The sentinel sighed with relief and called out to the others to make way for the dragon to land. Dwarves ran about the courtyard gathering their weapons and armor to clear a path for the dragon. The beautiful beast swooped in and hovered above the yard for a moment before slowly descending onto the grass.
Both Skalmaena and Lundy came out immediately to greet the rider, and they were shocked to realize the dwarf was not a Storm Rider at all, but just a regular resident dwarf of Thirndor.
“Skalmaena, Lundrise,” the dwarf said as he slid over the side of the dragon and fell to the grass, “I come with news from Fogrolir. It is of the utmost importance that we speak at once to whoever is in charge.” It dawned on the dwarf that Skalmaena was wanted for her role in helping the Tuminar family, and so he wondered why she walked about freely in the courtyard of the royal army.
“You are looking at the commander, Bilgresh.” Skalmaena held out both arms and smiled as she bowed slightly.
“I…I thought Snardeck Brewhorn was in charge!” the dwarf exclaimed.
“He is dead!” a dwarf called out from behind Bilgresh.
Bilgresh suddenly realized that he did not know everything that had transpired in the last few days. The shock of it all confused him, but he continued with his mission:
“Fogrolir said to gather the army as Cyclopses, dark elves, and some race called the Skinder’s are preparing to attack our country, and we need every soldier ready to defend the valleys between Thirndor and Megh Borim. He says if we do not stop the skinders from advancing, they will surely kill all of us.”
He paused to catch his breath and listened as the murmurs began throughout the ranks of soldiers. He wondered why not one single dwarf moved to gather their weapons and make haste for Thirndor.
“Well?” he inquired in exasperation. “Did you not hear what I said, Skalmaena?”
Skalmaena stepped forward – a look of deep concern etched across her face:
“Aye, Bilgresh. We heard you, but we cannot leave to help.”
She placed her hand on his shoulder as her eyes welled up with the realization that Umuosmar was in much deeper trouble than originally thought.
“Why can’t you help? You are the new leader here, right? Send some men!” Bilgresh cried out.
Lundrise stepped forward as a myriad of thoughts coursed through her mind. She wanted to tell Bilgresh not to act like a petulant child, but she knew that he did so only because of emotion and a lack of knowing what happened in the Crystalmist Bastille trading post with the giants.
“Bilgresh,” she began, “we cannot go to Thirndor. Snardeck went to Zowgant Kregork to convince the giants and ogres to follow him into battle against Praghock. They turned on Snardeck, killed him, and overtook the Crystalmist Bastille. Scouts report that they now sit in the trading post as if it were their own city. It is only a matter of time before their mammoths and mastodons arrive, and they march deeper into our kingdom. It appears they have planned their attack for many months and now they only wait for the right time. We cannot leave – our citizens would surely die.”
Bilgresh began to hyperventilate as the thought of being surrounded by multiple armies hit his mind.
“What – what do we do, then?” he managed to choke out. His face was ashen, and his hands shook uncontrollably. Skalmaena signaled for a few of the soldiers to get the dwarf a tin of water and something to eat.
“We will figure it out, Bilgresh,” Skalmaena spoke to him in a soothing voice. “Right now, you have to calm yourself and be strong. Even though these men are soldiers, their resolve may waiver if they think that the people have no faith in their ability to hold this city and protect the kingdom.”
He nodded his understanding, and once his tin of water and bread arrived, he calmed down quite a bit. He stared around the courtyard as he realized that this day was a day of firsts for him: the first time he had ever ridden on the backside of a dragon, and the first time he had ever been permitted to come inside the palace gates.
“This castle, it really is spectacular!” he exclaimed after a bit.
“Yes, it is. Would you like a tour?” Skalmaena asked.
He knew that Skalmaena was doing her best to help ease his nerves; he wanted to see the inside of the castle, and so he nodded a slight ‘yes’ to the new leader of the dwarven army.
“Gator, would you be opposed to giving Bilgresh a tour of the castle?” she asked a burly dwarf that was currently shining his battle-axe.
The dwarf she called Gator walked over to the three and muttered a few words to Bilgresh. Moments later the two walked across the courtyard and into one of the side halls of the castle. Skalmaena smiled - she would now have a few minutes of peace to figure out what she must do to ensure the future of the dwarven people.
Skalmaena sat on the grass and began to ponder various scenarios that would help defeat any intruders. She was not sure of any plan in particular, and so she continued to gaze at the sky and ponder in deep thought.
“Skalmaena?” Lundy spoke in a hushed tone. “What are you thinking? Do you have any ideas?”
Lundy knelt down and placed her hand upon her friend's shoulder. Skalmaena did not acknowledge her friend but instead continued to stare at the sky.
“Hey – we will figure this out, right? That is what we said a few minutes ago, so tell me what you are thinking.”
Skalmaena turned and faced her friend, her eyes revealed she was still in the midst of deep thought. She nodded for Lundy to take a seat next to her, and she obliged.
“We will need more men than we have ever had in the army, Lundy. If it is true that enemies are on the shores of Megh Borim, then we are more than likely going to be surrounded on all sides – these walls cannot resist such numbers long enough to gain the upper hand.”
Lundy nodded her head in agreement with her friend: “So be it,” she began, “the only thing to do is notify Fogrolir that we cannot spare any of our trained soldiers.”
The two continued to sit in silence for the moment. Skalmaena stood eventually – her heart was full of dread for the message she knew must be delivered to Thirndor.
“Lundy, I will deliver the message myself. I will ride the dragon to Thirndor and discuss this matter with Fogrolir. While I am away, you are to be in charge, and you shall make all the decisions if something were to happen in my absence. Understood?”
“Yes, Skalmaena, I understand. What of the army, though? Are you sure they will listen to my command?”
“We are about to find out.”
Skalmaena drew a small horn from around her neck and blew into it. The high pierced sound was a signal that all the royal army was familiar. Moments after the sound echoed throughout the courtyard, every dwarf available came out to the lawn to hear what the new leader had to say.
“Soldiers of the royal army brigade – the news I have to disclose today is not encouraging. We received word from Thirndor just a bit ago that outsiders have taken the cliffside shores of Megh Borim. They have been there for weeks, but the Storm Riders did not want to cause any alarm to us unless they knew for sure that an attack was imminent. Today, as many of you witnessed firsthand, a dwarf arrived with news.” Skalmaena shifted from one leg to the other unknowingly as she tried her best to hide her own nervousness.
“Fogrolir is familiar with the enemy, according to the messenger that arrived today, and when a new enemy was seen on the shores, it caused quite the uproar within the headmaster of the Storm Riders. They have come to us seeking assistance to drive these invaders away from our shores, though they do not fully know the attack we are already preparing for on our southern gulf. I am going to go to Thirndor, personally, to discuss the matter with Fogrolir. While I am away, Lundrise Bronzeshaper will be in charge. My second in command will confer with the highest ranked soldier on anything that is to be done while I am away. More now than ever before, we must be vigilant!” She raised her fist into the air as her confidence began to return, “We must stand united!” A few dwarves y
elled out their agreement – “We must protect Umuosmar at all costs!” With her last statement, the courtyard erupted with cheers.
She let the men cheer for a moment before she raised her hand once more: “I am about to head out to meet Fogrolir, and once we have a plan, I will return. Keep your eyes open in all directions, and trust no outsiders. Today is just the beginning of what may be a dark period to come – but together we will prevail.”
The solemnness of her voice as she ended her remarks reminded all the men that though they were proud, today was not the day to cheer. The men gathered their weapons, and as they returned to their posts, they relayed her remarks to the sentinels that were unable to attend her courtyard meeting. Skalmaena gathered her coat and sword, and moments after the meeting was finished, she was airborne for her destination: Thirndor.
12
Avalore awoke to what felt like someone or something banging a drum inside his mind. He sat up too fast and became dizzy immediately – today would be a long day for the Elven Queen’s brother.
“Do not make a sudden move or you will become sick, Avalore.”
The voice was that of the elder dwarf. Avalore’s head continued to pound; his eyes hurt when he tried to open them, and so he decided it was best to lie on the couch until he felt better. As he lied down slower than he sat up, he murmured a few intelligible words – the day really was going to be a long one.
“What you are feeling,” the elder dwarf cooed, “is the effects of skinder magic. Avalore, we have not been entirely honest with you; though you have not been a beacon of honesty either.”
“Ouch!” Avalore muttered as he adjusted his position on the wooden couch. “What do you want with me?”
“Want? We want nothing, lad. It is what we need from you that matters!” The elder dwarf spoke as though his words were a cry for help. He pleaded to what he knew was Avalore’s fatal flaw: his greediness.
“What do you need from me, dwarf?” Avalore opened one eye to look across the room at the brothers – the lanterns flicker made his eye hurt, and he realized all his senses were intensified, though he could not figure out why. He closed the eye almost immediately:
“Why does everything hurt?” he asked.
“We will get to that in a moment I assure you; but first, I need to know that you will be willing to hear what we have to say.” The younger dwarf reached for a pitcher of boiling water and poured some into a cup along with a couple of drops of an unknown substance.
“You did not need to do whatever you have done for me to listen to your proposal, dwarf. I am highly flexible and open-minded, you know.”
The brothers looked at one another knowingly and smiled:
“Very well, drink this, and it will pass away the aching in your head – then we shall negotiate.”
Though at first, it felt as though it would take forever for the pain to subside, it was not too long before Avalore had forgotten the pain and was seated comfortably, ready to hear what the dwarves had to offer.
“As you may recall from earlier,” the elder dwarf spoke, “I said we have not been entirely forthcoming with you. We are not any ordinary kindred spirits in this forest. You see, we serve the powerful goddess from the Island of Skinder. You have probably never laid eyes upon her, but she is here on this island.”
“You mean…” Avalore began to speak, but the dwarf silenced him immediately as he raised his hand to show that he did not wish to be interrupted.
“Some think she is evil, but they are incorrect. She is the rightful ruler of this realm, such as was given to her by her father. However, your people – the elven people – trapped her and separated her body from her power. She is now set to reclaim that power and we,” he pointed at himself and the younger dwarf, “must ensure that she is not thwarted. It is in this endeavor that we seek your help.”
Avalore hung on every word spoken as his ego grew to enormous proportions. He could not help but fantasize about all the different ways in which he could be responsible for assisting the goddess in the quest to reclaim her rightful land.
“I want to help you, but I have to ask: what do I get out of this? Even more, however, how can I possibly help?”
The dwarves saw the look of confusion set in as he began to ponder how he could be of any service.
“What if we negotiate a reasonable wage for your help?”
“I am open to ideas, lads. I still do not see, however, how I could possibly help. I do not know this goddess or where to find her – or anything about her, really!”
The elder dwarf laughed, and his brother joined in. The younger dwarf motioned for his brother to hand him a drink, and in turn, he handed the bottle off to Avalore. The three had finished the drink before the elder dwarf continued to explain why they needed Avalore’s help.
“You have already helped us, though you did not know it at first. You see, this here trinket” – he pulled the belt Fogrolir gave to Avalore to deliver out of elves bundled up coat, “is a piece of work that was made by the goddess’s enemy. He is a Skinder, and we believe he is on this island. We want to know what you are doing with this belt and if it is part of the journey you are currently ensuing.”
Avalore swallowed deeply as he thought about the amount of anger and hatred that would be bestowed upon his body if Fogrolir, or Vulred for that matter, were to find out that he disobeyed orders and now sat in their enemy’s home. His hands began to shake gently, and he placed his cup on the table next to the couch so he would not spill any of his drink.
“My good sirs, if I am to help you in this endeavor then I must know that there is more for me than something as simplistic as gold or rare coin. You want to know about that belt. Fine, I can tell you everything I know but only if we agree to certain terms.”
The dwarves looked at one another and nodded:
“Go ahead then, name your price.”
“You went through my bags without my permission, and now you know I possess something that no one should be aware I have. In that, I have already helped you by inadvertently advertising to you that I am the messenger sent to find the Skinder to which this piece of artisanship belongs. Therefore, I believe you already owe me a coin. However, if I help you and we overthrow these petulant dwarves and that arrogant Storm Rider, Fogrolir, I will surely be known as a traitor to Faswary by my peers. I will never be able to return to Omabanise.”
He paused for a moment as if he were trying to think of a solution. The dwarves did not worry, however, as they were ahead of him in this game of one-upmanship.
“So, what is it that you would like, Avalore?” the elder dwarf feigned the appearance of being genuinely surprised that the elf would want more than just gold coin.
“I want to be King. Either I am made King of Faswary, and the goddess helps to remove those who would oppose my reign – or I am granted rightful ownership to the dwarven throne to make these fools bow to my every whim! That is, apart from the both of you. I happen to be fond of you already.”
The younger dwarf smiled:
“These terms do sound mighty fine to me; what do you say, dear brother?”
“I see only one issue with the words, but I believe we can remedy that right now. Avalore, since we are speaking with you on behalf of our goddess, I can authorize anything I like for you. However, there is one thing that must remain constant, and if you agree to these terms, then you will surely be the ruler of Umuosmar one day.”
Avalore sat forward on the couch:
“Well, go on then, what is the one term?”
“You may be a ruler, but you must always listen to the goddess. If you decide one day that someone is deserving of death, but the goddess says no – then you must adhere to her word. Is that doable for you?”
Now it was Avalore’s turn to smile as his mind began to race with thoughts of how to overthrow the goddess once he became king.
“My friends, you have yourself a deal. Now then, how do we make this official?”
The elder dwarf s
tepped forward and took Avalore’s hand within his own palm while he stared at the elf. His eyes put Avalore in a daze for a few moments, and once he snapped out of his fog, he realized his arm hurt. He glanced down and saw a small blot of blood on his wrist.
“I have placed a drop of my own blood within yours, Avalore. Now, you are imbued with the same magic that we possess. You will begin to feel odd, and all your thoughts can be read at any moment by the goddess. That is my kind way of telling you - stay true to your word. Your eyes will turn a purple hue so that others like us will notice you. The average person will not notice the subtle change. Do you understand, Avalore?”
“I believe so, yes.”
“Good. Let me reiterate this: the goddess can read your mind at any moment – do not anger her. It is of vital importance that you act normal if the time comes that you return to Thirndor and see the others. You need not worry about your recompense as the agreement we made is in blood. It, therefore, is promised unto you when the time has come. Do not go out and brag, however, as the goddess could and most certainly would punish such grandiose ineptitude.”
Avalore continued to nod his head in agreement even as he began to wonder if he was making the correct choice.
“I have one last question, if I may.” He spoke up timidly.
“Go ahead and ask, lad. We are here to ensure your success.” The younger dwarf said.
“If I am to act normal, then I am under the assumption that you wish for me to take that belt and find the Skinder that it belongs to. My question is simply this: how do I know what he looks like? I have never seen a Skinder before!”
Demoweir's Rise (Great War Chronicles Book 2) Page 10