Chapter 17.5: Gun

Okay...this took longer than expected.  Justin Carmical's tragic passing, work, frustrations, and generally life being busy has kept me from getting as much done as I would like.  However, I have kept plugging away at it and this chapter is done.  I'm taking a week off after this post for personal reasons, mostly related to me having to travel and do some interview for work.  I will be BUSY.  However, I do intend to get back to this as soon as possible and in the meantime, we will have weekly updates, as per usual, with character spotlight and possibly a followup to this chapter with a Kernel of Interest, depending on how I feel.  I look forward to the next chapter because...well...wait and see.

Anyway, enjoy.  This is Chapter 17.5: Gun.  Yes, really.  Just roll with it.

            Mina and the others stopped just short of the stairwell leading up to the tower's only door.  The gigantic undead formed a wall behind her, Aeon, Celine, and Yuka, casting a large shadow over them as they held their parasol shaped arms of bone over them to keep the fiery rain at bay. 

            "So...do we just knock?" Mina mumbled, glancing from Yuka to Aeon.  Next to her, Mina felt Celine's grip on her hand tighten, even though her friend kept her face blank.

            Swallowing hard, Celine took a step forward.  "Let's get this over with," she said, her voice so hoarse it was barely audible.

            "Wait," Aeon murmured, grabbing Celine's shoulder.

            "Hmm?  What's wro-?" Mina was cut off by the sound of a "pop!" to the right of her.  Something whistled past her and buried itself into the dirt to her left.

            Everyone whipped their heads to the right and saw two figures standing on a walkway leading into one of the tower's offshoots.  The figures were covered from head to two in brown leather clothes, complete with gloves, boots, and long cloaks that were draped over them.  Leather hoods and face masks adorned their heads and both were pointing long, cylindrical tubes attached to what looked like a piece of wood at Mina and the others.  The end of one of the tubes was smoking.

            "Stay where ya are!" One of the figures bellowed.  "If ya move, we'll shoot ya!"

            "OI!" Yuka snapped, stepping forward and shaking her gauntleted arm at the two, careful to make sure they could see the saw blade attached to the end.  "We're expected!  Whatcha doin, shootin that thing at us?!"

            "Eh...?" The two figures looked from one to the other.

            "Hold still!"  From another walkway leading to an offshoot on their left, Mina and the others saw several more figures clad in leather rush outside, holding cylindrical devices of their own.

            "Oi!  Hold on, boyos!" one of the two figures on the right called.  He pulled off his leather hood to reveal a neeg with a head of dull red hair, styled into a mohawk, with a matching goatee.  One of the fangs jutting out from his lower jaw was chipped and he had a scar across his left eye, right next to a patch of warts.  The man leaned over the walkway's railing and squinted at them.  "Well I'll be damned!  Yuka, issat ya?!"

            "Course it is, Danny boy!" Yuka snapped, stomping her foot against the ashy soil.  "Who else even knows where ta find ya?!  Ain't Canak told ya ta be expectin us?"

            "Well..." the neeg Yuka had called Danny scratched at the patch of green warts near his eye.  "Sure, but...'e said ta watch fer two people an sum undead.  There's foura ya."

            Celine's body stiffened and Mina could feel her hand trembling.  She kept her eyes forward, refusing to turn and face the neeg.  "It'll be okay, Celi," Mina whispered and gave her friend's hand a squeeze.

            "Errr..." Yuka's fierce glare melted away and she let out a nervous laugh.  "Ssss'kinda complicated.  They're friendsa mine an joined us last minute fer this trip," she shrugged, "No big deal, eh?"

            Danny narrowed his eyes at her and raised his hand.  The leather clad neeg on the walkway across from him raised their cylindrical devices and took aim at Mina, Celine, and Aeon.  "This ain't what we been told, so ya ken just wait while we get Canak."  He nodded to the figure next to him and the leather clad neeg saluted before scampering inside.

            "Fer Shanadia's sake, Danny boy..." Yuka let out an audible grunt.

            "Ah, sure, come on then if it's alotta trouble fer ya," Danny snorted and pulled out a rolled up bit of paper.  He held it out into the air and used one of the falling embers to set the end on fire before placing it between his lips and sucking on it.  "Ain't like we're tryin ta keep any secrets'r nothin..." he added, shooting smoke out of his nostrils.

            "Oi, issat really Yuka?" one of the figures to the left of them mumbled.

            "Dresses up rel pretty, eh?" another nudged the first.

            "Careful boyos...she'll cut yer nads off!" a third chuckled as Yuka held up her saw blade at them.

            After a minute had passed, Celine exhaled and squatted down to the ground.  "This waiting is killing me!" she murmured, rubbing her arm as she rested on her haunches.  "I...I don't want to be here...!"

            "There's nothing to worry about, Celi," Mina put her hand over Celine's and squatted down next to her.  "They're just not used to visitors is all.  I'm sure that's what it is."

            "Hmmm..." Aeon floated a few feet away from them and reached down to the ground.  "Curious..." he mused aloud, picking something out of the soil.

            "Oi!  Drop it!" one of the neeg to the left of them called, aiming his cylindrical tube at Aeon.

            "Kern, fer Shanadia's sake, don fire!" Danny shouted, choking up smoke and waving his hands about.  "D'ya know who that is?!"

            "Eh...?"

            " 'E don know better," a tall, thin neeg next to the one aiming at Aeon grunted and turned the device skyward, "Kern ain't ever seen a lich, Danny."

            " 'E's a caster, ain't 'e?  Ain't that why we're makin these things?" the neeg named Kern jerked the device free and aimed it at Aeon once again.

            "Sure, but a lich ain't yer average caster," Danny shook his head.  "That ain't gonna bring onea 'is kind down."

            "Not yet, anyway."  Everyone's head turned as another leather clad figure stepped out onto the walkway next to Danny.  He surveyed the people assembled below him before crossing his arms and nodding.  Reaching behind his back, he pulled something forward and jumped over the side of the walkway's railing, into the air.

            Yuka, Mina, and Celine all gasped as the figure plummeted towards the ground, headfirst.  However, he stopped a few feet short of bashing his skull against the rocky soil and hung upside down in midair.  Looking closely, Mina spied a line of wire tied to the back of his leather outfit that was holding him up.  The figure grabbed the wire, pulled himself upright and put his hand behind his back.  Immediately, the wire severed and he dropped down to the ground.

            "Been a while, eh, love?" The man said as he pulled off his hood.  A bushy black mustache adorned his green face and he wore a plain black bandana over his head, which also covered his pointed ears.  Despite some lines on his face, the man flashed Yuka a wide grin, revealing his somewhat ashen teeth, two of which jutted out from his bottom lip.  " 'Ow ya been?" he added, holding his arms wide apart, ready to embrace Yuka.

            "Ya..." Yuka shook in place for a moment before stomping over to the man and decking him.  "Ya damned idjit!  What were ya thinkin?!  Ya coulda been...why'dya even need somethin like that?!"

            The man spat a little blood onto the ground, but kept smiling.  "I don need it, but I wanted it, so I built it," he said, opening his arms again.

            "Goddess damn ya to the bleakest pits of..." Yuka cursed, right up until the man wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the lips.

            Mina felt her cheeks begin to burn and looked away, while Celine merely stared.  "So..." she said, getting to her feet and swallowing hard.  "I guess this is Canak."

            "Ah, dammit!" Yuka sighed after she broke from their kiss.  "I've missed ya, ya crazy bastard.  How'dya manage that jump, anyway?"

            "Little'a this," the man spun around, revealing a spool of wire with a metal bar over one end strapped to his back.  The metal bar connected to a pair of levers that jutted out from either side of the spool.  "Got a few gears in the spool that'll make it dispense wire freely till I touch this beauty," he patted the lever on his left side.  "It puts a wedge in them gears that'll stop me dead.  An this," he touched the lever on his right, "Cuts the wire.  Pretty cool, eh?"

            "Oi!  When da we get somea that, boss?" Danny called from above him. 

            The other neeg burst out laughing and began to cheer. "Yeh!  When?!  When?! When?!"

            "Hehe, soon as ya ask, boyos!" Canak hooted and draped his arm around Yuka, grinning and squeezing her tightly.

            "Again, why would ya even need somethin like that?" Yuka shook her head, but smiled nonetheless.

            "Like you're one to talk, Yuka," Celine snorted and looked away.

            "Well...this isn't what I was expecting," Mina raised an eyebrow as she rose to her feet.

            "Ahem," Aeon coughed loud enough so that he could be heard over the laughing and cheering.

            "Ah!  Right..." Yuka ran her fingers over her braided brown ponytail and blushed.  Gesturing towards the neeg holding her with her free hand, she said, "Er...this's..."

            "Canak, at yer service," Canak grabbed Aeon's bony hand and shook it heartily.  "An you must be Aeon!  Gotta say, yer everythin Yuka said ya'd be."

            "Hmmm..." Aeon tilted his head to one side before releasing Canak's hand and folding his arms behind his back.  "Is that a good thing?"

            "Haha, smart man, smart man," Canak thumped the lich on the back and burst into another fit of laughter.  "Ya never know, eh?  In this case though, its fine.  Grim, but dependable, that's what Yuka'd always say."  Turning towards Mina and Celine, Canak bounded over to them.  "Never thought I'd see two kids out here, though.  Ya vassalsa the Frozen Shade here?" Canak jutted his thumb in Aeon's direction.

            "Ummm...ahhh..." Celine began to breathe heavily and raised her hands to her ears.

            "Not exactly..." Mina stammered and put herself between Canak and her tan skinned friend.  "We're...sort of like apprentices?" she said, looking over Canak's shoulder at Aeon, who gave her a curt nod.  "Err...anyway, I'm Mina and this is Celine," she turned her head to her friend, who stood stock still behind her.

            "Pleased ta meet ya," Canak smiled and patted Mina on the head.  "Ya're all welcome here.  Sorry bout all this hooplah, but-"

            "We understand," Aeon cut in.

            "Do ya now?  Heh...I wonder..." Canak smirked and stroked his mustache.  "Anyway, let's all get inside.  Too long out here'll ruin yer day, that's fer sure.  Er..." the neeg stroked his mustache as he looked over the six gargantuan undead, each shielding a barrel almost as tall as he was with an arm that was little more than a dome of bone.  "I don think yer undead'll fit through my door, though."

            Aeon raised his hand and snapped his fingers.  The skeleton's deformed arms morphed back into their normal shapes before all six of them collapsed into a pile of bones on the ground while the barrels remained stationary, floating in mid air.  The arms and legs of the skeletons rose out of the mound of bones and attached themselves to the bottom and sides of the barrel, using it as their torso.  The large skulls, bearing only a single eye socket, also rose out of the mass on the ground and attached to the top of the barrel while the rib cages attached to the sides.

            The newly assembled skeletons knelt behind Aeon.  "Is this acceptable?" the lich murmured.

            Canak whistled and examined the undead.  "Aye, that oughtta work.  Bit of a squeeze, but should be fine."

            "Oi..." Mina jumped when she heard Yuka behind her.  Turning around, she saw the neeg put her hand on Celine's shoulder.  "Ya gonna be okay?"

            The tan skinned girl was breathing hard, but narrowed her eyes and nodded.  "I'll manage," she murmured.  She reached up to touch her ears, but stoppedherself when she and Mina spied Canak looking their way.

            "Well, time'sa wastin!" Canak bellowed, brushing past them and draping his arm around Yuka again.  "Oi!  Be dears an let us in, eh boyos?" he glanced from Danny on the walkway to his right to the other leather clad neeg on his left.  They saluted him and headed inside as Canak led Yuka up the stairwell to the iron door of the foundry.  No sooner had he stepped in front of it then the massive door swung inwards and the two neeg disappeared inside.

            "Come on, Celi," Mina whispered, putting her arm around her friend's shoulders.  Wordlessly, Celine nodded and they headed after Yuka and Canak, with Aeon and his skeletons taking up the rear.

            Once Mina and Celine had made their way up to the door, they felt a wave of cool air wash over them.  They stepped into a spacious hallway lit by several lanterns and spied Canak and Yuka next to a set of hooks near the door.  Canak had stripped down to the waist and hung his leather clothes on one of the hooks.  His chest was toned and well muscled, though his arms bore telltale burn marks and a few scars from blades adorned his belly.  A key attached to a wire was hung around his neck.

            "Ehhhhh..." he let out a groan and stretched his arms over his head before grabbing a towel from a pile near the hooks.  "Stuff's too damned 'ot fer this weather."

            "I like it, personally," Yuka ribbed the well muscled neeg and kept her eyes on Canak's chest.  "The view here is just spectacular."

            "Do you think they're-" Mina blushed.

            "Yes," Celine quickly cut her off.

            Aeon floated through the door and one of his six skeletons began to squeeze its way inside, threatening to squash Mina and Celine against the wall.  The pair scooted past it and joined Yuka and Canak as the others began to file inside.

            " 'Ere," Canak said, handing a towel to Yuka and Mina before holding one out for Celine.  "Best get yarselves patted down.  Nothin beats dryin off after a good sweat, eh?"

            "Thank you," Mina said, wiping her brow with the towel before noticing that Celine was frozen in place.  Her eyes held a mix of fear, anger, and disgust when she looked at Canak.  "Here, let me get that for you," Mina stepped up, took the towel from Canak, and gave it to Celine.

            "S'er problem?" Mina heard Canak whisper to Yuka.  Glancing from Celine, to Mina, to Canak, Yuka opened her mouth to speak, however before she could, Aeon cut in.

            "The barrels are all inside," He muttered in a toneless voice. 

            Canak glanced from Yuka to Celine, before shrugging and turning around, exposing a back covered in dull, green welts.  Pulling a sleeveless, red tunic over his chest, the man brushed past the three girls and placed his hand on the nearest barrel.  "Now...afore we continue, I need ta check on the payment, ya understand..."

            "Of course," Aeon nodded.  He tapped the tops of the barrels and the skeletons lifted the lids, with their skulls still attached.  A dull glow emanated from within the barrels and Mina got on her tip toes to catch a glimpse of what was inside.

            The tops of the barrels appeared to be almost overflowing with gold and silver coins, large gemstones, and ingots of metal.  Canak's mouth twisted into a grin and he licked his lips.  The skeletons closed the lids and Aeon floated over to the neeg. 

            "Well?" the lich muttered.

            "Seems like ya came through," Canak chuckled.  "Sorry bout bein skeptical, but s'just 'ow I do business.  Auntie always told me," he raised his finger and wagged it at the lich, "Always make sure the money'sere afore ya make any deals.  That way, ya ain't left oldin the bag if ya gotta crack a few skulls fer tryin ta cheat ya."

            Yuka slapped her forehead and sighed, while Mina and Celine just looked on, transfixed.  "Your aunt," Aeon nodded and put his hand on Canak's shoulder, "Sounds like a wise woman."

            "Hehe, she taught me everythin I know about business," Canak smirked, "Saint of a woman, really.  Why, when I-"

            "Is there a safe place to leave the payment until we are satisfied with your demonstration and can finalize the price?" Aeon interjected.

            "Eh?  Oh!  Sure, sure, we ken store 'em down in the basement," Canak said, squeezing through the narrow gap the six barrels left until he was on the other side of them.  "This way."

            With Canak leading them, Mina and the others headed down a set of stairs next to the door.  The lanterns were spaced further and further apart down below, casting long shadows all around them.  After a few minutes of walking, they came to a set of thick iron doors.

            "This's where we store supplies we ain't usin yet.  Only I got the key, so yer money'll be safe as can be," Canak flashed them all a smile and pulled out the key attached to the wire around his neck.  Sliding it into the keyhole, he gave it a turn and pushed the doors open.  There was no light inside the room, however the lanterns in the hall illuminated it just enough for Mina to make out other barrels stacked up against the wall, along with stacks of lumber, metal ingots, chunks of ore, and various equipment she could not recognize.  Canak stepped inside for a moment and gave the barrel skeletons space to head in.  Once the last one had passed through the doors, he stepped back out and locked it behind them.  "Now, let's get topside.  Things're set an waitin fer us on the top floor."

            "Ya installed the escalators or the elevators I showed ya the blueprints ta yet?" Yuka mumbled, taking Canak's arm as he led Mina, Celine, and Aeon back upstairs.

            "Nah...a massive overhaul like that'd take too much time an money.  Still, shared it with somea my comrades...they're thrilled at the idea," Canak replied, as they passed the door leading outside.  "But fer us, we're gonna 'ave ta take the stairs."

            "Just what is it that you're here to see?" Mina sidled over to Aeon with Celine in tow and whispered to him.

            "You saw it earlier," Aeon said, opening his bony palm to reveal a somewhat crushed sphere of iron.  "Canak advertised it as a device with the power  to rival that of a trained mage which anyone could operate."

            "That I did!" Mina and Celine raised their heads to find Canak and Yuka glancing back at them.  "Course, I'll need ta explain a few details fer it ta all make sense, but I think ya'll understand once ya see it in action.  Afore that though," Canak added, pushing open the door at the end of the winding hall, "Can I offer ya any refreshments?"

            Mina, Celine, and Aeon followed Yuka and Canak into a wide open room with dozens of tables set out.  Each table was occupied by half a dozen or more green skinned neeg in sleeveless red tunics like the ones Canak and Yuka wore, while lined up against the far wall were a few portly neeg women in similar tunics and aprons in front of several cooking fires.

            Mina's nose twitched as the stench of pepper, burnt meat, and boiled iron assaulted her nostrils.  "Ugh...what is that smell?" she coughed, covering her nose and mouth with her hands as tears sprang to her eyes.

            "Eh?  Is it bad?" Canak raised an eyebrow.

            "Not exactly, but it's...strong," Mina grunted.  "It feels like I'm inhaling fire!"

            "Hehe, that's our blood stew," Yuka said, rubbing her stomach.  "It'll burn yer belly if it ain't lined with tar, but if it is, then it makes for a damn fine meal."

            "Ha...ha...ha..." Celine began to breathe heavy.  Holding her hand over her face, she dropped to one knee and began to tremble.

            "Celi?" Mina knelt down next to her.  "What's-?" she stopped when she saw tears streaming down Celine's cheeks.  Her throat rapidly expanded and contracted as she held her stomach.  "Oh no..." Mina whispered.  Jumping to her feet, Mina removed her hand from her face, raised her arms, crossed them, and grabbed the air.  Feeling energy surge into her hands, she jerked her arms down to either side of her.  Wind gathered around her fingers as she pulled, kicking up two fierce air currents that blew around Mina and Celine and formed a wall of wind to repulse the smell.

            "What in Shanadia's..." Canak mumbled, jumping clear of the gale.

            "Celi?!  CELI?!" Mina yelled, kneeling down and jostling her friend's shoulders.

            Yuka's eyes widened and darted from Celine to the large pots of steaming, red stew.  "Ah crap!  Oi!  Cover the stew fer a few minutes!  We got one with a weak stomach!" she barked at the portly women before turning to Canak.  "Quick, use the vents ta get somea the smell out!"

            "Yuka, is she-?!" Canak grunted.

            "Just do it!" Yuka snapped before stepping through the wind currents and putting her arm around Celine's back.  "C'mon...ya need ta stand, aright?  We'll get ya outta here," she whispered.

            "Ha...ha..." Celine's breathing began to slow as Mina and Yuka helped the tan skinned girl to her feet.  She glanced at each of them, still trembling and unable to stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks. 

            Canak moved close the door and opened a panel in the wall.  After he did, the temperature in the room rose somewhat and Mina could feel the air around her, including the wind currents, slowly being drawn into some small holes in the ceiling.

            "Oi, Canak?" a few of the neeg who had been eating rose from their tables and circled the three girls, unsure whether or not to step through the wind currents.

            "Whas goin on?"

            "Is she okay?"

            "Tccch...trust humans ta not be able ta 'old their stew."

            "Oi, shut it!  She might really be sick!"

            "Maybe we should call the doctor!"

            "Nah," Canak waved aside the complaints.  "Don't worry, boyos, it's just a delicate nose," he shrugged.  "The bouquet of blood stew ain't fer everyone, am I right?" he chuckled.

            "The halls up ahead deserted?" Yuka whispered to the mustached neeg as the last of the wind Mina had kicked up was pulled into the ceiling.

            "Oughtta be," Canak kept his voice low as he replied, "Just gimme a minute ta calm everyone down an I'll catch up, aright?"

            "Please, stand back if you would," Aeon called out to the neeg assembled around Celine.  Floating forward, the lich held out his hand, palm facing down.  A wall of wind extended out from him and surrounded Mina, Celine, and Yuka.  "I apologize for the disturbance," he added, lifting Celine up and cradling her in his bony arms, "We will be going now."

            "The door on the far enda the room," Canak hissed as they passed, still keeping a jovial face on for his subordinates.  Aeon nodded and carried Celine out of the dining area. 

            Once Aeon, Celine, Mina, and Yuka had left the room and shut the door tightly behind them, the wall of wind dispersed and Yuka led them through another winding hallway for a few minutes.  They stopped in front of a glass window that had been set in the wall, overlooking the Shokudo mountain range.  Gingerly, the lich set Celine down across from the window with her back against the wall.

            "I...I...I'm s-sorry..." she croaked, wrapping her arms around her legs and trembling in place.  "W-wasn't expectin..."

            "It's okay, Celi..." Mina whispered, hugging her friend tightly.  "It's okay."

            "S'my fault," Yuka sighed.  "Shoulda known better!  I didn think today'd be...dammit!  I'm sorry, Celine," she averted her eyes from the blonde haired girl.

            "Oi!" Canak called from behind them.  The neeg barreled up the stairs and stopped just short of Aeon and the three girls.  "She aright?!"

            Averting her eyes from him, Celine mumbled, "I-I'm okay now..."

            "Good, good..." Canak panted, "Errr...afore we continue though, ya mind if ya an I 'ave a little chat?" he tried to smile, but his face looked pained.  "Ya know...alone?"

            Immediately, Celine's eyes became as wide as saucers and she glanced over at Canak, who failed to meet her gaze.  "No!" Mina snapped, getting to her feet and crossing her arms.  "Whatever you need to say to Celi, you can say to me too!"

            "Look, it ain't exactly..."

            "She's my sister!" Mina stomped her foot down, "And I'm not leaving her alone!"

            "I will remain as well," Aeon said.  Both girls glanced up at the lich, as did Canak.  The lich shrugged.  "I gave her my word."

            "Yuka..." Canak pleaded.

            "Just go on..." Yuka sighed.  "Then we can get back ta business."

            Canak's shoulders slumped and he rested his back against the window before turning his gaze to Celine.  Taking a deep breath, he stroked his mustache and said, "So...do ya remember who owned ya?"

            "Wh-wh-?!" Celine gasped, breaking out into a cold sweat.

            "Even without seein yer ears, I can tell," Canak groaned and shook his head.  "The aversion to blood stew, the withdrawn nature around neeg...an that old habit..." he reached under his bandana and squeezed his own ear.  "It gets better, but it never goes away, does it?"

            Celine gaped at him for a moment before rising to her feet.  She rubbed the backs of her ears and narrowed her eyes.  "You knew..." she snarled, lunging for Canak, who made no move to stop her.

            "Woah!" Yuka grunted and grabbed one of Celine's arms.

            "Celi, calm down!" Mina yelled, holding onto Celine's waist, "Remember why we came here!"

            "You son of a bitch!  How...how could you be all smug and happy when you...?!" Celine growled, reaching for the neeg's throat.

            Wordlessly, Canak undid his bandana, revealing that he was bald and that his head was covered in warts and burns.  Turning his back to Celine, he reached up and rubbed the ends of his pointed ears, where a large chunk of flesh was missing from each.

            Instantly, Celine froze.  She slumped in Mina and Yuka's grasp and all the color evaporated from her face.  "You too?" she whispered.

            "Ole Pagum Firescalp owned me," Canak mumbled.

            "Those marks...then...you're like Celi?!" Mina stammered, glancing from Canak's composed expression to Celine, who was in shock.

            "Yep," Canak smirked, "I was sold ta ole Firescalp when I was a kid.  My aunt and sister came ta claim me when I turned sixteen, but up till then..."  the neeg leaned over and put his hand on Celine's shoulder, even though his eyes were downcast.  "Look...I know it ain't worth much, but I'm sorry.  I know what it musta been like fer ya...an I wouldn wish that on anybody," he sighed.

            Celine looked helplessly from Yuka to Mina.  Yuka bit her lip and avoided Celine's gaze while Mina guided her over to the wall, which she leaned against for support.  "If that's true..." Celine stammered, wiping at her eyes, "How can...how can you trust them?  How can you laugh and smile and...and..."

            "Heh..." Canak chuckled, flashing her a nostalgic smile.  "Cause they's my kin.  Sides, while some bad uns maya 'urt me, don forget...some good uns came ta get me."

            "You...you're a stronger person than me," Celine said, wearily raising her eyes to meet Canak's.  The neeg's smiled widened and a weak grin crossed Celine's lips.  She bowed her head.  "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have judged you like-"

            "Ah, forget it," Canak slapped her back a few times before gingerly brushing his finger against her scarred ear.  "Any 'ow," he nodded at her, "Do ya remember who owned ya?"

            "So...does this mean you'll help us find out more about Celi?" Mina murmured.

            "Course!" Canak laughed and squeezed Celine's shoulder before winking at Mina.  "Hehe, us slaves gotta stick together, after all."

            "That's great!" Mina exclaimed, hugging Celine before grabbing Canak's hand with both of hers and shaking it vigorously.  "Thank you!  Thank you so much!"

            "Hehe, don thank me just yet," Canak grunted, prying his hand loose from Mina's vice-like grip and crossing his arms.  "Let's see who it is first."

            "R-right..." Celine's eyes twitched for a moment and she swallowed hard.  "Do you know a neeg named Urgan Manak?"

            Canak raised an eyebrow.  "Steelguts?"

            "That's the one!" Celine shouted, pointing directly at Canak.  "With a chunk of metal burned into his stomach?!"

            "Gehh..." Canak let out a groan and scratched his head.  "Well, that's no good..."

            "Huh?" Celine mumbled.

            "What's the problem?" Yuka asked, turning to face Canak.

            "Steelguts an I don exactly see eye ta eye," Canak sighed, rubbing his upper lip with his index finger.  "I took alotta workersa 'is by offerin 'em better pay an conditions...that an I called 'im a scum suckin piecea dung fer keepin slaves."

            "Oh," Celine stammered, looking and sounding as if the wind had been knocked out of her.  "Then...I suppose that means..."

            "Sorry, Celine," Canak shrugged.  "Even if 'e knew, 'e probably wouldn tell me.  Truth be told, 'e might not even know 'imself.  Tell me, do ya remember yer original family at all?"

            "Uh...n-no..." Celine shook her head.

            "Then ya coulda been sold off by yar parents, bought offa slave caravan, or taken in a raid...an 'e'd be none the wiser.  Probably wouldn even care, considerin all 'e'd want'd be a worker."

            Balling her hand into a fist, Celine spun around and slammed her hand into the wall.  "Dammit!" she screamed, pounding the wall until her knuckles began to bleed,  "Goddess dammit!"

            "Oi..." Yuka caught her arm and pulled out a handkerchief.  "That ain't solvin nothin...so cut it out," she snorted, wrapping it around Celine's wound.

            "Celi, I..." Mina took her friend's hand and rubbed it against her cheek.  "I'm sorry...I...we shouldn't have come."

            "I disagree," Aeon murmured, drawing all eyes to him.  Celine narrowed her eyes and hung her head, getting her curly blond hair in her face.  "Regardless of the answer, do you not think you have gained something from coming here, Celine?" the lich lifted her chin with his index finger.

            "I...y-yeah.  I guess I have," Celine mumbled, glancing from Aeon to Canak.  "Ummm...thank you.  At least now I know."

            "Oi, don't give up so easy," Canak chuckled and re-wrapped his bandana around his head.  "I've got a few buddies around the continent, some of 'oom still work fer ole Steelguts.  I'll see what I ken dig up, eh?  Sides, a girl with your skin," he pointed to Celine's tanned complexion, "Ain't easy ta forget.  Pinnin down a lead ain't gonna be easy, but it also ain't impossible."

            Celine nodded and stared at Canak for a moment.  Then, she punched him in the arm and smiled at him.  The neeg smirked and rubbed his arm before chuckling to himself and turning back to the winding stairwell leading up.

            "Well then...should we...keep goin, or-?" he said.

            "Yes," Aeon nodded, turning his skull from Mina, Celine, and Yuka, to Canak.  "Lead the way."

            Canak put his arm around Yuka and winked at Celine before starting up the stairs.  Celine let out a sigh before taking Mina's hand and following after.  Aeon held up the rear as they climbed.

            "Now, we have ta pass a few other rooms afore we reach the top," Canak said, gesturing to a door on their left, opposite a window.  "See, after our chow room, we got the dormitories fer the workers.  About half ta a third are sleepin at any given time," he mumbled as they approached another room, "An up 'ere's our vent room.  Bout two dozena us are always on duty, workin ta keep the air clean and cool."

            "Wait, what?" Celine stopped and glanced over at the door.  "I've never heard of one of those rooms in a foundry."

            "Heh...that's cause most neeg don care about the conditions," Canak smirked.  "I do though.  So, when I was workin with my aunt and sister, I tried somethin new," he said, opening the wooden door.

            Inside the large, circular room were roughly a dozen wheels attached to the floor by their axles, with wooden posts coming out of the sides.  There were two to three neeg, stripped to the waist, who were attached to the posts by straps and walking around and around in a circle, spinning the wheels in a steady rhythm.  Some worked at tables attached to the posts in front of them, while others hummed, or whittled, or toyed around with gears. 

            "They look like they're just killing time on those wheels..." Mina mumbled.

            "Well, s'pretty boring work," Canak shrugged.  "But necessary.  See, those wheels are attached ta gears.  When they turn, the gears turn an it spins fans all over this place that, with some filters I made, keep a fair bita 'eat an ash from gettin inside.  So, it's pleasant ta work in an safe ta live in.  It ken also pull air outta rooms, fer clearin out smoke'r other noxious fumes," he added.

            "Like that horrid stew of yours..." Celine grunted and shook her head, "Well...it doesn't look like much, but I guess it beats workin the furnaces."

            "Damn straight it does," Canak snorted and scratched under his bandana.

            As they were speaking, one of the younger neeg turning the wheel caught sight of Canak.  "Hmm?  Oi!  S'the boss!" the neeg said, loosening his straps and bouncing over to greet Canak.  He held out his hand, but Canak ignored it and amicably wrapped his arm around the young man's shoulders.

            " 'Ow's today's shift, Bedoe?"

            "Eh, boring, as usual," the neeg shrugged, wiping damp brown hair out of his eyes and stretching his arms behind his back.  "Dena's been workin on something she wants ya look at an Pauly finally got tireda hummin, 'Warts an burns makea real man,'" Bedoe jutted his thumb at one of the neeg, who was humming to himself.

            "Bout time fer the shift change?" a middle aged woman, garbed in leather pants and with only a thin strip of cloth covering her chest, grunted before unstrapping herself from her post.  "The thoughta that blood stew downstairs s'makin my mouth water."

            "Hmmm?" Canak raised an eyebrow.  "Oh, right!  It's that time!"  Raising his voice, Canak said, "Oi!  Keep on till the relief crew gets 'ere, eh?  I'm sendin Bedoe down now!"  His declaration was greeted with a few enthusiastic cheers by some, while others held their thumbs up or merely waved to Canak.  "Aright, get ta it, eh?" Canak added, slapping Bedoe on the back.

            "No problem, I..." his voice trailed off when he spied Yuka, Celine, and Mina.  The neeg stopped in his tracks and his sweat stained skin flushed a deeper shade of green.  "Ahaha...scuse me, ladies..." he stammered, shuffling past them.

            "Pfftttt, kids..." the middle aged neeg woman blew air out of the side of her mouth, " 'E works all day with sightsa beauty like this," she gestured to herself, "But still gets all tongue tied around strange women."

            "Oi, who you callin strange?!" Yuka snapped.

            "I stand by it," the woman snickered.

            "Canak..." Aeon murmured from the doorway.

            "Ah, right," Canak nodded.  "Best ta continue.  See ya later, eh?" he waved to the neeg turning the wheels, who waved back.

            After closing the door, Mina drew closer to Canak and tugged on his hand.  "Was it okay for that boy and that lady to stop working?  I mean...you said turning those wheels kept the air clean, right?"

            "Hehe, that's why they work in teams," Canak snickered and ruffled her hair.  "One'r two can take a break if they want, so long as the wheel keeps on movin.  Good eye, though."

            They continued to climb the winding stairs until the five of them came across another door, but this one was made of iron.  Even without opening it, Mina could feel waves of heat rolling out from behind the door.  Celine and Yuka also wiped their brows, but Canak and Aeon did not seem perturbed.

            "Now, I ain't gonna show ya everythin'r we'd be ere all day.  All ya need ta know is that this is our forge ro-" Canak stopped when he and the others noticed smoke coming from under the door.  Narrowing his eyes, the neeg rammed his shoulder against the door only to jump back, clutching his arm.  "Gah!" he grunted, "Damn thing's red hot!  There must be a fire in there!"  Waving aside the smoke with his hands, Canak banged on the door as hard as he could.  "Boyos!  Are ya alright?!  Can ya get out?!" he cried, as sweat trickled out from under his bandana.

            "Move," Aeon said, pulling Canak away from the door before touching it with his skeletal hand.  Without flinching, the lich pushed it open, revealing a large fire raging against the far wall of the room.  A dozen neeg in blacksmith aprons were tossing buckets of water onto it from nearby troughs, but it didn't seem to be enough.  As they attempted to douse the fire, a fan in the ceiling overhead spun so fast that it was practically invisible, pulling most of the smoke out of the room, although a layer of it had formed close to the floor.

            "Grab a bucket!" Mina yelled, picking up one of the buckets and joining the neeg in throwing water on the fire.

            Aeon raised his hand in the direction of the fire, but Yuka ran in front of him.  "That ain't enough!" she called, rifling through the pockets of her vest, "Oi, get clear!," she yelled, "I'm gonna snuff out the fire at its source!"  Pulling out an aquade, Yuka pressed down the button in the center of its metal frame and chucked the device into the fire.  A few seconds passed before a small explosion of water doused the center of the flames, leaving only a few tiny scattered fires on the floor, which the smiths quickly beat out with their aprons.

            "Phew..." a burly woman mumbled, wringing sweat from a cloth band around her head before re-wrapping it, "Thanks...ya saved us a fair bita trouble."

            "Damn thing lit up likea..." a slimmer, more spindly neeg man started to say before he fell into a fit of coughs and dropped to one knee.

            "Oi, you aright?!" Yuka rushed over and helped the spindly neeg to his feet.

            "Y-yeh..." he grunted, coughing and pounding his chest.  "Just some smoke in the lungs afore we got the vents goin.  Woulda been worse without the lotta ya.  Ya saved our asses..."

            "What happened here?" Celine murmured, watching the blacksmiths as they helped each other up and went about setting aright the disheveled forges that lined the walls of the room.

            "Onea the wax molds cracked," A neeg easily seven feet tall said in a soft, somber voice.  "Spread molten iron everywhere an caught onea the forges on fire.  From there, it just kept spreadin."

            "Yeh, I bet..." Canak mumbled, edging over to what looked like a melted egg leaning against the back wall.  "This it?"

            "Yeh...sorry, boss..." the spindly neeg smith sighed while the others bowed their heads.  "Broke clean through durin the craftin...the iron's tainted too, so we can't use it."

            "Forget the damned iron," Canak snorted, examining the melted egg, "I'm just glad ya're aright.  Though, I want ya ta take the resta this shift off, San.  We're down a mold an a forge aready...I don wanna be down a smith too."

            "Yeh...I hear ya," the spindly blacksmith Yuka was supporting grunted.  Shrugging Yuka's arm off him, he trudged outside without paying Aeon, Mina, or Celine a second glance.

            Once he had left, the other smiths returned to their own forges and continued with their work.  Mina spied a few pouring molten iron into what looked like a tall white box, while others stoked their flames with a bellows or took to polishing what appeared to be metal poles.  Turning their eyes to Canak, Aeon and the girls saw him pulling at the melted egg.

            "The 'eck..." Canak mused, holding up the metal frame and translucent material of Yuka's aquade.

            "That's mine," Yuka said.  "Thought I'd show it ta ya later, but I guess we needed it sooner, eh?"

            Canak turned to her and raised an eyebrow.  "A water bomb?"

            "Guess that's one waya lookin at it.  I call it an aquade," Yuka smirked and blushed, "Whadda ya think?"

            "Heh..." Canak chuckled and pulled a cracked bit of the melted egg off, revealing a scorched, black, metal pole, "Where've ya been all my life, Yuka?"

            Yuka's eyes widened and she let out a tiny squeak before falling silent.

            "Yeh, I see it..." Canak sighed, continuing with his inspection without missing a beat.  "Damned mold was just too old, I guess..." he wrenched the blackened hunk of metal out of it.  The top looked like a melted candle, but the bottom resembled the poles the other smiths were polishing.

            "What were you trying to make here?" Mina mumbled, raising an eyebrow.

            "Hmm?" Canak turned as if just noticing her for the first time.  "This?  It's just a piecea the whole thing.  That's what I wanna show ya."

            "Then these smiths are only making pieces of a whole?" Aeon asked, casting his frigid gaze around the circular room.

            "Yep, that's about the size of it," Canak smirked.  "It's somethin else I thought up.  Rather'n makin a 'undred molds an waitin day in an day out as each smith toils at doin metal workin, wood workin, powder mixin, an the like...why not make a dozen molds an just 'ave the smiths do the metal work, the carpenters do the wood work, and what 'ave ya?  Saves on time and we've managed ta get alot more made this way.  I call it, one job production," Canak said, "Cause eacha us only does one job,"

            "Hmmm...an interesting approach," Aeon mused, fixing his eyes on one of the forges.

            "Anyway, let's keep goin.  S'not far now," Canak said, leading them out of the room and up the winding stairwell.  "Up 'ere is the wood craftin room," he added, as they passed a wooden door.  "An up ahead we got the powder room.  No flames in 'ere," he chuckled.  "Could blow the whole damn tower sky 'igh."

            "There's a pleasant thought," Yuka spat, rolling her eyes.

            "Just bein 'onest," Canak shrugged.

            A shiver ran down Mina's spine as the two neeg bickered.  Her eyes drifted to one of the windows in the wall, which looked out onto the Shokudo range, bathed in its rain of gold and orange.  Her heart thumped faster and faster until she felt a slight pressure on her hand.  Glancing down at her hand, she saw Celine's hand clasped around her own.  The tan skinned girl pulled Mina closer to her and she in turn leaned into Celine.

            After passing another wooden door, the five of them came to the end of the stairwell.  A single iron door led inwards.  " 'ere we are.  The assembly room," Canak said, rubbing his hands together before pushing against the iron door to lever it open.  "My creations are above."

            Stepping inside, Mina cast her eyes about and saw almost a dozen work tables laid out around the perimeter of the walls.  Neeg men and women in simple, red tunics were seated at these tables with a number of different items in front of them.  Each of them appeared to be doing something different.  Mina saw one fitting a long, metal tube to a heavy piece of carved wood with wires and pins, while another attached a tiny metal pan and spring to the butt of the tube, where it met the wood.  There was a click next to her and Mina saw a neeg girl her age flicking a curved metal device that resembled a hammer against the metal pan and sending a small shower of sparks onto the floor.  The girl giggled before screwing the curved hammer into the wood.

            There was very little sound outside of clicking and scraping of metal against metal or metal tearing into wood.  One or two neeg might chuckle or sigh, but they did not speak.  They were so focused on their own work that they didn't seem to notice Canak and the others enter the room.  Holding a finger up to his lips, Canak tip toed into the center of the room. which had a stairwell leading up to a stone trap door.

            " 'Ey, boss," one of the neeg muttered as he screwed a bit of metal into the underside of the polished wood.

            Canak froze and the other neeg followed suit, calling out to him in turn.

            "Lo, boss."

            "Found ya, sir."

            "Just get movin," they said in turn.

            Canak's shoulder's slumped and he shook his head.  "Ya're ruinin my fun, as usual," he sighed, though a smile adorned his lips.  "This way," he added, gesturing towards the stairwell.  Heading up the stairs, Canak pushed open the trap door and disappeared from sight.

            Yuka led Mina and Celine after him, into a room that was wider around and with a domed ceiling.  The walls and ceiling were constructed of strips of iron on top of thick glass, reinforcing it against the flaming rain that spilled over it.  No lanterns were hung through the room, because the deluge of fiery embers kept the room well lit.  Curving around the leftmost wall was a work table and three stands, each holding up a device made of a cylindrical metal tube and a piece of wood.  The one closest to the trap door was large, bulky, and almost as long as Mina was tall, while the others got progressively smaller the further back they went.  Directly ahead of the trap door was a curtained off area while a few feet to the right was a wall that spanned the entire floor, bearing no features save for a single door.

            "Are we...inside the shield for the tower?" Mina murmured, her eyes fixing on the flames which crashed down around them.

            "Ya don't need ta worry," Yuka whispered, giving Mina's shoulder a squeeze.  "That's fireproof glass.  We're perfectly safe."

            "Been wonderin when ya'd get here."  Mina and Celine turned to see the neeg with the red mohawk and goatee they had met when they first arrived at the tower smoking a rolled up piece of paper and leaning against the glass wall.  Next to him was a substantially younger neeg.  He appeared to be barely out of his teens with the same red hair as his companion and he faced forward, standing stock still, with only his eyes moving about.  They darted from the man next to him to the girls at the stairs.  "Sure took yer time," the older neeg sneered, impatiently tapping his boot against the stone floor.

            "Oi, Danny," Yuka waved to the older neeg.  "Where'd Canak disappear ta?  He in his office?"

            "Naw, 'e's settin up the display," Danny jerked his head in the direction of the curtained off area.  The neeg snorted out a stream of smoke when he saw Aeon float up the stairwell.  "Scuse me," he patted Yuka on the shoulder as he brushed past her.  "Oi!" Danny called, waving at Aeon.  "Sorry about the mess down below.  But this's our treasure, ya understand?  We gotta protect it."

            "Of course," Aeon nodded at the neeg.  "I understand completely."

            "Good.  Then don mess with the boss," Danny leaned forward and dropped the smoking bit of paper to the ground before stomping it out.  "I ain't gonna forgive those 'oo do."

            "Hmmm?  Hey!" Mina walked over to the younger neeg, who was still frozen in place.  "Are you okay?" she asked, getting right in front of him.

            The neeg fixed his eyes on her and began to tremble.  "Oi, Pow...ya ken relax, ya know," Danny turned his back to Aeon and called over to the boy.

            "But Da-" the younger neeg stammered.

            "This's no big deal, son...just do like ya always do'n 'ave fun," Danny shrugged.

            "Bu-but the boss's-"

            "It's ready!" Canak called, exiting from behind the curtained off area.  "Pow, take the mark 3, would ya?" he nodded at one of the stands holding up the smallest of the cylindrical devices.  "Danny, can ya operate the crank?" he added, pulling aside the curtain to reveal a large, walled off room with a gap in the front that faced inwards.  The walls, floor, and ceiling of the room were made of steel instead of glass and the floor had been fitted with two sets of gears that formed two pathways near the back wall.

            "Sure, boss," Pow bobbed his head up and down and took the cylindrical device off the stand.  Despite it being several feet long, the device fit perfectly in the young neeg's hands.  After he had made his way to the gap in the walled off room, Danny nodded at Canak and the older neeg moved over to an area next to the box which had been hidden by the curtain and grabbed hold of a crank.

            "Aright.  This is why ya're 'ere.  Time ta show ya what we've come up with," Canak smirked and waved Aeon and the others over to him.

            They assembled around Pow, who held the device with the cylindrical end facing up and poured some black powder into it.  "Is that the same powder I've seen used in neeg fireworks?" Mina mumbled.

            "Aye," Pow nodded without looking at her.  He reached into a bag at his hip and took out a tiny metal sphere, which he dropped into the cylinder and forced down with a long, thin pole.  "Ready, Da."

            "Start out with tier 1 targets," Canak said.  Danny nodded, flipped a switch next to the crank, and began to turn.

            Mina and Celine watched as the two pathways of gears fitted to the floor began to move.  Out of the side of the room, a large bag filled with sand and held on a thick pole lurched into sight, carried atop a small trolley that ran over one of the tracks of gears.  Pow raised the device and closed one of his eyes.  Mina saw his finger move to a ring attached to the underside of the device with a piece of metal in the center and squeeze down.  There was a flash of light from the mouth of the cylindrical device, followed by a sharp "Bang!"

            Mina cupped her hands to her ringing ears and blinked her eyes.  The  sandbag in front of her wobbled back and forth while sand leaked out of a small hole in the middle of the bag.  Glancing over at Pow, she saw him turn the device skywards and blow on its smoking muzzle.

            "Well?" Canak said, as the trolley carried the bag out of sight.

            "Hmmm..." Mina turned to Aeon and saw that his hand was over his mouth, while green flames blazed in his eye sockets.  "It is as Yuka described...and as you advertised."

            Canak let out a sigh and his shoulder's slumped.  "C'mon...issat all?  Ya could at least pretend ta be impressed."

            "Hehe, Aeon loves ta play it cool, but ya've piqued his interest," Yuka said, lifting Canak's chin with her index finger before kissing him on the cheek.

            "Well, at least someone appreciates it," Canak shrugged.  "Anyway, lemme show ya something else.  Danny!  Tier 4 targets!"  Danny nodded, flipped another switch and began to crank.

            The gears began to turn once again, however this time a clear glass shield moved forward on one set of tracks while a thick cobblestone wall followed behind on the other set of tracks.  A picture of a robed figure was painted on the wall.

            "That's the same kinda tempered glass we use ta keep the flames outta the foundry.  Best I ken tell, this is about as strong as a shielda a 'oly magic," Canak said, before turning to the young red haired neeg and barking out, "Pow!  Whenever you're ready!"

            Pow nodded and after filling the device with powder and another metal sphere, he took aim.  Mina kept her eyes fixed on the device.  The mouth of the device flared once again and she was momentarily deafened by the sound it made.  However, when she grabbed her ears in pain, Mina managed to see something fly from the muzzle of the device.

            After her ears stopped ringing, Mina heard Celine gasp, "What the...?!"  Turning to the glass shield, Mina saw that it had cracked all the way through.  The cracks in the glass spread out from a tiny hole in the center and, behind it, there was a small crack in the stone wall where the painted figure's head was.

            Canak beamed at Aeon for a moment, while Mina and Celine exchanged worried looks.  After a few seconds had passed, Mina cleared her throat and said, "Ummm...is this a weapon?"

            "I like ta think of it as an equalizera sorts," Canak crossed his arms and nodded.  "It's a way fer thosea us who can't use magic an who ain't trained with swords ta 'ave a chance against casters ina fair fight."

            "With a little practice, anyone oughtta be able ta use it," Yuka added.  "Innkeepers, guards, farmers...caravaners," she drew out the last word and Mina felt her heart skip a beat.  "Truth is, not many people can use magic or afford enchanted items.  But with onea these," she stroked the device in Pow's hand, "They wouldn't need ta.  They could protect their family an friends without magic."

            "Aye.  That's why I made 'em," Canak smirked, taking the weapon from Pow and hefting it against his shoulder.  "Ta give power ta the powerless."

            "Heh," Celine cracked a smile and nudged Mina's shoulder.  "Doesn't sound half bad the way they're sellin it, huh?" she whispered.

            Looking down at her fingers, Mina felt her stomach churn and the energy within her shot into her hands.  Wind gathered around her fingertips, but she closed her hands and shook her head.  "No...it doesn't sound bad at all, actually," she replied.

            "Hmmm..." Aeon stroked his skeletal jaw, glancing first at Yuka before turning to Canak.  "Hmmmhmm...an equalizing weapon," he let out a dry chuckle.  "It almost sounds romantic, the way you describe it."

“Aye!  Don it though?!” Canak snickered.  "These're the start ofa 'ole new age.  Least, that's 'ow I see it," the neeg shrugged.  "Any 'ow, whadda ya think?"

            "I believe I have seen enough," Aeon nodded.  "However, before we discuss business, tell me...what is this weapon called?"

            "We named 'em in honora what inspired me ta make 'em," Canak said, smirking at Pow and Danny, who cracked smiles of their own.  "We call 'em gundarrimos.  Or 'guns' fer short."