If you will follow these Sisters . . .”
Making some adjustments, Gelbin did as she bade. The walker strode like a large, flightless bird after the priestesses. Gelbin’s companions—the huge sacks each carried clanking ominously—tried to keep up as best they could.
Watching the gnomes, Tyrande murmured, “That is nearly everyone but Stormwind.”
“Yes. For the sake of the others, we will not be able to hold off.”
The high priestess looked disturbed. “Elune would not have granted me that vision if it did not have significance to the summit. Varian Wrynn must arrive soon.”
“We can only—”
A terrible uproar erupted from the direction of where the gnomes had gone. Without hesitation, both night elves rushed to see what was happening.
They found Gelbin and his party confronted by Drukan and several of the Dark Iron dwarves. The dwarves had their axes and blades out and their faces were filled with fury. Gelbin had the arms of his walker extended toward the Dark Iron emissary, but it was clear that the high tinker was not proposing that Drukan shake hands.
Behind Gelbin, the rest of the gnomes had drawn a variety of odd-looking but no less sinister devices. Even Gelbin himself had stashed on his mount a weapon the night elves recognized as Wrenchcalibur—so named in part because it was roughly shaped like the tool. The complex series of cogs, pistons, runes, and levers somehow enabled it to serve as a good mace.
The other weapons were not so recognizable to the archdruid and the high priestess. Some resembled blunderbusses, while a few made absolutely no sense. However, in the hands of gnomes, they could only be dangerous . . . even to their wielders.
“—yer tongue I’ll cut out and slice up fer meat between me bread!” growled Drukan, clearly having uttered several threats already. “And that infernal device ye sit on will make a good still fer strong dwarven spirits!”
“I am still very much in the early stages of testing the strength components of this mechanism,” Gelbin dryly responded. “It would be fascinating to discover just what force would be required for it to divide you in half!”
Drukan’s followers muttered, and two started for the gnomes. Drukan angrily waved the pair back.
“What is the meaning of this?” Malfurion called out in the hopes of quickly distracting the two sides.
The Dark Irons seemed no more pleased to see him than they did the gnomes. A fiery-eyed Drukan waved his axe at Gelbin. “This—this gnome tried tae run me over with his stinkin’ toy!”
“And I said that the incident was purely accidental!”
“Cease yer babbling!” Drukan took a step toward the gnome. Both sides leaned in toward the inevitable struggle.
But a brilliant silver glow coming between them startled the two factions. The dwarves and the gnomes pulled back.
Tyrande lowered her hands and the glow dissipated. Striding between Drukan and Gelbin, she calmly said, “Now, I am certain that this is a misunderstanding. The high tinker had already admitted that his creation had some corrections that needed to be made, and perhaps should have taken those into account before moving among others. Also, Master Drukan may be wary of his surroundings, but he should understand that he was invited here, and that means that his safety is guaranteed by me and my husband, as it is for all honored guests. I only ask in turn that he respect that this guarantee applies to the others as well.”
“Yes . . . yes . . . I suppose I should be a bit more cautious until the controls are fine-tuned,” Gelbin responded. He frowned. “Although I am growing dubious about the worth of these arm attachments. . . .”
Drukan put away his weapon. With a grunt he said, “The fairness o’ the high priestess and the archdruid is known even tae us. The journey’s been long. I’ll leave it at that.”
To the gnomes’ escort, Tyrande said, “Sisters, I believe you were leading High Tinker Gelbin and his party to their quarters?”
They took the hint and immediately guided the gnomes on before hostilities could boil over again. At the same time Drukan gave the high priestess a cursory bow and led his companions off.
“And so it begins,” the archdruid muttered. “The pretense that all is well with each member of the Alliance is starting to unravel. Even the Dark Irons should have been able to understand that Gelbin meant no harm, and the gnomes should have not become so defensive so quickly. Their nerves were clearly already frayed before their arrival.”
“No one wishes