Love of Writing discussion

It had looked like a puddle. But Bibbrin, on his way to his home after gathering what he found in the underbrush at the edge of Donnerwoods more than a dozen thousand feet from where he lived, had seen it was something different when he drew closer to this new discovery as he went his way. Now the brownie gnome was sitting at the edge of what might have been a pool, as he had thought next. But that couldn't be it. This body of water only a couple of feet across was so dark, even with the sun out, its bottom must be quite deep. How could he know how much? He then got up, and went to a tree some further distance back, which he had passed having gone this time that way. He looked around, and found a long stick about five feet in length, just over twice his height, maybe that would be right for testing what he had found. He carried it back with him.

He knelt at the edge of the water, and pushed that long wooden stick down into it as straight as he could manage it. The stick went in deeper and deeper. Finally he was coming to the end of the stick, while it kept going without being stopped at the bottom of it. The bottom had to be deeper than that. He pulled the stick out after having just submerged it, realizing this water was yet deeper. He then tossed the stick to the side, and considered. He would have to go back to his home, with what he had gathered, to find whatever he might use to find out the depth of this discovery, yet without telling the neighboring gnomes about his discovery without knowing much more about it.

When he came to his home, Tillibut, the hairfoot gnome living nearby, saw him. Tillibut said, "You went a new way to gather, Bibbrin. Was there anything interesting that way?"

"Well there are various new berries I haven't found elsewhere, which I gathered. There were mushrooms but I did not know those, and left those there. And I brought pine seeds back too."

Tillibut said, "It all sounds like a good find. Sometime I will go that way and look for what you found."

Bibbrin said, "Maybe you will find it worthwhile to. Well if you will excuse me I shall put what I gathered from where I would keep it all."

Bibbrin hurried into his home, put those things in the cool hole useful for keeping things he brought cool, and found the long rod he had, and he tied one end of long fiber he had for sewing to the end of that rod. He would have to look for a stone that could be enough weight to be used with it. Then he looked out his small window to be sure Tillibut was no longer around there, or anyone else.

There were a couple of militant gnomes Bibbrin could see in the far off distance the other way, but no others. He opened the door of his small home, looked around again, and then with his long rod in hand he hurried back along the way in which he had come. He went exactly the right way to come to the mysteriously deep water he had found, and after another look all around him, he sat by the edge and with the rod held he lowered the securely tied stone that he found gradually to bring it into the water. He then maneuvered the rod to let the stone go deeper and deeper, past the depth he had reached with the long stick. Still its pull further didn't stop. But then, unexpectedly, he felt a sudden tug, and almost lost his grip on the rod. He quickly worked at pulling the tied stone with the rod back up.

What was it that tugged at the stone? Was it a fish? But he pulled at it and had the tied stone lifted out from the water, nothing else holding on to it. He brought it away from the water. Then Bibbrin saw there was something else coming up from lower in the dark water.

Unconsciously Bibbrin was holding his breath. Then a head of a creature came near to the surface, and broke through. It was not like that of a gnome or any human being, and it was not humanoid. There was black skin with great yellow blotches, with eyes projected above the muzzle like the appearance of a frog. The creature looked around, and soon saw Bibbrin, who backed away from the edge a little. That creature from the water raised up a limb, and holding the hand out opened it in front of Bibbrin. There he saw a couple of very small things, which were yellow, and then he saw them move a little, like very small worms, though they were quite thicker. The creature in the water brought up another hand, not quite like that of any human being, and with that completely black skin, and with the free hand pointed to one side of the creature's head and then to the other. Bibbrin stared without understanding.

The being that came up did the same gestures again, and then, pointed right at Bibbrin. Bibbrin considered, it must mean something about him. The being from the deep pool of water held out the two very small yellow things toward him. He was to take those things? Were they animals? What would he do with those? The being kept the hand holding them close in front of Bibbrin, who had not moved too far from the pool. So Bibbrin finally took those two things, and he was glad to see the creature move away a bit from him. Then that one made the gestures again, pointing to the sides of the head, and Bibbrin figured out that it would be where his ears were. The creature must be indicating he must put those things in each ear!

It seemed a horrible thing to do. But this being came all the way up, to just indicate he should do that? If it was so important, shouldn't he do that?

Looking carefully still at the creature's face as he did so, to see any sign of warning to not do so, Bibbrin quite slowly brought one of the small yellow moving things between a finger and thumb up to his left ear. There was no indication of warning or even concern from the creature. A thought that he might become possessed by doing this quickly entered his mind. But if it was really needed for an important thing, he should still do so. So against his hesitancy he forced himself to put that thing in that left ear. It went in very easily, like the small moving helped in getting in there. The creature with the head out of the water watched still, so Bibbrin put the second of those things in his right ear. Looking still at the creature, he saw that being open a mouth to move apparently to speak.

"You understand what I say to you now, don't you?"

"Yes! Is it because of those things that I put in my ears? How would you understand what I say to you?"

"Those small beings are living and they can register what is in minds to speak, and they share that information, they must feed on energy from what is in the minds to speak. I have those for hearing already, to understand others including you."

"And what are you? I am a sort of human that is called a gnome, shorter than all the other sorts."

The creature said, "I am a lurchy salamander. I do not need to be in water to breathe, though our very young offspring do need that, as I did when so little. Deep down there where I am from it is a much wider space with pockets of air above in places, where I and others of my kind have homes where we spend time often, but this is not the only opening to this surface space from down there. You reached my head with a stony object just before I came up, I wanted to see what caused that."

Bibbrin said, "Oh my! I did not mean to do that! I figured out this water was deeper than what it first appeared to be, so I was wanting to find out how deep it is. I am sorry that struck you."

The lurchy salamander said, "The depth to reach me was a little more than my height, which I can see is at least more than your height. But I was not standing on anything there but swimming. The larger underground body of water goes much deeper. But there is a great being deep in there that we salamanders would avoid going that depth."

Bibbrin was surprised. "What?! A great being yet deeper down there? Any there with you don't go there? Don't you know what that great being is?" Bibbrin was surprised as well that there was such a greater body of water, besides this open part, below him, but a great being far below was more surprising.

The lurchy salamander said, "We do not really know what that being is. It is large, and long, in the dark depth, none of us living higher up have gone close."

"But if it is dangerous to you, you should know about that, shouldn't you?"

"We all assume the being there is dangerous to us if we draw close there. But that being stays there, we can tell that being moves around, but never comes up. So there is not concern that the creature would do so."

"I think much more should be known about that being."

"Then you are the one who should be below to go look."

Bibbrin reacted, "Me?? How could I go look? I live up here, I do not think I could go deep in any water."

The lurchy salamander said, "Do you think I or others of my kind can? We breathe as you do, though we are not afraid to swim. Only out young need to stay in the water where they breathe. We would not ever let them swim into the deep. So who should go, since you doubt it should be you, who are so sure more should be known about that being below?"

Bibbrin said, "I guess I can swim. But it is dark down there, don't you have better eyesight for down there?"

"What? Don't gnomes have good eyesight for depths? Don't gnomes go into the dark underground?"

"Sometimes, and it is where we can breathe."

"But we breathe as you do. So who should go for more to be known about that being below?"

Bibbrin said, "I don't know. I can't think of others up here who could do that. Is it only others like you who would live down there with you?"

"It is only us. Except for the ones at the edge of our society."

"What other ones? Maybe ones who could go look where we cannot."

"They are the swift slugs. There are few of them there. But they do not get along with us, they are often bullies to some among us living near them."

"Can they swim well?"

The salamander waved his arms, longer in proportion than usual salamander limbs. "They bully us who come near them. They can swim well, but swift slugs go faster through air in the places with it. We still would not go communicate with them about anything. You want to know, you should swim down there yourself, if you need to find out."

Bibbrin still said, "I cannot swim so well and can't even go so deep, while I still need to be in air to keep breathing. But it is important, really important, to find out what being is down there below us."

"Don't you have any others up there who could do so?"

"Swim deep? Who? We are gnomes up here, besides small animals that will not do anything that we might ask them to do. There are brownie gnomes like me, hairfoot gnomes in some places, militant gnomes in their place, hermit gnomes in their various scattered places, and far away speedy gnomes that we would avoid. That is all, except for this witch we rarely see. None of us would be swimming so deep."

"But you haven't asked."

Bibbrin still responded, "What? Ask who? The witch we do not still see? I am a gnome, I know other gnomes besides me are not good swimmers, we do not even have any place to swim around here, and it is others who are not gnomes who are near a body of water very far away. And I should look for the witch we do not see anymore, to ask?"

The salamander told him, "Yes. If the witch is the one left you don't know about whether swimming is possible or not, go find that one and ask. Otherwise give it up, no one else is more likely to swim that far down there, and you are confirming it with what you say, and you shouldn't make the demand on me that we should go to those who would bully us, and also want to stay where there is air, where they breathe, to find out what it is really you who wants to know."

"Because it could still be some great danger, to any. Oh, very well. I will search out the witch. At least with what you gave me, I will understand any other communication. Right?"

"That is right. Now, I have others in my family to check on. I should go to do so. Good luck for for finding the witch and getting a volunteer to do that swimming so deep to find out what you want to know. Farewell." The lurchy salamander then went back under the water, and swam deeper.

Bibbrin looked after the huge salamander swimming deeper, but that creature was soon lost to his sight in the dark water below. So, it was a huge interior body of water below! This was one of a few openings to the land above it. Who knew?

But there remained the mystery of some creature who was very huge, deeper in the bottom of the huge body of water below. That might be a real danger! Who could go look, though? There was no one known who could. The salamander was right, then. If Bibbrin would have anyone at all to go see what was there far below, he would have to go see that witch about it! But how? He would not dare go see the witch by himself. He would have to find others who would go with him, just to approach the witch. But who would there be, for going there to do that?

Bibbrin hid his pole nearby, and then went back toward his home, wondering about who he could ask, to go with him for doing those things. And he must. What if it was urgent? It might be, with that unknown creature far below.

Bibbrin went on toward his home, dejectedly. He must see the witch, and yet he would need at least one other with him, but who would he know that would do that? And as he came nearer to where he lived, he heard a voice.

"By my faith, is that you, Bibbrin? Why are you going toward your home not bringing anything?? You just go empty-handed?"

Bibbrin saw it was Samword, one of the few hermit gnomes around near to the homes he and other gnomes had in this particular area.

"I was taking a short walk and just turned to go back."

"Just turned, indeed. I saw you walk this way from all the way by that dark pool, it was no short walk. And since when do you go walking anywhere without any gathering? It's never been seen."

"Alright, I wasn't just walking. So you know about that strange dark pool? It is not just a pool. It is an opening to a huge underground body of water, and a creature came up and gave me something to enable understanding any communication, and he told me about creatures down there. And there is a huge creature far below that none of them understand, and it may be a greater threat even to us, it is so huge. And I know I must find out what threat there is, and if anything can be done about it!"

Samword asked, "You really found out all this? What can you do about it?"

"I do not know. But if anyone can find out what is down there in the deep water, or even do anything about it, it is not any of all us gnomes up here, but just the witch. And I cannot go to just see her myself. I need another, or several others, to go with me."

"The Witch? Yes, that is difficult. Yet I would not be afraid to do so. But it makes a difference if you have an attitude to exclude her from others. She is not happy about that. I don't have anything to do with those who exclude her, anyway, and she would know that."

Bibbrin still said, "If she knows that, which she has a way to do, she would use witchcraft against them, they would then be right for not living where she is among them."

"So you cannot go and find out what the witch can do about all this?"

Bibbrin said, "It has to be done. There might be danger down there to many, which we should know about and don't."

Samword said, "Then let's go. I will go with you."

"But it it is late today. We might meet early tomorrow and then go to the witch, and we can be ready for that."

"You just said it would is urgent. Is it or is it not? What if something happened already from danger that is down there before tomorrow, and none of us were ready, because you had waited?"

"Oh shoot! You are right. Well, let us go to her. It would be good if there were any others with us, though."

"It wouldn't have to be another gnome if we had anyone else with us though, would it?"

"Who else would it be, that might go with us to the witch?"

"I know other creatures around here besides gnomes, you know. I can find one that would go with us, and it would not take long at all."

"What sort would it be going with us then?"

"I think the great owl would go along, and meet the witch with us."

"How can we speak with the great owl for that? The great owl would not use our speech."

"But you just said the creature you encountered coming up up from the dark water gave you something to understand any communication, so that you understood that one. Would that not work now?"

"I just got that, I just wasn't thinking of it. I guess that will work. But you never spoke with the great owl, did you?"

"No, but where I dwell is in an area with other creatures and we have ways in which we cooperate though we don't have ways to communicate well with each other. The great owl hunts, but does not threaten the others right there in our area, and just hunts the small animals elsewhere, away from our area, to keep the peace there. Others there are like that. I think the witch will be like that too, not threatening the creatures dwelling right there around her."

"Alright, I will go with you and try to speak with the great owl to join with us, that we will go then to see the witch."

"Great. We will go, follow with me this way."

Samword guided Bibbrin toward where trees were growing closely together along that side.

They both found the great owl, at the edge of this forest. Samword reminded Bibbrin to just speak with the creature. Bibbrin spoke of the need they both had to go through the forest to reach the witch and speak of an urgent need with her, but this way was dangerous for them, they would need one guarding them such as this great owl. The giant owl then consented and flew on with them.

It looked like a wild place ahead, with the trees growing closely together, where any creatures might be well hidden as they watched. But Samword and Bibbrin came to a small footpath, and they went along that between the trees reaching high over them. There was a musty smell in this darkened area, webs reached between branches here. Living leaves were much higher where more of the sunlight reached, as little of it came to the bottom in the forest.

For Bibbrin they were walking an unexpectedly long way, this forest must certainly be very wide. They crossed a small stream, and still went on. Bibbrin with concern looked all around himself often along this way, still, he saw no creatures approaching the small gnomes. At length, they both saw something far ahead, sort of like a house, but much more like a hut, with wooden walls with pillars of stones set on each other, and with a thatch roof. A window and a door were noticed in front of it. A chimney was seen protruding from the far side of it. A little light was showing from within, past the window. This structure for a home had a row of small stones in front making a border, that reached around on both sides.

Samword said, "Come. Don't just stop right here." He went on forward when they came to that border straight toward that door.

The giant owl with them flew then to a nearby branch. Samword, the hermit gnome, knocked on the door, and they waited a short while. Then the door opened, while no one was right there.

The two gnomes looked at each other. Samword said, "We need to enter, you know."

A look of fear came onto Bibbrin's face. "Is it a spirit opening that door?!"

"We have come to the witch's home. The witch has ways for the door to just open. Though indeed, the witch might have spirits cooperating with her." Samword still looked at Bibbrin, and then he stepped inside. Bibbrin took a step to follow. Samword then called out, not too loudly, "Hello?"

They waited another moment, and then they heard another voice, hollow of feeling and sounding distant, "How have you come here, and why?"

Bibbrin said nothing, with his face rather pale, so then Samword still said, "There is a great need we have to speak of, and we came with a great creature for guarding us along the way."

"You ask for my help??" Suddenly they saw a woman, so much larger, sitting on a chair with a very high back, across that room from them, with enough light to see her clearly. She had long white hair hanging straight down on the sides and behind her, but age could not be determined on her face not showing wrinkles the gnomes could see, and very light orange skin. She had a small stylish red cap on, a long red gown nearly to her feet, with black sandals on, and she wore a long black cape over her nearly covering her fully where it was open just enough to see some of her gown.

Bibbrin could not speak so soon. Samword said, "Yes, my friend found a very dark pond in the area is really one of several openings to a huge body of water below us that is deep. And a being from the water below told my friend that there is a huge creature at the bottom in the deep water. It might be a great danger, even to us over all that water, we know nothing about it. My friend and I agree information needs to be learned about what threat there is, and we would want to know of anything that can be done about it, but we know no one who would or could explore down there to find out, so we came to you, great one."

This woman, looking ageless yet with a rather long face, who was the witch they came to see, looked at Bibbrin, and said then, "Tell me about this being who told you of these things."

Bibbrin found his voice momentarily, and said, "It, it was being at least as large as me with a frog-like face, arm-like limbs raised above the water, and dark skin but with yellow blotches, who told me when that being enabled me to understand by giving me something to put in my ear, that this being is a lurchy salamander."

The witch said, "I understand. I know of lurchy salamanders. They are not always truthful, but they are just deceptive when it is for their defense. This would likely have been voluntary information given to you, if you were asking anything about what was down there, as I expect you were doing. So this might really be true that there is a mighty being down there. You came to me to see if any might be sent down there to learn about this being. What I can do is summon a great being that would go down into the water where you found access to it, and swim into the depths to find where there is such a mighty being, learn about what one is there if so, and swim back, and then come back here to provide me the information whatever it would be. I can consider what if anything might be done. Yet, you must willingly go there to the access to that deep water with that being I will summon, and come back here with that being when it is done."

Samword said, "That sounds like good thinking."

Bibbrin said, "Yes! We need one who can dive down and learn everything we need to know about any danger down there that we would be threatened with... But... What being are you summoning for this, that we should go there with?"

The witch said, "You knew already I would not be diving deep into the water. Didn't you? Of course it will be any being I summon that can do that. And I think of one sort that can be summoned here, and would go with you where you walk back to the opening. Such one that I think now of summoning is not benevolent, and you each should be respectful, for that one to cooperate to do that which I send that one for. Will you do so?"

Both the gnomes told her yes.

The witch said, "Very well. I will now summon the Great Warswraith." She stood and raised her arms with the wand with a glowing tip she had held in one hand, and she performed the summoning ritual.

Bibbrin was now really scared. He knew he wanted the help that would find out if there was such threat below them and if anything could be done about it if so. But now they would have to go to that water with some being who was not benevolent!

But the witch was done soon enough with her elaborate ritual, and there was a great flash. Bibbrin looked in awe at who now stood there.

The being who now stood there, near to where the witch was still standing, was about as tall as her. The skin was blubbery, with just a cape from a collar draped over narrow shoulders. The color of the skin was gray with hints of green. The limbs were not jointed, they were more like tentacles, each split into two extensions at the very end, two that had this being standing there and two from the shoulders. The head was most odd, no hair on it but rather large higher than the two eyes that were kind of large, hypnotic, and not very much like human eyes, and below them just four short tentacles that moved about.

The witch said, "Welcome here, Great Warswraith, I have summoned you here."

"Oh, Brisella, I was involved in a dispute between two of the lesser dextermouths, who now have to settle everything for themselves. What is so important that I am needed here?"

"These two small ones came to me letting me know there is a huge body of water below the ground here, with creatures in it, and one of the creatures from there came through an opening to this area above it, and spoke with one of them, explaining about what is down there below, including a great monstrous creature at the bottom that was not understood and which might be a danger to even life that is up here above that great body of water below. There was no one here who could go down to the bottom of that body of water where that great monstrous creature is, at the bottom, to learn what being that is, if there really is a danger from that being, and what could be done about it if there was, and since you can go and do that, for which you are summoned, you may find whether you can do something right then for dealing with that being if so dangerous that would be needed for our sake. I hold you to this quest, to go from this place with these two peaceably, with no threat to them, to the opening to that great body of water they will show you, and then enter in to find out what you can about what being is down there that no one here can do, learn what danger there might be from that one and deal with that one if it is possible for you, to eliminate any threat from that one those who are up here, and then return up here through that same opening they will show you, and then return still peaceably with them to this place of my home where I am, and report to me about what things were found going down there to the bottom and what of anything was done. When this is all accomplished just as I spoke, for you, I will send you back where you have been active."

This being, a greater dextermouth certainly, said, "I will do as you say."

The witch said, "This summoned Great Warswraith will go with you, now lead him to the opening you know of for that great body of water below, he will search out what there is needed for knowing. You will return here then. You are excused."

The two gnomes knew they had to go now, with this alien being. Once out from the witch's home, Bibbrin waved to that great owl, and indicated they still wanted the owl's protection going with them.

Outside, Bibbrin said, "Great Owl, we must now go with this other one with us to the opening of that water below, we want your presence for protection with us still while we go there."

The owl consented, and despite fear of this Great Warswraith, that dextermouth, going that way with them both gnomes continued on in that one's presence. And once going that long way, they came to that body of water that was not at all wide, like a small pond, but was very deep, and was really the opening to a very great body of water below them. Bibbrin then pointed, and said, "Down there."

Samword said, "At the bottom there is such great being that you must see, and deal with if there is a threat from that one, to stop that threat, as far as possible."

To Bibbrin's relief, and surely to his companion Samword's relief too, the Great Warswraith, that dextermouth, promptly stepped forward into that water that looked like a dark pond, and plunged in with a splash, and dropped down beyond where they saw him still. They waited a few moments, and then they looked at each other.

Samword said, "That being which was sent from the witch will certainly find any great creature that is at the bottom of that great body of water below."

Bibbrin asked, "But will he do anything to eliminate what danger there is to us and everything, there?"

"He must, if it is at all possible."

They looked again at the apparent pond, for awhile, but not for a last time. It was a long wait. And soon the sun was going down, and it was getting later. At least that great owl accompanying them remained, for security they wanted.

They both were sitting and though concerned felt the sleepiness coming on. Finally they saw movement in the water just under the surface, and then one coming out from the surface, water that was pulled up running over on all sides. It was that dextermouth, tentacles protruding from his face, the Great Warswraith. He pulled himself up onto the drier surface at the edge over the water where both gnomes, the brownie gnome and the hermit gnome, were.

He said to them, "I have gone, all the way to the bottom, it was a long way, and did of what I could for which I was sent there."

Samword asked, "So did you effectively stop any danger from what being is at the bottom?"

The Great Warswraith said, "What I found were more than one being, a huge monolith sea sponge was there, fully aware of me when I came, that one did nothing in response, as I expected. Then I came to an extremely great hagfish, nearby to that first being, that might have been the one referred to. That one said when I came near, 'What in the great seas are you doing coming to my home?!' I was then thinking this would be the being to deal with. But then there was still another being."

The Great Warswraith paused, and neither gnome dared to say anything though both wanted to know what that dextermouth meant. Finally that one went on.

"There was a seahag there, not so big, like the monster hagfish, but much like hagfish, though bipedal and wearing a covering of twined seaweed. That being was quite intelligent, and knew what being I am. That seahag said, 'Why have you come, you great one from the nether realms? What interest is this place to you?' I answered, 'I was summoned, by a summoner special to me, to find what threat to the surface area above would be here, and to deal with that to not yet remain being a threat.' That seahag said, 'You cannot do anything about it. The threat there is will remain.'

"I told that seahag, 'I am here to stop you from that, and I will do so.' The seahag said, 'I did not say I would cause a threat or would be the cause of it. I would not be doing anything for that. But I do know there is the great serpent of the bottom, stretching all across the sea, under it, who will cause destruction all over, ultimately. You would not be able to stop that serpent, and you are not able to kill that one either. But I can point out where you will find that serpent.' I asked that seahag to do so, and the seahag pointed the direction to go from there. I went, knowing the seahag was not the one having power to threaten any who were above, and even that monster hagfish would not be the one having the power to threaten many others who were above, and the huge monolith sea sponge would not be, at all. But the great serpent across the sea at the bottom under it would be, and I saw that, when I came to this serpent. This creature was huge. Just the breadth of the head, when I continued far enough along the length of that lengthy body to find it, was equal to several houses across."

Samword said when the Great Warswraith paused briefly, "Go on. That was the dangerous creature down there, wasn't it?"

The Great Warswraith said, "That surely was. I saw that serpent turning that great head toward where it would see me. I did not wait more, and I sent a fiery blast that would be enough to demolish a coral reef at that creature, right behind the head. I should have seen the effect. When the bubbles from the heat of it dispersed, I saw nothing of any effect on it still. The serpent then said, 'What are you doing? Was that supposed to be an attack?' I answered, 'I am here to stop any threat, which I was sent for being told there was that, to those above.' The serpent said, 'You think I am that? I can be. But you will not have any success stopping me. I will in the future come to fight against others when there is a final battle starting, and one is coming who can destroy me, I know of this much of what is future, I can be a threat then. But no other would be capable ahead of that of destroying me, yet I do not have intentions of being any threat yet. I live peaceably here and just catch some few of the small animals that swim by, and watch for the signs of the coming threat of that future final battle. You may as well go rather than pick a fight with me.' I said still, 'How can I not have much effect on you? I am a great being with great powers from a transcendent realm beyond.' He said, 'You are not the only one with a transcendent life, around here.' "

The two gnomes stared in amazement as they were told these things. So the Great Warswraith went on. "I asked that very huge serpent, 'You are saying you are? And what others would there be? I mean, you say they are transcendent beings?' That serpent told me, 'I am from a transcendent realm, as you were too, I came here early in the time of this world and remain here with what is right around me as my domain, while I wait for the time of the future final battle when I will do much more, and all that I can do to defend myself here. There are also the murky deep rotmonsters and the deep mariners, they have their dwellings yet far from my place along this great stretch where I remain that serves as my dwelling place. You should know better to really leave me to remain here, you will not succeed in trying anything other than that.' I said, 'Well I would have to tell Brisella the great witch who summoned me and sent me for this that it is impossible to do anything to stop you. How can I tell her that.' The serpent responded, 'Brisella the witch? She should already know about me, though she would not know where in all the world I would be staying at. And it is here, where you managed to find me.' I said, Yes, you are under the land where she and many others are.' The serpent said, 'There is no land above here. How did you come here from where there is land right above?' I looked, and above there was more light that there would not be with land being above. I remembered I came to what was like a great wall with many high reaching windows that left the wall between being like wide pillars. I told the serpent that, I had passed through where the edge of this land must be."

Samword said, "But the sea is really far from here, we have never been there. You must have gone really far."

The Great Warswraith said to the gnomes, "I can go at great speeds, even through deep water. However, diving deeper takes some time and I or any others would not do that as quickly though it is not the water impeding movement that might be quicker. It is that adjustment must always happen to greater pressure deeper in the water. The gates at the wall I came to were not already open, until I came near. When I returned, finding out that the great serpent that is the only possible threat to everything even up here is a being from a transcendent realm, as I am, and one I could not overcome, with great power of its own, I knew the only thing I could do is report about this to Brisella, the witch you had gone to, who summoned me from where I was in my realm apart from your reality. The gates closed behind me after I had passed, I noticed."

He said still, "There is no such great threat directly below, even the larger creature or the more powerful one there, still. Brisella may have to summon another being."

Bibbrin did not remain quiet now. "Another being would have to be summoned for this? Oh my, one the witch summoned should have been enough!"

The Great Warswraith answered, "I who was summoned was enough, I could have rid the depths below us of the monolith sea sponge, the great hagfish, or the seahag, but none of them was any threat to us or any who are above them. The great serpent in the sea is a greater being from a transcendent realm, which I was not summoned for, as such would be too great to remove. Only a greater being, probably an archbeing from a transcendent realm, might manage that. She would not dare to get the archbeing from the realm where I am from, though, that one might not be willing to cooperate for doing that. The great serpent is not directly below though, and will only be a threat in the future when there is the final battle."

Samword then said, "So then we must go back together to that witch, and say this is how it is, even if nothing can be done about it. But maybe she will say there is something for it."

Bibbrin turned to the great owl perched very close by, and said, "Come still with us, we are all going back to that witch, in that place where we found she dwells."

Both gnomes looked at the Great Warswraith, who stood waiting, then they started together on that way through the open area here toward the forest they would have to go through again. They both felt better seeing the great owl flying nearby as the Great Warswraith walked right by them, even into the thick forest.

They were silent for a good way there. Then Samword asked, "What can you tell us, if anything, about the archbeing of the realm that you are from."

The Great Warswraith said, "The archbeing there comes with any of various appearances. But that is not so unique as this is said about archbeings of other realms."

Samword asked still, "You know of other realms? You mean outside of this reality, still?"

The Great Warswraith said, "I am summoned from Dark Abatalys, a very great realm that is beyond. There are great bridges from there, reaching to other realms, yet with many that dwell there along those, the Confusion Bridge, and the Dimness Bridge."

Samword still asked, "And what realms are those that these bridges reach to?"

"I do not remember if I had been told, though I even spoke with a few who dwell on the Dimness Bridge. Others dwell in those other realms that would not live easily in our realm. Our archbeing is sovereign over many things including seas, blizzards, and seastorms, with the powers of those."

Samword said, "Then that archbeing would be powerful over that great serpent you found, if that archbeing came here. Right?"

"I am sure of that. But it is sure, remember, that Brisella would not dare call on the archbeing of Dark Abatalys who is so extremely powerful, and I would not name here, to come here, and we do not know which realm that great sea serpent, who must be from a realm beyond here, would be. That could be very relevant."

"What would that mean?" As they walked on along the narrow path not used much through these dark woods the Great Warswraith did not speak to answer Samword.

Samword thought about this worriedly. Where was that great serpent from? What if the great serpent was from that same realm that the Great Warswraith came from?

But then they saw they were coming to the witch's house, so that Samword now worried about that.

They came to the door, and the Great Warswraith just shouted, "Brisella, I and those who went with me have returned!"

Shortly after that, the door opened with no one there doing that. The witch's voice called from within, "Enter here."

They did so, while the giant owl waited still outside perched on a branch of the tree close to this house of the witch.

The witch asked, "Was that which you were sent for accomplished?"

The Great Warswraith spoke in response, "I must speak of those things that were involved when I went to accomplish what I had gone to do." And so he started with his explanation.

The Great Warswraith continued on, and he was explaining his last encounter in the deep. "I sent a fiery blast that would be enough to demolish a coral reef at that creature, right behind the head. I should have seen the effect. When the bubbles from the heat of it dispersed, I saw nothing of any effect on it still. The serpent then said, 'What are you doing? Was that supposed to be an attack?' I answered, 'I am here to stop any threat, which I was sent for being told there was that, to those above.' The serpent said, 'You think I am that? I can be. But you will not have any success stopping me. I will in the future come to fight against others when there is a final battle starting, and one is coming who can destroy me, I know of this much of what is future, I can be a threat then. But no other would be capable ahead of that of destroying me, yet I do not have intentions of being any threat yet. I live peaceably here and just catch some few of the small animals that swim by, and watch for the signs of the coming threat of that future final battle. You may as well go rather than pick a fight with me.' I said still, 'How can I not have much effect on you? I am a great being with great powers from a transcendent realm beyond.' He said, 'You are not the only one with a transcendent life, around here.' I asked that very huge serpent, 'You are saying you are? And what others would there be? I mean, you say they are transcendent beings?' That serpent told me, 'I am from a transcendent realm, as you were too, I came here early in the time of this world and remain here with what is right around me as my domain, while I wait for the time of the future final battle when I will do much more, and all that I can do to defend myself here. There are also the murky deep rotmonsters and the deep mariners, they have their dwellings yet far from my place along this great stretch where I remain that serves as my dwelling place. You should know better to really leave me to remain here, you will not succeed in trying anything other than that.' I said, 'Well I would have to tell Brisella the great witch who summoned me and sent me for this that it is impossible to do anything to stop you. How can I tell her that.' The serpent responded, 'Brisella the witch? She should already know about me, though she would not know where in all the world I would be staying at.' "

The witch said, "I know of a great being from that transcendent realm beyond the reality with this world, who entered the deep sea to stay there. But that would not be here. The sea is far from here, and that great being would not affect any of us here."

The Great Warswraith said, "I understand, I do travel even through the deep water very much faster than others would."

Bibbrin finally dared to speak up there. "The lurchy salamander that met me and spoke with me said there was a great huge creature right below us, in the deep."

The Great Warswraith said, "It was your own understanding that the creature below could be dangerous to us. It must have been that great monster hagfish I encountered, but that would be no threat to any up here."

Samword said, "There is still threat that could be to many sometime later on from that very huge serpent in a battle, especially with that one a great being from a transcendent realm beyond the reality with this world. Should there not be something done about that?"

The witch said, "I just said that being I know of was from the same transcendent realm. The Great Warswraith or other beings about as great in power from there will not do anything with that great being I know of, which that huge serpent would be. There could only be possible a help from a being of another transcendent realm besides that one of the homes of that being I know of that came to the sea, and the Great Warswraith."

Samword asked, "So do you know of other transcendent realms beyond the reality of this world? What realm is there that could have a being that there could be help against the threat that would still come, possibly to many, from that one deep in the sea?"

"There are transcendent realms more than I know of. There are beings of some who would not be a help at all to me, ones I should not call to have coming here. But there is the realm of Chaotic Variation with some there who I might call, and there is the Nether Gray Realm, too."

The Great Warswraith asked, "One of those realms is where the Dimness Bridge reaches to, then?"

The witch said, "Of course it is. The Dimness Bridge, being between transcendent realms which are apart from this reality with our world which I share with the gnomes here, is miles long, so it has room where beings from either realm come and occupy places, stretching from Dark Abatalys to the Nether Gray Realm. Because that very great being as a serpent there may ultimately be very destructive in this world, I might call on a great being from the Nether Gray Realm to deal with that one if it is possible, if not a great being from the realm of Chaotic Variation."

The Great Warswraith asked, "So then, I might leave to return where I am from, right?"

The witch said to the Great Warswraith, "You cannot accomplish what you came for further, you would be permitted back to your home area. Is there nothing further you would want to know about the great bridges to other realms from Dark Abatalys, or those other realms?"

"You might just tell me who are those that are most powerful in the other realms you know of, which are transcendent, beyond here."

The witch answered the Great Warswraith, "There is the Lord of Mysteries, who also has at least one other identity, but with this title it is the Treehanger. He is a most powerful hunter and has hidden sources of mad energy, dwelling among such who are in the realm of Chaotic Variation. There is Hald, a variable large man in appearance, yet with great power to cause widespread death, inhabiting a major portion of the Nether Gray Realm, beyond that Dimness Bridge."

"It is good that I know this. Now, Brisella, will you send me back?"

"Very well. Then I will summon one who may agree to deal with that being, and the other if the first will not do so."

The witch had done a very short ritual having her arms raised with the wand with a glowing tip she had held in one hand, and the Great Warswraith was gone.

Samword asked, "Is there now going to be another such mighty being brought here from another realm beyond our reality, that we must go back to that opening to the deep water, still?"

Bibbrin said, "That Great Warswraith had it quite easy, just finding where that mighty being down there is, and reporting that."

The witch said, "That was important, and the Great Warswraith compromised what business was important to him where he was earlier for this with you, while it took much energy to swim that distance, that you would not ever manage. I could summon one great being now, but if you want to just go, you would need to return here again another time for one to go with you later, if you see dealing with that one is important."

Bibbrin said, to Samword, "It is still important and should be dealt with, that we have another great being we guide there if it is a being that will do the job fully. It is late in the day, we should not have still another to go with us to do that afterward, though."

Samword said, "We can have one summoned to do this going with us for that, hopefully one that will accomplish it then, as we do not want to drag this out to more attempts."

The witch said, "The being I may summon from the realm of Chaotic Variation might seem less threatening to you than the one I could summon from the Nether Gray Realm, with worse beings there, but the one from the Nether Gray Realm could be more effective against that being present as the great serpent under the sea."

Samword said, "We need the one most effective for doing that job."

Bibbrin said, "But we should not have a dangerous being any more threatening than that Great Warswraith going with us!"

The witch said, "Then go with the one that might not be so threatening to you as it would seem this day, that one may be effective to deal with that great being under the sea, to not be a threat to those above anymore. If that yet fails, the one I may summon from the Nether Gray Realm with worse beings which I may do tomorrow could go with you, and be likely more effective."

Bibbrin said, "We should have it that way then, if the one from the realm of Chaotic Variation can be effective enough."

Samword said, "Fine. But it could be better to go with the one who could be most effective to start with."

Bibbrin said no more, and the witch began her summoning ritual with her great wand with the strong glow at the tip.

It was still a surprise though both gnomes were expecting an appearance when the summoned figure was in that room with them. This was a robed one with a hood, a ropy belt around the waste, and thick white beard protruding out from under the hood and extending a little way further down. There was a strange broad nose over the beard and thick mustache, and a brow of white hair was just barely seen.

The voice from the figure said, "You could have just called. I was not too busy at this time, and only come with my own willingness, there is no other way I would. I am much more powerful, as you must know."

The witch said, "Treehanger, these two small ones, gnomes, have found out there is a great being that is a threat in this world, staying in the deep water below, beyond a gate to where there is the great deep sea. There is then the need for a great one who can to do what can be done to get rid of that threat, with dealing with that great being there. Thus you were called here, will you go with these two and let them show you the entry to the deep water below, that you may go to the gate and beyond it to find that great being?"

That figure called Treehanger looked then toward the gnomes who looked at him in surprise. Above the wide nose over the thick beard and under the brows of white hair there was on one side an alert eye of a seemingly wise one, on the other side a small patch so that no eye was visible there.

Samword managed to speak then. "You? Can manage to swim? Really deep?"

This one called Treehanger said while looking down to the smaller one called Samword, "I am not merely one as I appear which is one manifestation I use while it is still most often. I am the most powerful and able being dwelling in the realm of Chaotic Variation, while other powerful and able beings are there. I am not limited as you would be from needing to breathe while going far while deep underwater. Yet any manifestation I may use would not appear as a being of the underwater world. My domain does not include what there is of the deep sea, as may be the case of that great being in the deep sea that would become a threat. Yet there are mysteries of the deep that I have influence over, that I would be good for doing this. I should be shown the entry to swim through there."

The witch said, "Treehanger, you then need to go along with these two gnomes to where they lead you, where there is what appears as a very small body of water but which is really one of the small number of entries to the deep water below. When you swim all the way down you will see some great creatures there. But it is to a gate that you must swim, in the direction toward the sea a good distance away from here. Some way further is that great being that would be a threat, who had been found earlier by one I previously summoned. Go now and do what you can to successfully eliminate any threat with dealing with that great being."

Treehanger answered, "Indeed. Lead me that way, you gnomes."

Both gnomes glanced toward the witch, and this tall one with long white hair hanging straight down on the sides and behind her, smooth light orange skin, a red cap and a long red gown nearly to her feet with black sandals on and a long black cape on, nodded to them. They then went out, the hooded Treehanger going out with them. The giant owl was out there waiting, and that one soon was flying around in their area, while they continued on to where they would leave this forest, and head toward that watery opening.

It was as the gnomes knew a long stretch until they came to where they would leave this forest. Along the way they both realized that this great Treehanger was less disturbing to them than the Great Warswraith was. Maybe he would not be as much a threat? But they heard he was very powerful.

Samword asked soon, "Would you tell us anything about that realm you come from? We know nothing about it."

"There the ground is loose and jellylike. So we do not have structures built to live in like what is found in cities. We have loose associations with others in that place, along a river which flows there in that place. We have low growing things there, but we like the nice things useful or tasty brought in often from other places at the bridges, where such things grow abundantly. Skyrats are around in this realm, they are like rats or sort of like manicmice, while they are in a really firm form. But they spend a lot of times in the form of small clouds, in that way staying low near the ground, which yet moves around continuously where we are, or any amount higher up, some have gone so high it becomes hard to see where they are. And there are not many actual clouds there, those are much rarer. Skyrats are also in the place of the Confusion Bridge, and in it, and in the place of the Rainbow Bridge, and in it."

Samword exclaimed, "Skyrats?! I do not think a place full of flying rats could be a nice place."

Treehanger said, "I know nothing about any place that is nice. You are either in a place with less freedom, or with less safety. That is all there is. But the realm of Chaotic Variation is not full of skyrats, though you would generally spot some somewhere in view. There are other beings there, not like what we see here."

Bibbrin said, "You see this part of our world with the trees. But where you will dive into the deep water below us as you say you would, it would be very different there. You would not have seen things like what is there anywhere in that realm you are from."

Treehanger said, "I have not gone to such a place before. But I have seen such places. I see very far when I want to, anywhere there are mysteries to others is something of my domain."

Samword said, as they came along the path out from that area of the Donnerwoods, with the giant owl now seen flying nearby, "Your domain? You have a domain? What does that mean?? Who has a domain?"

Treehanger said, "Well, any archbeing would. I see things that are mysteries to others, I can choose to have mysteries revealed to some, or even on, or to keep mysteries as they are, unknown to any of them. So that is my domain."

Bibbrin overcame his shyness, and said, "So they are not mysteries to you! How come?"

"I came to private knowledge I have at great price, but from that I really do know. Yes, I even know of the great serpent of the deep."

Samword said, "We want to know that you can overcome that monstrous creature."

Treehanger said, "I am sure I can banish that great one who will be a threat ultimately from his place there at the bottom. I know his front part with his head is not far from the shore, on a shelf under the surface of the sea, but his body is very very long and runs along the deeper bottom many thousands of feet below the shelf, where the light doesn't reach. He is massive, and if I cannot banish him to the realm he came from, no one can. But I am a great fighter, there is also another who is close to being as mighty as I am in the realm of Chaotic Variation where I am from, the Thunderer. This being is one though that no one would manage to kill. Banishing would be enough."

Samword said, "The witch who called for you said there was one more powerful who would be from another realm, who may be summoned, if you do not manage it."

"More powerful?? I really doubt it. But Brisella would not really understand how great I am."

Bibbrin said, "Maybe you would not yet understand how great that serpent being who is under the sea really is."

Treehanger answered, "I know that that great being as a huge serpent is very powerful, more than one sent with you leading to go to that being realized, yet there are ways in which I can banish that one from there. There would not be another who can do what I could yet do."

Bibbrin said, "I hope you are right. The opening to the great water below looks like a small pond, though very dark, it is ahead in that direction in which we go. You are taller, you might see it ahead with looking for it. Do you?"

"Yes. It is almost straight ahead. I could now lead you to it."

will take too long if that being tried to come back with that same position. His head is far away and his body is very long and not easy to move about."

Samword said, "I will be really impressed to see you enter it and swim down into the deep. It looks to us like you would drown. One we led to this before at least looked like a creature that would swim in deep water."

"Yes, my form is that sort for walking on land. But I am not limited to just what my form can do. You will see it, but do not worry, my form will not need to breathe air while my life is from elsewhere that will not be affected here. Yes, there is that pond right ahead. We are almost there."

Treehanger looked into the pool that was the opening. He said, "It is very dark. But just now there are several lizard shaped creatures swimming about a little lower from here."

Bibbrin said, "Yes, I know of the lurchy salamanders there. I met one of such ones to start with, from whom I learned about what is down there. Do not let that keep you waiting."

"Very well. It is urgent to you, though the great serpent being will not do anything that would be threatening for a really long time, I will go now. Do not expect me to come back up soon, though you still suspect that I need to or I would perish. I would not ever perish, I am such that I will not, though I would be gone down there a long time." With that this Treehanger, who being called that neither gnome had asked about yet, bowed down toward the pool, and very suddenly dove in and was quickly lost to sight.

Bibbrin looked to Samword, the hermit gnome still there accompanying him, with the giant owl that was still nearby. Samword said, "I would be thinking he would perish down there after any length of time, too. Yet he told us he is a being that will not perish, and he is a mighty being that the witch had summoned from a realm beyond our own reality. So he will come back, even though I guess it would be after a long time."

Bibbrin said, "I think he would be a real surprise to the lurchy salamanders swimming near to that way down. I wish though that we would have learned more about him."

Both gnomes sat there near this apparent dark pool that was an opening to that great body of deep water below, and waited. The giant owl, mostly perching nearby, occasionally flew off to catch some small creature, and then returned. The day grew very late, as the sun was sinking.

They both worried. Something might have happened to that Treehanger, even if he was something greater than what he appeared to be, he had said he could go really fast enough. Now it would grow dark, and it was not safe for gnomes to return from any significant distance back to their homes when it was dark... even if they were accompanied all that way by a giant owl, which was no sure thing, after having that giant owl spending that much time to stay with them for their protection. Would that Treehanger have even done what was needed if he was still returning, or would another attempt by another choice left be needed?

The sun was just about to set, and then they saw some movement in the dark water before them, and the hooded head with the patched eye of that Treehanger popped up from the surface of that water, with a splash. He said, "There is much to tell you. I did everything that could be done, for that which I was sent for."

Both gnomes, the brownie and the hermit, were stunned, wanting to know what success if any the being they heard called as Treehanger had accomplished, but they waited as he explained.

"There was the sea hag below right about under here but far down, over a hundred feet. I had to go swim to the gate to the great sea further on. I then went through it and still going quickly I came to the great being who is the serpent there, stretching from one side of the sea to further than the other side if stretched to his full length, and I know who that bring is. That one is the great being of Dark Abatalys in this identity here. That one is so great none could move that being from this world, and that being cannot be killed, unless the great creator of all would come and do that, but you cannot expect that to happen. And when I came, the being as this great serpent under the sea saw me and knew who I was, though we had remained separate always in our separate domains of distinct realms apart from this world of your reality. I could do nothing with that one without hostility from him which would be overwhelming, and possibly remove me from this world, but for the possibility of my using the great power of teleportation I have."

Samword said, "I will be really impressed to see you enter it and swim down into the deep. It looks to us like you would drown. One we led to this before at least looked like a creature that would swim in deep water."

"Yes, my form is that sort for walking on land. But I am not limited to just what my form can do. You will see it, but do not worry, my form will not need to breathe air while my life is from elsewhere that will not be affected here. Yes, there is that pond right ahead. We are almost there."

Treehanger looked into the pool that was the opening. He said, "It is very dark. But just now there are several lizard shaped creatures swimming about a little lower from here."

Bibbrin said, "Yes, I know of the lurchy salamanders there. I met one of such ones to start with, from whom I learned about what is down there. Do not let that keep you waiting."

"Very well. It is urgent to you, though the great serpent being will not do anything that would be threatening for a really long time, I will go now. Do not expect me to come back up soon, though you still suspect that I need to or I would perish. I would not ever perish, I am such that I will not, though I would be gone down there a long time." With that this Treehanger, who being called that neither gnome had asked about yet, bowed down toward the pool, and very suddenly dove in and was quickly lost to sight.

Bibbrin looked to Samword, the hermit gnome still there accompanying him, with the giant owl that was still nearby. Samword said, "I would be thinking he would perish down there after any length of time, too. Yet he told us he is a being that will not perish, and he is a mighty being that the witch had summoned from a realm beyond our own reality. So he will come back, even though I guess it would be after a long time."

Bibbrin said, "I think he would be a real surprise to the lurchy salamanders swimming near to that way down. I wish though that we would have learned more about him."

Both gnomes sat there near this apparent dark pool that was an opening to that great body of deep water below, and waited. The giant owl, mostly perching nearby, occasionally flew off to catch some small creature, and then returned. The day grew very late, as the sun was sinking.

They both worried. Something might have happened to that Treehanger, even if he was something greater than what he appeared to be, he had said he could go really fast enough. Now it would grow dark, and it was not safe for gnomes to return from any significant distance back to their homes when it was dark... even if they were accompanied all that way by a giant owl, which was no sure thing, after having that giant owl spending that much time to stay with them for their protection. Would that Treehanger have even done what was needed if he was still returning, or would another attempt by another choice left be needed?

I am really sorry, I can't delete posts sent by mistake, or make any edit, and so the sequence is interrupted by this. I just came in and saw what seemed to be the last post and picked up the text continuing from that, but it had been sent previously.

It was dark then. It would still be twilight, but through that forest it was quite dark. When they stepped out they did not see the giant owl who would accompany them.

Bibbrin said, "The giant owl is not here. What are we going to do?"

Samword said, "We must still go through the forest, to get to our homes. But it will be dangerous to us, we must be very quiet, to do this."

They went toward where the trees grow more densely, around the path that they would follow. There was a low growl, a face of a dryad tiger appeared between trees near it. The gnomes froze in place.

The sun was just about to set, and then they saw some movement in the dark water before them, and the hooded head with the patched eye of that Treehanger popped up from the surface of that water, with a splash. He said, "There is much to tell you. I did everything that could be done, for that which I was sent for."

Both gnomes, the brownie and the hermit, were stunned, wanting to know what success if any the being they heard called as Treehanger had accomplished, but they waited as he explained.

"There was the sea hag below right about under here but far down, over a hundred feet. I had to go swim to the gate to the great sea further on. I then went through it and still going quickly I came to the great being who is the serpent there, stretching from one side of the sea to further than the other side if stretched to his full length, and I know who that bring is. That one is the great being of Dark Abatalys in this identity here. That one is so great none could move that being from this world, and that being cannot be killed, unless the great creator of all would come and do that, but you cannot expect that to happen. And when I came, the being as this great serpent under the sea saw me and knew who I was, though we had remained separate always in our separate domains of distinct realms apart from this world of your reality. I could do nothing with that one without hostility from him which would be overwhelming, and possibly remove me from this world, but for the possibility of my using the great power of teleportation I have."

Samword said then, when the mysterious Treehanger paused, "What would that mean? Is the great being there dealt with?"

"The great serpent still exists in the sea. I can't do anything about that. The great serpent, who I recognize being that one I know to be of Dark Abatalys, mocked me knowing I would want to remove that one. So I still used the great power of teleportation and that serpent form of the great being of Dark Abatalys is now across all the sea to the other side, so nothing can happen here from that one for a very long time."

Bibbrin asked, "How long will that mean?"

"Long enough that neither of you will be around here still. Neither will your friends be."

Samword said, "If that is everything you would you would manage to do, we can all go back to the witch."

"I know the way. Why would you go back that way?"

Samword said, "We need to discuss with her any other possible options."

Bibbrin said nothing, with that Treehanger present on their way back to the witch as the sun went down as they came to the forest extension of Donnerwoods, but he was thinking Samword meant that he would have the witch summon another powerful being to eliminate that great one from the depth of the sea, but this one said he was greater and that nothing could be done, other than using powerful teleportation to remove the being to very far away that the great being would never return soon and would not then cause destruction around here. But Samword might care that there would be destruction some time in the future somewhere else in the world. It would be from that great being having been teleported there. But maybe the great being would not stay there, and instead start the long journey to return to the place below where they were, though it would be even after their own lives here by then.

The giant owl still flew around and behind them, along the way. There was little talk, but Samword asked a little bit more about that realm of Treehanger's home apart from their reality.

"This place I am from with wavy ground moving about up and down everywhere could have no forests like this, which is peculiar to this world and very few others. There are small low trees, and the shrubs and grassy plants. There are edible leaves and fruits growing there. But anyway animal being there if eaten will disappear from the one who ate it and return whole in a new location and continue living without harm to it. So there is little motivation to get any meat from animal beings there, as there is no satiation from that. Animals from other places outside of that realm would have to be sought for any meat to satiate."

Samword was a little surprised. "You and those from your realm go out from there and catch things for meat elsewhere? Like here?"

"Well, it is not just like that. None but I myself would come to a world outside of our realm apart from this reality without being summoned properly, such as Brisella, the witch we are coming back to, would manage to do. Then one from our realm might catch one creature to swallow, as ambush-frogs will do. I still would not, myself. But meat does come with trade for that at a bridge into our realm from another one."

Bibbrin said, "So, like the bridge that is linking Dark Abatalys?"

"Yes, but even there, it would not be much meat, like it is at another bridge."

They were then coming up to the home of the witch. Treehanger shouted out suddenly, "We have returned. I have done what is possible to do for that to which I was called here for."

The door suddenly opened by itself to them. They entered, and the witch said, "Tell your account of what you have done, then."

Treehanger then started speaking of that which he had told the gnomes who were going with him.

Treehanger went over his journey that went quickly, going past the great creatures including the seahag directly below, and through the gate further on, which would open and close, to where he soon came to the head of the great serpent being under the sea. He knew this being for what it was, one from Dark Abatalys, and knew that that being now knew he was there. He acted immediately knowing he would not have time to do so later, and used powerful teleportation to remove that one to the very far side of the sea, such that that being as a serpent would have a hard time to return to that same position. He knew he would not succeed in removing that being out of this reality, such as casting the being back into Dark Abatalys.

The witch said, "So, the serpent being that would be a threat to others above is no longer there, but could only be moved far away in this same world."

Treehanger said, "And that one will no longer return any time that any of you would see. It will take too long if that being tried to come back with that same position. His head is far away and his body is very long and not easy to move about."

"The gnomes including these two may not live so long, though they have a few hundred years. But you do not know how I age, or even how long I have been here. None of you could guess how long it has been."

Treehanger said, "But I know mysteries like that, it is not hidden from me."

The witch said, "Maybe you do know, but it is not for these gnomes to know. You still may know more than what you may actually do, as the great serpent being that remains a threat is still left in this world, however far away. Since you have done all that you say you can do, go on back to your realm as you wish to do, with your own power to do so, which you let us know of."

"I will now if my own choice, as you cannot even accomplish casting any being so much greater than you out. Goodbye then, and goodbye little gnomes. There may be another encounter you have coming from my realm, that I know of while you yet do not." Abruptly then Treehanger was gone."

The witch said, "What do you want? I may yet call for the one I know I could for this from the Nether Gray Realm, but we know it is late today. Maybe you will have to wait for tomorrow for that, the great serpent being that remains a threat in this world is very far away now anyway."

Samword said, "Who is it that would come from that place? Treehanger said he was something like an archbeing. There would not be something greater than that, the great serpent being is then really one too."

"I do not know about that. The one I would call from the Nether Gray Realm is a great being of death."

"What?" Bibbrin and Samword uttered in unison.

Bibbrin said, "Why should we bring a great being of death with us there to the opening to the way to that serpent being? What might it do to us?"

Samword said, "It is already late, it is nearly dark. This should not happen tonight, anyway. What is it? A moving dead body?"

The witch said, "In the Nether Gray Realm the beings of death are living, but the realm has many that are preserved animate dead, both skeletal and corporeal. The great one over the others there is really powerful, though Treehanger says he himself has more power than that one or others there. I would tell the great being of death to not harm you or bring death to you, as this is the quest I give him to just go after that serpent being. And if you would wait, than we will not have this one go with you now."

Bibbrin said, "What if he just comes as Treehanger did, without being summoned for a quest? I think this can wait, we do not even need to worry about it tomorrow, it might wait longer. That great serpent being is very far now, and would not return for a very long time."

The witch said, "That great serpent being will still cause havoc and destruction with possible death being spread wherever that being is. If that can be stopped, why should it not be? Consider that."

Samword said, "We will consider that. But it is surely not immediate, and it is late, now that it is dark, and we should return to our homes already. Maybe we will be back later, if we are both convinced to do more for this still."

The witch said nothing, and as they turned, the door opened wide for them.

It was dark then. It would still be twilight, but through that forest it was quite dark. When they stepped out they did not see the giant owl who would accompany them.

Bibbrin said, "The giant owl is not here. What are we going to do?"

Samword said, "We must still go through the forest, to get to our homes. But it will be dangerous to us, we must be very quiet, to do this."

They went toward where the trees grow more densely, around the path that they would follow. There was a low growl, a face of a dryad tiger appeared between trees near it. The gnomes froze in place.

It was then that a great creature flew down toward them. It was that giant owl they had not seen when they came out from the witch's house. Bibbrin pointed, the giant owl turned his head around to see what was indicated. Then seeing the face of the dryad tiger, the giant owl screeched, and flew toward it. The giant owl looked again to the gnomes. Bibbrin and Samword then came along the path near the giant owl. That great creature then led them on.

Samword told Bibbrin to ask where the giant owl had been. It was just Bibbrin who had been equipped to understand any other creatures with what he had been given. After Bibbrin asked and the giant owl had given an answer in low hoots, Bibbrin said quietly to Samword, "This giant owl had become hungry, and went to catch small prey, thinking we would be in that house longer than we were."

Both gnomes stayed very close to the giant owl. It was quite dark in this forest with trees growing close and some tangling up with others. It was known already that predators were prowling here. Still, after going all that way, they finally came out from the forest without event. There was still the wide grassy field with scattered shrubs and bushy plants they would have to cross to reach the area of gnome homes. Samword asked what Bibbrin intended to do about the the witch's advice to still send another to deal with that being at the bottom under the sea. They came to where the hermit gnome would depart to his home. Bibbrin answered, "We do not want to go there to the opening again, this next time with a great being of death, who is malevolent, even with that one just doing what the witch sends that one to do. Maybe we can find another who will willingly go, for that. It will be the only way."

They were ready to part from there to go the ways to their separate homes. Bibbrin told the giant owl with expressing gratitude that he could fly back then, they were out from the dangerous areas. The giant owl spoke, and Bibbrin told Samword, "The giant owl knows there are some predators in this grassy field just some way back, and will stay a little while still to watch us both until we are near our homes."

Samword said, "That is good, I think, unless that is just for marking where we make our homes."

Bibbrin said, "No, this one is being really helpful for us, and only chooses animals quite smaller for prey."

Samword said, "Then I will see you later on, Bibbrin. Have a good night."

Before Samword stepped away along the way to his own home further off from the other homes of mainly brownie gnomes and some hairfoot gnomes among them, Bibbrin told that hermit gnome, "Still think of any others you can find who would willingly go with the one great being of death who would come into our world, to lead to that one to that opening to the deep water below that seems to be that small dark pond. Then tell them where to go for that, that they would do it."

"If I find any who would do that. You should look, you are in a community where there are more for looking."

"Good night then. Be well, and may we meet soon again."

The giant owl was ready to fly off. Bibbrin then left toward his home, with some other homes within sight from there, not very far off from where he parted with Samword. He thought yet about who he could ask. It should probably be someone who would go with the great being of death to that opening... from the witch's home. But Bibbrin was already sure he would not do so. He had done enough being involved in that. Hadn't he?

There were a few more brownie gnomes, like Bibbrin, here in this loose community of widely scattered homes, than the hairfoot gnomes there, and just a few individual militant gnomes. Brownie gnomes would never be good for making a trip to the witch, as would be needed for one more attempt at the opening to the deep water below with the being of the deep somewhere beyond there, with a being of death to guide there. Bibbrin only did so, those very few times just so recently, with Samword the hermit gnome and the giant owl both accompanying him each of those few times, and he would not go back. He did not think any of the hairfoot gnomes would either, though they were sturdier and would do more than they looked like they would do. Bibbrin might still ask some few of them, but he would not manage being hopeful for any one of them volunteering. The few militant gnome individuals that were around were more promising for any volunteer. But Bibbrin would be nervous to approach any one of them for suggesting to volunteer for this.

But any one of those individuals should be asked first. Bibbrin thought about this as he prepared his meal, to be cooked over his fire, in his home. There was no meat here, but he had potato cut up, to eat with cut carrots, green beans, onions, spicy peppers, and leafy greens, to have altogether in a bowl, that he would be satisfied with before preparing to sleep that night. He would not approach any other for that call for taking a being of death to that opening, until the next day. Could Samword do any better than him at finding anyone to go, for that job that there had to be someone for?

Bibbrin was not going to find out about Samword yet, so before the next day had gone very far he went out through the area of the homes the gnomes used to find a good candidate. And he had concluded that militant gnomes would be the best for it, so any one of them might be approached for this needed effort. But militant gnomes were intimidating to him. They were stronger and most of them a bit larger. He was still going past homes of certain hairfoot gnomes, when he saw one of the militant gnomes. He really did not know any of those ones by name, but knew to watch out as they would willingly enforce their ways.

He hurried toward that one. "Excuse me. I have something I need to discuss with you."

"What could that be about?"

"The other day I was at what seemed to be a dark pond." Bibbrin went on quite a bit about his experience finding it was a very deep body of water with this small opening above it, his meeting the lurchy salamander, and learning of the great threat below. And he spoke of the witch who had to be approached, who would summon a being to deal with that threat. He finished saying, "And the being that is yet left to do that will be from the Nether Gray Realm."

The militant gnome said then, "And you come to me thinking I am one to take care of this? Maybe this is for a militant gnome, but I should not be your choice. You need a heroic militant gnome. Velcodar could be such. He had stopped a violent giant pig from the wilds that would have run amock among our homes not very long ago. Go talk with him about what you told me."

Bibbrin said, "Alright, maybe you can come with me and introduce me to him."

"I have other business I should get to just now. But you will find him in that neighborhood around that large solitary elm tree, his home is close to that." He then pointed that way for Bibbrin.

Bibbrin said, with some disappointment, "Alright. I will try to get Velcodar's attention for this, if I can."

"There you go." That militant gnome then went on.

Bibbrin having lost the opportunity to persuade that one went on toward the neighborhood of several homes around the large elm tree. One of those homes would be that of Velcodar, but he should ask any militant gnome he saw about him, rather than start knocking at the entrance of any of those. And wouldn't all those there also be militant gnomes? Who otherwise would be living close to any militant gnome?

Bibbrin came to that neighborhood, there were four homes there. While he saw no gnome here out, Bibbrin thought hopefully, "This is not too bad, for a chance to find him easily, it might even be the first one I knock at, where he lives."

He went to one, the closest one when he had come to this small cluster of homes. A little while after he had knocked, a militant gnome came to the door and opened it, and gave Bibbrin, the brownie gnome, a look over. That militant gnome was not much larger at all compared to Bibbrin, but just a very little so.

Bibbrin said, "I am looking for Velcodar."

"What are you looking for Velcodar for?"

"He is living at one of these homes, right? Lead me to his home, and you can stay and hear me explain that, without me spending more time to explain it twice. There is a whole lot to explain, there is a lot involved."

"Really?? Hmm. Alright, I am going with you. I won't blame Velcodar for being a bit upset and not helping you for whatever you want, unless this is with really good reason."

"You will see."

"Alright!" That militant gnome came out shutting the door behind him, and he led Bibbrin past that large elm tree to the middle one of the other three homes. And he waited for Bibbrin, who went to the door, and then knocked.

After a bit more of a wait, the door opened. A militant gnome came in view here, this one was rather larger, and looked a bit stronger. While the other militant gnome stood nearby, with a curious smile on his face, Bibbrin asked, "You are Velcodar? I have a very important issue, and would ask you about something for that.

"I am. So, than tell me what that is, don't take long.

Bibbrin said, "I will try." He could not make it much shorter than what he had told the other militant gnome a bit earlier. Still, Velcodor did not say anything to stop him as he continued. When Bibbrin finished, Velcodor said, "This might be serious enough issue that we take this matter to the supreme leader."

Bibbrin asked, "The leader of the local gnomes?"

"The leader of Central Finilivale, yes with all the local gnomes here."

Bibbrin was then concerned. Was this going to be such a huge investment? "Is the supreme leader far from here?"

Velcodar stepped out and pointed. "Do you see that tower? That is where to meet the supreme leader of Central Finilivale. We should all go meet with him about this."

Now Bibbrin saw the tower. It did not seem large. But it might be several miles from right here where he saw it. "It might take me a long time to reach that tower, and this is something that calls for having immediate action."

Velcodar said, "Then we must ride."

"Ride?! Ride what??"

"There are the Arakgod birds. They will willingly carry a gnome. We will go and meet with Arakgod birds that are in this area. We can get three of them, which would each carry one of us."

Velcodar came out and shut his door securely, and pulled on his hat. He says to both the others there, "Let's go!"

Bibbrin still worried about this, and never having ridden any animal.

They came to a fenced area with many trees within, and a small house in the middle. Velcodar led the two with him in, and went to the door and knocked. He called out, "Zenfar, it is Velcodar here. I have need of strong birds now.

The door opened. A hairfoot gnome was there, and he greeted Velcodar and nodded to the other two with him. "Three to ride. You must mean the Arakgod birds. I have a few available just now."

Velcodar said, "Then take us two them, and arrange to have us ride them. We must ride to the tower of the supreme leader!"

"That is impressive. There must be an important need."

"There really is."

That hairfoot gnome led those three to a great tree near to that home, and called out. It was in different speech that the two other gnomes did not understand, but Bibbrin still had what helped him understand.

"Iperdab, you and two others with you have an important errand!"

It was very soon, sooner than Bibbrin was ready for, that three of these giant raptors, Arakgod birds, stood very near before them. Velcodar said then, "We are ready. This is an immediate need. I will ride this one. You both can climb on to these two others.

The birds were given the instructions to fly toward that far off tower. Then Velcodar easily went to the one he indicated, and Bibbrin had to join the other militant gnome approaching the other Arakgod birds. Bibbrin watched carefully to see how the bird was mounted, with legs then reaching forward to clear the area where the bird's wings would be used. Once he had managed being on the bird, though not as easily, he arranged his position the same way, and suddenly he was rising quickly up in the air going forward on this huge bird, almost taking his breath away.

The three Arakgod birds with their riders were all up in the air just about at the same time, and they flew near each other. At least, as far as it concerned the riders, they were not very far high up above the ground, the birds flew just high enough to clear the taller trees, which here along the way were not all growing near each other. Most were scattered, with some groves seen further in the distance.

There was a wide path, maybe sort of a narrow dirt road, that led toward that tower seen in the distance where they started from. But this way they were definitely approaching it that it was not remaining in the distance for them.

The path or road went by a very few houses, almost all were gnome homes. But then there was a noticeably larger home, greater than any gnome would desire. Bibbrin seeing this wondered greatly who would have a home in this country, greater than what any gnome would desire. Besides the creatures of the wild, who else was living in this country. There was the witch he had seen very recently, but who else? Would it be another witch like her that he had seen?

His curiosity was more than he could contain to himself. Soon Bibbrin called out to Velcodar on the Arakgod bird he had chosen, who was probably not too far to hear him. "Who or what would be living in that great home down there?"

Velcodar have a look toward it. "That is the home of the duke, Etivedd."

Bibbrin asked still, loud enough for Velcodar to still hear, "He is then not a gnome?"

"No, he is not. Etivedd is one of the elves around here."

This was new to Bibbrin. "There are elves around here?"

"Yes, closer around the tower were are now going toward."

Bibbrin then wondered about the supreme leader. Was he actually a gnome as they, on these Arakgod birds, were? Or was the supreme leader an elf instead?"

As they flew further, Bibbrin saw that there indeed were more houses along this way that might be a narrow dirt road. So these were all homes of elves? Bibbrin had met other brownie gnomes like himself, hairfoot gnomes, hermit gnomes, militant gnomes, but not speedy gnomes or deep gnomes, he had even once met a dwarf, he had met a witch that was taller and would likely have been from among mantypes. But he had never met elves, though he had heard a lot about them. They were also taller, though men were generally taller, or just bigger.

The tower was seen soon nearer ahead, and yet more homes like those he had seen along the way around the structure that had the tower rising from it.

Bibbrin looked carefully at this structure as he rode on this flying Arakgod bird coming closer to it. This structure with a high tower from the center was on a low base of maybe ten feet height as a square over the ground, and that with four domes that were half spheres around the tower, at each corner of that square base. The narrow dirt road below led to the apparent front of the structure where there was a seeming door for the entrance, while another road was intersecting this one before that great structure, going along the front more than a dozen feet from it, and turning to go along either side at the corners, from the front way.

The door was closed, with two sides separately hinged, meeting at the center. The bird Bibbrin rode followed the two others, landing there before the double sided door just past the intersecting road, which seemed to be little used, as no one was seen along it all this way, though there were homes that must have all been for elves along the way.

Velcodar dismounted and when he came up to the door, he pulled on a pull chain that Bibbrin now noticed was hanging very close to the side. The other militant gnome now dismounted, and so Bibbrin did so, now wondering how they would return if the Arakgod birds were now going to fly off. But now the door, one side of it, to their left, was opened. An elf, taller than these gnomes, even Velcodar who was greater in height than the two other gnomes there, stood at the door. The elf probably did not weigh more than Velcodar himself, though.

Was this the supreme leader? Bibbrin wondered if the supreme leader would look like this. The one at the door was dressed well, indeed. That one said, "Please state your business."

Velcodar spoke first. "We have come a great distance from among the gnome settlements with help of the mounts we rode to speak to him about a very urgent matter, that this brownie gnome is witness to who can say the most about it, and the supreme leader should know about this, and may decide for action in response to this."

"Wait here then. I will return soon to notify you of an audience with the supreme leader, if that will happen." That elf then closed the door.

As they stood there to wait for the elf's return, Bibbrin said, "I wonder about what the supreme leader would be like."

Velcodar said, "I have heard the supreme leader is very fair. But also that he is not frivolous and granting things to any who make a request to him. So we are not here to ask anything from him, but he should hear what urgency there is. Then let him consider, that he might choose any action, without our input."

Bibbrin agreed. "That really is a reasonable approach. Would he not realize on his own that this is a really important issue?"

Velcodar said, "That is what I am counting on. It seems like he would. Yet the supreme leader is dealing with many pressing issues in all the land that are also really important, and just not known to gnomes where we are from."

Bibbrin considered this. There were other pressing issues also so important, and he and other gnomes where he was from never heard of those, because the supreme leader was dealing with those without it becoming known to them. But the great being that was at the bottom of the sea that would cause great destruction in the world, even if further away from here, must be so important that the supreme leader would see to do things that were possible for dealing with it. And the great being of death from the nether realm that should be escorted to the inconspicuous opening to the great body of water below was the way known to Bibbrin for how it would be dealt with. So would the supreme leader send those who would do so, for escorting that great being? Bibbrin could just see that this was needed. What else could possibly be done to deal with the unknown so far great being at the bottom of the sea that would cause great destruction in the world?

So, Bibbrin waited with these two others, a good while, waiting for the door to open that they would hear how the supreme leader would respond to their request to see him, as the Arakgod birds which they had ridden remained near to where they had landed, not walking much from that spot.

The door then opened. It was that elf they had seen previously at this door. He just said, "You must follow me now. Come, this way."

Bibbrin gave a last glance at the three Arakgod birds, which still stood near to where they had first landed, and watched those entering in then. Then Bibbrin saw that he and the two militant gnomes with him following that elf who led them were in a front room that was not impressively large though, with half a dozen armed seats with side tables, a scroll on each, the seats all turned to face each other, at the center. They were led on to a hallway on the other side leading to the interior. There they passed an alcove on each side facing each other, with a door then within. These doors must have led to what would have space beneath the domes seen from outside, at the front which they had come to. This hall led onward for them, to an open chamber in the front, with a couple of alcoves with openings past them. On the right the opening led to steps that went upward, on the left the opening led to steps that went downward. And within was a high backed seat a little further than where the center of this round chamber would be, where there was a bar, before the seat, and there sat a figure, with facial features like the elf he had seen, but this one seemed larger, and not so much like an elf.

When they were brought up by that elf leading them, the figure on the high backed seat beyond the separating bar before him spoke. "The request brought before me is for help with claim that there is some very urgent matter that this brownie gnome is witness to. Is that correct?"

Velcodar said, "It is correct, your honor. It was presented to me first that way, and I did not expect it to be as urgent as what this brownie gnome who is witness revealed to me. It is my hope that this one will now speak to you those same things he spoke to me."

That seated figure looked at Bibbrin then. He said, "If you have such urgent thing you should tell, then speak now of this, as fully as you need to."

Bibbrin recounted his experience with the opening to the great deep body of water below that seemed like a small dark pond, and the encounter with the lurchy salamander from below and what was heard of a great being at the bottom. He then explained how he had met with Samword the hermit gnome and how they went through the dense forest there with a giant owl helping them with protection to go to the witch dwelling further in there, to find who could help to learn about the great being at the bottom. And he explained who the witch had summoned, both previous times, to go deep in the water, find that great being, and deal with it in what possible and needed ways there were. And he explained there would yet be a dangerous being, a being of death, to be led to that opening, and what great threat remained from the great being at the bottom. He explained how there would need to be adequate leading of the being of death to that opening, that gnomes there were not equal to.

The figure like an elf seated there, who would be the supreme leader, stroked his smooth chin. "I see."

Bibbrin boldly asked right then, "Supreme leader, I have never been told about you, you seem to be like one of the elves but a little different, is that what you are?"

The supreme leader said, "Young gnome, I am half elf. I know elf culture and have grown to my age fully exposed to it, and am frequently involved in the doings of the elves. My father was mantype though, I saw him much through my youth, and on some occasions still later on, until he passed on three years ago. He had a full life, anyway, though I would have been happier if he yet lived longer. I will very probably live much longer than him, as elves do, though they do not remain in this world to die here. But that is their business that they do not discuss with others. You think that you need others sent to escort a being of death to deal with such a great being at the bottom in deep waters below. I can send a summons for elves to volunteer to go for that, but it will need to be their choice, I would not dare tell any that they should go for escorting such being of death. Elves do not have to die here in this world, but that is no assurance that any of them would not ever be killed. If that were to happen they could not go to where elves would go in leaving this world. That is the best I can do for you. Will that do for you?"

Bibbrin said, "It will have to do. We do not have better options."

The supreme leader said, "Then I will have this done immediately." He called the assistant who stood off from the others forward, and told him to bring forth the document stationary. That assistant left, but was back shortly, with an open flat box he brought to the leader. That supreme leader brought out a tray that was unfolded then, and he put it over his lap, there were a set of papers held together that he placed on the tray. He then brought out an ink well and a quill. He wrote a few lines on the top of the papers. Then he handed the papers to the assistant. He said, "Go to Eldarbel, have him bring these to those of the reserve defense. They may agree to volunteer for this. Do it now, immediately."

That one left then with those papers. The supreme leader turned to Bibbrin, and asked, "What will you do if none will volunteer?"

Bibbrin stared at the leader. "Me?! What can I do? All I can do is what I am doing, looking for any who would accompany and guide a being of death to the opening to the great and deep body of water below us, to go deal with that great being at the bottom somewhere. It is not for a smaller gnome to do."

"Do you know what a being of death is?"

"No. But this one that will be called or summoned by that witch will be the most powerful one."

"From that realm. It is the Nether Gray Realm. There are different beings there, any of which are called beings of death. The greatest one there must be a greater lord, the lord over those of that realm. That would be the one who has control over which souls are gathered to stay there, with control continuing over those ones, and also over which others are sent somewhere else. He probably is living like a king, but with more power, and having many serving him, and would oversee work of the servants or the gathering of souls. He might not like bothering to come for this task. But if he chose to cause death to one who would guide him, it would not matter at all to him whether it is a small gnome or a great mighty champion, it would be as easy in any case. But it would not be his primary interest to cause death to any one individual, it would matter to him who is one whose time is right for him to do that."

Bibbrin after a moment of silence said, "Yet elves do live much longer than gnomes, don't they? And it is a lot to expect of any gnome, especially any brownie gnomes, to lead such great beings, such as what can instantly cause death, anywhere."

Velcodar said, "I haven't heard anyway about how long elves would live."

"The elves do not stay around here all their lives, that they would die here. They are going somewhere else when they are older," the supreme leader said. "Well maybe volunteers will come to take care of that. But for now it should be known that we cannot count on it. Do you want to wait around until any volunteers there just might be are gathered for this?"

Bibbrin looked at Velcodar, and he said, "I guess we can wait around for a while but not most of the rest of this day." He thought then if the Arakgod birds and if they would even still be waiting to carry the gnomes back.

Velcodar said, "We should not wait longer than this hour. I will then leave instructions for any coming to find my home. If any do come I will have Bibbrin then showing any that have come where that opening to deep water below is and the way it is to where the witch who would summon such great being would be living, somewhere in the woods."

Bibbrin said, "That opening is as far as I will go for that. I can point the direction to the path through the woods to go toward the witch's home. But I would not go there for when she would summon that great one. That will be why the volunteers would be valuable for this."

The supreme leader pointed to the side where several nice chairs were lined up along the wall, where any might sit, indicating his visitors could sit. Velcodar asked still, "You can't then still tell us what other place the elves go to when they will not want to age further here?"

"It is not made generally known. Elves were not even telling me though I am related to any of them. I am pretty sure it is in another world separated in a different dimension. They would probably be different there than they are here."

The gnomes then went to sit where they were on one side of this great room. Bibbrin said to the other two, "I hope those great birds will wait for us."

Velcodar said, "I am sure the Arakgod birds that brought us here have a need to return to their homes, Zenfar would know it if they were to return without us who they took from there, and would be held accountable. They will much rather wait even if it is a long while, this same day."

The other militant gnome with them, Hagwindah, said, "This is news to me how the elves do not stay here where they would age still for the duration of their lives, but go somewhere entirely different and are never seen here again. It seems suspicious, doesn't it? What if they are executing the older elves?"

Velcodar responded, "Why would elves do that to those older? They would get older too, and would not have that to look forward to. There would be something that could just continue on, that would not be it."

Bibbrin said, "Maybe we can learn more about it if we speak to another elf, not the servants of the supreme leader."

Velcodar said, "We have not, none of us yet. So maybe that is not possible."

A few moments later that assistant, the elf they had seen here a little earlier, came in with a slightly larger and strong looking elf, and ten other elves looking nearly as strong as that one. The assistant led those others to where the supreme leader still sat.

The supreme leader said, "I have these three gnomes, who you would see sitting there to the side, who had come to me, with an issue explained to me, that if true, would mean there is a huge body of water below us and somewhere at the bottom of all the water, in the deep, there is a threatening being that plans to ultimately fight against forces approaching that one with great destruction resulting in our world. The gnome account explains that there is a secluded witch they found who can call or summon great beings. The one left to summon for dealing with the threatening one at the bottom of all the water in the deep is the greatest being of death from the Nether Gray Realm. They think a stronger show of force than a gnome or two should lead the greatest being of death who would be called there from the secluded witch's place to the opening where that one would enter to go after that threatening one below at the bottom of all the water in the deep. Are you all volunteering for doing this?"

That strongest looking elf asked, "Where is it? How would any of us know how to get there?"

The supreme leader summoned the sitting gnomes, and when they had come forward before the supreme leader, that leader said to that strongest elf there, "You must ask for details from these gnomes for finding where you and all the ones going with you are to go for this quest."

Velcodar then said, you should all go to the gnome country, it is where we will return to with birds waiting out there to carry the three of us back to. Find the tall tree apart from others there. Both Hagwindah and I, Velcodar, have homes close to it among the four around it. Any of the gnomes living right there know us both by name, you can find either of us that way. By then I will have directions for us to go and get Bibbrin here and be directed to that opening, and to the place where the secluded witch stays."

Bibbrin said, "I would have to go as far as to where I would show that opening, and the direction to that path to the witch's home, but I don't intend to go further."

That elf seeming to be the strongest said, "I see. But since I along with these others volunteer to go for this mission, I will decide if more is needed from you or not, this is the condition with which we are going."

The supreme leader said, "Very well, it will be this way. You three gnomes as witness to this will be under the direction of Bittabel, this elf who spoke just now. You gnomes may go now. Bittabel and these other gnomes will find where you are according to the directions given. Bittabel, prepare for leaving, and see if you can be there by this evening, and let me know your estimation. You know where the maps are kept that you can look at."

As the gnomes were excused, that assistant led the gnomes back out the way that they had come. Bibbrin asked, "The supreme leader is not really one of the elves, I wonder how he is the supreme leader that even the elves answer to him. And I do not know what is his name."

The assistant said, "He is Elrillifen, he was appointed by the previous supreme leader to succeed him, and the authority is over all the inhabitants of the land."

Bibbrin really hoped with the uncertainty that remained that those great birds that had carried them were still waiting for them right outside. He was very glad when he saw them, near to where they had been left. This would mean the gnomes would not have such a great journey. But could those volunteering elves really get to where the gnomes' homes were within the same day?

The two other gnomes, militant ones, hurried over to the Arakgod birds that would carry them back to where those birds stayed, near the gnomes' homes, Bibbrin then did not have time he would take to ask about how the elves volunteering would come fast enough and wait for it being answered. He wanted to be on the Arakgod bird left to be carried along with those other two.

It was fortunately on the backs of those birds. It would not be enjoyed with as much sense of safety being carried in the grasp of the birds' talons, but the birds were fully capable of carrying the gnomes that way too.