The Heavenly Host

“Scrolls, I understand; they often have maps. Books are too long-winded, take up too much time,” Dider said. “Just tell me what I need to know, spare me the useless details.”

Bor Tal nodded. “Who do we fight, when do we fight, and where do we fight!”

Kirak nodded and smiled. “Exactly!”

“And who’s bringing the glargh for afterwards!” Dider added.

“We are not going to have enough glargh to wash down our meat after this giant hunt!” Soo Ann suddenly worried.

Vespa laughed. “You think you have a problem? We are hunting here and on other planes to feed two thousand D’Orcs. Getting enough glargh — or as we drink, x-glargh — is going to be a true challenge. We are going to need at least three dozen barrels!”

“The steward thinks she has some ideas on getting glargh to make x-glargh, but it is a lot to pull together on such short notice,” Dider said.

Bor Tal shrugged. “Well, I don’t know about three dozen, but you should be able to get a dozen barrels in Murgatroy.”

“That’s where we get barrels for the tribe gatherings.” Soo An nodded.

The D’Orcs looked at each other. “Is this Murgatroy far away?” Vespa asked.

“Quite a ways, but if we are flying at hunt speed? A bit over a day’s flight, perhaps.”

“That’s a lot of hunting time.” Vespa shook her head. “It would take us until after fierdset to get there. Let us discuss this with the steward and Lord Tommus. We might be able to return tomorrow to get glargh.”

“Or,” Dider said, “Astlan is mana rich. D’Orcs and D’Wargs need no sleep. After we hunt, we could travel through the night to this Murgatroy. Our hosts, who know where we are going, would need to sleep on D’Wargback, which I suspect would not be pleasant.”

“We can ride all night for glargh!” Bor Tal said with a bit of indignation. “We are Crooked Sticks, after all!” He grinned.

“I would be game for that!” Tal Gor said. He did not want this day to end, so if he could extend it through tomorrow, that would be ideal. Bor Tal and Soo An nodded in agreement.

Vespa grinned and nodded her head.

Chapter 104

^{DOF +7}

^{Fifth Period 16-04-440}

“You are looking a bit... sickly, master,” Vaselle told Edwyrd hesitantly as the animage finished dressing in the clothes he had asked the wizard to purchase for him.

“You are starting to sound like Tizzy,” Edwyrd said, chuckling. “You do know that if I walked about the city in my true form, there would be mass panic and the wards would be immediately snapped back on?”

Vaselle shrugged. “Yes, but it seems a small price for not sacrificing your comfort. Surely squeezing your true magnificence into such a small and weak form must be uncomfortable?”

Edwyrd looked at Vaselle and grinned. “You are amazingly perceptive, Vaselle. It is quite uncomfortable, particularly when I haven’t been in this form for several days. It takes adjustment. However, we need to go see Damien and I can’t enter the palace as Tom.”

“Have you have finished with your hunting parties?” Vaselle asked.

“I brought the last game back from Etterdam right before I came here; however, I will be retrieving the D’Orcs in the morning. They are feasting with their hosts tonight and wanted some more time outside the Abyss. The guys here in Astlan are feasting now and will be heading to someplace called Murgatroy overnight to try and get barrels of glargh.”

“Murgatroy?” Vaselle said, trying to recall if he knew where that was. “I assume that must be somewhere near Jotungard?”

Edwyrd shook his head. “I barely know where Freehold is relative to Gizzor Del and Lenamare’s castle.” He frowned. “I’ve got maps, or at least old maps. I should study them. If I had more shamans I’d have them update the maps, but that’s a big undertaking.”

“You could just buy some maps here in Freehold,” Vaselle observed.

Edwyrd grinned. “Mount Doom’s maps are pretty cool; you will want to see them.” He chuckled. “I probably should get some normal maps for an interim update, but I am not sure how long paper maps will last in the Abyss.” He shook his head. “So much work to do!”