Mythran's Master Of All

Ren walked over to the workbench and Lord Tathalyn pulled out several large parchment sheets.

“I've thought about doing something like this.” Lord Tathalyn said and quickly sketched out a tall pointed tower that went almost straight up from the ground to the top, with barely any deviation in the angle of the sides at all.

“That... I think... would be really dangerous.” Ren said. “A stray bird could fly into that thing and cause it to sway.”

Lord Tathalyn chuckled. “Yes, even with a counter balance deep in the ground, a sway factor does exist.”

“A triangle or a pyramid would be much too big on the base.” Ren said and thought about it. “The same with a cone.” He sighed. “Can I see what else you've designed? Maybe something there can give us inspiration.”

“Yes, Lord Tathalyn.” Yllana said. “Give him everything.”

“Right, right!” Lord Tathalyn said and opened the side of the workbench and handed Ren a huge stack of completed parchment papers. “Once you agreed to my conditions, handing these over is a requirement.” He said. “You'll need them to build the city, and I suggest a 5 pointed star pattern for the spires on the outer rim.”

“Is that what the spires make?” Ren asked.

“Yes, it represents the Central Council and the ruling families.”

“I won't do that, then.” Ren said, and Lord Tathalyn's mouth dropped open.

“Wh-what?”

“I'll make a double star pattern, a 5 star in one direction, and a 5 star in the other. The entire city will be surrounded by spires, and it will show that the Central Council holds no sway in the city over its inhabitants.”

“B-but...”

“Give me a few minutes to look these over.” Ren said and sat down on the chair the High Elf had vacated. He stared at the first pattern for a High Elf house. It was simple in its construction, but it was also significantly different than a human house. It had curves in the wood, rounded and moulded pieces, the windows were round or dome-like, and even the ceilings were arched and bulbous.

“This is so different from what I'm used to.” Ren said and it took another minute for him to gain the pattern. He looked at the next one and it was a two storey house, both similar and different from the single house. Once he had wrapped his mind around the fact that High Elves apparently hated corners on anything, it became easier to read the plans and gain them. Ren flipped through short spires, buildings, the Grand Meeting Hall, defensive towers, street layouts, an administrative building that looked like a large aviary, two and three family houses, elfling houses, medium towers, the tall spires for the outer rim of the city, and the last plan was for the wall.

“Are you kidding me?” Ren asked and looked at Lord Tathalyn. “Is this for real?”

“Of course it is.” Lord Tathalyn said. “Where else would all the elflings live?”

“But...” Ren looked at Yllana.

“Some of us have earned enough Honor to move out of the walls, or were accepted into prominent families.”

“But...”

“Most times we are shunned by our birth families.” Yllana said. “Cast out without any Honor, we are to fend for ourselves and work hard to-”

“No.” Ren said. “I refuse to build living quarters for elflings in a defensive wall that will be the first thing hit when the city is under attack.”

“You agreed to build everything I designed.” Lord Tathalyn said.

“Yes, I agreed to build at least one of everything, and you said I had to put the buildings inside the city.” Ren said. “This is not a building. I will build this wall as I promised; but, it will not be the outside defensive wall.”

“I suppose that is a choice you can make.” Lord Tathalyn said.

“Where are all the other plans?” Ren asked.

“What do you mean?” Lord Tathalyn asked.

Ren pointed to three different plans scattered throughout the apartment. “I don't have that one, that one, or that one.” He said. “Those are the ones I've only glanced at, and know they are different than these.” He shook the stack of parchment papers. “You gave your word that you would give me everything you've designed in your lifetime.”

“That is everything you need.” Lord Tathalyn said, and his face was instantly covered in sweat. “Let's get the design of the tower finished, and you can get back to your ghoul task.”

Ren put the stack of parchment papers on the workbench. “Are you willing to keep losing Honor like this?”

Lord Tathalyn looked away, and Ren looked down at the drawing.

“Your other designs are good; but, nothing even comes close to giving me any clue what to do.” Ren said. “This is not the first time you've drawn this.” He lightly tapped the parchment paper. “Give me the other drawings, Lord Tathalyn.”

“I don't know what you mean.” Lord Tathalyn said, and sweat poured down his face.

“Then I'll look for them myself.” Ren said, and activated Enchanted Eyes. He looked around the room and saw one plan on the wall glow. He started to walk over to it, and felt Lord Tathalyn's emotions turn from meekness to anger.

“NO!” Lord Tathalyn yelled and lunged forward.

Ren equipped his platinum armor and turned to face the threat, and when Lord Tathalyn swung a fist towards him, a gleaming blade appeared in that fist and tried to strike. Ren's armor enchantment formed a magical shield to block the blow, and the enraged High Elf was thrown back across the room as his own attack rebounded against him.

Lord Tathalyn slammed into the workbench and flipped over it, hit the wall behind it, then fell to the floor. Yllana stood there in shock, as she had never seen her friend act that way before.

“I'm sorry, Yllana.” Ren said. “I accepted his quest, and I must complete it.”

“Ren, you... he...”

“I'll lose 100,000 Honor, be hated by all the High Elves, and something it won't tell me if I don't make this tower.” Ren said and walked over to the wall. He felt Yllana's swirling emotions, and he pushed them aside and concentrated on the glowing plan. He took out his Detect Magic and Detect Traps wands and used them, and received a popup.