Darkness & Light

by Paul B. Thompson

  The lens was still ruby red, but very little heat radiated from it.

  Sturm tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the mold.

  The fourth tap broke loose a chunk of mud, now dry and brittle. The inward sloping side of the lens was exposed.

  Sighter stood on his toes to examine the glass.

  "No," he muttered. Out came the magnifying glass. He peered into the scarlet casting. "Broken gears and slipped pulleys!" he exclaimed. "The lens is worthless!"

  "What?"

  "The glass, the glass! It's nearly opaque!"

  "It can't be," Sturm said. Sighter handed him his magnifying glass. Sturm peered into the lens. All he could see were millions of tiny white bubbles trapped in the solidified glass.

  That, and the dark red color, made it obvious that the lens would be useless for focusing the sun's rays into a burning beam.

  "Perhaps when it's polished," Sturm said hopefully.

  "Never!" Sighter sputtered. "You'd have more chance trying to focus sunbeams through a cedar tree!" He threw his pocket glass on the rocks and stamped it until it shattered.

  "What's the matter?" asked a voice. Stutts and the others had also come to inspect the giant lens. Sighter bitterly explained that their work had been for nothing. The crestfallen gnomes ringed the mold and stared down at the lens in disbelief.

  "Worthless," said Fitter.

  "Useless," said Roperig.

  "A waste of time and effort," Cutwood added.

  "Now what do we do?" asked Rainspot.

  "Try to explain it to the dragon," said the crushed Sighter.

  * * * * *

  No one said much about the lens failure except Cupelix.

  The otherwise genial, well-mannered dragon had a dragon-sized tantrum.

  "Thundering incompetents! Witless - inept!" A tremendous telepathic FOOLS! made them all flinch.

  "Do be still," Kitiara said severely. "A dragon your age, carrying on like a spoiled child! Do you think the little fellows guarantee success?"

  Sturm watched the effect of Kitiara's chiding on the beast.

  Cupelix's ears, which had been flattened on his head, slowly lifted, and the jets of acrid vapor stopped puffing from his nostrils.

  "I had such hopes!" Cupelix allowed.

  "Well, it looks like we're going to be here a long while,"

  Kitiara said. "So we shall have plenty of time to think up new ways to get you out of this marble cell."

  Mollified, the dragon prepared them a cold repast and retired to his high sanctum to meditate on his problems.

  Sturm, Kitiara, and the gnomes went outside and stared at the Cloudmaster. Poor, lifeless hulk, an immobile derelict gracing the red turf of Lunitari.

  Sturm put a hand to his chin and pondered what he understood from Wingover's explanation of how the Cloudmaster flew.i The wings were useless without lightning to turn the engine. All that remained was the half-empty bag of ethereal air. He said, "What about the ethereal air?"

  "What about it?" asked Wingover.

  Sturm, rather abashed to be making technical arguments to the gnomes, said, "Bellcrank used to say that when full, the ethereal air bag was sufficient to lift the ship."

  "With all due respect to our late colleague, the lifting power of the bag is much less than the total weight of the hull of the ship," Stutts said. They lapsed into silence once again. Sturm thought some more. Kitiara's eyes narrowed as she, too, concentrated.

  "What if we lightened the ship?" said Fitter.

  "What?" said Sturm.

  "What?" said Stutts, Wingover, Sighter, Rainspot, and Flash.

  "What!" said Cutwood, Roperig, and (translated) Birdcall.

  Kitiara grinned her Off-center grin, something she did all too rarely these days. "Lighten the ship!" she declared.

  "Now that's Something I can understand!" She picked little Fitter up and Shook him So hard that his teeth rattled. Then She boosted him up to the rail. The gnome Went below deck and Opened the side boarding ramp. The Other gnomes swarmed aboard, fired with the Zeal Of desperation. Before sturm and Kitiara had even mounted the ramp, loud crashes and Splintering creaks sounded within the Ship.

  "They may rip everything Out," Stuim Said wryly. "Deck, celing, planks, and posts."

  ) The gnomes formed a chain from the lowest deck to the top rail and began flinging everything they could lay their hands On Over the Side. They ransacked their cabins and brought forth all their personal belongings. Sturm Was astounded by the mass and variety Of it: blankets, books, tools, clothing, barrels, pots, plates, rope, cord, twine, Sailcloth, a crate Of ink, pens, bars Of Soap, two harmonicas, a fiddle, a flute, Sixteen pairs Of boots (all sized too big for Sturm, much less any gnome that ever lived), gloves, belts, and a Stuffed billy goat that cutwood kept in his cabin.

  Some items couldn't be manhandled to the upper deck.

  Kitiara found Roperig and Fitter lying prostrate beside a large keg. "We can't budge it," Roperig panted.

  "I'll do it." She turned the keg around to See if there was a bung attached. Liquid sloshed inside, and a single Word in gnomish block letters was stenciled On the Staves. Kitiara said, "What's in this, anyway?"

  Fitter Squinted at the label. "Oil Of Vitriol. Must have been Bellcrank's," he Said. A Slight quiver invaded his chin.

  "Vitriol, eh?" She recalled the mess that the acid had made Of Bellcrank's Excellent Mouthless Siphon back On Krynn.

  "Why hasn't it eaten through the keg?"

  "Oh, it's probably lined with some resistant coating," Said Roperig. He Wiped the back Of his neck with his hand, and it promptly Stuck there. "Oh, dry roti"

  Kitiara drummed her fingers On the barrel head. "Hmm, that's worth knowing. So this stuff dissolves some things but not Others?"

  "Yes." Roperig tried to free his hand and succeeded in sticking his Other hand to his Own arm. "Double dry rot I"

  "Will Oil Of vitriol dissolve marble?" She asked.

  "Maybe. It doesn't affect many glassy substances."

  "What about lead?"

  "Yes, definitely. Fitter, stop fidgeting and help met"

  She left the two gnomes locked in a Stmlle against Roperig'S adhesive palms. The gnome she sought, Stutts, was Outside the ship, Sorting through the heap Of goods that the gnomes had discarded. Kitiara pulled Stutts free Of a pile Of clothing and Said, "I know how to get the dragon Out!"

  "What?" said the gnome. "How?"

  "Bellcrank'S vitriol." She gestured vaguely back toward the ship. "There's a whole barrelful Of it On board. If we let it eat up the mortar in the lowest course Of the Obelisk, the Walls are bound to collapse, aren't they'd"

  Understanding gradually lightened Stutts's face. Then it hit him full force. "Hydrodynamicst It will work!"

  The gnomes heard Stutts'S cry and rallied around. With extravagant hand motions and frequent compliments to Kitiara, Stutts explained her idea. The gnomes positively exploded with excitement. It was So Simple! So elegant!

  They'd been fixated On a mechanical Solution, and here the human Woman had come up With a chemical answer!

  Sturm heard the commotion and hustled down the ramp.

  He agreed that the plan was a good One, but Saw One important consideration. "What happens to Cupelix when the tower falls?" he asked. "Not even a brass dragon can withstand tons Of marble masonry falling On him."

  "There has to be a way around that," Said Kitiara.

  "Why don't we ask the dragon?" Said Sturm.

  That's what they did. At first, the dragon was Sulky and refused to come down from his aerie. Kitiara Scolaed him for his petulance, and still there was no response. Then she alone heard: I don't wish to be disappointed again.

  "We're not making any promises," she proclaimed loudly.

  "We have a new scheme that We're pretty sure will Work, but it has an awkward problem. Freeing you may kill you."

  A unique solution. I would not be a prisoner any longer.

  "Oh, shut upi If you can't come down and talk to us
like a reasonable dragon, We'll just bring the Obelisk down around you." Kitiara jerked her head to the others. "Let's go."

  "We're not really going to use the vitriol With him still up there, are we, ma'am?" said Fitter.

  "Why not? You want to see if it'll work, don't you?" She replied.

  "But the dragon will get hurt."

  cutwood chewed thoughtfully On the tip Of his pencil. "I Wonder," he mused, "What the tensile strength Of dragon hide and flesh is?" Sighter produced some vellum.

  "We can do a calculation!"

  Chapter 28

  Breakthomough

  The Cloudmaster, freed of several hundred

  pounds Of useless weight, buoyed a bit off the ground.

  Wingover had a fine time 'lifting' the big ship up with his hands. Roperig advised staking the hull to the ground, so Wooden Stakes Were pounded into the turf and the flying Ship was Secured.

  "Besides stacks Of food and water, there isn't a Scrap Of anything left On board," Stutts reported. "Most Of the interior partitions have been tjrn Out, too."

  "What about the engine?" asked Sturm. "It must weigh as much as the rest Of the hull put together."

  "It does," said Flash, not without pride.

  "Then we must dump it."

  "Not Our beautiful enginel There isn't another machine like it anywhere!"

  Sturm could make no headway, so he went to where Kitiara, cutwood, and sighter Were studying the matter Of dissolving the Obelisk's lead mortar.

  "we'll need ladders to reach those higher courses," Kitiara Was Saying.

  "Scaffolding would be better," Sighter argued. "There's Some Scrap lumber from the Ship."

  "How will we get the vitriol up there?" asked Cutwood.

  "Glass vials and beakers," Said Sighter. "That Stuff will eat through anything else."

  Sturm cleared his throat loudly. Kitiara Said impatiently,

  "Speak up, Sturm."

  "The Ship is almost light enough to float, but Birdcall and Flash Won't agree to discard the useless engine," he reported.

  "So what? Take a hammer and knock it to pieces," She Said. "That's the Way to get things done." cutwood and Sighter looked at her in some surprise, and Sturm prudently refrained from commenting. Instead, he asked if they'd heard from Cupelix.

  "Not a peep. He's being very stubborn."

  Sturm went inside. The vast Open floor Was deserted. The ship, the gnomes, and their gear had all been removed. Only the three gaping holes for the Micones Were the same.

  "Cupelix?" he called. "Cupelix, I know you can hear me.

  Come down." His voice echoed through the empty Space.

  "Kitiara is going ahead with this vitriol Scheme Of hers.

  She'll bring this tower down about your ears, just to prove She can do it." He felt the faint but distinct touch Of the dragon's mental voice.

  L trust you, Brightblade. You tell the truth.

  "A man's truthfulness is his duty to the Measure," Sturm replied.

  I made a bargain with dear Kit: If she would advocate my cause to the gnomes, I would accompany her for two years upon our return to Krynn.

  Sturm frowned. "For what purpose?"

  I know not. But it was important enough that she was Whilling to abandon you and your friends to reach Krynll.

  "You must be jesting! Kitiara Wouldn't do that t"

  I am very Serious, Brightblade. When she believed the ship ruined, she pressed me to take her away when I left.

  "Why are you telling me this?"

  Her ambition worries me. Every living thing has an aura; have you heard this? It is true. The aura reveals the spark Of life that animates the body without. Yours, for example, is a golden yellow, strong, radiant, and unvarying. But Kitiara's is fiery red and streaked with black. The black is growing in her.

  Sturm Waved dismissively. "I don't know What you're talking about. Kit is strong-willed and impetuous, that's all."

  You are wrong, my virtuous friend.

  J"come down, dragon, and help us with your release.

  That's all I have to Say." Sturm marched Out.

  The gnomes had the lowest Stages Of a Scaffold lashed together. Sturm noted the brightening Sky. "Sunrise," he Said. "Better come inside till after the tower discharges."

  There was a rumble Overhead. The sun peeked Over the Valley Wall, and the early rays hit the marble tower. The rumble deepened. The first crackles Of lightning were arcing from the Obelisk's peak. The Whole valley shook With the force. Another brief day began On Lunitari.

  You don't have to Shake the tower so! I intend to join in.

  The group broke into relieved laughter. "Gives us a lot Of credit, doesn't he?" Kitiara said. They Streamed back to the unfinished Scaffold.

  Stutts explained, in great detail, the vitriol Plan to Cupelix. The dragon was not sanguine about it. He was more interested in taking the top Off the tower, but there was not enough Wood to erect a Scaffold five hundred feet high.

  "It's too bad you can't go down to the cavern," Said Wingover. "You'd be Safe there."

  "Who Says I can't?" the dragon answered.

  "The holes in the floor aren't big enough to let you pass,"

  the gnome Objected.

  "Then we Shall make them bigger. Will this corrosive Of yours eat through marble?"

  "Ah, we're not certain," said Stutts. "I wish I'd Studied alchemy more closelyl Then I could tell you."

  "Why don't We try a more direct approach' Let's apply vitriol to the floor stones," Offered Cupelix.

  The flying ship's erstwhile china milk pitcher was pressed into service as a vitriol vessel. They breached the keg head and dipped the pitcher in until it Was full.

  "Careful!" said Stutts. Kitiara nodded, tight-lipped, as drops fell from the pitcher's lip and landed, sizzling, On the ground, leaving black, smoking scorch marks.

  Kitiara walked very Slowly to the Obelisk, gnomes dancing attendance On each Side, prattling On with useless but well-intended advice. Sturm hurried ahead to clear the way.

  Cupelix had come all the way down to the floor to be as close as possible to the experiment. Holding the pitcher at aim's length, Kitiara dribbled a thin Stream Of vitriol On the rim Of One Of the Micones' holes. The corrosive hissed and Sizzled villainously, and after a few minutes, the bubbling stopped.

  "Whewf" said Kitiara. "This Stuff Stinksl"

  Wingover tapped the doused area With a Slender mineral hammer. "The stone has definitely decayed," he announced,

  "though not by much. It would take gallons and gallons Of Oil Of vitriol to eat through this thick marble."

  "We haven't got an endless Supply," Kitiara reminded him.

  "Fifty gallons; that's as much as we have."

  'Then it's picks and mattocks," Said Sturm. "Hand work. I knew it would come down to sweat and blisters eventually."

  The gnomes returned Outside to work On extending the scaffolding around three sides Of the Obelisk. Kitiara and Sturm found the heaviest digging tools the gnomes had and Set to work. It was hard going. The floor Was tough, and the tools were Small. What amounted to a full-sized pick for a gnome was little bigger than a hand adze to a human.

  It was hot inside the tower, as they chipped away at the marble. Kitiara Stripped Off her cloak and mail Shirt and worked in her light blouse. Sturm set aside his armor and quilted tunic, too. Cupelix did What he could to make their labor easier. He fanned them with his broad wings and flushed the chips and dust Out Of their way. He told clever stories that he'd garnered from his reading.

  Sturm discovered that Cupelix was a devotee Of the elven bard, Quivalen Soth. The dragon knew the "Song Of Huma"

  by heart. Even more interesting Was a lost cycle Of songs by Quivalen about Huma and the Silver Dragon. Kitiara had not heard the tale Of Huma's love for the Silver Dragon, and was fascinated.

  "A true tragedy," said Cupelix, fanning a breeze Over them. "That a dragon should descend from its noble natural form to that Of a mortal. Tsk, tsk."

  Sturm trad
ed his small pick for an equally small sledge-hammer. It hit the floor with a crack that stung his hands.

  "You think dragons are better than people?" he asked.

  'Without a doubt. Dragons are bigger, Stronger, have more abilities and powers, live longer, do more, and have unequaled mental qualities," Said Cupelix. "What can humans do that dragons can't?"

  "Walk Out Of here," said Kitiara, leaning On her pick. The fanning Wings missed a beat, then started up again.

  "Too bad you can't change into a man, even briefly,"

  Sturm said. "Then all this digging would be unnecessary."

  "Alas, shape-Shifting has never been a talent known among brass dragons. There are texts On the matter, that Of the elf wizard Dromondothalas being the most famous. But my library is completely lacking in Such books."

  Kitiara kicked a Wide Wedge Of stone loose. It slipped through the hole. Seconds later, a distant thud revealed that it had landed in the cavern below. She Said, "Where did your books come from?"

  "What books I have I had from the beginning. The maker Of the Obelisk provided them, I believe, So that the Keeper Of the New Lives Would have some knowledge Of the Wider worlds beyond Lunitari. There are tomes Of history, geogra-phy, letters, medicine, alchemy -"

  "And magic," said Sturm, bringing the hammer down.

  "Half the Scrolls are related to magic," agreed Cupelix.

  In two hours' Work, the humans Succeeded in widening the hole by several inches all around. Cupelix expressed satisfaction with their progress, but Kitiara Was disgusted.

  "At this rate, well be too Old to lift the tools by the time We cut a hole big enough for you," She said to the dragon.

  "I think We're going about this the hard way," Sturm Said.

  His alms and back ached, and his head pounded from the Strain Of working So hard in the thin air. "I remember the masons at the castle cleaving Stones as thick as this floor With One Or two blows. Let me have Some cool Water, and I'll think about it a while." He took the water bottle from Kitiara and Slumped by the near wall.

  Kitiara went Out. To her unconcealed surprise, the gnomes had already wrapped their rickety platform around three sides Of the Obelisk to a height Of Six feet. Boards, posts, tool handles and beams were pegged and lashed together Wherever space allowed.