by P. G. Thomas
One dwarf called out above the wind and rain, “We do not have to break your granite. We can walk around you.”
Shaking his head, he rolled his shoulder, catching the wet sheath in his rain-soaked gantlet. Then, with his long reach, extracted the mighty sword, which so many had only seen in the great play. With electricity dancing across the runes, he shrugged his shoulders, causing the spikes in his mantel to extend, and then raised the sword to the sky. Father’s rage, only warn them. Dozens of bolts of lightning exploded into the valley ground, causing it to erupt when it received the angry energy from the dwarf-forged metal. Unlike his sword’s response, his reply was quiet, “You could try.”
One dwarf shouted out, “He is not dwarf, and we need to defeat Ironhouse.”
“THEN MY GRANITE BREAK IF BRAVE ENOUGH YOU ARE!”
One dwarf stepped forward, his voice filled with an equal anger, “You have already wasted too much time. You are one, and we are many. The bards ready to record this epic battle.”
Eric began to lower his visor, “Your name?”
“It is of no importance to Ironhouse, but I am called Gril Stonefist. Leader of the many clans many that will end Ironhouse this day, and one day, I will sit on the Morning Throne.”
“The Ironhouse bards have named you the Foolish Ones, Your names, if you wish, I will tell them. Where are the other clan leaders?”
Over a hundred dwarves stepped forward.
“Too many to remember, just carve your names into your shields or armor so that the Ironhouse bards will know whose blood they pen their story with.”
Gril Stonefist hurled his massive battle hammer at Eric’s Granite Peace. Hitting dead center, the dwarf horde cheered and began to advance, but when the hammer smashed through, it unleashed the thousand lightning bolts and thunder explosions that Eric had used to carve it. The eruption of raw power knocked Gril Stonefist back twenty feet, causing most in the front lines to fall backward, when the percussive waves of the now freed storm rolled over them. With most in the front now lying on their backs, Eric raised the sword to the sky again, and with lightning bolt after bolt slamming into it, the energy danced across the sword and armor. While it is one thing to see the great play, imagining the Champion, it is an entirely different matter to see history re-birthed in front of your eyes, causing all of the dwarves to back up. Eric lowered his sword, raised his voice, “YOUR LEADERS ARE BLINDED BY THEIR OWN ARROGANCE. THEIR HEARING CORRUPTED BY OLD LEGENDS. TAKE THEM BACK TO YOUR MINES, HEAL THEM, AND SELECT MORE WORTHY TO LEAD.” With Gril Stonefist still lying motionless on the ground, those in the front ranks were either rubbing their eyes or holding their ears. “I AM IRONHOUSE. THIS IS MY CLAN. THIS DAY, MY GRANITE PEACE YOU BROKE, NOT ME. SHOULD YOU RETURN, YOU WILL FIND ME HERE, AND YOU WILL KNOW HOW DARKPAYE FELT THAT DAY!” Then he pointed to the second piece of granite, “Take this with you, so if any question the word of Ironhouse, their words they can see.” He never waited for a response: he was tired, angry, wet, and hungry. Turning his back on the dwarves, he headed to the Ironhouse mine.
*******
As Eric was finishing his fourth plate of food, his sixth cup of hot bean juice, he signaled for more.
Bor turned to Aaro, “Dwarf he is.”
Eric leaned back in his chair, waiting for the next plate. “If I wasn’t, you would have to rewrite the great play, and then all of the dwarf clans would really hate you.”
“Brother, I am unsure if I should thank you or not,” replied Bor.
“Why wouldn’t you let me help?”
“With war so close, outnumbered so great, my temper flared.”
“Many will think that Father protects Ironhouse now,” added Aaro, “That he reserves the throne for us.”
Eric set down his mug, “John was talking to somebody who seemed to know something about that. He said it was a gift from Mother, but it was Father that removed it from your history.”
Fodu looked surprised but replied, “Old is the legend and unfinished. Many dwarf created their own endings.”
Eric began to pick at the fresh plate of food set in front of him, “Now, Aaro, promise me, if they come back, you’ll use the bracelet I’m leaving and send somebody for me.”
“Wrong it is,” interrupted Fen, “your war it is not.”
“I am Ironhouse, dwarf. Since you helped to protect me last time, now I’ll return the favor to my clan, but I do have one question: the trollmares? Aren’t they still out there?”
“Fear lives in their hearts, as many Slayers scoured the dwarf lands. There may be more, but they are no longer a threat to dwarf.”
“What about the Granite Guardians in the valley? Are they still—upset?”
Bor lowered his head, “When I heard Earth Mother had her Earth Guard, I thought the mission was over. He who holds Heart of Earth Mother was right, and I did not shatter the intention of bond.”
Aaro nodded, walked to the door, “Silent once more they are, as return did Guardians four day past.” When he opened the door, the clean-shaven dwarfs entered, wearing their mithril armor and carrying their vast assortment of weapons, including the unique elongated double ended curved swords. Lining up, they each removed their helmets, exposing their bald heads and shame. “With you, they wish go.”
Eric smiled, “It would be my honor to have the Granite Guardians of Ironhouse escort me back.”
As the four arched their backs, raised their chins, they nodded to the Champion.
Chapter 16
After taking the smuggler’s tunnel under the river, Jedimac had carefully worked his way through the alleys to the old guild hall. Even though it was not heavily guarded like he anticipated, one friend was present: the long shadows of the setting suns. Pulling his black hood over his head, he backtracked to a different alley. There, he cut across another, crossed the street so he could approach the guild hall from the north, and halfway down on the far side, he slithered through the narrow space between two houses, stepping out into the small alley that ran beside the old guild hall. Finding the secret door quickly, he opened it, grasping onto the ladder inside. When he was younger, he always thought the wall tunnels were oversized, but he now realized how small they actually were, which meant he had to shift from side to side to raise an arm or leg. His major concern: he hoped they were using the main room on the top floor, and not one of the lower rooms at the back. The insulation, used to silence any noises from the rats, increased the heat inside the cramped space, making him sweat profusely. When he reached the top, he slid the listening door open, hearing his reward since the meeting had already started. Even though it was not a language he had mastered, he was proficient enough to understand most words or their context, so he pressed his ear to the wall.
“You all heard the news. The segregation vote is next week.”
“I still do not know how you convinced them to have another.”
“It cost me.”
“The last one, our side was locked out, and we still have no idea how.”
“I know. Send a message to all of the councilors. I want them to spend the three days and nights before the vote inside the council hall. Under no circumstances are they to leave until after the vote.”
“Good idea.”
“I know since we cannot kill all of their councilors. We are already pushing our luck and our expenses.”
“How long before the next wave lands?”
“Depending on the winds, eight probably ten weeks, but they are big ships loaded with our countrymen—and our gold.”
“How many?”
“I received word from one of the fast mail ships: twenty sail this way, but there were another ten that had just been launched.”
“We do not have that many properties!”
“I know. That is why we need to kick out those stinking peasants. We cannot afford to have them selling their properties for a fraction of what we will. If that happens, the market will collapse.”
“Look, I am already overextended with t
he bank. I am unsure of how many more I can afford to purchase.”
“Since we own the council, they will grant us permission to acquire them for next to nothing, ensuring the appearance of the new Darkpaye meets our—their standards. When the ships dock, you will have enough gold to build a house out of it.”
“What about Zymse? I still think he interfered with the last vote.”
“We all do. Him talking about giving the lands back to the people, but that is not the Zymse I remember. Those slaves in the forest that complained about their working conditions. Do you remember what he did to them?”
“Set the forest on fire with them in the middle. Same with those slaves in the mine. He buried them all alive.”
“I have no idea if he has changed or is scheming something, but in a couple of months, we can purchase his properties from the bank and evict him. Then we will rule these lands, and trust me, we will not make the same mistakes that happened in the old country.”
*******
When a portal opened in Gayne’s front room, four bald dwarves dressed in mithril armor, riding blood wolves entered, and behind them, Eric.
Jaykil walked up to the four, “Granite again you may be, but you have not earned honor.” Then he left the room.
Breax walked over to Dax Steelfire, “Guardians in the valley?”
“Quiet.”
*******
Lauren was the last to sit down at the table the next morning, “Before anybody asks anything, I want to make this perfectly clear. After we free the Bastards, we free my daughters.”
“Our daughters.”
Lauren reached out for Ryan’s hand. “Yes,” she then scanned the group. “Have there been any changes to the plan?”
“No,” replied Steve, “but since the vote is in four days, we may need to disrupt it also.”
Logan smiled.
John nodded, “I’ll go to Alron today, letting them know that I’ll be showing up late with the Bastards. Then everything happens like we said it would.”
*******
Early that night, the two carriages parked on a dark street. Eric was driving the first, and Lauren, the six Granite Guardians, their wolves, Ryan, and Jasmine were inside. Logan had guided the second with Steve beside him, and inside John sat with the remaining Earth Guards. In addition, all of the legends wore portal bracelets lent by Gayne.
When they had made a complete stop, Panry stepped outside, leading his Earth Guards to the front carriage. Opening the door, he looked inside, “When I whistle, your path shall be clear, and we will meet up with you later.” Before any could say anything, he closed the door, heading towards the bridge.
Lauren looked at Jasmine, “He’ll be able to outrun and lose them, right?”
“He is Earth Guard and shall not fail you, Earth Mother.”
Twenty minutes later, when Jasmine’s deer ears swiveled in the direction of the bridge, she smacked the inside of the carriage with her sword. Giving the reins a shake, Eric guided his carriage towards the bridge, followed by the second. Arriving on the other side, Panry and the four Earth Guards were waiting for them, and he entered the first carriage while the remaining boarded the second.
While Lauren had an inquisitive look on her face, her voice was stern, “What happened?”
“You suggested that we play hide-and-chase with them, so I suggested that the Watch foul hides, and that my men shall look for them.”
“And?”
“They hide too well, Earth Mother.”
Lauren shook her head, “At least you could wipe both the smile and blood from your face!”
With the carriage moving forward, he wiped the warm blood and cool droplets of moist night air from his face. “I tire of games.”
It took almost seven hours using the fast roads to get close to the destination. Eric, cursing under his breath the entire time, as the other wagons that used the dark road lacked any illumination. When the blood once again flowed in his knuckles, he directed them through the various streets to the desired location. Once there, both carriages stopped on a side street across from the Bastard’s prison, and when all had disembarked, Eric converted both back into amulets.
Before any could ask, a naked Zack materialized in front of them. “Thought you guys would have taken longer. I’ve been around several times, and there are no signs of extra guards or Watch. It’ll be like taking candy—it’ll be a piece of cake, Dudette.”
Lauren let out a sigh, and focusing on Mother’s magic, she raised her hands. “All will sleep.” She let the Earth Bond loose in the direction of the stone building. “Let’s do this fast because I don’t know how long that will last.”
The six mounted Guardians followed the eighteen, who ran across the street to a side door. Unsheathing his sword, Steve shoved it into the small gap, gaining them access inside. Entering in a hurry, the Earth Guards surveyed the inside, making sure that no resistance waited to greet them. With the elves leading the front, the dwarves remained at the rear, protecting against any other threats. When they heard the Earth Guard whistles, they moved to the door leading to the center courtyard, seeing the iron-clad doors on the ground. As John began to materialize the five wagons that Gayne had lent, Ryan brought forth sufficient magic to increase his strength. Ripping the locks from the earthen cells, he threw open the doors. Steve with Eric started jumping into the cells, lifting the sleeping bastards to their freedom, while the rest helped to load them into the wagons. At the far ends, Jasmine and Panry kept watch, ensuring that their visit would be the only surprise arrival that night. After an hour, with only half of the Bastards freed, Lauren turned in the direction of where the guards slept, issuing an Earth Bond in the hopes that if any stirred from their slumber they would quickly return to it. At the end of the second hour, when they had secured all of the prisoners in the wagons, John, pulling off his bracelet, opened a portal to Alron. Not waiting for anybody to tell him to leave, both John and his Earth Guards drove the wagons into it. Before they had all passed through, Lauren walked to the middle of the courtyard, and digging a small, deep hole, she placed in the earthquake stone, following the directions of Tranquil. When she stood, Eric, Ryan, Steve, and Logan were all by her side, covered in dirt but smiling. With the remaining Earth Guards forming a perimeter around the group, the Granite Guardians led the way to the street. Once outside, when a wolf transformed, Zack advised the streets were still free of curious guards, which allowed everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. Changing into an eagle, he took to the sky for a better vantage point, looking for any distant threats moving towards them, as the mixed group slowly advanced up the street.
When Lauren thought the distance was sufficient and the surrounding buildings small enough, she turned back to the prison. In her mind, she sensed the stone, called to it, “Mother’s gift, unleash your anger.”
As a low growl from the distant building rolled under the ground, the few lit streetlights began to sway back and forth. Then, under their feet, they felt the ground go up and back down, like they had been standing on a wave. When the buildings began to shake, roof tiles smashed, and glass windows broke free from their captivity, crashing onto the hard stones. Then the darkness woke with screams of terror, whereas this night had not only freed the Bastards from one horror, it had brought a new one to the Bright Coast. Holding onto each other to steady themselves, when one of the heavy stone walls from the far side crumbled under the torment from below, they heard the first crash from the prison, watching the large dust cloud vomit upwards. Houses too close to the epicenter shared the same fate with walls collapsing outwards, roofs falling inwards. Then more screams, but this time, they were filled with a different horror, being much younger.
As the ground continued to shake, Steve grabbed Lauren, “It’s called collateral damage, Kid, don’t think about it.”
Hearing two more impacts, they were followed by a large dust cloud forming above the prison, outlined by a strange orange light.
Logan turned to Lau
ren, “Fires?”
Turning her back to the horror, she grabbed Ryan, “I didn’t think it would be this bad.”
When more tremors shook the ground, fires erupted from the houses across from the prison, and then they could see the last wall of the prison swaying back and forth. Standing in front, disoriented Darkpaye citizens in their nightshirts. Calling to Mother’s magic, Lauren, with her hand, pushed the magic against the teetering wall, watching it collapse backwards and not into the street.
Steve tried to steady himself against a building, “We need to get out of here, NOW!”
Logan pulled back from the group, “They don’t deserve this. I’ll stay and put out the fires or control them.”
“No, Kid, we all need to leave!”
When Lauren nodded, Logan ran across the street trying to maintain his footing.
Carefully pulling off the bracelet, making sure he did not drop it or the amulet, Eric opened the portal, who then ushered the rest into it and back to safety.