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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Iron Sky" data-source="post: 5064683" data-attributes="member: 60965">Session 28, Part 6 <Only got one post up last week, so here's an extra-longerish one!> “There's no way that is going to work,” Kormak said, staring in disbelief as Suniel's motley crew swarmed across the Skyland, planting metal spikes, dragging chains, hammering planks, and a dozen other tasks. “If it is constructed according to the structural designs I drew up, the weight should be evenly distributed evenly amongst the chains and-” Kormak raised his hands.  “I don't care that much, stop already.” He turned to see Harold walking out of the town, bow in hand.  “How goes the cleansing?” “We found several of them holed up in the sewers.  They've been eliminated.” “Lose anyone?” Harold shook his head.  “I specifically put together this unit for their skill at eliminating the dead.” “Handy.  Seems like that type of capability would be especially handy back at the Crystal Towers right about now too...” Kormak said.  He ignored Harold's dark look and walked off looking for Dog. *** Bail held onto one of the chains and leaned over the side of the Skyland, staring down as the Skyland slowly raised.  The chains began to creak and groan, as did the wooden planking of the Turtle's platform, but it held.  Over at the Henge, Velea moved the Skyland around for a few minutes and, aside from some slight swaying when she changed directions, the platform seemed stable. “Guess that construct is good for something after all,” Kormak said, sitting with his legs dangling over the side of the Skyland and munching on a biscuit he'd probably swiped from the Coach House. “What is the dwarf good for?” Keeper said as he walked by up the path. Kormak watched Keeper walk away then turned to Bail.  “I can never tell if he's joking or not.  I'd be inclined to believe constructs can't joke – just look at Suniel's Guardian.  It's just a shiny, walking chunk of silversteel.  I think I prefer it.” “Let's go find Suniel, figure out where we're going,” Bail said. A bit later they were standing next to the makeshift fort Harold's unit had put together atop the Skyland. “Where to now, oh mighty wizardly one?” Kormak said, tossing the last bit of his biscuit to Dog.  The mutt munched happily. Suniel turned from a discussion with Keeper, Harold, and Velea.  “We're heading towards the True Stone of Light.” “And where exactly is that?” Bail said. “It is to the northwest, a fair distance.  My access to the Nexus tells me it is far, but I will know precisely where it is when we are closer, as I did with the Lightning Stone,” Keeper said. “Is the Nexus like someone else talking inside your head or something?” Kormak said, squinting up at Keeper. “Are thoughts like someone else talking inside your head or something?” Keeper replied, returning the dwarf's stare. “I was wondering if we should maybe stop by Port and contact Bradic,” Harold said. “Why, so you can try to get him to send more people to die at your doomed-” Kormak said, silenced by Suniel producing another biscuit from seemingly nowhere and shoving it in Kormak's mouth. Bail grinned. The dwarf shifted constantly back and forth between being amusing and being annoying.  When Kormak was annoying Harold, it was about the best entertainment around. “It makes sense,” Suniel said.  “We should perhaps warn him to evacuate Port.  Tell them Keeper.” The construct nodded and stepped back with his hands clasped behind him like a soldier about to address a superior officer.  “I have heard some things from the Nexus.  It is quite likely that more testing incursions like the one we observed in the Freeholds are occurring as we speak.  As they intensify, they will begin targeting larger and larger settlements.” “Such as Port,” Suniel finished.  "I'll contact Bradic now." “What?” Bail and Kormak said together. Suniel closed his eyes, murmured, and made a series of rapid gestures.  He held out a small blue stone that began to glow faintly.  When he opened his eyes, he spoke. “Bradic, it is Suniel, can you hear me?” “Uh, what the...?  Hello?”  The voice seemed to be coming from a long ways off. “We are... heading roughly towards Port and we wanted to know how things were going there.” “Right.  Things are crazy.  Those golems you talked about have been attacking everywhere.  The whole of the Freeholds are in chaos. Talking to the empty air and having it talk back is really strange by the way.  Oh, the Locath have gotten really active and started 'taxing' all the ships that cross Landspear Lake on the way to the New Freeholds in Steamport's old lands.  Will you be coming here?” Suniel shook his head.  Bail wondered idly if Bradic could see the motion or if the elf just did it out of habit.  “No, at least not for a while.  We have business further north.  We do suggest that you evacuate the city.  An... inside source suggests that any concentrations of people will attract more Iron... more golem attacks.” “Evacuate Port?  We just finished securing it!” “And if you keep 'securing' it, an army of rusty metal contraptions will fly down there and blast you and it apart with their lightning-beam eyes,” Kormak said.  He looked at the others and shrugged.  “What? Might as well let him know what he's in for.” There was a long pause, then a sigh.  “All right, I'll see what I can do.” The blue glow on the stone faded. Suniel took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders like a man who had been deep in concentration. “So the Freeholds are in chaos.  What else is new?” Kormak said. “Now what?” Bail said. “Now we fly until we find another True Stone,” Suniel said. “And then?” “We hope no one has laid claim to it.” “And if they have?” “We try to convince them to let us have it.” Bail grinned and tapped his sword hilt, then the side of his head.  “Say no more.” Kormak walked a few steps down the path in the direction the Skyland was heading.  He struck a pose, leaning forward and sheltering his eyes with one hand and pointing off to the horizon with the other.  “Onward, to danger, the unknown, and killing things for to take their stuff!”  Dog pranced around him, barking excitedly. Suniel sighed and Bail shook his head.  “This is going to be a long trip.”</blockquote>

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