The assembly of wizards gathered over a large stone. It was a memorial of sorts.
"He wasn’t a bad man, all around," said Zercis solemnly. Burdock looked at the rock and turned away.
She had better things to do. A dozen smaller stones were on the way to the elves quarters. She could scarcely believe the stupidity of humans. The time and effort spent on these could have easily been spent on something more productive. More were added every day. The slivers attacked at random, and they almost always found a new place to strike.
The demolition of building three had had no effect at all.
Burdock’s room was slightly larger than the other elves’ rooms. Not because of her status, but because of her roommate.
The elvish with the sliver eyes sat in a corner of the stone room, staring into space. Burdock flopped down beside her. Silence reigned.
"Our wizard…?"
"He is not ."
… "His friends mourn him."
"They are wrong."
"Why does this wizard matter?"
"He is the only one who can lead us out."
Burdock snorted and brandished her sword.
"When the worst comes, I will lead our kind."
"You will not." The ’s silver eyes, a product of some horrendous experiment, turned and stared fixedly at the wall.
"He comes."
Burdock slipped quietly into the night, closing the door behind her. How had the servant that lived here survived without the sun? She could almost feel the darkness press against her skin. The hall was made up of a giant hall in the middle, with dozens of small alleys leading off, lined with rooms.
Burdock didn’t move as she felt someone coming toward her. A hand gripped her shoulder…more like a claw actually… Lerief’s face was a grotesque parody of good humor.
"Good morning..or.. evening..my good elf!" Lerief did not look well. His face was chalk white, as was his hair. His eyes were coal black. His face seemed to be a mass of tiny wrinkles. The claw-like hand tightened its grip.
"I have been observing some animosity toward the governing parties of this group." The false smile never wavered. Burdock shrugged indifferently.
"This can’t go on elf, surely even you recognize the dangers of mutiny." Burdock’s eyes narrowed.
Lerief patted the elf patronisingly. "That would be when your followers…" Burdock swatted away Lerief’s hand.
"The elves are not quite so stupid as you think, big wizard."
"Of course not…" Lerif leaned in and suddenly his smile was a snarl, "If I go down, so will all of you fools on the board."
Lerief straightened and his false smile was back.
"See you around." Burdock stood still for a moment.
A voice came from the shadows behind her.
"What a rude boy he’s become."
The apparition that said it was Pemmin stayed several feet ahead of Burdock. He had refused to speak much in the alley, but said that they could speak freely elsewhere.
The sewers bothered Burdock no more or less than the rest of the building in the project. She was a bit puzzled by the fact that Pemmin seemed to have no difficulty navigating the knee-deep slurry. He was completely wrapped head to toe in dark cloth, and seemed oddly thin.
"Watch your step now." The indistinct figure stepped into a nearby alcove and pulled aside what appeared to be a part of the floor. A short crawl through a tunnel led to a large, dank, and noisy room.
Rusty machinery loomed into the dusty heights of the room. The machinery moved constantly, clanking and rasping. The dark cloaked man turned and removed his head wrappings. It takes a lot to phase an elf, but the sight managed to do it. The intire head appeared to be made out of a kind of flowing, shiny substance that was bluish in tint. Where a normal human would have eyes, he had slits of light.
Burdock drew her sword. The slits of light narrowed, and the creature waved a hand.
What Burdock had assumed to be a lump of debris stood up. It was a monstrosity that appeared to be made of rock, with lines of lava networking its face. It wasn’t bulky; rather, it was tall, and looked extremely powerful. It grabbed by the throat and lifted her bodily. The liquid creature began to pace without moving any legs.
"I’m going through a difficult time at the moment, so you’ll understand that I’m a little self conscious about my appearance." Burdock slashed at the beast to no effect. Pemmin sighed.
"Drop her, Callow."
The camp was full of odd shapes. Some seemed to be made of liquid, like Pemmin. Some seemed to be gaseous. Callow was unique.
"I don’t know why we gots to bring anybody here, Pemmin." Said the lava-scarred effigy in a dangerous rumbling voice. They were crossing the cavernous room slowly; passing despondent and often indistinct shapes huddled on the floor.
"Shush now, my young friend. I have every confidence that Miss Burdock will not expose us." They finally appeared to have reached their destination. It was another hunched shape on the floor.
"What have you got for me, Disgusting?"
A face that seemed to be made up of planes and angles turned toward Pemmin. The beast had clearly once been a Cephalid, but that could hardly apply now; it seemed to be some sort of light blue, living crystal.
"Hardly anything. I was too busy laughing about that puddle you call a face." The face proclaimed morosely.
The two gripped appendages like they were old friends. The crystal figure spoke again.
"It’s like you suspected. All of the contact weaves are damaged to much for remote use."
"Did you check the distress beacons?"
"Do you have any faith in my thought process at all?"
"…Well?"
"They aren’t working either."
"Well then we will have to move to Plan B."
"You’re the boss."
Burdock shifted her feet and cleared her throat. Pemmin glanced over.
"Oh yes, of course, I nearly forgot, excuse me, Nemian."
Burdock found herself lifted off the ground and unable to move.
"You must excuse me, Miss Burdock. That report could not wait."
"What was it I was going to say again? I know it was rather cliché…oh yes…"
"Either you’re with us, or you’re against us."
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Official Slavering Discworld Fan of the Forum Pirates
Pemmin is a little put off at the moment because of the fact that he and his group of followers were left for . The fact that the other group is still following Lereif, and that he can't deal what with is happening to himself has made him hostile.
He's not completely loopy however, as he can see that a few dislike Lereif as much as he does(this is why he is "trusting" Burdock.)
As far as "explaining" things to Lereif, Pemmin would love to do so, but it tragically interfers with plan B.
I have to take a leave for a while guys, I have computer troubles.
Chapter 10
The assembly of wizards gathered over a large stone. It was a memorial of sorts.
"He wasn’t a bad man, all around," said Zercis solemnly. Burdock looked at the rock and turned away.
She had better things to do. A dozen smaller stones were on the way to the elves quarters. She could scarcely believe the stupidity of humans. The time and effort spent on these could have easily been spent on something more productive. More were added every day. The slivers attacked at random, and they almost always found a new place to strike.
The demolition of building three had had no effect at all.
Burdock’s room was slightly larger than the other elves’ rooms. Not because of her status, but because of her roommate.
The elvish with the sliver eyes sat in a corner of the stone room, staring into space. Burdock flopped down beside her. Silence reigned.
"Our wizard…?"
"He is not ."
… "His friends mourn him."
"They are wrong."
"Why does this wizard matter?"
"He is the only one who can lead us out."
Burdock snorted and brandished her sword.
"When the worst comes, I will lead our kind."
"You will not." The ’s silver eyes, a product of some horrendous experiment, turned and stared fixedly at the wall.
"He comes."
Burdock slipped quietly into the night, closing the door behind her. How had the servant that lived here survived without the sun? She could almost feel the darkness press against her skin. The hall was made up of a giant hall in the middle, with dozens of small alleys leading off, lined with rooms.
Burdock didn’t move as she felt someone coming toward her. A hand gripped her shoulder…more like a claw actually… Lerief’s face was a grotesque parody of good humor.
"Good morning..or.. evening..my good elf!" Lerief did not look well. His face was chalk white, as was his hair. His eyes were coal black. His face seemed to be a mass of tiny wrinkles. The claw-like hand tightened its grip.
"I have been observing some animosity toward the governing parties of this group." The false smile never wavered. Burdock shrugged indifferently.
"This can’t go on elf, surely even you recognize the dangers of mutiny." Burdock’s eyes narrowed.
Lerief patted the elf patronisingly. "That would be when your followers…" Burdock swatted away Lerief’s hand.
"The elves are not quite so stupid as you think, big wizard."
"Of course not…" Lerif leaned in and suddenly his smile was a snarl, "If I go down, so will all of you fools on the board."
Lerief straightened and his false smile was back.
"See you around." Burdock stood still for a moment.
A voice came from the shadows behind her.
"What a rude boy he’s become."
The apparition that said it was Pemmin stayed several feet ahead of Burdock. He had refused to speak much in the alley, but said that they could speak freely elsewhere.
The sewers bothered Burdock no more or less than the rest of the building in the project. She was a bit puzzled by the fact that Pemmin seemed to have no difficulty navigating the knee-deep slurry. He was completely wrapped head to toe in dark cloth, and seemed oddly thin.
"Watch your step now." The indistinct figure stepped into a nearby alcove and pulled aside what appeared to be a part of the floor. A short crawl through a tunnel led to a large, dank, and noisy room.
Rusty machinery loomed into the dusty heights of the room. The machinery moved constantly, clanking and rasping. The dark cloaked man turned and removed his head wrappings. It takes a lot to phase an elf, but the sight managed to do it. The intire head appeared to be made out of a kind of flowing, shiny substance that was bluish in tint. Where a normal human would have eyes, he had slits of light.
Burdock drew her sword. The slits of light narrowed, and the creature waved a hand.
What Burdock had assumed to be a lump of debris stood up. It was a monstrosity that appeared to be made of rock, with lines of lava networking its face. It wasn’t bulky; rather, it was tall, and looked extremely powerful. It grabbed by the throat and lifted her bodily. The liquid creature began to pace without moving any legs.
"I’m going through a difficult time at the moment, so you’ll understand that I’m a little self conscious about my appearance." Burdock slashed at the beast to no effect. Pemmin sighed.
"Drop her, Callow."
The camp was full of odd shapes. Some seemed to be made of liquid, like Pemmin. Some seemed to be gaseous. Callow was unique.
"I don’t know why we gots to bring anybody here, Pemmin." Said the lava-scarred effigy in a dangerous rumbling voice. They were crossing the cavernous room slowly; passing despondent and often indistinct shapes huddled on the floor.
"Shush now, my young friend. I have every confidence that Miss Burdock will not expose us." They finally appeared to have reached their destination. It was another hunched shape on the floor.
"What have you got for me, Disgusting?"
A face that seemed to be made up of planes and angles turned toward Pemmin. The beast had clearly once been a Cephalid, but that could hardly apply now; it seemed to be some sort of light blue, living crystal.
"Hardly anything. I was too busy laughing about that puddle you call a face." The face proclaimed morosely.
The two gripped appendages like they were old friends. The crystal figure spoke again.
"It’s like you suspected. All of the contact weaves are damaged to much for remote use."
"Did you check the distress beacons?"
"Do you have any faith in my thought process at all?"
"…Well?"
"They aren’t working either."
"Well then we will have to move to Plan B."
"You’re the boss."
Burdock shifted her feet and cleared her throat. Pemmin glanced over.
"Oh yes, of course, I nearly forgot, excuse me, Nemian."
Burdock found herself lifted off the ground and unable to move.
"You must excuse me, Miss Burdock. That report could not wait."
"What was it I was going to say again? I know it was rather cliché…oh yes…"
"Either you’re with us, or you’re against us."
He's not completely loopy however, as he can see that a few dislike Lereif as much as he does(this is why he is "trusting" Burdock.)
As far as "explaining" things to Lereif, Pemmin would love to do so, but it tragically interfers with plan B.
I have to take a leave for a while guys, I have computer troubles.