Naamit (prime)/Kelleron

This is a creative work set in the world of Elanthia, attributed to its original author(s). It does not necessarily represent the official lore of GemStone IV.

Title: Kelleron, artifice of an Issimir Giantkin's kegritsha in pieces

Author: Naamit DMVMD-Braggiani and the Bloody Harpies

The working title for this short story is called Kelleron, artifice of an Issimir Giantkin's kegritsha in pieces

Prologue

The Kelleron Orbs: Lessons in Issimir Loyalty. Bolbeli, Lonmala, and Nolkari were sisters who ignored their vows to one another.

As the eldest sister, Bolbeli carried a swaggering confidence that often bordered on arrogance, but she strove to take care of her sisters. The youngest, Nolkari was known for her lust for knowledge which led her into a dangerous downward spiral. When sharp her mind, she found solutions where brute force failed. Yet the middle sister, Lonmala, embodied unwavering determination, and a penchant for sleight of hand. Though less physically imposing than Bolbeli, she was scrappy as a street rat and had the scars to prove it.

Their strengths were unmatched and judgment often clouded by impulsiveness. Some would call them greedy.

Here are just a few of their stories, many more of which are inexplicably absent.

Bolbeli and the Bard

A storm raged outside The Roaring Cougar, the wind a banshee's wail clawing at the rickety tavern. Still outside, Lonmala, Bolbeli, and Nolkari huddled for warmth, their breath misting in the frigid air. Ale wasn't their desire, but instead, the silver orbs rumored to be in Atmakina's possession. Legend spoke of a twisted game: make her laugh thrice, and the orbs were yours.

Bolbeli, the warrior more comfortable with axe than anecdote, surprisingly took charge. "Forget flowery ballads and bawdy limericks," she rumbled, her voice a low growl. "Atmakina feasts on darkness. We need a tale so morbid, so grotesque it yanks a laugh straight outta her pierced heart!"

Nolkari, a hint of unease flickering in her eyes, nodded curtly. "Exactly. We paint a picture so chilling, so delightfully disturbing, it tickles that dark corner of her soul."

Lonmala shot Bolbeli a questioning look. "No drunken sing-alongs?"

Bolbeli slammed a fist into her opposite palm, a feral grin splitting her face. "She don't even drink! Darker, sister! Darker than a troll's dungeon! A story so horrifying, it makes even the toughest warrior wanna wet their pants!"

Nolkari rolled her eyes. With a heavy thud, the sisters pushed open the creaky tavern door. A cacophony of laughter and the rhythmic strum of a lute washed over them. At the center of the room sat Atmakina, a woman etched with the lines of countless tales, her eyes glinting with a hint of unsettling amusement. The air hung heavy with woodsmoke and ale, the patrons a tapestry of boisterous revelry.

Bolbeli, never one for subtlety, stomped forward, her voice a booming challenge. "Atmakina, weaver of twisted skeins!" she bellowed. "We come not with silly songs or forced merriment. We bring you darkness, a tale whispered among shadowed alleys."

Intrigued by the bold approach, Atmakina leaned back in her chair to reveal a single silver orb glinting between her breasts. "A darkness, you say? Entertain me then, my bold child."

Bolbeli puffed out her chest and launched into a chilling narrative: A tale of a king obsessed with preserving not just the trophies of his hunt, but his entire court, and then the village beyond. What first started as caryatid columns outside his palace, quickly spiraled out of control. The king, she boomed, replaced his courtiers with meticulously crafted stone effigies - their vacant eyes, frozen smiles, and lifelike flesh a constant reminder of his own mortality. Bolbeli painted a picture of a court populated by taxidermied corpses, their vacant stares a constant reminder of the king's morbid quest to preserve his own life.

The tavern's patrons, initially boisterous, fidgeted on their stools, the image sending shivers down spines. By the time Bolbeli finished, a tense silence had fallen. Atmakina, however, wasn't gripped by horror. Instead, a slow, sadistic smile stretched across her face. A laugh, dark and cruel, erupted from her lips, echoing through the tavern like the scraping of bones. It wasn't a laugh of fear, but of a predator savoring the morbid artistry of the story.

As the laughter subsided, tears streamed down Atmakina's face, but they weren't tears of sadness. They were tears of twisted pleasure. "One down," she rasped, her voice dripping with amusement. "Just one. Impressive, warrior. You have a talent for the macabre."

While Atmakina's attention was fully focused on Bolbeli, a flicker of opportunity shone in Lonmala's eyes. With the patience of a cat on the hunt, she eyed up the bard's instrument case giving herself silent promise of the future.

The sisters exchanged a knowing glance, a silent pact sealed. One orb secured, two more to go, and perhaps a taste of their own twisted game along the way. The challenge had just begun, and they weren't playing by Atmakina's rules, they were playing their own.

Chapter One: A Bard's Tale

Atmakina, her weathered face illuminated by the warm glow of the fireplace, surveyed the room. Children perched on stools, eyes wide with anticipation, while seasoned adventurers leaned in, eager for a taste of the tale.

"Gather 'round, yougins, adventurers and seasoned caribou salt licks," Atmakina rasped, her voice a comforting rumble of weird humor. "Tonight, I weave a tale of three sisters, a hidden treasure, and a test that chilled even the bravest hearts – the legend of the Kelleron and the Kegritsha." A hush fell over the room. Atmakina chuckled wetly.

"Lonmala, Bolbeli, and Nolkari," she began, her voice dropping to a thick whisper, "these weren't ordinary names, mind you. In the forgotten tongue, they meant something quite curious – Three Wishes, Two Secrets, and One Trial..."

A giantkin nursing a mug of ale in the background let out a chuckle, yielding a delicious tingle of unease in the children. Atmakina, ever the bard, paused for effect. "These sisters," she continued, her voice painting a vivid picture, "were giantkin, strong and adventurous, each possessing a magnificent, magical orb. Now, these orbs held immense power, but also a touch of mischief."

You see," Atmakina explained, "the orbs loved to test those who sought them. They'd hide in the most unexpected places, leading brave adventurers on merry chases, and for each one you found, you could have a wish!" A relieved sigh escaped the young listeners.

Atmakina grinned, her smile lined with wisdom. The children, rapt with interest, scooted closer. "But there was a catch," she said, her voice dropping a notch lower. "The true treasure, the sisters promised, could only be claimed by those who solved the secret of Lonmala, Bolbeli, and Nolkari."

The giantkin laughed heartily in the background.

"And that's the origin of the tradition we now celebrate as Kelleron, my little ones.

Though the three sisters are long gone, we celebrate the blood bond of kegritsha with you through a chance to reunite the orbs. But remember," she warned, her gaze sweeping across the room, "even the most beautiful treasures can have a hidden challenge."

The children and adventurers exchanged curious glances. "What kind of secrets are these, old Grinny Atmakina?"

Atmakina concluded, her voice laced with a hint of mystery equal to mirth, "Well, that's for when you deliver the first orb to me."

Chapter Two: Never Go To Bed Mad

On their way home, Nokki relayed stories he'd heard from other children. When darkness set in, Nikka, Nirri, and Nokki huddled around their pathetic little fire of dung, a stark chill settled upon them. Nokki's words about the legend's origin still tainted the area like a brume of hope, were such a thing ever to exist. Having taken matters to heart, Nikka however, retained a beaming smile her face had gripped for hours. "We can do this, because we ask someone who can read them when we find them!"

"Okay," Nikka finally said, her voice firm despite the adolescent tone, "we need a plan. First things first, what are we even looking for?" Nirri, ever the thinker, furrowed his brow. "Maybe there's something in Atmakina's story we missed."

"We heard it twice. It's just a silly tale about sparkly balls and wishywitches," Nokki complains shortly, his impatience obvious.

"Maybe not," Nikka countered. "Why orbs? Why not some fancy sword or a pile of uh......silver?"

Nokki shrugged. "Magic, I gue.... Oh!" Suddenly, a memory flickered in Nokki's mind. He remembered his grandfather, weathered hands calloused from years of mould and dye making, meticulously designing coin stamps for the One Elanthian Mint. "The etchings ...!"

"The etchings!" Nirri echoed, his voice laced with mirth. "Maybe the orbs aren't just any orbs. I mean, they're made of silver, with etchings that tell SOMEONE, something! Magic, I guess though..."

Nikka's eyes widened. "That makes sense! Silver is our currency, right? And the fancy coins have markings." Her subsequent physical reaction was far too loud for comfort, covering the complete vocal range of a young child's dawning epiphany. 'WORDS! DATES! CLUES!!! THIS IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!WE GOTTA GO NAAAAOOOOWW!!'

Nokki's jaw long ago drooped, eyelids heavy, "What are we even talking about anymore?"

The children had nearly tipped over with exhaustion -- or hypothermia. It could be difficult to tell.

Chapter Three: Morning Machination

Far too early the next morning, the trio once again brought light to their bleak existence by blathering possible meanings of the bard Atmakina's tale. Nokki crouched by the flickering fire, which cast playful shadows on the faces of the younger children huddled beside him. The usual excitement for his stories was replaced by a nervous tension. He glanced at Nikka, still working off energy from the last night's excitement. Beside her, Nirri, the smallest of the three, seemed preoccupied.

"So that story the old woman told at the tavern?" Nokki began, his voice quiet beneath his threadbare blanket. "About the kegritsha's sisters and their treasure hunt?" "Well," Nokki continued, leaning closer, "the truth about the sisters and their hunt is... different."

Nikka and Nirri exchanged nervous glances. The whimsical image of sparkly orbs and hidden treasures felt a lot less fun now, after Nokki's goading before their senses were fully awakened.

Nirri's eyes widened. "But the hunt..." Nikka stammered, "isn't it part of Kelleron's celebration?" Nikka murmured in confusion, "Different how?"

Nokki's voice dropped to a flat note, "The sisters weren't kind, and those weren't just any magic balls. They craved power, a darkness that demanded a terrible price."

Nokki shook his head. Nikka and Nirri looked at each other as a seed of uncertainty blossomed. Could they be those people? Were they strong enough, brave enough? More importantly, could they work together well enough to win at Kelleron?

"The whispers say," Nokki continued, "the kegritsha's power requires perfect balance, like a three-legged stool. If one leg is weak, the whole thing falls apart."

A thoughtful silence descended upon the three children amid the burgeoning din of the morning. They knew each other well, they knew each other's strengths and they knew each other's weaknesses. Nikka was affable, quick, and resourceful, Nirri was clever and good at solving puzzles, and Nokki, the eldest, possessed a wisdom of age and leadership (a protective bully, truly).

Maybe, just maybe, they could be the right combination?

"Ummm," Nirri finally spoke, his voice small but determined, "if we find the orbs, if we work together, could we..?" he trailed off, unable to finish the question, though it ended on an up note.

Nokki leaned over with a grin, "Maybe," he said. "Maybe the orb's wealth can be ours. But it's really filled with danger, and if you really think you are strong enough, united enough, with ME...AS US, to face the darkness and...?"

The fire sputtered, casting a brief flashing glow on their three faces. The playful game of hide and seek was gone, replaced by a daunting challenge. Could their friendship be the key to unlocking the kegritsha's bond, or would the darkness tear them apart? The quandary settled into in the children's morning breaths, but time was ticking, they were not getting any younger.

Finally, Nikka nodded and said with a tone too determined for her age, "We can do this!" and the two boys followed suit in an echo of repetition. The matter was then sealed upon a six-fingered pinky swear. Just as it should be.

Chapter Four: The Cavernous Vault

The morning sun cast long shadows as Nikka, Nirri, and Nokki approached the imposing structure known as the Cavernous Vault. Carved from imposing brutalist limestone, it loomed over the bustling marketplace like a bulwark. A scale-shaped bronze plaque above the heavy doors proclaimed itself as a bank.

Banks are where trust is forged in silver.

Nirri, ever the cautious one, swallowed hard. "Are we sure this is the right place? We're looking for information about magic orbs."

Nokki scoffed. "You scared of a little stone building? Besides, who else keeps track of ancient traditions better than bankers and actuaries?"

Nikka squinted her eyes, still questioning the order of operation. "Maybe a wizard, or a historian? Or the bard named Atmakina?" she murmured under her breath, energy waning with the blooming day.

Taking a deep breath, Nikka pushed open the heavy doors with a creak. Inside, the air was still and thick; it smelled faintly of parchment and polished metal. Twin black marble counters gleamed on either side of a huddle of gruff-looking Issimir giantkin, some with thick beards and even thicker account ledgers, negotiating in adult language about adult things, like money, grain, war, and ores.

At the far end of the vast hall was a towering figure in formal attire, pacing back and forth, partially obscured by a half-walled privacy screen. A forward-jutting beard added severity to his already imposing, heavy gaze. This, they assumed, must be the bank manager.

Nikka cleared her throat, trying to sound confident. "Excuse me, sir? We were hoping to speak with someone about the tradition of Kelleron."

The manager blinked, his expression unreadable. "Kelleron? Do you mean the annual interest rate adjustment for high-yield silver deposits?"

Nokki: "There is?" Nirri piped up, his voice squeaky. "No, no, not that kind of Kelleron! It's about the hunt for the three orbs and the Kegritsha's power!"

The manager's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He cleared his throat with a dry cough that sounded suspiciously unnecessary. "Ah, yes," he finally boomed, his voice echoing in the cavernous hall. "The whimsical children's tale about sparkly balls and wishes? Didn't realize anyone still believed those old stories."

Nikka protested, "It's not a story! It's a tradition! We are here to discover the secret of the Kelleron!"

The manager chuckled again, this time openly. He sat back down in his chair, placing his hands behind his head. "Alright, alright, settle down young vaultlings. Tell you what. There might be a dusty old scroll buried somewhere in our archives that mentions this... Kelleron thing. But it'll cost you."

Nirri's eyes widened. "Cost us what?"

The manager grinned, a glint of mischief in his eye. "An orb."

Nikka burst out, "B..But we haven't even FOUND any!"

The banker continued right over top of her, "If you answer correctly, I'll see what I can dig up. Fail, and you'll be signed up for a lifetime of high service fee junior savings account rates faster than you can say 'A Pea Why'."

Nikka exchanged a worried glance with Nirri. This wasn't quite what they expected. But before they could back out, the manager delivered his booming his riddle with surprising diction and deftness of meter:

"I flow freely, yet have no form.

I can enrich or leave you in great harm.

I am the blood of trade and war,

The clink in a merchant's purse,

the weight of a warrior's score.

What am I?"

Silence filled the Cavernous Vault, as by now the stuffy men in the middle had vacated the area for a remarkably early lunch break.

Nikka and Nirri racked their brains, their confidence dwindling. Before they doomed to poorly performing savings accounts, Nirri spoke up, a hint of pride in his voice. "Silver!" he declared.

The manager's grin widened further. "Excellent deduction, youngins! Alright, I'll see what I can unearth for you. Wait here."

The sharply bearded banker disappeared behind a heavy curtain at the back of the vault, leaving the children staring after him, unsure if they'd just gotten closer to their goal or stumbled into a kindred version of a twisted joke. Before long, the bank manager reappeared and gave each child a small sack and instructed the guards liberally stationed around the bank to assist the children in finding the door.

Just as lunchtime was nearly upon them, too, they found the door and reentered the bustling marketplace to blanket their senses in the odor of natural habitation. Nikka, Nokki, and Nirri's quest for Kelleron, it seemed, was only getting more interesting, and perhaps a little more confusing...

Chapter Five: Secrets in Silver

Nikka, Nirri, and Nokki hiked far away from the Cavernous Vault after being ejected in a firm, but friendly fashion. That perplexing encounter with the banker - a riddle for a dusty scroll? And what were they supposed to do with these small sacks they now clutched in their hands?

"Hey, what's in these?" said Nikka as she untied the drawstring of her sack. Inside, nestled amongst shredded documents with official looking penmanship, was a huge chocolate egg wrapped in silvery foil. Nirri and Nokki, equally curious, peeked into their own sacks to find identical treats stowed carefully away.

"What is it?" Nirri questioned, his eyes wide with wonder.

Nokki scoffed, a playful jab aimed at his brother. "Don't tell me you've never seen a chocolate egg before! It's a treat, silly."

Unwrapping the silver foil, Nirri brought the chocolate orb to his nose and inhaled deeply. "It smells amazing! Like... like..."

Confusion washed over Nikka, which turned quickly into incredulity until, "Ooooh ....! Like rich milk chocolate with a hint of mint?" Nikka finished for him, a smile spreading across her face as she succumbed to the sumptuous sweet.

With a shared look of agreement, the three devoured their chocolates, the sweet relief momentarily pushing back the weight of their quest.

Nokki mumbled through his chocolate, "Maybe it was his way of apologizing for wasting our time. Or maybe he could tell we were hungry after all his talking." He suddenly stopped eating, his eyes widening as he unfolded the crumbled silver wrapper. "Wait a minute! Look!" Peering closely each child found marked into the underside of the foil, a thinly inked symbol. It resembled a stylized eye with a teardrop beneath it.

"What is it?" Nirri asked, peering over Nokki's shoulder.

"Maybe these aren't just snacks after all," Nikka whispered before he could answer. "That symbol... I think I've seen it before. In the tavern, on Atmakina's cloak!"

A spark of excitement ignited in their eyes with a newfound sense of urgency. Could this seemingly insignificant symbol be a clue? Perhaps the banker knew more about the Kelleron tradition than he let on, and these chocolate orbs were a subtle way of passing on a message! The trio decided to revisit Atmakina at the tavern that evening.

Nirri also offered, "maybe I can pick up some clues about that symbol on my messenger route this afternoon too?"

Nikka nodding in agreement added, "Ya I will ask the fishwives what they know too!"

Perhaps the symbol on the chocolate foils, and the information they gleaned from the banker's riddle, would unlock another piece of the puzzle of this Kelleron business.

Chapter Six: Overture

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the bustling marketplace as Nikka, Nirri, and Nokki hurried towards the familiar glow emanating from the tavern. Tonight, they weren't just there for company – they carried a newfound clue and a burning purpose. Pushing open the creaky door, they were greeted by a wave of warmth, spiced aromas, and Atmakina's droning lute. Finding a corner table, they ordered steaming mugs of milk, waiting for the bard's final notes.

Seeing an entrance, Nikka scrambled up to Atmakina and retold their encounter with the banker and the curious silver chocolates adorned with a symbol – an eye weeping a single tear.

Atmakina's eyes widened. "The Weeping Eye of Celiel," she breathed. "A powerful symbol of the snowy labyrinth, where whispers of forgotten dreams dance on the frosted air."

Nirri shivered as he cupped his frothy mug of milk. "A snowy labyrinth? Sounds even spookier! Could this be where we find the orbs of Kelleron?"

Atmakina replied vaguely, "Perhaps. Legends rarely reveal their secrets easily. But," her eyes twinkled, "the snowy labyrinth holds echoes of the past. Celiel, a great elemental, is said to be sleep within its heart, and her stillness prevents avalanches."

Nokki scoffed. "Another riddle? Another quest?" Nirri punched Nokki in the hip. "STOP IT!"

Atmakina chuckled. "Patience, young ones. You already have a clue – the Weeping Eye." She eyed their empty mugs and the discarded napkins on the table. "Speaking of the symbol," she continued, her voice taking on a mischievous tone, "those chocolate orbs you enjoyed – did you notice anything else on the wrapper besides the symbol?"

The children exchanged sheepish glances. Realization dawned on Nikka's face. "The silver wrapper! We... we ate everything!"

Atmakina chuckled, a glint in her eye. "A valuable lesson learned, wouldn't you say? But luckily, I happen to have a spare." Reaching into a hidden pouch on her belt, she revealed a single, glimmering silver orb identical to the one that encased delicious chocolate treats. The Weeping Eye symbol gleamed proudly on its surface, interconnectedness of its linework clearly matched up in a way nearly impossible to reconstruct from their treats..

The children's eyes widened with excitement. Nikka grasped the orb carefully, a sense of wonder washing over her, but she noticed it had a particular nose tingling odor.

Atmakina's smile turned enigmatic. "This orb is not made of chocolate, if that’s what you are thinking child," she said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "It may hold the key to navigating the snowy labyrinth. Legends speak of its power as a beacon, guiding you through the icy maze where secrets whisper in the wind that drives men mad."

A heartbeat of surprised silence followed. Nokki, skeptical, chimed in, "But Atmakina, it smells like choc...!”

Atmakina's eyes flickered with something bordering on impatience as she cut the girl off, "Ah, that's the beauty of legends, little one. The power lies in believing. This orb could be a key, a beacon, or perhaps… just a delicious treat. But the magic unfolds only if you're willing to take a chance, and I will tell you now you will not succeed without this silver orb."

The weight of the orb felt heavier in Nikka's hand as she contemplated her options. Far too many potential scenarios for a child to reasonably muddle through, yet there was a potential it really a powerful tool. Or a playful trick? The uncertainty thrummed through her, but it was overshadowed by a thrill of anticipation. Collective grins erupted upon both Nirri and Nikka's faces as they scrambled to their feet.

Atmakina's words ignited a spark of determination within the two younger children -- But not Nokki. Cut off, he suddenly grew silent, allowing everything to play out at a generous arm's length.

"Excellent!" Atmakina rasped wetly, her voice regaining its usual cheer. "The snowy labyrinth awaits, and stories it holds for brave adventurers like yourselves."

With hearts pounding with anticipation, the two younger children allowed Atmakina back to her task. Nokki had little to say as they re-entered the setting sun cast an orange glow across the horizon as the children reentered fresh air. The silver orb, a tangible piece of their quest, felt quite warm in Nikka's hand now. No longer just children seeking answers – they were explorers, ready to face the unknown and icy challenges of the snowy labyrinth with the wisdom of their new and powerful friend, the bard Atmakina.

Chapter Seven: The Rapacity of Lonmala

A shiver danced down Lonmala's spine as she watched the children wrestle for the silver orb in the darkness. Each tug, each playful shove, sent a jolt of something sharp and primal through her. The woman's monotone pronouncements about resilience mocked her. Here was the true symbol of resilience – a magical artifact held by carefree children.

Lonmala craved the orb's power, the promise of overcoming any obstacle. Her initial resolve to reject it crumbled under the weight of her desperate need to save her sisters. Bolbeli's pride needed curbing, Nolkari's misplaced confidence needed correction. With the orb, she could guide them, protect them, force them to see reason.

The playful fight escalated. One of the older boys snatched the orb and ran, a trail of laughter echoing across the sand. She lunged after the boy, tackling him with a force that surprised even her. The other children, momentarily stunned, then swarmed. Their playful fight morphed into a feral struggle, fueled by a territorial instinct far beyond their age.

Lonmala fought back, her movements fueled not by resilience, but by a simmering rage. Sand flew, cries pierced the air, the silver orb lay forgotten in the dust. As the dust settled, Lonmala stood panting, the children scattering back, fear replacing their earlier mirth.

She snatched the orb, its cool metal surface offering no comfort. Lonmala gripped the orb tightly, a bitter taste in her mouth. She had succumbed to her baser instincts, the very antithesis of the resilience she sought to buidl.

Leaving the snowasis, Lonmala carried a heavy burden – the orb, a symbol of her failure, and a growing darkness within her that threatened to consume the last vestiges of her self-control. She had what she thought she needed, but the victory tasted like ash on her tongue. The path to saving her sisters seemed to stretch before her, not paved with resilience, but with the shadows of her own rapacity.

Postscript: On the other hand, she won the fight. It was three on one, and children are of a tender age so late in life now. Perhaps, in the harsh calculus of survival this victory wasn't a sign of weakness, but a pragmatic necessity!

Chapter Eight: Nolkari and the Hall of Mirrors

Nolkari, the youngest sister, was not good at physical feats or perilous adventures, but she reveled in a challenge worthy of her sharp mind. Unlike her sisters, she fantasized the mental gymnastics of foregone cultures through a labyrinth of patchwork knowledge.

Several months ago, Lonmala had given Nolkari a birthday gift - a voucher to the Night at the Academy adventure tour. It was advertised as a self-improvement mental endurance challenge for the gifted, which was just the sort of self-care she wanted and didn't know she desperately needed.

Nolkari had helped her sisters locate word of their orbs, but still she had nothing. Having finally come to absolutely zero logical conclusions on where to start looking for her own orb, she still had not technically even started putting possibility into planning. This adventure tour however, was a perfect distraction.

Whispers of its halls echoing with the relics and mementos of the long-dead, was just what she needed to rub her itch - an itch she might note, had yet to include any specific mention of the orb she was determined to find. Maybe it would help her focus.

In truth, Nolkari thrived on the puzzles encountered along the way, with one exception. As she solved each riddle in her hunt for history, Nolkari had to navigate significant danger. She remembered seeing one void in the garden, but somehow miraculously skirted the others.

Throughout the quest, those shrubbery were still adorned with trinkets, intricate silver symbols, and ribbons of ancient reliquary. Weirdest thing. She learned about the topics in great detail, filling her soul with the satisfaction of a pursuit and job well done. Finally, her font of knowledge full, she reached the end.

Next to the door, a disembodied voice boasted with an unsettling amusement from somewhere further back, "Welcome, Nolkari the Clever," it rasped. "Wit can be a double-edged sword, and danger can come at every angle. Are you prepared to face Your Reflection too?"

Adjacent wainscotting separated to reveal a concealed door that scraped open, nothing visible beyond.

A million thoughts flooded her mind, ranging from 'is this part of the tour?' to calculating risks of what it could actually be for, could it bring her success (and in what) against failure, what could she have to lose? Insight, death, curiosity, confusion, doubt, opportunity loss, knowledge, fear.

_Stop!_

"Yes." Nolkari entered. Door closing behind her, the light went out.

Slowly, a faint candlelight appeared in the distance of her periphery. Drawn by the solitary flame, she turned and walked toward it only to collide face-first with a smooth, but an unseen blockade.

Coming around an unknown amount of time later, another light appeared in the distance. As it brightened the candle burst a kaleidoscope of blinding light to reveal a fully enclosed, spherical room of mirrors that stretched to infinity. The experience reflected herself back at herself in an endless feedback loop to create a sensory overload drowning her in rapid flashes of light.

She woke up in the garden, beneath a shredded shrubbery devoid of trinkets. An old memory bubbled up from her past, and caused her to reflect for a pregnant moment. With a flash of insight, she realized she understood herself a bit better than she did a moment ago. The sudden feeling of self-knowledge was supposed to be a pleasant one.

When Nolkari finally emerged from the academy, the silver orb was clutched tightly in her chest. It was a prize hard-won that indelibly fractured her mind.

Chapter Nine: When the Mirror Speaks, the Reflection Lies

News of the sisters' exploits echoed far and wide indeed. Their stories were told to the children of the Issimir, carried on migratory tongues. Bolbeli, ever the boastful giantkin warrior, reveled in her victories, ego swelling with each conquest. Lonmala, consumed by avarice, amassed wealth through dubious means, her hunger for riches insatiable but not entirely dishonest either; she picked up a job at the bank of all places. Meanwhile Nolkari, once a prodigy, had succumbed to the whispers of the silver orb. Her mind fractured and her speech occasionally a stream of nonsensical ramblings while she volunteered sorting books in the Library. The seeds of suspicion for her were sown with Lonmala's birthday gift – the voucher for the Night at the Academy adventure tour. Nolkari's relentless search for the silver orb had borne no fruit, yet the academy tour, strangely silent on the orb's whereabouts, led her right to it.

The serendipity was outside the realm of probability. It all felt too orchestrated.

Further fueling Nolkari's paranoia were hushed conversations between Lonmala and Bolbeli. Nolkari, ever a master of deduction, gleaned fragments of their conversations – cryptic warnings about combining forces. She was determined to find out what was wrong, why they were excluding her. Even if it was her own subconscious doing.

Bobeli craved the rush of her own orb, believing it granted her her unparalleled prowess. Lonmala half-jokingly asked Bobeli if she could have both silver orbs, because she had another score to settle. Meanwhile, Nolkari remained fixated on her orb of...Nolkari, its whispers feeding the delusions that drove her to madness.

Each episode was an uncrossable boundary beginning to crumble. In time, they became so dysfunctional their paths rarely crossed, each driven by twisted desires that broke their trust that should have been forged in silver.

The once unbreakable bond between them, forged in years of shared experiences, began to fray. Days bled into weeks, with each sister isolated in their own pursuit, driven by a twisted desire fueled by the silver orbs. Their trust, once as strong as silver itself, now lay shattered on the cold floor.

One starless night, a frantic urge propelled Nolkari towards Bolbeli's quarters. Bursting into the dimly lit room, Nolkari shrieked, "THIEF!" Bolbeli, startled awake, found Nolkari staring wildly, her words nonsensical. "Enough gibberish!" Bolbeli roared, her hand seeking and desperately not finding the hilt of a sword typically kept bedside. "Leave me be!"

Just then, Lonmala emerged, a glimmer of something in her hand and struggle ensued, the sisters locked in a desperate fight. Nolkari, lost in the chaos, tried to intervene, her flailing limbs more hindrance than help.

As the fight raged, objects began tumbling from Lonmala's cloak – three silver spheres. They bounced wildly across the chamber floor, a blinding display in the otherwise dim light. Hypnotized, the sisters stopped fighting, their gazes fixed on the moving spheres that were once THEIR orbs - but once drawn together, the air shimmered and soured into a searing rift between the young women and the oddly bouncing silver orbs.

In an instant, the silver balls, the three sisters, and everything within a ten-foot radius were sucked into the void, plummeting through a swirling vortex into the unknown.

Chapter Ten: A good positive attitude never hurts. Too much.

Sickening lurches somewhere between drowning and electrocution thrust the sisters catapulting into a violent thud upon a grassy plain, along with a featherbed and tattered linens. One moment they were inside, then outside, and very much not at home. Stunned, the young women looked bewildered at their new surroundings as they fumbled over identical silver orbs, each now indistinguishable from the next. Fields in a veritable sea of gold, stretched in all directions where the air hummed with a strange energy. Quite close to their mysterious arrival stood a colossal gleaming silver tower piercing the sky, its chromatic surface sending a blinding radiance in the afternoon sun's harsh angle.

"Where are we?" Lonmala whispered, the cool sensation of a silver orb providing grounding weight against her chest - despite all that happened.

"When are we? Wait, this is Silveruud. From Night at the Academy,," Nolkari said, her countenance perfectly calm as she scanned the horizon. Several moments later she said, "The fabric between realities is thin here."

Bolbeli, her usual bravado tempered by the experience, nodded. "I feel it," she rumbled, her hand instinctively going to the hilt of her sword, only to find none there.

As they approached the towering structure, a group of people passed them, unlike any they had seen before. Clad in flowing robes of deep indigo, their skin was lightly spotted in blue and silver, and their eyes glowed with an inner light. One had long silver braids and matching eyes that mirrored the sisters' orbs. They, in particular, approached the sisters with a fearlessly curious smile.

"Welcome, travelers," the person said in a dreamy lilt. "We have been expecting you. The mists spoke of your arrival and stirred the very fabric of Silveruud."

The sisters exchanged nervous glances, then at their hands, which still possessed all ten fingers. Lonmala with her silver tongue stepped forward. "We are Nolkari, Bolbeli, and Lonmala Kelleron and are looking for honest work if you'll have us."

The woman's smile widened with each word. "Ah, the bearers of the silver orbs, the Kelleron Sisters. Your reputation and legend precede you. Silveruud is a meeting point for beings from differen...walks of life. Our balance is threatened by those who seek to exploit our vulnerabilities even while we defend eccentricity."

Since their greeter never actually inquired how or why the three sisters acquired the orbs, a flickering bevy of silent conversations crossed between Lonmala and Bolbeli's features. A new adventure? Or an end to nothing left to lose.

Nolkari volunteered in an unusually calm voice, "How may we be of assistance?"

"Indeed," the woman replied. "Guardians. But not just protectors. We require a kegritsha who we can trust. A kegritsha who bloody well knows how to work together." She gestured towards the gleaming tower, and toward the bustling city circumnavigating its fortified periphery. "Within its spire lies a chamber where your Kegritsha will be interviewed in a mock trial. Are you willing to undergo the trials?"

The sisters, having come this far, exchanged confused impressionable looks. Lonmala, the darkness within her pondering the opportunity, squared her shoulders. Bolbeli nodded resolutely and yet Nolkari never actually met the woman's gaze, but it looked like she tried.

"Yes." they declared in unison, half blurted and half vowed, the feeling of opportunity and obligation palpable, and far stronger than any immediate aversion to run for their lives.

The silver-eyed woman smiled warmly. "Then follow me, Kelleron sisters. The forging of your new Kegritsha begins now."

As they ventured into the night dark spire, the sisters knew their journey had taken a new turn. They were no longer just individuals seeking individual power, nor could they be. With this mission, they were a team bound by these identical silver orbs. Relics they clearly could not wield alone, and clearly could not tell apart.

The trials within the spire awaited, a test of their combined strength, wit, and resilience. This was the first step in remediating the relationship of their troubled kegritsha. Could this dysfunctional team, unlike any other, truly be destined to safeguard a delicate balance for Silveruud?

Only time would tell, and there was no going back.

Chapter Eleven: Shades of Grey

The Everfrost wind, a banshee's keening wail, scoured the desolate plains. Blistering snow stung exposed flesh. Faces numbed despite bundles of scavenged furs, Nolkari, Bolbeli, and Lonmala resembled a ragged triumvirate in a land perpetually cloaked in winter's icy grip.

Their objective: Find the one silver orb that can cast a reflection where night devours the day. Not merely locating it sufficed – a more crucial task loomed: verifying its authenticity. Legends whispered of a chamber where "night devoured the day," a place so dark it cast no shadows, and only a specific orb held the key to navigating that tenebrous realm.

Days bled into weeks, a monotonous blur of treacherous mountain passes, bartered supplies wrangled from wary halflings, and narrow escapes from territorial giants. Lonmala navigated them through the harsh landscape, her silver-developing tongue feigning their curiosity to their migration - Work had dried up in Wehnimer's Landing due to business closures and insurance payout failures upon repeat and frequent torchings.

Finally, an ancient map, bartered from a reclusive hermit, led them to the foot of a colossal glacier at the very end of the caravan's route. Even then, they had days of travel across the great snowy glacier until finally, a peak rose through the ice. Bearing closer to the rocky crag presenting the only thing other than ice in all directions, the women chose to make camp near its base. The last breath of daylight brought a glint from high upon the peak to cast an eerie light back across the snowfield. Nolkari's eyes looped side to side as she gestured broadly overhead, "An endless gray!"

The women argued for several hours about whether to go up or keep camp for the night. So they agreed to trust one another, pack up camp as Nolkari was leaving with or without them. Bolbeli punched Nolkari's lights out, and everyone got a good night's sleep after Bolbeli drank the last of the good stuff. Lonmala took a look around anyway, since someone needed to remember where it was.

Dawn left them on the dark side of the peak and the glacier itself radiated an unnatural chill, worsening the effect. Whatever remained of their energy sputtered as they ventured up the rocky surface, the air thickening, shadows deepening. An unseen pressure tightened their chests as the harsh, icy mists set in deeper.

A sudden shriek tore from Nolkari's throat. She pointed towards a gaping crevasse, where at its bottom lay discarded and shrouded in the swirling mist a singular object – a dull silver orb that barely emanated an ephemeral...Presence. Close examination revealed a chilling anomaly: despite a deep crack planing its surface, nothing – not even the sisters themselves – cast a shadow or reflection upon its dull exterior.

Lonmala backpedaled with a "whoa!" Nolkari, however, remained unnervingly confident. "One thing is certain, this is not the end for us, it is only the beginning, the heart of endless gray it absorbs reflections, but it is truly a mirror for the place where the night drinks the day.

A weighty silence descended. Could Nolkari, in her fractured state, be correct? Here, in this desolate wasteland, they had stumbled upon an anomaly mirroring the chamber of no shadows. Yet, the risk was immense. Choosing the wrong Orb could send them down a perilous path, squandering precious time and resources.

The decision hung heavy in the frigid air. This was not just a test of finding an orb, but of discerning its legitimacy. The trio withdrew to regroup - the fate of their quest, perhaps even the freedom of Silveruud, hinged on their next move. The silence stretched, broken only by the mournful sigh of the Everfrost wind, as they contemplated the orb just....existing....at the bottom of the crevasse. What secrets did it hold? Was it the key to the chamber of no shadows, or a cruel deception leading them further astray...