Melinda stopped short as we came up to a plaza with a large fountain. “Silv,” she said, grabbing my arm and pulling me into a tavern.

It was mostly empty inside. The tables were clearly well used, however there was currently only one patron. Melinda hurried to take the nearest seat then patted the seat next to hers as a way of asking me to sit with her.

Taking the seat, I asked, “What’s going on, Mel?”

“Not now. Just stay quiet.”

Her response only made me more curious, until I felt a familiar presence. Melinda shook her head, but I couldn’t stop myself from looking. Walking into the tavern was a small dwarf in dirty clothes and a cloak that hid his features. Even without seeing his face, I recognized him immediately by his hammer and rust colored beard.

“What are ya hidin’ from lass?” Zidg said as he sat on the other side of Melinda. “You’ve nothing to fear from a little man like me.”

“You may be little, but your size is hardly a measure of your threat.”

The dwarf laughed.

“It’s been a long time, dark smith.” Stylnyx voice sounded in my head, reminding me that I still owed him a favor.

“It has indeed,” Zidg replied, “but none of us are ‘ere to catch up.”

Turning towards him, Melinda asked, “and why exactly are you here? As I recall you prefer to hide out in those haunted woods.”

“Straight to business then.” He said, his low gravely voice striking a serious chord. “Dispense with yer tricks. I need ale an’ the barkeep won’t come if he can’t tell we’re ‘ere.”

I couldn’t sense any change, but a moment later a man slammed three tankards on the table. He had a mop of blue hair and a pair of wolf ears atop his head. Aside from a tail, his other features appeared normal and unremarkable. “You lot new in town?” He asked but continued without waiting for an answer, “First round’s on the house. Just bang the cup if you need anything else.”

He turned, but before he walked away Zidg said, “Ya got anywhere more private we can drink?”

The bartender turned back to the dwarf with a smile, “Of course, sir. If you’ve got coin for it, I can give you a top quality room and it comes with an obedient service girl.”

Stroking his beard, Zidg chortled. “Obedient eh?”

“Oh yes, sir. Our women live to please the patrons. Please feel free to ask them for anything!” the bartender replied. “Oh, but there is one rule. Girls can be more fragile than you might think, please don’t hurt them.”

“We’ll take it.”

“Excellent, sir. How long do you need the room?”

Zidg shrugged and glanced between me and Melinda. After another pause he answered, "Until tomorrow morning should suffice."

"Righto," the barkeeper agreed. Then turned toward a door just right of the bar. "right this way!"

I wasn’t sure what Zidg had in mind, but I didn’t like the direction things seemed to be heading.

After passing through a short hall and climbing a flight of stairs, we came to a door with runes around the frame. The bartender pushed open the door. Bowing low, he motioned for us to go inside. It reminded me of how servants opened doors except that there was something dark and oddly uncomfortable in his expression.

Inside the room there was a single table and a young woman cleaning dishes behind a bar. Her eyes widened when we entered and a pair of blue ears sprang up atop her head. For an instant she seemed tense and anxious, then her body relaxed. Her lips eased into a practiced smile as she finished wiping clean a glass and set it down.

With a sort of placid apathy, she approached us. "Welcome to the Blue Moon VIP room. How may I serve you today?" she said with a bow.

She had dark skin like rich chocolate and her eyes were the most beautiful shade of ice blue. Her short hair was bluish grey as well, making her appear wiser somehow. I still wasn’t used to seeing people with ears tails; I didn’t mean to stare, but I found my eyes constantly drawn back to these features.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“This is Alana, she’ll be taking care of you for the rest of your stay.” The bartender said. “Normally payment is calculated at the end of your stay, but we require a deposit for the VIP room.”

Zidg nodded. “Naturally.” he reached into his cloak and pulled out a coin purse with a heavy aura of darkness around it. It was definitely a cursed object and I was sure everyone present noticed. “It’s been a while since I stayed any place like this, you’ll have to remind me the customary amount Mr…”

“How rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself. You can call me Max. As for the amount…” his glanced nervously at Zidg’s cursed pouch. “…We’ll waive all fees for today, no need to worry.”

Alana smiled brightly as she bowed deeply.

“Now, if you will excuse me. I hope you’ll all enjoy yourselves with Alana.” Max left the room in a hurry as Zidg stuffed the purse back where he got it.

Looking toward Alana, the dwarf grunted, “Max said you’re obedient…” he paused letting the words hang uncomfortably in the air.

“O…obedient?” Alana asked, her fingers tapping lightly against her leg. Looking towards another door which I assume led to a bedroom, she continued, “you must mean…”

“Didn’t you have some reason for finding us? If not then I actually have something I need to ask you about.” I said, hoping to put a stop to whatever Zidg was about to ask the girl to do.

“Aye laddie, o’ course ya do. That’s why I need the lass to wait patiently outside.” Zidg turned back to Alana. “It won’t take long, and you’ll have the whole night off long as ya don’t tell the man downstairs.”

Alana looked confused, but she nodded slowly then left the room.

Taking a seat at the table, Zidg summoned some tools from storage, letting them land heavily atop the table. There was a small hammer, some pliers, an empty hourglass and blazing gem set on a strange metal pedestal. Each tool exuded mana like a core, and they all felt alive…

With the table all set, he commanded, “Show me the umbra, boy.”

My face twisted in confusion as I stood staring at him. “The umbra…?” I repeated slowly.

“Never mind.” Zidg groused as my father’s green sword appeared before him on the table.

“An umbra,” Melinda said curiously, “I knew you were a spirit, but I never would’ve guessed you were one of the umbra.”

“I’m not really sure I can be called that any more… I agreed to help Liriel for selfish reasons and forsook my role as a balance keeper.” There was a pang of remorse and regret in Stylnyx voice as he spoke.

Zidg examined the blade briefly then set it aside. Then he summoned three different kinds of ore. Each was dull and rough, clearly unrefined, but even an untrained eye could see differences between them. The first rock was very purple and covered in white speckles. It held only a small amount of mana, but held wasn’t really the right word. It would be more accurate to say that mana flowed through it.

The second was more a stone than an ore. It was flaky and 6 brittle. Just the act of sitting it on the table split them rock in two. Its color was pure black like the deepest darkness of a bottomless pit. The last ore was difficult to say much about. It was a deep navy blue and I felt disoriented after looking at it.

After setting each next to the blade one by one, Zidg frowned. “Makin’ a body will be easy, but makin’ it mobile…” he pushed off his hood and made direct eye contact with me. “I’ll need a real mana core, not just some crystal, and it needs to be at least the seventh stage.“

As he was speaking, I withdrew the mana core I had stored in my ring. I wasn’t sure how strong it was, I never bothered to check, but I rolled it across the table to Zidg. He lifted it with a wry grin, “I guess you won’t be needing that ring then.”

“No…” I thought of Sizal and Kinzla, then Gerald and the other people I was supposed to be collecting lights from, and Liriel. “…I don’t think I could face my enemies without it, although I wish there was a way to control its effects on me.”

“Can one control a demon?” Zidg with a shrug. “Anyway, let’s discuss payment. Ya gotta pay upfront, I’ll take the contents of that box in yer ring.”

I didn’t realize it was possible to check the contents of dimension ring without touching it, but then a lot of things about Zidg seemed odd so I didn’t question it much. I had actually forgotten about the box Grafi gave me, but I summoned it readily when Zidg asked. “This? But it’s junk.”

“Then you ‘ave no reason to object.”

I looked at the box again then set it on the table. “Fine, whatever. Not like I was using it anyway."

Zidg reached inside and pulled forth a strange substance that didn’t seem to have any shape and yet it was solid. The object lacked color as well, or rather it was every color and also none of them. “A shameful waste laddie. A morphstone has value beyond measure.”

Snickering, Melinda teased, “I think you just got conned.”

“I’m sorry,” Stylnyx added, “and thank you.”

“Maybe I did, but right now I’m more concerned with finding my mom.”

Summoning more materials, Zidg began working. As his tools lifted themselves into the air, he spoke. “I can’t help ya find the elf, but that obedient lass might know somthin’.”

“It’s worth asking.” Melinda agreed, already turning to the door.

I reached for my sword, but Zidg grabbed my wrist. “I’ll need to borrow it. Just till I’m done.”

I nodded. “Alright then.”

I followed Melinda into the hall expecting to see the girl waiting, instead the hall was empty.

“I wonder where she went.” I said, thinking aloud.

“I’m not sure, but I doubt she went far.”