by Dave Hazel
“Real diamonds?” Doninka asked softly and a look of greed started to cover her pretty face also. She turned away. “I do not need wealth. I know wealth itself does not make one happy.”
“Maybe this little trip into the Twilight Zone will have its advantages and benefits after all,” Boris said. “Maybe we can make this madness payoff for us when it’s all said and done.”
“Grab as many as you can,” Mykal advised. “Stuff your pockets with as many as you can get. We’ll see if the King will let us come back and get some more and we’ll see if the King will allow us to bring a couple of the others to come back and grab some as well. But I mean it, keep your mouth shut about this. I don’t want others wanting to--”
“You don’t gotta tell us Myk,” Sam laughed greedily.
After their pockets were stuffed full with what they thought to be diamonds, they went inside the palace and none of the Dwarven guards tried to stop them. They were led to where Towbar and King Krago discussed war plans. Norg spoke slowly when translating between the two of them. Towbar gave them a strange look. He eyed the odd bulges in their pockets. He said nothing supposing Mykal selected personal property of Metz.
They were all starting to talk about hunger and they wanted to find out about Klacken’s condition. As if their minds had been read a large table with various foods had been brought and placed before them. The chairs positioned around the table were small for the humans but they gladly sat at the table to eat the food and drink that had been set before them. Mykal wanted to thank the King but Krago and Towbar were tied up in their three way talks with Norg in the center relaying back and forth.
The food placed before them looked like meat and vegetables but smelled nothing like Mykal had ever experienced before. The smell wasn’t bad, just different. The mashed potatoes, or what Mykal thought was supposed to be mashed potatoes were dark red in color and very lumpy. Despite the appearance he decided to eat it. He didn’t want to come across as rude.
“This stuff is pretty good Myk,” Boris said when he saw Mykal eyed the food suspiciously. “We had some earlier. Trust me, you’ll like it.”
“Hey, this stuff ain’t bad.” Mykal gave an approving smile. “It tastes like, like, um, like--”
“Like chicken,” Sam laughed with a mouth full of the strange looking meat.
“Yeah, it does taste like chicken,” he chuckled. “It looks like a tough steak, but it is unbelievably tender and it does taste like chicken. But, I don’t wanna know what we’re eating. I don’t wanna find out something I’ll regret knowing.”
“I have never had this kind of food,” Doninka said while eating small bites. She ate with elegant grace. Her manners and actions looked as if she had been raised with proper instruction and etiquette was drilled into her. “The food is very tasty.”
“These red mashed potatoes taste just like maple syrup,” Mykal smiled and smacked his lips together. “They are sweet.”
“They sure are,” Sam started but was stopped.
Several Dwarves burst into the room and spoke loudly to the King. Mykal, Boris, Sam and Doninka thought there was going to be some sort of trouble. Quickly their hands were on their weapons, not to be caught off guard.
“Not fear. Nothing fear,” Norg said and waved his hands when he saw their unease of the commotion. “Speak passage now clear. Rock moved. May depart soon.”
“Our plans are almost complete,” Towbar called to them. “We shall leave soon,” he then turned back to King Krago and spoke something for Norg to translate.
Within moments Krink entered from behind. “Myk-kal, come,” Krink waved him to join him before the King’s throne. After there was a pause he spoke to the King in the Dwarven tongue. Krago kept his eyes on Mykal.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No, no. Speak King Krago you desire Quecktarb. New litter four months back. Average size litter. Four pup Quecktarbs. None born wearing evil colors. I speak King how many Quecktarbs give you. King Krago say take all. Three males. One female. You desire, you own four.”
Thoughts of fame and money quickly flashed through Mykal’s mind. It would be amazing if they make it back home and he had the four strange two headed creatures to show off to the world. He would be the only person in the entire world to own the odd Quecktarbs. “Yeah, I’ll take them all,” he said. With selfish greed he looked to the future. “Will they be able to mate?”
“Yes. Come,” Krink said as he pulled Mykal away from Towbar and King Krago’s discussion. “Let me speak gestation time. This important. Gestation time four months. At gestation time stay away. Only bring food. Only bring water. Female be mean at gestation time. Four months she sleep down, she dead down, she,” he struggled for the word.
“She lays down?” Mykal guessed.
“Yes,” Krink said and his eyes lit up that Mykal knew what he was trying to say. “She lays down to birth. From inside fall sacks. Sacks like large eggs much big,” Krink said as he used his hands to demonstrate the size of a softball.
“Are they hard like eggs?”
“No. Soft sack. Wet sack. Crucial you not interfere when happens. She turn on you. She harm you. Quecktarbs loyal beast to master. Gestation time of birth will turn on you.”
“Are you saying that even if you’re a good master, during this time the mother will turn on you?”
“Yes. Good litter four pups, five pups. When sacks fall she clean sack off pups. Sack gone Quecktarb pups small. Fit in hand.” Krink pointed to his own palm. “Skin pink, skin brown. Have no hair. Hair grow couple days. While this small easy to dead. At this age body weak, body poor to sickness. Much Quecktarbs not live long this age.”
“So you’re saying their defenses against illness and disease is weak so be careful with them.”
“Yes. When one month old should have long life. They not do much. Eat sleep, eat sleep. That all. After time you see much growth. Watch hair. Hair white, gray or yellow must dead. This what I speak earlier. Must destroy evil Quecktarb.”
“I better write all this down,” Mykal joked.
“There more. After one month pups active. Female let master handle pups. Not rush. Slow. See she allow. See female accepts. She accepts may allow out confinement. Not allow males nears pups before four months. Males eat pups. Males make small pups dead. Know not why. Mystery Dwarven people.”
“Protect pups from the males cuz they’ll try to kill them or eat them while they’re small. Right?”
“Yes. Quecktarbs grow fast, much clumsy. Two heads much heavy on little body. Keep fall over. Few months hair fall out, hair grow back few times. Watch hair. White hair, gray hair yellow hair, evil beast. Dead beast. Sixth month clumsy actions cease. Sixth or seventh month best time start training for war. Two heads start think, start act one head. Clumsy age you see two heads act like two heads, think like two heads.”
“At the clumsy stage the two heads act and think separately and that’s why they’re kinda clumsy?”
“Yes, heads bigger for body. Makes clumsy. Eight month see intelligence, see cunning of beast. Twelve month, thirteen month full grown. Eighth month master develop language between minds in beast. Never speak with voice. Evil white Quecktarbs speak with voice like all speak,” he waved his hand back and forth between him and Mykal. “Must dead, must dead,” Krink repeated and stressed the words. “Beast bark, beast growl like dogs. Evil Quecktarbs speak other animals. Not take Quecktarbs now.”
“You mean when we leave here in a little bit?”
“Yes. Quecktarbs never contact with hoomin. Need piece clothing leave in pups few days. Want Quecktarbs know hoomin scent. When you take, beast know you scent, not fear.”
“That’s good. I have to go on a trip with Towbar to the Great Walled City Beramus, so it will give plenty of time for them to get used to my scent.”
“Mykal,” Towbar’s loud masculine voice boomed out and echoed through the large, almost empty, court. “We have concluded our discussion. We may depart now.”
> “Not go,” Krink said. He gently grabbed Mykal’s arm and took him back to the throne. Krink spoke to Krago and pointed to Mykal. It was evident he became the topic of Krink’s discourse.
The King tried not to laugh and nodded while speaking.
“What’s going on?” Mykal asked.
“I speak desire rocks,” Krink said. “King Krago want know why desire rocks?”
Mykal swallowed hard and decided to tell the truth. “Tell him where I’m from I think they would be valuable.”
Krink and King Krago spoke back and forth. “King Krago speak rocks be precious gems. Have much value. Give approval take all desire. Not use wealth this world. Towbar speak King Krago three hoomin from another world,” he said and held up three fingers referring to Mykal, Boris and Sam.
“Tell King Krago I promise to only use them for wealth in my world. I’m acting greedy cuz I want me and my friends to benefit for all that we’ve been through.”
Krink relayed the message, Krago replied to Krink. “King Krago speak hoomins value precious gems. Dwarves no more value precious gems. Precious gems much,” he said and waved his hand to the inside of the mountain. “Hoomins war for precious gems. Dwarves value precious metals. Dwarves value hard work. Dwarves value close friends. King Krago not want bring war for precious gems.”
Norg also nodded in agreement and continued when Krink stopped. “Krago speak, not take much precious gems. Not want war from hoomins for rocks, precious gems. You take you desire. Worry greed takes hoomin head, not good,” he added and looked to Towbar who nodded in agreement.
“My people will never know of such treasure,” Towbar said. “I will not allow humans into your home unless you invite them. I only desire your friendship and alliance,” he looked at Krago while Norg translated. “Mykal will keep secret. If I learn of humans trying to enter your mountains I will personally punish any who attempt to cross your boundaries with death. I will not allow greed to spoil our alliance.”
“King Krago thank you Towbart,” Norg responded after Krago spoke. “Myk-kal, King Krago speak question. Dwarves not believe magic. Krago speak weapon dead Metz magic weapon? Strange mechanical weapon? If secret, not prod more. King Krago pay big much answer. Make much trips precious gems for Myk-kal. For Myk-kal world.”
“Tell King Krago, since he’ll let us come back and get some more of the precious gems, not only will I tell him the answer to his question, but I’ll give him one of these devices and I’ll show him how to use it. Boris,” Mykal called out while Norg and Krink both explained what Mykal said. “Gimme your .22 and all the ammo you got. King Krago is gonna let us take as many rocks as we wanna take. I wanna give him your .22, alright?”
“Sure, no problem. It’s my throw away gun,” he said.
“King Krago speak have always invitation to mountain,” Krink explained. “Towbar, have always invitation to mountain. Take much precious rocks. Agree not use wealth hoomins here.”
“Not a problem,” Mykal said as Boris pulled his pistol.
“I got ten rounds in the clip. I have four other clips and I have another hundred and fifty rounds back at the camp.”
“Good, explain it to Krink and Norg so they can translate how to use it and tell them we’ll bring the rest of the ammo back. Be honest and tell them that this one is not as powerful as the one I killed Metz with, but let them know it’ll kill all the same. Tell them we’re gonna take the rocks we got in our pockets but we wanna come back with a couple more friends from our world and get some more rocks.”
Boris kept busy; he explained the weapon and showed how to operate the handgun. The King acted like a child who received a toy for the first time. He couldn’t hide his excitement. Boris carefully explained safety precautions. He made sure that Krink and Norg made it clear that the bullets could kill and once the round had been fired they were spent. Boris gave instructions and gave a demonstration and helped King Krago shoot the .22 pistol. The King looked like a bearded child having fun on Christmas morning.
When Mykal and the others said their good-byes to King Krago, Krago announced that both Krink and Norg would go with them. Within an hour he would send a thousand Dwarven warriors to the Pass and within the next two days he would have a force of ten thousand in the Pass to help with the threat of the Sosos. More warriors would be at the ready. Krago announced he would find more Dwarves who could speak the common tongue though the number would be small. The common tongue had rarely been used for the last couple of hundred years or so.
With Norg and Krink leading the way they made their way swiftly through the tunnels and passage ways. Mykal and the others were completely confused and lost but the Dwarves had no trouble navigating through the underground maze. Part of a young Dwarven warriors training at military age was to be able to travel through the underground maze blind folded.
When they reached the room where the cave in occurred the previous day, most of the rock and rubble had been cleared away. Three bodies were laid against the wall. They were three of Towbar’s soldiers. Towbar had been saddened by the crushed and broken bodies, but he showed no emotion. There were still two men unaccounted for. Towbar paused for a moment.
“Towbart, sad this,” Norg apologized while he touched his own chest and pointed to the three.
“I understand,” Towbar nodded to show he accepted their apology. “Two of my soldiers are still missing. They must have traveled down this passage,” Towbar pointed to the third opening. “Please make it known to your people they may be scared and will not mean any harm to your people.”
“Dwarves searching,” Krink replied. “Dwarven soldiers bring hoomin soldiers,” he pointed to the dead. “Dwarven soldiers bring soldier one leg,” he added in reference to Klacken.
3.
Once outside they all took deep breaths as if it had been years since they tasted fresh air. The air seemed so fresh and clean and the sun shone brightly. They had to cover their eyes to adjust to the bright light of day.
Mykal couldn’t believe all that had taken place during the last day and a half. Not only did he encounter death but he almost became a prisoner. Now everything flip-flopped. His pockets were filled with precious gems and he could return as often as he would like to get more. He also became the sole owner, from the real world, of the strange two headed creatures called Quecktarb. He was sure he would become unbelievably wealthy, or as he would say, “filthy rich” back in his world. “But that’s if I make it back to the world. All I wanna do is get back to my family and provide for them.”
Now outside the mountain the threat of Sosos attacking became a reality he had to deal with once again. He left one emotional stress to face another emotional stress. Looking at Norg and Krink in the sunlight he saw how different their flesh tone actually was. Their flesh color seemed gray, almost dull silver with a hint of blue.
No one spoke as they made their way down the path to the flat ground. After they reached the bottom they saw a party of soldiers at least thirty strong approaching their location. With Towbar’s soldiers were Jake, Larry, Kurt and Rich, led by the soldier who had been left to guard the supplies when they entered the mountain, and the two soldiers who were believed to be lost. They managed to escape the cave in by ducking out the way they entered. All those approaching carried shovels and digging picks. They feared there would be no survivors.
Everyone happily and cheerfully celebrated the strange turn of events. Those who had been inside the mountain rattled off their strange experiences and introduced them to the Dwarves. Towbar explained to his men that they lost a few soldiers but gained a great many allies. “The Dwarven people hate the Sosos as much as we do.”
Mykal eagerly shared with his friends, should they make it back to the world he would make them rich beyond their wildest imagination. He grew more confident the rocks stuffed in their pockets were raw, uncut diamonds. Since King Krago gave him permission to go back as many times as he wanted, he planned on taking advantage of the offer including a select few
friends.
While making their way back to the camp, Towbar announced he would be leaving the next day to travel to the Great Walled City of Beramus. The journey usually takes eight days one way. Towbar promised his friend Mykal he would put him in touch with Nidious, the only person who may have the answer to help him and his people to return home. Mykal couldn’t contain his happiness as it seemed everything turned around for him. Doninka tried to hide her sadness.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN – Day 23
1. Friday, July 15th 1983
0447 hours, In the Plains near the Great Walled City.
“Mykal, my friend. It is time to wake,” Towbar spoke softly and gently shook Mykal from his sleep. “Today will be the last day of our travel. I desire to have an early start in order that we may reach Beramus by night fall. We will have to ride harder than we have ridden thus far.”
“Towbar, I really can’t take much more of this horseback stuff,” Mykal grumbled and unraveled the blanket that covered him. “My ass feels like I have boils and blisters on it,” he complained. “I thought I would be numb to it by now.”
“This is because you are not used to it,” Towbar said and looked like he fought back laughter. “Your body is softened because of the strange crafts from your world. Too comfortable.”
“You’re telling me. Today will be the last day, huh? How long have we been on the road already? Cuz I’ve totally lost track of the time.”
“We have traveled eight days. Today will be the ninth and final day. The normal travel time is eight days. You and Norg have slowed us with the many requests to stop. I heartily understand since this is not the normal mode of transportation for either of you. Considering that, we are making faster progress than I expected.”
“Sorry about our whining and crying,” Mykal pouted playfully. “Are Doninka and Norg awake yet?”
“As I stated my friend, I understand both you and Norg are not experienced in long horse travel. And yes, they are eating with the others,” Towbar replied. Towbar’s reference was to the six soldiers who accompanied them. “Come, let us join them and eat before we travel.”
