by Dave Hazel
“Tell him thank you,” Mykal said and dipped his head.
“King want you know for many Dwarves you do great deed. You hero to many. You be foe to few. Metz great warrior. Metz mean. Metz cruel. Some may not take goodly.”
“What, are you telling me I gotta start worrying about Dwarves trying to kill me for revenge?”
“No, No,” Krink replied. In the light that Mykal noticed Krink’s hair and beard were more of a dirty blonde where as Norg’s his hair and beard were dark brown. Krink stood shorter and his frame smaller than Norg. Krink had more of a pudgy face, whereas Norg had tighter, harder, looking features under his coarse facial hair.
“You need speak customs,” Norg said to Krink, his voice sounded raspier than Krink’s voice. “They know not customs.”
“Yes, I speak customs. You dead Metz. Battle approved by King. You own all belong to Metz,” Krink said. His head dipped.
“I don’t want his stuff,” Mykal scoffed. “Just give it all to his family or closest friends?”
“You own Metz family,” Norg said as casually as speaking of the weather. “All belong Metz, belong you. King only concern Metz friends want wife. Not good Dwarf wife own by hoomin.”
“I don’t believe this. Are you kiddin me? I don’t want his wife. I don’t want his possessions. I just wanna get the hell outta here. That’s all I want,” he said and raised his voice.
Krink stretched out his arm to lead the way. “Come. Come. I take, show all you own.”
“I don’t wanna own anything,” Mykal said and threw his hands up. “Why can’t this just be easy and let me go?”
“You not slave,” Norg said to ease his mind. “This proper.”
“Mykal, my friend,” Towbar’s familiar voice broke through with a calming sense of reason. “They explained to me what is taking place. You are the rightful owner of everything that belonged to Metz including his family. You must take ownership of his possessions and then you are free to do with them as you wish. If you wish to take them with you, you may. If you wish to give them to another, you may. The Dwarven custom is strong. I advise go through the process. Take ownership. Then release it to the Dwarven people. You will be viewed highly among the Dwarven people for following their customs.”
“I see what you’re saying,” Mykal sighed and calmed down. “I gotta just play the friggin game and be done with it.”
“I think yes,” Krink replied with uncertainty.
“I better not get stuck with some ugly ass looking little kid that I have to take with me,” he huffed in attempt at humor that Krink didn’t catch. Boris and Sam laughed. He waved for his friends to come with him. “Can they come?”
“Yes, yes.” Krink nodded and waved his stubby arm. “Come.”
“May I come as well?” Doninka asked.
“Yes. Come, come. We walk, I talk customs and ways. King and giant do plans of war on Sosos.”
“What kind of family did Metz have?” Mykal asked.
“Metz have woman, three sons. Sons grown, not little.”
“Am I gonna have to worry about being stabbed in the back because I killed their father?”
“If you know customs I be angry, offended by question,” Krink said and stopped to look Mykal in the eye. “You not know customs, question go unheard. Please say no such thing again. We proud race. Never stab in back unless heat of war. When family learns Metz dead battle pit approved by King they not hold anger. If they hold anger they ask challenge to battle pit. King not grant again. You visitor.”
“Too bad it’s not like that where we’re from,” Sam said.
“Where from?” Krink asked all of them.
“I am from Beramus, the Great Walled City,” Doninka said.
“Towbar says you gotta keep that a secret,” Mykal reminded her. He didn’t want her to say anything that would give away her true identity. “It’s not that we don’t trust you Krink, it’s just that Towbar wants her importance to be kept a secret. You understand, don’t you?” He looked at the Dwarf who eyed the woman as if sizing up her importance.
“I no heard your words. I can trust with secrets,” he said and smiled under his heavy beard. He waved his hand over his face as if wiping away the memory of their spoken words. “Where from?” He looked to Mykal, Boris and Sam.
Mykal looked to see if his friends had a believable story or explanation. Boris and Sam both just shrugged. “It’s kinda hard to explain without you thinking that we’re lying or that we’re not good in head,” Mykal said slowly. “But we’re not from the city where she’s from.”
“Secret where from?”
“No, it’s not a secret. We’re from another world.”
Krink looked and waited for him to clarify himself. “From outside boundaries of country?”
“Yeah, way outside the boundaries,” Boris chuckled.
“He speaks the truth,” Doninka chimed in. “Towbar says they have been sent here by the gods to help us win our war against the Sosos. There is something very special about them.”
“You sent by gods?” Krink asked. “Are you gods?”
“No, we’re not gods, and we weren’t sent by any gods,” Mykal said a little annoyed. “We’re just normal like everyone else around here--” he stopped when he realized ‘normal’ to be such a relative term. “We’re just from another world. We don’t know how we got here and we’re trying to find our way back home. Let’s not talk about that right now. Please, finish telling us about your customs.”
“We have few females. One female, eight males. That from three years ago. Metz good family leader. Great warrior. Metz great army leader. At home Metz gentle. At home Metz kind, Metz caring. Metz different when warrior.”
“Why are you so low on females?” Sam asked.
“I know not. At times numbers worse. At times numbers better. I ask you,” he turned to Mykal and looked deeply into his eyes. “Not take Metz woman from here. I pay you greatly to keep woman here. You refuse offer, I never speak of it again. Our race need her.”
“Krink, I don’t wanna take her with me, and you don’t have to pay me for her. What would I want with her anyway?”
“Woman hard worker. She work hard for slave.”
“I don’t want a slave,” Mykal laughed out with shocked incredulity. “I just killed Metz cuz I didn’t wanna be his slave. So why the hell would I wanna make her my slave?”
“You win Metz wife. Dwarven people hate slavery,” Krink said sadly. “There time when we against slavery. Think slavery brings deep hatred to our freedom loving people. There time when Dwarves fight to free all slaves all-where. Before Dwarves moved into mountains. Long before my birth.”
“What happened then?” Sam asked.
“I know not,” Krink answered and looked upward as if he was trying to find an answer overhead. “My think may be right, my think may be wrong, best answer I know of subject. When Dwarven people said farewell outside world, closed Dwarves in mountains. Dwarven people start be violent. Dwarves fight among Dwarves. I believe it after closed in mountain. Many want explore world, explore unexplored, see all of world. Did not disobey King’s orders. Dwarves angry with Dwarves. Battle pit big many times for foolish reasons. After King dead, new King, now long dead, decided be better punish crimes with slavery not battle pit to dead. That King thought hatred of slavery make crimes cease. Crimes not stop much. Slavery to my people bad thing to happen.”
“Look Krink,” Mykal spoke as they continued walking into another area crowded with Dwarves who stopped to look at the strangers. Clearly they had never seen humans before. “I don’t really want anything that belonged to Metz. Let his wife have everything and she can go free.”
“Not worry,” Krink replied and gently tugged on his thick blondish beard. “It custom. Take what belong you.”
“I won’t feel right. Where I come from it’s not right. I just want my freedom, not his stuff.”
“Your choice. Look at possessions, not want, give away.”
�
��Wait a minute,” Mykal snapped his fingers as a thought popped into his head. “I know what I would like to have. But that’s if he has any, and if your people won’t mind.”
“Matter not what Dwarves think. It legal, so say King, you have all Metz belong. What desires?”
“One of those two-headed animals. The Quecktarbs. Whatever the hell that ugly ass wolf looking thing was,” he said with excitement. He curiously wondered what kind of reactions and stares the Quecktarb would get back in his world.
“That all you wish?” Krink asked as if it would not be a problem at all. “How many you wish?”
“Just like that, I can have one? I thought they are rare.”
“They rare. You own all Metz belong. Your Quecktarbs. Ask not take Metz woman.”
“I won’t take his wife. Does Quecktarb name mean anything?”
“Hard to speak common tongue. Means dog, means wolf in one like two heads. Quecktarbs smart animals. Learn much fast. Much fast learner. Quecktarbs most loyal beasts. Master and beast may learn language that speak through thoughts.”
“Are you saying Quecktarbs and their masters can communicate with their thoughts?” Mykal asked to clarify.
“Yes, from my know, that true. Quecktarbs swift. Quecktarbs much strong. Two heads think like one. Two heads work like one. Quecktarbs dark in color. This important to know. Not forget this. Should beast change to light color with age must dead beast. If born light color must dead beast. Colors white, yellow and gray bad colors, much bad colors.”
“Why’s that?” Mykal asked suspiciously.
“Light color Quecktarbs much evil,” Krink answered showing deep concern for his facts. “Thought of white, light Quecktarbs make deep fear Dwarven people. Must dead light Quecktarbs no wait. Must dead light Quecktarbs no fear.”
“But why? Why are they so bad?” Boris asked. His expression showed he thought it would be some silly superstition.
“Not know many facts. We dead light color Quecktarbs before evil,” Krink said and seemed to get excited. “Passed down for ages, know light color Quecktarbs big intelligent than dark Quecktarbs. Light Quecktarbs evil, dark Quecktarbs normal animal. Evil Quecktarbs make voice. Evil Quecktarbs speak words. Evil Quecktarbs make deceive talk. Evil Quecktarbs make victim do deeds. Evil Quecktarbs shrewd, make obey orders.”
“You mean the Quecktarbs, an animal, has some kind of mind control over people?” Mykal couldn’t keep from snickering in disbelief. “I don’t know how that’s possible.”
“Evil Quecktarbs yes that. Evil Quecktarbs change body form to different beast. Then trick prey. Evil Quecktarbs hunting beast. Feed flesh all beasts. Feed flesh all Dwarves. Evil Quecktarbs feed flesh hoomin. Evil Quecktarbs drink blood all victim,” Krink spoke slowly to make his points.
“What kinda crap is this?” Sam laughed quietly.
“Maybe I oughta re-think taking one of these things back with me,” Mykal chuckled and pretended to be fearful. Mykal didn’t believe what Krink said, assured the information to be superstitious ‘Dwarven old wives tales’. ‘Maybe Krink is trying to fool me into not taking a Quecktarb as a pet.’
“Sounds kinda farfetched to me,” Boris scoffed.
Sam smirked. “It sounds like a horror movie in the making.”
“Only light color Quecktarbs. Dark color Quecktarbs no evil. Evil Quecktarbs cunning beasts. Nasty beast make big harm, make big pain, people not eyes opened,” Krink explained and used his hands to cover his eyes to show someone not paying attention.
“Sounds like hocus pocus nonsense if you ask me,” Sam said.
“No nonsense,” Krink barked with surprising anger.
“Just think Doninka, the one we killed wasn’t an evil white one it was a regular old run of the mill good Quecktarb.”
“It looked evil and vicious to me,” she said.
“It’s probably some ingrained fear,” Boris remarked. “They probably really believe something will happen so--”
“Fools! You fools not take words to heart. We lived this through ages. You risk.”
“I’m sorry Krink,” Mykal apologized for them. “We shouldn’t be laughing at something we know nothing about. I’m sure you’re telling us something of great importance, but you see, for us, this all sounds strange to us so it’s hard to believe. We don’t have Quecktarbs where we’re from. But I will take your word and trust what you’re saying. Look, all I would want is a Quecktarb, so if you wanna take us back to Towbar we’ll just hang out with him and you can get me one. I’m giving you my permission to give all that belonged to Metz to his wife and she can go free. I don’t need to see anything else.”
“Take to giant,” Krink agreed with a nod. They turned back.
“Thanks. Tell us more about your people,” Mykal requested.
“Dwarven people serious people. Not find humors like hoomin race. Or other races. Dwarves serious when work involved. Must make boast. Dwarven people finest miner all world. Dwarven people great crafts-work all metals. Must boast, how you say- greatesters, greatestest workers of metals.”
“The greatest is what you mean to say,” Boris said.
“Dwarven people make greatest, strongest weapons. Speak truth not lie. Strongest love for Dwarven people be gold. Dwarven people take gold, take precious metals, turn into finest jewelry all world,” he said proudly and held his head up.
“What did you mean when you said other races after you said human race?” Boris asked.
Krink smiled. His eyes lit up. “My hoomin friend, Dwarven people not hoomin people. Dwarves own race. Dwarves one race. Hoomin one race. Dwarves not small hoomins. Dwarves no hoomin blood. Dwarves different likes Elves different. Like Goblins different. Many races as well. Some say like hoomin, not true.”
“Now I’m really confused,” Sam scratched his head.
“Long ago, before move in mountain, Dwarves shared land with others. No hoomins. Some races good, some races evil. One good peoples Elves. Elves good, Dwarves good, not good together. Elves different. Together fought evil races, good. Not good live together. Different. Elves, Dwarves put aside differents make good defeat common foes. Dwarves think Elves nature too carefree. Elves think Dwarves nature too serious. Elves carefree nature not responsible. Easy going thinking never ending. Always merry, never accomplish much. Dwarves serious thinking accomplish much, never merriment. If Elf here Elf say they live right Dwarves live hard. Both side right, not wrong, different.”
Mykal sighed with amazement. “The more we stay here and the more we learn about this place, the more I feel like we’re trapped in a Dungeons And Dragons fantasy game.”
“Dragons?” Doninka asked as if she had just been woken from a nightmare. The fear in her pretty eyes at just the mention of the word was striking. “Why do you keep bringing up dragons? Do you know where they are?”
“No, but why do you keep freaking out every time I say the word dragon? That’s the second time I’ve said that word and you nearly jumped out of your boots,” Mykal jeered.
“Speaking of dragons, are they real? Do you have dragons around here?” Sam said. “Cuz I’d really like to see one.”
“No, no, not want,” Krink replied sharply and pointed his stubby finger in Sam’s face. “Dragon worst beast all world. Not myth. Not know what you speak. Speak it no more,” he demanded and then rambled off in his Dwarven tongue. “Dragon greatestest beast,” he said and he seemed more animated than by anything he spoke so far. He tugged on his beard while his eyes widened. “Some speak of sight of dragon make dead. Dragon fear make one slit own throat than face beast.”
“I have heard talk of dragons,” Doninka said. “I have never seen one with my own eyes. The destruction they are capable of is beyond description. They can fly,” she gasped.
“What about these Elves?” Boris asked. “Do they still exist? And are they still around here?”
“Not know. Elves good to hide race. Elves more forest folk. Dwarves mountain folk, hoomins flats folk. Hoomins live all lands. We
speak when return,” Krink said and he stopped them at the entrance to the king’s palace grounds. “Return with Myk-kal Quecktarb,” he nodded and cracked a smile as if it was difficult to allow a smile to form on his bearded face.
“Alright. But wait, let me ask you another question,” Mykal stopped Krink. He hesitated before continuing. “Can we take some of these?” He asked as he bent over and picked up a handful of rocks. They had slight tints of various colors of blue, green, yellow, pink and brown. The others didn’t see anything exciting about the rocks off the ground.
Krink gave him a puzzled look. “You desire, you speak King Krago. King must rule before leave mountain. Agreed?”
“Oh yes. I give you my word. We’ll see you later. Hey guys, start filling your pocket with these and don’t tell anyone when we get back,” he said. Mykal wildly stuffed all his pockets with the varying sizes and shaped stones.
“Are you outta your mind?” Sam laughed.
“Let me tell ya something guys. These may look like plain old rocks to these people, but to the people where we come from, these rocks are what is known as diamonds. Yes, I said diamonds. These are uncut, unpolished, raw, make you filthy rich diamonds. I have a couple relatives who are gemologists and they own some jewelry stores. I almost got into the business, but after a couple of classes in school I just found it too boring. I’m almost positive these are raw uncut diamonds,” he laughed and greed covered his facial expression. “And some of these rocks make the Cullinan diamond look like a pea,” he exaggerated with a broad smile.
“Myk, what the hell is that supposed to tell us?” Sam laughed as he stuffed his pockets with the stones.
“The Cullinan diamond is the largest diamond ever found, and if I remember correctly, I think it was found in the early 1900s,” Mykal said excitedly. He looked surprised they didn’t know. “I can’t remember if it was just under or just over 3100 carats. It was 1.3 pounds heavy of pure diamond. So listen up, if we get back to the real world, and if these really are diamonds like I think they are, we’re gonna be filthy rich.”