George was not that daring. All he wanted to do was stay in his nice, safe, farm and grow cabbages or some other edible foodstuffs. Diving into the Black Depths to meet with the Deepsilver Lord was not his idea of having fun.

Given a choice, he did not want to go into those waters.

"Um… h.e.l.lo?" George tried. [Anyone there?]

In the deep, something stirred and s.h.i.+fted. A sparkle of silver flickered.

[h.e.l.lo…?] George tried again, really, really not wanting to go down there.

In the darkness, light sparked. A single, radiant flash, sending untold numbers of fish and water sp.a.w.n fleeing in all directions.

Meanwhile, George sat down at the lake glumly. "What am I even doing here? What's the point in sending me to talk to a fish?"

There was no certainty that the Deepsilver Lord was actually a fish, but given the location and the description, it did seem to fit.

How was sending a farm-boy to talk to a fish going to help anyone?

[Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you or anything, it's just… we just wanted to make friends with you. Or something like that.] George tried anyway, feeling like an idiot while he stared into the murky water.

Unseen, a crackling light flared up in the depths. A thought wisped out. [Who is 'we'?]

George almost fell over. [D-Deepsilver Lord…?]

Again, a soft whisper of a thought. [I see only you. Why do you refer to yourself as 'we'?]

[I… um… it's on behalf of my friends… my other friends… if you don't mind being friends with me?] George stumbled. [I mean… I just wanted to make sure you didn't attack us while we built stuff.]

[You the one, or you the many? Do you seek to befriend, or to build? Make up your mind.]

George scratched his head. [I am one and I am many. I seek to befriend and to build. This is my mind, and it is fully made up, thank you.]

[How interesting. How disappointing. How arrogant. How self-depreciating.] Flickers of opposing concepts whispered through George's mind at the same time, yet not contradicting. George had the distinct impression that the Deepsilver Lord was trying to be funny, responding to him the same way he'd spoken earlier.

[Well, then…] George took a moment to compose his thoughts and sent back four separate streams at the same time. [O mighty Deepsilver Lord, please spare us your wrath as we build nearby in peace!][Dude, way to speak arrogantly!][I'm here on behalf of all the people of Frontier Town and KarGoth.][It's just me, here.]

Back and forth they went for half an hour, slowly getting to know each other while at the same time confusing each other. It was fun. It was dreadful. It was exhausting.

After a while, there was a sudden silence from the deep. George paused, uncertain why the Deepsilver Lord had suddenly gone quiet. [Deepsilver Lord? Are you all right? Was it something I said?]

The response? [The Deepsilver Lord is currently unavailable. Please try again tomorrow.]

"Eh…?" George blinked. Feeling uncomfortable, he asked, "Can you at least a.s.sure me that you won't kill us all as we pa.s.s by?"

[The Deepsilver Lord is currently unavailable and not going to leave this abode for the time being. Please try again tomorrow.]

Well, if he wasn't leaving his abode, then he wasn't going to attack, right? That probably counts as a non-aggression treaty, at least until tomorrow, right?

[I'll see you again tomorrow, then.] George got up tiredly and waved farewell.

***

Caravans of men and equipment rolled south throughout that day, and camps were established along a newly laid trail. The last stop for these caravans were at Craggy Falls, not too far from the re-ruined excavation camps. Spike himself was happy to be home and promptly abandoned all his newfound friends to enjoy a nice relaxing downpour under his personal waterfall. [n.o.body disturb me while I bathe! And no peeking!]

[n.o.body wants to peek!] Carrie snorted, turning away in a huff.

Tim and Mindy watched the caravans from the Sky Barge, filled with supplies and being Tugged south. "You know, we could have moved north instead of south. Fal'Herim has never been weaker. We could have tried to conquer it."

"For what? There's nothing left to take." Mindy pointed out. "There's no Fire Crystals, no treasure, nothing much of value except people, and we already have everyone who wants to come here. We certainly won't force anyone to come if they don't want to, we're not slavers. Goodness knows the Iron Legion would never stand for that. All we could do is offer an open invite. That invitation is already extended to all the people of Fal'Herim. What more could we want?"

"Territory?" Tim suggested.

"It's all desert land. The southern lands are more fertile. Like I said… there's nothing there we want."

***

The next day, George was back at the Black Depths lake while behind him, another caravan rolled by.

[I'm back.] George greeted the Deepsilver Lord.

This time, there was a crackle of light somewhere in the water. He could see it from where he stood on the sh.o.r.e. Deepsilver was not so deep down today. Was that a good sign? George hoped so.

Otherwise, today's negotiation might be even shorter than yesterday's.

[What's this? I hear only one voice today. No more two-faced statements?] Deepsilver's thoughts came in a lot louder and stronger now.

[Just one voice. Just mine.] George winced. [Sorry. Let's try this again. Hi, I'm George.]

[Hi.] Deepsilver responded with just one short word.

[Who or what are you and why are you calling me?] Deepsilver asked.

[I'm… human. I'm a representative of the people in the caravans pa.s.sing by.] George explained. [I'm calling you to ask you not to attack us.]

[What makes you think you're worthy of me sparing you? What makes you think I would bother to attack you?] Deepsilver threw out both questions.

[Now who's being two-faced?] George grumbled. [Just promise me you won't hurt us, okay? Then I'll leave you alone.]

[And if I don't promise?]

[Then I'll have to keep coming back.]

[Then I'm not promising.]

George gaped. "Wha…?"

But there was silence. Deepsilver said no more.

[Hey! You can't just go quiet like that! What do you mean? Deepsilver!]

The response? [The Deepsilver Lord is currently unavailable. Please try again tomorrow.]

***

The third day, George went back to the lake while the Sky Barge floated overhead.

[Deepsilver!] George howled.

The water erupted, fountaining twenty feet high, splas.h.i.+ng all over the sh.o.r.e and soaking him from top to toe. Lightning blazed before his eyes, near-blinding him as crackling sounds filled the air. Deepsilver's mental voice thundered. [I am here!]

"Red Alert!" Mindy yelped, upon seeing the eruption. "Battle stations! Ready all weapons!"

"No, wait!" George yelled back. [h.e.l.lo, Deepsilver. You seem a lot more energetic today.]

The true form of Deepsilver showed up in front of him now. Scales like airs.h.i.+p armor plates, deep, s.h.i.+mmering silver in color, lightning crackling all over her body…

Her? Yes. Her. One look, and George felt it to be true. The Deepsilver Lord was female.

She was, in short, a giant electric eel.

[Back again, human? With more demands?] She peered at him from above, looking down on him.

"Back with gifts, actually." George unwrapped a large packet and offered her some premium Tier 5 charbroiled sirloin steak, something she could never get from the depths of the lake.

She munched down without any reservation, finis.h.i.+ng it all in a few rapid gulps. [Ahh.]

"So… friends?" George asked.

[Only if you bring me more of that meat.] she answered, with an electric grin.