Chapter 77 – Too old to care about being polite

A/N: I think I've finally figured out the formula.

Maikana + nothing = useless
Maikana + ADHD meds = not useful enough to get writing done.
Maikana + More ADHD meds = Too useful... hyperfocus gets me fixated on the wrong things.
Maikana + ADHD meds and an afternoon espresso = Sweet spot where the writing happens!

Now I just need to get more beans, I ran out two weeks ago and didn't realize the impact it was having on me until I got a latte this afternoon and found myself in the zone this evening.

---------------------

As the atmosphere in the chamber bled away the energy that Har had engendered with his story, faces took on the more appropriate somber look of leaders assessing a threat. All but one of them at least. Blonc maintained his sharp toothed grin, his eyes sparkling with both delight and a lust for violence.

“Marvelous!” The Martial exclaimed, “Well done, youngling!” He beamed in Kori’s direction as he spoke, his visage eliciting a shiver down her spine. “As for the vermin, not only were they plentiful, but organized beyond their typical pestering. Either they’ve found themselves a leader, or one has imposed itself on them again.” He waved his talons in Kles’ and the piled documents direction, “There’s a record in there somewhere of the cowards being oppressed by a troll warlock a few generations ago, instead of fighting back they became its lackies until the humans eventually put the lot of them to the blade.”

He shook his head briefly, “Not that I think it’s the same, the war curses it placed on its minions would have been pretty obvious, but who knows what else they’d demean themselves by following.” He scoffed, the idea of goblins submitting to just about anything stronger than themselves, which he considered to be pretty much everything, yet another demerit to the goblin’s standing.

“Whatever they follow, we must take measures to prepare ourselves. “Ortik interjected once there was a pause, “Tuli, we’ll need the updated maps. I want you to begin collapsing disused tunnels that we don’t need.” He turned aside to Bolst, “Work with her, I’ll need you to ramp up trapping efforts anywhere we’re exposed.” He raised a hand to forestall the question he knew was about to come, “Yes, you can implement your plan to move the flask…”

The statement sent ripples through the room, some Elders clearly displeased with the plan, while others were just relieved that there would be an end to his complaints. Kori could have sworn she even saw a tear in the old trapper’s eye.

“Blonc, we’ll of course need teams scouting.” He addressed the Martial, getting the excited nod in return that everyone expected. “I want confirmation of what we’re facing as soon as possible, once we have it, we’ll have to decide how to proceed.”

That there was any question on how they’d proceed seemed non-sense to the battle-hungry kobold, “How to proceed?” He scoffed, “We’ll hit them where they sleep and keep doin it until there aren’t any left, obviously.” He said it so matter of factly that it didn’t occur to Kori that he was speaking of killing hundreds, perhaps thousands, of goblins until she took a moment to really process what he’d said.

Rather than refute his suggestion of genocide, the Chief just shook his head and gave a non-committal “We’ll see…”

From there he went back to the others and one by one, gave them their tasks. Most of them were things obvious to Kori and things that each assignee would have done regardless, like increasing food stockpiles, fortifying checkpoints on tunnels, and similar measures. Though ordering Har back to the town as soon as possible to engage with both the local leaders and the Adventurers Guild, which earned a scowl from the typically neutral Chieftain, came as a bit of a surprise for Kori. She didn’t expect she’d be seeing the surface quite so soon again.

That particular order received protests from the mine foreman, she’d just gotten her mate back from possible disaster and wasn’t keen to see him venture back out quite so soon. The matter was settled by one of the few that hadn’t received some task or other. She could leave much of the preparations for a fight to Blonc, so Ylst herself volunteered to travel to the surface with Har. With the Arcanist along, any ambush would find much more than they bargained for.

Kori had begun to think that her mentor had been worried for naught as the meeting seemed to wind down, everyone ready to begin their preparations.

The Martial strode towards the door at the front of the pack, nearly out the door when he turned his attention back to Kori, “Well, come along youngling. No idea what the scale a combat herbalist will be, but I guess we’ll find out!” He spoke as though it were a foregone conclusion, that there was simply no question that Kori was going to be following him.

Her head jerked up when he had called on her, she even tried to take a step in the opposite direction, the wall she was standing along making it impossible. “Huh?” She muttered. “What?”

“My thoughts exactly, Blonc.” Har replied. “What gives you the idea that my apprentice would be going anywhere with you?” He stood and squared his shoulders, trying to seem larger against the physically imposing fighter.

“Your apprentice?” Blonc chuckled, “You’re just where she ended up, we all know she’s not going to be a trader.” He shook his head like the idea was preposterous. “The whelp just took out six goblins barely lifting a single claw, if that doesn’t scream warrior then I should have been a matron.” He paused briefly and looked abashedly at Kles, who seemed torn between cackling at the image and giving the unruly fighter a hefty swat on the back of his head. “No offense intended, matron.”

“So what? I could have done the same with one of her flasks in hand.” Har retorted, his eyes going wide as he saw it a moment too late that he’d walked into the Martial’s trap.

“Exactly!” Blonc bellowed triumphantly. “She’ll be ready for the fight in a few years, but until then she can outfit my warriors with all the weapons in her arsenal!”

The more the boisterous man spoke, the paler Kori’s scales became as she began having visions of standing alongside the warriors as they advanced on a village full of goblins, everyone tossing her flasks into their midsts, clouds billowing into existence with each flash of ignition, screams of pain and terror echoing from the shrouded depths.

He wants me to do that again? Not just because I had to, but to actually be a Class that wants to be out there fighting, over and over, struggling and killing for every level?

Her mind spun with the thoughts of not simply having to defend herself should the need arrive, but to seek out conflict to fuel her growth. To be like him even, to revel in the violence of it. She saw herself in armour, a flask in one hand and a spear in the other, striding over the writing form of her foes and ending them much as Zln had done.

No, not foes… victims… that’s what they’d be.

While her world dissolved into terrifying images of what her concoctions could inflict under Blonc’s command, the Elders argument continued unabatedly.

The idea of sending the youngling into battle incensed Har, he knew she could be so much more than a weapon to be pointed. “You want her to fight? Are you insane?” He exclaimed, to the shock of nearly everyone present. “You would waste her talent, whatever it is that she becomes, on fighting the occasional conflict?”

Sides began to form as the argument continued, some remaining standing near the door with Blonc and others gathering at the tables with Har. Those that had spent the most time with Kori gathered in support of letting her be, Aldr, Ylst, Korse, and Har standing against Blonc, Angler Deq, Bolst, and an apologetic looking Tuli who didn’t allow her affection to sway her opinion.

The only two that hadn’t joined either side were the Chieftain and the elderly matron, both of whom remained in their seats.

As the argument continued to become heated, Ortik stood and called for silence. When that failed to produce any noticeable result, he drew upon his mana.

With the suddenness of an arrow striking a target, the room stilled as the light of the braziers dimmed and an oppressive force pressed down on their very spirits, making them feel as though a rodent in the presence of a great predator. An intangible being made itself known within the chamber, a thing of mists and shadows standing tall upon naught but air in the middle of the room like a spectre of violence ready to be unleashed.

“Enough!” The Spiritcaller shouted. As his word echoed in the stone chamber, the apparition that he’d called forth faded and the muted lighting returned to its rightful hue. “Do you even realize the impact of your words?” He raised a claw and pointed to the youngling that was being argued over. The one now curled upon the floor shaking and mumbling. “Does that look like a warrior to you, Blonc?!”

As the attention turned to her, all could see that Kori was nearly incoherent.

“She wouldn’t be half as bad if I’d been able to toughen her up a bit before she saw her first combat.” He tried to dismiss the concerns, though even some of his allies seemed to have lost confidence in his side. “She’ll be fine! Half the new younglings aren’t ready for a real fight, especially the mages.” His comment, even though it was not entirely inaccurate, earning him a scowl from Ylst.

Ortik did not look convinced, but before he could articulate as much Ylst replied instead. “Yeah, and the ones that get like that end up as inscriptionists.” She paused briefly before saying in a lower tone, “Or break and go on a rampage…”

No one wanted to acknowledge her statement, they all knew it could happen.

While the others debated, Kles took it upon herself to do her matronly duty, caring for a young mind. She was beaten there by Korse, of course, but even he gave way in the face of the ancient kobold.

The matron’s simple but firm statement of “Shush”, was delivered with neither raised voice nor accompanied by oppressive mana, but stilled the room more effectively than Ortik’s display had previously.

“It’s Okay, Kori.” She whispered soothingly as she stroked the youngling’s scales and pulled her head to rest in her lap. “Shh now, we’ll sort this out. You don’t need to worry.” She gave Korse a knowing look and a brief shake of her head before she turned her attention back to the others.

Her eyes were hard when she raised them back to the bickering Elders. “You’re behaving like fresh hatchlings fighting over the juiciest beetle.” She admonished.

Her words had the expected impact as the others shrank back and looked ashamed of themselves.

“Now, the pair of you,” pointing between Har and Blonc, “are going to give me whatever reasons you believe are valid that this youngling should be among your apprentices.” She told them in a tone that said she would tolerate no nonsense. “You first.” She said, pointing a Blonc.

“Of course,” He puffed himself up, thinking that going first meant she favored him. “First is that her goos and vials are clearly best used in my warrior’s hands.” He nodded like it was obvious, only to be immediately disabused of the notion.

“So, because their healing is best used by warriors to stay in the fight, you should be in charge of the shaman too?” Kles asked him, leaving him sputtering as she easily dismantled his assumption.

“Well… no… they need the special training from the Circle.” He stammered. “She,” waving at Kori, “doesn’t.”

Kles nodded at his statement, but gave no indication of her thoughts.

“Second,” He continued, “She took down half a dozen goblins by herself. Half my warriors would struggle to do the same.”

Again, Kles spoke up, “Did she?” She replied ponderously, “Or did the vial that just so happened to have been thrown by her do so?”

“What’s it matter?” The Martial retorted, a bit of heat entering his voice. A risen brow was all it took to humble him and cause him to mumble a quick, “Sorry.”

Returning to a more deferential tone, “Whether she throws them or someone else, she’ll need to experience battle to know what we need and what to make to help us.” This statement received just a nod and no comment, emboldening him to continue. “And if she’s going to get that experience, I’ll need to train her to fight, to wear armour, to get past…” waving his hand in Kori’s general direction, “That.”

After waiting for him to continue for several seconds, Kles spoke up, “Very well, anything else to add?”

“Only that just a few months past the Elder’s that now argue against my mentorship, sat in this room and argued whom to saddle with her, none wishing the responsibility until Har stepped forward as a last resort.” Blonc replied arrogantly, highlighting the fact that none of the others really knew where she truly belonged either.

“My, my, they did?” Kles laughed, “I suppose I hadn’t been here for that particular discussion.” Shaking her head, though no one was sure if it was at them for not making sure she was there or herself for missing it. Or maybe she was just poking a little fun at their expense. It was hard to tell with her lately.

“Well then, Har?” She turned the attention to the trader. “What have you to say?”

“Thank you, matron,” he began, “I agree with your well reasoned points, her creations are simply tools that any…” Before he was interrupted.

“Scale off with the merchant act and speak plainly, Har.”

Mouths hung agape staring at the matron, the statement completely outside of expectations for the woman who would typically insist on propriety and manners. The only sound for several seconds her own laughing.

“Uh… ahem… yes….” Har stuttered trying to compose himself. “Well… As you said, her creations can be used by anyone and as Blonc himself admitted, none of us are truly qualified to train her. But, she needs a steady supply of ingredients, both known and unknown, to continue to develop and I am the sole Elder suited to procuring her those ingredients.” His usual confidence was no-where to be found in his statement.

The matron’s rebuttal was equally harsh for Har as she had been for Blonc. “So, in order to procure her these things, you must also be her mentor?”

“Well… no…” Har admitted. “But I must work closely with her to know what she needs or to discover what new ingredients she might use.”

She gave him a nod and waved for him to continue.

“Next is the fact that we won’t always be fighting.” He continued, trying to undermine his opponent. “Under Blonc her talents will be wasted when there is peace, which is most of the time.”

Kles frowned at him before interjecting, “I believe I asked why she should be your apprentice, not why she should not be someone else’s”

Har took a moment to process the rebuttal before replying, “Ah, yes, I suppose you did. My apologies matron.”

Again, he got nothing but a nod and a wave to continue.

He thought for a moment before trying to rephrase the same thing, turning it from against Blonc to being for himself. “Under my care she will, and has already made inroads to, provide a steady source of income for the clan that will help us combat the steadily increasing cost of feeding our people.” He stated, “Her concoctions have already made an impression on members of the surface town and a plan is in its initial stages to begin dealing in them in the future.”

Kles seemed to see the part that he was leaving out, “And she will be engaging in that trading as the merchant? Or will you be brokering everything while she simply makes your goods?”

Har slumped slightly before responding, “Well… no… she’s terrible with coin…” He admitted, “I know we don’t have much use for it amongst ourselves, but I really wish we’d teach the younglings about currency…”

Ortik spoke up, exasperated by the old argument raising its head again, “Leave it Har, that’s a long-settled argument.” He sighed.

Kles just smirked before asking, “Anything else to add?”

“Yes.” Har replied. “None of you saw her after the battle, she is not suited for it. We would lose a rare talent if we forced her into the field.” He gestured down to the form of the youngling, still resting her head upon the matron’s lap. “She would be better off, regardless of to whom she is apprenticed, secure in her lab to continue surprising us with her creations.”

This finally provoked a grin from the elderly kobold, “About time one of you said something smart.” She laughed.

Blonc took that as a bad sign and began to speak, receiving a raised hand from Kles to stop him before he could get more than a few noises out. “You’ve each had your time, it’s my turn now.” Her words stopping him cold. “You’re both right, she’s not suited to any specific role, or mentor, here in the clan.” Everyone frowned at the implications of her words. “That hasn’t really happened for over three hundred years, I checked, and do you know what we ended up with that time?” She waited, giving them a few moments to ponder before raising one of her claws to point to Brewer Aldr, “Brewers, that’s what.”

The Elders looked a bit confused at her response, as far as everyone there was concerned the brewers had simply always been a part of the clan, but here she was saying that wasn’t the case.

“That’s right, before then we had no brewers, and before that came the traders too, we never needed them when our kin soared the skies above.” Kles continued, espousing less known details of their history that she was familiar with. “We might just be seeing a new role emerging here within the Emberscale clan.” After a few moments for that to sink in she grinned and let them have it. “And I’ll not have you dullscaled morons mucking it up!”