//------------------------------// // 38. Moving Diagonally // Story: Time to Shine // by Easysnuggler //------------------------------// Without magic unicorns could not cast spells. Pegassai lost the ability to fly, and Griffons only could into a headwind. Earth ponies could not draw upon the land for farming. Weather ran wild. —Pena “On the Origins of Ponies*(*and Others) and Magic” 38. Moving Diagonally “Rizi has my eyes and West’s spines,” said Doriz. “Stop thinking about Rizi Doriz, can’t change.” said the All-Watcher. “Tarnish, what if Lord Scorcher is right?” Doriz said miserably. “Doriz, Lord Scorcher is the Dragon Lord.” “Doesn’t that make Lord Scorcher always right?!” “Always right about what in particular, Doriz?” “Scorcher, he said kobolds were lousy parents!” she wailed, tears running down her green face. “Sure, that is not what he meant.” He looked at the distraught kobold, his cataracts failing to focus on a blurry Doriz. “Said by dragon standards we were lousy!” She continued wailing. “Dragons are horrible, terrible, awful, parents Tarnish!” She curled in on herself holding herself and crying. “What does that make us, make me?” She sobbed “She’s all I have left of him.” Tarnish held her as she cried, his tail wrapped around her pulling her close. “He died so hard, now my baby.” She continued to cry. In a quiet voice she said. “I love her so very much, Tarnish.” She looked up through teary eyes at the All-Watcher who was holding her. “Tarnish, Tarnish what is wrong with me?” “Nothing,” he said simply. — Rain and Wind were twins. Hatched from a single egg they had complex and identical coloration. They were brown and red and orange, with yellow spines. Experienced hunters, they were close in size to each other, but as usual Rain being a female was slightly larger. Wind was a bit nimbler, and better at climbing. The two of them together were even better - truly great hunters, able to anticipate each other and drive game towards the other. They could hunt quickly and quietly. More large dragons meant fewer threats from Rocs, and the skies were quite clear these days over the entire valley, and slingtails now knew better than to come into it. A month had made quite a change. Hunting had never been so good. With a bag full of lizards, rock crabs, small rodents and even a pair of rock doves, they were returning to the residence hall and sleep when Dust found them. “Hello little ones” she said. “Hello, hello, great dragon Dust the Saved” they said together. “Aww aren’t you sweet?” The white dragoness smiled at the two small creatures. “Are you going home?” she asked. “Yes, yes my lady Dust the Saved” answered Rain. Wind nodded. “Do you know where I can find the All Watcher? I have a special task for him.” “Sure mistress, Tarnish is in great hall.” answered Rain. “Just follow us, we will take you.” said Wind, her tail wagging. Together the white dragoness and two kobolds headed into the ancient kobold halls. — Dust and Tarnish spoke in low tones together briefly, and the dragoness left with a smile and a satisfied look in her eye. The twins watched Tarnish as he stood in the center of the high hall. His old frame began to shale and rattle, as a coughing laugh rocked his frame. Tarnish was, according to the kobolds of Dragonholme a reincarnation of their hero Hope for A Glorious Future. He had been bred to be a leader. His egg was the first one laid upon the previous Hope's glorious death rescuing dozens of kobolds from a mine collapse. Tarnish had lived 135 years. He was the oldest kobold by quite a wide margin. Most kobolds tended to die young. Or of old age in their 80s or nineties. Occasionally one would ready 100 or 110. 120 was not unheard of. Tarnish was 135. He felt it in his bones. He wasn’t sure what he was waiting for. A change of season perhaps. During his lifetime the kobolds had closed all but one of the last few mines and had almost ceased mining. The dragons had simply had other needs. But… kobolds were created to serve, work hard, and to mine. Kobolds are truly happy when they are hard at work mining for their dragons or for their tribe, and in bygone times mining was what they excelled at. For kobolds mining is one of the four great professions. Mining had been sadly neglected in Tarnish’s lifetime and so it was with joy that after failing to contact their inner dragon over Smolder's love life, Dust's request to explore and perhaps create a new tunnel was met with great enthusiasm. Tarnish laughed, and even attempted a whoop. He felt 40 years younger. Rain and wind looked at each other nervously. Tarnish summoned them to himself and with their help they gathered the others. Tarnish shouted the news to the kobolds. They were going to mine. ALL OF THEM. Kobolds take direction well. Especially when it comes from high authority. An older kobold will do. A supervisor is better. A priestess will do very well. Better yet is a prioress. Among kobolds, the all watcher does best of all. But for kobolds there is divine authority readily available for direction. Any dragon will do. Particularly Dust. Dust was well respected, and her very life was a source of Kobold pride. A kobold had literally died for her, and he was an exemplar, a hero whose story every kobold knew. But the dragon lord is the ultimate source of authority. He had made his desire to escape the valley quite clear, even being injured in the attempt. So it was with few words that the entire kobold population began preparations for a change in priorities that very night. They were to conduct a survey of all mines, caves and tunnels surrounding the borders of Dragonholme as well as trying some shallow excavations just under the shield. Those were unsuccessful, however. The shield went down at several dozen lengths. By evening South Ridge and East Ridge had reported nothing helpful. They found only mines that led in the wrong direction or were far too deep to be swiftly helpful. By dawn North Ridge also reported no success. West Ridge had still not reported back. Encouraging reports started to come from the West Ridge. An old tunnel had been found. It was hazardous and deep but led up and in the right general direction under the ridges near the road through the pass. It was truly a very old mine, excavated by magic. Possibly by one of the pre-classical civilizations. In two days, four careful scouts had pushed through to daylight on the far side. They had encountered an Ursa napping in a cave. Several kobolds had been injured retreating in haste through caverns now collapsing from the roars of an outraged star beast. Still the message was clear. There was already an existing path to the other side. No signs of the shield had been seen. The All-Watcher smiled. Still feeling spry, the ancient kobold took his walking staff, assembled the kobolds, and gave them clear orders. All 999 kobolds took up the work en masse. Files of workers and mountains of materials were swiftly accumulated. Hundreds of support beams, steel pins, pickaxes, shovels, and mine carts were gathered from across Dragonholme by each of its thousand less one kobolds. Even the younglings were called into service to bring water and food down to the miners and carry small pails of tailings back. The work was hard but safe. Safety first was the watchword as walls were shored up, rotten rock was removed, and double and triple sets of iron timber and stone support braces, columns and arches were erected at speed. Old rails were fixed, new rails were laid and by dawn the next day three access shafts had been shored up and 50 lengths of track had been laid. It was at this point that Tarnish chose to report to the Dragon Lord. Specifically, he told Doriz to tell Scorch that he needed dragons to haul ropes and pull carts.