Trap himself was explaining that he neither stole the necklace nor intentionally interrupted Orander's spell, and he certainly wanted Orander to return from the other world so he could discuss with him the problems with the magic rings. Ripple was renewing her request to study magic, and in the meantime, could Chalmis please do some fireworks? She really wanted to see some. The gully dwarves, their fright temporary, were discussing all these people interrupting each other, which the kender had told them was rude and inconsiderate.
"Enough!" Chalmis boomed.
"My, you have a loud voice," Trap said. "Can you teach me how to roar? It would be great. I could sneak up behind people very quietly-I wouldn't want to roar all the time, of course, but-"
"I'll turn you into a frog, and that will stop your chatter," Chalmis warned.
"Will you really?" Ripple taunted, suddenly angry. "That's what Halmarain said, but she couldn't do it."
"But Master Chalmis can, so you'd better watch your manners," the little wizard warned.
"One thing at a time," Chalmis spoke in a lower tone. "If I'm going to have any peace, who took the lore map from the dwarves? Give it back."
"They got," Grod said.
"Then your problem is solved so we don't need to hear anymore about it," the white wizard told the dwarves. "Now what is this about the merchesti, Orander, and the plane of Vasmarg? And know, little red-robe, I have no truck with those outside my order."
Halmarain answered with a humility that surprised the kender.
"I understand, Master Chalmis, but we are in dire need and beg your assistance-not only for ourselves and Orander-our entire world could be affected."
She went through the story again, this time putting less emphasis on the fault of the kender and more on the danger of Beglug's parent entering the world, or of Beglug growing up on Krynn. She was clearly bent on rescuing Orander if he were still alive. She raised imploring eyes to the master wizard.
"And I believe others know of Beglug and the gate stone the kender carries."
She described Jaerume Kaldre and told Master Chalmis she thought he was one of the undead.
Chalmis Rosterig listened with steadily lowering brows. The last bit of information seemed to affect the white wizard more profoundly than the rest.
Halmarain went on to describe the kidnapping of Ripple and Beglug. "Since the kobolds were careful not to injure them, but traveled as fast as they could in this direction, I suspect they were under instructions to take them to Pey." She paused expectantly.
"To Draaddis Vulter," Chalmis announced on cue, his face darkening in anger. "He came to mind when you mentioned the undead. I wish I could believe the Dark Queen was not behind this, but that would be too much to hope for."
"I didn't know any of that," Trap spoke up. "You didn't tell us. That wasn't fair. The trip would have been much more interesting if we had known that Takhisis was after us. Do you think she might come here? I'd love to see a dragon."
"Why do you think I've been fighting to get to Master Chalmis?" the tiny female rounded on the kender "Did you think I fussed and fought through the entire journey because I enjoyed it?"
"Did," Grod nodded decisively.
"Did too," Umpth was quick to second his brother.
"Oh, shut up!" Halmarain glared at the Aghar and turned back to the white-robed wizard. "I've brought Master Orander's books written by the great Master Alchviem. I can open and read them, but I'm not powerful enough to use them."
"Pretty Kender bring cook pot," Grod added.
"Still, we have only one gate stone," Master Chalmis said. "But if Orander still has the other we might have a chance…" He tugged at his long white braids. "Let's take a look. If Takhisis has her minions on your trail, we don't have much time."
"Eat now?" Grod asked.
Master Chalmis frowned at the gully dwarf and then looked over the rest of the assembled group. He pointed across the large chamber toward another door.
"You'll find the scullery through there. Take the gully dwarves and leave us in peace." he said, and then turned his attention back to Halmarain. "Bring the merchesti and books back to my laboratory." He led the way through another door.
"Pretty Kender make maize pudding?" Grod asked as he followed Ripple. Behind them the six Neidar stumped along, but the Aghar's suggestion caught their attention.
"I've heard that kender women make the best maize pudding," one said, begrudging the compliment, but obviously looking forward to the treat.
"And Ripple's is famous," Trap told the large dwarf. Now that the dwarves had their necklace back, he didn't see any reason why they couldn't all be friends.
In the scullery they found a pot of water already hot, and while Ripple tested it to be sure it was just water and not some potion, the dwarves searched and found some ground maize as well as the other ingredients she asked for.
In minutes the maize was in the pot.
While the kender girl stirred, the rest stood around, watching the kettle hopefully. Before long they heard a droning from the other chamber. The dwarves proved they were from one of the highly musical societies by covering their ears to block out the noise.
"They're singing again, and if there's one thing a wizard can not do, its sing," Trap said with a frown. "I'd better go and teach them how to-" He started for the door when Tolem caught his arm.
"You stay right here! If I understood the little wizard aright," he said with a frown, "It was your wanting to help them that caused this mess."
Two of the dwarves moved to block the door to the scullery and a third, the largest, joined Tolem.
"I'm still not sure you didn't steal the lore map," he said, glowering at the kender. "You stay where we can keep an eye on you."
"I wanted to see some magic," Trap complained.
"Best what they do remains unseen," Tolem replied with a dark glance over his shoulder. "It doesn't do to go messing with wizards."
"I'm not sure you're right," Ripple said as she tapped the large wooden spoon on the side of the pot to knock off the thick mixture. "They are really off key. I don't see how they can do anything-"
Suddenly the strange off key droning of the wizards was drowned under a low booming that echoed down the passage. The booms were soon followed by the sound of cracking stone in the distance and almost immediately by the shouts and roars of goblins.
"They broke in," Tolem said, grabbing his crossbow and drawing his axe.
"How could they when the wizard sealed the door?" one of the dwarves asked as he followed Tolem from the scullery.
Ripple swung the pot off the fire and grabbed her whippik that she had laid on a stool.
"I didn't know he did," she said. "I never get to see any magic."
By now the six dwarves, the kender, and the Aghar had trotted down the passage and were back in the dining cavern where they had parted from the two wizards and Beglug.
"If he really sealed it the goblins couldn't get in," Trap objected, expressing his opinion as well.
"Look out!" one of the dwarves shouted and fell flat on the floor. Over his head sailed a fireball. It had come down the passage from the front entrance.
"I don't think it was broken by humanoids," Tolem said. "It took another wizard, and he's on the way!"
"Now we'll really see some magic," Ripple said, her eyes sparking.