A Song of Askaldenfirsts and Dragons. Part eleven: The Time Lord

Laylith and her father walked along Grandavalnall past passers-by. Suddenly, Laylith saw a familiar face.

“Itullannoth?” Laylith asked.

“Yes, but how do you know me?” Itull was surprised.

“We need to talk, but not here,” Laylith said.

Edelmer stared intently at Itull.

“All right, follow me,” Itull said.

And Itullannoth led Laylith and Eder through small streets. The cobbled streets were filled with Arqilunians. Itull turned into a small alley, and then went into a small two-story house.

The house was stuffy, but Itull did not open the windows.

“Have a seat,” Itull said. “Do you need water or something stronger?”

“No,” Eder said dryly. Edelmer and Laylith examined the room.

“My name is Laeltilat,” Laylith introduced herself. “And this is my father, Edelmer. I won’t torment you with waiting, Itull, but I’ll tell you straight, we are from the future!”

Itull poured himself some water into a beautiful mug, pretending to look surprised.

“This is interesting, hmm,”he drawled and took a sip of water.

“It’s true,” Edelmer put in, not taking his eyes off Itull. “You are one of the Firsts, and you came here to mine alanjruon.”

“Who put you up to it? Elnurian? Or was it Raellellar?”

“You can’t even imagine what’s going to happen, First,” Edelmer said with undisguised disdain.

“Itullannoth, do you know anything about the Greyskuggies?” Laylith asked.

“This is the first time I’ve heard of it. Who or what is it?” Itull asked calmly, he took a couple more sips of water.

“And you don’t know anything about the planet Kaartarnar?” Laylith continued to ask questions.

“No, should I?” Itull asked.

“I guess you don’t know anything about the planet Marakhuran either?” Eder interjected.

“No, I don’t know. Why this conversation? Who are you?” Itull asked.

“My daughter has already said that we are from the future. You won’t be able to mine alanjruon for almost three millennia.”

“What?” Itull was surprised. He went to the table and took a fruit and took a bite.

“Ansell will ruin your life, Itull, and this entire planet. He will seize power and create chaos,” Laylith said.

“Oh, I’m willing to believe that,” Itull agreed, “but I can handle him, don’t worry.”

“He will completely destroy Malderfir!” Laylith lied. Edelmer gave his daughter a brief glance and then looked back at Itull.

“What?!” Itull was surprised.

“Everything you create on Malderfir will be destroyed by Ansell,” Laylith repeated.

“Well, let’s sit down and discuss it in detail,” Itull suggested, and he sat down in a chair, showing Edelmer and Laylith to two chairs that stood next to the table. Edelmer took a chair and put it in front of Itull, and Laylith sat in it, and Eder himself remained standing next to her.

“I won’t tell the long story of our “adventure” with my father, if you can call it that, but we have experienced many tragedies and lost many and many Ermirians close to us, although I’m not saying this to arouse your sympathy, Itull, but I’m demonstrating our very serious commitment to an alliance with you. We need to understand how and when and who will discover the planets Marakhuran and Kaartarnar. Imagine, Itull, a certain mineral that completely blocks magic. One day someone started telling me about such a mineral and how it is transported over the surface of Marakhuran. But later I wondered how do the Firsts transfer this mineral to other planets if it completely blocks any magic? Tell me, Itull, do the Firsts have other ways of moving between planets other than portals?”

“As far as I know, no,” Itull replied.

“Hmm,” Edelmer drawled.

“But tell me, please, what will Ansell do, and what will happen on Malderfir?” Itull asked.

“Ansell also moved into the past. And he will conspire with his young… himself, and he will–” Laylith faltered, a tear welled up in the corner of her eye.

“He’ll capture and rape young women,” Edelmer continued after his daughter. “The bastard will subsequently move certain creatures, the smokes, to Malderfir and Ermir,” the father decided to play along with the version that Laylith came up with.

“Interesting,” Itull said. “And these smokes are so dangerous?”

“They can’t kill us and a few other Ermirians,” Laylith said, “but they’ll kill and eat everyone else. Actually everyone. Maybe this would be useful for you, the Firsts, to mine alanjruon, but the problem is that the Malderfir will also be destroyed. And besides, in the future there will be a coup and more progressive Firsts will come to power and they’ll refuse to use alanjruon.”

“Yes, it’s all very interesting. But what do you want from me?

“We want an alliance. But first tell me, Itull, how do you think it is possible to move mineral crystals from one planet to another if the crystals completely block magic?”

“I can’t imagine. But if we assume that it’s possible to temporarily suppress the effect of such a crystal and restore the ability to use magic, then... I could already say that such crystals are quite useless,” Itull replied, carefully watching the reaction of Laylith and Eder.

Laylith looked at her father.

“We have nothing to offer you except our knowledge of the future, First,” Eder said. “We are honest with you. Our goal is to prevent the use of magic on the continent. Ansell in his maniacal obsession will bring ruin to you and everything that your people created, your entire civilization and your entire future!”

“All right! Let’s say that I believe you,” Itull said and got up from his chair, went to the table, took a mug and poured himself more water. “What exactly do you want from me? I cannot kill Ansell or remove him from his duties. And I don’t know anything about crystals that block magic.”

“Do you know Elmithbiram?” Laylith suddenly asked.

“Yes, he is one of the junior members of the council, why?” Itull was surprised.

“So he’s going to be emperor,” Edelmer said.

Itull grinned and looked at Eder and Laylith.

“Are you saying that Elmithbiram ShafraKilnirik will become emperor?” Itull asked with a smile.

“Yes, and he’ll personally apologize to me in the future for what Ansell did. But it’ll be too late for all of us. Especially considering that Ansell from the future is here now and tells everything to Ansell of your time. The planet of the Firsts, your friend Elmithbiram, the planet over which you hold patronage, Malderfir, all this will disappear with you. My father and I offer you an alliance. Gaellkoet will be given Taashtar and it is Gaellkoet who’ll be the ideologist of the installation of crystals, but for his own personal purposes. Don’t trust Gaell in any way. You may not trust us either, but don’t trust the others Firsts,” Laylith paused. “Don’t trust any Firsts, except, perhaps, your friend, the future emperor.”

“All right,” Itull agreed, “if I find out something about the crystal or other useful information appears, I will contact you.”

Laylith nodded to him and she and Eder left the house.