Tale of Ralurist

by OdinAUT

Silver, Gold, Diamonds, Vampires, Dragons, Monsters, Elves and best of all: Dwarves! This is the Tale of seven great drunks...ahh, I mean champions. Watch as they forge their own destiny. M for violence.

2. Chapter 2 - Of Preparations and Secrets

Of Preparations and Secrets:

Urist had been planning and reading reports until deep into the night and when all of them gathered again in the hospital, where tables and chairs had been conveniently placed in front of the queen's bed, he had…nothing. "Nothing?" Ast looked at him deadpanned "I can't really plan something until I have a deeper knowing about their tactics. If we just try to overpower them we might get mutilated like the king." Ast looked like he had an idea but was not sure about it yet. Urist just let him be, when he got it worked out he would speak up. "However we got a few reports. I got bad news, good news and really bad news. What do you want to hear first?" "Chronological order please" Lokast said leaning back a little. "Fine by me. So the bad news: The Ripe Apples found a few traces of elves but they were already gone. Sadly they couldn't catch anyone. The patrols have been doubled so they will probably stay away for now. The good news is, I got a letter form Ce." At that announcement everyone looked up "It's a pretty detailed report about the elven army's strength and movement. Considering what Nish and Sodel told us it seems accurate." "Looks like he is still on our side then" Ast said relieved "I seems so, yes. He promised to send more information as soon as possible. And that report is also the very bad news. It seems the king of "The Growing Sapling" is going all out. He came with his entire military. That's 2000 foot soldiers, 1000 archers and 2000 mounted warriors. Plus some king of secret troop no one seems to know more about" "More than 5000 elves? The most we can draft up are 150. How are we supposed to beat them?" Nosim looked shocked. "Normally Count, I would say superior tactics and surprise but…" "Didn't Ce write something about that?" Comnith asked surprised. Ce was not known for doing things half assed. "It seems they leave him in the dark on purpose, thinking he might betray them". Urist was lost here. Ast looked up, seemingly having come to a conclusion "We have to ask to old ones for help" Everyone looked a little uneasy, while Urist's head hit the table with enough force to shake it. "I had really hoped it wouldn't come to that" "Who are this "old ones"?" the young queen spoke up for the first time. Every one of the inhabitants of Silverdagger started fidgeting. No one wanted to be the first to speak. Urist saw that he had no choice though "3 year back we had a few…strange…deaths. People completely drained of blood. It turned out we had a pair of vampires inside the fortress. We found them and well…" He rubbed the back of his head. Comnith spoke up quickly "We imprisoned them in the lower levels" "YOU WHAT?" Sodel was standing now looking at them unbelieving. "You let those monsters live? And the queen was here unprotected the whole time? WHY?" Before someone could answer Shin stood up and walked up to Sodel, their noses touching "You DARE assume we were not careful enough? That we would allow them to roam around at night? That Urist and Ast would not protect the queen after yesterday's vow? That the three of us standing by her side the entire night could not protect her? I WILL NOT HAVE YOU INSULT THE HONOR OF ANY OF US, SODEL!" He shrank back a little at that onslaught. Before he could yell back however, Urist spoke up "ENOUGH!" His voice was booming a commanding, leaving no room to argue. "We will not fight one another. Save it for the elves" Both sat down again sending out dark looks. "We left them alive Sodel, because they have valuable information. Those two are in this world since the very beginning. They have seen and remember things that others forgot about long ago." "Will they help us?" Kinem looked a little afraid but her eyes showed determination. "That depends on their mood. Let's adjourn this meeting while Ast and I go talk to them." "Allow me to accompany you" Urist was surprised to hear the young girl say that. "Are you sure my lady? Are you rested enough?" Kinem looked at Ning who, after a careful look, nodded. "Alright then. Sodel I assume you will come along too?" The dwarf in question nodded and helped the queen up. Thirty minutes later they were walking through what seemed to be the deepest part if Silverdagger, even though Urist assured them they had dug down much deeper. Before them a giant door appeared, made completely out of obsidian with runes inscribed in it. These runes had the clear meaning of keeping whatever was inside from ever breaking out. "When we are inside, they will most certainly try to scare you." Urist said to Kinem. They had decided that the queen, being the dwarf with the most authority, should lead the talk. "It's a past time for them. Try to force them into submission and they will fight you. Show them an unbreakable will and they will relent" Sodel and the queen nodded and, after another deep breath, Urist opened the gate. The room inside was not big but of a strange design. On the wall just opposite of them was a floodgate and to the left and right fortifications, closer together than usual, made of obsidian spanned the entire length. These were covered in runes as well. As soon as the door closed, the torches that lit the room went out. A crackling sound came from the left.

"Do you see that Nazush. The first visitors in six months." He crackled again "Yes, I see them Recus, they look tasty, especially the young one." Kinem was just about to twitch when she remembered Urist's words. "My name is Kinem and I am the queen of this land". She stood proud, even though she was leaning on a crutch. Suddenly two faces appeared left and right of her, still behind the fortifications, but threatening none the less. Kinem did not move and held her ground. If it weren't for their burning red eyes and long teeth you would think them no different than normal dwarves. No wonder vampires were so hard to find. Their crackling laughter filled the air, chilling everyone to the bone. Both stretched their arms out, trying to grab whatever was in range. Kinem did her best to hold in the fear building inside her heart and held her ground. The arms stretched over an unnatural lengh until…"Would you two idiots stop that already?" Urist had his arms crossed in front of him, looking disapproving. "We get no fun with you around, Urist" Nazush snapped his fingers and the torches lit up again. In the warm light you could see that the "cells" were actually well furnished. Both had a bed, table, chair, armor and weapon stand, cabinet and chest. Other floodgates on the end of each of the rooms seemed to connect to the one in the middle. "Please forgive two old dwarves, my lady. But we had to test you to see if you are worthy." Nazush smiled a little her, not showing his teeth "You have shown us an unbreakable will. For that, we honor you" Both then bowed before her. Sodel did not trust them however "You are different, than what I expected" "And what did you expect? Two blood crazed beasts roaming around in steel cells, jumping at anything that moves?" Recus looked at him amused "Well….yes". Both vampires threw back their head and started laughing, not crackling like before but full of joy. When the laughter died down again, Kinem spoke up "I was expecting the same actually. Why are you imprisoned if you don't mean us any harm?" "The thirst, young queen, cannot be controlled. If we were to roam free, we would not be able to hold back. Besides we killed…what? ...10 people in Silverdagger?" He looked at Urist who nodded. "And a total of around 1000 since we became what we are. I have seen true monsters, forgotten in the depth of this world that killed far more." He moved back to his chair and gestured the four in front of him to sit down in the chairs in the middle of the room as well. "It is definitely not paradise down here, but Urist makes sure we have everything. We even get a drink of blood regularly". Both Kinem and Sodel look at Urist, shocked and revolted. "You give them people to kill?" "Nope, I give them the barrels full of blood the merchants carry around for some strange reason." That was reassuring at least. "What do you two do down here?" "Well I'm the manager and Recus over there is the accountant." Sodel looked at Ast with a questioning look "Don't ask, we have no idea how they do it but the accounts are correct and the jobs get done." "So, what can we do for you today?" Recus was already sitting at his table counting things, while Nazush looked at them with a slight smile. Urist looked at Kinem and nodded. She then began to tell them everything that happened from the first attack up to the present. It took a few hours and Sodel had to jump in in case that remembering her mother was still too much for her. When they finished both vampires were standing, eyes burning and cold hatred visible in their faces. Nazush turn to Urist "What do you need?" "Everything you can give me. I need insight into their tactics and strategies and an idea about the most likable attack plan". "Give me one hour to write everything down. And then I expect mutilation and carnage from you Urist. These primitives deserve no less". He turned around and began to write a note. "Young queen" she turned around to Recus, who was leaning on the fortification in front of him "you carry a heavy burden. Don't let the past cloud your mind and poison your thoughts. When the moment comes and you have to make a critical decision, remember the good times. Trust me" he looked directly a Sodel before speaking the next words "I know what I'm talking about" After that he turned and started working again. About two hours later the four returned to the hospital to meet up with the rest again. In his hands Urist held detailed information on any strategy the elves could possibly use. The rest of the day was spent discussing possible defense options with the founders of Silverdagger always referring to "The Guardians". When Sodel asked what those guardians were, Urist just smiled and told him that was an information for another day. When evening came, a messenger told them that the human caravan arrived and brought along another letter for Urist. "It's from Ce…it seems the army noticed that the bridge of Casem is not usable to them. They plan to take the pass of Kisim." Good," Ast said "with the speed they are moving in, that give us another three months to prepare" Everyone nodded. "We should probably call it a night. It's been a long day" Ning looked at Kinem in particular. The young queen could barely keep her eyes open. "Let's meet up tomorrow to discuss the rest". They all stood and went to their separate quarters.

While all of Silverdagger started to prepare for what was still to come, Count Nosim had to deal with a different problem. Those four royal guards were getting noisier by the day, demanding different things. While he had diffused all situations which could have led to one or multiple deaths up to this point, it was now starting to get ridiculous. In front of him all four stood, head held high, while the one calling himself their leader spoke "With all due respect count, a single bedroom witch just a chest, cabinet, armor and weapon stand and a bed is not enough for us. We are of noble blood and deserve better quarters than the rest of the commoners. We are better warriors than any of them, otherwise we would not have been allowed to enter the royal guard. You cannot possibly expect us to house in such holes. Surely you understand us." Those four were pampered children that didn't know anything less than the best. He was sure their rooms in the mountainhome were at least the size of his quarters. To show his goodwill he had ordered their rooms smoothed and engraved. The "artistic freedom" of the engravers had gone a little overboard though and all pictures showed the four, lying in fetal position and surrounded by critters. "This entire "fortress" is unsuited to house us. It resembles a garbage pile more than anything else" The counts eye was twitching now. Thinking yourself better than the rest, he would expect nothing less from those four. But trash talking his home was not a good idea. But he knew just the way to get them back in line. "If you wish to be honored in Silverdagger, you need to prove yourself. Luckily for you a situation has arisen, that will give you that chance" Just as he finished speaking someone knocked on the door and after the count answered with "Enter" Urist walked in. The four were now starting to fidget knowing what happened the last time they met this dwarf. "You needed my assistance Count?" "Yes, indeed Urist. You see these four her believe themselves not properly housed." "Do they?" Urist turned around and looked at them. His eyes promised each one a lot of pain. "Yes. I believe it would be best to let them prove themselves." "A great idea Count. What would you have them do?" "Well you remember the situation we had not long ago? Down in the lower level?" Urist had to think a little, but finally understood what count Nosim was on about. An evil grin appeared on his face. "Ah yes" "They just told me that they are very capable warriors, as can be seen by heir armor." Everyone in the room knew that to be a lie. The royal guard were mostly just positions for nobles who the king wanted close. Urist severely doubted that any of them had battle experience prior to fleeing from the mountainhome. "Well, come on then. I have just the job for you". All four looked highly pleased, thinking themselves much cleverer than Urist or Nosim. The two locals walked them down the central staircase until they reached what looked like a wall. Urist pulled a lever on the wall and the wall started moving forward, revealing itself to be a rising bridge. After walking through another short corridor they arrived at what looked like a small outpost. At the front fortifications opened up and a small door to the right seemed to lead out. The four walked up to the fortifications to look what lay behind them, only to see nothing but darkness. The Count spoke up behind them "No your job is as simple as it is important. You are to protect this waypoint from anything that wishes to cross it. The caverns are a dangerous place and the fortress must be protected from below as well. If you can hold this place for seven days, Urist will make sure you are properly honored" The dwarf in question nodded beside him to emphasize the point. "If you can't, you will do whatever you are told to from now on and never complain again. Deal?" When the word cavern fell, all four started shivering. The "leader" spoke up again, trying to keep his voice at his typical "I am better than you" tone, but failing miserably "We accept. Are there any dangerous creatures we should be aware of?" "No, nothing in particular" Urist and Nosim had walked back and the lever got pulled again. Just as the bridge was rising again, Urist spoke up again "Though there was a report about a giant rattlesnake with wings. I would watch out in your case. You never know what lies beyond". Before any of them could answer, the bridge closed again. Nosim looked as Urist with a slight smile "You forgot to tell them that the snake has been taken care of" "Oh…you are right. I could tell them now" Urist turned around looking at the closed bridge "No, they are seasoned warriors. I'm sure something like that won't scare them" Both started laughing and went back to work. It did not even take a single day for four to start pounding on the door, screaming about a beast that is going to eat them. When Urist went in to look, he found a small cave snake in the corner of the room. Because their word was given in front of another noble, the "scared four", as they were called from now on, had to honor their word. They stopped complaining and started living among the rest of the fortress working to the best of their abilities. Whenever their "royal blood" would show itself again, a little hiss was enough to get them back in line.

It took Kinem and her council another week to come up with a plan all of them were sure would work. While planning Urist came up with another idea and, together with Ast, went to talk to the humans. "Daratan, have you got a minute?" "Urist, Ast my old friends" they shook hands "how are you? I heard there was quite a commotion going on. I am sorry for the loss of your friend" "Thank you Daratan. I actually wanted to ask you something…two somethings to be precise" "Go ahead" "Do you, by any chance, know how to create those great axes you carry around with you? And more importantly can you teach Ast how to make one?" "Hmm" Daratan was thinking hard, rubbing his chin with one hand "I'm no smith but Reton over there knows I believe. Hey Reton!" The human in question walked over "Urist wants to know if you could teach Ast how to make a great axe." "Sure shouldn't be a problem, but we have to leave in two days, so I hope you are a fast learner" he smiled, knowing that he was talking to a master smith. "No worries, and afterwards let's go for a nice drink" "Now that sounds like a good idea" and they both went off. "So, now that that's done, was there something else?" "Yes, which route were you planning to take home?" "The eastern one, over the bridge of Casem, why?" "The bridge got destroyed" "Hmm…we'll probably take the pass of Kasim then" "I would advise against that" both were now walking outside the main gate "there is currently an elven army marching over the mountain headed directly for Silverdagger. They probably won't be kind to you one they realize you have dwarven crafts loaded." "So the rumors are true then. But are they mad? Sieging Silverdagger will never work" "You honor us, Daratan, but this battle will still be intense. Is there another route you can take?" "Yes the southern one, but that will take us at least 4 months to return home instead of one. The men won't like it but I'll not run directly into an elven ambush. Thank you for the warning" Daratan held out his hand "You were always honest with us Daratan and a true friend. And don't worry. After we took care of the elves I'll send out a team to repair the bridge. When you return next year, you can take that route." He took the offered hand and both went inside for the night.

The humans left two days later with a happy Daratan and an unbelieving Reton "He managed to create a better weapon than me on his second try. How is that even possible" "Never wager with a dwarf" Daratan replied laughing. As it turns out Reton bet that Ast would never be able to create something better than him before they left. The bet was barrel full of sunshine. Needless to say Ast was very happy and very drunk the next day.

Just a week later the last of the secrets of Silverdagger was shared with the queen. Kinem had improved remarkably and was able to walk again with not problems. Running still was too much for her though, but she used her new freedom to talk to everyone in the meeting hall. Soon she was known by every dwarf and all of them seemed quite taken with her.

Before the final expedition with Sodel and Kinem, Urist had Ast come to him. "Do you remember what the miners, praise them, found last year?" "Yes I do, we have quite a stash of it now, why?" "Enough to outfit the entire army?" Ast sat down, took pen and paper and started calculating. "More than enough" he answered after a short while. "Good, I want only your best smiths to work with it. Only the best quality will do Ast" "Don't worry friend I though as much and had them train since the queen arrived. All of them are ready" Urist put a hand on his friend shoulder "I knew you won't let me down." He handed him a list of the required products. "Can you do it in time?" Ast scanned over the paper "No problem". "Good. Oh and please send me one of those great axes of yours. I want to get a feel for them." "Sure thing Urist, I'll order one of the haulers to bring you one" Ast was just about to turn around when Urist spoke up once more "And congratulations. I hear Shin is expecting" He smiled brightly as his friend turned red. Then a smile broke out on his face too "I knew we couldn't keep it a secret from you for long. How did you find out?". "With the way Shin practically skinned Sodel the other day it was either that or some booze that had gone bad. Since I know that never happens around here, only one reason remained." The friends embraced before each drowning a mug of sunshine Urist had reserved for this occasion.

Shortly afterwards Urist met up with Sodel and Kinem in the entrance hall. "I'm sure you are wondering where we are going today?" Urist looked at them with a grin. "Today I'll show you the guardians" Kinem was bouncing because of the excitement now. She had tried to ask every dwarf in the fortress about them but all would just smile and tell her that it was a secret. She had even tried to order them only to shrink a little under Comnith's disapproving look. "No taking advantage of your power, my lady" Kinem had learned that it was best not to provoke her. A pregnant dwarf was dangerous and your status was not going to save your butt. "Where are they?" "Well come on, follow me". They went to one of the walls when Urist pulled out a key and inserted it in a hole. After a sudden click, part of wall swung back to reveal a staircase leading up. "This leads to the guardians resting place as well as the upper defenses" They passed a few ballistae as well as catapults that seemed to point towards a wall. "What good is a siege weapon inside a closed room?" Sodel had long learned that everything in Silverdagger had a purpose, but sometimes he just had to ask. "The walls in front are actually retractable bridges that look like the mountainside. A simple lever pull and we are ready to fire." They climbed up the stairs, taking only a small break for Kinem's sake, and soon stood in front of a massive gate made from pure gold. The inlays depicted a joining of two great forces and riches beyond measure. As usual runes, this time meant for health and power, lined the arch of the gate. In front of the gate, two dwarves in battle armor stood guard, silently stepping aside as the trio came close. Urist pressed multiple runes in some kind of strange order and as soon as he was finished, the gate opened. What was inside, was not what his companions had anticipated.

Riches. Thousands of gold and silver coins, statues, rings, bracelets, scepters and necklaces made only from the most valuable materials. "This guardians sure like their riches" Sodel was staring ahead with unbelieving eyes. Not even the old mountainhome had a treasure this size. "Oh they do." Urist winked and continued on. A little further down he stopped and called out "Ziril, Keshan I brought someone along I want you to meet" "Urist, is that you? What kept you so long? It has almost been a month since you last visited us" The voice answering was booming and also very frightening, a sound that usually made you want to run away. "Have you forgotten us Urist?" The second voice seemed more…soft…than the first. This was definitely a female speaking. That didn't diminish the fear in Sodel's heart however. If anything, it only got stronger. Kinem didn't move. Oh she was afraid, she was trembling like a leaf on the inside, but she remembered Urist words and again did her best to show an unbreakable will. Both Sodel and Kinem looked at Urist with wide eyes however. He was still standing there, smiling "How could I ever forget you? There has just been..." he scratched the back of his head "a lot going on." "Yes we heard. Lokast came by to inform us about it" Something moved in the darkness, unseen but considering the sound it made with every step it was big. "Is this the new queen you brought to us? Lokast talked highly about her." Urist looked at the girl in question and nodded. She stepped forward and, with a surprisingly calm voice, started talking "My name is Kinem, queen of this land. I have heard about you, guardians of this fortress, though no one would tell me more. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." She held her head high and her posture straight. "She has good manners and a strong will, just like we heard" "Let us put it to the test, shall we?"

From the darkness two sets of glowing yellow eyes appeared. With booming steps they came closer until they finally reached the area lit by the torches. What came first from their left was a long, reptilian head with a giant maw full of long sharp teeth, each of them the length of a dwarf. The outline of the head was lined with sharp spikes that seemed to form a sort of mane. Following the head was a long, sleek neck covered in pitch black scales that ended in a massive body. The spikes from the head seemed to follow the neckline getting bigger the closer they got to the body. The torso itself was held up by four strong legs, each equipped with razor sharp claws. Two giant wings, one folded to each side of the body, could be made out. The scales on the breast seemed to be covered in an unearthly glow, as if a fire burned behind them. The spikes ran along the creatures back and down its tail. Another creature, looking a lot like to the one that just showed itself, came from the right. There were similarities but at the same time, lots of differences too. First of all it was smaller, if only by a little. The mane of spikes was missing completely, resulting in a more feminine look. If you looked closely, you could just make out a line of smaller spikes running along the body. These however where not standing, but lying down, making the creature as a whole look less massive. The scales were bright red, which made the fire behind her breast look even brighter.

Sodel was about to wet himself. He had long ago accepted that the founders of Silverdagger were crazy, but this was a whole new level. He had only heard stories and would never have though to actually come this close to a live one "Dragons" his voice was meek and about to break. He needed to get the queen out of this hall, out of this fortress and somewhere save. "I greet you face to face, guardians of Silverdagger" His thoughts came to a full stop. Has the girl been infected by the madness that flew around here? He was just about to take a step forward, when Urist's hand stopped him. When Sodel whirled around to yell at him, he looked directly into his eyes. There was no gleam of madness, no sign of incoming destruction. Somehow that calmed him. "Peace friend. They won't hurt her. Don't interrupt though. She needs to get through this alone"

Kinem's hands were shaking. She was very afraid. There was no denying it anymore, but she quickly hid her arms in the folds of her robes. She had been unable to compensate what was standing in front of her until Sodel stated the obvious. Kinem knew this was a test, and she had to show them her resolve. So she blurted out the first thing that came to mind, which was actually a pretty good greeting. "We greet you face to face, queen of the dwarfs" "It is a pleasure to finally meet you" Both dragons lowered their heads closer to her. Then they inhaled through their nostrils, sniffing her. Kinem almost lost her footing because of the pull. Both pulled back and looked at her. "You are afraid" Oh no, they realized. She had messed up "Good" She stopped panicking and looked at them "Only a fool would not be afraid when in the presence of two full-grown dragons. And a fool is not fit to rule" "I thought you were testing my resolve." "We were, and you passed. You showed us your strong will but were not stupid enough to ignore the threat both of us pose to your life." "We are more than a thousand years old, young queen. We realized long ago, that being fearless does not mean being strong." "Even the strongest of heroes is afraid from time to time. What mattered to us was, that you did not back away." "Allow us to introduce ourselves. My name is Ziril" "And my name is Keshan" "We are the guardians and protectors of Silverdagger" "And allies to the dwarves that life under our wings" Before Kinem could answer a meek sound was heard "Squaak?" When she looked at Keshan she could make out a small form of a baby dragon, hiding behind his mother's hind legs. "No sweetheart, I don't think she wants to play. After all, meeting us was already a bit much for her" That tone, that maternal sound in Keshan's voice, Kinem knew it all too well. She still missed her mother and cried most nights when she thought no one listened. "You have a child?" "More than one. Our clutch counts fifteen." "They don't speak?" "Not yet, they are only a few years old. Dragons start talking when they reach about fifty years of age. Would you like to meet them?" "Yes very much" "A warning though, they are a force to be reckoned with…metaphorically speaking. They are more concerned about playing than anything else right now." Keshan turned her head around and let loose a sound that seemed to be something between a growl and a purr. Suddenly little steps could be heard behind her and before log a group of little dragons made their way towards Kinem. At first they sniffed her before rubbing their heads on her hands and robe. "It took Lokast quite some time to teach them that being rough with one another was ok, but that dwarves are more fragile creatures" Keshan looked at them with high attention, seeing every move so she would be able to react if things got too wild. Kinem made sure to pet every one of them and laughed when they liked her hands.

Sodel could not believe this. DRAGONS, his queen was talking to dragons, even playing with their offspring. He didn't even know dragons could talk, let alone lead such deep conversations. Urist was smiling beside him, glad that the meeting was going so well. "How…" Sodel couldn't continue the sentence, but Urist seemed to know what he wanted to ask. "That's actually a pretty funny story" "There we go again, you will never let me live this down right?" Urist looked up to Ziril with joking eyes and a big grin on his face. "Nope, never" "Haaaa….go ahead. I swear it was the worst mistake of my life when I chose you to be my binding partner. Why can't I get someone nice, like Comnith" Keshan looked at her mate understandingly and nudged his head softly with her nose, as if giving him a small kiss. "Because she is already taken, love" "Yeah, yeah I love you too Ziril" "Don't let Comnith hear you say that" Urist laughed a little and turned to Sodel "First you have to know that this room was actually on of the first we dug out. It was supposed to be an indoor patch for the animals. That is until we realized that there was no snow here, ever." Urist then began to tell the tale

The first workshops had just been completed and the seven dwarf were working hard to make their new home the best anyone could ask for. Lokast was still out on the meadow, putting the cage traps in strategic locations. Five dwarves were sitting a little ways from the entrance taking a break, with Comnith explaining them her idea for a safe and secure gate. "Why not just use a rising bridge?" Ast always was a fan of the classics "BECAUSE, we need something new. Trust me it will look awesome" "You do know that that gate has to stop invaders, not just look cool right?" Urist just came out, sitting down beside his friend. "Hey Urist, you built my hospital yet?" "NO NING and please stop bothering me about it." Ning was just about to answer when the wind suddenly picked up, as if a storm was coming "We should have built that rising bride" Urist looked south standing up slowly "Why Urist? You afraid to get wet?" Ast was still lying on the ground, chilling out with closed eyes "No, but I'm afraid of burning up" "Why burn up?" Comnith looked at him as if he had gone mad. Rain was not burning. "Because, that dragon IS HEADING DIRECTLY TOWARDS US" Everyone looked in the direction Urist was pointing before jumping up and sprinting towards the entrance "Where the hell is Lokast?" "Taking care of the cage traps, let's hope he finds a good place to hide" They were almost inside when suddenly a huge black wall fell down in front of them. The dragon let loose a roar that made all of them tremble. Its eyes narrowed as it stepped forward. Suddenly a click was heard and in a flash, a stone cage shot up closing itself around the beast. One last roar was heard and the spaces between the stone bars closed. "What, in Armok's name just happened?"

By this point Sodel was already trying his hardest to keep back his laugh. "That's right, he stepped into a cage trap" That was just too much. Sodel threw back his head and let loose a roaring laughter. "Go ahead, laugh it up. How was I supposed to know there was a trap there" "It's not that you didn't know, it's that such a massive and old beast as yourself fell for such an easy trick" That even send Kinem into a fit of giggles. "They are hurting me, love. Their words cut deep" Ziril put his head on the ground, looking up at his mate. Keshan formed a small o with her maw and breathed a jet of fire into his face. The black dragon closed his eyes, obviously enjoying the sensation. "Anyway, let me continue"

Obsidian, being heat resistant, was obviously a great choice for caging a dragon. And luckily Lokast had decided to place that one obsidian cage they had in front of the entrance. "I never thought that would work" Lokast looked a little dumb folded when he returned after the other told him what happened. "I just put it here so some passing grazers can be caught" "Well now we have a dragon. The bigger question is, what do we do with him?" Urist and the others had brought the cage, or closed block with air holes at the top, inside and were now standing around it. "Butcher it?" Ast looked questioning at Lokast "Sure let it out if that cage in my butchery, very nice idea Ast. I know, how about we pasture it in your bedroom?" While these two started quarreling, Urist was deep in thought. "Hey Lokast" he turned around, finding the dwarf in question sitting on Ast's back, who was lying flat on his stomach "Yes?" Urist just shook his head "You have a knack for animals, right?" Lokast nodded "Think you can tame this one?" "Honestly that has never been tried. Dragons are dangerous and violent by nature, but if you want, I'll do my best" He slapped Ast on the back of his head, stood up and walked over. After opening one of the spaces just a little bit and evading the jet of fire that came out, he softly started talking. "You really think this will work?" Ast was rubbing his back and looked at Urist "His family are all great animal trainers. He was always more into food, but that doesn't mean he learned nothing from them". After hours all the spaces where open again and they could get a good look at the beast inside. Its eye were still narrow but it seemed to listen to Lokast. Suddenly it let loose a grumbling sound, which had everyone on their toes. "Would you mind not talking to me like I'm a child? I am over one thousand years old" "Wait, you can talk?" Lokast looked gobsmacked "You get as old as me, you learn a few thing." Urist stepped forward, looking the dragon straight in the visible eye. "I am Urist, leader of this expedition. Why did you attack us?" "You are digging into my home, what did you expect? I have always lived in this mountain and suddenly I should make way just because a few dwarves want to life here?" "I did not realize we were disturbing you, please accept my apology. We have just begun to build our life here, can't we have peace and live side by side?" The dragon looked surprised, if Urist was reading his expression right. "I have never met a dwarf that did not want to kill me on sight. You are a curious fellow. Release me and we can talk." That was a huge gamble. If the dragon lied, he would attack and kill them all. If he spoke the truth, the dwarves might just get a good neighbor and protector. "Alright. Let's take the cage outside. I don't think we got enough space in here anyway" "Have you gone mad? What if it attacks?" "Then we fight back" "Just like that?" "Yes" Ast was shaking his head. "Well I'm taking an axe along, just to be safe". Back outside Lokast opened the cage and the black dragon jumped out. Just as he landed another roar could be heard, a second dragon, bright red in color, landed beside him and, with eyes full of distrust, looked directly at the dwarves. "Have they hurt you, my love? Are you alright? I swear if they broke a single spike I'll render every last one of them asunder" Urist looked a little unsure now, he did not plan for that. Female dragons were known to be far more violent than their male counterparts, especially when protecting something important. "I am fine my dear, do not worry. I was actually just about to call for you. It seems this dwarves want to have peace with us." "Peace? Why would we….wait, the prophecy?" "Yes, I believe these dwarves are the ones"

"Wait what prophecy?" Sodel looked at Urist with questioning eyes. Even Kinem and the small dragons have stopped playing and were listening now. Ziril and Keshan, both lying on the ground as close to one another as possible, watched the whole scene with mirth, remembering the time Urist told about. "I asked the exact same thing"

"Wait, what prophecy?" "One given to us by the oldest of our kind when we were still younger. It went like this:

Find a scar in the world where the burning blood can be seen and build your nest there. You will live, you will grow and you will love. After many years have passed, a great power shall come to you, hidden in small form. Join with it and by working together and protecting one another you will grow stronger and more powerful than any other dragon was ever before."

"You actually think we are that great power?" "I do. Dragons very rarely receive prophecies. Even among us that only happens once in ten thousand years and they should be heeded." "How are we supposed to join then? Simply build you a lair?" "While that will be necessary, something else must be done first. The Binding" "You cannot be serious. If you bind with a mortal, then …" "I see no other way though. By binding with one of them we will become stronger. Maybe strong enough that we don't have to fear for our life and that of our little ones anymore" The red dragon looked to the ground. Constantly having to watch your back was indeed tiresome. "Excuse me, but may I ask what this binding is about?" She looked up to see one of the female dwarves looking at her with curiosity written all over her face. "It's an old ritual where we bind our soul to that of another being. Both gain the spiritual strength of the other, as well as a few small gifts like better senses, but at the same time our lifelines are forever combined. When one dies, so does the other. Binding with a mortal, like in your case, means that we give up on our immortality." She did not even know why she told her that, but that girl seemed to understand. "It seems like this is a very big decision. Maybe we should all sleep over it and meet again once we have made up our mind." The dwarf called Urist sure was wise beyond his years. "Fine then. We will come again once we talked this over" Both dragons took flight and traveled to the southern mountainside. "You think that was a wise idea Urist?" Ast still looked unsure, holding the axe he bright along in front of his chest. "Worst case, they never come again. Best case we gain two powerful allies." The others nodded and together they went inside. It would be another week before they saw the dragons again. While they were outside, again, talking about the gate, again, and Ast again telling Comnith that her idea was crap, which almost lead to her bashing his head in, Urist suddenly stood up. "They are coming" Looking south they could clearly make out two dragons closing in on them. This time however they did not run. Instead Lokast was nice enough to point to a location without traps when the two circled overhead. When both landed, the dwarves walked over to talk to them. "Have you come to a decision?" "Yes. We decided it is best to join with you. Are you willing to join with us as well?" "We talked this through. We are willing." "Good. Two of you need to join with us. Who is it going to be?" Both Urist and Comnith stepped forward, saying "I will" at the same time. "You guys do know you are not getting married right?" Ast tried to hold back a smile and failing spectacularly at the task. A hit to the back of his head by Shin silenced him however. After a round of introductions Keshan explained what was about to take place "The ritual is actually very simple. All we need is a drop of blood. Then you just answer: "So be it. I bind my soul to you" when you get asked" Both dragons softly bit their claws, and then held them out to the dwarfs. The dwarves did the same and let a small drop of blood fall into the red orb that was forming on the dragon claw. "I, Ziril, hereby bind myself to you Urist. Let my strength purify your weakness, let my heart beat in the same tact as yours and let our souls forever be one" Ziril looked at him and Urist knew this was the moment he was supposed to talk. "So be it. I bind my soul to you". At the same time, the same ritual was going on beside them "I, Keshan, hereby bind myself to you Comnith. Let my strength purify your weakness, let my heart beat in the same tact as yours and let our souls forever be one" "So be it. I bind myself to you" A flash of bright light coming directly from the dragon claws almost blinded everyone present. It was gone just as fast as is appeared, leaving to trace of blood behind. The four participants stood still, breathing heavily. "Urist? Comnith? Is everything OK?" Ning was walking closer very slowly. Both the dwarves and the dragons had their eyes closed. Suddenly four pairs of eyes snapped open. "Amazing" Comnith voice was just a whisper "I can see so many things. Even the smallest of cracks in the stone" Urist was just looking at his hands and back to Ziril, who stared at the mountain as if he saw it for the first time. "We all received gifts from the binding it seems. Let us explore this new power, together" "With pleasure, partner"

"And so we build them a lair here. We filled it up with all the stuff we traded and didn't really need. After all there is still enough silver to go around for ages. They like riches and feel much better when they can lie around on a mountain of gold" Urist grinned at Ziril, who just snorted. "An epic story Urist" Sodel seemed duly impressed. "What other gifts did you get?" The little dragons were all yawning by now and Kinem looked interested. "Before that, let me send the young ones back" She growled, but instead of moving the little ones started squeaking. "I don't want to hear it. Back to the nest with you." While the squeaks still sounded rebellious, one look from Keshan was enough to get the small ones running. Urist smiled at that show of motherly strictness. "Higher senses. Both Comnith and I can see farther, even see during the night and our hearing improved considerably. We are also much stronger than a normal dwarf and have a natural resistance to fire. We probably won't survive a dip in the magma pool, but magma mist can't hurt us anymore. Those two" he pointed at the dragons" in exchange got a deeper understanding of how to work the stone and, most importantly, our love for beer and food." "Don't let this idiot pull you down" Comnith told Kiril, who looked hurt again, while carrying a barrel of booze "you are much more now than before. Both got stronger, healthier and their fire burns much brighter and hotter than before." She threw the barrel up in the air, where Keshan caught it and swallowed it in one bite. "They are pretty fond of drinks now however" She smiled and walked over to her partner, softly petting her flank. Keshan in return purred and, much softer than one would expect from a beast that size, put her nose on Comniths stomach. They stayed for another few hours, talking and laughing with the dragons, before it was time to leave again. "Has Lokast briefed you about the defense plan?" "Yes and do not worry my friend, we will be ready" Urist and Ziril bowed before each other. The dwarves then turned around and left. Just before Kinem passed through the door, she turned around a final time "Can I come back to talk to you?" "You are always welcome here, young queen. I am sure the children will be very happy to see you again" As soon as they entered the entrance hall again, Urist turned around and looked at Sodel and Kinem. "You now know every secret about our home. I officially welcome you as citizens of Silverdagger! A feast has been prepared for this occasion." Sodel smiled as Kinem dashed off towards the meeting hall. She did love a good party after all "Thank you Urist." The two males shook hands before wandering off, following behind Comnith who was already in "mother mode" again and making sure the queen did not overindulge. For this night, life was good.