Armegon had been haggling with the halfelf for almost an hour. Ultrecht's meager two hundred gold coins that represented all but the barest minimum of expense funding had multiplied into the two thousand coins it would take to purchase the Westward Cutter, reregister her as the Westwind Cutter and the necessary materials to resupply and outfit her for the open ice again.
That multiplication of monies had come about with the aid of a simple long duration illusion spell. Armegon knew that Avery would never approve, and though a tightwad at heart, Ultrecht too would frown at outright fraud. Ultrecht would rather twist the wording of a contract than pay with phony coins. But the outcome was the right one, and Armegon walked out of the harbor master's office with the title to the Cutter and supplies to boot.
The ship was in his name, because the bureaucracy had red flagged Heiniken's name and had he even mentioned the dwarf's name, no amount of cash would buy the boat. So when he returned to the inn and announced that the Cutter was theirs, he was very careful to explain that he had had no choice but to buy it in his name. He did, however offer Heiniken the Captaincy with the stipulation that he would be underpaid until his back wages equaled one half of the ship's price, then he would be co-owner.
"That way," Armegon explained, "the bureaucrats will stay off your back. They may be able to prevent you from owning a ship, but they can't tell me who I can and can’t hire."
Heiniken, misty-eyed, thanked Armegon with such sincerity that even Ultrecht was touched. Regalus also thanked Armegon on his nephew's behalf.
Avery and Calista joined the dwarves in a toast to the rebirth of the Westwind Cutter while Ultrecht needled Armegon covertly. "I gave you two hundred in gold and you bought a ship with it?" He smiled overly huge. "Tell me what scam you pulled this time?"
"The old illusionary gold scam," Armegon replied.
"Really, how long will it last?" Ultrecht asked.
Armegon considered carefully. "The spell will probably time out in about two weeks. I put a lot of energy behind it."
"Naturally," Ultrecht agreed. "We certainly want to be far away from here when the guy realizes that he’s been taken."
"That’s the whole point," Armegon said. "By that time, those copper pennies that I used to make the illusion will be well into circulation. No one’ll know where the fraud was committed. Now all we have to do is get those dwarves to repair the ship and do it quickly without raising suspicion in 'you-know-who'."
"I can't see why he’d be suspicious," Ultrecht said. "Avery’ll just assume you struck some bargain, and that you only leased the craft or something like that."
"Well, let's see to it that that’s all he knows," Armegon said wearily. "He’s just too honest, and if he knew what I’d done, he would spend the rest of his life trying to pay the harbormaster the money I cheated him out of."
Armegon, Ultrecht, and the dwarves went about the business of repairing the Cutter while Avery and Calista collected the supplies they would need for a long voyage. Heiniken was none too happy to hear that their first destination was Midway Island. He had taken the Northern Passage before, and he insisted that it was no place to try an untested or refitted ship, but Armegon insisted that urgency was important and that they really needed to get to the western lands as soon as they could.
Heiniken was still apprehensive, but he was also grateful for his ship so he agreed. He and Regalus went about procuring the items they needed to refit the Cutter as well as making some improvements while Armegon and Ultrecht took care of the paperwork involved in transferring the title and obtaining a license to operate. Ultrecht also suggested they look into finding some cargo. He pointed out that as long as they were going to the west they might as well make little money. Armegon greedily agreed.
Avery and Calista had been in the forest all morning. They had found Mirfak at a stream taking a drink through a break in the ice and the three had done a little trapping together. They had gathered some small game animals, and were in the process of dressing the carcasses when Calista reminded Avery of his promise to teach her to shoot a bow. Avery left her to finish the cleaning with the assurance that he would go straight-away and gather the materials he needed to make her a good bow.
He roamed through the woods for almost an hour before he found what he was looking for. In a snow drift covered thicket was an ash sapling struggling to grow. It was starving for sunlight that it would never receive due to the thick canopy of trees overhead and the choking brush beneath. The sapling, a seasonal species in a sub-arctic climate, was doomed as it was so Avery had no qualms about harvesting it prematurely. He trimmed the limbs from the main trunk which was about the diameter of his wrist. With the two meter long stick in hand, he returned to the glade where Calista and Mirfak were waiting.
"Won't that be too big?" she asked.
"Not when I am through with it," he assured her. "First we will shave the bark off and let it dry out. Then I will plane it down and thin it so that you can hold it comfortably. By then it will be about as tall as you are and very light. When all that is finished I will treat it with a resin and we will make a string for it." He passed the stick to Calista and shouldered the sack with the meat inside. There was enough to last them several weeks if they smoked it dry. Calista lifted the pelts and the two of them headed back to the city.
"What of Mirfak?" she asked. Avery looked at the huge wolf and nodded. Calista got the feeling that they were speaking to each other. A moment later and the animal lumbered off into the woods alone.
"Is he coming with us?"
Avery shook his head. "He doesn't like the ice," he told her. "He will return to the cabin. Nikki’ll be glad for the company. She pretends to hate him and they fight all the time, but they really are very fond of one another."
Calista smiled. "That's sweet."
Avery and Calista sold the pelts in town for fifty gold coins, which Avery turned over to Ultrecht immediately.
"But we trapped those animal," she protested as the two of them ate a snack. "That’s our money."
"What would you do with it?" Avery asked.
"Well, er, I would, um, get some new clothes or maybe buy some arrows for my bow," she answered.
Avery looked at her thoughtfully for a moment then nodded. "Okay," he agreed. "Ultrecht is up in the room working on the manifest. Go ask him for money to buy arrows."
Calista left the table and went upstairs. A few moments later she returned. "He gave me two gold coins and told me to get some salt as well," she announced.
"Arrows are not expensive," Avery told her. "One gold coin will buy you a score of arrows."
"But I wanted our fifty coins," she protested.
"Do you really want to carry fifty coins around all day long? When you get through buying something, you are most likely going to get the change in silver coins. That will add up very fast. Before you know it you will have twenty-five pounds worth of coins to drag about."
"Well doesn't Ultrecht ever get tired of carrying all that money?"
Avery shook his head. "No," he said. "Ultrecht has a magic pocket that can hold thousands of coins without getting heavy. That’s why we let him keep the gold."
Calista began to understand. "Besides," she added after a moment's thought, "all those coins would jingle a lot when we were trying to be quiet."
Avery grinned and leaned over and gave her a polite kiss on the cheek. "That too."
Armegon found Regalus and Heiniken at the smithy. They were hammering away at a long piece of thin metal. It looked like an ice boat runner. Two apprentices and a journeyman were assisting by stroking the furnace and dousing the two dwarves with water.
When Armegon stepped into the forge, he was almost flattened by the intense heat. Before he had even fully passed through the doorway, sweat had broken out on his brow and when he fully entered the area, he was soaked in sweat. It was a fantastic contrast to the frozen oceans and snow blanketed fields outside.
He returned to the cooler environment of the office and waited for many long moments until finally, the pounding of the hammers ceased. This was soon followed by Regalus's emergence from the forge. He spoke momentarily to the desk clerk, then invited Armegon back into the heat.
This time when Armegon stepped through the door, he was surprised to feel the temperature much cooler than before. Several vents on the roof and some others on the lower part of the walls had been opened. The heat escaping through the roof pulled cool air in from the wall vents. Regalus urged Armegon over to the anvil and tools. On a work bench, the runner lay cooling.
"This is what we’ve spent the last several months working on," Regalus announced proudly. "This is an alloy of silver and a metal called titanium. The titanium’s very light and very strong. The silver will accept and hold an enchantment. Together they should be able to outrun just about anything on the ice.
"That’s a very good idea," Armegon commended. "How soon can you get the other runner's made and attached?"
"Well attaching them is no real problem," Heiniken said. "Runner repair’s done all the time. It’s simply a matter of propping the Cutter up, removing the old runner and putting the new one on. The whole operation can be done in a day.
"The problem is the forging. Titanium’s very resistant to heat. We have to push the very limits of our forge to get it hot enough to work with. Naturally that much heat’s demanding on the apprentices and our journeyman, so we have to shut down to allow them to rest and cool off and consume lots of water. Then we have to do the whole thing again. The most time consuming part is heating the forge back up."
"Is it just a matter of getting it hot, or must it be done slowly?" Armegon asked. "Well the forge itself just needs to get very hot." Regalus said. "The metal must heat slowly, but that’s not the problem. We have to stoke and stoke the furnace for hours sometimes to heat it up enough."
Armegon patted Heiniken on the shoulder. "Captain," he said, "I may just be able to help you."
Ultrecht had just returned from closing a deal on transporting a load of wheat to Midway Island when Armegon caught up with him. "Good news," Ultrecht greeted him. "I got us some cargo going both ways. We can haul wheat to Midway, and return with a shipment of fine wine."
"Great," Armegon said. "But first we have to get the ship ready to leave, and to do that you are needed at the forge."
"Hey, I don't know anything about working as a blacksmith," Ultrecht complained.
"You do know something about magic and heat," Armegon pointed out. "And right now we need a lot of heat."
When Armegon returned with Ultrecht, Heiniken, Regalus and their workers were waiting. Everything was laid out and ready for the furnace to be fired. Armegon quickly outlined the plan. Ultrecht would use his elemental magic to generate an intense heat blast and at the same time, Armegon would use his own magic to contain the heat. It was a simple variation on the stunt he had pulled during the test of the Oracle over a year ago.
"But the use of elemental magic will give us away." Ultrecht pointed out.
"It will," Armegon agreed, "but this is a Tycarian providence so I don't see Blackpuss or Quickdraw popping an army in after us. If only a few of them show up, we can lick them, and if they try to come in stealthily, we’ll be long gone before they get here. All they’ll find is a legitimate business who hired a passing wizard to relight their forge."
"You don't think they’ll impose the same sanctions as they did to Heinikin," Ultrecht asked.
"Now that we are partners in Mr. Thundersledge's business, I’m anxious for them to try," Armegon replied. "Now, back to business..."
Ultrecht agreed that the heat buildup would be enormous and he made some calculations as to how strong his spell needed to be without melting the stone walls of the furnace. In a matter of a few moments, they were ready. The initial fuel was put into the furnace to sustain the fire once it was started. Heiniken ordered the vents closed and the staff to back away from the furnace.
Ultrecht took a piece of red chalk and drew some characters on the floor. He inscribed them in a large triangle and then placed one foot in the center of the triangle and the other foot on the left corner. He held forth a talisman that Armegon recognized as the talisman of the eight elements. Ultrecht then drew forth a piece of sulfur from a pouch and began an incantation.
The room turned deep red as the chalk line on the floor glowed incandescently. When the lines flared brilliantly, Armegon began his own spell. It was a very simple one and required no real effort, but the consequences involved in a miscast made him nervous. He knew enough of Ultrecht's special magic to know that enough energy had been called up to obliterate the forge and everyone in it.
Right on cue, Ultrecht stretched forth his hand and the chunk of sulfur ignited. He threw it into the furnace, and Armegon threw a barrier of pure force up completely surrounding the furnace. A half second after the globe of force was cast, the room rocked and was bathed in a brilliant burst of light. The Globe held, though and the explosive force and heat was concentrated within the furnace.
Armegon then ruptured the globe on the side facing the exhaust flume and a great whooshing of air sounded. The room instantly was bathed in the heat of the fire. Humidity that had been drawn in by the side vents suddenly vaporized and a blast of heat knocked most of the taller occupants of the room to the floor.
Immediately Regalus started shouting orders. He and Hienikin began working the metal at once. Armegon and Ultrecht retreated to the outer office. They were followed momentarily by Heiniken, who advised them that they had saved about four hours work and that they would now be able to get the last two runners completed by the next day if they worked late.
In actuality it was two days before they could finish the runners for the ship. A repeat performance by Ultrecht and Armegon was needed due to an injury one of the apprentices sustained and the forge had to be shut down for a day. But true to their word, the new runners of the Cutter were of good quality and ready to be attached.
Heiniken and Regalus did the reattachment themselves. Armegon effected the repairs on the rudder and steering mechanism, and Avery and Calista fitted the new sails to the new mast. It was bound to happen so no one was really surprised when a well dressed, beady eyed man approached the berth and hailed Heiniken down on the ice.
"Mr. Thundersledge," the skinny, sharp nosed human called. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"
Heiniken ignored him.
"Mr. Thundersledge, I asked to speak to you."
Heiniken glared up at the man and then wiped his hands. The dwarf made no effort to hurry as he climbed the rope ladder up to the wharf. He approached the visitor and spat on the ground. "That's Captain Thundersledge, mate."
The man looked down his rat's nose at the dwarf. "That remains to be seen," he said coldly. "I have a manifest for this ship. I became curious when your name was listed as the captain because I know for a fact that your license to operate a shipping business had been revoked. Are you planning to illegally transport goods?"
"I plan to transport goods," Heiniken confirmed. "The legality of it is not my concern."
"Oh , but it is my concern," the man sang. "I told you that you’d never work in this port again and I intend to make good on that threat." He put his snooty nose into the air and turned to go, but drew up short when he walked into Armegon's dagger.
"Can I help you?" Armegon asked with honey dripping from every syllable. The man couldn't speak, he was so taken by the open display of a weapon.
"Mr. Srupton," Heiniken beamed proudly. "Allow me to introduce to you the proprietor of the Westwind Cutter and my employer, Mr. Armegon."
"Might I also add," Armegon said without cracking a smile, "the holder of the operating license and lease of this berth?"
"Sir," Srupton stammered, "I had no idea."
"Obviously," Armegon stated flatly. The smile was gone.
But Srupton was not about to give up. "Well, sir, if I might have a word with you?" He looked disgustingly at Heiniken. "Alone," he added.
Armegon nodded and Heiniken returned to work. When the dwarf had disappeared, Srupton started talking. "Sir we have had problems with that dwarf for a long time. I strongly urge you to reconsider his employment. In fact sir I insist you reconsider. You’ll find that none of the guild sailors will work for him."
"Oh, and why not?"
Srupton's beady black eyes were shifting. A sure sign that he was either nervous, guilty or lying. Any one of which alerted Armegon not to trust him. "Well sir, he has made some very powerful enemies and he has committed some political espionage. In addition he has violated several shipping regulations and the reason his ship was taken in the first place was to settle his outstanding debts."
"Really?" Armegon looked surprised. "I thought that hiring the former captain of a ship was the best way to get one going. I mean certainly he knows more about this particular vessel that anyone else."
"Oh, not at all, sir." Srupton was almost drooling. "These ships are almost all the same. I suspect that you could find another captain quite easily--a better captain quite easily. At least you could find one who experienced sailors would work for," he added as he eyed Avery and Calista in the rigging.
"But Mr Srupton," Armegon begged, "I thought these sailors would work out just as well. I hired them off a cargo barge in the Glass Desert."
That caught Srupton off guard, and he paused for a moment. "They may indeed be better than laymen," he pointed out, "but the Glass Desert is far different than the ice is."
Armegon looked crestfallen. "I had so wanted to start my own freight line," he said. "I wanted to do it my way so that my family in Aspberg would be proud," he watched Srupton for any signal and got it as the name of the city caught the man's attention.
"Are you from Aspberg?" he asked quietly.
"Why, is it a crime?"
"No, no," Srupton said reassuringly. "I just wanted you to know that the reason that dwarf you have hired was decertified is because he acted against Lord Blackheart. I myself am from Aspberg," he announced.
"I was sure you were," Armegon said with a edge to his voice, but Srupton missed it.
"House Blackheart paid me a lot of money to railroad that dwarf and I recommend you break all ties with him or you may face the Dark Lord's wrath as well."
Armegon became stolid. "What’d he do to deserve that kind of treatment."
Srupton glanced back at Heiniken. "He gave passage to some enemies of House Blackheart knowingly."
"And for that he loses his ship and license?"
"Lord Blackheart's arm is long," Srupton declared. "I myself have found favor by carrying out the Lord of Aspberg's will."
"What became of the passengers that Blackheart so feared?"
"I recommend you watch what you say lest you feel how long Blackheart's arm really is," Srupton warned.
"I beg your pardon," Armegon apologized. "What happened to his enemies?"
"Well that’s unclear," Srupton replied. "There are rumors that they were gods and that in a final battle, they faced off with Serpent and Morteous and were defeated, but at the cost of greatly injuring the Firstborn and the warlock both. But the official word is that they were slain in Gly-ou-vogue by Serpent single handedly."
Armegon couldn't stand it anymore. He burst out laughing with a howl that got the attention of the entire crew of the Cutter. Srupton misinterpreted the reaction and joined in. "I share your joy," he said. "Lord Blackheart is truly the man destined to rule the universe."
"Listen to me you insignificant pee-on," Armegon hissed. "I am that 'god' that Blackpuss fought in Gly-ou-vogue, and I soundly whipped him, his brother, and wiped out half his army with but a flip of my wrist. My name is Armagon, and I know your face. I’m going to dwell here and do business here and if I even imagine that someone is giving me the run-around, I’m going to come looking for you. Trust me, you don't want that to happen."
He got right in Srupton's face and had the man shaking in his soft soled slippers. "Now get out of my sight and send our cargo through customs or I’m going to come after you and shove every splinter of wood this dock is made of up under your fingernails, up you arms, up your throat and out your mouth. And I’m going to keep you alive to experience the whole thing. Now move!" To add a little emphasis to his statement, Armegon stamped a foot and magically enhanced the shock to rock the entire wharf. Then he watched amused as the paper pushing administrator retreated at top speed.
He walked back to the dock very pleased with himself. "I am a 'god'," he announced.
"What?" Ultrecht asked. He was sure he had misheard Armegon's statement.
"I am a 'god'." he repeated. "The House of Blackpuss has decided that anyone who can whip them in fair combat is a 'god'."
"Right," Ultrecht laughed. "All hail Armagon, god of swollen heads."
Avery and Calista both bowed mockingly. Armegon critically eyed the young lady. "She’s been hanging around Avery too long, I think."
Regalus and Heiniken finished replacing the runners long before the first set of carts arrived with loads of grain. Under Heiniken's direction, the dock workers loaded the Westwind Cutter's hold and by the end of the day Regalus reported that the new runners were set and the weight of the cargo was not straining the joints.
Armegon had had the steering mechanism overhauled while the runners were being made, so it too was ready to go. Heiniken looked it over and agreed that it was ready at least to be tried out on the open ice, for only there would the real test be made on the rudder brakes and sails.
Avery and Calista had the sails ready to be drawn, but it required extra hands so they waited for the dwarves and Armegon to help them. Ultrecht was below inventorying the cargo and supplies.
By sunset Heiniken announced that they were ready to go, but Armegon insisted that they had one last bit of business to attend to as he and Ultrecht climbed down to the ice. They conferred together for a time and then began weaving an enchantment. It took a full two hours, and Avery had to carry a torch down to illuminate the area for them.
When they returned they were both very tired. Avery explained to the others that the enchantments involved permanent magics and required a great deal of effort. But Armegon proudly announced that the runners of the Westwind Cutter now carried an enchantment worthy of her owner. When pressed Ultrecht would say only that the enchantment would insure that ship's runners were bound together so that they would either all be in contact with the ice, or none of them would.
After a moment Heinikin began to see how powerful that simple condition made his ship. That meant he no longer had to carry the extra weight in sandbags to control the ship's center of gravity, it couldn't tip over. Not only that but tacking would be far more efficient because he no longer had to worry about runner's coming off the ice. It might slow him down slightly in traveling perpendicular to the wind, but the titanium runners sharpness and the lack of weights should cancel that out as well. Ultrecht and Armegon were geniuses, and Heiniken proudly proclaimed it.
"You are forgetting," Armegon laughed, "I am a 'god'."
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