Redwing awoke on the floor of Melock's bedroom having no idea how long he'd been out. The sun was still shining through the windows and he didn't sense anyone else around. He jumped to his feet in a panic, closed the box that had contained the gauntlets, and put it back on the shelf empty. He grabbed the Horn of Asuli Lendu and ran with the oversized curled ram's horn out of the room and up to the laboratory. 

Facedown on the work table was his father's looking glass. He turned it over and in it saw a raging battle between the stone giants and their fire obsessed cousins. In the middle of it was Melock. Redwing placed the horn on the mirror and tapped it three times. 

The surface of the glass transformed into what looked like mercury and the horn sunk into the liquid surface and vanished. The mirror resolidified and beyond his reflection Redwing could see his father, horn in hand, calling the ceasefire. It would take time to stop all the fighting and to broker a successful negotiation between the giants. 

Redwing ran to his room, set a small emerald on the edge of his writing desk, pulled back his flying carpet rug to reveal a nearly unnoticeable rune, stepped on top of it, and ported himself to a woodshed behind the seediest waterfront bar in Varina Luki. From his pocket, he produced a matching emerald ring, slipped it on his finger, and went inside to pick a fight. 

Within the hour he had crippled, maimed, and murdered every patron in the establishment including the proprietor. He proceeded to do the same to the clientele of the brothel out back. A large ship made dry dock at the city port earlier that day and would be surprised in the morrow to find twenty-seven able-bodied seamen burned to death in a bizarre restaurant fire that consumed the local pub and the adjoining hotel. 

Redwing was watching the wealthy Madam of the house fall upon her own hidden dagger when his emerald ring sparkled, telling him someone had teleported into the tower. He set a blaze that would consumer three buildings on the waterfront and ported back to his room. 

He pulled the rug back in place, stuffed the warning emeralds back in his pocket, ensured his long sleeves covered the gauntlets, and walked out his bedroom door. He knew one thing for sure; he would never take the Cursed Gauntlets off again. They were his and the only way someone would take them was from his dead body.

Hex came down the stairs as he was about to go up, looking more than a little charred around the edges. 

"They're going to hike to the Stone Mountain, I'm staying here and having a hot bath. I'll meet you there in a few days." 

She stormed downstairs to her room. Before Redwing could resume his course up the stairs Melcok came down wearing his travel pack. 

"The horn worked perfectly. The giants asked that we meet for the final negotiations at the Stone Mountain castle. Are you up for a hike?" 

Redwing looked himself over. "I have everything I need." 

"Excellent, we'll grab Mevner on the way down. We leave immediately." 

Melock showed no sign of being aware of Redwing's theft. Could it be the gauntlets hid themselves from his prying magical senses? He followed his father down one level to knock on Diggs' bedroom door. 

"Just a minute," said a voice from within. 

Melock opened the door to Mevner pulling on a new pair of pants. The smell of burnt hair and singed clothing filled the room. 

"I'm ready, Master, my sturdy clothing is toast though." 

He glanced at a pile of blackened garments on the floor. 

"Travel light, we'll arrive before it's too cold and can get you new things on the way."

"Yes, Master." 

Diggs had always been a motivated pupil. He tossed his spellbook, some food, a bottle of wine, and a small crossbow into his pack and ran to catch up with the others. 

They headed out at a brisk pace cross country away from the city of Luki on the last journey Melock would ever take.