Chapter 6: Alies in the mines.



They had been going deeper and deeper into the mine, but still hadn’t seen any sign of an underground Dwarf-city. As a matter of fact they had not seen any life at all, except some lost Goars.
Sam had never seen a Goar before and was surprised to see a bird that seemed to be on fire. The bird was entirely black but he had a red glow which looked like he was on fire.
Taranat had tolled him that long ago there was a great war between the kingdom Agnar and the kingdom Zygota. One of Agnar’s strongest wizards had made a wall of magical fire to protect the kingdom. Anyone who made an attempt to pass the wall came out the oterside dead and their bodies where burned. Even the animals, who where not aware of this wall, died when they accidentally came too close. Somehow Sam had the feeling that Taranat was the one who had made the wall.
There was only one bird who ever passed the wall and came out alive. It had been some kind of bigger version of a hawk, but nobody knew what kind of bird it was exactly. They had called it a Goar because it sounded like the sound the bird made when he first passed the wall. The bird had mated with a hawk and the first real Goars had been born.
They had captured one of the Goars, because a Goar could sense when there was danger ahead.
As they went deeper inside the Tonor mines the Goar started to scream and scream until they all couldn’t stand it anymore and they had to let him go.
They already knew there was danger ahead, but they where sure they could handle it. The main danger was off course the Dwarves. Nobody had seen them since they left to build a city in their mines so they couldn’t be disturbed by the Elves from Tonor. Every once in a while a couple of Dwarves would leave the mines to bring the people from Tonor a very large amount of ores and would leave at once after receiving payment. Some people said the Tonor mines where haunted by the ghosts of dead Dwarves. Sam didn’t believe in ghost stories, he was more scared of the still living Dwarves. His father had once said that ever since the Dwarves had moved to live in underground cities they had avoided any outside contact and weren’t afraid to kill outsiders who tried to contact them.              
Sam had a bad feeling about the mines. Even if there city was so deep why weren’t they mining here already? He had seen ores. It seemed as if they where warned that someone was coming and they left in such a hurry they even forgot their material. Besides the Dwarves there was an other reason Sam was scared, he was afraid they went too deep. According to old legends if you went too deep inside the earth you would reach hell itself. Sam was not superstitious, but he did believe something was going to happen if you went to deep, there where to many unknown creatures to be careless when entering dark mines and dungeons.
As time passed by and they went deeper Sam suddenly noticed that it was getting warmer. He smelled roosted meat. As they came closer Sam felt the warmth of a fire on his skin. Right around the corner they finally arrived at Dwarf-City!
  It was the meal of a couple of guards protecting the gates of Dwarf-City.
“Greetings Dwarf knights.” Sir Robin said, “We come here to ask for your help.”
“GRRRM!!!” one of the Dwarves replied with a peace of rib still in his mouth. Sam got hungry from seeing the Dwarves eat, ribs where his favorite kind of meat.
“Why are you here?!” an other Dwarf asked brutally.
“As I already said: I’m here to ask your help.” Sir Robin replied.
“Don’t be a smartass! I heard you! But with what?”
“You have to help us stop Lord Nero Mullar he ….”
“You want us to stop Lord Mullar? This is the first time I’ve seen a knight realizing Mullar’s an idiot!” the Dwarf started laughed out loud.
“Do you know what he is up to?” Sir Robin asked.
One of the Dwarves stood up and looked up to look Sir Robin in the eyes. He said: “Two days ago YOUR lord send HIS Nosferatu knights to OUR city and ordered US to give THEM all OUR ores. When we resisted they tried to kill us, but we took care of them. It’s very dangerous to boss a Dwarf around when he’s still holding his axe.” The Dwarves all laughed and the one who was talking, the biggest one who was probably the leader, pointed to the right from him at the entrance. Sam was nearly scared to death when he saw the bat-like heads from the Nosferatu displayed on a stick in the ground.
“Those Nosferatu are always chopping heads. We thought it would be appropriate to chop theirs.” All the Dwarves laughed. “They should be proud we’re using them as a warning sign for more intruders. For the first time in their life their doing something useful. Well that life part isn’t completely correct, but you get the point.” They laughed again.
“Yes. You’re right. But their attacks are going to be much worse if you don’t help us.” Sir Robin said.
“We’re prepared.” The leader said pointing at his sharp axe.
“I’m afraid you’re axe won’t be enough next time.” Sir Robin tried explaining.
“We’ll see about that!” a different Dwarf said waving his axe around. The other Dwarves laughed and applauded.
“You don’t understand Lord Mullar will not be afraid to send an army here to kill all of you. You have to help us stop him to save yourself and others.” Sir Robin said trying to convince them.
“We don’t care about the outside world just like they don’t care about us. Look at that Elf over there, he probably didn’t ever think about coming here before, but now that he needs us he’s here.”
The Elf tried to look as self secure as he could but you could see he was scared. Next to the small broad Dwarf the long thin Elf looked a bit silly. Everyone knew Dwarves and Elves weren’t the best friends; stories were tolled about Dwarves using Elf heads as a candle holder to light their houses. Some said the Dwarves had the right to do so since the Elves had enslaved them years ago.
“But we do care about you. Else we wouldn’t be here.” Qwaraly –the Elf- said.
“Ooh really? You’re lucky I didn’t chop your head of like we did with these Nosferatu.” He pointed at the heads again. “By the land of Nidavellir I promise I will one day chop you and your Elf friends heads.” The Dwarf tried to look tough which should be difficult since he was only 3 feet and a bit tall but it worked surprisingly well.
“We will let you leave in one peace. You’re lucky we’re in a good mood” The leader said.
Taranat smiled when he said this. Sam knew why he smiled. Earlier that day he had said ‘I hope we catch them right after dinner. They are always in a good mood when they just ate” Sam also had to smile.
“I want to speak to your leader!” Sir Robin ordered.
“NO! Goodbye!”
“You will let us pass.” Taranat said. While he said this he hit the ground with his staff. After he had said this the Dwarves seemed to be a bit confused.
“Sure, sure you can enter.” The leading Dwarf said.
Sir Robin and Qwaraly didn’t understand what had happened, but Sam knew it had been a spell. The Dwarves let them in but they had to leave their weapons, including Taranat’s staff, behind. When Qwaraly wanted to enter the Dwarves refused; they didn’t want any trouble so they didn’t argue, but Qwaraly was upset. Although he said he would watch over their weapons and that it was O.K. Sam knew Qwaraly was upset.

They where sent to Gisim the Dwarf king, he would listen to their story and decide what to do. While they where walking through Dwarf city they noticed that the Nosferatu attack had cost them more then the guards had admitted. Every once in a while they would see people being buried. The houses the closest to the gate where mostly burned. As they went further to the centre of the city the beauty of it returned. There where no separate houses like on the surface, but big ones made out of stone with separate rooms. The buildings and the mine itself, where held up by giant pillars of tone decorated with marble gold and silver. Everywhere you looked you could see weapons hanging on doors and gates. At every street corner there was a blacksmith. Sam was amazed by how high the sealing of the mine was. They arrived at the castle which was bigger then any of the other buildings; as a matter of fact it was the biggest building Sam had ever seen. It had pillars made entirely out of marble, they where decorated with gold and silver drawings. Sam took a close look at the drawings and noticed they tolled stories of Dwarf history and Dwarf legends. The first mining, the dragon riders, the shadow war, the freeing of Agnar…
The pillars didn’t have any use, they didn’t have to hold up the castle, they where simply there for decoration.
On the door, which was tree times as high as an ordinary man and eight times as width, there was a text. Taranat said that the text was a proclamation of independence from the Elves who had enslaved the Dwarves many years ago. The text ended with …and no Elf shall ever enter the gates of Dwarf city, whatever their intensions may be. The Dwarves shall live independent from outside influence. Finally shall the Dwarves be free.
Sam was afraid something was going to happen to Qwaraly.

“Your Highness, The King of The Dwarves.” A young Dwarf knight knocked on the King’s door.
“What is it?” the King replied.
“A couple of strangers have asked to speak with U in need of Your Wisdom and Strength to help them.” The young Dwarf asked.
He knows how to talk to a King. He even seems to SPEAK whit capitals. Gisim thought.
“What is it about?” he ordered.
“They need Your help to defeat lord mullar. They say that the lord is planning more attacks on Dwarf city and the rest of Agnar.”
“Well if that is true I’ll have a short chat with them. Send them in to the conference room!” he yelled angry. Ever since the attack of the Nosferatu he was angry at everyone who mentioned it. But he was interested in preventing an other attack.

They had been waiting for the king for over an hour when all of a sudden a young Dwarf entered.
“I’m sorry but the meeting has been replaced to tomorrow. We … We have important business to attend too.” He looked kind of pale. Sir Robin noticed this and asked what was going on.
“Ooh noting just a fifteen foot Giant troll whipping out half our army. But the rest is going swell” the young Dwarf said before fainting.