Logan gasped as he was startled back into reality. What he had seen, he could never unsee. Sure, the Levemoth had been a scary sight to see in the sky. But Logan had had no idea what manner of a calamity it could become.
King Sluikumar nodded at him gravely. “The Great Thief must never be allowed to grow. It must never be given a chance to pillage the Spirit.”
“What is it?” Logan asked. “What does it want?”
“To consume,” the King said. “It would seek to wither the Spirit Goddess of Numa and all her grace.”
“It was so powerful…” Logan said, shaking his head.
“It slumbered for a long time,” Sluikumar said. “‘Tis now weak and still half-asleep. But the arrival of you Tall Folk has awakened it.”
“I thought it came and went whenever?” Logan asked.
“It would float by and its wretched spawn would wander off to the dwellings of the First Folk to bother the Dorves or starve,” the King said. “Our communion with the Spirit is hidden from its sight, yes.”
Logan gave him a sharp look. “But now something is different?”
King Sluikumar nodded. Gone was the grandfatherly demeanor. All of the Faelves now seemed ancient as stone and grave. There was no playful hopping, no childish chatter.
“Never has the Black Rain fallen within such a short span.”
“We have handled it well so far,” Logan said.
Sluikumar let out a humorless laugh. “This is but the beginning, my young friend. The Black Rain will fall frequently now. The Great Thief will grow more watchful every day, henceforth. And were you to grow mighty, like the First Folk, it will come for you.”
Logan swallowed. “What can we do?”
“The Dorves and the Faelves have chosen to hide. If the First Folk could not defeat it at the height of their might, how could anyone?”
Logan slammed a fist at the table. “Hell no. To skulk in the shadows forever? I refuse!”
“You are truly a warrior people,” Sluikumar said. “But we must be careful. The Great Thief will rain down death if you keep your foolish ways.”
Logan sobered from his anger and pressed his palm into a fist. Then he realized what he was doing, got angry again and opened his palms, pressing them hard on the table. “What makes it tick?
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“Using Numa,” Sluikumar simply said. “If its raw, like the crystals within living beings, the effect is amplified. Even relatively small amounts in use will draw the attention of the Great Thief. The Dorves use the constructs of the First Folk. The Great Thief cannot go underground, but its spawn has infested the dwellings of the Dorves. They are not warrior people by nature, but have become such.”
“What about you guys?” Logan asked. “With the Numa fruit trees and the well-springs and whatnot?”
“Yes,” Sluikumar said and smiled conspiratorially. “We have classes given as a boon by the Spirit. Her grace has taught us to use her gift in secret.”
“So the Leve—” Logan started, but King Sluikumar gave him a sharp look. “The Great Thief, it attacks when people fiddle with Numa. But when it's infused through plants and drink, like this internal charge I have now, the big bastard won’t notice it?”
King Sluikumar nodded. “‘Tis precisely so.”
“There is no way in hell I am going to hide under a rock and let this thing bully me for the rest of my life,” Logan declared. “I don’t care if it takes my whole life, I’ll bring this beast down, and you guys will help me.”
The whole court of the Faelves fell mute. They looked at Logan in stunned silence for several seconds. It was only when King Sluikumar let out an uproarious laughter that the rest of the Faelves joined and laughed. It was not a mocking laugh, it was joyful. The somber mood was completely broken, and now the room was filled with tinkling laughter and chatter.
“‘Tis such a ridiculous boast, young friend,” King Sluikumar said, wiping his eyes. “I almost want to believe it. To live without fear. To settle and cultivate anywhere. Oh, the Fae-folk have dreamed many a dream of this. Yes, we brought you here for alliance, for friendship.”
“I’m all for it,” Logan said immediately and smiled with an open heart. This was nothing if not lucky to find these good people. “But so far we’re still struggling for food and shelter. We can’t be of much use yet.”
“This we understand,” Sluikumar said. “We are in need of no goods you might produce. At least not now. What we would like is knowledge and skills.”
Logan nodded and smiled. “That’s fine. We have a lot of skilled people with us. We can teach you engineering, construction and—”
“No,” The King snapped. “No. Absolutely not. We should not have these… Machines. These are foul things, these… devices. We urge you not to build them. The Dorves have incurred the wrath of The Great Thief multiple times with their creations.”
“Huh,” Logan said, giving the King a side-eye. He wasn’t sure they had all the right facts here. Foremost, Logan very much doubted that saying Levemoth’s name would do any harm. “What do you want then?”
“The warrior arts of you Tall Folk. You will teach us how to fight the fiends that the Great Thief spawns. We are but masters of illusions, charms and tricks. Often we escape the foul creatures, but to fight and slay them would be a kindness to this world.”
“Sure,” Logan said. “We’ve got folk who can fight well.”
“We have observed. Most of you Tall Folk are warriors, you chief among them.”
Logan laughed. “No. I’m no fighter. But I can make a mean weapon. I’ll make you some. Or teach you how to make them.”
“Good,” the King said. “Perhaps if you make them right. Which brings us to the next condition. There be another thing you must accede to for our friendship.”
“Sure,” Logan said. “What is it?”
The King grew serious. His voice was lower and he looked at Logan with an old, wizened steadfast stare. Anything you have created so far is tainted and should be discarded. Any form of Numa which is impure is a breach of our friendship, for you would risk the death of my kin with your greed. “You must promise not to use Numa crystals anymore.”