"I'm going to be so pissed off if I didn't even save the world," says Elarron. He produces an engraved steel pin with blunt ends. "Here's a fire pin, see if you can make one that works."

Cam looks at it, figures they already have at least one, shrugs, and replicates it.

"Hooray."

"I wonder how quickly Dalvor can be persuaded to pass on the plans for the really interesting stuff," says Inlaith.

"We'll see," says Ashras.

"If this is a legitimate bottleneck in a war I decide I am prepared to take a side on I can just conjure up the complete written works of this Dalvor person."

...

...

They all three crack up.

"I am a hilarious infosec hazard!"

"Yes."

"Yes you are."

Cam laughs.

"Please don't do that just yet," says Ashras, "but we can definitely keep the possibility in mind if the king proves recalcitrant for whatever reason."

"Sure. I don't even have anywhere really convenient to put his complete written works. I mean, I could put them in a compact format but then I'd have to teach you all to use computers before you could read it."

"Anyway, the first step in getting you an audience with the king is likely to be telling our parents we found an otherworldly man with strange but highly useful magical powers who is less winged than he may appear."

"I don't know what I'd even do with a second set of wings. I guess I could cut these ones off. I'd like the sphere, though."

"I have no idea what would happen if you got your... if you got more wings," says Ashras. "Maybe it's impossible. Maybe you wouldn't get any more since you've got the one pair already. Maybe the ones you have would become retractable. I suppose we'll find out when you save the world."

"That does seem like the sort of thing that might get it, if merely having summoned me without even formally acquiring my cooperation yet does the trick."

"The exact criteria seem to vary from person to person, and each person only gets their wings once so it's not trivial to study," says Ashras. "But having brought about the imminent saving of the world even by accident, even without a guarantee, is a pretty solid accomplishment."

"On the other hand, it's not a thing that happens where I am from and I am not even a member of your species, so maybe I can't get additional wings at all no matter what feats of heroism I perform. Oh well. A good deed is its own reward and all that."

"Yes, yes it is."

Wag wag wag.

"Would one or both of you please go find Father?" says Ashras to his brothers.