Igneous walked down the Main Mall of Tartarus. The best place to start a search is always to a tavern. He turned down an alley into a small one, where he picked a table in the corner and pulled out a book. He pretended to read and look nonchalant. However, he soon realized that everyone was staring at him.
"Haven't they ever seen a book before?" Igneous thought. "Maybe I am one of the smarter Magnorites." He put the volume away and raised his hand to wave a waiter over.
"Wham!" A Magnorite, huge in comparison to Igneous, with blazing amber markings, pinned another one, less dominating in size, to the tavern wall. The sound must have made the building shook.
"All I'm saying is that things have gotten worse around here since we closed our borders!" The smaller Magnorite was talking away, almost gibbering.
"Worse for you." Boomed the other, jabbing a finger at the smaller Magnorite's chest. "Not for us Magnorites who fight to stay on top."
"I… I don't disagree with you." Stammered the smaller, "I'm just…"
"Then keep your mouth shut!" The hulk pounded the wall again. Igneous could hear the glasses inside clattering on the tables. "A smart Magnorite submits to those stronger than him. Ain't that right boys?" He looked around at the Magnorites standing next to him, and they all nodded firmly. "I think this one needs a reminder of who's in charge." He cracked his stony knuckles.
He picked up the smaller Magnorite by the neck, who flailed helplessly like a chicken grasped in his hand, then he was thrown across the room and landed with another wham on the opposite side.
"Does anyone else want to challenge me?" The bully declared. "No one? How about you?" He punched a random Magnorite in the face, spilling his drink.
"Hey!" Igneous stepped in "It's rude to…"
Pow! Next thing he knew, he was flying backwards out the door. In the tavern, there was booming laughter.
Igneous stood up and slipped down a side lane. He saw the Magnorite who was just thrown around like a rag doll and followed him. He looked a bit shaken, but didn't seem to have any injuries. They turned into a street, then an alley, then another alley. When Igneous rounded the final corner, he found the Magnorite standing with his arms crossed:
"Why are you following me?!" He demanded, looking a bit frustrated.
"Oh!" Igneous explained, "I just saw you fighting with that rather rude individual and…"
"That individual is our leader, Malakai." There was a lot of faked anger in his voice.
"Oh. Well," Igneous scratched his head, even though Magnorites don't have a skin to scratch. "It sounded like you wanted K'arthen to reopen its borders a moment ago."
"I didn't say that!" The other shouted. He began approaching Igneous, coming uncomfortably close. "I'm glad K'arthen broke away from the union! Do you have a problem with that? Huh?" He grabbed Igneous by the chin and pulled him close.
"But if you want to talk to someone who does want K'arthen to reunite," He whispered in Igneous' ear, "go talk to Maxwell. He's one of the few on the council who has been fighting for unity." He faked a punch in Igneous' stomach and threw him down.
"Now, get out of my sight!" He shouted to the walls.
"Excellent! Thanks for your help." Igneous said, rubbing his stomach. He started towards the street.
"Hey! I want you to get out of my sight that way!" The Magnorite pointed in the opposite direction.
"Of course, sir." Igneous turned around.
As he passed by, the Magnorite said under his breath, "Number 33 Lava Crook, it's in the south of Tartarus. Name's Borgen, by the way." He winked. "Be gone!" He raised his voice, "unless you want another kick to your bum."
Igneous smiled and headed towards the housing district.
At daybreak, he found a simple little lodging, a domed stone house amid many. The plaque read: No. 33 Lava Crook, Maxwell.
Igneous knocked gently on the door. Moments later, a human, not unlike Malakai in stature, opened the door.
"Kann Ich hilfe you, sah?" He spoke with an accent.
"Hi," Igneous said, "Is your name Maxwell? Word from the lava pool said you are fighting to reunite K'arthen with the other kingdoms."
"Ha!" The human snorted. "Ich am Maxvell, indeed! You are here to haraass mich? To tell mich how wrong Ich am? Zat humans hef no say in ze matter? Vell, zank you… und good-bye!" He slammed the door in Igneous' face.
"Wait," said Igneous, blocking the door. "Not at all sir! I agree with you. That's why I'm here."
Maxwell opened the door. "I'd like to learn more about the issue if you have the time to spare." Igneous said.
Maxwell looked left and right. There was no one down the street. "Alright, ja, ist gut… but iz best vee do not speak of zis out on ze streets, ja? Komm, komm in."
He led Igneous to what looked like his study. Papers were neatly stacked in the corner against the inner wall. Books line the shelves with almost perfect precision, and Igneous was hook-winked to the collection the moment they entered. On the desk, was a pen, some ink, and an official-looking stamp. Maxwell sat down behind his desk.
"Ich appreciate your honesty, ja, but you must be more careful vith vat you say in public, hmm? Zese are not safe times." He said. "Kann Ich get you somezing to trink?"
"Yes, that would be lovely." Igneous replied, drawing up a stone stool opposite the desk.
Maxwell got up and disappeared into a side room. Moments later he emerged with a small bucket of lava. He handed it to Igneous and sat down at the desk.
"Why is it so dangerous to speak freely?" Igneous asked, taking a big swig from the bucket. "In other places I've traveled, people don't much care about this political stuff."
"Ist obvious, ja?" Maxwell said, placing his arms on the desk. "Ze Magnorites, zey tend to act a bit like sheep, ja?" He looked up, "No offense. Zey vould rather fit in vith everyone else than stand apart, ja? Ven Malakai rose to power und attacked Cydonia, everyone followed villingly"
"But why did K'arthen attack?" Inquired Igneous, "When did they become enemies?"
"Before zis…" Maxwell searched for the appropriate word, "mess began, ze Kingdoms of Cydonia und K'arthen used to engage in mutual trade. Ve vould supply Cydonia vith crucial ores, und zey supplied us vith much needed food in exchange. As you've noticed ze land here doesn't lend itself to farming. But vith no explanation oder warning zey began increasing ze price. To compensate, ze council began dedicating all available efforts to mining deepa und deepa, even as supplies became scarce. This vas ven Malakai rose to power. He conceived ze plan to cease trade entirely, und instead used our resources to make weapons und aarmor. Before Cydonia could prepare, K'arthen marched south. Zey destroyed ze land und salted ze fields so zey vould never grow crops again. But you sould know all this…"
He stopped and looked at Igneous. "Unless you are not a K'arthen Mangorite." He leaned in closer. "Vhere are you from?"
"I was born somewhere in the Northern regions, outside of the Kingdoms." Igneous explained. "I wasn't raised around Magnorites, and thus never developed their more aggressive tendencies. Everywhere I've gone people are worried I'm some sort of dangerous radical." He looked at a man opposite him. "I want to change that, Maxwell."
Maxwell sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. "There ist ein tunnel currently being mined. Ze council haas mandated only Magnorites are allowed to vork in it due to ze lava, but Ich believe it ist bekauze zey know those Magnorites von't talk about vat's really going on. Go to ze mines, there you may find ze answers you seek. Exit ze south gate und follow ze cart tracks. You vill find ze entrance."