-1
In another tunnel, Strom and Toren ran, not making as much sound, mostly due to Toren's lack of armor and the fact that there were only two, instead of three. As they rounded a bend, they exited into a round chamber. On the other side stood four soldiers, human in appearance, aiming crossbows at the dwarves.
"Down an' roll!" Toren yelled.
As the crossbow bolts were fired, the two dwarves dove forward rolling into summersaults, letting the bolts sail harmlessly overhead. Startled, three of the soldiers dropped their bows and drew their swords, and the fourth tried to reload his weapon. Toren came to his feet first and spun, using his momentum to get his maul moving. The heavy head of the weapon moved through the air as he twisted his body. The closest soldier tried to use his sword to block the weapon and failed as the heavier maul shattered the inferior sword, driving through the block to the man's chest, shattering the bones within. Without stopping, he twisted and spun once more aiming for the next human who wisely ducked the maul instead of trying to block it. He reached out with his sword and pierced the leg of the bald dwarf who growled and moved back, only to step forward and bring his maul straight down on the soldier's head, shortening not only his height by a few inches, but his life as well.
Strom rolled to his feet and brandished his twin axes. The soldier attacked, and Strom parried with one axe, and sliced across with his second, opening up a wound in the man's stomach. As the soldier grimaced and doubled over, Strom's first axe came around and neatly lopped the man's head clean off. With a grin, he turned to face the last soldier who had just managed to get his crossbow loaded, and was aiming the weapon at Strom, his hands shaking, fear obvious in his eyes. Strom smirked.
"What ye gonna do w'that, eh?" Strom asked, tauntingly.
The soldier looked from Strom to Toren and back, then shrugged. "The boss'll kill me if I don't, and you'll kill me if I do. Seems I don't have much of a choice."
He pulled the firing mechanism on the crossbow and the bolt leapt from the weapon and towards Strom. As he fired, Toren's maul came down, shattering the man's knee, dropping him to the ground. Strom turned to avoid the bolt, but not fast enough as it struck him in the arm. He growled.
"Looks like yer right, ye are gonna die, but not quick-like. gonna let ye crawl 'round wit yer knee all busted...mebbe ye'll be lucky and somethin'll come by ye and eat..."
Strom's words trailed off as the floor shook, as if something heavy hit the ground. He blinked, looking at Toren. Again the ground shook, and again as Toren shook his head at Strom
"That be a giant, er my beard be shaved." The bald, but still bearded dwarf said.
The soldier grinned, despite the pain. "Brunk and Grack. They'll teach you and your friends to go where you ain't wanted."
From the opposite side of the round room, a great shadow loomed, stepping out of the tunnel and straightening up to its full height of nearly fourteen feet. A massive club in each hand, and two heads one looking at Strom, the other at Toren had eyes filled with murderous intent. The beast stepped forward.
"Dwarves...yummm...we likes dwarves." The left head said. "Yessss...delicious..." the other agreed.
The soldier's grin quickly turned to fear as the giant took another step into the room, crushing the injured man beneath its feet. Strom and Toren moved away from each other, to flank the beast and ready their weapons.
As Rom and Kendrac stumbled their way up the passageway, they were overtaken and passed by the human soldier that escaped the wrath of Wil and Haldis. He rounded a turn and ran past the two dwarves, not even sparing them a look as he fled for his life. Rom giggled, which prompted an answering giggle from Kendrac. Within moments, the two dwarves were rolling on the floor with laughter. Rolling back down the tunnel. As the two mirthful dwarves reveled in their humor, they rolled into a small niche that had remained unnoticed up until now.
"Awk!" Kendrac yelped as his blond head cracked on a rock. "Who put dat dere?"
Rom giggled. "Not Rom."
"RUM!" Kendrac hollered accusingly.
Rom reached up to grab a bit of rock that jutted out, in order to pull himself to his feet, and blinked as the stone moved, and the walls parted. "Oooooooo"
Kendrac blinked and stood up, gathering his robes around him as he watched the portal open. "What Rum do?"
The bucket wearing dwarf shrugged. "Rom not do nuthin...Klerk hit head...Klerk fault." He nodded as he peered into the blackness of the tunnel. "We goes look?"
Kendrac tilted his head, thinking hard, and finally nodding. "Yupyup. We's go look...smash baddies"
Rom nodded in return and started forward at a run, only to be pulled backwards by Kendrac.
"Awk?" Rom exclaimed as he was pulled.
"Shhhhh...We sneak...makes with the quiet...surprise baddies!" Kendrac intoned in a rather loud whisper.
"Okies!" Rom grinned.
The two started into the tunnel, Rom's armor clanking loudly, the sounds echoing down the tunnel. Kendrac, wearing no armor at all, made no sound, other than the constant repetition of the word "sneak" over and over as he crept along behind Rom. After a few moments, the walls of the tunnel opened up, and the two entered a rather large room. Kendrac, not paying attention, walked into the back of Rom who was standing still.
"Ooof!" Kendrac muttered. "Why stops?"
"Rom thinks not alone."
"'Course not...Klerk with Rum, silly"
Before Rom could reply, torches began bursting to life around the room, revealing the cavern to be quite a bit larger than the one they fought in recently. The ceiling was hidden by darkness, the light from the torches not reaching that high, even with the added reflection of the gold and silver coins, gems and other various bits and pieces piled high on one side of the cavern. As the two dwarves stared at the pile, a bit of drool rolled out from within the bucket, and Kendrac's eyes opened to the size of saucers.
"OOOOOOO...shiny!!" They both intoned.
"Not the normal response when one sees my collection." Came a deep rumbling voice from the other side of the cavern.
The two dwarves turned, and looked up, into a pair of large golden eyes, the pupils alone larger then either of them. A great horned head encompassed the eyes, and directly beneath the head, a rather large maw filled with razor sharp teeth, also larger than the two dwarves. A large reptilian body snaked out behind the head, with two leathery wings tucked in tight to the beast's flanks. Giant limbs held the creature off the ground, each one ending in deadly white talons, and a long sinuous tail lay coiled around one of the rear legs. Completing the fearsome image was the bright color of red reflecting off the scales of the dragon. It lowered its head and examined the two intruders intently.
"eep?" said Kendrac, hiding behind Rom.
"DRAGON!!" Shouted Rom, who clapped his hands with glee and started towards the great beast.
"EEEEP?" Asked Kendrac, realizing his hiding place left.
The dragon's head lifted suddenly, canting slightly to the side, an almost amused look on its reptilian visage. With a deep chuckle, it inhaled deeply, then lowered its head and breathed, unleashing a gout of flame towards the two dwarves, engulfing them completely.
"Such is the fate of all who seek the treasure of Kryllanshillain." The dragon intoned.