We walked on in silence and after a brief moment, Venna offered me her hand. I took it gratefully and found myself feeling reassured once again by her closeness. It wasn’t long before Tási joined us, and the three of us stayed together for the rest of the day. Although we spoke little, it was not an uncomfortable quiet; it was the comforting silence of close friends simply enjoying each other’s company.
“Khorim!” I called out to the dwarf as the afternoon grew late.
“What is it now?” He grumbled.
“Why is that rock green?”
We were approaching a bend in the trail. Just around the corner, near the base of a giant oak, one of the large rocks strewn about its based was ringed with a soft green glow.
“Green, you say?” He replied.
“Yes, just one of them.”
“Show me.”
Tási and Venna were curious as well, and the four of us approached the strangely glowing rock. It continued to radiate the soft green light but gave no other hint as to just what the subtle coloring might indicate.
“I can’t tell anything, Dreya,” Khorim admitted. “I see nothing that sets any of these rocks apart from another.”
If I only had access to the wiki, I might have been able to look up what the green glow meant, but all of that information was long lost to me, gone with the formation of the barrier between the two worlds. I hadn’t thought about those events for some time; there was no point in it. I was here, and that was all that seemed to matter anymore.
I considered it for a moment before deciding to simply try and flip over the heavy rock and see what might be revealed. It wasn’t a completely rash course of action since I knew that red indicated danger, and I was hoping that green was a sign of something less hazardous.
Tási gasped as I pushed the heavy rock on its side, but nothing happened. There was just a dull thud as the rock rolled over, and the green glow disappeared. Looking behind me, I peered at the bare ground that had been revealed by the boulder’s movement.
Lying in the dirt was a small pouch—a coin purse that had been hidden by the roadside. The pouch was obviously old, having waited there many years before we discovered it.
Ding!
“By the Gods,” Khorim swore softly. “You’ve more than surpassed my skills girl.”
“Thank you Khorim,” I said laying my hand on his broad shoulder. “You are due much of the credit for that.”
As if by magic, Broda was suddenly there as well, removing my hand from Khorim’s shoulder while glaring at me reproachfully. How she came to be there I could not say, but her timing had been uncanny.
“Yes, well,” I said under her baleful stare. “Why don’t we see just what it is that we’ve found?”
I pulled apart the pouch strings and dumped the contents out in my hand. When I looked down, I saw a collection of blue and red crystals, darker than almost any I had ever laid eyes on before. Venna reached out hesitantly and took one from my hand, examining it closely.
“These are quite powerful, Dreya,” she marveled as she stared at the deep blue crystal she held between her fingertips.
“You and Tási should take the blue ones,” I offered. “The reds we can split between us.”
They began to protest, telling me how valuable the powerful crystals truly were. I should consider selling the crystals instead, they counseled, as the coin I would get for them would amount to a small fortune.
“And how many of those coins would it take to save one of your lives?” I answered when they finally let me speak.
“These are for you, my friends,” I continued. “I value each of you more than any pile of coins you can imagine. You will take these, and you will use them when they are needed. The only treasure I desire in return is your safety.”
Stel had joined us when he noticed us gathered around the overturned rock. When I finished speaking, he reached out his hand and I placed several of the red crystals in his palm. Wordlessly, he simply nodded his thanks and stepped back, leaving room for another one of my companions to follow his example.
Venna was the first to follow his lead, and I filled her hand with both red and blue crystals. When Tási strode forward next, I did the same for her as well, adding a few extra of the deep blue Aura crystals for the Evoker. Broda and Khorim each received a handful of the powerful Health crystals, and I kept the last few to bolster my own supply.
“I trust that will be enough to keep you out of trouble for a while, master dwarf?” I prodded Khorim.
“Aye, it’ll do,” he went along, smiling.
As we made our way back to the caravan, I quickly pulled up the single notification I had received.
Quest completed – You have completed the optional quest Finder’s Keeper’s. You have located your first hidden object. This ability emerges after reaching over 40% proficiency in both Perception and the sub-skill Environmental. Be aware: trap detection is a separate Skill and not all hidden objects are safe objects. You have been rewarded with 550 XP.
Well, there went my whole ‘green must be safe’ theory. Fortunately, my blunder had not been a costly one, but I would have to make sure to inspect any future hidden finds more closely before trying to uncover their secrets.
We continued on throughout the day, slowly marching beside the lumbering wagons. Something had been bothering me about my conversation with Tási, but I didn’t want to dredge up the memory of her dead cousin again. Since my concern was of a more general nature, I decided to ask Venna about what was troubling me.
“Venna,” I began. “Tási needs to send a message home to her family when we get to Dhagboro.”
She nodded her understanding as I continued speaking.
“I couldn’t help but notice from the maps that there is only a single halfling Kingdom. Not only that, but it is so isolated all by itself on its own island.”
Venna appeared to wince at my observation, and I didn’t understand her gesture until she started to explain.
“I should have mentioned this when you asked me about our world’s history. It is not a proud thing, and even recalling the atrocities makes me ashamed of our past.”
“During the time of the great wars, the various factions often fought amongst themselves for power and position. The halfling realms became favorite targets for conquest. While they make powerful spell casters, their strength in arms is far less than that of the other races.”
“Despite their powerful magics, the halflings were eventually driven from all of the lands they once owned on the continent. The only safe haven for them was the island of Isouri. They found refuge there, and while they are welcomed across the various kingdoms, they never again sought to establish another Realm of their own on the mainland.”
“None of us, Dwarf, Human, or Elf, have bloodless hands when it comes to the matter of their slaughter. To this day, there remain a few who see them only as potential prey. Those who would look at our friend Tási not as a real person, but as nothing more than an object to be abused.”
“I met two such men once,” I muttered angrily. “They will never have the chance to do so again.
“I for one am glad to hear it,” Venna replied. “I pity anyone who tries to treat Tási that way in our presence.”
There was a genuine tone of threat in her promise, a striking change from the words she had spoken only days before. I was encouraged by Venna’s sincerity and took her hand in mine as we strode side by side once again. After a while another question occurred to me, and I again relied on Venna’s store of knowledge for an answer.
“Why are they called halflings?” I asked. “I have some memories of a race by that name, but they were truly tiny in stature. Most of the halflings I have met are not really all that small.”
Venna burst into laughter at my inquiry and I had to wait a long moment before she could respond.
“Dreya,” she finally replied. “Forgive me. I sometimes forget just how little you know about this world. Tási’s people are not calle
d halflings because of their size. The name comes from the fact that they bear the features of both elves and humans.”
“It was once thought that their whole race was an offshoot of our two peoples, a hybrid of sorts, but no half-elf ever born resembles a true halfling. The term was in use for so long that even though it is based on a false presumption, the label remains.”
That certainly made more sense to me—the halflings I had met so far certainly did possess a blending of both elven and human characteristics. Tási’s delicately pointed ears, while definitely not human, were also not quite elven either; the rest of her features, from her high cheekbones to her almond-shaped eyes also seemed to be a subtle mixture of the two races as well. I filed away my new-found understanding while wondering just how many more incorrect presumptions I was making.
“Thank you, Venna. There’s so much still left for me to learn. I’m going to have to start asking a lot more questions.”
“I’ll try not to laugh at you next time,” Venna replied with a smile.
We continued to walk for hours on end, but unlike the rest of the time we spent traveling with the slow-moving caravan, this day seemed to pass in a rush. I had no doubt that the altered perception had to do with my nervousness over what Tási and I would be attempting that night, and as the day continued to rapidly draw to a close, my sense of anxiety only increased.
I had experienced the touch of another on less than a handful of occasions, and nearly all of them overwhelmed my senses, despite the brief contact. At least twice I had almost lost myself, barely able to withstand the strong desires that had stirred within me, and this had the potential to be far, far worse. I needed to make sure to set strict boundaries, ones that Tási would have to promise to abide.
All too quickly, the evening passed in a blur. Camp was made, and dinner served in a flurry of activity while my mind remained locked in a prison of dreadful anticipation. When the evening came to an end, Tási had to practically drag me back to our tent for the night.
“Will you just stop already?!” She scolded after shoving me inside.
“What?”
“You think I don’t know what’s been going through your mind all day?”
“I can’t help it, Tási. You have no idea what it’s been like,” I protested.
“No. You’re right, I don’t,” she replied. “But I do know that the situation isn’t going to get any better if you refuse to even try to work on it.”
“Just get ready for bed,” Tási offered. “Let’s just relax for a while before we try anything.”
When I attempted to simply lay down without changing out of my armor, Tási looked at me sternly. While it was how I normally slept while traveling the dangerous roads, tonight was clearly an exception in her mind.
With a sigh, I unfasted the straps on my chest piece and tossed it aside. Tási responded to this with a harsh cough, and I looked at her questioningly.
“You’re going to have to do better than that Dreya,” she informed me.
“It’s just the padding,” I protested.
“You can either remove it completely or throw your nightdress over yourself in its place. That thing is far too much.”
She was right. The tight quilt of the padding wouldn’t allow her to reach me easily; I just wasn’t very happy about it.
Reluctantly, I shed the padding and threw my nightdress on over my head. I let out a frustrated sigh as I finally laid down, and Tási curled up next to me, leaving a small space in between us.
As we lay together, I began to gradually calm down. Tási stayed near me, but never tried to move any closer. Finally, resigned to making the attempt, I tried to set some limits.
“Tási,” I began hesitantly. “I need to know that this will be safe; at least as safe as I think I can make it.”
She nodded her understanding and I continued.
“When you place your hand on me do not move. Not even in the slightest.”
I knew well that the intensity of her touch would only increase with the barest of movement, and that the craving her soft hands gliding across my skin would generate was far more than I was prepared to withstand.
“And no matter what, no matter what I say or do, you are to stop after no more than ten seconds. Sooner than that if I appear to lose control.”
“When you are ready, I will do exactly as you say, Dreya,” she replied.
I took another deep breath and lay still again, searching for a calm place in my mind. I looked to Tási and she cast her Spell of silence around us, as she had done every night during her own sessions.
We remained there just watching each other for another few minutes as I gathered my courage. Finally, having done all I could, I simply nodded my head and let her proceed.
Tási lifted my nightshirt carefully and folded it over, exposing the delicate skin of my abdomen. She paused, seeming to gather herself before reaching out and placing her hand above my already trembling body. I watched as her hand descended and shuddered as I felt her warm skin press against my own soft flesh.
The thrill was immediate and intense—waves of warmth radiated from her hand and pulsed through my body. Heated passion instantly coursed in my veins, and I felt my back arching in response to her touch as shivers ran through me in rolling arcs of pleasure. I could feel the beating of Tási’s pulse through the palm of her hand, and it echoed through my body in throbs of heated ecstasy. The sensations continued for long minutes, filling me with desire, and my hips begin rocking in anticipation of release. Suddenly, abruptly, my passion began to ebb when Tási finally pulled away from me.
The intense desire still lingered in me as I opened my eyes, and I stared at Tási with a mixture of powerful lust and pure rage. She had blatantly disregarded my directions and held me enthralled for far longer than I had been prepared to resist.
She recoiled from my gaze, recognizing the dual emotions in my eyes. Tási raised her hands defensively, fully expecting an attack but unsure what form it might take; amorous or furious.
“Why?” I finally managed to say breathlessly.
“Why what?” She whispered, still fearing my response.
“Why did you hold me there so long? I said only ten seconds!”
“Dreya,” she pled, “That was only ten seconds, I swear!”
I looked at her incredulously. Had it really only been ten seconds? Was that even possible?
“I would have sworn you kept me there for several minutes, Tási.”
“I’m sorry Dreya,” she cried. “It happened so fast, and you reacted so strongly. I—I should have stopped even sooner, but I felt it too.”
Her confession reminded me that there had been consequences for Tási as well.
“Was it the same as when I touch you or is it different?” I asked, hoping that my desires would continue to fade as we kept talking.
“No,” she replied. “It’s less intense for me this way.”
“Did it help with your symptoms?”
Tási thought for a moment, searching inside herself for the answer.
“No, I don’t think so. It’s still intense, but the feeling is very different.”
I sat up and self-consciously covered myself. Neither of us spoke for a long while before I broke the silence.
“Pass me my clothes, Tási. I think I should get dressed now.”
She quietly passed me my discarded garments and I put them back on quickly. Feeling a sense of security in my coverings, I ventured another comment.
“I’m sorry I got mad at you, Tási,” I apologized. “Next time, we will have to try a much shorter time limit.”
“Of course, Dreya,” she said with relief.
We cuddled together tentatively at first before settling in more comfortably. I had almost drifted asleep when Tási spoke again.
“Dreya, there’s something you should know.”
“What is it?”
“You weren’t very quiet either,” she said mockingly.
The res
t of our trek to the dwarven Kingdom passed uneventfully. The caravan traveled slowly by day, spending each night in one of the fortified campsites along the route. Tási and I continued our sessions but had little to show for it. Tási was still plagued by her symptoms if I let her go more than two days without aiding her. I fared no better, as I was forced to limit her contact with me to no more than three seconds; any longer, and it became far too much for me to bear.
The journey became tedious, and it was a relief when the dark stone walls of Dhagboro finally came into view. Entering the dwarven Kingdom for the first time, I immediately noticed the stark difference between this city and the others I had traveled to before.
The stone architecture was mostly spartan. Though there were many beautifully adorned structures, the dwarves seemed to spare such efforts for only their most important or honored places. Here and there we passed some special structures that had stone carvings of amazing detail and craftsmanship or adornments of beautiful inlays of metal and jewel. These incredible buildings rivaled anything I had seen elsewhere but were few and far between. The vast majority of the city’s construction seemed strictly utilitarian, designed to serve a purpose and little else.
Dhagboro was also different in that it had been built into the side of a large mountain—not onto the mountain, but indeed into it. Fully half of the city was carved from the bones of the mountain that towered above our heads. The portion carved inside the solid rock was actually the original town of Dhagboro. The rest of it, the entire outside portion of the city, had come later as the town expanded beyond its original confines.
None save Khorim and Broda had ever set foot in the dwarven Kingdom of Dhel-Ar, so we followed Khorim’s lead as he walked us to a local inn. I would have thought Broda might stay beside him as he marched us through the city, but she hung back, seemingly growing more and more uneasy with every step she took. I tried to talk to her, to inquire about what might be troubling her, but she only brushed me off. Whatever it might be, she was clearly unwilling to talk about the matter.
Khorim brought us to the older section of the city, and we plunged into its darkness. Fortunately, the dwarves were accommodating, and the area was well-lit. This was the area where the majority of the city’s dwarven population resided and the architecture was older and became a bit more ornate. The former drab construction was replaced with structures covered in detailed carvings and various embellishments. Apparently, they had placed quite a bit more importance on the appearance of their own structures as compared to the ones they had erected for others to use.
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