Tornoth and his new partner, a male Orc named Bulshnak, headed towards their destination. Bulshnak had the charisma of a potato, droning on through the rulebook and zinging Tornoth for even the slightest infraction. The horseless carriage stopped at the foot of a dirt driveway leading to a small house. \u201cSteelhorn Haven,\u201d grumbled Tornoth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe correct address is\u2026\u201d interjected Bulshnak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI lived here when I was a calf, so I\u2019ll use the name Dad gave it!\u201d snapped Tornoth. Bulshnak scoffed at being brushed off like that as they exited the carriage and went up the driveway. They arrived at the door and rang the doorbell. \u201cI\u2019m surprised Dad wanted anything to do with us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith you, specifically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLook, I may not be the favorite of the herd, but I\u2019m not disowned. Dad still keeps in contact with me.\u201d The door opened to reveal Gorfanth. \u201c\u2026Well, well, well! Hello, Gorie!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat did I say about that stupid name?!\u201d snapped Gorfanth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSorry, Gorie.\u201d Tornoth laughed. \u201cWhat brings you back home?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFamily help. There\u2019s a wagon train that needs to get to the Welmark Well of Fire and it needs to be there by tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the train full of? Your old dollies?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI can\u2019t believe I\u2019m saying this. \u2026Tornoth, I need to arrange a continual delivery contract with the Galdredan Reliable Road Services.\u201d Tornoth stared\u2026then fell to the porch floor in hysterical laughter. Bulshnak arched a hairy eyebrow as Gorfanth just gave his brother a deadpan look. Tornoth then climbed up the porch\u2019s support and held himself to the railing as he calmed down. \u201c\u2026Finished?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWait, you\u2019re serious?\u201d asked Tornoth as his amusement faded faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes. I need a route to the Well and you guys offer the fastest routes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat do you need us for? We\u2019ve all been there once or twice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou more than us! The routes Great-Grandpa took when we were younger were closed off and he\u2019s getting on in years!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI thought living on a skyship meant you didn\u2019t NEED help!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLiving on a skyship means knowing when to ask for help and I\u2019m asking for help now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRegretfully,\u201d fussed Bulshnak, \u201cRegulation 7, Subsection 9, paragraph 3 clearly says that we cannot negotiate a contract at so late a time unless there was a form of assured quid pro quo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat sort of quid pro quo?\u201d asked Gorfanth, suspiciously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat can vary from client to client,\u201d answered Bulshnak. \u201cIt can be an actual service now or a later favor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026I\u2019m more inclined to accept a later favor,\u201d remarked Tornoth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cForget it!\u201d snarled Gorfanth. \u201cI\u2019d rather owe a favor to Reb Rojam than you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen we can\u2019t negotiate a contract at this time,\u201d chuckled Tornoth. \u201cRegulations are QUITE clear! Have fun finding someone else!\u201d He and Bulshnak then departed as Gorfanth mooed angrily at their backsides before slamming the door. \u201cI love making him mad!\u201d Tornoth chuckled to himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRegulation 4!\u201d fussed Bulshnak. \u201cPotential clients may NOT be an\u2026antago\u2026\u201d he trailed off as he looked up in the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s up with you?\u201d asked Tornoth as he followed Bulshnak\u2019s gaze. His own eyes then grew to the size of dinner plates. Flying overhead was the white broom band!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA\u2026Are those\u2026?!\u201d stammered Bulshnak. \u201cTh\u2026They look like\u2026! Galtrak, protect us! They\u2019re real!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cQuick! Into the house!\u201d urged Tornoth. They pounded up the drive and back onto the porch. Tornoth retrieved the spare key from a panel inside the exterior wall, put it into the door lock, opened the door, then they dashed into the house and slammed it shut, panting in fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat are you two doing in here?!\u201d protested a voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGORFANTH!\u201d cried Tornoth as they whirled around to face his brother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter with you?!\u201d snapped Gorfanth. \u201cYou sound like you\u2019re going through puberty!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2026don\u2019t be stupid!\u201d stammered Tornoth as he regained his gruff voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMe?! You\u2019re the one who flew in here like he\u2019s seen a ghost!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaybe I did\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat? You know what, forget it. I\u2019m in no mood for crazy explanations. That wagon train needs to leave tonight, so fine! Take it and I\u2019ll owe you a favor!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEr, never mind the favor! I\u2019d be more than happy to help my big brother! No charge whatsoever!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Really?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOf course! We\u2019re family, aren\u2019t we? We gotta help each other out!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOookaay, I don\u2019t know who you are or what you\u2019ve done with Tornoth\u2026but I\u2019ll take your offer. Actually\u2026\u201d a wicked grin then crossed Gorfanth\u2019s snout, \u201cI must insist on repaying the favor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI won\u2019t tell everyone you squealed like a calf!\u201d Tornoth\u2019s tail flicked in irritation as he looked at Bulshnak. The Orc shrugged and he sighed in defeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFine. I\u2019ll accept that. Where\u2019s the wagon train?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGarage shed 2. It\u2019s already opened.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ll drive the carriage up and hook it up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSplendid! Pleasure doing business with you!\u201d Tornoth snorted as he and Bulshnak left the house. Gorfanth then looked at the small altar. \u201cWhoever\u2019s watching the whole thing, this is probably wicked of me, but I\u2019m gonna enjoy hanging this over his head!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next night followed and Endea was awake again! Her overhaul was finished, and she enjoyed a nice meal after being welcomed back. She was then taken on a rail-ride similar to the one Lardeth and his group took. Her companion was Nazay at the time and he had taken her to a 4 F\u2019s show with the Wonderous Whites as the stars. They had recently made their ships Mechanicas and they became members of the family. After the show, Endea and Nazay returned to the open auto-coach and went back down the line\u2026before running into a complication. \u201cAnd people say I <\/em>can\u2019t navigate on the ground!\u201d grumbled Nazay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d asked Endea as she brought the coach to a stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFace it, Endea! We\u2019re lost!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow\u2019s that possible?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause we don\u2019t know where we are!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNazay, it\u2019s not like we took the wrong road! We can only go where the tracks take us! Since we passed over a bridge spanning a lava river, I\u2019d say we\u2019re on a branch line near the Welmark Well of Fire!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhich we shouldn\u2019t be! We\u2019re supposed to be on the MAIN line!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe there was a points failure, or maybe the Signalman made a mistake. In any event, I fail to see this as OUR problem! We\u2019re probably about 500 Mebs from the Old Palace Theater Station. If I\u2019m right, we stop there, then get directions back onto the main line from the Stationmaster.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m just not too keen on traveling down an unknown line in the middle of the night away from your main body! What if someone\u2019s meant to come down this way?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re right. Maybe we should go up and check.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026I guess that\u2019s the best plan we\u2019ve got so far.\u201d Endea then brought the auto-coach up to a cautious speed and they went down the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEr, Nazay, are you familiar with the White Riders?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve heard that legend dozens of times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen, about the sightings\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHonestly, I think it\u2019s all some ridiculous hoax. Someone\u2019s trying to stir up a panic. Maybe one of Dr. Borg\u2019s plans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy would she want to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo demoralize us, maybe. I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll see them.\u201d Oh, if only Nazay was right! After getting directions back to the main line from the Stationmaster, they went down the line towards a loop that led to the main line. Traveling down the loop, there was a light. As they came nearer, the light could be seen as a fire\u2026with the broom rider band hovering above them and casting something with their wands at the fire! \u201cOkay, I take back what I said!\u201d cried Nazay. \u201cSweet Olpen! What\u2019s going on?! Why\u2019s the ground on fire?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt looks like\u2026!\u201d gulped Endea. \u201cCommander, you don\u2019t think that\u2019s\u2026a gateway to the Depths, do you?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m not in a mood to find out! HIGHTAIL IT!\u201d Endea opened the throttle and the coach roared down the track!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unbeknownst to them, the band heard everything and saw them make a break for it. The leader shook their head. \u201cSpotted and we made them panic,\u201d they grumbled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI TOLD you guys this operation wouldn\u2019t work!\u201d snapped a second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCome on, be fair!\u201d argued a third. \u201cThere\u2019s plenty of broom rider traffic! This kingdom\u2019s got the most broom riders in all the Realms!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNone of them are an all-white band,\u201d remarked a fourth. \u201cWe stuck out like a sore thumb just enough for people to spot us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou know, if I were a superstitious person,\u201d mumbled the last, \u201cI\u2019d start thinking that the White Riders were around.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen we don\u2019t have a choice,\u201d muttered the leader. \u201cI\u2019m calling it.\u201d They activated a communicator. \u201cYour Majesty, people spotted us and ran in a panic. Operation: Warning Web is a failure. \u2026I\u2019m sorry, Your Majesty, but after an auto-coach fled from us, we felt like we had no choice. \u2026Very well. We\u2019ll be there shortly. Good night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s it, then?\u201d asked the fourth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s it,\u201d confirmed the leader. \u201cWhitefleet Platoon, return to base.\u201d The broom riders then took off for their base of operations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tornoth and his new partner, a male Orc named Bulshnak, headed towards their destination. Bulshnak had the charisma of a potato, droning on through the rulebook and zinging Tornoth for even the slightest infraction. The horseless carriage stopped at the foot of a dirt driveway leading to a small house. \u201cSteelhorn Haven,\u201d grumbled Tornoth. \u201cThe […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1442,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,236],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-3074","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-3-the-first-strike","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3074","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3074"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3074\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3083,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3074\/revisions\/3083"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1442"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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