently avoided talking about Deneith. This man Brogan had been ill-treated in the past.

What else did he lie to me about I wonder, Thomas thought. Another part of his mind speculated that the answer to that might be found in Delegado’s stomach lining, which would be more efficient if it was draped over his back. For now the bitterness that Thomas felt towards other people was more in the surface of his thoughts. I trusted Delegado with who I am, but he does not tell me things that I need to know.

A hand with three fingers rested on his arm. “I sense your anger,” Orphan said. “And I am honored that you have opened yourself to me. But Delegado is not quick to return your trust because he trusts no one.”

“You are a mind reader now?” Thomas asked, trying to keep his eyes on Orphan. It moves, but what is it made of? It isn’t made of anything that should move.

“No, I read the set of our shoulders, and the tone of your voice,” Orphan said. “Be patient.”

“So you’re Brogan,” Grandma was saying. “There will be no unpleasantness here I trust?”

“Not from me,” Brogan said. “However I shall leave now, I can discuss my purchase here another time.”

“Make sure the gold coins aren’t just painted lead, Grandma,” Delegado said, snorting.

“You telling me my business, boy?” Grandma snapped at the half-orc.

“No, ma’am,” he said quickly.

“Good,” she said. “General Brogan, why don’t you go out via the west entrance, and come back tomorrow. Delegado why don’t you go out the north entrance to get to your House’s cottage and offices. I’ll let the Wardens of the Wood know what you told me, but I’m sure they’ll want to talk to you anyway.” She glanced Thomas’ way and the half-daelkyr felt his mind grow quiet from fear. “And Delegado, maybe the Gatekeepers should meet with you alone.”

How does she know? It was rare both parts of his mind had an identical thought, but it sometimes happened.

“Sure,” Delegado said, deliberately turning his back on Brogan. “Hey fellas, let’s go stretch our legs.”

Yes, to the most wonderful lengths, we can also add fins and – SHUT UP!