“I thank you, lord of gems and metals. While the affairs of this realm no doubt matter little to you, there is a need that has arisen, and I am unable to achieve its complexity without bringing undesired change to the mortals that abide there.”

  “Speak on.” It said.

  “There is a tower at the edge of this human city. In the tower is a room filled with magical potions of all kinds. This tower is aligned with shadow and pandemonium.”

  It growled, and the sound was like granite moving across rubble. “Like your mortal realm, these are realms where my kind are cheated, abused, and sometimes become lost. But these realms I dislike more than yours. What favor do you ask?”

  “Without any mortals discovering your visit, is it possible to bring all the boxes, supplies, and potions from the tower’s store room here to this place?”

  “What do you offer in return?” It asked.

  “Respect,” I answered.

  It raised its stone constructed head and boomed out in laughter, spitting even more and larger pebbles and stones around the room. Its deep laughter echoed around the underground floor and bounced off the walls.

  It lowered its head to me once more, “I put myself at risk for a favor whose reward is respect?”

  “Is respect so worthless to you, lord?” I asked in a calm and steady voice.

  It stopped laughing and looked even harder at me. “You are serious.”

  “I am.”

  It pondered my words, looking at me. It drew nearer its mass and presence just inches from my face.

  Bella, make sure Biff and the others remain calm. Please. I asked her.

  “There is something different about you. More than just your words and the respect you offer.” It said and drew even nearer, taking a deep breath of my presence.

  It tilted its head and said in a voice that was a bit too loud for its close proximity, “You are dwarfkin. A human and dwarfkin.”

  “This is true, lord,” I admitted.

  It breathed in again.

  “You are also a dwarf master. A human recognized by dwarves as a master.” It stated again.

  “This is also true, lord.” I agreed.

  It breathed in a third time so deeply that it ruffled my hair.

  “You speak to stones.” It said and drew back.

  “This is true, lord.”

  It stared at me for a good five minutes, maybe longer.

  “None that I know have heard of one such as you who can do what you do because of who you are and not by some unnatural spell or trick.”

  He has been speaking with his own kind. Those wise among the elemental lords of earth are subject to his dominion. Bella explained.

  Can you understand them? I asked.

  Of course. She replied, a bit annoyed by the question.

  And what are they deciding? I asked.

  Whether to honor you or destroy you as an abomination, she replied casually.

  That was perhaps a bit more than I had bargained for.

  Umm, Bella?

  Yes, Gwydion?

  Which side is winning out? I asked.

  By way of answer, the elemental lord stood tall and said in a booming voice that everyone on all three levels could hear, “We name you Earthkin. Stone Whisperer. Rock Brother.”

  It bowed to me and held the pose.

  Bow back of equal measure. Bella insisted quickly.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  I did.

  Rise when it rises.

  We held our positions for a minute or so and it then stood up tall once more at the same time. “You are honored as no mortal has ever been honored. Your youngest and newest stratum is added to my strata. When you return to the earth as is the fate of all mortals, we shall bring you to our realm for remembrance.”

  Bow to him and stay there until he bows and rises again. Bella instructed.

  I did as she directed, thinking, I don’t know what I would do without you, Bella.

  She replied but in a mirthful voice. Me either, given what trouble you are capable of with me. I shudder to think what trouble you would be in without me.

  “I have decided to respect your favor, earthkin. I shall return these trinkets here momentarily.” It said as it descended into the earth as if wading into a pool of water. The ripples it caused left no damage or cracking in its passage.

  I turned and looked back at the others who were standing in even larger numbers, mouths agape and stunned.

  “Hurry over here but stay out of the summoning circle. As boxes or chests arrive, move them over against the wall by the potion ingredients.” I said.

  They hurried over and stayed clear of the circle.

  Several minutes passed before the first crates began to appear, and then they started appearing in rapid succession. Even with the number of workers present, we were hard pressed to move them out as fast as they began appearing.

  At some point, shelves started rising out of the ground as if they were on an elevator. Crafters got there in time to keep it from falling over and breaking dozens of vials of potions.

  Alchemists being obsessive by nature, labeled every crate as to quantity and type of vials as well as the date at their time of creation. The shelves were likewise labeled with little wooden block straps to keep the typically glass vials locked into place. It was a magical storehouse of unbelievable value.

  Adriana rushed over followed by two crafters who were carrying a crate.

  “We have over forty of these crates.” She said as they set it down and opened it for me. She pointed and explained, “There are seven levels of fourteen vials, each containing Lesser Magic Restoration potions. That is ninety-eight potions and nearly two thousand casting points!” She exclaimed eagerly.

  As the final shelves laden with potions and potion ingredients arrived, the elemental lord returned.

  “I have rewarded your respect in kind, human lord. I wish you well and hope to meet you in more favorable climes in the lands of earth and rock.”

  As he began to sink, I said, “Before you go, lord, I wish to say that magic in our realm has great value.”

  “As it does in my own.” He agreed, “But not quite as you use it.”

  I withdrew two Lesser Magical Restoration potions from my belt and laid them in the crate. I lifted it and walked over to him. “Inside this crate are one hundred magical Lesser Magical Restoration potions. It represents two thousand casting points and a significant fortune in value and power in this realm.”

  “As it is in my own realm.” He stated.

  “You paid me respect and honor without pretense and without expectation of reward. I give this to you in the same spirit of respect, honor, and friendship, lord of rock and stone, with no expectations or restrictions upon you. May your strata ever increase.”

  It reached down and inspected the crate. “This will help our strata and it replaces what I gifted to bring you your trinkets twenty-fold. A lordly gift, indeed.” It stated, seriously.

  “To one lord from another lord,” I said.

  “From one lord to another lord.” It replied and sank down into the earth. As its last stony protrusions entered the stone floor and it became smooth once again, it said, “Speak to the stones and gems, whisperer, and I shall hear.”

  About ten seconds after it departed, Red cheered a mighty “ALL RIGHT!” that caused every one of us to nearly jump out of our skins.

  We had been so intense and focused that his cheer led to screams of fright followed by laughter and dancing.

  Adriana looked into my eyes and said, “I don’t know how you do it.” And she gave me a big hug and a small kiss on the cheek. She walked away shaking her head and yelled over to Daniel, “Mind that this all gets included under the Patron’s account, not the city’s!”

  There was more laughter.

  Daniel came over to me with his bookkeepers and spare ledgers. I turned to Sandor who was among the potion crafters and was smiling wider than anyone at the rescue of his guild’s work.

  I waved for him. When he arrived I said, “Sandor, work with the others to help Daniel and his team log all the potions and ingredients. It’ll take all night, I’m sure. But I need the totals to share with the Duke and Majordomo tomorrow morning.”

  “So these won’t go under your personal accounts?” Daniel said, disappointed.

  “No, this was done in my capacity as commander. Otherwise, I just stole it all.” I replied.

  “Salvage rights?” Daniel suggested.

  I laughed. “Just get these totals to me as soon as possible. We have business in Undercity that demands our attention.”

  Daniel tapped his chin. “How about one crate of potions as your commission. What you just did warrants at least that.”

  I paused. “How about a third of one crate for each of the three main potion types?”

  He beamed. “It’s a start!” And he turned to move off with Sandor to begin a project that would most likely take the rest of today and into tomorrow.

  Bella, please announce to those coming along that we depart for Undercity in five minutes. And ask Wilma to meet me in Meeting Room One. There needs to be a change of plans. Also, please let Isaac know that the plan worked.

  I sensed great pride from her as she answered, I will.

  The Gray Master entered his headquarters, followed by a group of his ragtag thief guild members. He called out as he walked up a half spiral loop, “What’s the emergency? I was in the middle of-”

  He stopped partway up the ramp to where his throne known as the Gray Chair was currently occupied by a familiar face who was dressed entirely in black save for a red sash belt that wound around his waist.

  “Ah, Gray Master, so good of you to join us.” The man in the chair stated, “Better late than never, they say.” The man was a member of the inner council and had been a senior thief for more than two decades. He was also the master alchemist, Master Dollum Jotter.

  And a necromancer.

  The guildmaster said, “You had better have a good reason to be sitting in that chair, Jotter. I’m in no mood for games today.”

  The Gray Master spoke boldly but did not approach the throne any further.

  “Oh, I do, Gray Master. I do indeed.” He steepled his fingers and looked around the room. Most of the thieves present showed signs of recent struggle and were terrified.

  “There has been a sudden and unexpected change in management,” he paused for dramatic effect, “and your services are no longer required.” He said the last with an evil grin, and while still seated, he moved his hands in what was easily recognized as the working of a spell.

  The Gray Master leaped off the ramp and ran back toward the group of ruffians he entered with, all of them looked shocked and frightened.

  Except one.

  A young red headed youth with a bright yellow headband stepped forward and said, “I think we’ve all just about had enough of your attitude today, Dollum.”

  And as the alchemist tracked the Gray Master and released a massive spray of acid, chuckling that he would also catch the front ranks of the thieves the guildmaster had entered with, the youthful thief up front raised his hand and with a snap of his fingers, the acid spell disintegrated mid casting.

  In a surprised scream, the necromancer stood and shouted, “What is the meaning of this?”

  “Wilma!” I shouted.

  And in a shimmer and distortion of light, the assembly of young ruffians transformed into journeymen mages, clerics, inquisitors and Biff, all standing behind me.

  “I said I’d be back, alchemist.” I snarled, genuine anger filling me at the crimes of this fiend against innocents.