- Though the Spectral Knights have insisted they don't want pay for returning the wizards, Merklynn gives them a crystal which will alert them to any foe's approach. But, after leading an attack which fails because of it, Darkstorm discovers that it can't detect anyone wearing the Cloak of Concealment. After getting it from a carnivorous plant in exchange for a shipment of meat, the Darkling Lords have Reekon don the jacket and enter on a tour of the Spectral Knights' council chamber where it is kept, and he is able to steal it. Ectar, who as a detective caught Reekon once, prepares with Arzon's help to act as a robber to reclaim it while Reekon will be the one waiting to thwart him.—brainybrailler@comcast.net
- Merklynn gives the Spectral Knights the Crystal of Detection as a reward for successfully completing a mission. Ectar and Arzon are concerned that Merklynn could be trying to bribe them with jewels, but Merklynn says the Crystal is more than just a jewel. If it is placed in New Valarak, it will instantly warn the Spectral Knights of the approach of an enemy. This prompts the Spectral Knights to accept the Crystal, but Ectar is still suspicious of it, though Arzon tells him to have faith. Moments after the Crystal is installed, an alarm starts to blare. Ectar and Arzon, sent to investigate, find a famous jewel thief named Rassius trying to enter New Valarak while wearing a disguise. While Ectar and Arzon are dealing with Rassius, the Crystal alerts the other Spectral Knights to an attempt by the Darkling Lords to sneak into New Valarak via the drains. The Darkling Lords, arriving in one of New Valarak's back streets, think they have taken the Spectral Knights by surprise, but they find their enemies waiting for them and are quickly forced to retreat.
A short time later, the members of New Valarak's Botanical Committee propose that the city's military budget, which they claim is no longer essential now that the Crystal has been installed, be redirected to fund the building of a botanical garden. In response, Ectar tells them of an incident involving himself and Reekon which took place during the Age of Technology. Reekon convinced one of New Valarak's banks to install a security system which he had designed, only to exploit his knowledge of the system in order to rob the bank. Ectar set a trap in order to arrest him, but he escaped from jail and began one of the city's most infamous crime waves. However, though Ectar told his story to warn them against relying solely on the Crystal to protect New Valarak, he fails to dissuade the Committee.
Meanwhile, Darkstorm learns that the Crystal can be thwarted by a Cloak of Concealment. Shortly after, he is playing chess with human "pieces" on a board whose squares contain trap-doors which are opened whenever a "piece" is taken when a giant reptilian bird appears at the window. The bird tells Darkstorm it knows where a Cloak of Concealment can be found, but says the one in possession of the Cloak must be paid in meat. The Darkling Lords visit a butcher and purchase a large quantity of beef and condiments, which the butcher says will cost 3000 gold pieces. But none of the Darkling Lords are in a position to pay this, so Darkstorm asks the butcher if he can arrange a loan.
The Darkling Lords trek into the jungle with the meat. When they reach a clearing, they find themselves under attack from the flesh-eating (and sentient) Meateus Chompiti plants. Darkstorm uses his Power of Decay to destroy most of the Meateus Chompitis, but the magic wears off before the Demon of Decay can get to the largest of the plants. The Meateus Chompiti directs the Darkling Lords to a pile of clothing taken from the plants' past victims, and the Darkling Lords find the Cloak of Concealment (a red jacket) among the pile. Reekon puts the Cloak on over his armour, observing that he doesn't feel invisible. Cindarr says Reekon doesn't look invisible either, to which Darkstorm says the Cloak is not an invisibility cloak, just a means of getting into New Valarak without triggering the Crystal.
While wearing the Cloak, Reekon slips into New Valarak undetected and steals the Crystal. Ectar spots him as he is leaving and gives chase in his Fox form, tearing a piece from the Cloak during his pursuit. But, thanks in part to the incompetence of two of New Valarak's guards (who trap him in a net, believing he is a real fox gone mad) Ectar is unable to stop Reekon from getting away with the Crystal. Cryotek later berates the Committee, saying their insistence on cutting the military budget and over-reliance on the Crystal has severely compromised New Valarak's security. Ectar then shows the fragment of the Cloak to a man from the Committee who identifies the Meateus Chompiti pollen on it.
Ectar goes into the jungle to confront the Meateus Chompiti in the hope of obtaining a second Cloak of Concealment, but the Meateus Chompiti says it only had the one. As a result, Ectar has to come up with a new plan to get the Crystal back and enlists Arzon's help. He makes it clear that he plans to use Arzon as a lure and that this will likely lead to Arzon being captured, but Arzon shrugs off Ectar's warning. When the two Spectral Knights arrive at Castle Darkstorm, Ectar tells Arzon to create a diversion. Arzon transforms into his Eagle form and flies towards the Castle, causing the Crystal's alarm to start blaring. As Cravex (in his Phylot form) flies up to intercept Arzon, Reekon orders the Castle's archers to shoot Arzon down, even though Cravex will also be in the line of fire. Arzon and Cravex survive being shot down, but Cravex is furious with the guards for endangering his life. Meanwhile, Arzon tries to slip away, but is captured.
Darkstorm, irritated by the noise the Crystal is making and learning via Reekon that the alarm will keep sounding as long as there is a Spectral Knight in the Castle, decides to have Arzon flushed into the Great Abyss. Arzon tries to stall the Darkling Lords, but Darkstorm sees through the ruse and orders his followers to bring Arzon before him and search for the other Spectral Knights. In the throne-room, Mortdredd and Reekon get into a disagreement about which lever drops into the Abyss, to which Cravex retorts that all they have to do is pull a lever and see what it drops into, moments before he is sent plunging through one of the trap-doors. Moments later, Ectar (having neutralised Cindarr and Lexor) appears on the scene and grabs the Crystal, throwing it to Arzon who then falls into another of the traps. Ectar takes over the levers and starts pulling them, causing Darkstorm and Mortdredd to fall prey to two more traps and leaving only Ectar and Reekon still in the throne-room.
As he and Ectar circle each other, Reekon asks if they should fight to the death, but Ectar declines and the conversation which follows makes it clear that he and Reekon have a great respect for each other's skills despite being enemies. Later, the Spectral Knights, having found that the Crystal can be defeated by polyester, return it to Iron Mountain, and Ectar casts it into Merklynn's magic pool. Merklynn offers to give the Spectral Knights something to replace the Crystal, but they refuse both his suggestions and Leoric says they will let him known when they really need something. Meanwhile, the price of beef has been driven up, meaning the Darkling Lords can no longer afford it.
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