The Eastern Dwarfs: Part Two - The Underground Journey

by Leo deSouza

  “Let’s go then… Herm… What is your name?” Thuor asked to the lizard man.

  “No name we have.” Was the answer.

  “No name? How should we call ye then?” Thuor insisted.

  “Anyway is good.” The lizard man replied, he turned and left walking alongside his partners.

  The dwarfs came following them at a distance.

  “They are not escorting us, it is really an invitation.” Olaf spoke.

  “Now that I see… They actually look too dumb to plan some trick on us.” Torag said.

  Through the cave they advanced, and soon the light from the hole in the ceiling became distant, they got into the darkness again, and the lizards lit torches to guide the way. After a while walking the group got to hear the sound of water one more time, the lizard men changed their way, going towards the left wall of the cave, there they reached a small waterfall.

  “Come.” The lizard man said as he entered under the waterfall, being followed by the others of his kind.

  “Hidden passage under waterfall huuum… It gets even more suspicious…” Torag whispered.

  The dwarfs looked at each other for a moment and then came after the lizards. Passing under the waterfall was fast and in no time they went into a totally different ambience. The lizards lit their torches again, and now they were walking through a tight corridor, every dwarf was watchful, holding a blade, expectant for something to happen.

  When the path through the corridor ended, the company got a surprising fantastic sight. A new cave hollow opened ahead, as large as the one on the underground passage they were using. But this one was lightened with light coming from many cracks in the ceiling and it was not a simple cave. There were many streams passing by, not only on the crude rock, but also on many aqueducts, tall structures made of rock; in the center of the cave void was a large river, passing fast, its noise could be heard around, echoing against the rock walls. In this place there were many more lizard folks, some of them were small, as if they were young, or children, the dwarfs could feel the humidity in the air, and there was much moss and many green plants around, it was like an immense grotto.

  “What place is this?” Asked Olaf wide eyed.

  Not only him but everyone was impressed while they walked down a high staircase without any handrail.

  “This is like a dream that becomes reality… These aqueducts, they were long built by the first dwarfs.” Thuor spoke.

  “The pioneers.” Rurur said.

  “Yes… The pioneers. But I never saw it before, I actually never came to know if it was reality or not, till now.” The captain continued.

  Now they saw waterfalls coming from cracks in the walls, going down to the bottom of the cave to feed the main river, the noise became higher and many water droplets flew in the air. The lizard men conduced them downstairs till they reached the bottom, they passed above the main river over a stone bridge, many lizard folks were around, looking with curiosity, and some even hid.

  “It is just my eyes or are some of these fellows afraid of us?” Torag whispered.

  Through some small streams they passed till they reached a slit, there the lizards entered and called them to do the same, Thuor motioned to the others and everyone followed. There inside it was illuminated by torches, two more lizards were standing guard with spears and at the end of this cave, on a throne made of crude rock was sitting a big lizard, apparently older than all the others, on his head a strange crown made of wooden vines and adorned with many gems, something that caught Torag’s attention. One of the lizards that guided the dwarfs came close to him and spoke some words in his ear. The one sitting on the throne examined the dwarfs for a moment, then spoke with his guttural voice: “Welcome.”

  “Greetings your majesty.” Thuor replied, not sure about what to say.

  “You come from the cave, what are you doing here?” The big lizard asked.

  “Well we… We are travelling to the mountain peak, to the other side.” The captain replied.

  The lizard on his throne became thoughtful, he had now a strange expression on his face. “My name is Krogo, I’m the master of this place.”

  “It is an honor.” Thuor replied.

  “We don’t want any problem with dwarfs, dwarfs are not foes. We have being here for a long time, and never had any problems with dwarfs.” Krogo continued.

  “And I’m sure this is due to your good manners and good will. Dwarfs are not troublemakers too, ye can be sure about this. Now, may I ask ye, why ye invited us here?” Thuor asked.

  “Strange things are happening in these times.” Krogo spoke.

  “Strange things. I could agree with that, my noble sir, what exactly are ye talking about?” Thuor continued.

  “Strange folks, strange happenings. Caves used to be quiet, for a long time. Dwarfs passed here, mostly, trading dwarfs, I know you have two houses on the tips of this path. Nothing bothered us here, this place was built by your ancestors, and we know it delivers water to your cities nearby. We do no harm to the water, we live here in peace. But now strange beings walk around.” Krogo spoke.

  “Tell me about these strangers.” Thuor inquired.

  “We saw, not long ago, a large group of orcs. Orcs never comes to this side, they live under the Vulcan, on the fire and lava places. Now they had an army, now they march, like as to war.” Said the big lizard.

  “Yes… They attacked the Thick Beard city, we know.” Replied the captain.

  “This is not right. Why did they do this? Why did they crossed all the way to struggle? I don’ know why, but one thing I can tell. We are lizard folks, we can see more than the dwarf’s eyes can.” Krogo spoke.

  “I have my doubts about this.” Torag whispered.

  “We can see malice in the air.” Krogo continued. “My folk saw it, they saw it when the army passed, like a dark cloud of evil floating above all them, something that not all eyes can see.”

  “Malice ye say.” Thuor spoke.

  “Malice… Like some evil force guiding them, an army with a purpose, to attack, kill and raze, as we could see…” Said Krogo.

  “Yes.” Thuor continued. “That was their purpose, but this is no mystery now, and they have already passed.”

  “Yes they did. We would have killed if they were just a few, like we always do when they come out of the big arch entrance. My people are ordered to chase and kill intruders like them. But this time they were too much, we just let them pass.” The lizard spoke.

  “Then that was what was about to happen in the lake!” Torag broke in. “One of them thought we were orcs when I dove in! Maybe one of these here.” He said as he pointed to the lizard group that brought them there.

  “So if the orcs are not the problem for ye, ye just let them pass. What is it then?” Thuor intervened, trying to conceal Torag’s speech.

  “Creatures that should be buried, that should not come to these parts of the mountain now walk free through tunnels, putting my people in danger. Big spider like creatures, but not simple spiders.” Krogo explained.

  “How not simple spiders?” Olaf asked, breaking into the conversation.

  “Half spiders, half scorpions, sons of the great evil spider of the old times, but different, they changed after living so much time in the darkness, procreating with other creatures.” Krogo said.

  “Oh my…” Olaf muttered. “As if it was not enough, all the damn devils we faced before, now there comes creatures half spider and half scorpion…”

  Krogo replied: “It is an infestation since the walls collapsed.”

  “The walls collapsed?” Thuor asked.

  “Yes. The Vulcan is alive, a hole is being opened in the rocky walls, ancient things that were long buried are now coming to us.” Krogo continued.

  “I see… So what is the problem with these spider scorpion like creatures?” The captain insisted.

  “They are hungry!” Krogo replied. “And they kill our folks.”

  “How does it happen?” Torag brok
e in. “In the big passage, out there?”

  “Yes, but not just out there, here inside too, they come at night, sneaking.” The big lizard replied.

  “Through the waterfall?” Torag insisted.

  “No, they don’t like water, they come through the tunnel, there is one here inside, a really big tunnel, we can’t block it.” Krogo said.

  “I understand your concern, master Krogo. But why did ye call us here?” Thuor asked.

  “You are dwarfs, dwarfs are good with stones and buildings, you can help us protecting our place.” Krogo said.

  “But we are just five here.” Thuor spoke. “How could we help?”

  “One dwarf mind is enough to think many crafts, five is enough to plan any big work. This place was built by your ancestry, the same wisdom is in you.” Krogo spoke.

  “Now after such an appeal to our egos… How could we deny such a request and explain we are just a bunch of shabby travelers?” Torag whispered as he turned to Thuor.

  “We are not.” Thuor replied. “We are Rock Foot, masters of crafts, and Olaf here is one who knows about structures and buildings, maybe he can plan something to block that tunnel.”

  “Good.” Krogo spoke.

  Torag shook his head slightly in disapproval. The big lizard continued to speak: “If you could help us with this I would assure rewards for you all.”

  Torag opened a smile. “Now we are talking the same language. Tell me where these monsters are and leave the rest with us.”

  “Be quiet, Torag.” Thuor broke in. “All right, master Krogo, show us the tunnel.”

  The big lizard smiled, he rose from his throne and passed walking by the dwarfs, being followed by his servants. Outside the cave they got back to the big grotto and Krogo led them through the paths till a far area beyond the main place, a dark part of the big cave gap where there were no more lizard folks around; and during all the walking the dwarfs were still amazed by the grandiosity of the place. Now they could see in a rock wall a big dark hole.

  “So this is where the monsters come from?” Torag asked.

  “Yes. Always at night, then it sneaks over our caves, looking for easy preys.” Krogo spoke.

  Olaf looked around and up, he saw a broken aqueduct right above the hole. “Did ye try to kill that thing?” He asked.

  “We set up guards…” Krogo replied. “But the monster don’t comes when he knows we are alert. Besides, we have no proper weapons to fight it.”

  “Ye will not need any weapon to fight, I have an idea. How much workforce do ye have here?” Olad asked.

  “Workforce?” Krogo asked.

  “Yes, how many of ye can provide strong arms to work?” Olaf continued.

  “As many as ye want, master dwarf.” Krogo replied.

  “Excellent. Bring the strongest among ye, there is some labor to be done.” Olaf replied.

  “I see ye are quite sure about what ye have in mind, Olaf.” Thuor said.

  “I’m sure, captain ye can bet.” Olaf replied.

  “Wise dwarfs, always know how to do things.” Krogo said.

  “All right, I think I can deal with this. Ye all can rest if ye want.” Olaf said.

  “If ye say so master foreman.” Rurur spoke quietly.

  “So be it.” Krogo said. “Wait here, master Olaf, I will send the best of our workers, the rest of ye can come with me, I will provide good resting and meal.”

  The big lizard left the place back to where they came, being followed by the company of dwarfs, except for Olaf who was left behind, he stood there looking at the hole and the aqueduct above while in his mind many calculations were running. As Krogo promised, many strong lizard men would come to him and there, under the orders of Olaf, was about to start a big work involving ropes, stone and rustic mining tools, a work that would take the rest of the day to be finished.

  Meanwhile Thuor and the others came into a cave near a waterfall and sat on rustic benches, being guided by Krogo himself.

  “Be my guests now. And ask for everything ye want.” The big lizard said. “I believe you would like to have some meal.”

  Rurur was the first one to reply: “Yes we…”

  “No need of it.” Interrupted Torag. “We have our own food here with us.

  “I would not admit you eating a different food from mine while inside this realm. You are my honor guests, and as such you will be served with the best we have.” Krogo spoke and then left.

  “Oh I… Fine then.” Torag replied.

  “Why ye said that?” Rurur asked.

  “As always your belly talking more than your head, Rurur!” Torag exclaimed. “Can ye imagine what these lizards eat?”

  Rurur just frowned, and after a while came more lizard men bringing small clay bowls to each dwarf. As they looked inside it, they realized that Torag was right about his precaution. The food offered was nothing more than green moss mixed with small beetles. Torag began to laugh, he put his bowls aside and shook his head as he pointed to Rurur. Every dwarf there wanted to do the same, but the lizard that brought them the food was standing nearby.

  “So no one will try it? I’m full.” Torag said, chuckling.

  Ribs, Montaron’s weasel, came out of his master’s pocket and sniffed at the food, then began to eat the beetles.

  The work led by Olaf took the rest of the day, he kept giving orders to the lizard men while fairy vixen flew around always close to her master, and the lizard men found strange that little sprite, mostly avoiding getting too close to her. In the end of the big work, the rest of the company came back to see the results, there some lizards were making the last efforts to push a huge boulder to the border of the aqueduct right above the hole in the wall.

  “Olaf, master of construction and skilled foreman.” Thuor said as he approached.

  Krogo was looking at the scene, curious.

  “I could say we had a hard time here, but it ended the way I planned, with some small setbacks.” Olaf replied.

  “Why the aqueduct?” Rurur asked.

  “We could not find any boulder big enough down here, there was one almost loose on the wall beside the aqueduct up there, all we had to do was some mattock work to dislodge the rock from the wall.” Olaf replied.

  “And now ye plan to throw it down and block that passage.” Thuor said as he pointed to the hole ahead.

  “That is the plan. And then the problem of our lizard friends will be solved at once, no more monsters coming to eat at night.” Olaf replied.

  Krogo clapped twice, smiling in joy. “Genius dwarfs! I knew I was right when I first thought about getting aid from dwarfs!” He said.

  Torag was smoking his pipe, he looked up to the big boulder on the edge of the aqueduct, ready to be dropped down. “It could get even better.” He said.

  “Really, Torag? Tell us what ye have in mind.” Olaf spoke.

  “Why just block? Why hide? Why show ye are afraid? Ye could do some harm, show the real might of the lizard folks!” Torag exclaimed.

  Now Krogo seemed impressed.

  “I still don’t understand” Olaf said.

  “A frightened predator is weaker than one who just can’t find his prey!” Torag continued. “Sooner or later these monsters, whatever they are, will find a way in again, and then we will not be here to help. Why not teach them a lesson? So all their kin would learn to not mess with the lizard folk again!”

  “What an absurd idea, Torag. Do ye think such beasts could learn about this?” Olaf asked.

  “That seems excellent!” Krogo broke in.

  Everyone looked at the big lizard, surprised, he continued his speech: “We have seen these creatures on the big cave gap, they fear nothing but point spear and fire, and they learnt to not get too close to our warriors so openly, after a few struggles with them.”

  “So we are talking here about teaching them a lesson, to show they can not go around eating lizards.” Rurur said.

  “Yes, to show lizards are not defenseless.” Torag spoke.
/>   “What do ye say, Olaf?” Thuor asked.

  Olaf just shrugged. “My work here is done, and it was all about pulling, pushing, cracking, finding the right place to hit the mattock and ruling the labor. Now, when it comes to more… Stimulant actions, I would like to leave it for the most appropriate one to deal with, Torag, as he proposed first with his new… Idea.” He said as he came among the company.

  “The effect would be the same, we can block the hole right now, or block it when the thing comes from it, smashing the predator… Hitting two objectives at the same time, and giving us twice the satisfaction!” Torag spoke.

  Krogo seemed joyful.

  “I know Torag can be a tough, but in at least one thing he is right.” Thuor said quietly to Oalf. “We can bock this passage, but soon the creature will find another entrance. Look at these lizard folks, they are counting on us to do the best, we can’t leave them here saying the problem is fixed. It is not right.”

  Olaf nodded, still a little vexed. “Fine… But don’t count on me to push the boulder on the monster, I will not be there when it happens.”

  “No problem, Olaf!” Torag exclaimed. “We will deal with that predator in a way that he will never defy any lizard, never more!” He spoke as he hugged Krogo with one arm.

  “Something says to me this is not about pure generosity…” Olaf said to himself as he left.

  “Ye can all leave, go and rest! I will deal with it now. Listen, master Krogo, give me some of your strong folks, and we will wait here till the monster shows, then push and drop the boulder, and smash it with no mercy!” Torag said.

  “Excellent! Most excellent! Yes, you stay here under the orders of master dwarf!” Krogo said to his vassals. “I’m going back to my quarters, and I will be looking forward to the results of this! Be sure ye will be twice rewarded for your smartness and courage, master dwarf!”

  Now the big lizard left, as well as the rest of the company, leaving Torag alone, but Thuor stood there, to talk to him a last time. “Are ye sure about this?” He asked.

  “Of course captain! Listen…” He spoke as he looked out to see Krogo leaving. “Think about the reward he will give us! These folks are living here for a long time, I guess, they must have many jewels guarded in these dark caves, and they probably don’t even know the value of them! Ye saw the gems on the lizard king’s crown?”