Inside the Kettenrad Workshop
The inside isn't any more normal by any stretch of the means. Gearing and axles crank and groan throughout the workshop. All are powered by a large central gear linkage connected to a feeder axle on one of the waterwheels. Aside from just the general din of the gears, odd puffs and hisses can be heard as seemingly random intervals as one of Zahn's latest grand inventions is probably finding its way to a grand parts pile as it rattles itself into oblivion. Belts also crisscross throughout the rafters, transferring power from one side of the shop to the other. Still, all things given, the workshop is in relatively decent order. No unruly piles of paper stacked in corners or puddles of goo to step in. In the corner sits a desk and drafting table, which currently has a small stack of detailed plans for some sort of new flying machine.

It took some time, but finally the corpse of the Necromancer (and associated bits) has been packed away in the Sealing Box, which is on its way back to the Gnarly Tree. Amelia leaves the 'crater' in the dam left by Natasha, and makes her way back to the workshop where she left Zahn and Elsa. She enters looking… well, a mess. Her fur has dried a bit unevenly, making it tuft out and tangle in clumps, and she's splattered with mud, blood, and some gooey zombie bits from earlier. "Um, everything is safe now," she reports as she slogs in. "Necromancer is gone, Zahn can go back to his cabin and finish recovering."

"No time to recover," comes a voice that sounds like Zahnrad's from a pile of stuff. "I saw the damage to the dam. I have to get out there and survey the extent and verify structural integrity." And then Zahnrad comes back into view, limping slightly and carrying a pile of stuff awkwardly under his free arm. Elsa is just leaning heavily against a desk and sighing.

"Err," Amelia says, watching the wounded Kadie limp along. "No. No, no, no. You aren't going out to look at the damage, Zahn," she insists. "You have to rest up and fully recover. Gunther got zapped, but he should be fine before your arm and leg and who knows what else is."

"He doesn't have the skills. Gods, who knows how deep the damage runs. If it's in the foundations, it could blow in days. We have to know," Zahnrad says dismissively. He pauses to lean heavily on a crate, wincing. "I'll be fine," he adds after a bit.

"And how will knowing improve things?" Amelia points out. "You can't work on any of the repairs yourself. No matter what, you'll have to use outside help. The Millers can do some of the work under Wingnut supervision."

Zahnrad waves a pile of papers in Amelia's direction … which promptly go everywhere. "Yes, I can work on the repairs. I'm not helpless!" he insists.

"Yeah, until you aggravate your injuries and end up being out of commission for even longer," Amelia says. "Let some of the others take care of it, Zahn, at least for a little while, please?"

"I've been in bed too long as it is. Wasted days just laying there," Zahnrad says with a sigh, resting more of his weight against the crate. "Everyone else is out doing who knows what and I've been stuck in a pit."

"If you hadn't gone out there in the first pla-" Amy starts to say, then stops herself and tries to calm down. "There'll be plenty of work left to do when you're healed. You wouldn't expect anyone else to start working if they were in your condition, would you?"

"Depends on the current staffing status. Sometimes you don't have a choice," Zahnrad insists.

Amelia grumbles for a bit, then says, "Look, it isn't a matter of how many Wingnuts there are to work on things, Zahn. Believe it or not, you're a member of a community. You work hard to serve that community by maintaining the dam, but it doesn't just go one way. You have to let them work for you sometimes."

"They already do. How do you think we get food? We're not farmers," Zahnrad points out, glaring at Amelia. "Look, I'm not going to sit in some hole, waiting to die. I've had enough of that, and enough nightmares."

"I… " Amy says, then sighs and rubs her forehead as she sits down on a box. "I can't make you do anything you don't want to do. I'm tired, I need a bath and a change of clothes, and a good long rest. It's been really hard not being able to come and see you all this time."

" … there wasn't much to see. I've only been awake for a day or so," Zahnrad admits, slumping against the crate more. "All I remember is a lot of pain and odd disjointed moments before that. Anyway, I'm sure things have been busy, so I understand that you didn't come by."

"I would've made time if it was safe," Amy says. "I just couldn't risk leading the enemy to you. And at the same time I was afraid I'd never see you again."

"What is this about leading some enemy to me? Why would anyone care? I'm certainly no one important," Zahnrad notes. Slowly, he makes his way over to the box Amy is sitting on and sits down next to her.

"You were selected to be a sacrifice in the necromancer's big ritual," Amelia explains. "When you survived, he couldn't just let it go. You had to die for him to succeed."

Zahnrad scratches his cheek. "A sacrifice? Aren't they supposed to be cute young virgin girls or something? Or maybe they had bad eyesight… " he muses.

"I think it's cute young girls for appeasing the big-name gods," Amelia notes. "He wanted to become an undead monster. But stop saying you aren't important, Zahn. You're important to me and to your family. Gunther even pretended to be you so we could lure the necromancer into a trap."

Zahnrad looks about to say something, then just stares at Amelia. "Did he volunteer, was he asked, or was he tricked?" Zahnrad asks suspiciously.

Amelia suddenly remembers that Elsa is still in the shop, even though she's been very quiet. "Um, he volunteered, I think. He was pretty peeved at being attacked by the guy out in the woods at the time… "

Speaking of Elsa … "Wait, since when was Gunther attacked? And how could he just volunteer for that? Why didn't you tell me?" Elsa suddenly bursts out, looking both horrified and angry at the same time.

"I assumed he had already told you?" Amy offers, smiling nervously. "I only heard about the attack from Olivia. I hadn't even seen Gunther until he came to the bunker where we were setting up the trap. But I never doubted that he'd come."

Zahnrad's ears flip down. "Mom, I'm sure there were reasons. Gunther's not stupid. And it all turned out okay … I think. So, uh," he says lamely. Elsa shakes her head and heads towards the door, saying, "I'm better off not knowing, I think. I'll leave you two for now. If you need anything, I'll be in my room."

"Did your mother talk to you at all about the night you were attacked?" Amy asks Zahn, a little timidly.

Zahnrad shakes his head. "No. She said she didn't want me to worry about such things," he replies.

"Oh, okay then," Amelia says, then reaches over and gives Zahn's bandaged arm a little squeeze. "Does this hurt?"

"Ow. Yes, plenty," Zahn complains. "So, what happened? My mom is a bit overprotective."

"She isn't the only one," Amy says, then immediately wishes she hadn't.

Zahnrad leans in until his nose touches Amelia's. "Okay, now I know something is going on. Spill it," he says flatly.

Amelia rocks her legs, thumping her ankles against the box. "Oh… you know how it is. There was a lot of magic involved in that attack on you, I guess. And magic can… you know… bring things out… " she says, not looking at Zahn.

Zahn reaches up with his free hand and tries to nudge Amelia to look at his. "So, what was brought out?" he asks.

The girl glances sideways towards Zahn. Finally she says, "Well, what happened, see… uh, you got thrown into the river… but I wasn't the first one to reach you. I had help."

"Really? One of the otters out late, playing in the rain?" Zahnrad asks, watching Amelia intently.

"Noooo," Amy says, and rubs the back of her head. "Ah, more like a… spirit. Your brother Stephen's spirit, actually. I met him in the old tunnel inside the dam."

Zahnrad sits there, blinking. "Ah, uh, I see," he says, and it's his turn to sit there uncomfortably. "Well, I guess that explains feeling like I was being watched now and then."

Amy just nods a few times. "He was very protective of you," she says. "So… a lot of people think you're important, Zahn. And they'll go to really great lengths for you."

"Well, he was supposed to look after me when I was young. Guess that sorta stayed with him," Zahnrad says, looking at the floor now. "Have you seen him since then?"

"No," Amy says, putting an arm around Zahn's shoulders. "But the music box he made works again."

"Heh. I offered to fix it for her before. But, she wouldn't let me," Zahnrad notes as he leans against Amelia.

"Sometimes you just have to let things heal," Amy says. "Still want to go look at the hole?"

"Not really," Zahnrad admits, then lets out a sigh. "I really thought I was going to die. At one point, I thought I had."

"Nah, you couldn't have died then," Amelia says. "You promised me you wouldn't, remember?"

"Not then. I don't even remember what happened that night. Later, when I was passing in and out of consciousness. I remember laughing, a lot of pain, flames, and being surrounded by corpses. Nightmares," Zahnrad says.

Amy shudders. "The Necromancer could get into people's dreams. But you shouldn't have any more nightmares, not with me right next to you."

"Only ones you cause," Zahnrad says, then twitches slightly with silent laughter.

Amy pokes Zahn in the least bruised looking spot she can find. "Very funny. No sponge-bath for you tonight!"

Zahnrad ows and tries to pout at Amelia. "Not even if I look really pitiful?" he asks.

Amelia seems to think about it. "Well, maybe. After I clean up myself… I could probably pass for a zombie right now."

"I'll help you clean up. Er, well, as best as I can, I guess," Zahnrad offers, He then pauses to consider how Amelia looks. "Well, not exactly a zombie. You smell better," he notes.

"I just hope your crazy cousin doesn't see me like this," Amelia says, picking a few bits of bone out from between her fingers. "She'd be crowing like a Korv."

Zahnrad leans to the side to look out a window. "I rather imagine she'll be pretty busy for a while. What a mess," he comments, then shakes his head.

"Yeah, but at least I can't be blamed for it!" Amelia says, finding a bright spot. Her smile fades as soon as she hears a thunder-like boom coming from the south. "Oh, Dagh, the bloody otters must have found the Piece Maker!"

Zahnrad … well … he just rubs his temples and sighs. "Gods, I need to heal fast. This town is going to fall apart," he mutters darkly. "Or be blown apart."