by Leo deSouza
“Fine, do as ye want, Torag but be careful, we are not sure about what we are dealing with.” Thuor said, leaving.
“Don’t ye worry captain, we crossed witches, demons and all types of threats since we left our home. What more could come to impress me?” Torag asked.
Now there was just him and the lizards near the hole. The sun was gone, and no light came from the cracks in the rock ceiling of the cave anymore, darkness took all, two small torches were lit and put on both sides of the hole. Torag stood at some distance, behind a rocky bulge, the lizards where up on the aqueduct, ready to push the boulder as soon as he commanded. The night advanced, but no relaxation came to Torag, he kept watchful, looking into the black hole right ahead, waiting for whatever could come from inside it.
The rest of the company was now resting inside a cave far from there, and all the ambience was silent, except for the sound of the waterfalls and streams running through the rocks, a constant noise that filled all the place, somehow pleasant and relaxing to hear. They were lying inside a dark room lit by a single torch, preparing to sleep.
“Ye know what?” Olaf asked “Those mattresses are quite comfortable.”
“That is because they are made of dry moss.” Rurur replied.
“Will we not set watch to sleep, captain?” Olaf asked.
“I have put some stuff at the entrance of the cave, tied to a thin rope. Whoever enters this place will drop all of it to the ground and make a loud noise. But this is just for the sake of precaution; we can all feel that we are sleeping in a friendly house. These lizard men are good folks.” Thuor replied.
“Well minded captain.” Rurur said.
“What about Torag? I think his greed grows each day more and more. I bet he is right now thinking about the reward that the leader of the lizards, Krogo, will give him.” Olaf spoke.
“That is for sure.” Replied Thuor. “Anyway it is up to him now to deal with whatever comes from that hole.”
Their guesses were right, Torag was really eager to find his reward, but at this exact moment all his focus was on another thing, a strange wind began to flow coming from the hole, stirring the flames of the torches, the dwarf peeked over the bulge, trying to see through the darkness. Looking up to the aqueduct, he checked the lizard men, they were ready and waiting for his order.
“Come ye horrid thing whatever ye are… Scorpion or spider… Or maybe both… I don’t give a damn…” He whispered to himself.
More time passed and the dwarf kept vigilant, but the tiredness was taking him, and even his will began to weaken as the desire for reward gave place to the memory of a good soft mattress to rest. The sound of the water around was making him even more sleepy, like an invitation to fall and forget about everything else, but Torag did not sleep, and in his mind now he was doubtful whether something would really come from the dark hole. The wind stopped, and the ambience became strangely stuffy, a sound was heard coming from inside the hole. Torag squinted, looking out, something was moving there, though he could not recognize any form. He looked up and raised one arm in the air, hissing, the lizards got ready and prepared to push the boulder. Now looking into the darkness, the dwarf could see, eight reflecting globes against the frail light from the torches, and Torag wondered about how big would be a creature to own such orbs if they were eyes as he was now guessing. Then finally he got the proof he was waiting for, from inside the hole came a huge leg, like a dry twig, not covered by hair but a shiny shell, quietly extending out of the darkness, like a sneaking snake, and the more it showed, the more Torag realized how huge its owner would be. He was not afraid, but for sure worried about what could come. Then the leg rested its tip slowly on the ground inside the grotto, for a moment, nothing more happened, Torag was eager to have an opportunity to smash the entire monster. But then another leg came, so slowly as the previous one, it was then the dwarf realized he was dealing with something probably bigger than he first guessed, surprised and wide eyed, reason surpassed his boldness, he hissed loudly and quickly lowered his raised arm. The lizard on the aqueduct got the signal and pushed the boulder, it fell on the ground right on the hole entrance, smashing one of the horrid legs and blocking the way, a loud scream was heard, and then a disturbing sound like something moving, a huge body being dragged, it gradually lowered, going deep back in the hole.
The plan was executed and finished, the lizards were dismissed by Torag, and he himself found there a piece of the leg, still leaking a strange liquid. He came back to the cave where the others of his company where sleeping, planning to not wake up anyone and only tell the story on the next morning, but after stumbling on the stuff Thuor put in the entrance, everyone in the surroundings woke up, including some sleeping lizards in caves nearby.
“So… Ye are finally back… What happened? Did ye kill the monster?” Olaf asked, asleep.
“I’ll tell ye all tomorrow, for now ye can rest in safety, the hole is blocked.” Torag said, laying on a mattress. The joy of a successful task took him, but in his mind, the image of the huge legs coming out from the darkness was still disturbing, wondering what the creature was that owned them.
Leaving the darkness .
The next morning the dwarfs woke up feeling strangely rested, considering that they slept in a cave on moss mattresses, none of them expected such a pleasant night. Again time the lizards offered them the same food, but now they managed to reject it without creating much polemic, just saying they were not used to eating in the morning. The company gathered in the main cave one more time and contemplated the underground waterfalls shining against the light.
“I would like to invite you to stay as much as you like, my dwarf friends.” Krogo said as he approached, being escorted by two guards.
“Thanks for your invitation, Krogo, but we need to leave now, there is much business of ours to deal with.” Thuor spoke.
“I see, I see…” Krogo replied. “It is not always that we come to receive good dwarf friends in our dwelling. Anyway our place will be always open for you, you are always welcome.”
Thuor bent in respect.
“I’m happy to see ye are satisfied with our provided services, milord. Did ye see the blocked hole yet?” Torag asked.
“Yes, master Torag. An excellent job ye did. And my folks told me how ye smashed the monster. None of its friends will come to bother us now after this.” Krogo replied.
“Well herm… Yes, the monster is smashed.” Torag replied, telling a half truth.
The other dwarfs seemed to notice him wavering.
“Behold the trophy of battle!” Torag suddenly exclaimed, showing the piece of leg from the monster.
All the lizards came close to see it, Krogo looked wide eyed. “What a fortunate day for my folks! Dwarf heroes comes to our dwelling to protect us against the evil things! Now as promised, a worthy reward for those who joined us in the effort to guarantee safety among our houses.” He turned to one of his vassals and took from him a small chest.
Torag’s eyes glistened.
“Accept this humble gift as a payment. Something of our folk, given with the most honest of the gratitude.” Krogo spoke, then he opened the chest in front of Torag.
But what the dwarf saw there inside was more than what he was expecting for, inside the chest was not only a single gem, but many of them, and each one was big enough to amaze each dwarf.
“A symbol of bravery only given to our most daring warriors, for heroic deeds.” Krogo continued, reaching the chest to the dwarf.
Torag was visibly fascinated, he took it and examined the gems for a moment, then closed the chest and smiled.
“It must be really an honor to receive such a reward!” Olaf exclaimed.
“And I’m right Torag appreciates it.” Thuor broke in. “Thank ye Krogo for all. Now allow us to leave, for the time has come.”
“Go now, my friends, and may the luck be with you. I’m sending two of my folks to guide you back in safety to the big underground passage.” Krogo rep
lied.
The path out of the lizard’s dwelling was tranquil, passing by streams and bridges the dwarfs walked guided by two of the hosts, to finally reach a waterfall running through a slit.
“This is the way out. Pass under the water, you will reach the last part of the Underground Path. Then the great wall, to the house of your kin.” One of the lizards said.
“Farewell, friend. May this friendship last long, and if one day dwarfs and lizards cross again, let the stories about how we helped each other spread.” Thuor replied.
The lizards left, and the dwarfs passed under the waterfall, entering a slit, from where they got back into the underground passage. The cave gap continued ahead, but it was not dark, there was light coming from above.
“I liked these folks.” Olaf said as he walked among the others.
“Yes, yes… Innocent creatures, hidden here far from curious eyes, I wonder how many folks in this world knows about their existence.” Rurur spoke.
“I believe Krogo likes to keep his people this way, hidden, far from the dangers of the surface. Though now they are dealing with the dangers from down here, as things are changing.” Thuor broke in.
“Yes, humble innocent folks for sure. What do ye say, Torag?” Olaf continued.
Torag was still smiling, he walked as he held the chest firmly under his arm. “I’m quite satisfied… Things are changing… Who could say this journey would not be worth it after all?” He asked.
“Keep the gems for ye, Torag, may it be a symbol of gratitude from the lizards, and none of us helped ye in that task, you deserve it all.” Thuor said.
“I accept that statement, captain.” Torag replied.
“Hey.” Olaf broke in. “What is this about all this greed? We are a party, and we went through many things in the past, helping each other. Sharing is fair.”
“I dealt with the strangest of the monsters, and none got involved in this! Risked my skin!” Torag said.
“As well as we did when we helped ye in the Noon Dale, Torag! When ye fell from the waterfall and got stuck by the log. Ye would have died drowned there if not by the quick action of your… Friends!” Olaf exclaimed.
“All right, all right! I’m not that a greedy one like ye say. Here, take it.” Torag said as he opened the chest and took some gems, giving one to Olaf and another one to Rurur, then he reached to Montaron.
But this one just shook his head.
“What is it, Montaron?” Torag asked. “Don’t tell me a thief will not accept a gift given with so much good will like this.”
“Maybe he just doesn’t care about gems, Torag.” Thuor said.
“What about ye, captain? Ye will for sure accept at least one.” Torag continued.
“Keep one for me, I will ask ye for it if one day I come to need it.” Thuor replied.
“Fine. Safer they will be here with me, then we can sell them later, or do whatever we want.” Torag said, closing the chest one more time.
Thuor continued his speech: “Some things can’t be sold, some things can’t even be touched, remember the lesson we learnt when we got into the puzzle.”
“Lesson?” Olaf asked. “What lesson did ye learn there? I fell like a ripe fruit into that pit hole and ended up in that horrid monstrous dwelling, the Sinister’s place! If there was any lesson learnt, it was hold yourself onto something while playing with ancient puzzle traps under your feet!”
Now the ambience began to heat up.
“Ye feel? This my fellow ones, is the reason why our Steel Fist cousins never feel cold, even in the coldest of the winters. We are approaching the Great Vulcan, it always has many rivers of lava running under it, there in the undergrounds.” Thuor said.
“Oh finally! Finally! I’m done with this place!” Olaf spoke.
They increased their pace, and a joy took everyone, the simple sensation of the imminence of getting into a dwarf house again made them all excited. Even Montaron’s weasel, Ribs, seemed to be agitated, he ran over the body of his master, going in and outside pockets.
“I guess they have many filled larders, and warm beds. I tell ye, not that the last night in the house of our new lizard friends was bad, but we deserve a good rest after all, in the dwarf way!” Rurur spoke.
“I might agree, dear Rurur!” Torag added.
But then they all stopped, something ahead made them all change their mien, the smiles went away giving space to serious faces. The path disappeared, now all that remained was a huge hole in the ground, so huge that it covered all the width of the cave gap, at its borders they could see many cracks.
“That should not be here!” Thuor exclaimed.
“Oh not now! Just now that we were about to end this!” Olaf said.
“What is this?” Rurur asked as he approached the edge and checked what appeared to be a thick spider web.
Now they looked out and saw that this thing was covering the entire hole, like a tangle of wires.
“Whatever, the path is broken!” Torag said as he motioned nervously.
“This crack was not here before. At least not the last time I passed here. What is happening to this place? Everything is different!” Thuor spoke.
“Maybe it just collapsed, it happens often, in caves, an air pocket under the rock, we can’t see but it is there, then suddenly it destroys everything.” Olaf said.
“It could be, I don’t believe any will could do something like this, unless the will of the Vulcan itself.” Thuor spoke.
“The lizard one said something about that; holes being open, cracks on the mountain.” Rurur added.
The captain approached the border and looked down, far in the depths he could barely see lava.
“What about this web?” Torag asked.
Before anyone could answer, spiders the size of a hand came from the hole and ran around, some climbing the web.
“Argh!” Sounded Montaron.
“What is it my little friend? Are ye afraid of spiders?” Olad asked.
“They did the web, all of them, working together, there must be many more.” Rurur said.
Torag was the one noticing something, the little spiders had legs similar to the one he saw coming from the hole the last night, though that one was far bigger. Thuor stepped with one foot on one wire, keeping his body out of the hole, then tried it. “It seems hard enough.” He said.
“Hard enough for what? Don’t tell me ye are planning to cross this damn hole hanging on this web!” Torag said.
“Do ye see any better option?” Thuor asked.
“It is fine, looks fine for me.” Olaf said.
“Damn…” Torag spoke. “Just when we were about to leave! Now comes a last problem! Like to test our nerves!”
“Don’t be so pessimistic, Torag! After all it is just about crossing a web.” Olaf argued.
“Quite simple huh? Why don’t we ask our circus juggler here?” Torag asked as he pointed to Montaron. “He is a former circus artist, used to walking on ropes.”
Everyone looked at Montaron.
“I don’t like insects.” This one said.
“Ye see? Even one who is used to such things is more cautious than the rest of ye.” Torag said. “Damn… What am I saying? There is no other way anyway!” Now he tried the web by himself, carefully stepping on it.
Thuor spoke again: “Listen ye all. I don’t know how this hole formed, but one thing is sure, on the other side of it is the Great Wall, and in it there is a door that gives us entrance to the Steel Fist house. Either we cross this place, or we go all the way back and give up our enterprise.”
“What about the entrance to the lower levels of the Vulcan, it could lead us to the house of our cousins.” Olaf spoke.
“It does, there is a path there. But I don’t know the place, and we don’t know about the conditions down there, maybe we could not deal with all the fire, lava and heat, not to say about orcs.” Thuor said.
Everyone got silent, thoughtful, then unexpectedly Montaron came to the web and force
d a wire down with his foot. With caution, he jumped ahead, now having his entire body on the web, while he held another wire with his hands.
“The little juggler…” Torag whispered.
“Ye see? It is safe!” Olaf spoke. I’m not concerned anymore, come… Come ye all now ye damn lazy dwarfs!” He came after Montaron, holding himself on the web wires.
“Oh dear… There we go…” Rurur said as he stepped on the web too.
“All right, good chance of dying, long fall to the lava pool down there… What could go wrong?” Torag asked, following Rurur.
One by one the dwarfs went on the web, captain Thuor came last. Now they were all crossing the pit, the web proved to be strong, it did not even tremble with the weight of their bodies. What they found out was that the structure was actually quite strong, enough to hold them all, the wire was thick enough for a dwarf foot to step on it, and its surface was not gummy, so that they could hold on to it with their hands with no difficulty. After a while crossing the hole on it, they felt more safe.
“Hey Torag.” Olaf shouted as he advanced through the web. “Ye still need to tell us about the monster back in the lizard dwelling. What happened after all?”
“I blocked the hole, no monster will bother the lizards anymore, that is all.” Torag replied as he looked down to the hole under his feet.
“Yes but, what about the monster itself? Ye saw it after ye smashed it?” Olaf insisted.
“I showed ye all the piece of his leg.” Torag replied.
“Ye heard the question, Torag.” Thuor broke in. “Did ye see the monster smashed or not?”
Torag took some time to respond: “I’m not sure if we smashed the entire creature.”
“What do ye mean with not sure? Did ye killed it or not?” Rurur asked.
“I don’t know, damn! A leg at least was smashed!” Torag replied.
“Oh dear… So the monster left…” Rurur continued.
“So what?” Torag asked. “The hole is blocked! The lizard dwelling is safe. I did as I promised, there is no more path to inside the cave. And now that ye ask about the monster, I will tell ye what! That filthy eight eyed creature will think twice before messing with the lizards again, I took his leg! The bastard must be moaning in pain still now in some dark hole far from here.”