“It were twenty years ago when it happened, but I remember it like it was yesterday, ’twas a black day for us dwarves. A black day indeed. Somehow the Draggard learned of our southern harbor passage. Shortly after dark they came. There were thousands. Our guards were quickly overrun, an’ word came from the survivors that the beasts had penetrated the tunnels. The great horn of Illia blew, sounding the alarm, an’ that is when we heard ’em coming.
“We dwarves can fight better’n men, make no mistake, especially when guarding our treasures an’ family. But they were too many. We were not prepared for such an attack and were greatly outnumbered. I alone killed more’n a hundred, but still they came, hordes and hordes of ’em, bloodthirsty an’ wild. I watched as me kin fell dead all around me. An’-me father.” Roakore stopped. He still stared straight ahead, his eyes now watery. Whill tried to act as if he did not notice as Roakore went on with his tale of horror.
“Me father died in me arms. With his last breath he told me the mountain had fallen and I had to leave. I begged him to let me fight-I told him I would kill every last one. But he forbade it. He said I would not lose my honor if I fled. He asked me te save as many as I could and flee here to our kin, the Ky’Dren, and return one day with a great army to claim the mountain once again. His last words were, ‘Ye are now king, me son. Ye alone must lead our people to victory. Do this and ye shall join me in the Mountain o’ the Gods.’ I did as he wished, and we retreated through the northern tunnel. For weeks we traveled north through the Uthen forest, all along hunted by the Draggard.” He stopped. His last word echoed eerily throughout the passage. Whill had a newfound sense of dread. The dwarves had been defeated by thousands of Draggard that inhabited the mountain still. No one believed such a number were living within Agora, or if they did believe, they refused to admit it. But having seen Roakore fight, Whill knew it would indeed take thousands to defeat so many dwarves.
Whill saw Roakore wipe his eyes surreptitiously. He felt sorry for the dwarf, surviving king of a mountain lost. “Have you yet tried to take it back?” He inquired, hoping not to anger Roakore. Abram gave him a warning look.
“No, that we have not. King Ky’Ell o’ Ky’Dren believes that this be a test. He has said that it be the duty o’ the survivors, women an’ children alike, to take back the mountain. He will help, o’ course, as will the Elgar dwarves, but not until the older children and men have mastered the arts o’ war.
“These many years we’ve done naught but train vigorously, preparing fer the day the mountain is taken back. And it will be soon. Many o’ the young’uns are now grown. They be handy with the blade and eager to take back what is rightfully theirs.”
They came to the spring Roakore had mentioned. It trickled from the ceiling and into a large basin that had been built to catch the water. The basin was made of white marble and had no stand, but was attached to the wall. From its curved lip, water poured steadily into a small hole in the floor. Each of them took a turn filling his canteen and drinking the fresh mountain spring water right from the basin. Whill drank his fill and let out a satisfied sigh as the water ran down his chin. The water made his sore and parched throat feel much better.
“Indeed, master dwarf, that is the best water I have ever had, or call me a liar,” he said.
Abram wiped his mouth and capped his canteen. “Aye, the best water this side of the great blue ocean.”
Again they journeyed down the great tunnel. For hours they walked, stopping rarely to eat and rest, but talking all the way. Whill listened mostly, due to his still-irritated throat. Abram told Roakore their story, leaving out how he had come to have Whill come into his care. He spoke also of their many travels, the tournament, and the battle with the pirates. He left out Tarren’s and the infant’s healing, however, knowing it would not settle well with the dwarf.
The going was slow, but finally they came to the entrance to the city. The tunnel ended as they ventured into a large room with high ceilings. It was well lit with torches, and a great pit lay at its center. Whill could see torches lit on the other side, along with many armored dwarves. Looking over the edge of the great pit he could see no bottom, only darkness thick and silent. A large wooden drawbridge stood closed on the other side. “Who goes there?” called a gruff voice.
Abram nudged Whill and pointed up. “It looks as though security has risen since last I was here.” Whill looked up and saw that the ceiling bristled with long, sharp spikes. He assumed that if they did not answer correctly, the ceiling would quickly be dropped. “’Tis I, Roakore o’ the Ro’Sar Mountain,” the dwarf announced. “I come from guard duty upon the mountain. With me are two humans, one a good friend o’ the king an’ carrying the family crest. Just yesterday they helped me destroy a horde o’ twenty Draggard intent on finding the city. We wish to enter.”
Soon the drawbridge began to lower with a rumble. The thick wood came down with a loud thud that reverberated throughout the large chamber. Roakore guided them across the bridge and stopped once on the other side. Ten armored dwarves stood guard, blocking the passage beyond. Two came forward, greeting Roakore in turn with a slam to the chest. They eyed Whill and Abram suspiciously. Their great axes were like Roakore’s, and upon their heads they wore thick helmets that covered all but their faces. Their armor was thick and appeared very heavy. It consisted of broad shoulder plates and a chest plate with thick mail underneath. Their arms and legs were protected by what appeared to be dragonhide; the thick scales overlapped one another and shimmered in the torchlight. The guard with the red beard spoke up, pointing at Whill and Abram.
“What binness d’ye have here?”
Abram answered in the dwarf tongue, telling him that they sought counsel with the great king. When questioned, Whill spoke Dwarvish also. The guards were visibly impressed by their fluency, and by the royal crest that Abram presented.
“Welcome, dwarf friends,” said the red-bearded dwarf. “It be good to see men who’ve taken the time to learn our language an’ speak it so well. I’ve heard of ye, Abram. Ye’ve fought aside our great king. ’Tis an honor.” He did not bow, and he did not shake hands. Instead he slammed his fist to his own chest and nodded, casting his gaze to the ground in the greeting of respect. The second guard did the same, but did not speak.
Abram did not return the gestures, he simply nodded to each. This was not meant as an insult, Whill knew. It simply was not required of him to greet them in such a manner, as he did not know their names or reputations. The dwarves simply regarded Whill with a nod, which he returned. Roakore, however, received the same greeting as Abram had, for his stature among his kin was great. If they had not greeted him in such a way, it would have been a sign of lack of respect punishable by death.
The red-bearded dwarf regarded Roakore. “’Tis good to see ye return Roakore, can ye tell me aught o’ this battle with the Draggard?”
Roakore answered plainly. “Ye will hear of it soon enough, I’m sure, but not from me. We seek the comfort o’ Dy’Kore and are eager to arrive. Go well, friend.”
The dwarf was visibly disappointed but stood tall and in a firm voice responded, “Go well.”
Roakore nodded to Whill and Abram and started off once again down the tunnel. It had widened considerably and was now lit by wall hung torches every ten feet. The walls here were decorated with carvings from top to bottom. Whill got a keen sense of the age of this people, along with nostalgia for a vast and deep history. There were carvings of battles of old, dwarf kings sitting on great thrones, dragons spewing fire by the mountain, dwarf armies marching against men, and countless other images of ancient battles. There were also carvings of dwarves doing a number of other things; many of the walls depicted diamond-mining, great feasts, celebrations, and other festivities. But above all else the walls depicted the great dwarf gods. Great murals loomed above, spanning floor to floor throughout the great arched tunnel. Whill had only ever heard any stories of the dwarf religion from Abram. There were no books on the subject, as they were a very secretive people and did not bother to explain their beliefs to many outsiders. Whill could only guess who the gods in the carvings were, and though he was eager to find out, he thought better than to ask Roakore.
Soon they came upon two guards, one at each side of the tunnel. As Roakore approached, they gave him the same gesture of respect as the drawbridge guards had. Without a word, Roakore, Whill, and Abram walked past. Whill soon realized that a pair of guards was stationed every two hundred feet or so, and as they passed every one, Roakore received the same gesture.
Whill was relieved when finally they reached the entrance to the city. Before them was another large pit of darkness, and across it was another large drawbridge. As before, Roakore answered a guard’s inquiry and the bridge was lowered. Whill gasped as he viewed the great door that lay beyond the bridge. It stood more than fifty feet high and twenty feet across. It appeared to be made of iron, with huge steel braces. Across the front of the door were ancient dwarf runes written entirely in silver. Whill marveled as he read “Azrokea’s Passage.” Azrokea,
