Book 8: Chapter 74: Two Conditions |
Qin Lun raised a finger and shook it, smiling. “First, as you mentioned earlier, the Uvaeren Slab belongs to the entire Elf race. Since you Sun Elves are about to move to Evermeet, you will have no more say in Faerûn. Therefore, it doesn’t matter what Ancient Inheritance is recorded on the slab. I can only let you make a copy. You can’t take the original.”
Milleras pondered for a moment, then sighed and agreed. “Alright. What’s the second condition?”
The high-level undead in the Tower of Durlag were once leaders of the Uvaeren Elf. If they chose to preserve any books from this library, they surely kept Uvaeren’s important legacies. The slab most likely held magic for tending and growing a World Tree Seed.
But those ancient legacies weren’t the slab’s main worth. Its true value came from representing the Uvaeren Elf’s ruling empire, the Risalal Empire. Just like the Sun Elves’ Empire of Vyshaantar in Aryvandaar long ago, this too was once the lawful government of the entire Elf race.
In Faerûn today, many Elven Courts exist, but none leads all Elves as one power. The Cormanthor Sun Elves walking the Ancient Path did this partly to scout a path for future migrating groups, and partly to prepare for building the Sun Court on Evermeet.
Even King Thanequalas of the Anke Elf Court gave Qin Lun the title of Saophila Elf Prince, putting him in the Sun Elf Diplomatic Mission partly to prevent Sun Elves alone from claiming the Ancient Path’s glory.
Still, this plan felt lacking. After all, Sun Elves started this Ancient Path journey. Qin Lun might help a lot, but he could only share the glory, not take it fully.
If the Anke Elf Court and King Thanequalas got the Uvaeren Slab, that changed things.
Even if Sun Elves gained the Ancient Path glory and established the Sun Court on Evermeet, that only restored Vyshaantar Empire’s place. To Elves in Faerûn, the Uvaeren Slab’s Risalal Empire stood as equal to the Vyshaantar Empire.
If King Thanequalas received this news back in Anke Elf Court—he’d likely give his whole royal guard just to seize such a chance to unite southern Elf courts. He might even come to Amn with his men to dig this tower apart brick by brick.
The Cormanthor Sun Elves couldn’t do such a thing. Moving thousands of Elves drained them. Who had strength for a war?
If they missed this moment, the Tower of Durlag undead might hide the slabs away. Then both Elf courts would lose them. That might actually suit Sun Elves just fine.
But Milleras couldn’t just ignore it. Even a copied slab contained the same content. It surely had methods to tend World Trees. True, Evermeet suited World Trees, but if surroundings shifted the Sun Elves would halt their plans without such knowledge. What glory could be rebuilt then?
Thus, Qin Lun could let go of the slabs. Milleras could not. He must gain them—or just copies.
“As for the second condition… I won’t go to Evermeet with you. Deepwater City is my furthest stop. But once you reach Evermeet, Ancient Path records must list my and Iristin’s deeds as Saeopiya Elves!” Qin伦’s eyes glinted as he spoke flatly.
Milleras lifted his eyebrows, looking deeply at Qin Lun. “Alright. If I live to reach Evermeet, you and Iristin will enter history as Saeopiya Elf’s royal descendants.”
“Since you agreed, let’s begin!” Qin Lun smiled slightly. Though his Ancient Path task only required reaching Deepwater City, what Mission Command meant differed from King Thanequalas’s intent.
That sly old Anker Elf king clearly wanted Qin Lun to follow Milleras to Evermeet. Otherwise, Sun Elves might describe this journey as Qin and Iristin joining under personal will—or worse, hired Elf warriors. That would erase the political meaning.
Now Milleras’s promise fixed things. Future Sun Court couldn’t ignore this claim. Whether elves kept promises mattered little to Qin Lun. Besides, Elves valued honor.
Why not demand Elven treasures from Milleras? Faint whispers came over the Team Channel.
Qin Lun froze, turning to Lace the Elf archer at the party’s rear. The Apostle girl seemed wholly focused on her Beastmaster Hunting Bow. But of two Apostles present, Lace had clearly guessed his identity upon transit. Only she could send that channel message.
Shaking his head with a smile, Qin Lun ignored her. She wasn’t Kelly. He didn’t need to explain. The two requests seemed to help Moon Elves and Anke Court solely, bringing no Apostle gains. But Qin Lun planned just that.
Milleras traveled alone outside. What treasures could he have? Better build his Plot Identity bonds than fuss over small items.
Back at Ironstar Fortress, after Milleras changed the story flow, Mission Command altered task points. Shattered Starry Sky then hinted it might grant special World Tokens to let Apostles return here to complete the Ancient Path and Lorlin’s Mithril Hall quest.
Novice Apostles likely didn’t grasp “special World Token” yet. But Qin Lun remembered. He’d seen one.
Normal world beacons? Qin Lun used one spherical device to enter Hunter World. Special locators? Different things entirely. Normal beacons just aided Quest World searches, not targeted locks.
Targeted locks meant inheritance of prior Plot Identity—only one tool did that. The World Tokens used in Nals World by the Nirvana trio. That high-rank Apostle Casey tricked Master Vima using it, nearly burying that Legendary Druid with Qin Lun’s serial killers.
Shattered Starry Sky’s World Token standards? Likely two ways: Team grants, handing to the Leader; or individual grants to those with highest Exploration Rate and deepest Plot Mission influence.
In Nals World, Casey’s group used their own item. Among Fortress Team or Lost Novices here, who matched Qin Lun’s bonds? Thus, if rules applied, Qin Lun must receive a World Token to reenter Toril World.
Serving Moon Elves and King Thanequalas built contacts for a return trip. Toril World was huge and rich. Even if Qin Lun skipped next time, resell the World Token could fetch huge gain.
Why settle for bits from Milleras now?
Qin Lun ignored her. Lace angrily stamped a foot. The girl wanted some share, but Qin Lun cared nothing for that.
With terms agreed, Qin Lun led the party onward through the library. Milleras’s previous accident made them tread carefully to avoid shaking shelves. They refused to disturb anything out of respect for Uwaeren library and its civilization.
They made slow progress along the massive basement’s outer edge. Soon they circled halfway. At the library’s opposite corner stood an immense fireplace.
Its flames died thousands of years back. Once elegant with carved reliefs, the fireplace stood exposed despite the dry basement air. Its rusted grate and faded surface radited sorrow.
Qin Lun circled the hearth, hands behind back. His eyes lit on a spot that seemed less dusty. This should be the trigger from Hasheed’s memory.
“Hope it works!” Qin Lun twisted a hidden lever slowly.
Clack clack clack! Perhaps undead upkeep kept the mechanism sound. After millennia, the giant hearth slid silently sideways, revealing a broad tunnel beyond. Light glimmered faintly from within.
Cough! Qin Lun waved away foul odors as he unsheathed his Serthel Magic Sword. He warned over a shoulder. “Careful, everyone. Undead may lurk ahead.”
They had walked several minutes through the damp tunnel when faint light appeared ahead. All tensed, weapons ready.
“That’s glowstone light!” Milleras stepped close to Qin Lun. He itched to see beyond.
“Whoa!” They soon reached the tunnel’s end. As the view ahead unfolded, every face bloomed surprise and awe.