The Eastern Dwarfs: Part One - The Red Fields
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The dwarfs heard the conversation as they noticed Altar furrowing.
“What then?” Asked Altar.
“Well, thereafter things only worsened. She fell on the bed and became quiet, as if knowing that death was lurking.” Said Urtag.
“She said anything?” Asked Altar.
“Nothing! And this is the most strange thing. She never complained, never told about pain or discomfort, life just left her, slowly. Actually, in her last days, I got the impression that…” Urtag interrupted his speech.
“What?” Insisted Altar.
“Oh it is foolishness but… Let me tell you, I felt like she was already dead, but still her eyes were moving, although I could not feel her breath. But this is just foolishness.” Said Urtag.
Altar looked at the dwarfs discreetly, then spoke to Urtag again: “Do you think it was some kind of disease she got from the woods?”
Urtag slightly shook his head. “I could not tell, she always liked to wander through the woods, collecting mushrooms and fruits.” The man suddenly became depressed, he got a shaky voice and a haggard face.
“Right, let’s not talk about it anymore for now.” Altar spoke as he rested his hand on the shoulder of his friend.
“Yes, not for now.” Replied Urtag. “Now about you, my friend! Tell me about your wandering, and about your new friends here.” He said suddenly returning to a joyful mood.
“Yes. These are some respectful dwarfs I crossed on the road, and for now we are sharing a common interest, so we joined forces for a while.” Said Altar.
“Oh I see one of you found a small friend, and I guess it came from the woods.” Said Urtag pointing to the fairy on Olaf’s shoulder.
Olaf just motioned and chuckled.
“So you came from the grove. If so you noticed that it became different.” Continued Urtag.
“Different?” Asked Altar.
“Yes, different. Strange, darker, some plants stopped growing there, and many fruits that once grew in wealth simply disappeared, not to say the area around the old tombs, the trees there became dry, somber, as if something had absorbed their life, they twitched as moribund animals. Kalinpa felt it when her favorite mushrooms stopped growing there.” Said Urtag.
“Well… We had not noticed anything.” Altar said.
Urtag looked at Altar’s eyes. “I had a sensation that it turned better this morning, but this is probably just foolishness again. Where are you going now?” He asked.
“I’m taking my own way, as for these honorable dwarfs here I could not tell, let them talk by themselves.” Said Altar.
“We are going through the mountains.” Thuor said. “Towards the Red Star City, to visit our cousins.”
“Red Star City… I once saw it, from above the mountains, and it was really an impressive sight!” Exclaimed Urtag. “Now… It is almost noon, and I guess my fellow guests are willing to enjoy a good meal.”
“Allow me to say sir, that it would be very welcome.” Said Rurur.
Urtag went to the kitchen and began preparing the meal, the dwarfs and Altar just waited, sat on the bench, each one doing nothing more than thinking about his own reveries, except maybe for Altar, he was still thoughtful about what happened in the tombs and to Urtag’s wife. Someone knocked on the door.
“I got it.” Altar said as he rose from his seat and motioned to Urtag. He went to the door and opened it quietly, but when he saw who was out there, he opened his arms and a smile. “Kalish! My friend!” He exclaimed.
The dwarfs could see and identify the newcomer, it was Kalish, the same little one they met before.
“Altar!” Exclaimed Kalish as he stepped ahead and hugged the old man.
Urtag dried his hands on his clothes and came to greet Kalish, they hugged firmly as old friends meeting after a long time.
“It’s being a while, my friend!” Urtag exclaimed.
Kalish nodded as he smiled, his thin and fragile figure was well remembered by Thuor’s company.
Altar reached his arm to the dwarfs. “Guess you do not need any introductions.” He said.
“Yes, I know these dwarfs. We met before.” Kalish replied.
Torag pointed to Kalish with a mischievous smile. “Yes I remember ye. Smart thin little guy, easy smile, good manners, can read people’s minds.”
“That is it! Kalish is always more than anyone can see, and he never reveals himself completely.” Altar spoke.
He and Kalish approached the table and sat.
Urtag went back to cooking. “One more mouth to feed, more spice and more meat.” He said.
Altar was now smiling strangely as he looked at the dwarfs and Kalish, nodding slightly, seeming satisfied. “So here we all are. A twist of fate, or superior providence.”
“What about ye, Kalish. Tell us what happened after you left us.” Thuor said.
Kalish had his hand over the table, strumming the wood. “Many things, my friend, but I think they all can be subsumed by the situation we have right now, right here, this meeting is the most important thing of all.”
“So ye are both from the same order, the so called Brotherhood of the East.” Torag said.
“Yes.” Altar said. “As explained before.”
“Let me tell ye now, both of ye, that our final destination is the Golden Peak, towards the white tower, to consult the Wise One there.” Thuor said.
Altar’s eyes became even deeper and sinister, he looked like someone who just heard something that made him concerned. “The Golden Peak you say…” He whispered. “It is for sure a long journey till there. Why did you choose that place to look for answers?”
“That was the decision of our council, and an order from our King.” Thuor replied.
Altar said nothing more, though everyone felt he had something in mind. The talking turned to trivial matters as Rurur started asking about the food again; they stood there for a while as Urtag was still cooking, and when he finally finished, there came health and satisfaction as they came to know that Urtag was actually a good cook. After the meal everyone rested, Torag and Rurur came outside and sat on a bunch of cut logs in front of the house, both stood there smoking pipes, Kalish left to the side of the building, going out of sight. Thuor was still inside along with Altar and Urtag, chatting; Olaf was at the border of the grove trying to convince the fairy to return to her place, after a while he gave up and came back to the house, approaching Torag. “I cannot get rid of this thing.” He said gazing at the fairy that was already sat on his shoulder again.
“Then ye must find her a good name, as it seems ye are about to get married.” Said Rurur smiling.
“A name for this thing… How could I name such an annoying thing…” Olaf whispered.
“Give her a name that suits.” Said Torag.
Olaf thought for a moment, then placed his index finger near the fairy on his shoulder, she sat on the finger and the dwarf raised it to his eye level, staring at her. “What about Vixen… Fairy Vixen. I think it is a good name for ye.” He said.
“Ye know what? We should have served her as appetizer to Balfour since before.” Torag spoke.
Olaf looked at him somehow troubled.
Then Thuor came walking from inside the house and stood in front of the others. “Hey Torag, our wood is used up, Urtag allowed us to take some of his logs, the ones ye are sitting on right now. Take some of them and put them on the saddle, for we are leaving soon.” Said the captain, then he turned and went back inside the home.
“Don’t worry captain, I’m going to take an attitude about this.” Said Torag.
Olaf laughed. “Not the beverage, I guess. What do ye think they are discussing there inside?”
Torag replied: “I don’t care… Probably they are talking more about the Rider…”
“Warlock.” Said Olaf interrupting him.
“Whatever…” Continued Torag. “Who cares anymore? I think captain is about to come out again to tell us that we could get back home now, it is over.”
“I remember this big dog.” Torag said.
“Nanuk.” Kalish replied. “The best friend one could count on.”
The door opened, from inside the house came Thuor, Altar and Urtag. The wizard stood beside Kalish, the captain joined the other dwarfs who rose and stood, Urtag stood at the doorway, rubbing his belly.
“Well, my dear friends, it’s been a joyful meeting, old friends meeting again, and new ones coming to grow the party. But now it is time for us to depart, some will stay, some will leave, some will walk alone, some will walk beside his friends. But the question is, why fate brought us all here, and if it does want this to be our last meeting.” Altar said.
“We are going to our cousins house, the Red Star City, it is not far now.” Thuor said.
“There we go…” Said Torag, quietly.
“To the Red Star City. Well, why don’t you help our new friends find the path, Kalish?” Altar asked.
“Nanuk! Down to me!” Exclaimed Kalish to his mount.
The dog bent down, the little one jumped above it and mounted, then he nudged the dog’s side with his feet and the animal raised again. “I will lead them to the Narrow Passage among the mountains, the path to their destination.” He spoke.
“This is not necessary.” Thuor said.
“Allow us to do this act of good will, take it as a payment for the good services done by you.” Altar said.
“Don’t worry, master dwarf, my path coincides with yours till the passage entrance.” Kalish said.
“All right. Good company is always welcomed anyway.” Thuor spoke. “It is time to leave, farewell for ye, Altar, and thank ye Urtag for the meal and the accommodation.”
“You are welcome, master dwarf.” Urtag said.
“Fine, there our paths separate. Farewell, and be careful on your journey, captain Thuor. Things have escalated quickly, faster than I thought, maybe even faster than I wanted them to be.” Altar said.
The dwarfs gathered their stuff and left, leaving Altar and Urtag, Kalish came beside them, mounted on his dog as he looked around to the woods seeming joyful. The road went ahead, the vegetation became sparse, they were leaving the grove at once, but they did not enter any field, instead they were now walking among a landscape filled by rocks, trees, small pools and slopes. There were some flowering trees, something strange for that time of the year, they had pink flowers and the sight around became graceful, now the company was approaching the mountainside of the Red Mountains Range.
“Well my dear friends.” Kalish spoke. “I guess you are going to enter the house of your cousins and follow your journey ahead not under the sky anymore but under the rocky ceilings of the dwarf underground halls.”
“That is right, Kalish.” Thuor replied as he and the other dwarfs walked.
“Oh finally! Finally! I could swear my feet could not handle this loose ground anymore.” Olaf spoke.
Kalish turned his body above the saddle to speak looking at the dwarfs. “I don’t think you need me to warn you about this but there is a hard way ahead, the Narrow Passage can be dangerous.”
“I know about it, but it is the only passage, unless one climbs the mountain side. It was not an accident that our cousins decided to build the city in that place, no army could march against them there, the passage is narrow.” The captain spoke.
“I can’t wait for it, I can already feel the smell of good food and the taste of fine wine and beer on my lips.” Rurur interrupted.
“What about ye, Kalish? Where are ye going now?” Olaf asked.
Kalish smiled to him, his same likable smile as always. “I need to check some things, there are still some questions to be answered before I leave. But you have made friends, for now and then you can count on them.”
“Do ye know about the one in the white tower, Kalish?” Olaf continued.
“I’ve heard about him. His tower lies on a mountaintop, and the mountain itself more to the east side of the mountain range than to the west one, if one walks along the mountainside on the eastern part, he can see the tower shining against the sun beams, well… At least when it is not rainy or foggy. Actually you can only see a glimpse of it, something shining on the mountaintop.” Kalish replied.
“Have ye ever been there? Have ye talked to him?” Olaf insisted.
“Oh no, I never had any question to ask the wise one. As you know, I’m a member of a brotherhood, we have our own wise ones to ask.” Kalish replied.
“What about Urtag’s wife? Do ye think her death had something to do with the Warlock?” Olaf asked.
“I don’t know.” Kalish replied. “I just came to know about it, like you. Still I need to understand what happened. I would say curse is underway, and everyone who is involved in this plot can fall victim to it. Like the poor lady, whatever was her destiny.”
Birds could be heard singing and flying around, the terrain began to slope as they went up towards the mountainside. Mountains of reddish rock where ahead, tall enough for their peaks to pass through the clouds in the sky, and very imposing, rising like red giants in the scene ahead. The dwarfs somehow felt more comfortable as they approached their natural ambience, the sensation of leaving the fields was joyful for them. Thuor stopped walking, making everyone do the same. “Rurur.” He called. “Grab pen and a small parchment piece and write.”
Rurur made as the captain said, taking the items from the saddle. “Sure captain, what to write?” He asked as he bluntly placed the parchment against one bag on the saddle to write.
Thuor continued: “Put there... Here talks captain Thuor, master chief of arms of the RockFoot Stronghold, leader of the company sent by the King to investigate matters of importance. We are in good form, we passed through the fields and are now entering the narrow passage towards the house of our Thick Beard cousins. The subject of this investigation was seen two times during our journey. Not much to relate about the first encounter, as we saw nothing much different from that witnessed by the two ones who first saw it near our stronghold. Now for the second encounter, it is needed to report that the stranger is conducting some type of… Experiments… Related to dead bodies and evil practices involving some kind of… Ritual. More information will be sent when we reach the mountaintop.”
Rurur wrote everything the captain said on the parchment with ink and pen. When he finished, he passed the parchment to Thuor, this one captain then motioned to Torag asking for him to approach.
Torag came close to him already taking Balfour, the hawk, from his shoulder. “It is time, my friend, for ye to leave back home.” He said stroking the bird’s neck.
Thuor wrapped the parchment and put it inside a small flask, then closed it with a stopper and tied it to the bird’s claw.
“Do ye think he really can go back with this?” Rurur asked.
“Of course! Balfour has already done it before. And from even greater distances… He knows that… When something is tied to his claw, all he needs to do is to go back home and land on the tower where he came from.” Torag replied.
The captain nodded. “Fine then. Send him.”
Torag looked to his bird with friendly mien. “Go my friend, and don’t let anyone catch ye again. Don’t land on unsafe trunks, and don’t trust thin sticks.” He said, then he threw the bird in the air, Balfour went away flying as his owner kept his eyes on him. The dwarf had now a sad expression, he stood there with his hands on his belt, observing as his hawk left.
“That is a smart animal, Torag. Where did you get it?” Kalish asked.
Torag did not answer, he stood still looking at the bird afar.
Then Thuor replied by himself: “He was walking in the fields when the bird just came to him and landed on his shoulder, that was how they first met, he believes
the bird chose him.”
Torag nodded slightly as he whispered. “Yes… Yes he did…”
Thuor clapped loudly, making Torag come back and look at the others with a smile.
“Well… The bird will deliver the message to our King, so they will know about us, they will know we already entered the mountains.” The captain said, he turned and looked at the mountains, far ahead they could already see the entrance of a narrow passage between two rocky cliffs. “There it is, I don’t think ye need to walk beside us anymore from here, Kalish.”
Kalish looked up and saw heavy clouds. “Right. Anyway, you know the passage goes up very quickly, and you will enter a foggy place, I’ve seen this passage so foggy before that one could not even see a step ahead, I don’t like the look of these clouds… But, who I am to teach such things to a group of canny dwarfs like you, it is time to depart… Farewell, my friends! And good luck!” He said waving his hand.
All the dwarfs waved back, Kalish pulled the rein of his dog mount and turned, leaving away in another direction. The group began to walk again, they advanced through the rocky terrain, the ambience became wetter as they approached the passage, there they could see the foggy path ahead, leading to a road between the cliffs, to a new and different ambience.
“There it is, the Narrow Passage.” The captain said.
“So here we start a new journey, now on a friendly terrain.” Rurur spoke.
“And yet there is still a long way to the Golden Peak, our final destination. Anyway one step at a time, let’s go.” Thuor completed.
“What waits for us now? More savage beasts? Demons?” Torag asked.
“Why be so pessimistic, why not hope for some resting and comfort?” Rurur broke in.
“Somehow I feel like resting is still far from us.” Olaf said.
“If that depends on your dreams, Olaf, and on what ye said about something big happening, then we are about to find out what is all this about.” Thuor spoke.