act17mini

The Northwind Witch puts down the teapot, walks around the room, then looks up at the center of the roof.

I gave you a choice, revered ancestor.

You can mock me with my memories and my house...

But if you disrespect my guest...

Shadows surge out from the corners of the house, as if wanting to devour the two.

But a pair of eyes, cold as ice, delivers its ultimatum.

Then...

The eyes close, and ice-blue witchcraft begins to spread through the space—

Are you gonna talk or not?

Stop! You're gonna twist my arm off.

Looks like you're the easiest of them to break. Good, saves me the effort.

One more time. Are you sure you didn't see it?

How was I supposed to see where your thing fell in the middle of the night?

Anything like that would make a bang when it crashed, but we didn't—

Thanks. See you later.

—Wait, I want to know what the *Sarkaz swearing* happened too!

Nymph? Are you okay? Nym—

Did you find your fragment?

I did!

The box closes with a click, and Nymph jumps down from the rubble, raising her handy box in triumph.

Aren't I awesome? I already have so many!

Yes, quite. I already had that fragment under my witchcraft but it was your 'awesome' arts that brought it down, along, with, my, house!

(Slow clap)

Sorry... that was the shadow I saw in my nightmare, and I lost control of my Arts because I was scared.

But I heard Nezzsalem say your hut was made out of Lich Arts? I happen to know a Lich...

(Gulps) P-Please, Qalaiša, why are you suddenly looking at me like that, you're scaring me...

What else did he tell you?

Funny you should bring that up, because I don't recall giving you permission to go over my memories.

I-It was an accident...

And you wasted perfectly good tea, and berry cookies...

Excuse me—what's going on, Nymph? Did you find the fragment?

You're a friend of Nymph's? Yes, she found her fragment, but I'm afraid she's busy at the moment.

You're... Madam Qalaiša, right?

So... what's she busy with?

She angered the ancestors and wrecked my house. So now she has to fix it before she can go.

But I thought your house walked into Kazdel and survived cannon blasts from bandits... Could Nymph really have wrecked it alone?

Em? What was that?

Oh, er, nothing, nothing at all, ma'am.

Would you like some tea? I poured it right before she blew the roof off.

Er, I appreciate the offer, but I'm good...

Keep at it, Nymph. Just a few more piles of rubble left and you're good to go.

I'm starving...

(Whimper) My berry cookies...

Another one. I wasn't even looking and I already spotted four safety hazards on my stroll...

Such a poorly designed junction of pipes is incredibly vulnerable to changes in the Furnace's power output. You're basically looking at a potential explosion.

Well, good thing the old timers in the furnace don't have to stay in there much longer. Hopefully, by then they'll...

Flower petals? Where did these come from?

Blue snowdrops, huh? I used to plant them back in Columbia. I didn't think they could grow in Kazdel.

Times sure are a-changing...

Beep—Beep—Beep—Beep—

What's that? A... Djall?

That's the guy! The detector is going nuts!

It's really loud. It's not going to explode, is it?

There must be a huge revenant fragment on this guy!

Stop pulling at my sleeve! It's a bespoke coat!

This guy-It's a living armor!

Living armor? Ha, haven't met such a rude little girl since the K'uk'ulkan.

He's starting to talk gibberish... the revenant must have possessed him. Pohl, hold the box for me!

You want to stuff the whole guy in? I don't think your box is big enough.

Here—goes!

Hey, get this box off my head before I lose my temper!

Huh? Why are you also in the box? And why are you in pieces?

He's making a run for it!

I'll tie his hands!

Stay put! Your big head's gonna break the box! I don't need Ermi getting mad at me again.

Let's get him to the furnace, quick.

Heheh.

They are a-changin' indeed.

Ermi Ermi, if you read me, please respond.

Ermi...? It's not working?

Young Djall, could you please unbind my hands? I promise I won't run. At least let me have a smoke?

No can do! I'm not letting you go until I get you back to the Furnace.

I told you, you've got the wrong guy. I've been meaning to drop by the Furnace, but I really didn't escape from the thing.

I have a Columbian ID in my shirt pocket. I could show you right now—if you unbind my hands.

It's a long trip from Columbia to Kazdel, isn't it?

If you'd told me you were from Rim Billiton, I probably would've believed you.

Ermi, can you hear me? Hey? Hello...?

The box's comm Arts structure has been ruined. You can slap it all you want, but that isn't going to fix it.

How dare you?! It's your fault my box got crushed in the first place!

If I fix your little box thing for you, will you free my hands?

Can you really fix it?

Don't you pull any tricks or anything! I-I have my own methods to deal with you!

I got it, little Djall. Relax. I'm not going anywhere.

Hold on. Are you actually buying this, Nymph? The guy gets possessed by a re—by the ancestors and you're ready to unbind him?

You sure love getting your word in, kiddo, but you don't seem to know a thing about revenants or Djaj. Djaj are the only ones that can't be influenced by revenants.

I'll free just one of your hands... Hey! How'd you break yourself out of that? You tricked me!

I knew you were up to no good!

I hope you can appreciate how much it hurts to have my hands bound for so long.

It hurts, even though you've got iron skin?

It's not iron. It's tin. And it doesn't exactly hurt. It's just...

Between his metallic fingers is a single cigarette; it seems to have appeared out of nowhere.

The odd man takes it to his mouth, takes a puff, then spins the cigarette around between his fingers before carefully smothering every spark of flame in his palms.

Huff—Ah, that's good.

You can't buy cigarettes this nice in Kazdel. I have to ration them.

Hey, you promised you'd fix my box.

I lied.

A Lich created the Arts in that box, and those prideful bastards never think about repairability when they design things. That's not to say none of them earned their pride, though.

Come on, you're just going back on your word!

Let me finish. You're looking for someone, aren't you? I can't fix the box, but I can help you find the Lich who made it.

H-How come you know who I'm looking for?