It appeared that a bunch of gothicans had camped there for some time, probably waiting to march into Nepram, which was barely two days south of where they were. A few nearly decomposed corpses littered the ground and were surrounded by fresh kobl tracks. No doubt these were the vermin Chureal had seen scavenging the maggot-ridden carcasses.
Chureal kept looking up, searching for Cobalt while they rested and ate. The wyrm finally showed himself just as they were getting back underway.
"So what does a dwarf hole look like?" she asked Big H.
"You'll not see one from the air, lass," he answered, causing her to put on a pouty, disappointed face that made him alter his response out of pity. "But ye might see signs of one. A big rock or two that look out of place in their setting. A dark boulder on a bed of light scree, or any unnatural looking formation over a cavern that cuts into the side of a hill."
"Alright, we will go look." Her voice was serious, as if they wouldn't be able to find one without her.
"Keep us in sight, Chureal," Braxton said worriedly. He would have said more but stopped when he realized he sounded like an old mother.
"I will," she called back and scampered up the dragon's side and wiggled into her seat.
Cobalt had to shiver off the snow that had accumulated while he'd been waiting.
Braxton and the others trudged on and were glad to be moving uphill now, away from all the wetness, despite the fact that it was getting colder. Their satisfaction was ruined when the snow melted not long after falling on them, but as the day wore on, the snow started again even harder. This time it began to stick. Soon, everything was covered in a thick blanket of white.
Braxton began to worry and soon had the elf and the dwarf worrying with him. The three of them called out for Chureal and Cobalt as the snow fell harder and harder. Before long, they couldn't see more than twenty paces ahead of them, which meant neither Chureal or the dragon could see them either. Because of this, they were forced to stay together even though they agreed they had a better chance of finding the girl if they split up.
Amazingly, after a long while of wandering aimlessly, calling out for Chureal through the blinding snow, Big H recognized signs of a dwarf hole. It wasn't the one he'd intended to find, but it was a passage leading into the mountain, just as well. But not even he was happy about it. Deep concern had set in for Chureal and Cobalt's safety, and as they hunkered in the opening of the cave that eventually narrowed into a tunnel, they decided to take turns standing outside of the mouth in the snow, calling for her.
It wasn't long until their concern grew to a near panic.
"Maybe the dragon landed to keep out of the cold," Cryelos said hopefully. "They are probably bundled down like us. She is a smart girl. "
"Aye. Maybe they're just waiting out this blasted snow," added Big H.
"Yeah," Braxton agreed, but he remembered Emerald telling him how ice made it hard to fly. He imagined Cobalt flying blindly into some rocks, or his wings freezing up, causing them to sail with the wind to who knows where. They could have crashed into rocks or trees, or even worse, into the water where they would swiftly freeze to death. These thoughts crossed his mind until, finally, he couldn't take it anymore and he charged out of the cavern into the weather to call for her again.
Chapter Five
Braxton called and called Chureal’s name until his voice was raw from it, but he was finding it a pointless endeavor. The sound of his worried screams was swallowed by the thick falling snow just as quickly as his vision. Finally, Big H dragged him back into the cave so he wouldn't freeze to death. It had been at least a third of a day since they had seen Chureal or the wyrm, and Braxton's panic was getting the better of him. He almost lashed out at the dwarf for pulling him away, but stopped himself when reason took back over for the moment.
Big H agreed to call for her while Braxton thawed himself by the fire Cryelos had built. Cryelos took over the hollering when Big H grew so cold he couldn't take it anymore.
Braxton slipped into an angry sort of depression. He could have stopped her from going, and he should have. It was snowing when he let them fly off.
What was he thinking?
He no longer cared that he sounded like a worried old mother. Chureal was just a little girl in a land far away from her own, flying around on a dragon that was as inexperienced as he was young. What kind of father would he make? I can't even keep track of a half-grown child, much less care for a baby. Thoughts of Chureal and Cobalt laying in a rocky canyon, bleeding and shivering as they slowly froze to death, filled his head.
Once again, he jumped up and ran out of the cavern, calling for her and the dragon.
"Lord Braxton," Cryelos said sternly, putting a hand on Braxton's shoulder. "This is pointless. She is either safe or not."
Braxton turned on Cryelos, his glare harder and colder than the air around them. "I cannot give up on her, elf. She might be trying to find us this very minute."
"I would follow you off a cliff Lord Braxton," Cryelos said, keeping his yellow eyes locked on Braxton's, "but only for the greater good. What we are doing now is a waste of time and —"
"What?" Braxton barked. "What did you just say?" His anger was so great that he sounded excited. The elf was right, though. It would do no one except Pharark any good for them to freeze to death searching for Chureal.
"We are wasting our time and this cold will do no—" Cryelos started, but Braxton cut him off.
"No, no, no Cryelos." His tone softened considerably and his eyes wandered past his companion. He'd heard something that sparked hope deep inside him, and now he was sure if he heard it again he could grasp it. "What did you say before? What did you say before the crud about the greater good?"
Cryelos looked slightly offended over his words being called crud, but his concern for Chureal was great enough to stay any retort. "I said I would follow you off a cliff, but only for the greater good.”
Braxton squeezed Cryelos's shoulder hard. A grin spread across his face, and before the elf could figure out what had just happened, Braxton darted back into the cave, found a place near the fire, and sat cross-legged on the floor as he often did when he was meditating.
Braxton felt stupid for not using the ladder that was the jewel's magic instead of jumping blindly off a cliff as he had so many times before.
He sought the void, and once he formed the jewel there, he began calling out to Chureal through the blackness. Within a few heartbeats, he was answered by her giggling cheer.
I'm with the dwarves, Braxton, she said. I brought Cobalt in with me after we found a place just like Big H said. A black rock by some lighter colored ones. There was a cave, and I made Cobalt little. He is right here sitting on my shoulder like a cat. The dwarves are celebrating something. I have been trying to call out to you, but you weren't listening so I was worried. And these dwarves are really drunk and smelly, but they are coming to help me look for you since Big H is with you. I'm not sure they believe me because he is some kind of hero to these people. Why didn't—
Chureal! Braxton interrupted with a sharp, deep sigh of relief. Stay where you are and we will be there shortly.
All right. But I didn't get to tell you about the way I made Cobalt small. I just thought about it and then I—
Chureal! Braxton laughed, so happy to be frustrated by her. I love you, you can tell me when we get there. I'm freezing my arse off right now.
It has been a long time since anyone said that they loved me, Chureal responded. A warm feeling swept through her, and Braxton could feel it through their connection in the void.
Hold on, Braxton assured her. We are coming.
Wait, Chureal added almost worriedly. Bubba Grindingstone said for you to meet us in the grand cavern by the waterwheel.
"All right, Chureal," Braxton said. "We will be there as soon as we can."
Braxton had been staring blindly out of the cavern at nothing but had spoken the last bit aloud so Cryelos and Big H heard that part of the conv
ersation and were as amazed as they were relieved.
When Braxton told Big H they were to meet Chureal and Bubba Grindingstone at the grand cavern by the waterwheel, a look of excitement and purpose, mixed with sadness and regret, came over him, for he said the grand cavern was very near his home cavern. It was where King Rockheart lived and where he would have to tell his sire that First Prince Darblin was no longer alive. He said he would have to stand before his king and admit he had failed as the prince's champion. Then the dwarf made a torch from a stick and some cloth, and with his excitement and shame clearly growing with each step he took, he led his friends down into the tunnel.
Cryelos had to duck to keep from banging his head on the low tunnel roof and Braxton, a head taller than the elf, had to stoop and sometimes crawl on all fours. The dwarf seemed to take a small amount of pleasure in this after having to take three steps to their one for so long, and both Braxton and Cryelos held back their curses knowing this was some sort of payback for all the times they'd forced the dwarf to run to keep up with them. The tunnel got so small at one point that Cryelos and Braxton both had to crawl while the silent brooding dwarf only had to lean his head to the side to get through upright. Luckily, that part of the passage was not very long, and when it ended, it opened into an actual carved hall that was tall enough for them all to stand in. It was illuminated by small oil lanterns set in sconces spaced equally along the wall.
"The narrow part of yon tunnel is necessary," Big H said as he put out the flaming brand and threw it into the hole from which they'd come. "It wouldn't do to have anything big enough to fit through that shaft make it into our kingdom."
"What of the dragon?" Cryelos asked Braxton curiously.
Braxton hadn't paid that much attention to Chureal's rambling because he'd been so overwhelmingly relieved to hear her voice, but he remembered her saying the dragon was with her and that she had made him smaller or something to that effect. After conveying this to the elf and Big H, who both stopped and listened intently to his confusing explanation, he realized he had no idea what she'd meant.
"I hope she didn't really bring a dragon into the grand cavern." Big H looked grave and deeply concerned. "King Rockheart will have my head for sure over such foolishness."
"Why would the king have your head for something a little human girl did?" Cryelos asked.
"It's no matter," Big H answered. Then got them moving down the passage. "He will probably have my head anyway for failing his son."
"Whoa," said Braxton. "How did you fail Darblin? You are a hero, Hannival."
"Tell that to Rocky Rockheart after I tell him his eldest son is dead," The dwarf grumbled over his shoulder and kept on striding away, leaving them to follow or not.
Braxton looked at Cryelos, who looked just as confused as he felt. Then they started after the moody dwarf.
After a short quiet walk, they came to an opening. Beyond was a circular room with several tunnels branching off in different directions. Each tunnel had an intricately worked archway with an odd symbol over it. Big H went down the tunnel that had what Braxton thought was a crude crown etched over it.
"Big H. Hannival, stop," Braxton called.
Big H stopped and turned, his face ashen. "What?" he asked, clearly angry.
"It wasn't your fault Prince Darblin died no more than it was my fault that Vinston-Fret and Sorrell died," Braxton said with genuine concern for the dwarf's feelings. "What iss with you?"
"Lord Braxton, you don't understand," the trembling dwarf said. "On the Isle of Jolin, I was named Prince Darblin's champion. It should have been me who was killed by the demon. Not my king's firstborn son."
Before Braxton could say another word, Big H was charging down the ever-descending hallway. The silence was broken only by their footfalls, and Braxton pondered his little friend's words as they walked. No harm would come to Big H for Darblin's death, no matter what the laws or custom in this underground kingdom were. Braxton swore it. And if the king tried, he'd get an earful of Braxton's thoughts. There was a demon to fight. The very demon that squeezed the life out of First Prince Darblin. The whole dwarven kingdom would know all about it. As a matter of fact, Braxton decided, even if Big H wasn't threatened, the kingdom would hear what he had to say. It was the dwarves and the elves Pharark had sworn to come after next, anyway. Maybe together they could find a way to stop him.
As they wound lower and lower into the earth, Braxton found himself so worked up that he sought the void just to keep calm. But even from the void, the ever-increasing sounds of many people yelling and cheering could be heard from somewhere up ahead.
When they turned the corner, and walked into a large cavern full of hundreds of drunken singing dwarves, Braxton nearly lost his concentration. It was hard but, somehow, he managed to keep his focus as they worked their way across the room.
Many of the dwarves stopped and stared at Big H and his companions, and soon, the room fell silent, save for a few dwarves who continued singing badly in the back. The rest of them just stared. Braxton wasn't sure if it was he or Cryelos they were staring at. Then an elder dwarf walked up to them and put his arm around Big H.
"Sorry for ye, Hammerhead," he said then looked down and walked away.
Several more dwarves studied their boots as the group passed. It seemed the joy had been sucked right out of the room. Seeing all the squat little people go from happy to sad and silent caused Braxton to think Big H might be right. He might be in big trouble with his king. Braxton sensed there was more to it than that though, and he followed his friend through the parting crowd.
"Keep yeer chin up, Hammerhead," someone called out.
Another dwarf offered him a mug of something but Big H refused it.
"Weer with ye," another dwarf added.
Braxton was expecting them to stop any moment and search out the king, but it didn't happen, and soon, they were in another hallway, this one as big as a road and lined with dwarves who also grew silent when they passed.
Behind them, the festive cheer seemed to return to the dwarves. Braxton was starting to worry he might have to go to extreme measures to save his friend.
As they walked, Braxton noticed big caverns that opened off the side of the semi-crowded road-like passage. Some held herds of goats, eating away at the spongy yellow looking stuff that grew on the walls and floors of those caverns. Other spaces held little wagons that were hooked to aggressive looking dogs. One cavern housed what Braxton figured to be a metal smith shop, and a larger area was filled with terraced rows full of vegetable crops, but all held dwarves. And all but the drunkest of them fell silent and looked away when Big H passed.
Big H was feeling such deep shame that he didn't meet the eyes of those who were obviously pitying him. Fear of what was to come gnawed at him, but his sense of duty and pride wouldn’t allow him to do anything less than face his fate like a true dwarven warrior. He had sworn to be First Prince Darblin Rockheart's champion and, as such, would face the punishment of his failure head on. All he could do was try and save his family as much dignity as he could by not dallying or making excuses.
The entryway into the grand cavern was coming up, and he took a deep breath, fighting back tears of sadness because, before he could face his punishment for failing the prince, he had to tell the king and queen of Darblin's death. To him, that was going to be far harder than laying his head on the chopping block.
Chapter Six
Braxton and Cryelos were nearly flattened with awe by the size of the grand cavern. Easily, five thousand dwarves were milling about, cheering and drinking on the cavern's main floor, and twice as many were looking down from balconies, and terraces, and other caverns cut into the walls of the larger one. The only thing more unnerving than the size of the monstrous domed chamber was the fact that the entire place fell still and quiet when they entered.
When the crowd parted, and Chureal came running up to them, Braxton saw that even she had been crying. She looked immensely sad. She was so
upset that she didn't say a word, not even about the little blue dragon draped across her shoulders.
When he dropped to a knee and hugged her, Braxton noticed the shrunken wyrm looked none too pleased to be the size of a small dog, but Braxton decided to wait until the business with the king was done before worrying about Cobalt.
Suddenly, a booming voice that sounded so much like Darblin it sent a shiver up Braxton's spine, spoke.
"Come forth, Hannival Hammerhead," King Rockheart bellowed. Braxton was amazed because the king looked like an older, but perfect crossing of his two sons, Darblin and Gruval.
Big H walked the path opening for him. Braxton, with his arm around Chureal, followed, with Cryelos right behind.
"His brother died," Chureal whispered to Braxton. Her voice was hoarse and just loud enough that he barely heard her.
"No. It was Prince Gruval's brother who died," Braxton implied.
"No, Braxton," Chureal started to cry again, " Little Hooper Hammerhead, Little H, Big H's little brother, died a few days ago in a fight with some terrible wood trolls."
Braxton suddenly understood the silence and the words of condolence that had been spoken to Big H as they passed through the dwarven kingdom. They were consoling him for his loss, not his failure, a loss he wasn't even aware of yet.
Braxton wondered what all Chureal had told them and asked her as much, but before she could answer, he found himself looking up at a pair of giant golden thrones with the squat but well-muscled king in one and the woman who had to have mothered Gruval in the other. Both had grim, red-eyed expressions on their gnarled faces but, nonetheless, they still looked regal in their gold and purple robes. Heavily jeweled sculptures done in gold and silver were everywhere. Even the goblet King Rockheart drank from was encrusted with rubies and diamonds. Gems the size of fists were piled into ornate silver bowls, and an icy looking, sky-blue jewel as big around as a fat man sat between the thrones, its flat-faceted top a table for the refreshments of dwarven royalty.
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