Raelyn walked beside Zypher as they navigated the quiet corridors of Khazrundar, the glow of embedded crystals casting shifting patterns of light on the stone walls. Zypher moved with quick, purposeful steps, his small frame dwarfed by the towering architecture around him. His antennae twitched now and then, reflecting his cautious alertness.

Raelyn glanced at him, her thoughts swirling. Targan's grudging permission had shifted the gremlin's demeanor slightly; though still wary, he no longer flinched at every shadow or sound. "Zypher," she began, her voice gentle but curious, "earlier, you said you were a servant here. But how did a gremlin come to be in Khazrundar? I thought your kind lived exclusively in Icevein Crest."

Zypher hesitated, his small hands fidgeting with the edges of his ragged tunic. His antennae twitched as if testing the air for potential threats. "We do," he said cautiously, his voice soft. "Or... we did. But some of us... ended up here."

Raelyn slowed her pace, her brows knitting. "Ended up here?" she echoed. "How?"

The gremlin glanced up at her, his large eyes reflecting a mix of apprehension and resignation. "I am... a captive," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Forced to serve the dwarves."

Raelyn's steps faltered. "A captive?" she repeated, incredulous. "But... shouldn't King Ichas' treaty ensure your kind would be protected."

Zypher's antennae drooped slightly, his gaze fixed on the ground ahead. "Most of us were released when the treaty was enacted," he said, his tone tinged with bitterness. "But not all. The dwarves claimed that some of us were too... important to their realm. They said they couldn't function without us."

Raelyn's chest tightened as she processed his words. "Important how?" she asked gently.

Zypher straightened slightly, his posture stiffening as if the answer carried its own weight. "Gremlins... we are builders, inventors," he explained. "It is in our nature to create, to understand. The dwarves... they needed us. For the traps that guard their gates, for the pulley systems that traverse their mountain. We designed and maintain their mechanisms."

Raelyn's breath caught. She glanced at the intricate pulley system they had passed earlier, its platforms and ropes a testament to meticulous engineering. "You built those?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of awe and sorrow.

Zypher nodded, his antennae twitching faintly. "Not me," he clarified, "but my kind. We are naturally curious, always seeking to improve and learn. That curiosity... led us here."

Raelyn tilted her head, sensing there was more to the story. "What do you mean?" she pressed gently.

Zypher's steps slowed, and his gaze grew distant. "When my people settled in Icevein Crest, the peaks of Thrumthal fascinated us," he said. "Some of us ventured into the mountains, eager to explore. Before we knew it we had crossed into dwarven territory. Those who were caught... were captured. Enslaved."

Raelyn's heart ached at the simplicity of his explanation, the rawness in his voice. "The dwarves said they were protecting their land," he continued, his tone flat. "They claimed we had no right to enter their domain, that we were trespassers. This was before the mountain became what it is now... before Grimkaroth."

Raelyn's hands clenched at her sides. The parallels between Zypher's situation and her own life at Ardesco began to surface in her mind. She remembered the rigidity of servitude, the constant demand for perfection, and the ever-watchful eyes of those who saw her as nothing more than a tool. But as much as she had suffered under the strictures of the academy, she knew Zypher's plight was far worse.

"You were left behind," she said quietly, her voice laced with sympathy.

Zypher nodded, his expression solemn. "When the treaty was enacted, most of us were allowed to return home. But a few of us..." He paused, his voice faltering. "The dwarves said we were vital. That without us, their realm would falter. So they kept us. And now..." He gestured vaguely at himself, his antennae curling slightly. "Here I am."

Raelyn felt a wave of compassion wash over her. "You should never have been treated like this," she said softly. "It isn't right."

Zypher glanced up at her, his large eyes shimmering with a mix of surprise and uncertainty. "I am used to it," he said simply, though his tone betrayed the faintest hint of gratitude. "It is... rare for anyone to say such things."

Raelyn placed a hand over her heart, her gaze steady. "It doesn't make it any less true," she said firmly. "You deserve better."

Zypher's antennae twitched slightly, and for the first time, a flicker of something resembling hope crossed his face. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice almost inaudible.

The pair continued in silence for a moment, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken thoughts. As they rounded a corner, the flickering light of their chambers came into view.

Raelyn entered the group's lodgings, Zypher trailing close behind her. The room was filled with the muted flicker of the firelight, casting long shadows against the carved stone walls. Hovan stood from where he had been leaning against the table, his sharp gaze immediately locking onto Raelyn.

"How did it go?" he asked, his tone level but with an edge of concern.

Raelyn gave a tired smile but shook her head. "I'll explain everything later," she said as she moved towards her satchel. "But first, I need Zypher's help with something."

Benji perked up from his seat by the fire, his face lighting with excitement. "He's helping us now?" he asked, glancing at the small gremlin. "That's fantastic!"

Rakz was curled near the fire, his sapphire scales reflecting the warm glow of the flames. His tail flicked lazily, but his sharp yellow eyes tracked Zypher's every movement, a quiet growl rumbling in his chest. The dragon-lizard seemed both wary and protective.

Danio, lounging in a chair with his legs stretched out, raised an eyebrow. "Great. Another distraction." he muttered, though there was little bite in his voice. His eyes remained fixed on the flickering flames.

Raelyn ignored the remark, her focus on Zypher as she retrieved the scroll from her satchel. She unrolled it carefully and held it out to the gremlin. "Zypher," she said, her tone gentle but purposeful. "Can you tell us anything about this?"

Zypher hesitated for a moment, his large eyes darting between the scroll and the others in the room. With a small nod, he reached out and took the parchment, his long fingers brushing delicately against its edges. The gremlin unrolled the scroll fully, its antennae twitching as it examined the intricate designs and markings.

After a few moments of silent study, Zypher glanced up at Raelyn, his intelligent gaze steady. "Do you have any Aetherglass?" he asked simply.

Raelyn blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Aetherglass?" she repeated, glancing at the others.

Benji leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "What's that?"

Zypher gestured to the scroll. "Aetherglass is needed to reveal the hidden layers of certain gremlin blueprints," he explained patiently, his antennae twitching slightly. "Without it, the finer details remain obscured."

Raelyn's mind raced before her eyes fell on the locket hanging around her neck. A spark of realization dawned. "Wait," she said, lifting the locket and clicking the crown on its top. The front window opened with a soft click, revealing the clear, shimmering lens. "Is this what you mean?"

Zypher's eyes widened slightly, his antennae straightening. "Yes," he said with a note of surprise. "That is Aetherglass."

Raelyn handed the locket to the gremlin, who accepted it carefully, his small hands cradling it like a precious artifact. Zypher placed the lens over the scroll, his antennae twitching as he adjusted the angle. A faint glow emanated from the locket's lens, illuminating intricate patterns that had been invisible moments before.

Benji practically bounced in his seat, unable to contain his excitement. "What can you tell us?" he asked eagerly.

Zypher's antennae twitched as he leaned closer to the scroll, his large eyes narrowing in concentration. The flickering firelight cast dancing shadows across his pale skin, emphasizing every subtle movement of his expression. He traced a clawed finger along the lines of the design, his head tilting slightly as though committing the patterns to memory. His small frame seemed almost still, save for the occasional flicker of his antennae, betraying the rapid thoughts clearly racing through his mind.

Raelyn watched him with anticipation, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the edge of the table. The room was quiet except for the crackling of the fire, the air heavy with expectation.

After what felt like an eternity, Zypher straightened, his small shoulders rising and falling in a slow, measured breath. He looked up at Raelyn, his wide eyes momentarily meeting hers before darting away. The silence stretched thin, as if he were weighing his next words carefully. He let out a soft, resigned sigh.

Rakz, who had been lying near the fire with his head resting on his forepaws, perked up, his sharp yellow eyes narrowing as he watched the gremlin intently. His tail gave a single, slow lash against the stone floor.

"I cannot read it," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Raelyn blinked, the words striking her like a sudden gust of wind. "You can't?" she asked, confusion and disbelief lacing her tone.

Benji stepped closer, his excitement visibly dimming. "What?" he said, his voice tight with disappointment. "But you're a gremlin. Isn't this... your thing?"

Hovan's gaze sharpened, his arms crossing over his chest. "Why not?" he asked, his tone firm but not accusatory.

Zypher lowered his head, his antennae drooping slightly as he set the scroll and locket back on the table with meticulous care. "Each gremlin creates their blueprints in a way that only they can read," he explained, his voice steady but laced with what Raelyn perceived as genuine regret. "It is a safeguard, a way to protect our inventions and ensure their secrets remain secure. Only the gremlin who made this can decipher it."

Raelyn frowned, her mind turning over his words. Something about his body language felt off—the way his hands lingered on the scroll for a fraction of a second too long, the fleeting glances that didn't quite meet her eyes. But his tone held no malice, only what appeared to be a deep reluctance. Her shoulders sagged as the weight of yet another dead end pressed down on her. "So we can't use it," she murmured, frustration creeping into her voice.

Danio, who had seemed uninterested in the conversation, finally chimed in. "Then we just find the gremlin who made it," he said with a shrug, as if the solution was obvious.

Raelyn's eyes lit up with a flicker of hope as she turned back to Zypher. "Do you know who made this blueprint?" she asked, her voice steady but laced with anticipation.

Zypher tilted his head, his antennae twitching slightly as he looked back at the scroll. His small finger pointed toward the bottom corner of the document, where faint, intricate markings were etched. "It is signed," he said softly. "The name... Mechit."

"Mechit," Benji repeated, his brows furrowing. "Do you know if this Mechit is here, in Khazrundar?"

Zypher shook his head slowly, his large eyes reflecting a mixture of regret and hesitation. "No," he admitted. "I have not heard of a gremlin by that name."

A wave of frustration rippled through the group, visible in their expressions. Rakz shifted from his spot near the fire, rising onto his haunches. He padded closer to Raelyn, brushing his scaled side against her leg as if sensing her mounting tension. She reached down instinctively, her hand resting briefly on his warm scales, finding a moment of solace in his presence.

Hovan sighed, his tone pragmatic as he spoke. "Then we'll have to go to Grorith—to Icevein Crest. If we're going to find this Mechit, that's where we'll need to start."

Raelyn nodded in agreement, though the daunting prospect of venturing into Icevein Crest weighed heavily on her mind. She turned back to Zypher, her tone soft but resolute. "Can you tell us how to find the gremlins there?"

Zypher hesitated, his antennae curling tightly against his head. For a long, agonizing moment, he said nothing, his gaze dropping to the floor. Raelyn's heart sank, the silence heavy with the dread of yet another dead end.

Zypher nodded, though Raelyn didn't miss the way his shoulders remained tense, his posture guarded. "I know where the others are," he said. "But... it will not be easy."

Raelyn's breath caught at the tone in his voice. There was no surprise in her mind at his hesitance; she had suspected as much. "It's because you're a captive, isn't it?" she asked gently, her words cutting through the flicker of hope in the room like a blade.

Zypher flinched, his antennae curling downward as he nodded slowly. "Yes," he admitted. "The dwarves will not let me leave. I am bound to their service."

Benji's enthusiasm dimmed almost instantly, his brow furrowing in confusion. "But... that's not fair," he said, his voice filled with disbelief. "Surely, we can just explain—"

"It's not that simple," Raelyn interrupted, her tone firm but not unkind. She turned to Benji, her expression serious. "Zypher isn't just any servant. He's one of the gremlins the dwarves deem 'vital' to Khazrundar's workings. The mechanisms, the traps at the gates, the pulley systems—things the dwarves rely on. They'll argue they can't afford to lose him."

Hovan's arms crossed over his chest, his sharp eyes narrowing as he processed her words. "Then the question becomes," he said quietly, "how do we convince them to let him go?"

A silence settled over the group, the earlier spark of hope now tempered by the weight of reality. Danio broke it with a frustrated huff, leaning back in his chair. "We can't even convince them to let Thomrik walk free," he muttered. "Now we're supposed to spring a gremlin from their grasp?"

Raelyn shot him a sharp look, though she understood his frustration. "It's not impossible," she said, her tone steady despite the doubt gnawing at her. "If we can find a way to frame it as something beneficial to the dwarves... something tied to their interest in the weapon of the gods..."

Benji perked up slightly, his earlier enthusiasm returning in a smaller but no less determined wave. "Then we find a way to make it work," he said firmly. "Zypher can help us find the gremlins. If they can decipher this blueprint, it could lead us to the weapon."