The City of Dwarves
For several minutes the captain just stared at him. He seemed bewildered and amazed Lorik stood before him. Rayn leaned against a wall in the corner, sullen and agitated as he sulked in the darker shadows of the small chamber. Lorik stood at the doorway, astonished at the sight of his captain.
The cramped quarters boasted no furniture and lacked any warmth. A large pile of straw filled the back right corner and it appeared that is what Aaron and Rayn had used for sleeping arrangements. Their cell was dark; the small window above Aaron’s head and the light from the hall provided the only illumination. The smell of old, musty straw filled the room and made the chamber feel more like a stable than a prison cell.
Lorik felt beaten and tired. His eye was swollen shut and traces of blood still clung to his beard. “I…” Lorik stammered, “I thought I would never find you. And here you are—both of you.”
“What are you doing here?” Aaron stared with marked astonishment as he spoke.
“Well, sir,” he said hesitantly, “I’ve come to rescue you.”
“And a fine rescue it is!” Rayn quipped as he began to pace. “Well done!”
“Hold your place, Private,” Aaron commanded. He returned his attention to Lorik. “But, how did you get here? You and the others were supposed to be on your way back to the capital.”
Lorik took a deep breath. “There is much I must tell you,” he said as he stepped away from the door and sank beside the captain on the pile of straw. He began to relax, scratched at his beard, and started to tell Aaron his story. “Sir,” Lorik hesitated. “Captain…we were betrayed by…by Morryn.
“For some reason the lieutenant led us into the Shattered Hills.” Lorik continued to recount his tale. “I should have seen it. Morryn was on edge and distracted, even distant from the company…more so than usual. He was anxious and in a hurry to arrive at the hills.
“Once we arrived, Morryn took half of us about a day’s ride into that dreadful place, to some ancient cavern. He ordered us to make camp and wait. It seemed like we waited in those accursed hills for hours when Morryn appeared from out of nowhere, mounted his horse and fled down the path, screaming like a madman. I’ve never seen a man so…well, so desperate…especially a man with Morryn’s skills.
“On the heels of his escape we were ambushed by a horde of trolls. They attacked from every side, and the men fought for their lives…no one else survived. I found a horse and rode for the men that we had left behind. They were also attacked, and when I arrived at the camp, there was no one left alive.” Lorik’s grief began to overwhelm him as tears of anger and remorse filled his eyes.
“We found Morryn in a small clearing in the woods,” Aaron said. “We saw him fight against a hideous beast, but we were too late to save him.” Aaron shook his head, despair and anger on his face.
Lorik nodded in acknowledgement, and told the captain how he discovered the tracks which led him to the river. “It was at the river,” the sergeant said, “I discovered I was tracking you and Rayn.” He smiled as he recounted the image. “I was hidden under the brush on the hill above the river and watched as the two of you were bound and blindfolded. Then the most startling thing happened… a bridge rose right up out of the water.” Lorik paused as he remembered the details of his ordeal. “It took some time, but I discovered the means of raising the bridge, and then I began climbing the mountain.
“On the mountain,” Lorik continued, “I was attacked by some monstrous dog-like beast. After that, I heard a patrol behind me so I hid in a crack in the mountain wall. I thought I had fooled them because they passed me by. But these dwarves are clever, and I think they can see better at night than I gave them credit. They must have known I was hidden and waited for me. It wasn’t long, not far up the mountain pass, when they struck me from behind. With one blow, I went down and here I am. I can only guess that my journey afterward was long, but much of it is just a blur to me.” He rubbed the swollen bruise left by the axe that struck his face, painful with every touch.
“You are right… it is a long journey. It took us four days to walk through the passage under the mountains to this valley.” Aaron stood and began to pace the floor of their cell. “I must tell you of our journey and arrival here. Perhaps that will better explain what’s happened and the situation that we’re in.” He began to unfold the tale of his and Rayn’s journey.
****
Aaron knew that Lorik was aware of the book they hunted. Now he told Lorik why the book was of such importance to the emperor and why they needed to find it. He spoke of his meeting with the governor at North Village and of the emissary that came from the emperor. He told of the encounter with Kaylan and his experience with the fire orb and explained how he had already known that Morryn betrayed them and that their captors were the very dwarves that he had seen.
“It feels,” Aaron continued, “as if we are in the midst of a dilemma that might shake the very foundations of Celedon.”
Rayn continued to pace. “Sir, what are we going to do? We’re stuck here and these dwarves don’t seem in too much of a hurry to let us go!” Irritation poured out with every word as the private moved in their small cell.
“I’m not sure,” Aaron replied, “we have to wait and see what these dwarves will do next.”
As if on cue, the metal plate on the cell door snapped open. “Come and get your dinner!” a guard ordered gruffly. Through the opening, a hefty, rotund dwarf pushed a tray laden with food. Outside in the hall a cart waited, piled high with trays.
They went to the door and retrieved their dinner. Aaron was astonished at the amount of food offered to prisoners, a loaf of grain bread, an ample supply of vegetables and fruits as well as a large decanter of cool water. The portions were generous, and it seemed their guards meant to feed them well. All three men sat in silence as they ate. The guard barked out his command to the next cell.
After they ate, Aaron spoke with Lorik. “This might be of some interest… The troop commander who brought us here seemed to hold a better view of us when we helped fight off those mountain beasts. Perhaps we can use it to our advantage. If we have found some favor with him, we may be able to persuade the lord of this realm to release us back to our own land.” Aaron paused as he continued pondering over their situation. “In any event, one of us must get free and make it back to our country. The emperor will need to know about what happened and that these dwarves are after the Book of Aleth as well.”
“With all due respect, captain, splitting up might be a bad idea. Our best chance of recovering the book is if we stay together.” Lorik said
Rayn stopped in his tracks and shot a look of anger toward Lorik. “Are you mad?” He started pacing again, behaving like a caged animal. “Find the book! That winged beast must have it across the continent by now. No, we abandon our mission and one of us tries to escape. Two of us can keep these dwarves occupied long enough for the other to find a way out of this valley.”
Aaron listened to the two men as he sipped at a cool cup of water. “Lorik, why try to find the book?” He was puzzled at his friend’s suggestion, though Aaron longed to find the Book of Aleth as well.
“Captain,” the sergeant said, “from what you’ve told us, there are hostile forces who want the book. If this book is so important, then recovering it is our highest priority. It is in our best interest and the interest of Celedon that we find it before it can be used against the nation.”
“You may be right, Lorik,” Aaron answered, “but we don’t know where it is and our captors have given us no indication that we will ever be released.” Aaron stroked his growing beard thoughtfully. “Unless our circumstances change so that we all can escape together, when one of us has a chance to get out of here, we take it.”
“You mean if we get that chance, don’t you Captain?” Rayn retorted. “It doesn’t seem that we will have an opportunity for any of us to escape. The rest of the men are dead, and we’re trapped in a dungeon somewhere in a realm that none of us ever heard of before. For all we know, these dwarves planned this whole thing!”
“That’s not helpful, Private,” Lorik responded. “We will escape this place; it’s just a matter of time and opportunity. It is our duty to be ready when the time comes.”
“The sergeant’s right, we will find a way to escape… it is just a matter of time. I believe that we are to have an audience with the lord of this realm. We will reevaluate our situation after that.” Aaron spoke as Rayn continued to pace the cell; the young private’s frustration filled his eyes with glaring anger. Aaron wanted to try and alleviate Rayn’s distress but had no means to do so. Instead, he focused on their environment. “Sergeant, when you came through the mountain passage, did you notice another way out?”
“No,” Lorik said, “I was disoriented from the blow I received. All I remember is that it seemed we steadily walked downhill. From what I recall, we encountered no one else. I do remember it was well lit and took several days.”
Aaron nodded his head, “I noticed the same thing,” he replied. “Several passages led away from the tunnel, but we never strayed from the main road. The other passages might lead to other dwellings. If we can get to the main passage, we might be able to lose any pursuer down another corridor. Anyway, it’s late. Let us ponder our fate in the morning.”
****
Aaron woke to the sound of a guard in the corridor. Loud and obnoxious, the guard beat against the cell doors to wake the occupants. All through the jail, the reverberations of clashing metal and groans of unsuspecting prisoners mingled with the clatter of a wooden cart that moved through the hall.
The guard arrived at the cell and rapped on the door with a fist like a hammer. “Wake up!” the guard shouted into the room. “Breakfast ain’t gonna wait!”
Lorik roused, groggy and half asleep, but stumbled to the door and retrieved three wooden plates passed to him. He woke Rayn and together the three men enjoyed a breakfast of crisp bacon, toast with jam, and assorted fruits. The morning passed in quiet contemplation. Aaron sat, propped against the wall, and watched the light of the sun penetrate through the small window and move the shadows in the room, Rayn took to his agitated pacing, and Lorik occasionally peered through the cell door.
The day crawled along, a slow procession to afternoon. Afternoon dragged into evening with little to disrupt the passage of time, when the sound of steps echoed through the hallway. The noise stopped at their door, a key was thrust into the lock and the door creaked as it swung open. In the corridor stood a group of six stern dwarves, malice filled their hard expressions. All six dwarves wielded double-bladed battleaxes and held them at the ready. Each was dressed in leather armor fitted with iron rings and grey, wool cloaks draped their shoulders with a hammer-axe insignia on their left breast. Their beards were long and braided, and they carried themselves with stern confidence, like warriors accustomed to trouble. “Come with us,” said the leader, his red beard and hair looked like fire on the dwarf’s grizzled features.
“Where are we going?” Aaron demanded.
“You are to stand before Lord Dunstan. Now come with us!” Two dwarves stood by each man and took them by the arm.
They were led from the cell and into the streets of Brekken-Dahl. Their guards escorted them up the same narrow road they had walked when they first arrived. The day waxed late as the sun sat low upon the western horizon. Streaks of orange and purple ignited the sky.
The city around them buzzed with activity. They entered into the main thoroughfare and hundreds of dwarves filled the street. Heavy-laden, wooden carts pulled by mules maneuvered along the cobbled passages, led by their dwarf masters to some unknown destination. Small dwarf children scurried along the streets as they played any number of assorted games. To their right, a broad road led back to the main gate of the city and to the left, towering in grandeur, stood a castle with four turrets and a high stone wall.
The streets were lined with large, opulent buildings, a display of magnificent designs. The entire city appeared to be made of stone, from the cobbled streets to the majestic stonework of the structures along the main road. The people of the city moved about with the concern of their own business, giving little heed to the three men escorted by the dwarf guards.
As the sun continued to descend beyond the western mountains, and the shadows of the buildings grew long in the waning light, Aaron noticed the street began to glow. Large, white stones, each a foot in diameter, lined the thoroughfare like lamps upon pillars. Evenly spaced, they gave the entire city a mystical, almost magical appearance. As night fell, the stones grew brighter and illuminated the city with their iridescent light.
The dwarf guards led them toward a towering castle in the distance. They passed many shops, booths, homes and other places unknown. Each structure was a testimony of craftsmanship, designs Aaron had never seen. Many were adorned with gold or silver decoration that shimmered with the reflected light from the stones.
Lorik, too, marveled at the exquisite design of such common buildings. “Captain,” he whispered, “have you ever seen such a place as this? We don’t have anything like this in all of Celedon.”
Many structures were decorated with mountain motifs. Some seemed to have engineered their dwellings to resemble the rough, natural stone of the mountains that lay to the east. In all, the entire city was a festival to the eyes, beautiful and wonderful.
Behind them high mountains stood like majestic sentinels, their peaks enflamed in the sunset. The setting sun showered the mountains in colors of purple and orange, making the snow-covered summits look like a fountain of light. The effect lasted a few, brief minutes, but imprinted a lasting memory on Aaron as he marveled at the incredible grandeur that surrounded the hidden city of dwarves.
His guards prodded him forward, toward the large citadel. As they continued through the streets, it looked to Aaron as if the city itself was an extension of the mountains, beautifully crafted to display the magnificence of the peaks beyond.
Aaron noticed the city was entirely surrounded by mountains! In every direction he looked, spires and cliffs rose up as fortifications, thousands of feet high and provided a formidable barrier to protect the inhabitants from the world beyond.
They arrived at the castle, a veritable fortification of stone. The walls towered like a bastion of masonry that appeared seamless. High atop the wall, dwarf sentinels kept watch over the entrance to Lord Dunstan’s stronghold. The main entrance to the palace was across a wide walkway which spanned over a moat of sorts, more like a lake that surrounded two thirds of the citadel. The escorts led them across in swift procession and the lead dwarf gave some form of hand signal which drew an immediate response. The tall, twin doors of the castle swung outward, and Aaron and his men were ushered in.
The tall doors, when closed, possessed the same seamless design as that of the stonework. Stairs led up either side of the inner wall of the castle, and each ended at a small wooden door. Before them, a long, magnificent hall waited.
Aaron gasped in recognition; it was the same hall that he witnessed in his vision. The floor was made of shimmering marble, specked with gold and silver flakes. Two great rows of granite columns supported a vaulted ceiling. Statues of dwarf warriors kept silent vigil at the base of each pillar. All around the room hung spectacular tapestries that depicted scenes of great battles—dwarf warriors in epic endeavors. Wall sconces held glowing stones and far down the center isle of the great hall, atop a dais, sat a marble throne. Two great cauldrons of burning liquid heated the room, belching dark smoke that escaped through a small vent in the ceiling.
The men were escorted to the throne. “You’ll wait here until Lord Dunstan arrives. Bring in some chairs for these men.” The commander of the dwarf squad barked out the orders as three others ducked behind the dais and returned with chairs.
Just as the men took their seats, a procession of dwarf soldiers entered into the room and took positions around the hall. Several stood along the wall; two on each side of the throne and two more by the entrance door. The dwarf guards who entered were dressed with far greater pageantry than the six who stood vigil. They wore large metal breastplates, polished like mirrors, and carried sturdy, double-bladed axes with long shafts that were plated in gold. Their heavy beards were long and braided, and each dwarf warrior was garbed in a crimson cloak.
Then the dwarf lord entered into the room. He was large in comparison to the other dwarves in the room, muscular and stern. His beard was long and deep red, dusted with streaks of grey and braided with slender gold thread. Upon his brow he wore a circlet of gold, decorated with diamonds and emeralds. He, too, was garbed with a crimson cloak and a single-piece breastplate inlaid with gold in the form of an axe and hammer crossed above a large silver mountain. As he walked up the dais to the throne, all the soldiers in the hall knelt in honor. He sat and the guards all rose to their feet and stood silent around the room.
The dwarf leader’s face was set like chiseled stone, hard and unyielding. He looked with scorn at Aaron and his men seated in the chairs. “Welcome to Hidden Valley and the city of Brekken-Dahl.” His tone carried no hint of welcome, and his countenance revealed a strong animosity.
Aaron spoke up, his own disposition one of calm defiance. “Who are you and why have you taken us against our will!?”
“I am Dunstan, lord of Brekken-Dahl and regent over the ancient mountain provinces.” Adamant and hard as flint, the dwarf lord directed all his attention toward Aaron. “You are here for you have murdered one who was servant of the Great King and friend to all who remain loyal to His Royal Majesty!”
Rayn opened his mouth, but Aaron restrained him, and then spoke again. “We have not heard of any king, nor have we committed any crimes against your people. You have no just reason to hold us for we are true servants of Celedon and the emperor.”
“Do you deny that in the mountains south of here you trapped and murdered a man when you set his cottage to flame? You, Captain, killed him.” Dunstan’s accusation shot like an arrow.
“He stole a book from the archives of the emperor, and I was ordered to recover it by any means necessary.” Aaron tried to sound confident, but the memories of his time in the mountains still haunted him.
Dunstan began to grow fierce with anger. “That book rightfully belongs to those who still serve the ancient King. Your emperor is the one who stole the Book of Aleth!”
“Lord Dunstan,” replied the captain as he attempted to remain calm. “I do not know what you’re talking about.”
“No, of course you do not!” raged Dunstan. “You, Captain, have no idea what is going on at all, or what trouble you’ve caused!” Dunstan rose from his throne; fury filled his features as he paced across the dais. The dwarf lord glared at Aaron and shouted, “Tell me where the Book of Aleth is! You were the one who murdered its keeper.”
Rayn refused to be held back any longer. “We have no idea where the emperor’s book is!”
“Private!” Aaron commanded.
Rayn looked at his commander. “Captain, this man is talking nonsense!”
“Be still, Private!” Aaron’s voice trembled with agitation at Rayn’s tirade. He returned his attention to the dwarf leader and took a deep breath to regain a sense of composure. “We do not know where the book is.” Aaron was reluctant to reveal too many details. “It was taken by one who betrayed me. When I found him the book was already gone, and he was dead. After that, we were taken captive by your soldiers and brought here against our will. But what is it to you?” Aaron wanted to press the matter further. “This book has no value to anyone else.”
“Then you’re a fool!” Dunstan waived his hand, dismissing Aaron’s remark. “If you think that this book is of no great worth, why did your precious emperor send his esteemed Royal Guard to recover it? This book is the key to unlocking all that was and that will be again. The Book of Aleth is the hope of the restoration and the one weapon your great emperor fears the most,” Dunstan said.
Aaron replied, “How can you know all that?”
“How can I know?” Dunstan roared in amazement. “Has your nation been flung so far into darkness that every shred of truth is lost?” The dwarf lord paced as he spoke. “How can I know; that answer is easy. A thousand years ago, during the time you call the Elder Days, my grandfather was lord-regent of Brekken-Dahl when your emperor waged war against the King. My grandfather told me all that took place. He told me that my people stood with the King in the Great War while your nation rebelled and betrayed him, joining instead with your emperor. By the King’s command, we were sent beyond the river and into the mountains to wait for the time of restoration.
“Now, dear Captain,” Dunstan continued, “I want you to tell me exactly what happened in the field where we captured you! Speak the truth, for you and your men will have no other end but death if you lie.”
Dunstan returned to his throne and took his seat. His piercing glare fixed upon Aaron who occupied the center chair. The cold stare of the lord of dwarves never strayed. With Lorik on Aaron’s left and Rayn on his right, Aaron considered how much information to share with the dwarf lord.
“May I stand?” Aaron asked. Dunstan nodded his permission, and Aaron stood and started to slowly pace in front of the dais. He thought through the options that were presented to him. “I will tell you what happened, but first I ask that you at least release my sergeant. He was not with us in the clearing and has nothing to do with what you ask.”
“No.” Dunstan’s voice was resolute. “Your sergeant was found trespassing in our realm and had discovered the secret to the hidden bridge. He will not be released, ever.” Lorik’s shoulders fell as he heard the dwarf lord, but showed no other emotion.
Aaron stroked at his beard and looked at Lorik with concern. Then he began, “Very well, I was ordered to take a regiment of the third order of the Royal Guard to track down and neutralize a man who was considered a dissident and threat to the empire. I was also told he possessed a book, stolen from the archives of the royal library, and that I was to retrieve the book at any cost and return it to the emperor. We tracked leads and hints of the whereabouts of the man’s location and finally discovered that he lived in North Village, near to the northern most reaches of Celedon.
“I sent one of my soldiers to investigate, and it was reported to me the man had returned. When I arrived, he fled into the mountains and barricaded himself inside a small cottage. He refused to surrender, so we burned the cottage to the ground. I returned the next morning to retrieve the book, or its remains, and found it was gone. I soon discovered it was stolen by one of my own men, and I went in search of him. This brought us to the glen where you found us, and you know the rest of the story.”
Aaron took his seat while the dwarf lord stood. Dunstan contemplated Aaron’s testimony as he stroked his long, crimson beard. The dwarf-lord paced upon the dais. “You haven’t told me the entire story. You are withholding information, and I want to know what it is.”
Aaron’s frustration burst out and overwhelmed his self-restraint. “If you know that I have more to say, tell me what it is! Have your spies spoken to you about my movements and activities? There is nothing more that I will say!”
An almost imperceptible smile crossed Dunstan’s face but it was there. “I will give you time to reconsider that decision.” Dunstan turned his attention to the six guards who waited behind the three soldiers. “Take them back to their cell until this captain is ready to reveal everything.”
“On your feet,” barked the guard behind Aaron. As the men reached the massive wooden doors, the echo of another door resonated across the room. Aaron turned to look back toward the throne and saw an older dwarf, with a grey beard, enter from behind the throne. The older dwarf had a harrowed look upon his face. The dwarf rushed around from behind the dais and knelt in respect before his liege. He talked in muffled tones. Aaron didn’t hear the conversation that ensued between Dunstan and the other dwarf but a look of frustration filled Dunstan’s eyes. Just before Aaron left the throne room, the older dwarf looked straight at him, perplexity in his features. Aaron pondered what it meant as a sense of foreboding flooded his thoughts.
The guards led them through the city streets back toward the barracks and their cell. Darkness filled the sky and no trace remained of the beautiful display on the mountain slopes. As they walked, dwarves shuffled about with torches and glowing stones to illuminate their steps. One ruddy young dwarf, carefree as he played along the ancient streets, did not pay attention to his surroundings and collided with Lorik and almost knocked the sergeant off his feet. The young dwarf fell. His wide, young eyes looked up at the tall, bearded soldier, an expression of wonder and disbelief crossed the young boy’s face. Lorik reached down to help the boy to his feet. With a smile, the young dwarf accepted his hand and then bolted off in the dark.
At the barracks, they were led again down the corridor and back to their cell where they sat in silence. Sometime after their return, Aaron heard the dinner cart rattle through the corridor. The three men went to the cell door and quietly retrieved the trays. They ate with no conversation. Aaron, more than the others, was deeply troubled by their circumstances, and his expression conveyed great anxiety.
“Captain, it’s obvious you’re holding back.” Lorik spoke, his voice filled with the warmth of friendship. “With all due respect, what are you brooding over?”
Aaron hated circumstances beyond his control, and his current dilemma engulfed his thoughts and crashed through his mind like a torrential storm. “Lorik, I can’t help but feel that there are forces around us far beyond anything we’ve ever encountered. I’ve believed from my youth that the stories of the Elder Days are only myth and legend, that there is nothing to them but simple childhood fantasy. From the days that I spent on the streets to the time I graduated university, I have always believed those stories were foolish. Now everything I believe is being challenged right in front of my eyes! Is there some truth in what Dunstan said? We can’t deny any longer that there is some legitimacy to these stories… the proof is right before our eyes.”
“I don’t know,” replied Lorik. “Those days are so far in the past that the truth is sure to have been lost over time. But it does seem that these people have stepped out of myth into reality. That doesn’t make their claims to be anymore valid. It does, however, force us to consider the credibility of their statements. You’re right about this: there is more going on than we can begin to understand. Our regiment was killed, and we’ve been captured all because of this Book of Aleth.”
“What we need to do is to get our hands on that book and find out for ourselves,” Aaron said.
“What?” Rayn stood and began to pace in their small chamber. “We need to get out of here and get back to Celedon! We must get back and tell the emperor what these dwarves mean to do!”
Aaron looked at the young soldier. “And what is it that they mean to do, Private?”
“It’s obvious that they mean to try and invade our nation and overthrow the empire.” Rayn looked at Aaron with frustration and anger. “Once we get the chance, we make a break for it and get back to the capital. One of us is bound to make it.”
“Well,” returned Aaron, as he thought about what Rayn had said, “you may be right, but I am still captain and the final decision will be mine.”
Rayn was about to continue but one look from Aaron silenced him.
“Sir,” Lorik asked, “what do you think we must do?”
Aaron stood and paced the floor. He casually stroked his beard and contemplated their situation. Calmness washed over his countenance. “Lorik, I agree with you. We need to recover the book. We leave together. Either we find a way to convince the lord of this land to release us, or escape when an opportunity arrives, but we will have a better chance if we stay together.”
“But Captain!” Rayn interjected.
Lorik interrupted Rayn with a stern rebuke. “Be still, Private. He is your captain, and we will follow his orders.” Lorik turned to Aaron and asked, “Sir, what do you have in mind?”
Aaron began to think out loud. “The key is this Lord Dunstan. He wants to find the book as much as anyone. I can only imagine that he wants it for the power he thinks it has. There have been many attempts to overthrow the emperor in the past. By his own testimony, Dunstan is certain the emperor is evil. It stands to reason, if he believes this book will provide him the power necessary to overthrow the emperor, then he will want to find it. That hideous creature Rayn and I saw must be the creature that now possesses the book. If we can track its location, we might be able to recover it.”
As the night outside deepened, Aaron watched the evening stars shine in the velvet blackness through the small window. The moon slipped above the horizon and sent its shimmering light into their chamber, providing pale illumination. Rayn sat dejected while Lorik continued his conversation with Aaron. “It sounds good, sir, but how are we going to begin?”
Aaron stopped pacing and sat on the bed of straw. “I’m not sure,” he said, “but an opportunity will come.”
****
Two weeks of confinement took its toll on their nerves. The center of the barracks where they were quartered had a small, outdoor square used as a common area for the prisoners. Once a day they were allowed to enter the grassy plaza for recreation. To alleviate the boredom, Lorik took advantage of it. A small guard room housed a solitary dwarf who kept an eye on the prisoners in the square.
Often he was alone. But on one particular day Lorik encountered another prisoner in the square, a dwarf. He was older; his long beard was streaked with grey and unkempt. Several scars marked his features, but unlike the other dwarves that Lorik had encountered, this dwarf seemed to possess a humility that bordered on timidity.
The dwarf walked with a slight limp as he approached Lorik. The sergeant was about to stand but the elderly dwarf waved him off and insisted he remain seated. “No need to stand on ceremony for a dwarf like me.” His gravelly voice spoke with clarity and a hint of liveliness. Large, brown eyes sparkled under his heavy brows and conveyed a lighthearted and cheerful disposition.
The dwarf sat down next to Lorik, crossed his legs in front of him and reclined back on his hands. The newcomer looked Lorik up and down as if he evaluated him. “Well now, with that beard I might have mistaken you for some giant of a dwarf!” Then he chuckled, his face filled with a smile. “So you’re one of the Celedon soldiers, brought here to waste away? Hmm. Well, you know, there’s no leaving this hole… You’re here to stay.”
Lorik’s heart was gripped by the dwarf’s words, but he held his expression in check as he spoke with the newcomer. “So, friend, who might you be?”
“Me, well, I’m not anyone in particular. Braden’s my name. I got arrested years ago and have been here ever since. Not much to say about the accommodations, but the food is plentiful! I’m just a troll to my kinsmen, little more than a waste of skin.” Braden absentmindedly picked at the grass and tossed the torn blades into the air, watching them fall to the ground.
Lorik continued the conversation, pleased to speak with anyone other than Aaron or Rayn for the moment. “Braden, if you don’t mind my asking, why are you here?”
Braden exhaled a sigh as he continued to pick at the grass. “Well, years ago I worked the mines in the Kanton Mountains, digging rock and hauling it out of the tunnel when I stumbled on a bit of a trap. I didn’t know that the tunnel we worked led right into a cavern filled with trolls! I got scared and ran and left my companions to fight without me. Cowardice pays a heavy price among us dwarves, you see, and my cowardice cost me my freedom.”
Lorik was shocked at such a measure laid against a mine worker. “You can’t be serious!” exclaimed Lorik. “You’re not a soldier. You can’t be expected to have the same discipline as trained military. How long have you been locked up for this?”
“You need to understand, all dwarf men are considered soldiers. When we can first wield an axe and hammer we are trained in its use.” He looked up at Lorik. “You may have noticed the dwarves with gold cords twisted in their beards.”
Lorik nodded. “I thought it was some sign of royalty.”
“No, my friend. When a dwarf comes of age and displays his courage he is given the right to wear threads of gold woven into his beard.” Braden looked at the ground as he spoke. “I will never have that honor for I was a coward, and I deserve to pay the price for it. But no matter how much I want to make up for it, I’ll never get the chance.” Braden sat quiet for some time; his eyes downcast. “You see, I’ve been imprisoned for two hundred years.”
Lorik’s mouth dropped open, aghast at the statement.
“Oh, now, not all here mind you. I spent several decades locked in the dungeon of the dwarf hold in the Kanton Mountains. That is where I spent my first fifty years as a matter of fact. Until the deladrin invaded and we had to flee for our lives.” Braden shuddered as he remembered.
“What are the deladrin?” Lorik looked puzzled as he questioned his companion.
“It’s hard to describe the deladrin. They are of such evil that I imagine they survived even from the ancient times. They are large, winged creatures that stand, well, that are taller than you, with a fire that burns on the inside of them. They are black as coal and dwell in shadow. A handful of those beasts attacked our hold in the Kanton Mountains. One’s enough to put fear into our hearts, and the entire population of dwarves fled back here to Brekken-Dahl.” Braden trembled as he spoke of the creatures.
It was obvious to Lorik that Braden didn’t want to continue talking about the deladrin, but he had heard enough to convince him that the captain needed to learn about them. Lorik changed the conversation, “So, if I may ask, how old are you?”
Braden brightened and his tone lifted, “Ah, yes, I am three hundred and fifty two years old! Middle age, by dwarf standards! My father lived to be over five hundred years, as his father before him. I guess I’m cursed to live out my days in this place, for cowardice carries a life sentence. But, enough about my troubles. Tell me about yours… you and your companions are here, and it is rare to find your kind in our realm.”
Before Lorik began, a burly guard with little patience entered. “It’s time to go. You and you,” he said as he pointed to Lorik and Braden, “get up and go back to your cells.”
Lorik contained his enthusiasm and his eagerness to tell Aaron the information he’d learned from Braden. He had stumbled upon a piece of news that provided them a direction to search for the book. With a sense of hope, despite their captivity, Lorik began to think they might find the means to escape and regain the Book of Aleth. With renewed confidence he walked back into his cell.
Aaron and Rayn waited on the pile of straw, passing the time. Lorik entered and the door locked behind him. With a slight smile on his face, Lorik stood over the two men.
“Captain, I have some interesting news.”
Aaron and Rayn sat up as they listened to Lorik tell about his encounter with Braden. Aaron’s eyes widened.
“Lorik, do you think this Braden will be in the square tomorrow?” Aaron was eager to meet the dwarf and hear the story for himself.
“Sir, I don’t know. Come with me to the square. I suspect he will be there eventually.” Lorik’s eagerness poured out with every word.
“If what he says is true then all we need to do is concentrate on how to get out of this place. Do you think this dwarf will accompany us as a guide?” Aaron asked.
“I don’t know. But to leave two hundred years of incarceration might be incentive enough for him to help us.” Lorik replied.
“Then all we have to do is to wait until the moment comes for us to make our escape. If we have a dwarf working with us, we might be able to find our way out of this mess.” Aaron paced in the cell again with a new, anxious hope as he stroked his beard. “I can feel it,” Aaron said. “Somehow I know…our time is near.”