"What can I do?" Ess said.
"Axebourne asks if you'll fold back to Cypha. He wants to make sure the town's been warned, and that Sugar has an evacuation plan for her family."
Axebourne looked at her expectantly.
"I can do that," said Ess.
"And Agrathor wants you to warn Deathgripz while you're at it."
Agrathor turned away. Ess thought he'd be blushing if he had skin.
Ess smiled. "I can do that too. Shall I bear a flower he has picked, just for her?"
Agrathor made his growling sound and Ess chuckled.
"Do not fret, old friend," she said. "I merely jest. Anything else?"
"Blacksmith forge you well," said Scythia.
"Stay tempered," Ess replied.
She focused inward, felt the pull to the north, and collapsed into an endless tunnel.
Here the world was dark. In the space between spaces, there was no red crawling sun, nor a sliding silver moon. Ess had never known where the light to see came from, but see she could. There was a surreal representation of Overland stretching before and behind her. Below, at a distance, lay the Underlands. She could see all the way to the Chasm, and just a little beyond. Above lay only blackness.
How surprised the common person would be at how much coming and going there really was in this ethereal realm. Only with mastery did this vision come. Ess saw Kash's green light as he traveled from Testadel to his palace. Amber streaks of displaced Grondellian mages arced over the continent as they no doubt went about warning various peoples of the coming trouble. Clouds of banshees swirled over the depthless Chasm.
Over and through it all, cryptic Intention Signals criss-crossed the void, thousands of gleaming threads like spider silk. Some merely stretched from one house to another. Others were strung between towns or cities. Many strained upward, in search of the Glorious Paths. From Kash's peculiar aura they spread like roots, reaching in every direction. Ess knew that she would have to address his ambition shortly.
Ess emerged from her tunnel onto the hard-packed road in front of Sugar's Tavern. She had seen from a distance that no trouble had yet fallen upon Cypha, so she knew it was safe to fold out there. A few passersby jolted in surprise at her sudden appearance, and Ess held up empty hands to set them at ease. They all scurried away anyhow, clutching travel bags and possessions hastily wrapped up in blankets.
There was none of the usual ruckus emanating from Sugar's Tavern. Ess entered the open door, and could hear Sugar rooting around back in the kitchen.
"Sugar," she called out. "It is Ess."
The noises stopped, and Sugar emerged, brushing dust off her apron with one hand. In the other, she held a very long ladle.
"Nuisance," she grumbled. "Nothing but a waste of cliff-licking time."
"I beg your pardon," said Ess, smirking. "I shall return the way I came."
"Oh pah!" Sugar spat. "Not you, wizard woman. The invasion."
"I can see that word has reached you already. Your brother sent me to make sure of the fact."
"Yes, yes, we've heard," said Sugar. Her brilliant red hair in all its great volume belied the gravity of her tone. "Holy mages that escaped Grondell came - folded in and out. Just enough information to ruin our week. I doubt Kash will even bother with Cypha, but I guess there's no sense in taking chances."
Sugar had moved behind the bar. She fetched a large stein and began to fill it from a tap. She handed the product to Ess, who knew better than to refuse. She sipped at it gingerly and Sugar's cheeks grew red, even as she poured a drink for herself.
"Come on, woman! It's likely the end of Overland, this is no time for the dainty sips of a princess. Drink up!"
There was no denying the woman. Ess took a stool, downed her mead in time with Sugar and felt its pleasant burn. Perhaps the woman was right.
"How's my brother?" she asked, wiping a light froth from her lips.
"He is well."
"And that cutie you picked up?"
"We all are well," said Ess. "The others are en route to the home of my master. Pierce had an insane plan that just might work. We wanted to make sure you had a plan too."
"What plan?" Sugar asked. "Is there anywhere the Underlanders can't emerge?"
"I do not know."
"So what does it matter?"
"Honestly," said Ess, "I am not sure that it does."
Sugar grinned suddenly, peering into Ess's dark eyes.
"I always liked that about you," she said. "No messing around. No pandering lies. Just the truth."
Ess smiled back around the stein as she finished her drink. How it warmed the belly.
Sugar scanned her empty tavern. She must be missing all the ruckus, but Ess didn't mind the stillness at all. She'd always found the peace of abandoned places refreshing.
Sugar sighed and inspected the ladle she'd brought out of the kitchen. "Alright, well, I guess it's time to give in and head out."
Ess stood and said, "Would you happen to know if Deathgripz is still around? Agrathor wanted to make sure she got the message personally."
"That old dog," Sugar laughed. "Well, an unconventional man for an unconventional woman, I suppose."
"She has really got him under her thumbs," Ess said coyly.
Sugar hesitated, then gave in to the snicker. "It sounds as if you've been saving that one."
Ess shrugged.
"Yeah, she's still around," Sugar said. "She'd better be. We agreed to caravan together."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Really hit it off after my brother sent her in here for a free pie. A little sweet for a little bitter. Come on, let's go find her."
They left the tavern shortly, Ess floating along at Sugar's side. As expected, Deathgripz was working in her stables. Most of her livestock had been harnessed or saddled and arranged into formation, hitched to wagons of various sizes. Her groomsmen bustled about, finalizing their preparations.
Deathgripz looked up as the other women approached. She raised one eyebrow by a hair's breadth.
"Get your mounts killed already?" she asked.
"Ess came to warn us," said
