Part 4
"A flying ship?" Norio asked with surprise as he met James and Emma outside of town in the morning.
"Don't think too hard about it, just get on." Emma said, pushing the tabaxi aboard. "James, launch!" Emma yelled, once they were aboard.
The ship vibrated slightly as they were flung at a nearly improbable speed above the forest canopy towards the cave system.
"Everything's in order." James yelled back. "We should be there in a few minutes. Now's a good time to tell me what you found. I don't like going in blind."
"Fine." Emma said with a sigh. "Imperial Orcish ruins."
"That's impossible." James replied, putting his hands on his hips. "Imperial Orcs didn't dig."
"Exactly why they don't make sense."
"Norio is most glad he came. Imperial Ruins are good for business. Both with orcs and humans." Norio replied, rubbing his hands.
"We're not looting." James replied firmly. "Well... maybe a little looting."
"Ah yes of course, we are explorers, not treasure hunters." Norio said, howling with laughter. "But Imperial Ruins changes everything, human. Miss Emma, did you identify the Emperor?"
"Yes, and that's why these are so important. Emperor Lazarus." Emma said, her tone and expression changing to be much more serious.
"The Last Orcish Emperor." Emma and James said in unison, looking at each other.
"Mmmm. Norio is no scholar, but I think I have a guess as to what those ruins are, then." Norio replied, stroking his chin.
"You do?" Emma replied, astonished.
"Zimmil Ma. The lost Imperial capital."
The ship immediately shuddered to a stop. James approached Norio and knelt down to look him right in the eye.
"If this is Zimmil Ma, we can't go anywhere near it. Are you certain?" James asked.
"What? Why not?" Emma asked, confused. "I was safe enough down there."
"Don't you remember what Cricket once told us? The Emperor's Wrath." James said, shaking his head. "If Zimmil Ma is buried so deeply it explains why nobody ever found it."
"The unspeakable shame..." Emma began, but James interrupted.
"The disaster that befell the homeland. The dispersal of the Orcish people across the world. Emperor Lazarus must have been responsible for whatever happened."
"We need to go home immediately, James. We need to talk to Cricket and grandfather. Norio, will you come with us?" Emma said, looking at Norio.
"Of course! Norio lives for adventure!" He said back, laughing his howling laugh again.
James nodded, and the ship started moving again, before changing course and starting north towards Palisade Bay.