by Umut Ersezer
“How did you get your forgiveness?” pushed Volare, keen to pry details.
Faber gave a deep sigh, then went on to tell his story of reuniting with his love.
“We’re here, Porro. Best behaviour now,” said Faber as he nervously patted himself down.
“You can count on me!” replied Porro excitedly.
Faber looked at the boy and let out a groan. He knocked on the door to his shop. It had a closed sign on the front, so it was likely Ignis was going about her business in the upstairs living quarters. Faber knocked harder, hearing footsteps coming down the stairs.
The door opened to reveal a prim and proper dwarf. Ignis’ eyes widened, jaw, dropping as she realised who was standing in front of her.
“I’m sorry for…for everything. I regret…”
Without another word, Ignis embraced Faber in her strong arms.
“You’ve always been a stupid, stubborn dwarf Faber. I thought you dead,” said Ignis as she wept into his neck.”
“I know,” he replied as they separated.
The next second saw Ignis laying a slap across Faber’s face. Porro stumbled back with surprised.
“Damn you, Faber. I curse the day I fell in love with you. Now, who’s this poor boy you’ve dragged here into your mess?”
“This is Porro, my new apprentice,” said Faber as he rubbed his cheek.
“Of course, he is. Have you explained what a hopeless dwarf and even worse husband you’ve been of late?”
“I have,” replied Faber.
Ignis’ face softened at the response. Come on, let’s get inside before you catch a chill. You’ve got some makin up to do.”
“You’re a lucky dwarf it seems Faber,” teased Volare.
“The luckiest,” nodded Faber.
**
The days and weeks of winter passed with the city still exuberant with celebrations. Parties overflowed into streets, with wine and food filling the air with delicious smells. Not even the frigid temperatures and fall of slow could dampen the spirits of the dwarves. They simply drank the cold away, making sure to pay their respects to Peritus who patrolled the lands and skies surrounding Brevis.
Ferox had also returned home to the eshin, not only protect them from the darkspawn but share the battle plan beyond the long winter season. The eshin would need to get involved in the fight if they were to stand a chance in penetrating the forest.
Reports of darkspawn activity were few and far between during these winter months. The landscape all over Kragea was blanketed in snow, no doubt also troubling the movements of the darkspawn. The respite in combat was welcome, but it left the generals with a feeling of uneasiness for they didn’t know what their enemy plotted behind the walls of snow and forest.
Volare never lost contact with Ferox, they had grown a bond that could overcome any distance. Volare didn’t quite understand, but he would grip his amethyst and keystone tightly anytime he wanted to speak to Ferox. He couldn’t imagine his life without the dragon now.
Faber had never left the forge to partake in the celebrations; however, he remained by his wife’s side, focussed on his work. He had spent the time planning and hammering Volare’s new armour and sword.
Volare used the time to train his skills within the courtyard of Faber’s forge. General Nanus had sent several tutors to educate him in the ways of war. Volare was a fast learner, drinking in the knowledge, never quite satiating his infinite thirst for more.
The memories provided him by Koralinth through the power of the gems served him well. His skill was beyond his years, and he learned faster still. He couldn’t wait to wear his new armour and strike at the darkspawn with his firebrand sword. He had asked Peritus if she could stop by the forge today to help Faber melt the platyium to be mixed with the black plated steel. The dragon was due at any moment.
Volare remained focused on his training while they waited. He swung his training sword with precision and confidence. His breath was heavy, condensing in the frigid air around him. Flakes of snow collected on his head and shoulders, only to fall off as Volare danced around the courtyard with sword and shield. Moving was the only way to stay warm these days.
He stepped to the side as his training partner thrust a spear at him. Volare stepped in and slapped the dwarf on the shoulder with the flat side of his blade. Another dwarf entered the fray, teaming up against him. Volare was not troubled, he had outgrown his tutors. He could easily fend off multiple at a time.
A shadow passed over the ground, urging Volare to look up. Peritus circled high above triggering Volare’s heart to skip a beat in excitement.
The dragon descended upon them, just small enough to fit into the courtyard that Ferox wouldn’t have been able to. Volare’s dwarven tutors immediately took a knee and bowed deeply towards Peritus. They always showed a deep admiration and respect to the dragons. Volare didn’t feel the same urge, and the dragons never demanded it of him, so he simply continued being himself. He felt a closer connection to them. He felt he could share in their power.
“Is it ready?” Peritus asked.
The next second saw Faber stumbling out of the forge carrying a breastplate with trembling arms, closely followed by Porro.
“I…I…it’s here, I have it Great One”, stammered Faber as he placed the plate onto a bed of stone. “I have coated the stone in stensa paste, it should surpass the melting point of the platyium.”
“If you have prepared it as I have instructed Faber, all will be well,” reassured Peritus.
“Yes, o’course Great One. I followed your instructions to the letter.”
“Do you have the starsight dust?” asked Peritus.
“Yes, it’s right here,” said Faber as he pulled out a leather pouch from his pocket. “Mined and also prepared to your instructions.”
“Sprinkle the dust onto the plate, then place the platyium on top. The dust will help the metals bond with each other. After I have melded them, you will need to quickly embed the gems in their correct positions. I will fire it for a final time, and then, Volare will have his armour of gods.”
Volare’s face glowed with excitement. It was a sight he could never have dreamed of. A dragon god helping his master smith friend forge the armour of the gods. He looked on, with bated breath.
Faber followed the dragons instructions, stepping back once all was in place. Peritus then stepped forward, leaning in close to the stone bed now holding the starsight dusted breastplate with the platyium ingot resting upon it.
Peritus squeezed her lips, only allowing a narrow stream of fire to flow out from her mouth. The metals began glowing almost immediately, such was the intensity of the flame. Peritus focused her stream of fire, even more, melting the ingot to have it flow over the plate armour. She widened her flame, liquifying only the surface of the plate, allowing it to mix and bond with the platyium.
The metals swirled amongst each other mixing and bonding together. Peritus had such control over her flame, only allowing certain sections and depths of the metals to melt.
“Now!” she called.
With the help of Porro, Faber rushed over with the gems, hammering into place the amethyst, diamond, opal and topaz into each quarter of the breastplate. These gems would complement Volare’s keystone necklace, emerald bracers and sapphire boots, providing him with the powers of the gods.
Faber stepped back, and Peritus once again stepped forward, checking the position of each gem with a talon. Once satisfied, she blew fire once more, softening the metal so the gems could sink further into the plate to become embedded.
“It is done,” said Peritus with a tone of finality. “The time has come we free this world Volare.”
With that final comment, Peritus spread her wings and flapped down hard, lifting her into the air, allowing her to fly off.
Faber, Volare and his tutors all gathered around plate armour and watched as it cooled from a deep red into a dark grey. This plate, however, had specks of light grey and white spread throughou
t it, no doubt due to the mixing of platyium and starsight dust.
They all waited patiently as the plate changed its colour, cooling enough to touch. Volare reached for it, hand trembling as he tried to comprehend the power he was about to wear.
“It’s ready. My finest ever creation Volare. Helped by the very gods themselves. You are one lucky lad and well…I’m not afraid’o sayin I’m jealous,” said Faber.
Volare couldn’t help but smile as he lifted the plate.
“Couldn’t have done it without you Faber, you’re the only one skilled enough to pull this off. Or so Ignis tells me,” said Volare with a wink.
Faber blushed at the compliment waving Volare to stop with the flattery he secretly enjoyed.
The armour felt heavy and incredibly hard within Volare’s grip.
Faber helped Volare slip the armour over his head, threading through and tying the fasteners at the sides to ensure a snug fit. Faber had incorporated some adjustability for Volare, in case the young man wasn’t finished growing. A testament to Faber’s skill as a smith.
Volare sensed the surge of power immediately as if his blood was washed with adrenaline. This armour all of a sudden didn’t feel so heavy. Faber ducked into his forge to return with a sword.
“Your very own firebrand sword Volare. I’ve only made a few of these, this one being my finest one yet,” said Faber while handing over the sword.
The huge ruby was held at the base of the handle acting as the pommel, the biggest to have ever been incorporated into a firebrand sword. Volare took hold of it, urging the ruby to come to life and provide fire for the sword. The gem granted his desire, and the sword came to life with a wicked flame. The gems in his breastplate, bracers and boots all glowing vividly now. Volare was ready.
“I think this is where the training really begins,” said Volare with a cheeky grin. His new gem infused armour powered his muscles, his thoughts, his movements, they were all guided by the memories of Koralinth and the powers of the gems.
“It’s time we really tested the power of these gems. I’m ready,” said Volare, as he held his fire enriched sword into the air.
** Chapter 27 **
The Lifelings Strike Back
Four Months Later…
What do you mean the king doesn’t want us to march again?” asked Trajan, more aggressively then he intended to.
“King Hastam does not wish to risk the stronghold we have established on the border, commander, surely you would understand this better than most,” explained General Brite.
“So he wants us to just sit? Just wait while the eshin and dwarves march into the forest? It’s cowardly!” shouted Trajan, giving up controlling his frustration.
“Careful, your words get away from you commander.”
“I don’t care, general. You know as well as I do this is our best chance to rid us of the darkspawn. We can’t just sit back. We need to get involved in this conflict. The dwarves and eshin are bringing a blasted dragon each to the fight! We can’t afford to not forge an alliance during this critical moment,” said Trajan.
General Brite was left scratching his chin, contemplating deeply the implications of the king’s order to not join the coalition.
“And just what do you think that eshin dragon is going to do to us after the darkspawn are gone? You think it’s going to just let us occupy these lands? The gods themselves have returned, and we cower in the shadows. The lands have thawed General Brite, it is time to march once more,” Trajan went on. “Speaking of which, I have still not received an explanation as to how our dragon god Zelogh came to be a darkspawn. Something is wrong here general, our own god attacks us, driving us away from the darkspawn. There has been no intelligence provided as to why and how we ended up facing humanoid darkspawn…”
“I hear you, Trajan!” interrupted General Brite. “But that is precisely why we must not march. We don’t know enough! We have the garrisons now that can fight off the dragons. We can hold Dritura, against darkspawn and dragons…and anything else that comes at us,” retorted Brite.
“You’ve all gone mad! We can’t hold anything, it is winter that allowed us respite from them, nothing else! The king wants the dwarves and eshin to march into the forest, he wants them to fight, wants them to become weakened by the coming battle and for what? So that he can conquer the dwarves and lands to the south as well? To what end, Brite?” asked Trajan.
“That is enough, Commander Trajan. You have your orders, and you will follow them. This discussion is over. You have already strayed into traitorous language, and you will stop,” said General Brite as he stood and made his way for the door.
“I will not stop General. Fate has brought us to this crossroad.”
The general stopped by the doorway, pausing for a moment, then without looking back left Trajan in his private chambers.
“Fools!” Trajan exclaimed.
Shala having watched the general leave, entered Trajan’s chambers. He was hunched over his desk, looking over the map of Kragea. Weeks ago the dwarves had sent messengers with a planned date and time of when to begin the combined assault into the forest. Each message was hand-delivered to the high commanders and generals along the front lines.
After Trajan’s experience with Mitchim, he now knew for certain there were spies amongst them. He warned his comrades to be vigilant against suspicious behaviour. Some heeded his warning more seriously than others.
“What do you intend to do?” Shala asked
“Something is profoundly wrong here, Shala. I know it. It is not like us to shy away from a battle, especially one with such dire consequences. Our fate could depend on the outcome of this. I can’t stand by,” explained Trajan as he breathed heavily.
“You plan to defy your orders?”
Trajan paused for a long moment, considering which course of action he should take. Conflicting emotions and strategies competing for space inside of him. In the end, however, Trajan knew what he needed to do. He wanted to be a part of history, not sit idly and watch it go by.
“Please bring my communication sphere Shala, I must speak with the other commanders,” instructed Trajan. “I also require the company of Captain Vix, she will organise our coming march.”
**
Three days later Trajan’s garrison had marshalled beyond its gates ready to make the march to the Pointed Forest for the second time. They had only received limited reinforcements from Terram during the winter, but it would need to do.
The snows had melted, and the sun’s rays warmed the skin, providing an opportunity for the humans, dwarves and eshin to advance upon the darkspawn. Reports of darkspawn activities in surrounding areas had also been increasing, giving Trajan a sense of urgency.
Less than half of the other high commanders had committed their armies to the march. They were heavily undermanned for the mission ahead. It didn’t matter, they had been threatened with execution under that law of treason, giving Trajan the impression he would probably die either way. He was surprised by his self-sacrificing attitude, he felt it went against his goals he had only a year ago. This darkspawn war, however, his burns which still gnawed at his back, the betrayal of Mitchim and the love he had grown for Shala had changed him. He still felt the ruthless desire to fight, but it was focussed on the blight that had infested the lands. So fight he would.
“The troops are ready to be mobilised, sir,” reported Captain Vix.
“Very good, we will not delay any longer. Sound the horn, we march. We will combine with the other garrisons to present a united front,” replied Trajan.
Vix, with a nod, placed the horn to her lips and sounded the instruction to march onwards.
**
“My lord, we have received reports some commanders have defied their orders and are on the march,” said Kemp.
Lewin leaned back in his chair, considering the situation.
“Let me guess Kemp, Trajan is the leader of this treachery?”
“Y…yes my lord.”
“I know my lord. I’m sorry. My agent failed in his mission. We haven’t been able to get anyone else close to him,” stammered Kemp.
“No Kemp, it is you who have failed.”
“I…I’m sorry, it won’t happen again…”
“No…no it won’t,” said Lewin coldly as he glanced to his guards that were flanking him.
The guards moved toward Kemp, who recoiled back, trying to crawl away from them.
“NO!” Kemp shouted. The last word he would ever speak.
**
The eshin entered the forest from the south first. Their connection to nature had grown stronger since the return of Ferox. They could communicate with the trees and wildlife, aiding them in their sneaky advance deeper into the forest.
Volare, riding atop Ferox circled high above, ready to swoop down at a moment’s notice. But the forest was telling Ferox and the eshin the darkspawn were not near.
It was Coniun that was charged with leading the advance below. There were no military ranks amongst the eshin, but Coniun was seen as not only one of the wisest amongst them but had also demonstrated a clear affinity and bond with nature. Able to manipulate the life around him.
Deeper they crept, the forest growing more dense and dark as they headed for the centre, where the portal was thought to be. The improvised eshin army followed behind with makeshift weapons made from farming tools. They were determined to play their role in ridding the world of darkspawn. They would lie in wait until the time came and use the cover of the forest to their advantage.
**
The dwarves had set up their forward battle camp near to the Pointed Forest. They made preparations for their assault, rolling in machines of war even larger than what the humans could build.
Though they lacked individual height and reach during combat, they made up for it with their teamwork, quality of weapons and armour and their highly effective machines of war. Mechanised to throw boulders far off into the distance, where approaching armies would be torn apart and blown away before even having a chance to engage the dwarves directly.
