Mori made her way over to VII and Fara, doing her best to not stumble or slip as she contended with the sloped deck of the Kharon, “Guys, they have a Shrine here,” Mori said as she came close, “The dwarves down there wanted us to go there anyway, so I don’t think we have much of a choice in it. Not unless we want to fight our hosts, anyway.”

The two women turned to Mori, one with a raised brow and the other with wide eyes, “Mori,” Fara said slowly, “Did you just say Dwarves?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because,” Fara began, panic and fascination on her face, “They’re the dwarves! They-They’re mythical! Everyone knows about them! Well, the legends, anyway. People didn’t think they… existed… But then we just fall into a dwarven… settlement? Outpost?”

“Watchtower,” Mori corrected, “It’s a watchtower.”

“Either way!” Fara exclaimed, “What did they say they wanted with us?”

Mori shrugged, glancing out to the cavern through the gated wall of the skiff’s deck, ”She just said that their Keeper wanted us in the Shrine room. My guess is that the Keeper is some sort of religious position.” As Mori spoke, VII tapped her chin and grimaced, deep in thought. All at once, her eyes lit up and she smiled a bit, “VII? Did you think of something?”

“I did. I remember hearing about the dwarves of this world is all,” she explained, “They’re basically hyper advanced recluses from the surface because of some cataclysmic event that earned them the displeasure of both the gods of this world. They hid underground and stayed there. Since mother has a policy of only fighting a world like this one-- unoccupied by the real forces of your gods-- that states that we can’t use technology better than who we fight. So, no radios, satellites, or moon bases,” she explained, “As much as this place could do with a bit of advancement in the technology department. No offense, Fara, Mori.”

Fara nodded blankly, “None taken.”

“I wasn’t born here, anyway,” Mori said, noticing Fara’s listlessness, “Hey, are you alright?”

“Hmm?” Fara mumbled, “Oh, yeah, I’m fine… I just learned that the place where I’ve lived my entire life has not only been a backwater to the gods, but also to other people living in this world as well… Nothing much.”

“Oh…” VII replied, “Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to be like that.”

Fara shook her head, “No, it’s fine… I can’t expect that the Vast Dust is the most advanced place on the planet. That’s just egotism. I can accept it,” she said, “What I can’t accept, though, is the idea that I don’t know how to make this sort of stuff. I’m traveling with an agent of two gods and the child of another. I feel…”

“Inadequate?” Mori ventured.

Fara turned to Mori, “Yeah,” she huffed, “Inadequate”

“Oh, don’t be like that,” Mori said, hugging Fara, “I may have taken a slot in [Mechanical Affinity], but what you can do knows no bounds! I mean, you made this armor in an afternoon with only the help of Avar. You should be proud! And so what if these shorties know more. That just leaves you room to grow your craft! So stop moping and let’s go; I doubt the gods want to wait too long for us,” she joked, pulling away from Fara.

The woman smiled, nodding, “Alright, you’re right. Can’t mope around while things need to be done! Alright, I’m ready!”

“I am too,” VII said, her small smile a bit too strained to avoid Mori’s notice. VII noticed Mori’s gaze and dropped her facade, “Alright, I’m nervous,” she admitted, “But hear me out here: I’m basically your and their worst enemy. One of them, anyway,” she mumbled, “My point is that, while you two have been pretty accepting of me, the gods might not be… Your gods, anyway.”

Mori shook her head, patting VII’s shoulder, “Don’t worry. We’ll vouch for you. Right, Fara?”

Fara nodded her blonde head, smiling to VII, “I’ll do whatever I can, but I’m still loyal to the Creators. Just so you know.”

“I wouldn’t have expected anything else,” VII replied with a genuine smile, “The gods are supreme and all that.”

Mori led the two to the edge of the skiff and picked them up, throwing them over her shoulders and leaping from the deck. She sailed a good dozen feet before she landed, opting to crack her bones rather than throw her cargo around. She let them down and, after a moment of bone healing, followed along behind them, “Is that really a saying?” Mori asked, “Seems a bit ironic, coming from you.”

VII chuckled, nodding, “Well, it is ironic. In a way. I’ve noticed something similar, if not even more powerful with you and your undead, but the intelligent creations of the gods are loyal for one reason or another. We use that little phrase to make fun of our own loyalty, is all.”

“That seems counterproductive to me,” Fara timidly replied, “I can’t guess at the motives of the gods, but it seems like making fun of your loyalty makes people less loyal. Am I thinking about this all wrong?”

VII nodded a bit as they strode forward, “A bit. The gods are laid back, most of the time. Apart from the war, that is…”

Mori chuckled, “I got that impression myself, back when I first met them. Fara you were probably just too shy to notice,” she whispered, raising her voice when they reached the gathered dwarves, “Alright, we’re here. If you would, please lead us to the Shrine and your Keeper.”

The medium sized dwarf-- the one that seemed like average height to Mori-- nodded, waving them along, “So, these two are who you wanted to bring?” Mori nodded, “Alrighty then. How much do you know about us dwarves?” he asked, leading them towards the tower in the center of the cavern.

Mori shrugged, “Not much. Some… memory issues carved a lot of my knowledge out. I’ve been working to build it back up but… there’s a lot I forgot. So far, the only thing I know about dwarves is that you live underground, have fun toys, and people don’t think you exist. That’s about it,” Mori answered.

“Hrm, that isn’t a lot, huh?” the dwarf replied, “The name’s Dunc, by the way. Anyway, what’s important is that you never disrespect the Keeper.”

Mori raised her bony brow, mouth curling into a smile, “Oh? Why’s that?”

“Because he is the Keeper of this tower. They wield their charges like a soldier wields their mana beam gun. If he really wanted, he could collapse the entire thing with nothing but a thought. Don’t make him angry,” Dunc answered.

“Alright, I got it,” Mori said, “So, what’s his name?”

“The Keeper.”

Mori shook her head, “Is that his name?”

Dunc nodded, not looking at her, “The Keepers forgo their birth names when they take up residence in their towers. They maintain the sacrifices meant for the gods when they return to this world. That is their job. Mine is to protect them,” he said, glancing back at her with a scowl powerful enough to scare even the most hardened warrior. 

Mori nodded, “Noted.” They reached the base of the tower and, to Mori’s surprise, the doors were made large enough for non-dwarven people to pass through. With a glance at Dunc, she opened the double doors and stepped into the room, followed by Fara and VII.

The room was quite barren, but it was obviously designed that way. The designs of the floors and ceiling were quite nice to look at, but did not distract from the centerpiece of the room. A large obelisk, with two altars at its base stood tall in the center, flanked by a short dwarven man leaning on a gnarled staff and with an appraising look in his eyes. He hobbled forward, meeting Mori and her group in the middle, “I see. Tell me, surface dwellers. Did the gods send you?”

“Not exactly,” Mori replied, looking down at the man, “We are seeking the gods. We have business to attend to with them.”

The little dwarven man cackled a bit, “And you think you’re worthy of meeting the gods?” he asked, sneering at her, “What makes you so special?”

Mori sighed, shaking her head, “I met the gods already, Keeper,” she answered, “This is important, so please let us use the Shrine.”

“Lying, are you?” the Keeper asked, “The gods despise liars. And I will not be host to liars, nor will I let you use my Gate of the Gods. Leave, or I will make you,” he said, drawing his small height to bear, barely phasing Mori.
“Your?” Mori asked, “This happens every time… That,” she said, pointing at the Shrine, “Is not yours. It’s the gods’. Attack us, and you’ll learn what happened the last time crazy priests tried to attack us in the gods’ temples.” By the end of her threat, her voice was rough. Hoarse. It reflected her annoyance and bad feeling that this would end the same way her previous visit to the Shrine ended.

The dwarf glared at her, Fara, and VII. Then he laughed, cackling once more and slouching down and backing up. Mori’s confused face must have been an entertaining sight for the dwarf, as he simply cackled even more, “Oh, don’t get so worked up, lich. You know the gods’ well enough. Go on, then,” he said, gesturing to the Shrine, “Best not to keep the gods waiting.”

Mori stared for a moment, silently nodding and taking both Fara’s and VII’s hands. She led them to the base of the altars, kneeling and letting her soul drift in her body. A flash of light took her and plunged her into darkness. When the light returned, she was in a familiar room. Bone white stone walls, red veins within those walls, oddly well made stone chairs, stone table, and two gods before her. She did a small bow and looked Sa’ar’kik in the eyes. As many as she could see, anyway, “You seem to like keeping us waiting, young lady” she said playfully, “We have quite a lot to discuss. So, let’s get to it. Shall we?”