by Hans Bezdek
Chapter 4
Several hours of trudging through the snow later, we found ourselves on the outskirts of Feldarkr.
The city was on top of a mountain, with several roads cut up to the to, along with a path of stairs. We opted for the stairs, which was exhausting, but much faster than the winding paths. The stairs were finely cut out of the mountain, and were somehow free of ice and snow. I couldn’t imagine how long the process of making the steps took, but dwarves tended to like working with stone and earth.
Dwarven homes began to pop up around us the higher we climbed, at first just a few here and there. This is where the city’s livestock looked to be raised. At least, it smelled like it was. The farmers had beautifully crafted homes, decorated with gems and jewels over doors and near the roof.
We soon found that it wasn’t just the farmers that decorated in such a way. Hundreds of buildings rose above us as we finally made it to the city gates. All of the buildings were cut in sharp squares, and the core of them all looked essentially the same. Aside from signs above many of the buildings, the only other way to differentiate between them were the precious gems and metals that were struck near the roofs.
“Pretty boring looking place,” muttered Dhot, rubbing his gloved hands together. For someone that didn’t like riding the horses, he really didn’t like walking through snow. I couldn’t blame him, since it nearly went up to his shins.
“Surely you’re joking,” said Cassandra, staring up in wonder. “The tops of the buildings are so beautiful! And look at the fine level of detail that went into the construction of each home. What an amazing mix of art and precision!”
“I’m with the elf on this one,” I nodded, looking around. Dwarves were very single minded people, which is why the ones scattered across Yaerna were known for rarely doing more than fight, brew, or make weapons. The city showed a more nuanced side to the people.
“Are we here to look at the buildings or to find the Mace?” asked the goblin.
Cassandra and I shared a look.
“Easy there,” I said, putting my hands up. “Of course we’re looking for Grimkell’s Mace. That doesn’t mean we’ve got to be miserable about it. What’s gotten into you?”
Dhot took a deep breath and looked around the town. “You’re right… I guess I’m just not really made for this weather. I’m also still a bit on edge after getting attacked by that one dwarf earlier. It’s giving me a bad feeling, like something more is going on.”
“Surely you’re happy to be out of the Republic, right?” asked Cassandra as we walked through the center of the city. While we would still get occasional looks, it was nothing compared to what happened in the Republic. Dwarves were weary of goblins just like humans were, but they didn’t all stop to gawk or glare at Dhot.
“Do we need to stay out in the cold?” complained Dhot with a shiver, ignoring Cassandra.
I hadn’t considered how cold the goblin must have felt, being less than half our weight and size. I figured the coat was keeping him warm enough, but apparently I was wrong. I looked up at some of the signs, trying to get a feel for somewhere we could go. There were dozens of food carts setup around with long lines. Those wouldn’t help the goblin stay warm for long.
“How about Onund’s General Goods?” asked Cassandra, pointing at a sign down the street.
“As long as they’ve got a fire, that’s fine by me,” grumbled Dhot.
The three of us walked into Onund’s and a wave of heat fell over us. The store had five aisles, with several displays setup all over. A few dwarves were milling about, paying us no mind. Dhot spotted a fire in the back of the building and ran over to it.
“Maybe we should look for something to help him with the heat?” whispered Cassandra.
“He doesn’t seem to be doing to hot,” I smirked. “See… See what I did there?”
Cassandra gave me a blank look, then walked away and down an aisle to the side. I guess she wasn’t in much of a joking mood either. I hoped she wasn’t still upset that I told her to let the dwarf that attacked us go.
Giving her and Dhot some space, I perused some of the stands that were setup nearby. Stone cutting tools were on display on one, while another held nonperishable packaged food. The stuff didn’t look particularly tasty, and my eyes fell on another stand that seemed centered around warm clothing.
“Can I help ya?” asked a dwarf, popping out from the other side of the stand. The dwarf had a low cut, and long, matted down hair. He wore something that resembled an apron, which read Gris Anudson.
“Actually yes, Gris,” I smiled. “We-”
“How do ya know me name?” asked Gris, eyes narrowing and looking closely at my face. “Never seened ya before, have I?”
“Your… your name tag?”
“Oh!” laughed the dwarf, looking down at the apron. “Silly me! Yes, do go on.”
“Right… Well, we have a goblin who isn’t handlin-”
“Ye’ve gotta goblin problem?!” exclaimed Gris. Before I knew it, a hammer half of the dwarf’s size appeared in his hands. “Where’s the mangy creature at?”
“No, no!” I said, trying to get the dwarf to lower his weapon. “He’s my friend.”
“Ya want me to kill yer friend?” asked the dwarf, face contorting in confusion.
I sighed as I itched the back of my neck. Gris was being the opposite of helpful.
“My friend is freezing here,” I said, trying to keep my cool. “Do you have anything special that’ll keep him warm?”
“Of course,” nodded Gris, putting his hammer behind him. “The lil one will need a coat. Can’t believe ya made it here without one, I can’t.”
“He has a coat!” I shouted.
The shop instantly fell to a hush as everyone’s eyes turned to me.
“I… I just want to know if there’s anything else to keep a small creature warm,” I said, trying to keep my voice level.
“Well, why didn’t ya say so!” laughed Gris. At that everyone went back to their business. The dwarf reached past me and picked up a flask from the stand. “Have em drink this.”
“You do realize alcohol doesn’t actually make someone warmer… right?” I asked, staring down at the metal flask in my hand.
“Aye, good one,” laughed Gris, slapping me hard on the arm. “This right here is a Firerun potion. It’ll keep even the least prepared of ye as warm and content as a rabbit in a volcano.”
I wasn’t sure if that analogy really worked, but I got what he meant.
I think.
“I’ll take three of these then, thanks,” I nodded, picking up two more flasks.
“Anytime!” smiled Gris as he walked away. “Just lemme know if yer goblin be givin ya any trouble, aye?”
Cassandra and Dhot stood nearby, watching with interest. Apparently, they heard my outburst and was worried I was starting a fight. We went up and paid for the three flasks.
“Here, drink these,” I said, handing each of them a flask as we walked outside. “Supposedly this’ll keep us warm.”
“You’re always getting on me about getting scammed, and then you buy this thing without knowing for sure if it’ll work?” asked Cassandra, raising an eyebrow.
“This guy seemed honest,” I said, unscrewing the top and taking a swig.
I suddenly felt as if I was standing by a fire. I could still feel the cold, but it was seriously diminished and much more bearable.
“It actually works…” I mumbled, looking down at the flask.
Seeing that I didn’t immediately die, the other two opened their flasks and drank as well.
“Huh, this really works,” said Cassandra, nodding in appreciation at her drink.
“This is so much better!” shouted Dhot, jumping up and down. “I feel like I could take on a squad of dragons all by myself now! Maha!”
Cassandra and I smiled down at our friend, happy to see him back to his old, mildly annoying self.
“Oi!” came a shout behind us.
&n
bsp; The three of us turned to find four dwarves approaching. They all wore gold plated armor, along with helmets that had symbols of rams on them. If memory served, several prominent dwarven gods were associated with the creatures, particularly the gods dealing with war and combat. Each of them had a large axe behind their back, which glinted maliciously at us in the sunlight.
Probably best to not give them a reason to use those.
“Hello,” I smiled. “How can we help-”
“What’re ye doin here?” barked the one in the front. He had a braided brown beard that would’ve looked hilarious on any other being. On a dwarf, however, it looked intimidating.
“We just bought these really amazing drinks!” cheered Dhot. “They really hit the spot!”
The dwarves looked down at him, unwavering. That apparently wasn’t the answer they were looking for.
“What’re ye doin in Feldarkr?” asked the dwarf again.
“We’d like to talk with whoever rules over your people,” said Cassandra, politely but firmly.
“Our king?” clarified one of the other dwarves. “Do ya really think we’ll bring a coupl’a outsiders to meet with him in this strange time?”
“Strange time?” I asked.
“Aye,” nodded the first dwarf. “How do we know yer not spies?”
“I’m not sure where you think we’re from, but do you really think they would send a human, elf, and goblin to spy?” asked Cassandra. “Our group is very out of the ordinary, and would immediately give us away.”
The dwarves looked around at one another.
“The lass makes a good point,” mumbled one of them.
“Aye,” nodded another.
“Why would someone send spies to this town?” asked Dhot. “Someone after your brewing recipes? Maha!”
“No,” mumbled one of the dwarves. “Although people’re always after that.”
“We fear we’re on the brink of a battle,” said the first dwarf. They all appeared more relaxed now, having considered Cassandra’s logic to be true. “Possibly a war.”
“With the Republic?” I asked. “But I’ve heard the disputes are minor.”
“The Republic?” he scoffed as the other dwarves burst into laughter. “Nay, boy. We couldn’t care less what that weakling of a territory wants.”
“Then who?” I asked.
Before the dwarf could open his mouth, another of the guards let out a shout.
“Oi! What’re ya doin here, ya fool!”
We all turned to see who he was addressing.
A familiar looking dwarf with a red beard and gray and silver robes stopped. He turned and looked at the guards, nervously playing with his fingers.
“I-I needed some supplies,” mumbled the dwarf that attacked us earlier that day.
“You!” shouted Cassandra, the Shattered Sword immediately in her hand.
“Y-Yes?” asked the red bearded dwarf, eyes going wide.
“That dwarf tried to kill us earlier!” I said to the guards, pointing at the newcomer.
“W-What?!” cried out the red bearded dwarf. “I-I’d never do such a thing!”
“Get him!” shouted Dhot.
The red bearded dwarf let out a cry and began running. The three of us spun on our heels, ready to finish off the threat.
“Oi! Stop!” shouted the dwarven guards, quickly getting in between us and the dwarf running away.
“Out of our way!” shouted Cassandra.
The guards all exchanged grins and snickers, but wouldn’t move.
“What’s so funny?” I asked. Were they working with the dwarf? Did they know he was attacking people?
“The silly fool must’ve gone dark again,” laughed one of them.
“Gone dark?” I mumbled.
“What are you talking about?” asked Cassandra, blade still in her hand.
“That poor fella has some sorta curse on him,” said the lead guard, the only one not laughing. “I’m terribly sorry if he attacked ye earlier, but it weren’t his fault.”
“How was it not his fault?” I asked. “And what do you mean he’s cursed?”
“Ever since Braun was a wee lad, he’s had shifts in who he be,” explained the guard. “He was usually a scared lil fella, not even wantin to make eye contact with ya. Occasionally, though… he’d change. He’d pass out, and when he awoke, he’d be a completely different dwarf.”
Cassandra sheathed her blade as we listened. I glanced over at Dhot, who was listening to the dwarves with his arms crossed.
“We started callin it ‘goin dark,’” continued the guard. “When he was like that, he was willin to fight anyone. He also could wield some sort of evil magic, or at least that was the rumor.”
“How is he able to stay here?” asked Cassandra. “Surely that’s not good for public safety.”
“It ain’t,” said the dwarf, shaking his head. “That’s why he must stay out of Feldarkr. He’s only allowed to come in for supplies. Otherwise, he’s got to be staying down at the Konall Monastery all alone.”
“How sad,” said Cassandra, her expression softening.
“Sad?” asked Dhot. “What would’ve been sad is if the dwarf killed us!”
“I’m terribly sorry about that,” said the guard. “We’ll notify the king at once, and he’ll make sure that Braun stays in the monastery. In fact, why don’t ye come with us. I trust yer not spies. Ye can talk with the king.”
“Thank you,” I nodded. As we began walking, I realized they never answered who they were going to battle with. “Who is it that you might be going to war with, again?”
The guards exchanged a nervous look. Apparently, this wasn’t a very fun topic for them. That worried me even more, as dwarves loved combat.
“The blues,” said one of them.
“The blues?” asked Cassandra.
“Aye… the blue dragons.”
Chapter 5
“War with the blue dragons?!” I asked as we followed the guards through Feldarkr. “I thought dwarves and the blues mostly saw eye to eye-”
“Maha!”
“Metaphorically speaking…” I said, glancing down at Dhot.
“Aye, that’s what we thought as well,” nodded the lead guard. “Seems to have changed.”
“What happened?” I asked, our group taking a right onto a side street.
“With the issues we’ve been havin with the Republic, we’ve had to turn to other towns for increased trade,” explained the dwarf. “Towns like Nufea, Wealglist, and Valbjorg. Most of them towns are predominately dwarven, and we’ve always had good interactions with em since the king resides here. Well, except for those sissy Wealglists occasionally…”
At that, the other guards roared with laughter. I wasn’t overly familiar with the intricacies of inter-dwarven relations, but I knew a friendly rivalry when I heard one.
“One of the other towns we needed to increase trade with was Ostad, in the northeast,” continued the dwarf as we continued our march. “That town has been filled with blue dragons for ages now. They never caused us too much of a bother, especially after the Dragon War. They had been a vital ally for all of Brumark during those days, and we’d have lost many a dwarf if not for them.”
The others nodded solemnly at that. I knew that the dwarves had one of the fewest casualty rates of the Dragon War, but assumed it was because Ludek and his followers didn’t want to deal with the cold, harsh land of Brumark. I knew the blue dragons had helped the dwarves fight, but I was surprised it left such a lasting impact centuries later. On the other hand, maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised. Dwarves and dragons both live a long time. There were probably still some around that fought in the old war.
“Sounds like both races have a healthy respect for one another,” commented Cassandra.
“Aye… at least, we did,” said the dwarf. “A few weeks ago, things started to change. We would send caravans filled with our goods and money. The blues began keeping a distance from our men. They talked little an
d purchased less. We started to worry that they had renewed trades with the Republic, and tried to negotiate with them on pricing. The last time we sent out a caravan, they attacked it! Our people barely made it out of there, and lost all of their money and product to the blues.”
“How strange…” said Cassandra slowly. She looked to be deep in thought, but I had no clue over what. Any issues the dwarves had with the blue dragons didn’t overly concern us.
“We tried talking to them one more time, but they once again threatened us,” said the dwarf, finishing as we arrived at the largest building in town. It was at least six times bigger than any of the other dwarven structures, with huge golden doors out front. The building was so heavily decorated, there seemed to be more jewels than there were stone.
Following the guards up the steps, they led us into a large room on the other side of the doors.
“Wait here,” said the dwarf. “I’ll go make sure the king and his advisers are free and willin to talk with ye.”
“Thank you,” I said.
The dwarves opened another pair of gold encrusted doors, and snuck in.
“How do you think we should handle this?” asked Cassandra. “I don’t think just asking for the Mace will do us any good.”
“Agreed,” nodded Dhot. “The king will want to know why we want it.”
“I thought you two wanted to be upfront with him?” I asked.
“That was before learning they are on alert for blue dragon spies,” said Dhot.
I stared at the door as I thought. There wouldn’t be any point in making up a story. With the possible second Dragon War fast approaching, not only did we want the Mace, but also the dwarves to team up with us.
“We should tell them all that we know about the coming Dragon War,” I said. “We can explain that’s why we’re looking for these weapons, and that we’d like them to be our allies.”
“Surely we aren’t going to mention Ulrich, or your… secret… right?” asked Cassandra.
“We’ll see,” I said. I was coming to terms with the fact that more people were going to learn about me being a half green dragon. If I was going to try to gather people behind me as the Winged One, there would be questions about how I met the prophecy.
