Ravish Me, Oh Great Wizard King!!!

Morning had broken over Diamond city. Its numerous homes and buildings sparkled with the fire radiance of a million dazzling gemstones blazing from the reddish orange light coming from the east.

The sunlight, though bright and colorful, held little heat. It was a welcoming sight nonetheless. The winter had been frightful. Beyond the horizon, dark clouds were gathering signaling a sinister portent of what was to come.

For the group that had gathered outside Diamond Palace, it mattered little. They were going underground where the sun never shone anyway.

Unlike the previously commandeered food transport Diamond Train, the train that had been appointed to take the group into Jasper was one that Erick had retrofitted. It was a short train consisting of only the two front and back engines plus ten cars in between.

In a world that took pride in all its deep gemstone hues, it was an enigma.

"Welcome to the Princess Train, Your Royal Highness." Alfrick extended his hand and assisted Mira up the small steps into one of the middle cars. "This is the dining car. Since you have not had breakfast, I had the kitchen staff create a meal fit for the Queen."

The Queen, at the moment, did not look too queenly. She was back in her black jeans and tee shirt with her hair tied up in a low ponytail, but the group did not care. It did not matter what Mira wore. She would always be the Queen to them.

The interior of the dining car was light and airy, with scattered round tables covered in white linens surrounded by upholstered camel leather chairs that had exuded the flair of old world luxury.

Above each table was a single sphere of dolmia the size of a grapefruit. It was attached to a black rod that extended from the ceiling and ended with a five-fingered claw that held onto the dolmian sphere, illuminating everything within its luminous circumference.

Immediately underneath the dolmian spheres were carved wood bowls holding large bluish-pink hydrangea blooms. They brightened up the place with the only touches of color in an otherwise cream and camel colored environment.

Around this cream and camel environment were the staff caring for the esteemed passengers.

The scent of chicken fricassee filled the interior of the room, making everyone's mouth water. On one end was a fully staffed kitchen with dwarves dressed in white, running to and fro bringing food and drinks to the handful of people who had already occupied the tables.

Mira smiled. "I am looking forward to it all. This is a magnificent train!"

Alfric nodded with pride. As long as the Queen was happy, it was all that mattered.

"I had it designed and created especially for you after the debacle of the previous excursion where you had to be subjected to the rudeness of the station masters along the way."

"I'm sure he must have thought he was doing his job."

"His job has never included intimidating passengers, MOST ESPECIALLY NOT ROYAL PASSENGERS." Alfric glared into the distance.

"Since there are many junctions and many station masters it will take time to educate them all in the best manners to deal with patrons of all types. In the meantime, it is far better just to serve Your Royal Highness in comfort so you do not have to debark if you do not have the need to."

"Thank you Alfric. Everything is beautiful."

As the servers catered to Mira, the rest of the group settled around her.

At one of the tables was the very personable Raphael Summer, Erick's personal Wizard Advisor chattering up a storm with one of the bluehead wait staff.

On the other side was a solemn and silent bogwarg. He was leaning back against the seat's backrest sipping on his rock glass of cocktail sluice. His eyes moved lazily about, taking in everything, but always eventually settled back on the pantheran lioness who was standing by the window looking out into the bustling train station.

She stood there with one hand on her hip, taking in the chaotic pandemonium of people and passengers, luggage and freight on large carts moving in all directions. The chaos actually had an elegant order to its seeming lack of order.

Up on the brightly lit dolmian wall was a time keeping device. It had many turning gears and arms, propelling time forward with the precision that dwarves love.

At this moment it showed less than ten minutes of time before the train was to depart.

Once the time wound down to zero, there would be no chaos left to look at. The trains would roll into their appropriate tracks and begin their individuated journeys through poorly lit tunnels that would seem to go on forever.

To the right of the pantheran, two dwarves sat at the table munching on a basket of corn chips. As they ate, they discussed the vagaries of leading troops into enemy-infested areas.

"You can't just spring a major offensive on your troops like that Ziggy. They need as much preparation and foreknowledge as you are able to give them. That's how they will survive!"

"Are you kidding Daran? I don't even know what the next major offensive is. All we can do is prepare them for the unexpected and hope that will be enough to carry them through the fire."

Ziggie waved his arms and laughed. " I mean, just take a look at this mission. I had no idea I would be taking my elite team and hanging out with the Queen of the Northern Realm. How do you prepare your men for something like that?"

Ziggie's waving arm banged into the train conductor as he emerged from the doorway next to the seated dwarf.

"Pardon me, Captain Ezekiel Astrid."

"No no! I am so very sorry. Didn't mean to hit you in the chest, Conductor." Ziggy stood up apologizing profusely.

Daran looked up. "Is there a problem Conductor?"

"We will be moving out in approximately five minutes but we have a slight problem Captain Daran Duluth."

"What is it?"

"Prince Erick is still not at the station."

From across the room, Mira stood up. She had heard the exchange between the dwarves. "We cannot leave without him."

The conductor bowed his head. "Your Majesty."

"Let me cast around and see if I can find his magik signature." Raphael Summer put down his drink and called out the Seek Command.

"Shunzaotahnren!"

Around him, the atmosphere began to shimmer as his incantations began working its magik on the air particles itself.

As he cast his magik nets outward looking for the Crown Prince, the bogwarg uncoiled his long length from the chair and moved towards the conductor whose eyes widened as he moved a safe distance away.

"What are you doing?" Jana asked as she sidled towards Theo.

"Using my nose. If he's anywhere within the vicinity, I can smell him." The warg replied.

"Oh yes, that's right. You're The Nose." She responded laconically.

The warg crouched down and began sniffing the air. "At least I have something that's useful."

"By the time your nose works, I will have clawed him with my speed and agility."

"By the time you've finished clawing him he would be dead. Sometimes, speed and agility is not what we need. It's finesse."

"Your finesse will be the eventual death of you." the pantheran sniffed with disdain.

"As will your speed," the warg returned the volley.

The Cat hissed.

The Wolf growled.

The Cat hissed again.

The Wolf growled again.

"Where could Erick be? He was the one who was all excited about coming on this quest." Mira voiced her concern.

"My Queen, he has been running around for at least two weeks now, setting up everything just for today. There would be no reason why he would not be here other than some major emergency." Alfric assured her.

"Hold the train until Erick arrives." Mira said.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The Conductor bowed and left the dining car.

The atmosphere within the car instantly lost its warm camaraderie. Erick was the heart and soul of this mission and without his presence it was downright chilling.

Thirty minutes later, everyone had begun to try various methods of trying to determine Erick's whereabouts. They had already lost one prince. They did not want to lose another prince.

"I have been trying to contact him via scrying but he is not near any sources that can call him." Daran began.

"I sent out a murder of crows to look for him from above," Alfric continued. "If he is outside, they may be able to spot him."

"There is nothing yet coming through my web of magik energies. He hasn't cast a spell, or even sneezed, for the last thirty minutes." Raphael Summer tousled his long loose blue hair in frustration.

"There is also no scent of the man within the station either," Theo added.

"Wait!" He stood up, sniffing the air. "Prince Erick is on the train!"

"How---" Jana began.

"I can smell the man." Theo interrupted.

Just then, Erick jumped in through the open entryway at one end of the car.

"Sorry I'm late! Let's get the train movin!"