Thad
groaned as the sun steaming in from the small window in his room pulled him from
his peaceful sleep. As he did everyone morning Thad went through a series of
stretches, each one puling at his chest causing small tinges of pain. It was
getting better Thad Thought as he ran his fingers over the garish scar that ran
diagonally across his chest. It had been a deep wound one that had left him in
bed for countless days. He was lucky that the dwarven healers were so skilled
otherwise he wouldn’t be here today.
They
were good but unlike the stories he had read not even magic could heal a body
that was near death overnight, especially when one had been cut with an
enchanted blade.
It had
been a slow road to recovery, but he had not spent his time idly. No he was
learning everything that the dwarves could or would teach him. He still
couldn’t speak dwarven very well but there were a few dwarves who could speak
the common tongue but they seemed reluctant to answer some of his questions
especially when it came to the Brotherhood of the Fox. The elders always told
him the same thing when he inquired about them, “all things come in their own
good time.” It was irritating to say the least, but he was left with no other
choice than to wait until they believed he was ready to know the answers to
those questions.
While
knowledge of the past was withheld from him, there was still plenty the dwarves
had to teach. Thad was fascinated by how they lived, and how they worked metal.
Every dwarf had magic flowing through their veins, and if Thad understood them
correctly they were born of it. They didn’t use it in a flashy manner for the
most part it was subtle and slow. When they worked the metal instead of
creating the item then enchanting it like he did they allowed magic to flow
into the metal with each hammer stoke, and they spent weeks on an item making
sure that there were no imperfections.
Slipping
on his heavy leather tunic and breaches Thad made his way to the mirror. Looking
at himself he was amazed at what he saw. He no longer resembled the youth he
had been when his journey had started back in the academy. His face had
hardened, and his left eye had been replaced by a blue gem that allowed him to
see. His body was marred with scares from different battles. His once long hair
had been cut, and his face showed the beginnings of a beard.
No the
young child Mark that had so dreamed of freedom was gone, long dead on the side
of the road. Thad was a different person. The fantasies of childhood were gone
replaced by the harsh facts that the world had left imprinted on his body.
Thad let
his hand drift to the brand of two quarter moons facing each other. It was a
bittersweet memory that passed through his mind. He had been drugged and
tortured in the Farlan dungeon by order of the queen. He had spent months in a
cramped cell chained to a wall with barely able to think, but there had been
one person who had cared for him in that time. Mari, the Farlan princess had
visited him and done what she could to ease his pain. He missed her and often
dreamed of her though his dreams bothered him in that regard. He didn’t see her
as he remembered her to be, no she was often dressed in battle leathers wilding
a sword. He wasn’t sure what the dreams mean and if truth be told he was more
than a little anxious to get back and find out but there were other things that
called to him.
He had
learned in the darkness that was woefully underprepared in the area of magic.
The dwarves while magical in nature were of little use in helping him train. He
had done some on his own but he had found himself at a wall. He needed help and
there was only one person he could think of who might be able to shed some
light on the subject, the Vathari
mage Sae-Thae.
Thad
knew there would be risks in trying to get to th mage but he felt as if he had
little choice in the matter. His dwarven friend Crusher didn’t seem to like the
idea at all and protested his staying behind whenever the two met. Thad
understood his concern the Vathari had chased them through countless tunnels
intent on their deaths and now he was planning not just to walk back in the
tunnels but into the very heart of the Vathari territory, but he felt as he had
little choice.
Everything
was almost ready for his trip, all he had to do was put the finishing touches
on his new sword. He had lost almost everything in the tunnels even his staff
though somehow it had found its way back. Unlike the stories the dwarves had
been more than happy to lend him a forge and Crusher had begun teaching him
dwarven smiting secrets. He knew he was still years if not centuries away from
Crushers skill but he believed his sword was still a masterpiece in the making.
Steeping
out of his small house Thad lifted up his head letting the sun’s rays warm his
skin. Avalanche quickly made her way to his side. Thad bent down and patted the
creature hard on its head. Like most children Thad had dreamed of having a pet.
The academy had dogs but they were used for hunting and the students were only
allowed to be near them when it was necessary for training. Avalanche might not
have been the pet he dreamed of but he loved the creature dearly and could
think of no better companion. The dwarves had also taken a liking to Avalanche,
though for other reasons than his own.
One of
the dwarven elders had told Thad hat avalanche was the product of wild magic.
Where the flow of magical had gotten too strong in one area and broke free of
its intended path and was absorbed in mass quantity by a gem. That gem changed
took on a conciseness of its own. The elder had said no one knew for sure how a
heart stone picked its form or acted the way it did, but one thing was for
certain it was as alive as any other creature.
Thad
made his way down to the forges. Most
the dwarves that passed him greeted him with a smile though a few of them
looked at him with contempt and open hatred. Thad knew why they felt this way;
it had been one of the first things he had talked to the elders about. Some
dwarves looked at all humans with contempt ever since the Brotherhood of the
Fox had set their mission on killing anything of magical nature including the
dwarves. Thad had asked why the dwarves and other magical races didn’t band
together and fight back. Surely with such numbers the human race would have
been sorely outmatched. The elders had simply told him that it was forbidden
but had refused to tell him why. Thad knew they were holding something back, he
just didn’t know what it was, or why they felt such a need to keep him in the
dark.
Thad
found Crusher in his usual spot working on the same thing he had been since
they had returned from the world under the earth. Thad had found that all
dwarven smiths shaved both their faces and their heads daily. It explained why
Crusher face was without a beard but he didn’t understand why until the first
time he had worked one of the forges. His long blond hair had lasted two hammer
strokes before it caught a stray cinder. It had been a learning experience one
that all the dwarves including Crusher let him learn on his own. Thad couldn’t
bring himself to shave everything off, honestly he didn’t like the way he
looked bald but he had cut it down as short as the members of the Farlan
military. Thad learned that if he wrapped a wet sheet around his head it helped
save what was left of his hair; that is if he could remember to keep the sheet
wet.
Leaving
Crusher to his work Thad went to the forge that had been set aside for his use.
Thad went straight to the worktable where the blade he had been working on for
countless days sat. it was all but finished
with the exception of a few minor details. Thad had tried his best to
mimic the dwarven art of allowing his magic to flow into the metal as he
worked. Crusher had told him not to give the magic a purpose just let it flow
the metal would find its own way. Honestly it was hard for Thad to do; he had
always molded the magic and directed it so he had practiced on a few smaller
items first before trying it with his current project. There was also the fact
that Thad had no idea if the magic took, if the sword had any magical
properties Crusher said the metal would decide when and if it would show its
true self. Thad wasn’t sure if he liked the idea of not knowing what a weapon
could do, what if it decided to unleash its hidden power at the wrong time, or
if it was something that caused more harm than good. Crushed had simply told
him to believe in the metal and himself.
Picking
up the unfinished sword Thad ran his finger of the blade testing its edge. With
little pressure a small line of blood began to trickle out of his finger and
flow down the blade. Sitting down the Blade Thad took a few deep breathes and
reminded himself to relax and focus. One thing Thad had to give to the dwarves
was their unshakable patience. The stories had always said the dwarves lived
for thousands of years but Thad had learned that was not true. While they lived
for longer than humans the eldest of the dwarves was only a little over three
hundred years of age.
Thad
walked over to a large lever and opened it opening the large cover of the
forge. It was an ingenious design; all the forges were connected and burned
constantly. Apprentices ran night and day feeding the central and side furnaces
that allowed one to bring their personal forges up to temperature in a matter
of minutes and hot coals were brought through rock vets into the waiting
smaller forges below.
Thad
placed an assortment of tools into the fire of his forge and waited for them to
heat. Swat beaded on his forehead as he studied the hilt he was creating. It
was a simple thing and all that was left to finish of his sword. As it was it
could be fastened to the blade and the sword would be ready for use but Thad
wanted something extra. The dwarves had said that one should never mix forge
magic with enchantments Crusher had explained it to his a dozen times over but
he didn’t truly understand, but he was more than smart enough not to go against
their word, though he found himself tempted to try it. no the hilt wouldn’t be
enchanted he was doing the same thing to it as he had the blade allowing his
magic to flow through it as he worked. He hoped that it wouldn’t cause any
trouble but if it did he was willing to take the risk.
Picking
up one of the tools, a long thin metal bar with a curved end Thad began to
scratch at the metal as his magic began to flow. Thad never considered himself
much of an artist but he was always partial to hilts with their own flavor, it
was nothing fancy, just a simple quarter moon on each side of the hilt to
remind him of his goal. He would not stay a slave, he would be free, but Farlan
was his home and something was pulling him there. It wasn’t just Maria, and
Eloen something in him wanted to go back. The elder had said that unfinished
business will always haunt a person, but Thad wasn’t sure that was the case.
As the
tool cool Thad replaced it in the forge to reheat and picked up the next one
and continued his work. It was easy work but the constant flow of magic through
his body was tiring and after a few hours Thad felt as if he had been running
all day. Sitting down the tools he holed the two pieces of the hilt in his
hand. They were finished now all that was left was to attach them to the blade
and his sword would be finished. He was hesitant, the finishing of the sword
was supposed to be the last thing he would do before heading back into the
darkness. He knew he had to go but part of him didn’t want to say goodbye to
the friends he had made. It was the first time in his life no one looked at him
as anything other than himself. Sure there had been the select few who knew him
for who he was but most the people around him had viewed him only as they
wanted to see him. That wasn’t the case here, everyone even the ones who hated
him because he was human only saw him as Thad; they didn’t see a mage, or a
slave, just a person.
Picking
up the Blade Thad sat the hilt pieces on either side of the small thin section
at the bottom. Using a pair of pliers he picked up one of the small metal
cylinders and placed it in one of the small holes he had left in the hilt
pieces and struck it with a hammer. Thad repeated the action with three other
pieces then grabbed a file and began removing the hard edges. Using the etching
tools he added a few minor touches then sat the finished sword aside on the
worktable.
Plopping
down on a chain made from black wood Thad let out a heavy sigh, it was
finished. Now all that was left was to talk to Grenlor the dwarven elder who
was assigned as his keeper. The old dwarf was a good sort though he enjoyed
drinking far too much as far as Thad was concerned. Anything Thad did he first
had to get approval from Grenlor, that included when he went below to run with
the dwarven fighters against the Vathari. The dwarves had a good selection of
weapons and many had been offered him but Thad had wanted to make his own. He
knew that almost any of the dwarven made weapons would be better than anything
he could make but it was something he wanted to do on his own partially because
it gave him a reason to stay around even if just for a little while long, or so
he thought. Dwarven smiting took far longer than he had anticipated two seasons
had passed while he worked on the weapon and now fall was fast approaching
though that meant little to him sense he had no clue where he was located or
how to get back to Farlan. For all he knew it could already be winter in his
home, there was no telling how far he had traveled while in the depths of the
earth. The location of the dwarven home was kept secret and when it was time
for him to finally depart it would be done in such a manner that he would be
left unaware of the places location.
His
peaceful respite was interrupted when Crusher stuck his head through the small
curtain that covered the door of his workspace. The surly dwarf pointed at the
sword lying on the table, and raised one of his eyebrows. Crusher’s ability to
speak had been fixed when the arrived back at the dwarven town but most of the
time the two still communicated without words, sometimes even without hand
gestures. Their time spent together had brought them as close together as any
brothers. It was a bond that Thad cherished and one of the reasons he had
postponed his trip for as long as he could, but time was passing and Thad knew
the last drops of sand were about to fall. It wouldn’t be the end Thad knew
that, he would return. He didn’t have much choice in the matter Crusher had
made him promise to return when he was done. If he did not Crusher had promised
to find him and if he was still alive to beat the mage until he was a short as
the dwarf. Though Crusher had made the statement in jest Thad didn’t doubt that
he would follow through on the light-hearted jest.
Looking
from the sword back to Crusher Thad nodded his head making his friend frown
slightly. After a few tense moments Crusher shook his head and the patted his
friend on the back and rolled his eyes as he jerked his head to the side and
turned to leave the room. Thad took one last look at the sword then leaving it
where it sat ran to follow his friend.
Crusher
led Thad to the dwarf’s favorite watering hole a small pup that served liquor
stout enough that some of the blacksmiths used it to light their forges. Thad
had never been much of a drinker, the few times when he was younger that he had
tried wine it had left him feeling worse than any beating the queen had ordered
for him, but Crusher had left the mage little choice threating to pour the brew
down the man’s throat if he didn’t drink it. Drinking at the pub had become
their nightly ritual though today they were starting far earlier than usual.
As soon
as they were seated at their usual table in the corner of the room Brianna a
young dwarven girl only slightly only than Thad appeared to take their order.
“I see it’s the hardhead and me lovely little cutie. Bit early today aren’t we
lads,. Don’t tell me ya finally decided to take me up on me offer for a night
of real fun, have ya laddie.” Brianna said placing her hands on her busty hips.
Thad had
always though thought that dwarven women would look much like their men just
with a larger chest, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Unlike their men the
females were much thinner though they still looked as if they could wrestle a
wild boar and win. Brianna reminded Thad much of Eloen , she was brash,
hot-headed and always spoke her mind, she was also quite fetching. At a little
under five foot she had long brown hair and the deepest grey eyes Thad had ever
seen. More than once Thad had thought about taking her p on the offer for a role in the hay, but
something told him she was looking for more than just a little fun on the side,
and Thad knew in the end he couldn’t give more to her than that.
“I’d
love fer ya to show me a good time Bri, just say when and ill ditch scrawny
here.” Crusher said in his deep raspy voice.
Brianna
slapped Crusher hard enough on the back of the head it reverberated throughout
the room. “Ya addlebrained son of a rockboar, I wasn’t talking to ya and ya
darn well know it.”
“Ya
break me heart lass, to fix er up I’m gonna need twenty pints of yer finest
sandai beer.” Crusher said giving Brianna a wink.
Brianna
huffed loudly and turned back toward Thad. “I’ll bring ya each a pint ta star
ya off,,” she said vehemently then ran her hand across Thad’s cheek, “ and you
think about me offer. One night with me and a be forgetting all about those
lassies back home boyo.”
As she
walked away Brianna let her hips sway slightly. “Lad you should take Bri up on
her offer, she be a good lass for ya. I’d sell me last hammer if she’d look at
me that way.” Crusher said watching the waitress as she walked away. “It’s not
because she’s a dwarf now is it Thad.”
Thad let
out a hearty laugh. “I honestly thought about it Crusher, but I got too much on
my mind to add another woman to it, And women like Brianna there tend to take
up a lot of time and energy, which I just don’t have at the moment.”
“That be the truth,” Crusher said laughing.
