Dwarf Politics

Dwarves get a chance in the war against Deprepantaur

Chapter 10 Plans Against Ignorance

It was the first time in so long since she saw the sun. Underneath the caverns and tunnels, avoiding spiders and other foul creatures that made its home underneath the earth. Tarien has very little experience in the underground, except the underground that was behind a cage she knew all too well before her freedom. Fortunately she had Nulor.

Nulor, a dwarf who could navigate his way through the darkest tunnel and mine was able to lead her away from the ruins of that tavern that was her safe haven. Before witnessing the brutal beating of her baby sister.

Nulor pushed the final block of rock out of the way and the sunlight was let in. It was so bright Tarien had to shield her eyes. “It is so bright!” she exclaimed. Nulor hit her in the head.

“SH! Not so loud.” he said in his low voice. He feld his axe in the air as he scanned the rough ground. The ground, no grass. Only dirt. There was a farm west of here, towards Cadrasar unfortunately. “If I remember correctly, there is a farm. West of here, and that is the closest hospitality I can think of. But…”

“But_” she paused to lower her voice. “But what?”

“It is much closer to Cadrasar to my liking however I do not think we have much of a choice in the matter.” he sighed. “Besides it would be good to see some old friends...one last time.”

They climbed out of the hole, and readjusted to the light. They ran over the rugged terrain which hurt Tarien’s bare feet. On more than one occasion they had to stop.

There sat a proud dwarf in the throne of the grand hall of Vinaldhur. His crown woven with golden strings and one each finger lay a jewel. His hand scratched his beard as his elbow leaned on the arm of his throne. His name, Krikur, descendant of Lord Shirkur.

His subordinates stood proudly, all but one. One dwarf who was the only not dressed in gems. This was Noradith Orcbow. He was the lowest officer among the ranks, in charge of defense of the city. Thrangnam Blazingbow was the leading scout officer, Bumnug Blessedcloak was in charge of the guards within the city walls, Lostirlun Wyyvenbek was the treasurer and the dwarf of humanity affairs.

“What be the situation? Speak now!” he said rather rudely. That trait still remained.

Thrangnam knelt down before he spoke. It was custom to be kneeling to one so highly respected. “The orcs have garrisoned the mines after viciously slaughtering the miners. We will have no more wealth coming from Cadrasar.”

The king grumbled to himself. “Very well, we still have mines underneath us in which we can tunnel.”

Bumbug knelt and said, “No objection.”

“No objection here my Lord.” said a kneeling Lostirlun.

“So you will do nothing?” Noradith said. He did not kneel.

“There is no need to, fool!” Krikur said.

“As I think beyond mine own duties! If ye do nothing Krikur, those garrisons will move forward.” he ignored the formalities. “What will ye do when the armies of Cadrasar mobilize into Cadrasar?”

“Why ask such a silly question?” said Bumnug, standing up. “The Ranger’s guild will come to our aid and drive them out. They always do.”

“Yes, but do you not realize, they usually do something before they take our mines?!” he retorted. “They are never this close!”

“So they be running a bit behind schedule. That is all.” Lostirlun said, also standing up. “You should not concern yourself with these idle dealings.”

Thrangnam stayed silent, and remained kneeling.

“What? Having nothing to say do ye?” said the treasurer. “What of ye guardsman? If ye cannot respect yer betters ye better leave!”

“Let him speak!” said the scoutsman. He stood up slowly, grabbing the edge of his axe. “He does have a point. Either the Rangers are too spread out right now, or something happened. You know as well as I, that the orcs have never gained this much power in this time as long as any of us been alive. Now let him speak his ide_”

“We have not the gold or revenue anymore to do what he wants. He wants us to wage war on an otherwise peaceful situation.” said the treasurer.

“Yes, we would not want to anger the already angry orcs. They can be reasoned with.” said Bumnug. “Are they not rash or without peace? Certainly not!”

Noradith’s jaw dropped open as he could barely believe the words being spoken. He tugged his white beard before answering. “All they know is war ye ignorant fools. They will not stop with just those mines! They will mass up, use those mines against us, find ways underneath us, and rip out the roots that hold these cities into place! What happens when those pillars shatter!? Eh? Answer? Those pillars are what holds everything together. Truly if this is how things end, we have dug our own graves whilst seeking riches beyond all comprehension! Our greed destroyed us!”

“That is enough!” Krikur demanded pointing a shaking finger. “You know nothing!”

“No My Lord.” Noradith said, pointing a finger at him. “You know nothing. You pay attention to nothing outside these walls, you will see some point before the end that if ye walked outside your hollow shell that things needed doing. You have damned us all!” he bowed his head and sighed. “Now I must return to my duties. However, if Shirkur, our great king were alive to see this, he would be in great horror and start a rebellion.”

Noradith turned and listened as his superiors scolded him. All except Thrangnam, who remained quiet. He did not refuse the dwarf his words as he saw him leave the room. “He does have a point.”

“Not ye also!?” Bumnug exclaimed. “How dare you let such an inferior mind such as his corrupt yers?”

“It was not corrupted, it just is not closed.” he answered. “Something should be done about this, they will not_”

“We have not got the gold to send you out there to drive out an entire force!” said Lostirlun. “It is beyond our budget.”

“What about the king’s personal golden wares?” he answered, looking for a means to an end. “There be aplenty.”

“WHAT?! NO THAT IS MINE! AND MINE ALONE! YOU CANNOT HAVE IT!” Krikur roared. “I should send you to the gallows for even suggesting it.

“Ye might as well sire.” he answered. “After all, you pay me to do whatever it takes to avoid doing my job. I am yer supreme military commander and Captain Noradith has a point. He is right we cannot rely on the Ranger’s Guild for much longer. You have seen it. I even have scouts on the borders relaying information. It sounds like there is a war on that side of Alkathos!” he chuckled. “Well, it seems as if their hands are full.”

“Ye know nothing of the sort!” Krikur grumbled. “LIES!”

“Ye are the only one who knows nothing. I remained quiet to hear the other dwarf speak and have done so. I listened and I have heard. I know these things are true, because I am outside the safety of my sanctuary every single day. Some days I am closer to hell than would like. You know nothing because you barely step outside to get a whiff of fresh air!”

“You!” Bumnug said pulling out his sword and pointed it at the scout, who only glanced at it, and turned his attention back to Krikur.

“Ye have been blinded by yer greed. Too long. Much too long.” he said.

“Take it back or I will_” Bumnug threatened.

“What? Stab me with that butter knife?” He commented. “I will not kill a kinsman. I will wound ye if ye do not put that away.”

“Ye dare threaten the protector of_”

“Protector of a pile of dirt in the ground.” Thrangnam finished for him. Lostirlun retreated to the king’s side who was in awe of what was happening. A fight in the throne room, and there were few dwarves in the city that could match either of the fighting parties.

“Take it back! How dare ye insult the king!” he answered.

“I have sent people to their deaths, nearly died time and time again myself in order to protect that freedom of which we have. We can say whatever we want, and I will say what is on my mind. There is very little I will not say if the time calls for it.” he answered. “I will practice this freedom even if it kills me. I will bring this freedom to my grave!”

“Then I will send it with ye!” Bumnug began to thrust his sword.

“STOP! STOP THIS MADNESS!” Krikur said. “Out ye two! OUT!”

Thrangnam bowed his head and turned for the door, his red cape waving with the force of physics. Exiting, he slammed the door shut.

“What into him?” Lostirlun said.

“He is a very traditional dwarf.” Krikur commented. “His soul reaches out to the fallen, and not for jewels unlike mine. And yours. It is sad really.”

“What is?” Bumnug asked.

Noradith stood on the balcony of the castle, getting some musty air. He glanced out over, to watch the dwarves march and walk and run through the city lit up by torches hung over every window. The granite street holds the iron and stone buildings together. It is all attached. All one entity. Each street had golden rails laced with ebony, and below each and every street was another level. This city, Vinaldhur looked like a giant wheel with each layer holding its own spoke. The very center of the city, the giant tower connects everything with carefully and delicately placed grey stones. Underneath each wheel was darkness that would be the bottom they swear they never reached.

“Ye not be wrong.” he heard a voice from behind him say. He turned to see Thrangnam leaning against one end of the doorway. “There are things that must be done this is true. Ye be aware I have always trusted yer judgment.”

“Not one has trust in I.” Noradith proclaimed. “It is meaningless.”

“There I disagree.” he replied. “I trust ye. The rest of the council does not. My scouts trust ye. Many of those under ye trust ye, and so also those in this fair city.”

“So...are you planning on sending anyone out? To drive out the force that is at our doorstep and shall inevitably knock it down?”

“There is where my hands be tied.” he replied. “I do not have the funds for it. They are cutting down expenses for that. I would need food and water, as well as smiths. equipment. My budget is cut! I hardly have enough to send these scouts out anymore.”

“There is one thing that might work.” Noradith replied.

“And what be that?” he asked.

“Draw them out.” was his answer as he leaned up against the edge of the balcony.

“Good luck with that one.”

The draft camp outside Vinaldhur had its pick of new recruits. The training camp was filled with several hundred recruits, most of which would go into the defense of the city, one of several factions available. All of them were very hardy, male and female alike. The dwarves wore their heavy, rugged armor as they stood at attention with their salutes, one hand in the air whilst one hand held firmly over the breast of their hearts.

A thick dwarf stood behind a podium with a giant warhammer strapped on his back. His name is Grik’ur. He was stern, and like Noradith also old. His hair was silver as it swayed with the breeze from above the ground, only a few miles from the mountainous region that covered Vinaldhur. Those underneath him knew him to be humorously grim and unnecessarily insulting.

“So, you wanna be soldiers do ye!” his voice bellowed over the plains so that all could hear his voice. He stepped down from the podium, both hands folded behind his back as he marched back and forth from the front line of recruits. “Well here ye are, first week. What do ye think? Do you think you have what it takes to be a trooper?”

One imbecile raised her hand to answer the question. She had long, obviously thick red hair, and freckles on her face. “Captain?”

“Leaping goblin in a camp fire!” he shouted back as he stomped towards her. “Holy strawberry bush you call yerself a soldier?! How dare ye” he pulled her hair down, forcing her on her knees. “Ye should seriously think ‘bout chopping this off! Even an orc could find ye in the darkness. Red red red blood!”

She howled in pain as the hairs were being yanked from her skull. Another soldier raised his hand before speaking. “Is this really necessary?”

“Necessary?” he asked. “Is it necessary for me to go to the apple shop and throw them at the scalps of peasants and going around smashing all the privies in the city!?”

The recruit shrugged. “Probably not.”

“No! But I do it anyway so I can watch people suffer!” He laughed and pulled out his hammer and swung it to the ground, smashing the recruits foot.

He hopped up and down on the other foot as he grabbed the broken one with both hands, shouting in agony. “OW! Why?”

Grik’ur looked at the recruits as they all stepped back in attention, trying not to gasp. There was however one individual who let out a barely audible gasp, but the noise reached the officer’s ears, and he went to investigate it. He found one dwarf with thick brown hair, the muscles in his face straining to remain like a stone. “So Brownie...what be yer story? Why do you want to join the army?”

He paused for a minute. “What is your story?” Grik’ur repeated himself.

“I want to join the guard corps. Serve inside these walls.” he stuttered.

“Well.” Grik’ur said calmly. “It seems like ye got a good head on yer shoulders.”

“Well thank_” he began to say, before the dwarf headbutt him. The dwarf covered his head with his hands and fell to his knees, grunting in great pain.

“Ye have to get it through training first brownie before ye can even think about joining the guard core ye panzee! Double decker wimp! Join the scout core ye tree-hugger!”

pfffffff. Came the noise of flatulence. Grik’ur sniffed the air and covered his nose and grunted in disgust. He looked back and forth for the person who did this abominable act. One should not fart while people are being scolded at. It is improper. “WHO DID THAT!” there was no answer. Surely the dwarf who did it was smart for not answering. “IF YE DO NOT ADMIT TO YER FAULT I WILL PUNISH ALL!” Both results would be bad but one dwarf stood up. He was innocent of this crime but it better be someone who didn’t do it, than all who didn’t do it just to ensure the one who did got punished for it. “So, ye like to smell do ye, stinkypants?” he punched the dwarf in the nose. “Back in line and practice cleanliness!”

Grik’ur calmly picked up his war hammer and walked towards the podium, not approaching the stairs, the podium. “Any more rebellious_”crunch! He turned around to see where that noise came from. It was an apple. A female dwarf with dark hair looked forward at him with determined eyes. She bite away at the apple as he stormed over. This rebellious dwarf had fair skin, and was physically smaller than the rest. She could almost be mistaken for a very short elf, that is if she had leaf shaped ears. “So...what be goin’ on in yer neck o’ the woods?” he said rather calmly.

She too replied calmly after taking another bite of the apple, talking with her mouth full of course. “Nothing.” nyum nyum nyum.  “Just eatin’ an apple.”

“So ye like yer apples?” he asked her.

“Yup.” she chewed away.

“Well for now on I guess I shall just call ye Apple Girl.”

“Fitting name. I like apples.” she replied.

He grunted in frustration as his initial jest did nothing to provoke anger in her voice. “Ye know...apples gives one lots of energy….Do ye know a good way to burn off energy?”

“What?” crunch!

“Twenty mile run, hike up that mountain and run some more!” he pointed. “NOW!”

The petite dwarf began running. All that were able stayed at attention, trying not to snicker or gasp at the cruelty of this dwarf. “Dismissed.” he called out, and every dwarf let out a big sigh of relief before leaving the campsite, and going to the mess hall. Grik’ur also went to supervise everyone, making sure equal portions, no one got dreaded or forbidden second plates, and sat with his underling, Zurbul who was delving into a roasted chicken leg, the size of his forearm.

“What be the point of the mockery?” he asked the aged dwarf.

“Break ‘em down ear’y,” he answered. “Ear’y they be broken, better it is to build ‘em up. That be the point. Life ‘ere in’t comfortable ‘ere, neither should this be.”

“None whatsoever?”

“Well ye cannot deprive ‘em of basic necessities nor basic rights. They are allowed to be social, just not du’ing the day.” he answered. “It takes time youn’er to comprehend the madness ‘ere, but it is necessary whether ye agree it to be so or not. This is how it must be, always. Break what is unbroken. If something was broken, and fixed, re-break it.”

Four of the five dwarves that were humiliated today sat in one bench with each other. None of the other dwarves would let them sit with them, they wanted to stay on the instructor’s good side, and avoided association from the trouble makers. The one whose hair was being pulled out was Thisdrelyn, who was defended by Thetas, the noble dwarf. The brown haired dwarf who was caught sighing in line was Skammat, and the dwarf who wanted to join the guard core was Firmaic. They all enjoyed a leg of lamb, considered the lesser meat here considering they had to wait at the end of the line before they would be permitted to eat. There was also a single roll of bread on their table that they were to share, however, Thetas swiped it from the table without anyone noticing  and put it in his pocket. They discussed around the table, shared a few jokes, laughs and stories.

When Grik’ur finished his meal he slammed his fist on his table demanding silence. Slowly but surely the clatter of forks, knives, spoons, plates and chatter ceased. He waited for all to have his attention, except Apple Girl because she was demanded to run until the sun set, which was very soon.  “Ye all survived the first week. Congratulations. Today will end right now, ye can socialize with yer mates until three hours after sunset. Tomorrow begins hell for ye, get plenty of rest.”

Grik’ur walked out, as the rest of the company went back to their chatter. The aged dwarf looked up at the lantern that lit the tavern’s porch. He pulled a brown pipe from his pocket and lit it with tinder. He made a smoke ring in the air, leaning back casually against the side of the wall behind him. He heard some feet scurrying across the ground, but it did not alarm him. “What be it?”

“Found me so quick again did ye?” said a deep voice. “Grik’ur we need some troops spared for a little incursion. It is of great importance, and the honor of the once great Shirkur demands it.”

“Noradith, what kind of incursion.” Grik’ur sighed heavily, and then coughed.  “Unlike some, i do not send those to their death with no reason.” He looked into the shadows of the tavern where he could make out the lining of Noradith. No weapon raised. Good, one can never be too careful.

“It is little more than a scouting raid.” he answered. “Send a small group of trainees towards Cadrasar. There be little need for engagement, only to confirm what the orcs are doing. Detailed report, deliver it to the higher ups. Nothing more.”

“Who authorized this mission?” he asked suspiciously. Can never be careful enough when dealing with politics within the city. Give too much and something is owed to someone. Do not give enough, even less is gained. “This is very peculiar Noradith.”

“It is for the good of the race of dwarves and our nation and our gold.” he answered. “I cannot stress the importan_”

“You are demanding I send dwarves to go on a suicide raid.” he answered angrily. “I will not do that. It goes against all code of the dwarves!”

“There are none that ye should wish to part with...even for a time?” Noradith asked for the first time stepping out of the shadows. “It would be the need of a few over the need of the many!”

Grik’ur stayed silent. He puffed again on his pipe and stepped off of the porch, thinking. There were the five individuals I could send. They are deserving enough.” He thought to himself. “I could send some individuals. Where do I send them and when?”

“To the second level tavern. Before dawn. I shall have one of the scouts pack appropriate gear for them.” he answered. “Before dawn.”

“That be not enough time. Ye know as well as I, I cannot allow such a short trip instead. I will negotiate two days from now. Before dawn the day after tomorrow.” he answered. “No sooner. No later. That be the best I can do for ye and yer cause!”

Noradith grunted and shook his head. “Fine.” he grumbled. “If that be the way it has to be, but the longer the wait, the close the enemy moves with us doing nothing.”

“Good. Now get outta ‘ere ‘fore I change my mind.” he said as Noradith scurried off. “Then it is war then, that I send y’all to. It will be an experience none of us have, but are soon to have yet again. It will be during the final days these are decided and alas, damn ye. Damn ye that ye should bring this upon us again. That evil inside that mountain. Yes, that mountain I know my history Irenue. I know ye be there. When time permits, this angry dwarf will rip down that mountain upon thee, for I know the minerals are dangerous. All I need to do is get in that bottom chamber and light the spark on the wall. Curenia, one of our most prized possessions will fall with the evil that took it inside.” he laughed. “I will kill ye, and this time ye shall stay dead. I care not if ye be of the seven that no mortal can kill; I will prove them wrong!”

Thisdreylyn quietly placed her fork on the table to finish eating. She did not seem to notice the missing bread from the table. She looked to and fro, from the kitchen, clatter of dishes, the rush of hot water used to clean dishes and hot steam filled the tavern. She paid attention to all of the dwarves who spoke with each other, ignoring her and the new friends she made; forced friendship for they were outcast from the population. So shallow had they become, to ignore such minute differences. Yes she was the only one who had red hair; Firmaic could not bare to hold in his flatulence, Skammat was punished merely for the sake of punishing someone, Thetas spoke up in defense of the red haired girl, and off course Skakamora, who desired to eat an apple in the madness. They were the five of this class that would be looked down upon by everyone.

Thetas, Skammat and Firmaic all stood up, taking their plates to the window in which all plates went, where a dwarf wearing a white, but stained apron would take them and begin washing the dishes inside. The three of them seemed to follow Thetas, who raised his hand to the red haired dwarf inviting her outside. The four of them went outside and stood on the porch, looking up into the stars with countless lights, including the full moon, which revealed all of the hidden holes in the plains of sand, revealing the cracks in the walls of the buildings around them.

“I can scarce believe Skakamora is still running.” Firmaic commented, observing the petite dwarf running in the distance. “It has been hours since she was told to run until the sun set. She should have collapsed by now.”

“Aye, but funny be it that she be more filled with dread about having her meal allowance revoked.” Skammat responded, pulling at his brown beard. “Maybe that apple had enough energy to last her the night.” he laughed at his own joke.

Thisdrelyn leaned over the railing at the side of the porch, remaining quiet.

“She comes from Firulton. One of the towns near the mountains bordering Cadrasar.” Thetas said. ANy laughter that remained ceased. “She is probably the most fit, and probably most dangerous dwarves here. She comes from that town, it means bad for all of us.”

It is true. Firulton was known for its great hunters. Though they could never produce a ranger fit enough for the Ranger’s Guild(As few dwarves could ever make that cut), but they were considered lethal here in Korilya. They were also very close to Cadrasar, it was not unusual for a warband of orcs or Kuai to enter and raid that town, so it was imperative that dwarves learned to fight. It was not a choice.

It could be assumed that Apple Girl had to learn these things, and assumed that she had experience fighting these creatures that few of them had heard of before. None of these four dwarves went outside the capital, or far from it anyway. Thetas knew all of these facts, being well read, always the workaholic. Reading, writing, practicing. He was the only one here who played an instrument, the lute.

Skammat retained his laughter to himself, but would not erase his thoughts of pleasantries. Firmaic put his fist in his mouth and bit on it while Thisdrelyn gasped. This small group was far from what she could expect.

Skakamora came running for the tavern, tripping over her two feet as she tumbled into the stairs. She panted heavily, the air breaking with the force of her breath. “Behold the glory of the great hunting village. Welcome back.”

“Shut up!” she screamed, sitting up she sniffed the air.

Thetas put his hand his his pocket reaching for the bread, pulling it out just too late. CRASH! He was tackled with great force, spraining his wrist. Skakamora forcibly took the roll of bread from his hands and crawled to the wall, sitting with her back against it. She ate, watching carefully the other four. All but Thisdrelyn looked at her in terror.

“I saved it for you.” Thetas said very quietly, almost inaudible to her.

“So that be where it went!” Skammat announced. “Thetas, that was for all of us to share!”

“Narcissistic imbecile.” he said, wiping the dirt off from his shirt. “What about those who do not eat? Did ye think of them? Skakamora is very hungry, and ye would deny her food that she would have killed any of us for? Simply for the sake of sharing bread?”

“Thank you.” Skakamora replied eating the last of it.

“So.” said a familiar sixth voice from above. They looked above to see Grik’ur standing on the roof of the tavern. So ye fed Apple Girl did ye? Defy me even after I put all five of ye in yer places? Well then I think I made the right choice.”

“She would have died or killed someone by tomorrow if she did not eat sir!” Thetas defended himself in proclamation.

“I did not say what ye did was wrong, nor am I...punishing ye directly for it.” he replied.

The five got in a line as swiftly as possible to get in attention with their hand above their chest. Grik’ur only laughed. “Nay, I would say that ye five be the best here, and none are more deserving of an early graduation.”

“What?” Skammat asked.

“How can this be sir?” Thisdrelyn asked.

“There is pressing need for ye. And I could think of no one better. Now I will also say this is unofficial, considering the facts behind this need are also. Now come back alive, and ye will be prepared for graduation in the meantime.” Grik’ur answered. “Besides...what better way to learn about the job...than doing said job.”

Noradith opened his door and entered his house. He read from the Good Book in his room. “Be nor afraid nor discouraged. For your God is with you, withsoever where you go.” he read aloud to himself. “Words easier said than done Unverdus. I unlike most here believe in you and you alone. I put my faith in ye, and not of others. Not in my king. Often times in my age I find wisdom in myself that is unwise, and am lead to perform such actions as I have today. My actions may lead to the death of five trainees, and please forgive me for my shortcomings.

“I am not perfect, nor will ye let me forget my imperfections. Restore my heart O’ Lord so that I may see as ye see, and perceive the good and evils in this world. Allow my actions not be in vain, but also do not allow me to act rashly as I have done today.

“I love ye, as ye have crafted me in the womb before I was even a notion in their own thoughts. Thank you for building these halls of stone, as of right now this fortress ye built is the safest place on the planet. Please forgive me for I have betrayed yer love, compassion, kindliness and so on and so forth. I ask ye to forgive sins I have committed that I am unaware of. I am imperfect.

“Last but certainly not least Unverdus, please give me all I need to survive. Give me all I need, just bread enough for one day. Water enough for one day. That is all I need to be happy. I need not gold or jewels crafted by yer hand.”

He took off his armor and hung it in his closet. He changed into his nighting robe, blew out the candle and lay himself to sleep. Lots of meditation normally left the mind fatigued. He fell asleep.

“DAMN IT! DAMN! DAMN! STUPID DWARVES!” Irenue raged in his ancient hall. Finwe, and Gilrein stood on the opposite side of a pool of water that the knight looked into. This dome like cavern was lit by several torches burning green fire. The flames flared up higher as the rage of Irenue filled the ancient ruins of Curenia. “OU! OUT! OUT!”

The elf siblings wasted no moments in getting out of the dome. They knew they should not anger the man, and head all of his threats as law. They rushed passed a door, slamming it behind them. They were in a hallway leading up towards the peaks of the mountain. These ruins were old but stable, laced with minerals the elves had never seen before today. Its name is unknown to them.

The wind came rushing through the door they slammed shut. It blew like a hurricane bearing the wrath of Irenue as he screamed incoherently on the otherside. The torches in the entire hallway remained lit despite the ear shattering wind.

“What do you suppose we do now?” Gilrein asked, clutching both her hands together as she leaned against the wall. “So much...so much uncertainty. I do not like this brother. Maranwe…” she wept as Finwe placed his hand on her back to comfort her.

“I know not little sister.” He could not contain the tears within as he remembered the visual representation Vircona planted in their minds of their mercilessly slaughtered youngest sister. The spell had its effects and the spell used was so powerful that Irenue could not heal them of it. The only grand healing would be if a spellcaster as powerful as Vircona removed it or until death took them.

Finwe could recall the smaller spiders crawling all over her body, spinning their webs around her and removing it from the scene, pulling it into the bowls of whatever that city was to be called after. Another spider, much larger in size, but not much bigger than Maranwe spun its web, lowering itself down to Maranwe who hung over a sea of white web, nothing more, except darkness when all but that one spider abandoned the cavern below. The spider used her stinger to cut the web, revealing the peaceful body of Maranwe as she dropped onto the spider’s bed. The spider stabbed her corpse with her stinger and proceeded not to inject poison but to withdraw her blood. Moments passed by and she grew paler than she had ever been. Shortly she became whiter than the web in which she lay.

The spider sucked everything that was part of her body. The dehydration turned everything that was Maranwe into dust and all that remained were the clothes that were on her back. The last thing he could recall was seeing nothing but her armor, and tunic. Nothing that used to be part of her body remained.

“GET IN HERE! NOW!” Irenue called and they answered swiftly. Thank goodness for it disturbed their recollection. So he does have a heart. Finwe thought to himself sarcastically.

He and Gilrein entered the room once again, the fires still blazing strong, but the fire in his eyes seemed to have subsided. “The ignorance of dwarves has not gone unnoticed, yet they think it has. Or they knew we knew of their ignorance when we took that wretched mine. Toil toil with all the trouble I shall bring on these filthy creatures. I will cut down everyone of them. They know of our plots, and we must be sure that Grush is ready to not fall for their trap. That realm if recalled correctly, belongs to Avara, and Socorous. Please go to those ancient mountains and meet him. Finwe, Gilrein, it will not be the last I see of ye, but for a time at least. I know ye have known me very little, and no these soft words are not a sign of weakness nor are they as sign that I care for your well being. I do not. Leave me at once, and do this. Go up the stairs, through the tunnels and passed the plains. Avoid any interaction with anyone if it can be avoided.”

Finwe nodded and he took his sister out through the ruins of Curenia. They spoke very little, needed little direction. Go north, then follow the mountains for an abandoned crypt. Few words were spoken between them. Time could spare no words, but then it barely spared anything anymore.

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[Armanis]

I am looking for all sorts of constructive criticism. Don't be nice. Let me have it! Be as brutal as you can be