by Alan Mundle
He had a field day looking over all the carvings, trying to decipher their meaning. He was sure the Griftin could be of help, but he relished the challenge of doing it himself. Zentin said the Empire was pressing him on this point, as they could reveal vital information of what happened to the lost races. And so he studied, Forin at his side.
That morning, he had woken up alone to a note left by Soraba saying she had to report for duty, but thanked him for a fantastic night. Forin had been the one to give him the note. At first he felt a bit awkward, but Forin was so happy and for once, was in full armour for the first time all on his own, apparently oblivious to anything that happened in the cabin. Forin carried all their tools, research notes and equipment for the day, insisting that it was beneath Torbin's dignity to do such menial things. Torbin could have reminded him that, as the son of a Lord, he was still technically of higher rank, but he could not bring himself to spoil the boy's good mood.
So all laboured on. More of the First Battalion arrived throughout the day, each train bringing both Warriors and supplies. New Smiths also arrived with orders to construct battle towers around the entrance to the facility and both ends of the train system, armed with all kinds of defenses. These were initially part of the design for the prison, but Zentin had stepped things up. He was in constant communication with the Empire, implementing new security measures and receiving instructions in the Communications Cabin. This suited Torbin just fine. As long as the villain stays away from Forin and me, all the better, he thought. In the days ahead they had meetings before every evening meal without the Lord's son. Torbin always insisted that Forin was finishing work in the prison on the Commander's behalf. He was sure that Zentin could see through this official reasoning, but he didn't care.
Torbin spent days pouring over the inscriptions, so drunk with concentration and delight, he found himself having to step back and shake his head to stay grounded. Forin was looking at them too, saying how they thought they were like pretty pictures and he even started drawing some of them. As long as the boy was happy and engaging with the subject, Torbin was pleased. It would be helpful to have as many records as possible made on the inscriptions, so Torbin encouraged his young friend to draw every one he could find, but never to go near the Griftin.
But it wasn't all glorious. Try as hard as he might, Torbin didn't have a clue what the writings meant. It was completely different from his people's language and even those he had studied from the ruins left by the Humans and Elves, and as the Griftins were a sky-dwelling race, they didn't leave anything on the ground for the land races to find. Only a week passed, there was much left to do, but he was starting to wonder if the markings were actually writing or if they served another purpose entirely. At the start of the evening, a new contingent of expeditions guards came on duty telling their leader it was time for him to get dinner.
Torbin thought that, if he could, he would live down in the chamber. Being asked to leaving it was like taking away a sugar stick from a Dwarfling. But he resigned himself to the fact he now had a responsibility to lead by example and knew it was time to go. He packed up all his notes, called for Forin to stop drawing and help pack up their equipment. Torbin found the boy not drawing, but standing stone still, looking straight at the Griftin. Torbin walked over to his young friend.
'Everything well, Forin?' At first, the Dwarf didn't respond, except to tilt his head slightly to the left, his eyes wide with a small smile on his face. Torbin smiled too, thinking he could stand there for ages too, looking at this wonderful creature that had come and irrevocably changed their lives. Though their time here was up for the day, there was still work to do. 'Come on, let's find some food.'
It took a while to reach the facility with work still being done to make the chamber tunnel safe for faster, regular travel. When they did reach the top, Torbin and Forin became instantly surrounded be other Dwarves, some from his team and some he didn't even recognise. All of them shouted his name, each trying to tell him something, but in the end, he had to rise above them.
'Everyone, shut it!!' Silence filled the tunnel. 'In Sapphire's name, do you want to bring the whole tunnel down on us with your yelling? Now, we're going to get some well-deserved food. Whatever issues you have can wait.'
Their dinner was all the moment's peace Torbin got. After which, he became bombarded with team member reports, supply orders, but also news from the mainland, messages from the Scholar Circles and the head of the Smiths. All of these communications were demands to know why they had been instructed by the Empire to commit more people and resources. Torbin had no idea how the Empress was managing it, but the fact that all these high-ranking Dwarves were asking him for information meant that no word of the creature's existence had reached civilisation. This was confirmed by the latest news reports that centred heavily on preparations for Treygen's delivery to Void Prison. Torbin didn't mind this in the slightest. The more the world was in the dark on the Griftin, the more time he had to work on it. By midnight, he was finishing up in the Command Cabin’s office, but before he did, Tenabin walked in.
'I think I know the real reason I got your job,' Torbin said with a glare. 'You wanted to end your misery and get away from all this mess.'
Tenabin smiled. 'You got the rewards that come of great service, and all its glory.' Torbin shook his head, resisting the temptation to knock his former leader out. 'It gets better too. Your things and Forin's are now in the Commander's Cabin.'
This made Torbin look up from his pile of notes. He hadn't expected this. 'Now hold on,' Torbin said sternly, 'taking your job is one thing, but dispossessing you from your cabin is too much.'
Tenabin laughed, putting a gauntlet on his Commander's shoulder-plate 'It belongs to the Commander of the facility, which is you. Don't worry, yours will suit me fine, especially since I don't have a Second.'
Torbin smiled in spite of himself. 'Well, a bigger cabin would give Forin and me more privacy from each other.' A smile crossed his face at the thought of being able to spend more time with Soraba, but he chose to keep his new relationship private for now.
For the first time in the conversation, Tenabin looked uneasy. 'Listen, about Forin…' Torbin was wondering who would be the first to bring this up. 'Of all the Dwarves to choose from that would gladly lay down their lives for you, why by all the Gods did you pick him? You don't seriously expect him to take on your command if you die?'
The duties of a Second did demand such a burden, but Torbin was no fool. Before answering Tenabin, he looked around the Command Cabin, just before he replied.
'Of course not. I knew from the start he would be little more of an assistant, that I'll be looking after him probably more than he will be taking care of me.'
'So why?' Tenabin asked again.
'Because if I didn't, I'd probably be on my way to the mainland right now, charged with the murder of Lord Zentin.' Tenabin looked shocked, that any Dwarf, even one now as powerful as Torbin would speak such things about a Lord of the Empire. His eyes sought an explanation. Torbin quietly told his tale about the events preceding the feast. In the end, Tenabin stood stone still, staring at his Commander. 'I couldn’t stand by while a defenceless, good hatred and innocent boy was being abused by his First Father.'
Tenabin was by no means a coward, but Torbin's words were making him very uncomfortable. Torbin proceeded to tell him the whole story of what happened before the feast. 'By The Great Rock, Torbin! You've put yourself in some serious business. If Lord Zentin can find a way, he'll probably take your new glory and probably your life, purely for fear of what this could mean for him and his family.'
Torbin grunted. 'He could send the whole of the First to fight me, I'd still go proudly to Sapphire knowing I did what was right.'
They sat silently for a while before Tenabin spoke up. 'Now that I think about it, I love the daring of it all. Even if Zentin wanted to kill you, his risk of exposure is too great.'
'May Sapphire hear you,' said Torbin. The Dwarves f
ound themselves laughing. There was absolutely nothing about the situation that was funny, but the enormitywas so great, they couldn't help themselves. Once they calmed down, Torbin brought out a question that he was sure was on the mind of everyone who had heard about the discovery. 'What in the Great Rock's name is it doing there, Sir? It survived by powerful magic for over fifty thousand years, only to wake up and sit on its huge arse. What's it all for?'
Tenabin smiled. 'Who knows what the Gods have planned, my friend. It is up to you to come up with these answers, and by Sapphire, I'll help you in any way I can… as long as you stop calling me, Sir.
The two friends clutched arms then went their separate ways. Torbin's bodyguards escorted him to his new cabin and waited till he was through its field before leaving him. He looked around, taken away by the sheer size of the place. He had seen homes on the mainland that were considerably smaller. What's more surprising is that he found his things unpacked, his tools, coverings, family portraits, everything laid out. The only thing out of place was steam issuing from one of the joining rooms. A huge Dwarf emerged from the steam. Forin was fully armoured, which made his actions all the more mysterious.
'Forin?'
'Hello, Torbin.'
'Did you do all this work?'
'Aha.'
The young Dwarf held one of his drawings and moved to put it on a bulkhead at the back of the cabin, but Torbin got there first. 'May I look at this, my friend?' Torbin took the drawing, still wondering what was causing the steam in the other room. Forin saw him looking and giggled. 'What's funny?' asked Torbin.
'Guardswoman Soraba is here.'
Torbin nearly dropped the drawing. He spun around and almost ran the boy down. 'Why? How long's she been here? What is she doing?'
The surprise of this news made Torbin feel like a Dwarfling with his hand caught in his First Father’s sugar stick box. Forin kept giggling. 'She's funny.'
Forin then sped over to the door, put on his helmet on and left the cabin. Torbin knew he should have chased after him, but he remained shock-still. When the steam continued to flow, Torbin finally made himself go and see what was happening. He walked into a large bathing compartment, full of steam and smelling vapours. In the centre was a big bathing pit and there, sitting on its top step was a steaming, very wet, very naked Soraba. Torbin walked over to the edge, took off his helmet and grinned.
'Care to explain yourself, Guardswoman?'
Soraba grinned from ear to ear. 'I couldn't resist, Sir. When I found out you got the Commander's Cabin, I found your Second and convinced him to help me get it ready with your things.'
The naked Dwarf stood up from the water, her red flesh sending more steam into the air. She moved over the side and picked up a large bottle of what looked like mead. 'Where did you get that?' said Torbin recognising the Imperial brand on the bottle.
'I hid a bottle during the feast, thought I'd save it for something special. Now get in here... Sir.'
Torbin put the paper on the floor and started taking his armour off. Soraba moved to the back of the pit and bit the top off the bottle cork. Torbin soon got in the water, his excitement clear for his lover to see. After the day he had, he wanted this. The water was hot, a sweet salvation for both Dwarves amidst their frozen oblivion. Soraba handed Torbin the bottle, and he downed a third it. Putting it on the side, he grabbed Soraba in a huge embrace, both Dwarves falling into the depths of the pit, letting the water take them into their shared bliss.
*****
When Torbin woke up in his bed later that night, he thought Soraba had slipped out again. But his lover had just come back from the bathing compartment and rejoined him.
'You left this picture back there,' she said. Torbin laughed, taking it and putting it aside then pulled them both together again. He honestly couldn't remember a time when he was so happy. They made love all night, and this time, Soraba stuck around.
'So,' Soraba began. ‘What now?'
Torbin smiled. 'We better get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day.'
'I meant with us.'
Soraba climbed on top of Torbin. Though he was enjoying all of it, Torbin knew he wasn't going to avoid the question, whether or not he was the Commander. 'Well, you've gone through my things, you know I don't have a family group. Do you?'
Soraba shook her head. 'Warriors seldom get the chance to start families, low life expectancy and all.
'It was the sad Warrior tale. They fight through life, the sword their only companion. But nowhere was this most enforced with those of the First Battalion, who were permitted to speak only with their commanding officers. Torbin looked into Soraba's eyes. They had come so far so soon, but Torbin didn't care. He knew what he wanted. He wanted Soraba. And so they made a packed, to keep their relationship private until their business at the prison was over and find a third partner. For that was the law. No Dwarves, male or female, could declare themselves before the Great Rock until there were at least three in a relationship. It was likely that others from the expedition would guess their desire, for the mission could take a very long time. He had faith in Forin not to tell. The boy may be simple, but he had faith that his Second would not betray him.
Soraba fell asleep, but Torbin realised he had passed the point of sleep being an option. Instead, he decided to look at the drawing of Forin's. This one showed the Griftin. He was confident the young Dwarf had not disobeyed him, staying far away from the creature and drawing it from a distance. Forin's skill at rendering was surprisingly good. He had displayed the beast in its entire splendour.
He thought the creature must be made of stern stuff, for it had literally not budged for two days. The drawing showed its long tail, immobile and inert, the point of its bird head sunk into its wings. It was the detail in the wings that Torbin thought was the most impressive aspect of the drawing. It showed how it had almost wholly shielded itself with the enormous wings, the feathers in particular well displayed their grey colour and...
Torbin sat up with speed, almost knocking Soraba off the bed. The trained Warrior was on her feet near as soon as she hit the deck, setting herself in a fighting stance. When she could see nothing wrong, she looked at her lover.
'What is it? You looking to claim me again?'
But Torbin didn't answer. He started to breathe rapidly, the scars on his chest seemed to hurt with the very thought of what he'd discovered. Forin had drawn the Griftin's wings in considerable detail. When Torbin last looked at the creature at the end of the day, all of its feathers were a light grey. So why, Torbin thought, in the name of the Great Rock had Forin painted some of them gold?
'Put your armour on, we're going straight to the chamber, now!'
Torbin was out of the bed and dressing, Soraba was still very confused. 'But what's happened?'
'Listen, do you know where Forin went?'
'I gave him access to my cabin to stay there for the night.'
'We can't wait for him, now please, get your armour on and bring your axe!'
Soraba got the idea that whatever was troubling her new love was serious. In two minutes, both Dwarves were suited up and out the cabin door moving as fast as they could. They raced down the tunnel and found the start of the passage to the chamber. Torbin's heart sank, immediately spotting something wrong.
'Aren't the First meant to be on watch here?' asked Soraba.
'Go bring the rest of the guard and tell them it's an emergency!'
Soraba grabbed Torbin's arm and spun him round to her face. 'You can't go down there alone! If the First didn't come back out, how will you?'
'I'm giving you an order!'
'With respect, 'Sir,' shove your order!'
Torbin was too incensed to argue. 'Fine, there's a built-in alarm for the entire facility in the chamber. We'll get down there, find out what is happening and hit it.'
So in they went, axe and fire jets at the ready. They reached the chamber entrance and hid at its boundary. Quietly, Torbin signalled Soraba to stand-bye befor
e he brought his helmet up over the edge. The whole chamber was dimly light, some of the lights flickering on and off. He could see Warriors lying on the ground. His eyes raced to each one, looking for signs of life. To his great relief, he saw one of the First on the ground trying to move slowly to the entrance. If he was alive, Torbin prayed that the others were too and only unconscious. His eyes finally found the creature and were instantly locked on it. It was still in its cocoon position, but something else was different. More of the creature's wings had turned gold in comparison to Forin's drawing and wondered how he could have possibly missed it happening. He looked back to the Warrior still moving, trying to examine his armour. As far as Torbin could tell, all of the Runes on it were completely blank. The Commander was getting a quick idea of what had happened to these poor souls, but he couldn't worry about that now. He had to help the survivors.
He located the alarm on the other side of the chamber. He pulled Soraba close to him and whispered. 'Instructions. I'll make for the alarm while you pull the Warrior near the entrance out of the chamber.'
Soraba shook her head. 'Bad idea,' she whispered. 'I'll make for the switch. You have both hands free and can pull him out faster than I would with my axe.'
'But if the creature tries something, you'll be able to defend the Warriors.'
There was no time to argue, they knew that they had to act.
'I obey,' said Soraba. 'May Sapphire protect you.'
Torbin grasped the back of Soraba's helmet and pulled it against his.'
'And you.'
Torbin vaulted through the entrance, Soraba right behind him. The second they entered the chamber, they were knocked off their feet by a massive gust of wind. The Griftin had sprung to life, its wings fully stretched, standing on its massive, powerful legs. Its eyes found them, and it let out a loud shriek. The two Dwarves scrambled to their feet, and Torbin bolted for the alarm panel. The Griftin shrieked again. Its whole body seemed to glow with energy. That energy quickly shot out in a wave that filled the entire chamber. It knocked the Dwarves back off their feet. Just like the first time Torbin found the chamber, the Runes on the Dwarven armour lit up brightly and issued beams of red energy towards the creature. Torbin braced himself for the inevitable cold seeping in. But it did not come.
