The return to the detention cell felt different this time. The mission, though fraught with risk and morally grey tactics, had been a success. They had actively disrupted Magdra's plans, neutralized a significant Ashfang force without direct dwarven military engagement beyond the initial ambush, and delivered valuable intelligence. Lunrik felt less like a helpless prisoner and more like a… constrained asset. It wasn't freedom, but it was a subtle shift in the power dynamic, perhaps.
He and Fendril had parted ways after the debriefing, the quiet dwarf scout disappearing back into the depths of the Cog City, his role as minder and observer seemingly concluded for now. Lunrik was escorted back to the now-familiar cell, the door hissing shut, leaving him once again in solitary confinement. Kaelith hadn't returned yet; her mission guiding Eryndor to the Vault of Sealed Knowledge was clearly ongoing, likely involving passage through complex and time-consuming ancient sectors. Worry for her safety remained a constant, low thrum beneath his exhaustion.
He allowed himself to truly rest this time, collapsing onto the metal slab, the physical and mental toll of the surface mission catching up with him. He slept fitfully, dreams haunted by swirling snow, snarling Ashfang faces, the terrifying emptiness of the glacier, the impassive red eyes of the automaton, and the chilling indifference of the phasing hunters. He woke feeling unrested, the silence of the cell pressing in.
How long had Kaelith been gone? Time was impossible to track here. Days could be passing. He paced the cell, impatience and anxiety warring with the need to maintain composure. He needed news. News of Kaelith, news of Eryndor, news of the dwarves' next move.
His wait was eventually broken by the familiar hiss of the door. Master Artificer Gyra stood there, her expression sharp, focused, holding a data slate. Behind her stood two technicians carrying trays laden with strange metallic components and tools.
"Surface-Gamma-Three," Gyra greeted him, her tone brisk, all business. "Your recuperation period is sufficient. Analysis of the neutralized hunter assets proceeds. Your… unique resonance signature is required for comparative diagnostics with recovered internal components."
Lunrik sighed inwardly. Back to being a research subject. "What is required this time, Master Artificer?" he asked, trying to keep the weariness from his voice.
"Non-invasive proximity scans primarily," Gyra replied, already directing her technicians to set up complex sensor arrays within the cell itself. They worked with quiet efficiency, attaching devices to the walls, ceiling, and floor, creating a web of humming energy fields contained within the small space. "We have isolated several core components from the hunter armour and rifle – power conduits, targeting matrices, resonance dampers. We need to observe how their residual energy fields interact with your Banehallow signature in close proximity."
She gestured towards the center of the cell. "Stand there. Remain still. Minimal physical contact with the fields is expected, though minor tingling or disorientation may occur. Report any significant effects immediately."
Lunrik moved to the designated spot, feeling trapped within the invisible cage of Gyra's sensor web. The technicians activated the arrays, and the air in the cell seemed to thicken, humming with contained energy, similar to the lab but less intense.
Gyra held up a small, crystalline object retrieved from the hunter's armour – perhaps a power relay or part of the phasing mechanism. She moved it slowly towards Lunrik, watching her data slate intently.
As the crystal approached, Lunrik felt it again – that distinct, unpleasant wrongness, the feeling of scraping nails on stone inside his skull, though much fainter this time, likely due to the component being isolated and powered down. The Stigma on his hand pulsed faintly, a low throb of rejection.
"Affirmative," Gyra murmured, observing her readings. "Component exhibits the same antagonistic resonance profile. Clear energy field disruption within a point-three unit radius of the subject." She swapped the crystal for a different component, a complex piece of wiring that looked almost organic. "Resonance damper. Testing interaction…"
She moved the damper closer. This time, the effect was different. The feeling of wrongness lessened slightly, the thrumming in Lunrik's bones smoothed out. The Stigma's pulsing subsided.
"Intriguing!" Gyra exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "The damper mitigates the antagonistic resonance! It seems designed to shield the wearer, or perhaps external targets, from the disruptive effects of their own core technology when interacting with specific bio-signatures like yours." She made rapid notes. "This implies the hunters are aware of the disruptive effect, possibly even harness it, but require shielding for stable operation or perhaps for non-lethal applications like their capture net."
She continued testing various components, each eliciting subtle, measurable reactions from Lunrik's inherent energy field. He endured the process stoically, focusing on the information being revealed. The hunters possessed technology that actively repelled his cursed lineage's energy, yet also incorporated dampers to control or mitigate this effect. It suggested a sophisticated understanding and deliberate application of this antagonistic principle. Were they truly descendants of exiled dwarves wielding ancient forbidden tech? The evidence mounted.
After nearly an hour of meticulous scanning, Gyra seemed satisfied with the proximity data. "Sufficient for now," she declared, signaling her technicians to power down and dismantle the sensor arrays. "The resonance patterns are consistent. This provides a clear energy signature to work with for developing potential countermeasures."
Countermeasures? Lunrik felt a flicker of interest. "You believe you can create something to block or neutralize their technology?"
Gyra gave him a sharp look. "Grimfang engineering overcomes all challenges, werewolf. Given sufficient data and resources." She tapped her data slate. "Understanding the antagonistic resonance allows us to theorize methods of creating harmonic interference fields, localized resonance dampeners, or even… focused kinetic pulses tuned to disrupt their specific energy matrices." Her mind was already leaping ahead to weaponizing the knowledge. "Your continued cooperation in testing prototypes will be… essential."
Of course it would be. Lunrik sighed inwardly again. His role as a living key continued.
As the technicians finished packing their equipment, Gyra paused, looking at Lunrik thoughtfully. "You performed adequately on the surface reconnaissance. Your disruption of the Ashfang search was… effective." It was high praise, coming from her. "Forgemaster Borin is… less displeased than anticipated."
She hesitated, then seemed to decide to offer a sliver more information, perhaps as incentive for future cooperation. "High Loremaster Thrain has reviewed the preliminary reports from the escort team accompanying your companion and the Frostmane."
Lunrik instantly focused, all weariness forgotten. "Kaelith? Eryndor? Are they safe? Have they reached the Vault?"
"They proceed without significant incident thus far," Gyra reported coolly. "The Dravenwolf's navigation through the intersecting lower levels proved accurate, bypassing several dormant defense systems Master Borin worried might activate. They are nearing the designated transfer point to the Loremaster's Guild custodians." She consulted her slate. "However, the Frostmane remains… problematic. His psychological state is fragile. He resists direct questioning regarding the Whispering Ice Pass, responding only with fear or fragmented nonsense."
"He's terrified," Lunrik stated simply. "He believes that knowledge is a death sentence."
"Perhaps," Gyra conceded dismissively. "Fear is an inefficient motivator. Logic dictates cooperation." She looked at Lunrik again, an idea clearly forming behind her sharp eyes. "You possess the same cursed lineage, albeit manifested differently. You have established a… rapport… of sorts with him during your shared captivity and surface ordeal. Perhaps you could persuade him where Loremaster Thrain's subtle inquiries and Borin's potential 'assessments' might fail."
Lunrik stared at her. They wanted him to interrogate Eryndor? To use their shared curse, their shared trauma, to extract the location of the Whispering Ice Pass?
"You wish me to convince him to reveal the location?" Lunrik asked carefully.
"Precisely," Gyra confirmed. "Once he is securely within the Vault of Sealed Knowledge, access to his memories via… gentler Loremaster techniques… can proceed safely. But confirming the pass's existence and general location beforehand would allow Forgemaster Borin to deploy preemptive defenses more effectively against Magdra's forces, should they somehow bypass our current countermeasures." She framed it purely in terms of dwarven security and efficiency.
Lunrik felt deeply conflicted. Extracting the information could help the dwarves secure their border against Magdra, a goal that aligned with his own desire to thwart the Ashfang matriarch. But it also meant betraying Eryndor's trust, potentially confirming his fears that the knowledge itself was dangerous. And it felt like using the shared burden of the curse as a manipulative tool. Alaric's ghost would have done it without hesitation, seeing Eryndor merely as an asset to be exploited. Lunrik recoiled from the thought.
"I… cannot guarantee success, Master Artificer," Lunrik said slowly. "His fear is deep-seated. Forcing him might break him completely."
"We are aware of the risks," Gyra replied coolly. "But your unique connection offers the highest probability of success with minimal… procedural complications." The threat of more forceful dwarven methods was implicit. "High Loremaster Thrain authorizes you temporary access to the Frostmane's holding cell within the Vault sector upon Kaelith's mission completion. Consider it… another facet of your ongoing cooperation."
She turned to leave, her technicians trailing behind her with their equipment. "Rest further. You will be notified when the transfer is complete and your… persuasive services… are required."
The cell door hissed shut, leaving Lunrik alone once more, grappling with the dwarves' latest demand. They wanted him to use the very curse that marked them both as a key to unlock Eryndor's secrets, dangling the fragile hope of Kaelith's safe return as leverage. It was a cold, calculated move, forcing him deeper into their service, deeper into the moral compromises demanded by survival beneath the mountain. The path forward seemed paved not just with stone and shadow, but with increasingly difficult choices.