Shadowland

Chapter 06 - Faith - Part 07

The companions climbed slowly up the winding trail of the mountain pass, leading their horses by the reins across the treacherous ground. Sir Elric, as always, marched first, his faithful steed Excelsior walking calmly behind him. Master Dunnistan followed, then Father Javier; the four squires came behind them, and last, Sir Malenfant as a rear guard. After the terrible events at Ruto village, they would have been completely within their rights to return to Rohm Castle, their quest finished; but while resting and recuperating from the ordeal in the inn, the town elder had told them a most curious tale. Several weeks past, a stranger had come riding into town. A tall, thin, almost emaciated white man with long, shockingly red hair, he had worn long black robes of the sort favoured by Wizards and carried a charred, blackened staff. When questioned about his business, he had said only that he came from far to the west and meant to return there soon. He had stayed one night at the inn, and one of the stable men said that he thought he had seen the stranger leave the inn in the blackest hour of night and return not long after. The next day, he had departed back from whence he had come. It was not long after that the ghoul attacks had begun.

After much consultation and argument, especially from Sir Malenfant, who had expressed a strenuous desire to return to the castle, the party had decided that in the interest of the security of the realm they had best try to follow this strange man and find out what he might have to do with the appearance of the ghouls. Thus it was that they found themselves another day's ride west of Ruto, climbing a treacherous mountain pass.

As the sun started to fall from its zenith, the travellers crested what seemed to be the highest point of the pass. The trail hugged the side of a towering peak on the right and fell down an almost sheer cliff to the left. Beyond, a mighty panorama spread out before them, a broad valley filled with deep, almost impenetrable forest for miles. More mountains stood stately and cold along the horizon.

"Fear not, companions!" cried SIr Elric. "Soon we will be shut of these treacherous peaks, and may camp at ease!"

At that very moment, several figures seemed to detach themselves from the very rock of the mountain and arrayed themselves in front of them in neat ranks. They were very short, broad-bodied and stocky, and wore battered but obviously very well-made armour and horned helmets; in their hands they each carried a short-handled battle axe with a broad, deadly keen blade, no two alike. Each wore a voluminous beard, and their eyes were cold and set on killing.

"They have cut off our rear!" cried Sir Malenfant, and Father Javier turned to see more of the little people behind the party. Sir Elric had already drawn his blade. "Then we must fight our way out!" he shouted. "For the honour of Rohm!"

"Wait!" Javier cried. "Don't be hasty, Elric! Let's find out what they want first!" For the small men had not attacked or made any move to. They simply stood, axes in hand and ready to use.

SIr Elric lowered his sword. "By what right do you block our path?" he asked angrily. For a moment the two sides merely sized each other up, then the one in the shiniest and most elaborate armour said, "Wise choice, big folk. Come with us. The Thain wants a word with you." He gestured with his hand, and another of the armoured dwarves, for dwarves they surely must be, pushed at a rock that looked no different than any other, and a slab of stone rolled aside to reveal a deep tunnel lit by multi-coloured glowing crystals and shored up with heavy iron beams.

The party was led down the winding way into the heart of the mountain. After nearly an hour of walking down the claustrophobic shaft, flanked by the stolid and unspeaking dwarven guards, the tunnel opened up into a broad ledge bordering a vast cavern, and within the cavern was a most amazing sight: an entire city underground. Buildings were carved into the living rock or constructed of slabs of stone and pillars of iron, some nearly a dozen stories high, and shafts of crystal lit the whole in an eerie hue. The track soon turned into a broad, shallow stairwell that the horses were just barely able to traverse. "Amazing," Master Dunnistan whispered gleefully as he beheld the sight. "Incredible! Who could have imagined?"

They were led through the streets of the subterranean city, dwarves in sturdy leather clothes appearing at every corner and window to watch the party pass. The sounds of clanging metal from dozens of forges sounded everywhere. They passed through a wide market where, though all manner of goods were being sold, metalwork dominated, and past a huge building heavily carved with stonework, a symbol of a large hammer and a complicated knot displayed prominently above the entrance. Finally they were led to the front of another very tall building carved into a giant stalactite, its doorway large enough to admit a dozen people abreast, guarded diligently by more armoured dwarves. At this point, plainly clothed dwarves appeared to take their mounts. Sir Elric was hesitant to part with his steed, but Javier consoled him: "These dwarves seem to be honourable fellows. I am sure they will do nothing untoward to our horses." Then the stolid guards led them inside.

Through broad corridors and up winding stairwell they were led, until finally they came into a grand hall not much different from the court of King Lorris. Banners and shields and weapons of incredible craftsmanship lined the walls. At the end, seated on a humble carved stone chair, was a dwarf in clothes resplendently embroidered with metallic thread in elaborate knotwork designs. He was the most muscular dwarf the party had yet seen, his blonde beard long and bushy and threaded with a dozen gems set in precious metal, and a simple iron ring surmounted his head.

Father Javier felt a prodding of an axe blade in his back. "Kneel before Thain Durog of the dwarven nation," the head of their guards demanded, and slightly awestruck, Javier gladly knelt.