I kept close to Suisei as we walked through the mountain's tunnels. Uncomfortably close. The burningly urgency behind the many questions I wanted to ask him was rivaled only by my fear of what might happen if the D'zd heard them.

"What have you told them about &alon?" I asked.

"Nothing," he replied.

"The Sword? Your Sword, I mean."

"No."

A crowd of D'zd came skittering down the tunnel from behind, driving our group of four up to the middle of the wall.

"What about all the…" I narrowed my flower, "you know… all the god… stuff…?"

"Again, no."

"Angel's mercy, that's a relief." I sighed out so much light, petals opening wide, it ricocheted off the walls and bounced back at us.

"What about you?" he asked.

"Not a word," I replied.

Nina chimed in: "The D'zd thought we were Messengers of the Vyx. Dr. Howle's been happy to let them believe it."

"What else did the T'dzd'ch tell you?" Suisei asked.

I quickly covered all the essential details I could still remember: Southlanders vs. Northlanders, Charge vs. Lifelight, Soulbreaking vs. Passage.

"What about you? What have you been telling them?"

"As I said back in the Chief's chambers, the Vvz'zsh believe I am a Messenger of the Vy, and like you, I haven't done anything to give them a reason to believe otherwise."

Suddenly, Lark skittered ahead of us. "Holy shit," she said. "Look!"

The tunnel Suisei had been leading us down opened up onto a squat yet massive cylindrical chamber, dotted by a ring of thick stone pillars covered top to bottom in heating slates. Some of the heating slates glowed with a magicked light, shining beams of soft song onto the several staggered terraces set into the shallow depression in the middle of the room.

The overall impression was of a grand amphitheater. Stalactites hung pendulously from the lofty ceiling, reflecting back the excited murmurs from the crowd lingering at the pillar ring's outer edges. Guards stood watch by the individual pillars, reminding the bystanders to know their place. Two holes on the wall let in the daylight—the eyes of a stony face. A tunnel mouth opened beneath them, leading through shut doors to a balcony at the edge of the sky.

The terraces in the middle of the chamber melted into three platforms in the shape of a tongue depressor. Krr'kt'zz and two other D'zd stood on the platforms. The other two were dressed even more extravagantly than the Vvz'zsh Chieftain, veiled in the thick layers of tassels and kerchiefs dangled on their bodies. Their flowers' petals bore stripes of paint that powerfully phosphoresced in the shafts of daylight coming in through the back wall's eyes. The light's sounds made moiré patterns of intersecting harmonies that fluctuated and snapped whenever the visitors spoke or moved.

Each of the three D'zd were accompanied by several modestly dressed attendants standing in wait behind them. I noticed a couple kerchiefs here and there, but other than that, if the attendants had any pride, they hid it beneath the cowls of their cloaks.

Suisei, Nina, Lark, and I watched the scenes play out from a half-open tunnel high up on the wall. Directly ahead of us, the tunnel angled downward, following the leftward curve of the great hall's wall until it widened into a broad delta that let out onto the floor.

Suisei pointed at the two richly adorned figures on the platforms who were not Krr'kt'zz. "Those are the other Vvz'zsh chieftains," he said. "As I understand it, the kerchiefs symbolize lifelight. Among the Vvz'zsh, their leaders, sages, and holy men wear the kerchiefs to signify their connection to the lifelight, and—by extension—to all D'zd. Though, hmm…" Suisei ran the edge of one of his arms along his flower's lower lip. "Those designs…" There was a pause, and then he nodded with understanding. "Oh, so that's what this is."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Krr'kt'zz explained it to me. The tall one over there? The one who's trying to look big?"

"Yes?" I asked.

"That must be Bzrt'zrt (Bzertzert), lord of Clan Tzrk'vv'k (Tzerk'voov'k)."

"Gesundheit," Lark said.

Suisei ignored her. "If I remember correctly, the Tzrk'vv'k live in fortresses dug deep into the ground. They are famed for their martial prowess and the piety of their priests. Krr'kt'zz complained on multiple occasions about how bellicose Bzrt'zrt could be."

"What about the other one?" I asked.

"Well," Suisei said, "if that's Bzrt'zrt. I suppose that would make the D'zd across from zym Srrt'zt'krr (Seertzet Kur), leader of Clan Dzd'chr-kd'zk (Dzid'chir Kudzik)."

"Let me guess, they, like, live in the ocean, or something?" Nina said.

"No, the forests," Suisei answered. "They grow crops and livestock that help sustain the other clans, and maintain the Vvz'zsh's trade networks. They are the wealthiest of the Vvz'zsh."

"What clan is Krr'kt'zz lord of?" I asked.

"Nzrk-Dz, I think. They handle espionage, and maintain the tchn't'ts that transport everything between the Vvz'zsh settlements."

"Why is everything so specialized?" I asked.

"Because they can't act openly without the Dominion learning about their secret networks. They've been pushed to the brink. But, even so, they still do everything they can to survive."

"So… what's Krr'kt'zz trying to do?" Nina asked.

"Probably what all war councils do," I said, "rally one's allies and release a declaration of war."

"Is this because of Dr. Howle?" Lark asked.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"No," Suisei said. "It's…" he crossed his lower arms, "I suppose you could say it's my fault, somewhat, but… Krr'kt'zz had his plan in the works long before any of us arrived in this Archive. As ze told me, my arrival was equal parts pretext and portent."

A nearby onlooker hissed at us. "Quiet! They're speaking!"

Srrt'zt'krr gestured to zyr retinue with the staff in zyr hand. "As you can see, Krr'kt dear, we've replied to your summons."

Zyr speech was beautiful to behold. The lord of the Clan Dzd'chr-kd'zk imbued zyr every movement with a feminine grace. Ze paused ever so slightly between the junctions of zyr words, giving zyr rhetoric time to shine. The lightwaves of Srrt'zt'krr's words ricocheted off the pillars, intersecting and overlapping themselves until they formed the tongues of a sacred flame that hung high overhead, filling the pillar ring's upper reaches with its ever-shifting beauties.

You could tell ze came from high society.

"I, for one, sincerely hope it's damn well worth the trip," Bzrt'zrt grumbled.

The lord of Clan Tzrk'vv'k was as brusque and gruff as Srrt'zt'krr was measured and refined. Bzrt'zrt glanced fretfully at zyr retainers, who shied away from zym with averted gazes.

I couldn't tell if it was fear, reverence, or both.

"If the Dominion gets so much as a glimmer of our movements," Bzrt'zrt said, "they'll rip our—"

"—Calm yourself, Bzrt'zrt," Srrt'zt'krr interjected. "The Dominion does not openly attack tchn't't. We owe our survival to that fact. Only a fool would dare incur a tchn't't pod's wrath. Our peoples' commerce and communications are clandestine, and will remain that way, so long as we do not give the T'dzd'ch a reason to think otherwise."

Ze talked like a DAISHU CEO. How far ahead was ze planning, I wonder?

"Srrt'zt'krr is correct, Bzrt'zrt," Krr'kt'zz said, "as usual."

"Yeah, and it's not fair!" Bzrt'zrt replied, with a shake of zyr abdomen. The movement sent ripples through the Chieftain's kerchief robes.

"Save your anger, my friend," Krr'kt'zz said.

"Oh, I'm sure I will," Bzrt'zrt said. "You Nzrk are always scheming… something."

"You'll either love what I have to shine," Krr'kt'zz said, "or you'll want to rip off my head."

"Either way, it sounds like a fun time," Bzrt'zrt replied.

"Enough!" Srrt'zt'krr said. Ze waved zyr arm. Ze held a staff in hand, and tamped its base on the stone. "Save your petty squabbles for your next lives," ze said. "We have business to attend to." Spreading zyr arms to either side of zyr body, ze bowed to Krr'kt'zz. "I greet you, Krr'kt'zz, lord of Clan Nzrk-Dz."

Krr'kt'zz glanced at Srrt'zt'krr and spread zyr arms, reciprocating the latter's gesture. "And I thank you for the greeting, Srrt'zt'krr, lord of Clan Dzd'chr-kd'zk."

Krr'kt'zz turned to Bzrt'zrt, and then repeated zyr bow. "I greet you, Bzrt'zrt of the Tzrk'vv'k Clan."

Bzrt'zrt crossed both pairs of zyr arms. "Just get on with it already."

"Very well," Krr'kt'zz. Ze briefly glanced back at one of zyr retainers, and then looked around for a moment before settling zyr gaze on…

…us?

Lark waved an arm at zym.

"Good," Krr'kt'zz said, "they're here." Ze turned to face the other Vvz'zsh leaders.

"I've had this plan for some time, but recent events have forced my hand. We are in a time of omens, siblings."

"Yes," Bzrt'zrt replied, "the world is ending! Everyone and their egg-sacs knows it! Refugees from your two Clans' colonies are flocking to my people's cities. The Fossil Wind has claimed Z'krzs'k'k (Zih-Kurjkuk) Lake." Ze gestured at Srrt'zt'krr. "Clan Dzd'chr-kd'zk's farms are collapsing, one after another, and the T'dzd'ch bastards gnaw at what few arable holdings remain. People are dying. Starvation is on the horizon. To hell with ritual! Even my presence here comes at great cost. Make your proposal, Krr'kt'zz, and if I have the patience, I just might listen."

Krr'kt'zz's tail bobbed from where it stuck out from under zyr robes. "Very well. Srrt'zt'krr, Bzrt'zrt," ze glanced at the other Vvz'zsh Chiefs, "we must go to war with the Dominion."

Bzrt'zrt stomped zyr feet. "Oh, this is rich! Now you want to go to battle? I kept telling you over and over again to do so, but it's too late now! We won't stand a chance."

"The lord of Clan Tzrk'vv'k speaks true," Srrt'zt'krr said. "Time was on our side. Perhaps it never has been."

"Circumstances have changed," Krr'kt'zz said. "The time has come to mount a full frontal assault on Dz'zrt'zt. We must hold nothing back. I offer Clan Nzrk-Dz's squadrons of Passaged tchn't'ts to serve the cause. They will bring Vvz'zsh warriors down atop the Dominion's heads."

"W-What!?" Bzrt'zrt roared. Zyr irate light overtook the delicate interplay of dialogue bouncing between the pillars overhead. "Use the…" Ze stomped all four of zyr legs. "You're insane! I don't know which is crazier, attacking the Dominion's capital city, or using our whales to do it. You do realize, your Clan's tchn't'ts are the only reason our cities haven't become crypts. That all ends if we use a tchn't't strike force. The Dominion already figured out Srrt's people were posing as merchants to access T'dzd'ch goods. Once the Dominion learns we're using tchn't'ts, the T'dzd'ch will hunt them to extinction, just to deprive us of our advantage. We'll be forced to trade with each other over land, like in the old days. The Dominion has already demonstrated their ability to suss out our caravans and follow them to their destinations. If we have to rely on ground trade like before, the Dominion will wipe us out long before the Fossil Wind does! It's suicide!"

"Not if we win," Krr'kt'zz said. Turning, ze looked up at us. "Zz'zz," ze said, "bring your friends down here, would you?"

"I suppose that's our cue," Suisei said. He turned to me. "After you, Genneth." He bowed slightly, outstretching his arm.

I looked around for an awkward moment, but then, with a sigh, I resigned myself to accept the role the situation had thrust upon me.

Suisei and I walked abreast of one another as we made our way down the tunnel. D'zd skittered out of our way with their stinger tails bobbing behind them, looking at us in awe.

Cries of distress grew louder the closer we got to the mouth of the tunnel. Their light mobbed us like paparazzi by the time we walked out onto the floor of the great hall.

Bzrt'zrt reached under zyr robes and pulled out two long, thick swords, each of which was double-bladed, with a hinge that allowed them to function like a pair of scissors. "Krr'kt'zz, what are three T'dzd'ch doing here?!" The Tzrk'vv'k leader's head trembled with zyr barely constrained rage.

"Shit, our clothes," Lark muttered.

Yeah, that's right: we were wearing the kinds of clothes worn by the people that wanted to exterminate every last Vvz'zsh

"They're not T'dzd'ch," Suisei said. His voice boomed out in astonishing loudness. And that's when I realized: he was using his powers in the Archive, just like Nina had used hers.

I stepped forward. "We're Messengers. Messengers from the Vyx."

Gasps broke out all around.

"What's the meaning of this, Krr'kt'zz?" Srrt'zt'krr said. Ze skittered toward Krr'kt'zz, up to the edge of zyr platform. It was the first time I'd seen zyr lose zyr composure. "I expect this sort of foolishness from Bzrt'zrt, not you."

Krr'kt'zz pressed zyr hands against each other and lowered zyr stinger tail. "It's the truth," ze said. "I swear on Lifelight itself."

Srrt'zt'krr staggered back in shock. "You would…?"

"Yes," Krr'kt'zz replied. Ze raised zyr flower and arms to the ceiling. "If this is a lie, let me be struck down! Let us all drop dead!"

Of course, nobody did.

Bzrt'zrt turned zyr blades to Krr'kt'zz. "You really are insane…" ze said, in an uncharacteristically soft voice.

But Krr'kt'zz pointed at Suisei. "I wonder if you'll still think that way once you see what Zz'zz has to say," ze said.

At this point, an idea came to me.

I raised one of my arms. "Actually," I said, "I think I have something even better in mind." I turned to Nina. "Nina, do your thing."

"Gladly," she replied.

I had to imagine that she was grinning.

Without hesitation, Nina drew on her innate pataphysical abilities and made Krr'kt'zz hover above the ground. The feat looked all the more impressive to me, now that I no longer had my wyrmsight to illuminate the lines of her power.

It really did seem like sorcery.

The reaction from the D'zd was immediate and intense. Guards and retainers drew their scissorblades while bystanders skittered back in terror.

Yet Suisei scampered forward in excitement.

"Calm yourselves, everyone," he said. "I've seen miracles like this before."

Krr'kt'zz raised one of zyr swords in the air before Nina had even set zym down.

Tellingly, the chieftain glanced at Suisei as Nina relaxed her power and set zym back down.

"Well?" ze asked Suisei.

The other two chieftains stared at zym.

Suisei bobbed his tail in excitement. His voice positively trembled.

"Krr'kt'zz… this changes everything."

"Then enlighten us," Srtt'zt'krr said.

Bzrt'zrt sheathed zyr swords. "You have my full attention, Zz'zz—if that is your real name."

"Gladly."

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