He was thrown clear by the explosion and clung to a wooden spar."

"Then he built a flying ship," Gotrek said, savage irony evident in his voice.

"That's right. Makaisson built a flying ship," Snorri said.

"The Indestructible," Varek said.

Felix tried to imagine a ship flying. In the abstract he could manage it. In his mind's eye, he saw something like the old river barges on the Reik, their sails filled, their sweeps tugging. It was powerful sorcery indeed that could do that.

"Amazing thing it was," Varek said. "Big as a sailing ship. Wrought iron cupola. Fuselage almost hundred paces long. It could fly at ten leagues an hour—with the wind behind it, of course."

"What happened to it?" Felix asked, a sinking feeling hinting that he already knew the answer.

"It crashed," Snorri said.

"Crosswinds and some liftgas leaks," Varek said. "Big explosion."

"Killed everybody aboard."

"Except Makaisson," Varek said, as if this made a big difference. He seemed to think this was an important point. "He was thrown clear and landed in some treetops. They broke his fall along with both his legs. Had to use crutches for the next two years. Anyway, the Indestructible had a few teething problems. What do you expect? It was the first of its kind. But Makaisson has sorted them now."

"Teething problems?" Gotrek said. Twenty good dwarf engineers killed, including Under-Guildmaster Ulli and you call that ‘teething problems'? Makaisson should have shaved his head."

"He did," Varek said. "After he was drummed out of the guild. He couldn't face the shame, you know. They did the Trouser Legs Ritual to him. Pity. My uncle says he's the best engineer who ever lived. He says Makaisson is a genius."

"A genius at getting other dwarfs killed."

Felix was thinking about what Gotrek had said about Makaisson shaving his head. "Do you mean Makaisson became a Trollslayer?" he asked Varek.

"Yes. Of course. He still does engineering work though. Says he'll prove his theories work or die trying."

"I'll bet he will," Gotrek muttered darkly.

Felix wasn't listening. He was wrestling with another, far more troubling concept. Counting Gotrek and Snorri, that would make three Trollslayers in one place.