by K.L. Bauman
Ayden spent the next week constantly moving; he packed, fidgeted, sparred with Volos, paced the floor, and re-packed. Finally, he and Volos were ready to leave for Lostar. Daktari, an old friend of Freya's, arrived to guard the gateway in Volos' absence. She chattered non-stop fluttering nervously from one spot to another as her thick dress, which Ayden was convinced she'd made from a patch-work quilt, swished around her round form. She was like a scatter-brained humming bird. Ayden wondered if leaving the gateway, or his grandmother, in Daktari's care was a good idea. But Freya assured him that her friend was capable and dependable.
After re-instructing him of the innumerable facts he was supposed to remember about black dwarves, Freya bid him, Volos, and Jynx a proud, teary-eyed farewell.
Excitement trickled from Ayden's head to his toes as he stepped through the waterfall into Shae Vale. Walking at a heated pace, his soft leather britches, which he'd willingly traded with his blue jeans, moved noiselessly over his legs. Volos caught up to him and chuckled, "Slow down! We have a few days before we reach Lostar. Save your strength for when we get there."
"What's wrong? Can't keep up?" Ayden joked. He forced himself to calm down and released Jynx who'd been trying to wriggle free of Ayden's smothering grip. (The cat had refused to be left behind.) Ayden couldn't help being excited; this would be his first real battle. But Volos had a point. If he kept such a crazy pace, he would have no energy left by the time they reached the village.
Ayden tried to relax by chatting non-stop with Volos and observing his surroundings. He had to keep a mental note of things so that he could, someday, travel this area without guidance.
The men reached a thick group of trees and were forced to walk single file for several hours. After talking to the back of Volos' unresponsive, shining, bald head, Ayden became silent and let his mind wander.
He watched Jynx disappear into the shrubbery after a bird as he tried to remember what Freya had told him about black dwarves. A dwarf was "black listed" after he had been shunned from his clan for betrayal. On the rare occasion this happened, the dwarf had sold treasure or information for the whereabouts to the clan's treasure for selfish purposes. Being possessive and secretive creatures, dwarves found selling their secrets the highest offense. If betrayers weren't killed on the spot, they were shunned. Rarely did another clan accept them, either, as their reputation would be marred. This dwarf was probably going to be extremely defensive; he was vulnerable without the protection of his people.
Ayden mentally reviewed his arsenal; he carried a small leather bag full of muddle powder. That would be useless, considering dwarves were usually immune to most poisons. A dagger was strapped to his ankle, a sword hidden beneath his cloak, two ropes, and his grandfather's cloak for camouflage. This didn't seem like much to work with, but he hoped they wouldn't have to use them at all.
Their first encounter would be all talk. They were to endeavor to evoke the creature to come along peacefully, which Ayden was certain would be pointless. After that, more forceful measures would be taken. Keeping him away from any caves or tunnels was necessary, considering dwarves were experts at playing hide-and-seek. The river also bordered the small village which the dwarf could use to escape if he became desperate.
The possibility of going near a river tightened Ayden's stomach.. He thought of his parents' disappearance and remembered the beginning of their camping trip. He could still see his mom and dad teasing each other and laughing as they set up the tent. The bright sun seemed to laugh with them as its rays bounced cheerfully off of their hair and faces. It was such a happy day with the air warm and clear; and they were together as a family.
The next thing he remembered was waking up in the hospital with strange, burning wounds around his ankles. He was told that their camp was ransacked, and a shattered boat had been found on some rocks along the shore. Authorities had given up the search after a month of combing the area and not finding a trace of what might've happened to Ayden's parents.
Shaking off a chill, Ayden forced himself to think of other things. He had to stay focused, or he'd never be able to complete this mission. Over the next two days, he concentrated on noting their surroundings and practicing his fighting skills with Volos
The companions set up camp as the sky grew dark at the end of the third day. They hadn't done any hunting on this trip as Freya had packed an overabundance of food. After filling their bellies and talking tactics for a time, they both snuggled deeply into their wraps. Volos immediately began snoring, causing Ayden to chuckle.
Sleep came slower for him as his mind raced with thoughts of how the next day might unfurl--and of what a dwarf looked like in real life. He had a mental picture from looking at illustrations in Freya's books, but things usually look different when they're standing right in front of you.
Ayden looked at a crescent moon suspended in a diamond-studded sky. He thought it strange that it was the same moon he gazed upon back home. Jynx curled on his chest and purred as Ayden's foggy thoughts strayed to Isabella and of the day that had ended their relationship.
He'd had to lie to her. Not that he'd wanted to, but Freya had insisted. He had no one to blame but himself, though. Freya and Volos had strictly forbidden him to bring any of his girlfriends near the gateway, let alone through it. But, Isabella was special. Plus, he'd been tired of his elder's confining rules. He'd been arguing with Volos about it all that day and had later decided to rebel. That night, he'd reveled in watching her discover with awe the many things that had become so familiar to him.
But after Isabella had been affected by the pink, puffy pods of poisonous pops, he'd had no other alternative but take her back to Freya's and administer the antidote. Freya's voice resounded in his mind with one word, consequences. He'd had to face up to what he'd done in order to save his friend a long and miserable sickness. To make matters worse, he'd had to lie to Isabella, telling her that everything she'd experienced in Shae Vale had been a dream, a hallucination from some flu bug she'd suffered.
The sound of Jynx cacking--his jaw vibrating while a strange clicking emanated from his throat--startled Ayden awake. The cat was focused on something on the other side of Ayden. Jynx usually made this performance while stalking birds. Ayden turned lazily to see what fowl would possibly be out this late. Maybe it was a bat. He began to yawn, but instead yelled in surprise at the strange face that stared back at him.
Ayden fumbled for his sword as he scrambled to his feet. Shaking, he held the sword toward the face, only to realize it wasn't a face at all. The giant decorative wings of a cosmic moon moth stared back at him. The moth's nearly translucent wings spanned wider than Ayden's shoulders, and the circular blue design, along with the slender white body, formed what looked like eyes and a nose.
Jynx leapt at the butterfly, sending it fluttering gracefully into the black air and out of sight. Stupid giant bugs! Ayden curled back into his blanket and fell asleep to the consistent rumbling of Volos' snoring.
Gray clouds engorged with rain had covered the sky by the next day. They hung low, threatening to burst open as the companions traveled. Thankfully, Volos and Ayden arrived at Lostar before a drop hit the ground.
In spite of the dim weather, the village really did look like something from a fairytale; houses were constructed with enormous, rounded stones from the river bed, and silvery smoke rose lazily from the stone chimneys. Butterflies danced between flowers that complimented the borders of lush, green lawns. A gaggle of chattering women dressed in loose white shirts and baggy brown trousers, waddled down a stone path and disappeared into one of the houses. Upon looking at it from a distance, Ayden would never guess that the villagers of this peaceful setting were being tormented by a malcontented dwarf.
Volos led Ayden to one of the cottages where a wrought-iron sign in the shape of a stag, its antlers pointed outward as it charged, hung above the doorway. As they entered, Ayden was surprised to realize they were
in a bar. He didn't know why, but he'd never thought about bars existing in Shae Vale.
Ayden's heart pounded with excitement as he looked around the room. Here, for the first time, he was face to face with the people of Freya's stories. He expected to see men with pointed ears and mysterious eyes, adorned with exotic clothes and symbolic jewelry. Instead, he found ordinary men, dressed in dull colors and looking as if they'd been drinking half the day. The repugnant aroma of sweat, tobacco, and booze filled the thick air. Ayden shoved his disappointment aside as he blinked against the smoke, reminding himself this was one very small part of Shae Vale. He meandered to the bar after Volos.
A tired looking man with silver-streaked, dingy brown hair stood behind the bar. He pointlessly rubbed the stained wooden counter with an even dirtier rag. "What'll it be?" His voice carried complete lack of enthusiasm. His wearied eyes rested on the cat at Ayden's feet and he snorted, "No animals in here!" Ayden put an insulted Jynx outside the doorway, and then rejoined Volos at the bar.
"We are here for the black dwarf," Volos said in a nearly inaudible tone. Even so, the room became deadly silent and Ayden's neck hair prickle as every eye turned toward them.
The barkeeper came out of his mundane trance as loathing crept into his eyes. "Don't speak of that filth in here!" he spat. "Those creatures have more evil tricks than pixies, and they're ten times as mean!"
Volos' brows furrowed and his eyes became as clouded as the sky. He spoke to the barkeeper, "To judge an entire group of people by the actions of one is foolish. Not all dwarves are as this one. He's been shunned from his clan for unforgivable crimes and is vulnerable. Now, could you please tell us where we might find him?"
Ayden looked at Volos, surprised. He'd never heard his companion speak so adamantly before. His attention was distracted as another man in the room staggered up behind them. He stank of ale and his black, stubble-infested face indicated that he'd forgotten how to shave. "Why should we help you if you want to help it?" he spat. His question was followed by a congregation of growling "yeas" and half of the men stood, loudly knocking over chairs and tripping over their own feet.
Volos ignored the commotion and calmly asked the barkeeper again where they could find the black dwarf. Ayden felt slightly vulnerable, too, as the men in the room advanced toward them. Trying to ignore his nerves, he set his feet at a firm stance and looked directly into the eyes of each of the men. Secretly resting his hand on the hilt of his sword, he readied himself for imminent battle.
The men approached, staggering, but determined. The first to reach them swung a fist; Ayden leaned back, easily avoiding the blow. It was still and quiet for a moment before chaos broke free. The bar was filled with shouting, the sound of glass breaking, and strange sight of bodies flying through the air. Volos and Ayden remained near the counter, easily avoiding any contact by tilting to the side, ducking, or leaning backward. The men in the bar had unwittingly turned on each other, biting, punching, and kicking until not one was left standing. Ayden turned at looked at Volos, his mouth hanging open. He hadn't even gotten in a swing.
Volos smirked, and then turned to the man quivering behind the counter. The barkeeper generously offered all he knew about the location of the dwarf's dwelling place, his name, and all he'd been doing in the village since his arrival. Volos had laid a few coins on the bar, thanking the man for his help, and they quietly left the building.
Ayden was still trying to figure out exactly what had just happened as they approached a small, dark opening of a cave. He stared into the void, squinting in attempt at seeing anything at all. He was concentrating so intently that he jumped when Volos' deep voice broke the silence. "Hard to believe he could fit all that he's accused of stealing in such a small space."
Ayden had to agree. He could barely imagine the dwarf fitting in there, let alone a stash of stolen goods. "Do you think he's in there now?" he asked a little too eagerly. He felt pumped at the thought of their first confrontation. He jerked out his sword and turned toward the village as several screams sounded through the still air.
Chapter Four
The Black Dwarf