by P. G. Thomas
“Why do you call them deer spiders?” asked Lauren.
“They weave webs so big, they catch deer! Most of them line the main road, so that when a trollmare tries to dodge something, they leap into one of those webs, and those spiders attack. I have also seen a few trollmares that have bumped into the giant wasp nests, and as they howl in pain, you almost feel sorry for them, for a second or two.”
Gingaar smiled, “You tried so hard to protect Alron. I tried to make sure it stayed that way.” Then she finished her drink, “I have to check on the brave dwarves brave, but we shall talk later, Earth Mother.”
Chapter 11
The inn was getting crowded as Del Firegem and Cick Silvermain walked in, having heard that their Earth Mother was back in town. When they entered the inn, they looked for the largest crowd, immediately seeing her, but they also spotted the six clean-shaven dwarves with the uncommon mithril weapons and armor, who stood silently, unmoving around her table.
Del approached first, “You are back, Earth Mother Firegem?”
Lauren reached over and gave him a hug, “My mountain eagle guide. How are you, old friend?” Then she saw the bloody bandages on his arm and legs.
John saw Logan stand, heading towards a table where some of the Bastards were sitting, and he followed so the two injured dwarves would feel welcomed. As the dwarves sat down, Evesnight brought over another tray of drinks.
Del accepted his, “Each day new challenges test us, but we are dwarf, axes sharp, and each challenge, mithril edges wait to welcome.”
Lauren was glad they were sitting in a room constructed of wood, as it helped to absorb the thick voices of the dwarves, unlike the rock walls at Ironhouse that amplified them. She looked at the second dwarf, who was drinking with his left hand, as his right one was covered with a bloodied bandage.
Cick nodded back, “Pleased I am to see you, Earth Mother Silvermain.”
Del turned to Lauren, “Friends new, silent they are, join us they do not?”
Cick added, “History reborn, can it be?”
Lauren let out a sigh, “We stopped off at Ironhouse, and when they saw that I didn’t have an Earth Guard, the Master Weapon Smith wouldn’t let me leave without protection, asking these six to be my Granite Guardians. I guess it was a good thing, as we stopped at one of Mothers forest where trollmares had taken refuge. They protected us, so, yes, you look upon history reborn.”
An Earth Scout carried in Rica Goldfire, setting him down on one of the chairs, his legs wrapped in bloodied bandages. The Earth Scout smiled at Lauren and Ryan, then left.
Rica picked up a drink, looked at Nur, “Earth Mother, did you have to shave my legs. My beard I must trim, and paste it to my legs now.”
Nur smiled, “Next time, avoid falling in the Blood Thorns.”
“Fall! Dwarf does not fall. The beast with its last breath knocked me into it.” Then he turned to Lauren, “Earth Mother Goldfire, pleased I am to see you.”
“How many titles do you have?” asked Steve.
Nur let out a small giggle, “I doubt if she can remember them all.”
Lauren gave her a cold stare.
“So how’s my uncle doing? Looks like he may have given you some pointers?”
She looked at Zack, and Nur’s cooking had added a few pounds to him, but he was a little taller, more muscular, and his long black hair still cascaded over his shoulders. With his face was no longer emotionless, his smile told the story of the new Zack.
“We never saw him, just his lawyers.”
“Figures.”
“Although, they put your money into a trust fund for ten years. We told them that, if we came back, you still could.”
“Dudette, way to go. So did Mother bring you all back?”
Remembering her daughters, Lauren set down her glass.
Ryan shook his head, “We were married when we returned, and last year Lauren gave birth to three daughters.”
Zack stood up to shake hands with Ryan, but he remained seated, “Dude, what’s wrong?”
“We’re still trying to figure it out. When a portal opened, the stroller with our daughters rolled through it. Then a detective arrested Lauren—”
Zack slammed down his drink, “If I ever meet the prick who did that.”
“Hi, Zack, my name is Steve.”
“Was wondering about you. You look like a cop.”
“Detective.”
“Dude, there were so many better introductions. Did you cause Lauren pain?”
Eric held up his hands, “He’s helping us and understands now. Down, boy, down.”
“Brother, I might have missed you,” began Zack, “but don’t rub me the wrong way.”
Steve looked at them both, “I don’t see any family resemblance?”
“Brothers by adoption.”
“Dwarf, Ironhouse?” asked Steve.
“One and only, and my first family here. Number eight or nine now, maybe ten. Not as many as Earth Mother, but all my clans now.”
“Where did the portal open up?” asked Nur.
Ryan quickly explained the events.
Zack ran his hands through his long dark hair, “Your daughters are here? Where?”
“We don’t know,” replied Lauren.
“We examined the mac—magic at the school,” began Eric, “but we couldn’t find any clues. We went to Ironhouse to see if they could help, and they provided us with protection. Mirtza suggested it would be a good idea to come here to see if you could help, but this isn’t what we expected.”
“Dudette, anything you need.”
Ramy tapped his mug, “I can appreciate your concern, Zack, but we need you here. Without you flying around, we will never know where the next attack is coming from, no disrespect, Earth Mother.”
“I know and understand. I never thought it would be this bad,” replied Lauren.
*******
Logan walked up to the table, “Boys, are you old enough to drink?”
One looked up, “Most of us are as old as when our first teacher began. The younger ones, Pintar only serves them watered down mead.”
“Well, in that case, Bastards, the next round is on me,” advised Logan.
“Hello, Bastard, how are you doing?”
“Horac, the first to seek me out. Are you in charge now?” Logan figured Horac was about twelve when he showed up at his house so long ago. A scrawny orphan from the shantytown, four-foot nothing, dark hair, covered with bruises and cuts. A young kid who wanted something, but who had to fight for everything he received. Thinking he was just another child that always wanted to thank them, Logan had gone inside, grabbed a loaf of bread and some other food, and after stuffing it all into a bag, he had given it to the youth.
There was a fire in those young eyes, “I am not looking for charity. Sister sent me.”
“Well, what does Lauren want?”
“Not your sister, Sister!” Rolling up his sleeves, he showed Logan the faint outline of the tattoos on his forearms.
“That Sister? What did she tell you?”
“To find the Bastard.”
“Then what?” asked Logan.
“That was all she said, find the Bastard.”
Logan shook his head, “Bastard.”
“Thanks.”
Logan had a confused look, “Thanks? For what?”
“You just called for the Bastard?”
“No, I’m the Bastard.”
The youth shook his head, “Yeah, I can see you are a bastard, but I am looking for the first Bastard.”
After rolling his eyes, Logan rolled up his shirts sleeves, “I’m the Bastard.”
“Sons of a bastard.”
“What?” asked Logan.
“You? Seriously, you are the Bastard?”
“Go inside, get cleaned up, and have something to eat.” Then for the next year, Logan tried to explain what he did not understand to those that sought him out and how to protect the innocents.
He looke
d at his first student, “Let me see your arms.” Horac rolled back his sleeves, exposing the red feather tattoo, which was almost three-quarters filled in, but the blue was less than half. He shook his head, “You’ve been spending more time playing with fire than water.”
“We all have since we started manning the walls, to help fight the trollmares.”
“Pretty scary stuff?”
Horac picked up his drink, “Makes you grow up fast.” Then he noticed Logan’s bare forearms, “What happened to yours?”
“When I went back home, they stayed here, and I haven’t been able to find Sister.”
Horac pointed to the other table, “She sitting over there.”
“Not my sister, Sister!”
“I know, just pulling your leg.”
Logan smiled, “Bastard.”
The other six young lads all responded at the same time, “What?”
John sat down.
Horac nodded, “Earth Mother.”
Logan quickly placed his hand over John’s mouth, “Please, don’t say it.”
He smiled, “Call me John.”
Logan scanned the others, being unsure if he should call them kids or young men. He remembered Mundi, Tanka, and Vink, who were only ten years old when he left. “Who’re the new Ba—new recruits?”
Horac set down his drink, “This is Barq, Chan, and the youngest is Ecoz.”
Ecoz, who was maybe eleven, stared at Logan, “Are you the real Bastard. You did everything that Horac said?”
“Well, I was the first, and I hope to find Sister soon, but yeah, I did a bunch of neat stuff with fire, water, and the weather.”
John shook his head, “Ecoz, he was amazing and could do it all.”
“Are you the—the—the Unchosen?” stammered Ecoz.
“I had a few different names back then, but that was one of them.”
“Horac, where are the rest?” asked Logan. “When I left, there was four dozen?”
“Most went west when Sister sent them a message, but she asked us to stay here.”
“So how’s your training going?”
“Slow. None of us can affect the weather. Any fires in town we put out, and we helped find new wells. Other than that, it is either fire-balling trollmares or night flares. The older Earth Mothers headed out five years ago, but they gave us their house and left us some gold, and everybody in town helps to look after us. We patrol the shantytown, making sure nobody is picking on the smaller kids or other innocents, but recently, it is just been trollmare attacks.” Horac continued, “You might have problems calling Sister, as she has been sort of quiet lately—”
Tanka shook his head, “Sort of quiet? He is going to find out, so you might as well tell him.”
“Sort of quiet? That is like saying dwarves only drink a little bit,” advised Mundi.
“Sister has been quiet for over a year,” advised Horac, “and from what we understand, Mother has been silent for just as long.”
Logan shook his head, “Bast—that’s not good.”
“It gets worse. Some days our fireballs fall short, and some nights our flares fail to burn bright. It is like she is getting weaker, or using all of her gifts somewhere else.” Horac stood up, “Some of us have a duty on the wall, and the others need to get some sleep before their watch starts. Stop by the house, and I will introduce you to the rest. It was a pleasure meeting you, Earth Mother.”
“Bast—”
Logan’s hand had covered John’s mouth.
“It finally happened, it’s starting to get old,” and then Logan stood to say goodbye to the young lads.
After Ecoz had said goodbye, Horac went back over to Logan, wrapped his arms around him. “It is good to have you back, as I really missed you,” and then he left.
Logan sat down at the table, cradled his head in his hands, and John could hear him cry as he massaged Logan’s shoulder. “How do we find Sister, John, and don’t tell me she’s sitting at a table over there.”
“We can go back to Ironhouse, and see if we can borrow a couple squads of trollmare hunters, or maybe contact the sky elves. See if they can help.”
“John, they’re still children.”
“It’s okay, Logan. We’ll figure something out.”
“Kids, damn orphans. They don’t deserve this…Leave me alone.”
John stood, headed back to the table where the rest sat.
*******
Gayne had heard both requests to Zack; one to help find the triplets in the Bright Coast, and the second to stay protecting Alron, but he knew the gifts that Zack had, having seen them first hand. However, he also knew that only Zack had the necessary talents to find the missing girls. After deliberating for several minutes, he spoke, “I might be able to help.” He pulled out the bag with the magic amulets. “John, if we need Zack to go back with us, then Alron will need help. I am willing to loan them what amulets I have,” he cast a glance to Ramy, “Lend. That means I get them back when I ask.” Ramy nodded, and Gayne looked back to John, “On one condition. When we leave Alron, we go straight back to my house. No stopping at forests or anywhere else, do I make myself perfectly clear?”
John nodded.
“I really do not want to do this, as I generally never lend our magic out.”
“It is the right thing to do, and you know it,” advised Mirtza.
Gayne picked up the satchel, looked to Ramy, “Let us go somewhere private. Mirtza, can you join us?”
Going upstairs to one of the rooms, Gayne sat down on the bed, and with Mirtza’s help began explaining the items he laid out one-by-one, and when done, he looked at Ramy. “Friend, please protect these items and their secrets. Only trust them to those you trust the most. There are many that would like to steal these items, and have them for their own, but you cannot allow that to happen. Use them sparingly, and make sure all of the rings are returned to you, because without them, the amulets and boxes are nothing.”
Ramy stood and wiped away several tears, “Friend, Gayne. Thank you. I will protect them and keep your secrets safe, but you may just have saved the west with this one generous offer. I will be honest with you, as I was beginning to lose hope, but with these, one day we will toast to the victory in the west, and while there will be many, the first one will be to you.”
Gayne let out a deep exhale and left the room
*******
“Where’re you staying?” asked Zack.
“Pintar said he saved us some rooms,” replied Lauren.
“Not gonna happen, Dudette. You’re coming home with me.”
“Pintar just told his wife to prepare a big meal for us,” advised Ryan, “and I don’t think you’ve enough room,” and then he nodded towards the six still silent dwarves.
“Evesnight,” Zack called.
She raised her head from behind the bar.
“I’m taking this righteous Dudette home with me tonight. Is that okay?”
“Yes, like I have time to prepare a meal that big with no warning, and the rest of the Dwarves will be showing up any minute.”
“It’s settled then, Dudette. You dine at Casa Zombie this night.”
Lauren looked sheepishly at the floor, “Do you have a tub with hot water?”
“Do you remember that big ass tub John had made?”
“Yes,” but Lauren had a quizzical look on her face, “Why?”
“When we moved back to town, I moved in. With that fireplace he had built, it heats the water in no time. I’ll move some of the Earth Guards around and put the kids in the doghouse, telling them they’re camping out for the night. I finished most of the basement, so we have lots of room.” Then Zack nodded towards Ryan, “Oh, are you going to want to bring him?”
“He’s my husband, yes.”
“Well, okay, but if I hear anything rocking, on your door I’ll be knocking.”
Nur leaned over, smacked his shoulder, “Zack, they will be our guest, and can do—do—You will not knock on their door.”
“Hey, my roof, my rules!”
“What do you mean, you moved into my house?”
“Dude, we sent you a letter in the post. When you didn’t answer, I thought you were cool with it.”
“No, I’m not cool with it, it’s my house.”
“Unchosen, it was unoccupied.”
Logan wandered over, “John, so help you, if you use the B word, I’ll hit you so hard, you won’t need your machine to open a portal,” and then he sat down.
“What’s wrong?” asked Lauren.
“Those kids—my kids—”
“Can Logan stay?” asked Lauren.
“We’ll feed him, but after the meal, he can wander back here.”
“Why?”
“Dudette, you gave John a house, not the top three floors of the Trump Tower. There are the four of us, Gingaar, the Earth Guards, your six—strange quiet friends, and I have a few pets.”
Lauren looked to her brother, “Logan?”
“Yeah, sure, whatever.”
“That was my house!” protested John.
“Dude, past tense. That was, this isn’t. If you want to visit, stop by for breakfast tomorrow.” Then Zack stood, “Dudette, husband of Dudette, brother of Dudette, let’s go.”
As the five headed towards the door, the six silent dwarves fell into a formation around Lauren, and when they left the inn, wolves began to follow them.
Lauren tapped Zack on the shoulder, “There are three wolves following us.”
“No, there are nine following us. The three that look like wolves, I brought those. I guess the rest belong to your silent friends, as they seem to share the same tailor.”
Chapter 12
As they rounded the corner, Nur called out to Gingaar, who was sitting on the front porch surrounded by several elfin Earth Guards, “Not again!”
In front of the house, two large wolves were frolicking with three smaller ones.
Gingaar stood, opened the door, “I am sorry, but they wanted to play.”
