The Shadow of Death

by Timothy Smith

  Obi: "Cael Albrecht…” The dwarf seemed stunned, there was no mistaking that he knew the name.

  Obi: “Oh, so you know who I am? I guess I’ll can leave my posturing behind then. After all, I’ve already had enough run-ins with pompous nobles to last a lifetime. No need to add any to the list, least of all myself.” The dwarf smiled nervously, seeming to agree with Obi, but not being so readily willing to admit it.

  And fully expecting his next words wouldn't be so easily believed, Obi simply stated the truth.

  Obi: "I know the dwarves haven’t believed in the Light, or the Darkness for centuries now. So I know you probably won’t believe me when I say this. The fact of the matter is that the Darkness has returned. It’s broken free of its prison, and it's currently on a mission to reclaim its full power, and become whole once again. And it intends to do this by seeking out all of its remaining essence, trapped in the orbs throughout all of the temples’ of our Order.”

  Obi: “As it stands right now, there’ll likely be only one temple left standing in the next few days. We already have the alliance of the Peoples of the West to aid us. We even somehow managed to convince the Aelaans to help defend the last temple alongside us!"

  Unsurprisingly, the dwarf was at first giving the impression he was hearing nonsense, but he was somewhat caught off guard to hear that even the Aelaan Empire would give their aid. Giving it some more thought the dwarf spoke his mind.

  Noble Dwarf: "As you said, we dwarves don't believe in such things, but it is strange that Aelaa would ever consider helping any other nation. That alone should give pause to any prudent mind. Perhaps there's something on this matter for my king to be concerned with after all. If nothing else, showing such unity between such sworn enemies, gives us a glimpse on how important it is to you humans… I'll make sure to discuss this matter with his highness personally before introducing you."

  To the pleasant surprise of Obi, the dwarf spoke sincerely. It was a stark difference from what he’d come to expect from any of their kind.

  Even by just waiting outside in the hall, it was clear that there was a ruckus inside of the king's throne room. But being behind the closed doors, the words exchanged were muffled, and Obi couldn't exactly make out what exactly what was being said inside.

  ────────

  In the chambers of the throne room, the king of the dwarves, atop a flight of stairs sat upon his royal stone crafted throne. There King Falren, being both flustered and annoyed, just stared back down at his son. He was only taking a moment to catch his breath before continuing to berate the prince.

  Falren: "Out of all my fifty sons, you easily bring me the most disgrace!-" And pointing his finger accusingly, the king continued, "-Time, and time again, you cause trouble! On almost a daily occurrence, you get into brawls at every tavern, and ill reputable business imaginable! To make matters worse, you can't seem to take any position I give you seriously! And worse yet, you flirt with nearly every other she-dwarf my kingdom has to offer!"

  At first glance, the king's remarkable accusations seemed true. By any reasonable assertion the claims would seem exaggerated, but judging merely by his son’s unserious expression, and his undeniably casually attire for his status, it rung true. At the very least, whether for better or for worse, the prince was narcissistic enough to have a well-groomed hair and beard.

  The king's son puffed out his chest triumphantly, and making light of the situation, he responded with mischievous grin when he said.

  Dwarven Prince: "My king, I can't help it that I'm just so irresistible with the ladies."

  After hearing such a lax response from his son, Falren held out his hands in frustration before covering his eyes, as he couldn't bear to see his son for the moment, all the while grunting in frustration.

  After about a good ten seconds, the king finally calmed down enough to look up. And embarrassed at the thought of it before even speaking what he had in mind.

  Falren: "You know why you’re here today…-“ He cringed, and said further, “-I don't even want to say it out loud, it’s so shameful!" The king then began to remorse out loud, as he looked upward at nothing in particular.

  Falren: "Just once I'd appreciate, if when I hear the name Boldin, it's not immediately followed by another story of one of your mischievous antics!"

  His son had his arms raised to his sides, terribly acting appalled at the statement. He then started pretending to be surprised, as he defensively said back.

  Boldin: "I would never!-“ And thinking how easy it was to be proven wrong, he quickly added, “-What about that one time!?"

  The king was almost murmuring through his hands, which covered his face, and mouth, as he answered his son.

  Falren: "One accomplishment, no matter how great, can make up for a lifetime of destructive acts and tomfoolery!"

  To the untrained eye, this had obviously become a pattern for the two, as Boldin didn't really seemed fazed by his father’s harsh scoldings. Smiling back innocently, knowing full well his father's accusations were undeniably true.

  However, Falren was growing increasingly more frustrated with every passing second. After seeing his son’s unrepentant halfhearted smile again, he decided that was enough for now. Frustrated with his wayward son, the king waved his hand dismissing him. Still rightfully upset, he made a simple request.

  Falren: "Get out of here, and I don't want to hear any more of your outrageous behavior for at least a month. You hear me?! All I ask for is a month!" Boldin turned to leave, still giving his half-hearted smile while speaking back to his father.

  Boldin: "Have a little faith, will ya?" He said almost out of compulsion, which both he and his father knew that such faith would be unfounded.

  The king knew his request likely wouldn't make any difference, because if his son was reliable at anything, it would be his constant ability to get into trouble.

  ────────

  Once Boldin left the throne room, he noticed the bald human sitting on a chair waiting his turn. The dwarf then spoke innocently enough to the strangely dressed human.

  Boldin: "Don't worry, I buttered him up for ya." And after walking a little ways off, Boldin couldn’t help but snicker to himself.

  Before Obi realized it, he noticed he had kept his eyes fixated on Boldin the entire time while he was leaving. His stare slowly changed into a glare before he said aloud.

  Obi: "I know I've seen that dwarf somewhere before…"

  And thinking on it a little further, Obi remembered. Abruptly standing up, he pointed his hands at the castle doors where Boldin just left, and said.

  Obi: "Wait a second, that dwarf owes me money!" But Boldin already had left by the time he’d figured this out, which left Obi in an awkward silence with everyone within earshot distance around him staring.

  Without Obi knowing, the finely dressed dwarf had come up from behind him. The dwarf felt increasingly uncomfortable with every passing second he was ignored. Finally, the dwarf cleared his throat before saying in a dignified manner.

  Noble Dwarf: "Well, I should go check if his highness is able to see you. Please wait here in the meantime, and please… do try to refrain from screaming, thank you." Speechless, Obi's jaw dropped after the dwarf had said this.

  Saying his opinion on the matter, the finely dressed dwarf left Obi to head into the throne room.

  ────────

  After entering the throne room, the noble dwarf noticed King Falren was still frustrated after having dealt with yet another altercation with his troublesome son. After seeing his lieges state, the dwarf nervously said to his king.

  Noble Dwarf: "Your highness, you have another guest waiting to speak with you just outside. Cael Albrecht, he's a high ranking noble from Valenor, come to request aid on behalf of the Order of the Light." The frustrated king was slightly amused after hearing this, but still said.

  Falren: "What in the world could they possibly want after all this time?"

 
The king’s servant answered him to the best of his abilities, repeating everything that Obi told him, down to the very last detail.

  After hearing him out, Falren let out a loud laugh, as he started waving his hand dismissingly while saying.

  Falren: "Those silly humans! They only wish for us to indulge in their fantasies with them! Send him away. We have more pressing matters to deal with." And with his decision, the finely dressed dwarf gave a nod, saying a quick farewell before turning to take his leave.

  After giving it a few seconds of some more thought, the king proclaimed to his servant before he could leave the throne room.

  Falren: “Stop!-“ He paused to make sure he had his servant’s attention before continuing, “-I just had a fantastic idea." He said with crooked smile, and gestured the dwarf eagerly to come closer so he could speak more privately between them two.

  Once the dwarf came close to lend an ear, the king silently said.

  Falren: "I can take care of two problems at once. I can both save face by honoring the agreement with the Order made centuries ago, and at the same time I can teach my son a valuable lesson in learning some respect!“ He said before laughing boisterously into the dwarf’s ear, and continuing to proclaim triumphantly to him.

  Falren: "Go fetch my son, Boldin, and also bring with him the human from the Order. I wish to speak with them both at the same time." The finely dressed dwarf was clearly curious as to how this would all turn out, and didn't spare one moment before leaving at his king’s request.

  ────────

  Moments later, Obi saw the finely dressed dwarf open the throne room’s doors, and hurriedly walk passed him. Speed walking towards the castles doors, it was as if the dwarf was trying to remain undetected by his human guest.

  When Obi saw the dwarf doing this, he lifted his hands up to his side in frustration at the notion of being ignored. Doing this only made the dwarf that much more flustered in his quest to flee the castle quickly. Before Obi knew it, the dwarf had already scampered away through the castle’s doors, leaving him behind and completely dumbfounded.

  After a few minutes later of waiting impatiently, Obi saw the finely dressed dwarf had come back. And walking alongside the dwarf through the castle doors’ was Boldin. When the two came closer, Obi could tell that the prince had been complaining incessantly about having just been dismissed, and immediately being summoned back. Boldin's complaints to the other dwarf finally relented when he saw Obi angrily squinting his eyes at him. The glaring made Boldin feel uneasy, compelling him to ask Obi.

  Boldin: "I’m not really used to humans… So is it just me, or are you glaring at me?!" A little upset as he stared down the Dwarven prince, he replied.

  Obi: "You don't remember me, do you? It was nearly nineteen years ago you promised me, and a handful of other dwarves both fame, and fortune. And how did that turn out, hmm?!... You led us straight into an ogres den! Thinking back on it, maybe I should consider myself lucky compared to what happened to the others...-" He said in frustration, waiting a second for it to sink in before asking further, "-Do you recognize me now?"

  After Obi said this, Boldin's eyes widened, almost seeming to bulge out of their sockets. The dwarf obviously remembered.

  Noticing his expression was giving away too much, Boldin quickly looked away to cough before saying unconvincingly.

  Boldin: "I have no idea what you're talking about. You must have me mistaken for someone else." He said while waving his hands dismissively of the thought.

  Momentarily stunned by the dwarf’s audacity, Obi could hardly believe what he was hearing. And letting his emotions get the better of him, Obi grabbed the Boldin’s shirt collar. Having a firm grip on the obnoxious dwarf, Obi started shaking him vigorously as he yelled in a desperation.

  Obi: "Don’t you lie to me! Where's the treasure and life of comfort you promised me, huh?! If I had half the wealth you promised, I might have been a king!" After being shaken around for a bit, Boldin admittedly exclaimed back while knocking Obi's hands off him.

  Boldin: "Okay, okay, I recognize you! Geeez! But let’s be reasonable here! We both know if there was any treasure in those caves, our group sure as heck didn’t find em. If you’d like to get reacquainted with those ogres to double check, you be my guest!"

  The dwarf said in his dismissive defense, spitting on the ground in frustration at the thought of his wasted effort, completely forgetting he was spitting inside the palace walls.

  Obi closed his eyes, as he was desperately struggling to contain his urge to take a swing at the dwarf before the finely dressed dwarf intervened to exclaim/

  Noble Dwarf: "Please, do refrain from spitting on the carpet!"

  The finely dressed dwarf was upset enough about the vulgar display that he momentarily forgot what his task was. Clearing his throat, the noble-like dwarf said further.

  Noble Dwarf: "Ahem! Under the king's command, I have brought you both here to have an audience with his highness." Boldin had no idea what to expect, but nonetheless replied in a disgruntled tone.

  Boldin: "Fine, whatever. Let's just get this over with. I have places to be, and I don’t intend to be here any longer than I need to." Seeing that the more difficult of the two so easily agreed, the matter seemed settled as the finely dressed dwarf escorted them both into the throne room.

  ────────

  After the two were escorted inside the throne room, Boldin couldn't help but notice his father’s wide mischievous grin. Annoyed at the situation in general, the Dwarven prince complained to his father.

  Boldin: "Well, get on with it! Why'd you call me back here?!" His obnoxious behavior strangely gave his father an even wider grin, as he cheerfully responded to his son.

  Falren: "As respectful as ever I see.-" And pausing only for a second, the king gestured towards Obi to say, "-This man with you comes from the Order of the Light. From what I hear, he came seeking aid for his Order, referencing a treaty we made centuries ago." As the king said this, it was also partly a question for the human to confirm this was true.

  Getting the hint, Obi added to the king’s comments.

  Obi: "There's more to it than just that, but yes that sums up why I’m here." Seeing the human reaffirm what he’d been told, the king was all the more delighted, as he then turned his attention back to his son.

  Falren: "Not as your father, but as your king, I have decreed that you will be the one to help this man!" After hearing this sudden order, the prince let out in an abrupt outburst.

  Boldin: "What?!?!" His overly loud voice reverberated across the entirety of the palace halls.

  Not giving him a chance to continue complaining, the king simply ignored his son’s protest, as he elaborated.

  Falren: "You will be allowed to bring with you any ten dwarves of your choosing. All of which will be accompanying you on your quest."

  Much to the king’s surprise, the news was not only obviously disappointing to his son, but also the human.

  Obi: “Ten dwarves?!... The entire standing army of the Free Peoples of the West, and almost the entire might of the Aelaan Empire are facing against this threat head on, and what does the Dwarven king offer? Ten dwarves?! TEN DWARVES AND THIS GUY?!"

  The human so boldly said, gesturing to Boldin in general as if to displaying his physical appearance was all the evidence required. The prince just squinted his eyes back.

  To which after hearing the human out, the king did not want to admit it, but Obi did have a valid point, especially when referring to his son.

  Quite visibly annoyed at what the bald human implied, Boldin tried his best to ignore Obi's complaints. Turning to his father, he decided protesting his decision was the more important of the two matter to address.

  Boldin: "You can't be serious?! Every dwarf knows these stories regarding the Order are nothin’ but the work of human fiction!" Genuinely surprised to see his decree was denied by both parties so adamantly, the king defensively replied back.

&n
bsp; Falren: "Human, this is the best I could do under the circumstances... In the meantime, I’d ask you to wait at the entrance of our kingdom." Obi just shook his head in a fit, throwing his arms up in the air in frustration as he was leaving, and exclaiming for everyone to hear.

  Obi: "The worlds at stake, and you can only send a handful of dwarfs’, and the village idiot!" The king couldn't help but have a mischievous laugh to himself, after hearing his son be called that.

  When Obi left the room, Boldin gave his father a look of utter disapproval.

  Boldin: "You can't be serious… You're sending me away to help stop a threat that doesn't even exist!" Trying his best to look serious on the matter, the king then said.

  Falren: "In all the centuries the Order has existed, they've not once called for our aid. The agreement we made will not be broken on my watch. We must answer their call to arms." Unconvinced of the sincerity of his father’s words, Boldin was clearly unamused after hearing his verdict.

  Fearing that he'd lose his resolve, the king then hastily proclaimed his following words.

  Falren: "And the matters settled! You have three hours to make your preparations, and choose your men. Good luck son!!"

  He said while he was actively in the process of making a quick getaway. Escaping through a hidden passage in the back of his throne room, to the utter shock of his son who couldn't get a word in to protest.

  ────────

  Waiting at the king gates for much longer than he’d like, Obi was increasingly growing inpatient. Not even so much as hearing a word back on what had transpired, he grumbled to himself.

  Obi: “Maybe I should just leave…” Wasn’t much long after he said this, in which a just as disgruntled Boldin came within sight.

  The prince approached him with ten dwarves following shortly at his back. All the dwarves rode on very peculiar hairy creatures, two of which of these animals were dragging a cart that carried a huge machine of some sorts. The machine had large wooden boards bolted together but for the most part, at the moment, was almost completely unassembled. Curious as he looked at the strange machine, Obi pointed at the cart before asking.