“Oh,” Zed said, surprised. He wasn’t sure whether to be impressed by the elf’s final act of heroism or relieved that Shaimin wasn’t coming back. Either way, he’d never expected that sort of thing out of a Thuranni.
Dalan’s hatch opened behind them and a trio of Brelish officers emerged. They cast a cold, suspicious gaze over the crew before climbing the ladder and returning to their ship. The huge airship banked and soared away, joining her fleet in the patrol of Skyway.
“Pherris, get us out of here quickly,” Dalan said, appearing from within his cabin. “I have satisfied Captain Hoyt and his crew for the moment, but we should remove ourselves from the area while we are able.”
“What did you tell them?” Zed asked.
“I leaned quite heavily on my family name,” Dalan said. “That, combined with the fact that our ship has no weapons, Draikus’s warning that Marth was coming, and Tristam’s bravery have allayed their suspicions for now. Captain Hoyt and his men are keenly interested in the safety of the city. Rescuing survivors is his current priority. It is only a matter of time, however, before Hoyt’s superiors begin wondering what just happened here and direct him to conduct more … energetic investigations. So let us vanish before they find their curiosity.”
“Aye, Dalan,” Pherris said. “Where to?”
“We still need to rendezvous with Norra and find out what she’s learned,” Zed said. “Zamiel is still out there.”
“Morgrave University, then,” Dalan said. “Southern central Sharn, if memory serves.”
The Mourning Dawn banked and descended in a wide arc, leaving the floating district of Skyway behind as she dipped down into the City of Towers. The airship soared through narrow canyons between broad walls of buildings. People walked about the city on raised bridges and narrow catwalks, paying no attention to the ship as it flew past.
“Khyber, they all live in the sky,” Ijaac mumbled, terrified. “How can they stand it?”
“Not everyone is afraid of heights, Ijaac,” Gerith teased.
“Cautious!” the dwarf snapped, flushing. “I’m just cautious.”
“I’m going to check on Tristam,” Zed said, heading toward the ladder that led to the lower deck.
“He should be well enough in Eraina’s hands,” Dalan said. “I shall need you presently.”
“Me?” Zed asked, looking at Dalan. “Why?”
“Norra’s last post was curious, even for her,” Dalan said. “I suspect there may be trouble. You know this city better than the rest of us.”
“All right, but didn’t you live here as well, Dalan?” Zed said.
“I was an ambassador of a dragonmarked house,” Dalan said. “I came here as a tourist. You lived here as an inquisitive.”
“Details,” Zed replied.
“Ijaac, Omax, accompany us,” Dalan said.
“Expecting trouble?” Ijaac said. He rested one gnarled hand on the butt of his morningstar.
“Indeed,” Dalan replied. “This is not nearly over yet.”
The spires of Dalannan Tower rose before them, higher than any of the surrounding buildings. Karia Naille circled the tower that housed the University and descended to a small docking tower. Zed disembarked with the others, pausing only to glance back at the Mourning Dawn’s scorched hull.
“There is a small Tinker’s Guildhouse in northwestern Tavick’s Landing, lower level,” Dalan said to the captain as he walked down the gangplank. “Ask for Maris d’Cannith and give her my name. She will discreetly arrange for repairs.”
“Aye, Dalan,” Pherris said. “Good luck.”
“And to you,” Dalan replied.
With a steady crackle of magical fire, Karia Naille ascended and soared away through the city. Zed watched her depart without a word. When he turned to leave, he noticed Dalan watching the ship leave with an oddly pensive expression.
“Something on your mind, d’Cannith?” Zed asked as he started down the stairs toward the street below.
“I just had a rather troublesome thought,” the guildmaster replied, following.
“What is it?”
“Zamiel,” Dalan said. “We know that he guided and supported Marth, but we still don’t know why. What interest would a dragon have in turning the Five Nations against each other? I would think mortal politics would be beneath such a creature.”
“No way to know,” Zed said. “I just hope Norra turned up something that will help.”
“But we do know one thing for sure,” Dalan said. “If a creature with Zamiel’s power wished to foment rebellion, he could have done so in any number of ways. Instead, he chose specifically to aid Marth in rebuilding the Legacy.”
Zed turned to look at Dalan as they walked out into the street. “What are you getting at, Dalan?”
“I was just thinking that we could end all of this very easily right now,” Dalan said. “The Dragon’s Eye was destroyed. There’s only one way the Legacy could ever be rebuilt-and that’s using the Mourning Dawn’s elemental core.”
“So if we scrap the Karia Naille, he’ll be out of luck,” Ijaac said, completing the thought.
“Not scrap her so much as dismantle her core,” Dalan said.
“No,” Omax said bluntly. “The Legacy can do great good as well as great harm. You saw as much in Skyway.”
“I saw no such thing,” Dalan said. “I only saw Tristam abort a catastrophe that the Legacy itself created. Many people still died up there today. Without the Legacy, none of that would have happened.”
“And without the Mourning Dawn, we would never have stopped it,” Zed said. “What if we did destroy the airship, just to spite Zamiel? What would that accomplish? Zamiel’s not even mortal. He has nothing but time to find another way to rebuild the Legacy.”
“Perhaps not within our lifetimes,” Dalan said. “If the Legacy is irrevocably destroyed, Zamiel will have no further reason to pursue us outside of simple revenge.”
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this, Dalan,” Zed said, incredulous. “We can’t destroy our ship.”
“My ship, Arthen,” Dalan corrected. “I shall do what I like with it in the end, but I am soliciting your opinions lest I do something foolish.”
“Well this idea is pretty foolish,” Zed snapped.
“Is it?” Dalan said. “Try to remember that if Tristam had destroyed the Dying Sun instead of repairing her that none of this would have ever happened.”
“The Mourning Dawn is connected to a source of incredible power,” Omax said. “That power can accomplish great good or great evil. You would destroy something because you fear its evil rather than protect it to ensure its good?”
“I would,” Dalan said.
“And what about me?” Omax said tersely. “I was built to be a killer. Would you destroy me as well?”
“That’s entirely different, Omax,” Dalan said.
“I do not see how,” the warforged said, shaking his head sadly
“Well, I’ll say this, Dalan,” Zed said. “It’s your ship to do with as you like. Just let me know when you plan to try and destroy her, because I don’t want to be anywhere nearby when Aeven finds out what you’re planning.”
Dalan sighed. “Do not misunderstand me, Arthen,” he said. “I do not savor the idea of destroying Karia Naille. That airship is more of a home to me than Wroat or Metrol ever were. I have treasured my time among her crew despite the fact that most of you despise me. The fact remains that she can destroy entire cities.” He swept one arm toward a distant tower that had fallen when the island began to shift. “We have no idea how powerful Zamiel is. If he finds us, we may have no hope of stopping him from taking what he desires. If we destroy the Legacy, we may hamper his plans indefinitely.”
“We may,” Zed said. “I don’t think we should take that kind of risk on a maybe.”
Dalan glowered at Zed. The inquisitive met his gaze squarely.
“And I was still excited that we’d saved the city,” Ijaac said glumly. “You lot have a way of ruining a dwarf’s good mood.”