They eventually walked onto the plateau, and were face to face with a damn dragon. Went for his sword but Iji's booming voice spoke up. "No no, that's quite alright, Adula is sworn to lady Ranni."

Galus leaned to the side seeing Iji sitting next to Adula. "Iji, I'm going to have to change my offer, Seluvis was a damn puppet, where's Pidia?!"

Iji moved his head toward them, the shining silver platesdangling from his helmet clinking, he tossed a bloodied Pidia to them like one would a rat. Galus knelt down and grabbed him by his cloak. "Good news Pidia, your Seluvis action figure came with two potions in the package! And I've always been the sharing type, how about a taste of your own medicine."

Galus proceed to uncork the bottle with his teeth and slam the bottle down his throat, hard, they twitched and clawed at his arm but the thick leather protected his arm. "Pointless..." He said, before throwing them aside when the bottle was empty. He turns to Iji and bows. "I thank you for this master smith, I believe Selen would be able to help your lady figure out with her dilemma with the stars movement, don't ask me how I know, I don't have time to explain."

Selen nodded. "I can attest to both of those statements."

Lattena looked at Adula. "Can someone tell me why this dragon has Glintstone growing on it?"

The dragon lets out a rumble that sounds as if stones were put in a polisher.

Selen shook her head. "Many organisms get effected by Glintstone, as it's in nearly everything here, it can get into the water, which gets into the plants, which gets into the sheep, which gets into the predators, and creatures that eat enough of it tend to have adverse effects."

Galus walks over to the dragon holding out a hand, the dragon blew a puff of Glintstone dust on his face. Galus chuckled and blew some of it back at him. The dragon made loud several chuffs each louder than the last before raising it's head and giving a short but loud roar. A short burst of glintfire came from it's nostrils.

Iji laughed. "You made him sneeze."

Galus chuckled as well. "So, where's lady Ranni? It's been a long night and I'd like to see her."

Iji nodded his clinking head. "Of course, I believe you've done more than enough to warrant an audience."

Galus bowed respectfully. "Thank you, though I ask my companions be allowed to take shelter within Seluvis' old rise." He pointed without a second of hesitation to the tower.

Iji nodded. "I believe that to be fair."

They split apart and Iji lead Galus to Ranni's rise, as soon as the party was out of sight Iji grabbed Galus by the waste and raised him up to a wall. "Who are you, you act as if you've lived here for years."

Galus squeaked and he felt his floating rib pop, he'd be feeling that in the morning. "I am... Someone who knows much... Including the fact you're... a paranoid man... someone who is very protective... of your lady... someone who... You served as... Childhood... Warden..." Galus could barely speak from the crushing force on his chest. "I am... Galus... The shield of Miquella... Please... I come... To make peace..."

Iji looked at him. "You've come to make peace? If that is so, I'll be taking your weapons, and chain your hands."

Iji plucked the sword, off his back effortlessly, then his kukri, and then his knife from his boot, not one physical weapon on his person was spared. He set them on the stairs before grabbing a pair of funnily small by comparison manacles and slapped put them on his wrists, he saw a bunch of small Glintstone gems in the metal, it glowed as the second manacle was shut and he found it impossible to focus on his spells.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

Iji set him down and followed him inside and stopped at the magic elevator. He stepped onto it and it glowed and he could feel the Glintstone coursing through the floor beneath him. as the third floor came into view. he stepped onto the dark stone floor and walked up onto the stairs, he stepped up and turned into the doorway of the room.

He tapped his knuckles on the doorway. "Come in boy." The damaged doll of a spirit caller woman said.

Galus walked inside, muttering. "Why do people keep referring to me as being young?"

Ranni looked at him. "I am several hundred years old, you're a boy by comparison."

Galus nodded. "Listen ma'am... I'm here upon yet to be official business for Miquella, I am here tonight to determine whether this is a futile matter to negotiate with you. And would it be possible?"

Ranni looks thoughtful, her fingers tenting upon her lap. "Perhaps, our interests do align until a point, I'd be willing to allign until that point. Go ahead and consult your lord, I'll wait."

Galus nodded, and sat down crossing his legs and leaned his back against the doorframe and after a few minutes fell asleep.

He was once again in the flower fields. He saw instead of the stump with board games on it, a pair of thrones with the two youths sat upon them.

Miquella spoke. "If Selen was a serpent that you don't want to mess with Ranni is a dragon that you don't want to be anywhere near them when they rage, so I'll ask, might I talk to her? She might be more open to negotiation with me face to face."

Galus looked confused. "You can do that?"

Miquella nodded. "Yes, I can temporarily take control of your body."

Galus nodded. "Alright, but uh, don't go full on 'get out' on me okay?"

Miquella looked confused. "What?"

Galus waved it off. "You have my blessing, just be sure to give me back control once negotiations conclude."

Miquella nodded. "I will."

Galus' eye shot open with a pale gold glow in his eye, he got up, ignoring the pain in his ribs. "Sister, it's been too long."

She got up. "Miquella?"

He nodded. "It is I, how is Torrent? I saw Melina had him but not much else, have you given his new owner the gift I wanted? I didn't see her use the bell in his fight with my acolyte."

She nodded. "I gave it to her about three days ago, how is Loretta?"

Miquella smiled beneath Galus' week old beard. "She's happy, so shall we cut to business? I only have about five minutes to keep this up."

Ranni nodded. "I'm willing to ally with you until I've ascended my throne upon the dark moon."

Miquella nods. "I was hoping we'd be able to atleast remain on neutral terms when we've parted ways, or at most, vow to assist eachother if we're in need. It'd be a shame to repeat the mistakes of our parents and be forced to wage wars, so I propose that after our alliance we uphold a pact of nonaggression."

Ranni looked thoughtful. "And what would I get out of this?"

Miquella shrugged. "Some of my acolytes knowledge for one. He says he knows how to get into nokron and how to continue the cycles of the stars and where your finger slaying blade is. And... Oh, that I think I'll keep to myself until you agree."

This all seemed to surprise and frustrate Ranni. "And what are you getting out of this?"

Miquella shrugged. "Peace I suppose, I'm just trying to help my twin. But tell you what, I'll sweeten the pot, the shadow bound that you decided to keep despite the dangers, I can give you something that can block the fingers influence."

Ranni closed her eyes. "You have some kind of angle, I can tell that but I don't know what it is, regardless you're the devil I know."

Miquella laughed. "Devil? Last I recall I didn't have not one but eight of my siblings assassinated."

Ranni scoffed. "You would."

Miquella's eye hardened. "I'd kill a thousand if it kept my sister safe."

Galus was sitting between the thrones, gold to his right and silver his left. "So, Trina, you've not shared your thoughts on this."

She blinked. "I think, you're overstepping your post, you're charged with our protection."

Galus nodded. "That is true, but I'm the type to go beyond the call of duty if I can help it. And this is me protecting you, what better way to defend from a conflict than preventing one from starting?"

Trina sighed. "You're not wrong but next time consult us before you do something like this."

Galus nodded. "I'll try my best, but it's kinda hard to sleep while riding a horse you see. Not to mention we'll be riding alot, my butt already feels like it's been being bashed with a hammer for a day."

She groans. "You are literally talking to the patron saint of sleep."

Galus smiled. "Can you cause a man to sleep while riding a horse and not have them fall of their saddle?"

Trina looked at him. "Why do you feel loyalty toward us?"

Galus shrugged. "Maybe it's Miquella's bewitchment or maybe it's the fact that aside from Ranni you and Miquella are probably the most sane set of people in this world, sure you bewitch your citizens into downright worshiping you, whether this be intentional or not, you treat even the most downtrodden with a due respect, and bewitching or no this is a quality I will always follow, having been spent my life being harassed by others it looks like nothing compared to the horrible bigotry I've seen here, so your question, why do I follow you? Because I don't want to spend my life fighting, killing, and warring with others, but more so is I want to make sure others don't have to do the same."

Galus saw Trina's eyes soften. "Alright then, I'll believe you, you've also followed my command in destroying Seluvis to the letter, it seems my disciple has yet to awaken."

Galus looked at Trina. "Is she alive? I've noticed the soldier puppets sustained lethal damage and kept coming like zombies, down right creepy if you ask me."

Trina looked down saddened.

Galus sighs, changing the subject. "Is there a way we can see what's going on? You two always seem to see what I'm doing, it'd be interesting to see what my own body is doing without me."

Trina seemed thankful for the distraction. "Yes, I believe we can do that."

Trina nodded, an image appearing in the air with it fading to mist at the edges, though they seemed to pick up the end of it.

Miquella smiled outstretching his hand. "it seems it's settled."

Ranni smiled, taking it. "Of course."

Galus felt disoriented as his vision seemed to snap into the floating picture, he stumbled back and Ranni held onto his han with hers. "Ah, it seemeth your lords time has run out, I thank you for your help today and we can continue speaking tomorrow."

Galus nodded. And he felt the shackles on his wrists loosen and fall loose. Galus saw Ranni's other hands holding the keys to his cuffs. "Go get some sleep with your companions." She said, and so he did.