{"id":27276,"date":"2021-08-21T06:30:02","date_gmt":"2021-08-21T10:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/?p=27276"},"modified":"2023-08-21T18:32:40","modified_gmt":"2023-08-21T22:32:40","slug":"tellest-short-story-shadow-serenade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/tellest-short-story-shadow-serenade\/","title":{"rendered":"Tellest Short Story – Shadow Serenade"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prequel Story, Midwinter Requiem<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shadow Serenade
\n<\/strong>A Tale by Rhianna and Michael DeAngelo<\/strong><\/p>\n

The three brothers glanced up at the immense flight of frozen steps.\u00a0 The Frostveil was before them, lancing toward the sky as though it meant to attack.\u00a0 But their mountain home was known for its sturdiness and hardiness, not for its volatility.<\/p>\n

Einar grunted, thinking that it might have been helpful to have the mountain stir those dark clouds, and possibly chase them away.\u00a0 A storm had been brewing for some time, only it wasn\u2019t the snowy storm they expected at that time of year.\u00a0 No, a distant sound of thunder resonating across the region left the three brothers aware that the weather had been changing, and that their return to the hall needed to be quick indeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds like the sky is about to open up,\u201d Baldur, the youngest brother, claimed from the back of the procession, pushing on their wagon to help it ascend the steps.<\/p>\n

\u201cAye,\u201d Gudbrand said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd we didn\u2019t even get a warning about it.\u00a0 Perhaps everyone is already hunkered down in the Frostveil.\u201d\u00a0 As he spoke, he looked to the oldest among them, Einar, who tugged their pony up the steps, the wagon close behind it.\u00a0 The eldest of the three brothers was as weary as the rest of them, and he kept his stern, solemn gaze about him.<\/p>\n

But as they crested the final step there before the landing, Gudbrand could see Einar loosen his grip on the reins, and he knew they were in for a rest.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf ye found out a god ate lightning and farted thunder, ye\u2019d want to lock yourself up in yer nice warm hall as well,\u201d Einar teased.<\/p>\n

\u201cGudbrand has a good point though,\u201d Baldur said then.\u00a0 \u201cSomeone could have used the one of the whistles to let us know that the weather would be treacherous.\u00a0 We could have hunkered down in a cave and waited for the storm to pass.\u00a0 There\u2019s little hope of us getting up the rest of these steps before the storm takes us over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYer right, lad,\u201d Einar said.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re going to be stopping here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baldur tilted his head.\u00a0 \u201cOn the landing?\u00a0 It\u2019s fairly exposed, wouldn\u2019t you say?\u201d<\/p>\n

Gudbrand folded his arms over his chest then.\u00a0 \u201cHe means to make a crude lean-to from the furs we\u2019ve already shorn free.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Einar confirmed.\u00a0 \u201cAnd with the wagon blocking the gap between those two right there, we should be able to build a fire right there, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Baldur let his older brother\u2019s words drift off into the night.\u00a0 He was more interested in the area where they would make camp.\u00a0 The landing was at the end of a set of hundreds of steps that led to the Frostveil mountain\u2019s entrance to the Coldwhistle clan.\u00a0 It was often that when Baldur was young, he would head to that spot and let his imagination run wild. \u00a0But that drew to a stop when the bordering stone around the perimeter of the place had been knocked into the snow far below.\u00a0 The rest of the clan never received any answer for who was responsible, but Baldur suspected it was an older dwarven lad who didn\u2019t like that he was able to find recreation on his own so close to home.<\/p>\n

Of late, the platform became a resting spot for dwarves making their pilgrimage to the Frostveil, or merchants bringing wares, or, in their case, for hunters to relax before making a run up the rest of the steps.<\/p>\n

Large stones were erected on the platform, making an oblong circle.\u00a0 That strange stone garden, as Baldur came to call it, wasn\u2019t created by any dwarf of their clan as far as the lad knew.\u00a0 In a way it almost became like a holy place to the dwarves.<\/p>\n

It seemed odd, then, to see Einar stringing up furs and lashing the wagon to the huge stones.\u00a0 Baldur hummed to himself then, for he knew that there was nothing risking the safety of the pillars.\u00a0 He had seen fights break out between members of his clan there before and watched as hardy warriors were smashed up against the rocks, which didn\u2019t budge.\u00a0 Either they were even heavier than they looked, or they had grown up far beneath where they stood.<\/p>\n

Only a short while later, Baldur had to admit, the work that Einar had set to seemed to make a difference.\u00a0 The blustery cold wind seemed to bother them a little less, and the sight of the sparks that the older brother summoned with flint and steel seemed more appealing than before.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo on then lads,\u201d Einar said.\u00a0 \u201cTake a seat.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have this fire roaring in a few moments.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gudbrand was the first to take his brother up on that offer, finding a new comfortable spot close to where he knew the warmth would be.\u00a0 Baldur took care to place his backpack against one of the stones that wasn\u2019t too far away from the heat and the light, and then pressed up against it, confirming that it would be comfortable.<\/p>\n

A knicker from the pony reminded him he couldn\u2019t relax quite yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, I know,\u201d he said, hopping to his feet once more.\u00a0 He headed to the wagon and reached into a leather pouch, pulling out some feed for their beast of burden.\u00a0 In that cold region, it was sometimes difficult to find any grass to graze on.\u00a0 The Coldwhistle Clan\u2019s horses were hardy and strong, but they still didn\u2019t like to go hungry.\u00a0 \u201cYe didn\u2019t think I\u2019d forgotten about ye, did ye?\u201d<\/p>\n

When Baldur finished feeding their pony, he turned about to see Einar fetching some items from their wagon.\u00a0 He stood on his toes, until he finally found what he was looking for, and pulled them from the other goods they\u2019d amassed throughout their journey.\u00a0 Einar headed back toward the fire, holding the two hares by their long ears.<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t we supposed to bring back the food for the clan?\u201d Baldur asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t go along on empty stomachs,\u201d Einar said.\u00a0 \u201cBesides, they didn\u2019t send us any warning about the storm.\u00a0 Fair is fair,\u201d he said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cA worthy trade,\u201d Gudbrand teased.<\/p>\n

When Baldur turned to regard the middle brother, he was surprised to see him whittling a long white object.\u00a0 He arched his eyebrow, his lips parting to ask the question that desperately wanted to be asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not one of ours,\u201d Gudbrand said, guessing his younger brother\u2019s intentions before he could speak.\u00a0 \u201cNot one of the clans, that is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks just like one of them,\u201d Baldur said.<\/p>\n

Gudbrand snickered at the sound of that.\u00a0 \u201cNow when was the last time ye saw one of our clan whistles, eh?\u00a0 I\u2019d say it\u2019s been so long that you barely know it from yer own backside, but I appreciate the compliment all the same.\u00a0 No, this is just one that I\u2019ve been working on for a wee bit.\u00a0 It\u2019s not even in good condition yet.\u201d\u00a0 He brought the stem of the whistle to his lips and blew, sending out a few stray bits of ivory along with a discordant tone.<\/p>\n

Far to the east, hidden amongst trees and snow, a lone wolf let a howl fly, and the three brothers couldn\u2019t help but laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think ye\u2019ve made a friend,\u201d Einar ribbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter hope he doesn\u2019t want to be more than that,\u201d Baldur piled on.<\/p>\n

\u201cBah,\u201d Gudbrand waved before setting back to work on his flute.\u00a0 \u201cJust a coincidence, I\u2019d wager.\u00a0 They\u2019ve got their own songs to sing, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot unlike my belly,\u201d the oldest brother said.\u00a0 Einar had the two rabbits skinned, and ready to cook, and he threw their furs back in the wagon before fetching two of three skewers he had on hand in the cart.\u00a0 A few moments later, the fire licked at the meat, almost as though it seemed as hungry as the three brothers.\u00a0 \u201cThere we go,\u201d Einar said, groaning as he took a seat close to the campfire.\u00a0 \u201cIt won\u2019t be much, but it ought to tide us over until the storm passes by.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYe\u2019d like to think,\u201d Gudbrand said.\u00a0 \u201cThis might be one of those slow-moving storms that likes ta linger.\u00a0 We might be here longer than yer two bunnies will be able to feed us for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Einar waved his brother\u2019s comment off.\u00a0 \u201cYer just mad because ye missed yer shots at both.\u00a0 Besides, we\u2019ve got more here in case we\u2019re cut off for longer than we want.\u00a0 I might need help propping up more furs though in case the storm turns to a sturdy snow or a freezing rain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, I\u2019ll help ye then,\u201d Baldur said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut not a moment before,\u201d Gudbrand said with a wink and a smile.\u00a0 He returned to his whittling, turning his whistle toward the fire every few moments to see where the ivory needed carving next.\u00a0 He hummed to himself, and looked at his younger brother, shaking the instrument at him to gather up his attention while shaking out the bits that no longer needed to be there.\u00a0 \u201cDo ye know why not everyone knows about the whistles?\u201d<\/p>\n

Baldur could tell that it wasn\u2019t a question that Gudbrand didn\u2019t already know the answer to.\u00a0 It was a test, and it was one that he knew he could surely pass.\u00a0 He may not have seen one of the fabled whistles in some time, but he knew very well what they were capable of.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s because all magic comes with a price,\u201d he said then.\u00a0 \u201cEven spells that are cast with good intentions can come with effects the caster might not anticipate.\u00a0 The more people who know about the whistles, the more it could bring unnecessary magic to the Frostveil and the surrounding region.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gudbrand chuckled and clicked his tongue.\u00a0 \u201cSpoken like an academic.\u00a0 Ye sure ye should be out here hunting with us instead of throwing yer nose in a book?\u201d\u00a0 He could tell that Baldur felt a bit miffed at that comment, the younger brother sending his gaze to the wagon strapped between the stone pillars.\u00a0 In Einar\u2019s efforts to gather up some food for their impromptu dinner, he had moved about some of their other catches, including the white-furred fox that the youngest brother had slew.\u00a0 Gudbrand hummed and leaned in a little closer toward his sibling.\u00a0 \u201cGo on and tell me: how did it feel to take a life in your hands and feel it fleeting?\u201d<\/p>\n

Baldur looked to the fox as though he could see its open eyes.\u00a0 He thought back to the shot that he had taken that had snuffed out its life.\u00a0 His quarry had likely felt no pain, but to Gudbrand\u2019s point, he had felt the warmth in it fade away as he grabbed hold of it.\u00a0 It left a pit in his stomach, even though he knew that such things were necessary for the survival of his people.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t go on teasing so much,\u201d Einar said.\u00a0 \u201cI remember when ye had yer own problems besides being a bad shot.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be trying to scare him or making him feel ill at ease with what he had to do.\u00a0 It was as the gods decreed.\u201d\u00a0 The oldest brother rose and grabbed the fox from the cart, draping it across his lap when he sat by the fire once more.\u00a0 \u201cWhat we should do is eat it as well.\u00a0 It\u2019s Baldur\u2019s first kill, after all.\u00a0 Now don\u2019t worry lad, I\u2019ll skin the thing, but eating it is a part of the natural order, and it would mean more of its sacrifice.\u00a0 There is power in taking a life if it is for the sake of good.\u00a0 Sometimes magic is created from the taking or making of life.\u00a0 It can be drawn to it, as that\u2019s when nature is at its most powerful.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople like to think that magic is this infinite power across our realm, but it\u2019s not,\u201d Einar said.\u00a0 \u201cIt has great potential, but unchecked, it could bring ruin to us.\u00a0 If it isn\u2019t used with discretion, magic can use us more than we use it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere we go,\u201d Gudbrand said, rubbing his hands together.\u00a0 \u201cAnother Einar folktale meant to put chills up your spine, and hair on yer chin.\u201d<\/p>\n

The elder brother folded his arms over his chest then.\u00a0 \u201cAlright then, Gudbrand.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t ye whittle away at something other than a whistle for a few moments, eh?\u00a0 Tell Baldur the story of Calder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCalder?\u201d Gudbrand asked.\u00a0 \u201cBut he brought the Frostveil more power and wealth than any king before him.\u00a0 If yer trying to teach a lesson\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBlast it all ye fool,\u201d Einar said.\u00a0 \u201cYe know that he had his moments.\u201d\u00a0 He turned to Baldur then, the fire aglow in his eyes, almost leaving the eldest brother looking mad.\u00a0 \u201cCalder the Curious made the mistake of overusing the power of the whistles, and he nearly paid the price, not just for himself, but for all of the Frostveil.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, ye\u2019ve made yer point,\u201d Gudbrand said.\u00a0 \u201cBut ye\u2019ve tasked me with telling the tale, and I\u2019d tell it better than ye anyway, so let me get at it.\u00a0 Ye can barely pay attention to breathing while yer spouting off about yer nonsense, and ye\u2019ve got work to do,\u201d he indicated, pointing toward the fox that needed to be skinned yet.\u00a0 Gudbrand slid his whistle into his pack again and scooched a bit closer to the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalder the Curious,\u201d he said, looking to the sky and throwing his hands out wide in a bit of entertaining theatrics.\u00a0 \u201cThe dwarven king who almost doomed the Frostveil.\u00a0 This intrepid dwarf believed that the powers of the Coldwhistle\u2019s namesake should not be used just in our times of need, but in earnest.\u00a0 His champions used it to communicate across mountains and through caverns, and to alert those of his clan to the best hunting grounds, or mines rich with minerals and gems, or even an attractive fishing spot.\u00a0 And of course, he reminded everyone often about the song to order a return home.\u00a0 But the songs of the whistles were heard so often that others began hearing the music and understanding their meaning as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalder was curious, but he was no fool.\u00a0 He was keen to listen to any of the songs that his people would play across the region, and any time he heard a song that would indicate a bountiful return, he made a point to investigate it.\u00a0 Worried for his people, he would ride unattended, with only his great white pony and his grey falcon accompanying him.\u00a0 Calder was a strong dwarf, even by our standards.\u00a0 He wielded a great two-sided axe that no one had ever seen him use, for no one was reckless enough to challenge him.\u00a0 He was a strong, sturdy dwarf, and leaner than most, choosing not to feast when he could just as easily be finding news about the next great pursuit for his people.\u00a0 He was smart, even as far as kings went\u2014to a point, you\u2019ll see. \u00a0He did not follow the old ways, and he had little respect for the gods, or legends of the creatures of old, even in the rare cases when his people would appeal for him to change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEventually his people were able to convince him, just not the way that anyone would have expected\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With daylight still shining down from the western horizon, the icicles that clung to the tree branches set a shimming glow upon the tome he read.\u00a0 The king sat beside one of his favorite trees in the area, the largest of the citraltenn in the area, so named for the tall brown trunk that grew jutted out from the snow toward the skies, and the silver, spearhead-like leaves that grew throughout winter.\u00a0 In the very brief spring, those leaves would shed off the branches, nourishing the land around the Frostveil.\u00a0 New leaves would grow then through an even briefer summer, the leaves quickly transforming from a lush green to a pale gold before looking like a those blades a delicate-handed blacksmith would forge upon every branch.<\/p>\n

It was there that the fresh air overpowered the scent of the old book. \u00a0Calder placed great value on knowledge gleaned from the past, but he didn\u2019t like the smell of the musty old pages.\u00a0 The thought of reading by candlelight like a scholar set a pit in his stomach; just the thought of the stale air in a dwarven library had him sucking saliva back past his teeth.<\/p>\n

Beside him, his pony nickered, and he turned to gaze at the sturdy creature.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it, Syril?\u201d the dwarf asked.\u00a0 \u201cDo ye hear something?\u201d<\/p>\n

The pony\u2019s ears flicked, and he stamped his foot enough to summon forth the other companion the pair traveled with.\u00a0 A screech rang out in the air, and Calder closed his book, looking up to see his falcon, Lialla, diving toward the citraltenn.\u00a0 She spread her wings, gliding to a stop upon the lowest bough above the dwarven king.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is it that the two of ye always hear things \u2018afore me, even when I\u2019ve got these big things,\u201d he said, tugging on one of his ears.<\/p>\n

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, he heard a song upon the wind, and he furrowed his brow as he tried to hear it more clearly.\u00a0 It hadn\u2019t come from one of the fabled whistles of his people, although it was a song that he\u2019d had taught to the clan.\u00a0 Instead, he could hear beautiful voices forming a chorus of it, carrying across the region in a slightly different cadence that haunted him to his soul.<\/p>\n

Calder clicked his tongue, letting Syril know that he needed a ride.\u00a0 The pony shifted, sidling up next to the dwarven monarch, and allowing him to hop on.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo ahead then, Lialla,\u201d Calder said.\u00a0 \u201cLead us to whatever is singing that beautiful melody.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though it wasn\u2019t a song played by one of the Coldwhistle instruments, it was one that the king couldn\u2019t ignore.<\/p>\n

It was the song of a bountiful treasure.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

Syril was careful with his steps, ensuring that his shooed hooves were planted firmly in the snow before he took his next pace forward.\u00a0 The snow was not so cold that day that it had frozen solid, but all it took in that region was a passing cloud lingering over the sun for too long.\u00a0 There was still a small amount of give there in that snow, a crunch resounding every time Syril stepped forth.<\/p>\n

Up above, Lialla circled about.\u00a0 Calder looked up and saw his bird of prey there and knew that she was certain he had found what he was looking for.\u00a0 She was likely looking for something to eat or separating herself from the enchanting music that had never ceased once Calder had heard it begin.<\/p>\n

As Calder and Syril crested the next hill, the king saw an unfamiliar body of water stretching out before him.\u00a0 A frozen lake had formed, and behind it, against a rock wall, a waterfall that was half-freezing was present as well.\u00a0 He could hear the slow creaking of the water as it made its way down.\u00a0 If it was not for that sound, he would have thought the scene was frozen in time.\u00a0 It was a beautiful sight to behold, and when he hopped from Syril\u2019s back, he lingered there for some time, appreciating the beauty of the place, and the song that seemed to enchant him so.<\/p>\n

There were still a chorus of voices that echoed in the area, and Calder was surprised that others from his clan hadn\u2019t been drawn to the place as he had.\u00a0 He hummed as he thought that, as he had slowly been guiding them not to respond to just any call from their whistles, that their enemies could take advantage of their songs.\u00a0 He was always to be consulted first, and he often investigated on his own.<\/p>\n

But the choral arrangement of their music was almost intoxicating, and the king felt a warmth in his body that he hadn\u2019t throughout all of winter to hear it.<\/p>\n

He was almost content to take a seat there beside one of the trees in the area\u2014not a citraltenn that time, no\u2014they were rare within the region of the Frostveil, and growing rarer still, as none had grown for decades.\u00a0 No, Calder leaned against a beech tree with a trunk that was as white as the snow that surrounded it.\u00a0 Its branches were bare, allowing him to better see when Lialla swooped down and took up a place upon it.\u00a0 She chittered to him with a quick series of tapping chirps that he understood as a warning.\u00a0 Somehow that was all it took for the song to loosen its hold on him, though he could still hear it, rolling over the rock wall where the water cascaded down.<\/p>\n

As the sun set just a little bit more, letting its rays hit the waterfall, however, he was enlightened to something new.\u00a0 New light shined behind the water, for a cave had been revealed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be damned,\u201d the king whispered, drawing closer to the place.<\/p>\n

The singing within seemed to grow louder then as well, inviting him closer yet.\u00a0 As he came to the edge of the frozen lake, he could better see inside the cave behind the waterfall and understood that the sunlight had cast out in just the right place, illuminating the bounty that awaited him inside.\u00a0 There were valuable crystals inside, he was sure of it.<\/p>\n

Before he could take a step onto the ice, Lialla let out a screech that was just discordant enough to interrupt the singing voices.\u00a0 Calder blinked excessively, as though he had just been woken by his retainers for the morning.\u00a0 He shook his head and heard a new song in the distance.\u00a0 It was the call to return home\u2014not a desperate call, but a routine one, for the region could be hazardous indeed when the sun fully set.<\/p>\n

As Calder\u2019s gaze alternated between the tall mountain in the distance that served as his home, and the nearby cave that could have represented untold riches, he realized that the song that had come from there had stopped.\u00a0 He grumbled, knowing best what to do, and he was encouraged further by his pony, who nudged him on his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Syril,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cJust give me a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dwarven king reached into his satchel, and retrieved a map of the area, doing his best to identify the path that he had taken with a piece of shaved charcoal.\u00a0 He was certain he had never seen the lake or the waterfall before and wondered how it appeared when it did.\u00a0 Nevertheless, he was certain that the way back had been documented well, and he nodded, almost bowing to the cave in a promise to return.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright then you two,\u201d he said to his pony and his falcon.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s get back to the mountain and tell everyone the good news.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

He returned to the sturdy doors of his hall after the chill of night had begun to freeze the stone steps.\u00a0 Syril had to take extra care to make it up those carved slabs, and by the time Calder had passed through to the main area, his belly was rumbling.<\/p>\n

One of his retainers noticed his approach and brought him an ale that still had froth at its head.<\/p>\n

\u201cYer timing couldn\u2019t have been better, Azakai,\u201d Calder said.\u00a0 \u201cYe been looking out over the steps with yer spyglass again?\u201d<\/p>\n

His retainer bowed.\u00a0 \u201cOnly as long as daylight would let me.\u00a0 I just caught you at the foot of the steps.\u00a0 After that it was just a question of planning out the timetable and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd ye\u2019ve done a good job at that,\u201d Calder said, clapping him on the back.\u00a0 \u201cListen lad: I need either you or Joran to summon my hunting party.\u00a0 I need all six of them, ye hear?\u00a0 There\u2019s something important I must discuss with them.\u00a0 Bring them into the silver chamber when you\u2019ve got the lot of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder headed directly to the indicated room, throwing the doors open.\u00a0 It had been enchanted as such that the braziers on the walls opposite and perpendicular to the entrance would light as soon as the doors swung ajar\u2014a fact that he routinely forgot about.\u00a0 He gasped a bit before he grumbled, his disdain for magic showing just a bit in those moments.\u00a0 He looked over his shoulder to see if any of the citizens of the Frostveil were out and about that close to the entrance in that late hour, but as cold as it usually was there, most of his clan were already in their homes.\u00a0 All the better, he thought.\u00a0 He wanted them to see him as a courageous leader, and even the slightest flinch could erode the foundation of that image he presented.<\/p>\n

The silver chamber was named as such for two reasons.\u00a0 Beneath each of the braziers, a tapestry of chain links fell toward the floor, adding a strange shimmering to the room.\u00a0 The table was also etched with a carving of a citraltenn, a silver substance evening out surface.\u00a0 In generations past, the room was used to prepare for battles.\u00a0 Of late, with less wars to fight, it was used more for counsel.<\/p>\n

The first of the Calder\u2019s hunters arrived just as he was laying out the map on the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see ye were off gallivanting again,\u201d the fellow said.<\/p>\n

If he were any other dwarf, such words would have been met with a quick and punishing remark at the very least.\u00a0 Everybody knew, however, that the old dwarf had been Calder\u2019s steward since he was a wee princeling.<\/p>\n

\u201cFograk,\u201d the king said, eyeing the fellow up as though he were offended.\u00a0 His furrowed brow gave way to gentler features then as he smiled, and he walked over to his old friend and gave him a quick hug.\u00a0 \u201cHow is it that ye\u2019re the oldest of the lot, and are always the first one to arrive when I go calling?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d the old hunter said, steadying himself as he puffed out his chest.\u00a0 \u201cIt helps to have one of the closest homes to the great gates. \u00a0It also helps that I don\u2019t range too far from the mountain these days.\u00a0 I get home and eat my supper and wait for any call that says I\u2019m needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve earned your rest, friend,\u201d Calder insisted.\u00a0 \u201cHow often do I bother you that you need to always be on high alert?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s never a bother, me king,\u201d the old dwarf said.<\/p>\n

They would have gone back and forth for a while then, were it not for the next two hunters that arrived.\u00a0 Two brothers\u2014by marriage, not by blood\u2014hurried into the room next.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just received word from Joran,\u201d the one said.\u00a0 \u201cShall I be bringing my axe or my bow?\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder chuckled at the enthusiasm of the second oldest of his captains, a tough dwarf that was only a few years younger than him.\u00a0 \u201cNeither, Gisraen.\u00a0 This meeting is a survey of what you\u2019ve all encountered out in the wilds.\u00a0 I\u2019ve run across something peculiar that I want to see if you have any familiarity with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gisraen took a seat then with a grumble.<\/p>\n

The younger dwarf by his side flashed his smile, eager to sit at the table and hear what his king had to say.<\/p>\n

Their monarch returned to the head of the table then, ready to deliver his questions as soon as the other dwarves came to the silver chamber.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t offer the others the same deference that he did with Fograk, preferring to keep up with a certain mystique and pecking order.<\/p>\n

Still, he wasn\u2019t without his manners.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat puts a smile on yer face this day, Ragmer?\u201d he asked the other dwarf.<\/p>\n

Ragmer, who among all of Calder\u2019s champions was known as the one between everyone else in age, was also the handsomest within the clan\u2014a fact that he was aware of, and which he used to tease just about all the other dwarves he knew, Gisraen most of all.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust happy about the timing is all, my liege.\u00a0 A few minutes earlier and I think I would have been in trouble, but I think I had just finished making our fifth little warrior with Kaitedei.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gisraen growled and slammed his fist on the table once he heard his sister\u2019s name leave his brother-in-law\u2019s lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cEasy, ya damned berserker,\u201d Fograk said to the oldest hunter besides him at the table.\u00a0 \u201cYe\u2019ll break the damned table.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides Calder and Fograk, Gisraen would be older than anyone else who sat at the table, but his energy for his age helped to keep him looking young.\u00a0 That, and that he kept his scraggly hair covered beneath a bandana that made it look like at any point he could go venturing across a frozen sea to fight against pirates.\u00a0 The warning he received from the even older dwarf was taken with the same energy that he had taken his brother-in-law\u2019s comment.\u00a0 He growled at Fograk\u2019s words and waved them away, bowing his head and closing his eyes to rid himself of all the noise.<\/p>\n

The next dwarf to round the corner and walk through the doors of the silver chamber looked like one of the pirates Gisraen would have opted to fight.\u00a0 Wearing a patch that had been fastened to his eye, the dwarf took a measured glance at every corner of the room, ensuring that he was sharp to everyone that was present.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis must be important if it couldn\u2019t wait till morning,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Volgrem?\u201d Ragmer asked, his tone teasing in jest.\u00a0 \u201cGetting some shuteye?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, and you should shut your mouth,\u201d the scarred dwarf said, taking his time to speak just as he had to observe the room.\u00a0 His measured actions and manner of speech had him sounding a little less like a dwarf, and more like the humans they had encountered throughout the years.\u00a0 Volgrem was known accompany the merchants to the bottom of the Frostveil and back out of the kingdom to give them safe passage.\u00a0 Of any of the dwarves at the table, he would probably be the one who spent the most time with the humans.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t ye worry,\u201d Calder said then.\u00a0 \u201cThis won\u2019t be a long meeting, but I still need the lot of ye here to know what ye\u2019ve all seen out in the wilds.\u00a0 After that, ye can get back to your bed and rest up.\u00a0 There\u2019s cold days yet ahead, ranging is getting harder as the weather gets harsher.\u201d<\/p>\n

Volgrem nodded and sank into his seat along the edge of the table, a seat meant for one of the two youngest among them.<\/p>\n

His counterpart, a dwarven lad with a shorter beard than most, hurried in then, a bit red in the face and nervous.<\/p>\n

\u201cThralni,\u201d Ragmer said then.\u00a0 \u201cWe were just talking about how hilarious it was that Volgrem was roused from his bed, but I do believe it may be past yer bedtime.\u201d<\/p>\n

The youngest dwarf among them merely smiled at the comment and nodded at each of the other champions there. Thralni knew that he was there more for honorary reasons than any of the others\u2014his father had served with Calder in the silver chamber for some time, but with his passing, the duty fell to him.\u00a0 Still, when the king called for all his hunters, Thralni knew better than to treat it as an oversight.<\/p>\n

The final dwarf arrived beside Azakai, and he clapped the retainer to the king on the back as he passed through the doors.\u00a0 Azakai closed those doors behind him, and the final dwarf of the council remained standing there for some time as the other dwarves ceased their conversations and acknowledged his presence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t tell if yer waiting for an invitation to sit, or if yer trying to show off some new bumps and bruises, Barranac,\u201d Fograk said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s both,\u201d the third oldest dwarf said then.\u00a0 He pointed to the dark spots around his eyes then.\u00a0 \u201cThis one is from a fight in the tavern, and this one is from some pup who decided to disobey me in the mines.\u00a0 About brought the entire thing down when he went digging where I told him not to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou put him in his place?\u201d Gisraen asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis greedy little fingers aren\u2019t going to be touching a mattock for some time, let alone any gems he thinks might belong to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gisraen thumped his fist against the table a few times then, ensuring it was far less fierce than before.\u00a0 Fograk sent him a thankful nod a few seconds later.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, have a seat, Barranac,\u201d Calder instructed then.\u00a0 \u201cUnless ye\u2019ve got a few bruises on your backside as well.\u201d\u00a0 He paused for a few chuckles, learning long before that he cared not whether they were genuine.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll not keep the lot of ye here too long.\u00a0 Were any of ye out in the wilds earlier today, specifically just before sunset?\u201d<\/p>\n

His hunters took turns explaining their whereabouts, and none of it lined up with the time that their king was out in the wilderness.\u00a0 They were in the mines, or the tavern that existed within the hall, or had already returned from the cold outdoors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s this all about?\u201d Fograk asked then.\u00a0 \u201cIs everything alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder hummed to himself, tapping his knuckles against the table.\u00a0 \u201cI experienced something strange this evening.\u00a0 I heard someone singing the song that you all would play if you found some sort of bountiful treasure out in the wilds\u2014only it wasn\u2019t one of our whistles, but a beautiful chorus of voices.\u00a0 I followed them out to where I heard them loudest, here,\u201d he said, poking his finger at his map where he indicated it earlier.\u00a0 \u201cThere was a waterfall and a lake that had formed, and when the sun hit the waterfall just right, ye could see there was a cave right there behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYe think it was just some dwarven lass trying to seduce ye?\u201d Ragmer asked.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe someone with aspirations of being our next queen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up ye sod and pay attention,\u201d Barranac grumbled.\u00a0 \u201cYe\u2019re missing the greatest detail of the king\u2019s story.\u201d<\/p>\n

The most roguish of the bunch arched his eyebrow after being chastised. \u00a0\u201cAnd that is?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no waterfall or lake here,\u201d Barranac explained, pushing the map closer to the other side of the table.<\/p>\n

Fograk leaned forward and nodded then.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u00a0 The river goes off this way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what I saw,\u201d Calder insisted.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd no one would dare to question ye, my liege,\u201d Barranac replied.\u00a0 \u201cBut something strange seems to have come to our kingdom.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStrange indeed,\u201d Gisraen grumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep an ear out then, would you?\u201d Calder said then.\u00a0 \u201cNone of ye were out there today, but I was.\u00a0 I want to make sure I\u2019m not the only one who heard the beautiful music.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure I wasn\u2019t the only durned fool to be sitting out in the cold.\u201d\u00a0 For a few moments, it was quiet in the silver chamber, but then he rapped on the table.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019ll be all.\u00a0 Get back to the warmth of yer homes or to yer ales.\u00a0 Let me know what ye find out from the other folks in the clan.\u201d<\/p>\n

One by one, the other dwarves cleared out, until the two oldest dwarves remained behind.\u00a0 Both still sat in their seats, and when he was content that the others had put enough distance between them and the silver chamber, Fograk looked to his king once more.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe\u2019re going to head there again tomorrow, aren\u2019t you?\u201d his oldest advisor suggested.\u00a0 \u201cAnd it\u2019ll be whether or not you hear anything from the other lads, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder leaned forward and grabbed the map, folding it up so that it would fit in his backpack again.\u00a0 \u201cSomeone is singing the song of bounty old friend,\u201d the king said.\u00a0 \u201cI have to find out if it\u2019s truly a blessing, or if it is a curse that has befallen our kingdom.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre ye looking for someone to tag along with ye?\u201d<\/p>\n

The king scrunched up his face and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI appreciate yer offer. \u00a0But if there\u2019s something dangerous out there, it might be better for me to fight it head on.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want anyone to be hurt because I can\u2019t settle my greed from my curiosity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fograk nodded and pressed out his chair.\u00a0 \u201cUnderstood, my liege.\u00a0 If ye change yer mind, ye know where to find me.\u201d<\/p>\n

As his oldest advisor and friend took his leave, Calder wondered if he was making a foolish decision in pursuing the source of the singing.\u00a0 Still, he knew that he would not be able to rest until he learned the truth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Calder had one hand on the reins, and one hand on his map, trying his best to follow the path he had indicated the day before.\u00a0 Syril took things at a leisurely pace, never threatening to knock the dwarven king from his saddle.<\/p>\n

Without the chorus of voices carrying across the region, Calder wondered if he truly had imagined everything that transpired the day before.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t help that the region looked a little more unfamiliar than he would have expected from a spot that he had ventured to just the day before.<\/p>\n

He called out to Lialla, instructing her to find the nearest source of water.\u00a0 She screeched in response, taking off into the sky.\u00a0 If she flew any higher, Calder mused, she would have disappeared from his view.<\/p>\n

The king heard her distant cry then and knew that he was on the right path.<\/p>\n

Only a few minutes later, he spotted the lake, with the frigid waterfall behind it.\u00a0 That day was a bit more temperate compared to the freezing cold of the day before.\u00a0 He could hear the waterfall rush a little more fiercely, and he could see bits of mist rise from the rocks that were smattered down below.<\/p>\n

Calder patted Syril on the side of his neck, soothing the pony before he hopped from the saddle.\u00a0 His chain mail links rattled as landed on the ground, setting its own strange music about in the area around the lake.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe sound like yer playing the tambourine,\u201d the dwarven leader heard, then.<\/p>\n

Turning on his heel at once, Calder had his hand behind his back, ready to pull the axe out before him.\u00a0 When he saw Fograk there, however, he dismissed the thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I told ye I didn\u2019t need ye to come along,\u201d he said to his old friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, and I remember a good many times as ye were growing up that doing the opposite<\/em> of what you wanted me to do saved your hide.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI only acted the fool I was because ye never let me get away with anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYe weren\u2019t king yet,\u201d Fograk said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, and yer still acting a fool.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust wait,\u201d Calder said.\u00a0 \u201cYe\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n

With an eager gleam in his eyes, the king hurried to the side of the water, peering past the waterfall to see if he could identify the cave.\u00a0 With the steadier flow of water, he wondered if it was better disguised then.<\/p>\n

Unwilling to wait for a change in the orientation of the sun, Calder stepped onto the ledge beneath the cliff, sidling toward the area behind the waterfall.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy liege!\u201d Fograk cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust wait there,\u201d Calder said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd make sure Syril doesn\u2019t try to come rescue me or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

The old hunter moved his own pony up a bit, clicking his tongue until the two horses were side by side.\u00a0 He reached out and grabbed the reins, ensuring he had a firm grip on both equines.\u00a0 Then, he turned his attention back to his fearless leader.<\/p>\n

Calder slipped behind the waterfall then, enough of the chill river water splashing down upon him that his hair was soaked, and his chainmail emanated a cool feeling.\u00a0 The king didn\u2019t care though, gnashing his teeth together as he pounded his fist against the stone wall where he was certain he had seen a shining treasure, and from where he was sure he had heard the most delightful, enchanting music.<\/p>\n

After several more minutes of slamming the stone with no sign of victory, he conceded, laying his forehead against the stone.\u00a0 \u201cDamn it all to hell,\u201d he grumbled as he made his way back along the ledge toward solid ground.\u00a0 \u201cNot a word of this to the other hunters,\u201d he indicated to his friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy king, let\u2019s focus on getting ye out of the cold before we worry about painting you as mad to the rest of our friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, Calder was already shivering by the time he stood beside the lake once more.\u00a0 He rung out his beard as best he could and swept his hand through his hair until he was certain he was rid of most of the excess water, but he still felt a fool.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps we could light a fire to dry you off a bit,\u201d Fograk suggested.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure ye\u2019d feel better riding without any ice water dripping down yer back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder waved his hand then.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d sooner be rid of this place.\u00a0 It mocks me with its mere presence.\u201d\u00a0 As he drew close to his pony, Syril seemed to taunt him as well, stepping away from the drenched dwarf.\u00a0 \u201cNow listen here, you,\u201d he grumbled, narrowing his eyes as he put his intent on every word.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s been an arse of a day, and it\u2019s only been a few hours, ye get me meaning?\u00a0 The sooner ye get me home, the sooner ye\u2019ll be rid of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Syril snorted before he bowed, pushing against the king.\u00a0 Calder rubbed his steed\u2019s head and moved up along side him.\u00a0 He could tell the pony had to deal with a bit more extra weight from all the cold water, but Syril didn\u2019t protest any further.<\/p>\n

As Calder settled into the saddle though, the horse and its rider both found something to be more uncomfortable with.<\/p>\n

Out from the rocks, where he had just been, a large black serpent appeared, slithering out from the cracks.\u00a0 Calder felt the pony\u2019s body go rigid, and he knew Syril\u2019s muscles were ready to send him off into any of a dozen different motions.\u00a0 The dwarven king meant to speak some words of encouragement, and to pull the reins toward the forest, but he found he couldn\u2019t budge.\u00a0 The mere sight of the snake seemed to paralyze him.\u00a0 He had only rarely seen snakes in the region of the Frostveil, and never one of that size.<\/p>\n

Just when he felt motion in his fingers, and tightened them around Syril\u2019s reins, the black serpent coiled and rose into a striking position.<\/p>\n

The pony moved before the king could.<\/p>\n

In an instant, Syril bucked, sending Calder rolling out of the saddle, and off the pony\u2019s backside.\u00a0 As Calder thumped to the ground, he could hear his frightened steed charge off into the woods.\u00a0 As irritated as Calder was, he understood.\u00a0 The serpent was frightening indeed.<\/p>\n

But it would be no match for the dwarven king\u2019s mighty axe, he knew.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe king!\u201d he heard Fograk say.<\/p>\n

Calder was only concerned with the creature that now threatened his life.\u00a0 He grunted as he rose from the ground, pulling his axe from behind his back before he had his feet steady beneath him.<\/p>\n

But when he was ready for battle, he could see no foe before him.<\/p>\n

Calder looked about, and when he turned enough for Fograk to see him, he looked quite mad indeed.\u00a0 His face half-covered in snow, his hair and his beard frigid and frozen, he appeared as a strange beast to his friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere did he go?\u201d he cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cSyril?\u201d\u00a0 Fograk asked.\u00a0 \u201cHe went off to the forest, my liege.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no, not Syril,\u201d Calder grumbled.\u00a0 \u201cWhere did the serpent go?\u201d<\/p>\n

The dwarven leader\u2019s words had conviction behind them, but Fograk hadn\u2019t seen the slithering creature, the sight of it blocked by Calder.<\/p>\n

\u201cBah,\u201d Calder said.\u00a0 \u201cIt likely retreated back to the rocks, or it found a gap to sneak beneath the ice on the lake.\u00a0 Blasted thing.\u00a0 If I see it again, I\u2019ll bury me axe between its eyes.\u201d\u00a0 He sounded more and more incensed as time went on, and when he turned about, he noticed that he was at odds with his situation even further.\u00a0 \u201cWhere is Syril?\u201d he wondered.\u00a0 As he spoke the words, he realized what had happened, and he drew his gaze toward the forest.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll head off your pony,\u201d Fograk said.\u00a0 \u201cIf I\u2019m able to, I\u2019ll usher him back the other way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder grumbled, swatting the layers of snow off his face and his head.\u00a0 \u201cI never liked \u2018im anyway,\u201d he called out as Fograk took off to the north and disappeared within the trees.<\/p>\n

Left alone, the king sighed, feeling quite a fool for not being able to replicate the events of the day before.\u00a0 Had he been on his own, perhaps he would have felt less embarrassment, but to go to such ends in front of one his most trusted friends and advisors left him feeling vulnerable, like he had lost his mind.<\/p>\n

He shook his head.\u00a0 There was no way he had just imagined what was going on the day before.\u00a0 Calder was close enough to feel the music to his core, and he was certain that he could see past the waterfall into the cave within.<\/p>\n

The dwarf hummed then.\u00a0 What was this silliness?\u00a0 Calder was not one to believe in magic.\u00a0 Even the old legend of the Coldwhistle clan\u2019s eponymous instruments sounded more like heartfelt puffery than he cared to admit.\u00a0 Yet, here he was, standing before a frozen lake and an icy waterfall that everyone had claimed hadn\u2019t existed, pounding on the rock wall that he imagined being an opening into a cave of riches.<\/p>\n

He had never felt more ashamed.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king turned about then, heading into the woods as well.\u00a0 If Fograk couldn\u2019t wrangle Syril, perhaps the pony would be more willing to listen to an old friend.<\/p>\n

Before he drew into the forest, beside the tall conifers and leafless birches and beeches, a call cried out overhead.\u00a0 Calder looked up seeing his falcon and knew that he wasn\u2019t as alone as he thought.\u00a0 He waved to Lialla, letting her know he had spotted her.<\/p>\n

Calder marched through the forest for some time, shivering with every step.\u00a0 There was no sign of his most storied hunter, or of his horse, and he could only see his falcon above every few moments when he stood beneath barer trees.<\/p>\n

It was after one of those skyward glances, when he looked down, that he spotted another who traveled through the forest.\u00a0 A mighty stag, his furry winter coat giving him more presence, snorted at the sight of the dwarven king, a cloud of steam leaving its muzzle.<\/p>\n

Calder\u2019s heart shuddered.\u00a0 The massive animal had a rack of antlers that looked like a shelf of daggers, and as it stamped its foot, the dwarf wondered if a battle was inevitable.\u00a0 He slowly brought his hand back to grab up his weapon again.<\/p>\n

But it was not that double-sided axe that the deer needed to be worried about.<\/p>\n

Calder grasped his whistle in his other hand, and quickly brought it to his lips.\u00a0 With just the one hand, he covered the first few tone holes.\u00a0 The next moment, he deftly played a tune that tavern bards would be proud of.<\/p>\n

The stag\u2019s muscles grew taut, but it didn\u2019t know what to prepare for.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t until it heard the hearty flap of Lialla\u2019s wings that the deer knew what it needed to content with.<\/p>\n

\u201cSilg syr!\u201d Calder cried out, sending instruction to his falcon.<\/p>\n

Lialla dove past the branches of the many trees that made up the thick canopy, her talons leading.\u00a0 She aimed for the stag\u2019s head, but it bowed down, offering up only the many sharp antlers instead.<\/p>\n

When it was clear that the falcon wasn\u2019t planning on retreating away again, the deer took that option instead.\u00a0 After ensuring that it had room to maneuver, the stag galloped forward, charging into the woods behind the dwarf.<\/p>\n

Calder growled, knowing that without his mount, there was little hope of catching up with the deer.\u00a0 Still, he had to try.\u00a0 Perhaps Lialla, already fast in pursuit, would be able to sink her claws into the animal\u2019s backside and induce a spasmed response.<\/p>\n

The jog that Calder continued with had his body warming up enough that he forgot about the frigid water that had covered him shortly before.\u00a0 And as the stag kept him running in that direction, he had forgot about the cold altogether.\u00a0 Indeed, his arms burned from the heft of his axe, but the dwarven king knew that there was no running with it burdened upon his back.<\/p>\n

Despite the animal\u2019s quicker reflexes and speed, Calder emerged from the woods not far behind it.\u00a0 Still, it was far enough back for him to watch in awe as it leapt, nearly clearing the lake that formed.\u00a0 It splashed into it not far from the other side of the lake, and quickly hoisted itself onto dry land again, resuming its escape.<\/p>\n

Grumbling, Calder cried out to his falcon to surrender the hunt.\u00a0 There was no hope in trying to keep up with it, and even if Lialla did manage to sneak out in front of it, the creature\u2019s willpower worried Calder for the sake of his bird.\u00a0 He whistled\u2014that time just sending out a noise through his lips, and a moment later, the falcon landed on his upturned arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a gallant try,\u201d he told the falcon.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll get another try later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Almost as soon as he finished speaking though, he heard something he had given up on.\u00a0 The song of bounty was sung again, once more by a chorus of beautiful voices that were so loud it send a shiver up Calder\u2019s spine, and set gooseflesh upon his arms, even though they were covered by warm sleeves.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew I wasn\u2019t blasted crazy,\u201d he said, his voice barely a whisper.<\/p>\n

As he gazed at the waterfall, he watched the sunlight fall upon it.\u00a0 Behind the streaming water, sparkles reflected, and a hungry grin stretched the dwarven king\u2019s lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got a new task for ye, Lialla,\u201d he told the falcon.<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t wait to hear his command.\u00a0 Spending that long with the dwarven monarch, the falcon knew what sort of things he was interested in.\u00a0 As courageous as she had been with the stag, she leapt off Calder\u2019s upraised hand, and flew toward the waterfall.\u00a0 At the last moment, she darted to the side, dancing around the water, and slipping behind the falls, into the cave.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe were telling the truth,\u201d Calder heard then, a voice seeming closer than the king thought possible.<\/p>\n

When he turned to regard who spoke to him, he was surprised to see Fograk there, Syril in tow.<\/p>\n

Calder furrowed his brow.\u00a0 \u201cWhat, ye thought I was having a go at the lot of ye?\u00a0 I told ye this is real,\u201d he said, absentmindedly gesturing toward the waterfall and the cave.<\/p>\n

Lialla screeched, and that time, she came charging through the waterfall, muscling past the frigid flow.\u00a0 A second later, she landed on the side of the king\u2019s hand, and dropped a treasure that she found within.<\/p>\n

As Calder moved his hand, Lialla flapped her wings and took to the air once more, landing in the lowest bough of a nearby tree, watching as her master observed her prize.\u00a0 The king brought his gloved hand in front of him, and he could hear the two ponies crunching into the stone with every step, but he couldn\u2019t wrench his gaze away.\u00a0 A subtle grin stretched into a wider smile, for there in his palm, he saw something that proved he hadn\u2019t gone mad.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s something ye don\u2019t see every day,\u201d Fograk said.<\/p>\n

Calder turned, letting the sunlight land on the opal that Lialla must have plucked from the wall of the cave.\u00a0 Little flecks of burnt umber danced within the dark violet, mesmerizing the two dwarves.\u00a0 Though it wasn\u2019t a large gemstone, it would still fetch a competitive price from any merchants.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe know what this means, don\u2019t ye?\u201d Calder asked, raising his voice over the sound of the singing that continued throughout the area.<\/p>\n

Fograk nodded, forgetting for a time to respond to the other dwarf who still couldn\u2019t look away.\u00a0 \u201cNo more worrisome winters where we might not have enough food in our larder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that too.\u00a0 But I can tell the rest of the hunters that I haven\u2019t lost me senses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot unless I have, too,\u201d Fograk agreed.<\/p>\n

When the song to return home sounded in the distance, the two dwarves were left wondering just how long they had stood there admiring the jewel.\u00a0 Syril snorted too, pulling them even further from their trance.<\/p>\n

\u201cBack home we go?\u201d Fograk wondered.<\/p>\n

Calder nodded.\u00a0 \u201cAye, with a new story to tell.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pacing himself, the dwarven king leaned forward, spreading out the map once more with a flick of his wrist.\u00a0 The next moment, the beautiful opal was displayed as well, right atop the cave he had indicated on the map the day before.<\/p>\n

Nearly all the dwarves leaned forward, but Barranac practically crawled atop the table to get a better glimpse of the beautiful gemstone.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019d ye get such a thing?\u201d the occasional foreman asked.\u00a0 \u201cNot from our mines, certainly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder arched an eyebrow as he reached out once more, lifting the opal.\u00a0 It revealed the spot on the map that he had asked about the day before.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just like he said yesterday,\u201d Fograk explained.\u00a0 \u201cThe two of us headed out into the wilds, into an area with a lake that none of us has seen as of a few days ago.\u00a0 I thought our king had gone mad\u2014no singing, no cave, certainly no treasure.\u00a0 But then, just as the sun hit the waterfall just right\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe wall blocking us from the cavern inside was gone,\u201d Calder finished.\u00a0 \u201cAnd my falcon was able to find us this beautiful little gem as proof of it.\u201d\u00a0 The king leaned back and folded his arms over his chest.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve got a bounty waiting for us out there in the wilds.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t want to be found, but we found it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt only shows up at a certain time every day,\u201d Fograk speculated.\u00a0 \u201cYe\u2019ll hear the singing, and then the pathway opens up behind the waterfall.\u00a0 But before then, it looks like any other place out in the cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pair of dwarves looked at the other members of their council, watching them communicate without their words.\u00a0 Their gaze fell to Thralni, who looked to them instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it lad?\u201d Calder asked the youngest among them.<\/p>\n

Thralni nodded enthusiastically.\u00a0 \u201cI was out ranging not far from there.\u00a0 I thought someone here might have been playing a joke on me, but I heard the singing too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Furrowing his brow, Fograk leaned on the table then.\u00a0 \u201cYe were trying to see if there was any treasure ye could get to \u2018afore the rest of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d the young dwarf replied.\u00a0 \u201cNo!\u00a0 I was trying to find the cavern so I could prove our king right.\u00a0 I even made a few makeshift flags so that I could lead us back to it.\u201d\u00a0 He began sorting through his pack to prove himself.\u00a0 A few moments later, he had dumped out a dozen climbing pitons that had red cloth tied around their hoops.\u00a0 \u201cSee?\u00a0 I just couldn\u2019t figure out where the durned singing was coming from.\u00a0 I think I was too far east, and the music sounded like it was coming from right atop me\u2014or underneath me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder hummed then as his features softened.\u00a0 \u201cWell, it\u2019s neither here nor there.\u00a0 I know how to get ta the lake, so we don\u2019t need yer flags.\u00a0 But what we do need is your expertise.\u00a0 All of ye have experience with certain things.\u00a0 Gisraen, ye have the means to lock down the cavern once we\u2019ve found our way inside it.\u00a0 I don\u2019t need any other dwarves in the area deciding they want to explore it before we deem it safe.\u00a0 Barranac, that means bringing you inside and making sure it\u2019s stable.\u00a0 If it flows underneath a stream or a river, I want ye there to help us check for instabilities.\u00a0 If we can mine it, ye\u2019d be the one to tell us.\u00a0 Ragmer\u2026\u201d Calder said, arching his eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t trust ye here with all the clandaughters if we\u2019re gone that long,\u201d the king teased, bringing about a fit of laughter from the others in attendance, even the often-surly Gisraen.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn all honesty,\u201d the king went on, \u201cif there do be voices coming from within that cavern, it might be good to have someone who can help us discern where they come from, and who they might belong to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVolgrem,\u201d Fograk said then, \u201cif they belong to someone with sinister intentions, having a hunter who is an excellent shot would come in handy.\u00a0 And Thralni.\u201d\u00a0 Fograk paused then, trying to think of what the youngest dwarf could offer up.\u00a0 His father was a merchant by trade, but he was also an outstanding hunter, neither role being quite inherited by his son.\u00a0 Thralni was more of an explorer, which Fograk thought might come in handy in the cave.\u00a0 \u201cWe could use yer, eh, yer flags, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thralni chuckled and rolled his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what\u2019s the plan then?\u201d Ragmer wondered.\u00a0 \u201cAre we headed there now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet the mud out of yer ears,\u201d his brother-in-law said.\u00a0 \u201cIt only opens at a certain time of day, and that time has surely passed by now.\u201d\u00a0 Gisraen grumbled, annoyed by the dwarf he spent more time with than he cared to.<\/p>\n

Fograk nodded.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll be headed out there tomorrow, as a group, straight from the hall.\u00a0 Calder knows how to get there, and we can\u2019t have any of you lot getting lost along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor now,\u201d Calder said, \u201cgo back to your homes, get some more ale in ye, and be well rested.\u00a0 We don\u2019t know what\u2019s waiting for us in that cavern\u2014but I mean to find out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDismissed,\u201d Fograk said, tapping his knuckles against the table.<\/p>\n

The dwarven council rose from their seats, and departed the silver chamber, just as they had the night before.\u00a0 And, just like then, Fograk was the one who remained behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry if I doubted ye,\u201d he said to his king, \u201ceven if it was for just a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have nothing to apologize for, my friend,\u201d Calder replied.\u00a0 \u201cFor a time, I was even doubting myself.\u00a0 Go on then.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got to stretch me bones a wee bit more.\u00a0 Get some sleep, and I\u2019ll see you as the dawn rises.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fograk nodded and went along his way, knowing that his companion had much to think about.\u00a0 It was a tiresome job leading the clan, and there was likely more that the king had to do before he could earn his own rest for the night.<\/p>\n

Before Calder could think about shut eye or his other duties, his gaze fell once more to the opal on the table.\u00a0 He hummed, the song of bounty reverberating within his chest, as he gazed at the gemstone\u2014one of many, he was certain.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Calder and the council rode across the region the next morning, just as the sun was reaching its apex.\u00a0 Sturdier ground beneath their mounts meant a careful approach to the new lake and the waterfall.<\/p>\n

Six ponies marched forth, following behind a large, saddled boar.\u00a0 Volgrem rode that one, a descendant of the boar that had gouged out his eye nearly two decades earlier.\u00a0 Long before, he learned that his porcine mounts hated following behind any other beasts of burden, so wherever Volgrem traveled with his fellow clansmen, he led the pack.<\/p>\n

His king called out behind him, angling him this way and that along the path that he knew would bring him to their destination.\u00a0 Before long, they had arrived\u2014long before the sun would set to the appropriate height to illuminate the cavern and allow them inside.<\/p>\n

Calder and the others made an event of their arrival.\u00a0 Thralni\u2019s pony had lagged for some distance for a reason, for it had been tasked with carrying several smaller casks of ale.\u00a0 By the time those kegs were sitting on a blanket atop the snow, a campfire had already been started halfway between the icy waters and the forest.<\/p>\n

Several of the dwarves nearby were singing, roasting foods that they had brought along for the trip or gathering kindling for the fire.\u00a0 If they were going to have to wait, they could at least make a good time of it.\u00a0 The lot of them talked about what they were going to do with their newfound riches\u2014what belonged to them of their finder\u2019s fee, that was.\u00a0 The rest of it was meant to enrich the clan, to ensure that the winters in the years to come did not feel so harsh, and to broker treaties with neighboring kingdoms and factions.\u00a0 Truly, the dwarves of the Coldwhistle clan felt as though the winds of fortune were about to change.<\/p>\n

As the sun dropped into place, the choral arrangement of their song of bountiful returns left Calder and his hunters with chills.<\/p>\n

The king and his oldest friend were the first to look to the waterfall, and they watched as the stone fa\u00e7ade there seemed to fade away.\u00a0 The others with them followed their gazes, and watches as magic removed the rock wall behind the water.<\/p>\n

For a time, there was a great eagerness that fell over the area, and the dwarven hunters felt closer than ever to their treasure.\u00a0 But then, almost at the same time as one another, two of the dwarves readied their weapons.\u00a0 Volgrem, the one-eyed ranger, leveled his crossbow toward the aperture that had opened in the rock wall.\u00a0 His boar noticed his apprehension, and trotted to his side, his hair standing on end as he looked for danger.\u00a0 Behind them, Gisraen grumbled, and pressed his fists into the side of his thighs, where he had two objects situated on his belt.\u00a0 When he brought his hands up again, rows of spikes were present above his fingers.\u00a0 He moved forward even quicker than the boar did, it seemed, for he had overtaken Volgrem as the dwarf closest to the waterfall.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe won\u2019t need those,\u201d Fograk said then.\u00a0 \u201cAt least, not out here.\u00a0 The voices are coming from inside the cave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYe\u2019ll forgive me if I\u2019m being extra careful,\u201d Gisraen called back with his gruff voice.\u00a0 He approached the water side then, just before the ledge that Calder had sidled along the day before.\u00a0 \u201cDidn\u2019t ye say there was some sort of beast?\u201d he cried out.<\/p>\n

\u201cAye,\u201d Calder said, drawing closer.\u00a0 \u201cBut that was before the wall opened up and we could see the sparkling gemstones within.\u00a0 I think it is safe to go inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you wish, me liege,\u201d Gisraen said.\u00a0 He was the first of the council to begin moving along the ledge, balancing himself by jabbing his spiked gauntlets into the grooves of the stone.<\/p>\n

One by one, others in the group joined him.<\/p>\n

Fograk, taking his time, turned to Thralni, and nodded. \u00a0\u201cBefore ye join us inside, make sure the leads on the ponies are secured.\u00a0 We don\u2019t want them running away while we\u2019re in there\u2014especially if we\u2019ve much treasure to bring back to the hall!\u201d<\/p>\n

The youngest dwarf swallowed away his tension as he returned the nod.\u00a0 He was eager to venture inside with the rest of them, but knew not to rush, else he would be looked at unfavorably.\u00a0 He grabbed the reins of Fograk\u2019s pony then and set to work.<\/p>\n

As the other dwarves prepared themselves at the water\u2019s edge, Volgrem rubbed his boar\u2019s head, just above his snout.\u00a0 \u201cYou stay out here and protect the horses, Rondak.\u00a0 If anyone but us tries to take them, tear off their leg, yeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

The boar snorted in reply, but turned its head, rubbing one of its tusks against Volgrem\u2019s leg instead.\u00a0 The one-eyed hunter chuckled, knowing that his trained boar could have easily gored him if he had wanted to.<\/p>\n

When the path was clear, Volgrem joined his companions, moving closer toward the cave entrance.<\/p>\n

Gisraen was already inside.\u00a0 The sunlight did indeed shine into the place, crystalline formations catching its radiance and spreading it across the floor and the ceiling.\u00a0 As Gisraen\u2019s brother-in-law, Ragmer, lit a torch, even more of the place was soon aglow.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill ye look at that?\u201d Barranac said.\u00a0 \u201cMost of the walls are covered in these crystals, but behind them, ye can see the jewels this place hides. \u00a0Look at those.\u201d\u00a0 He pointed to the wall that jutted out closer to the entrance, which had accepted more torchlight across its surface.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know if the crystals are magnifying their appearance, but those are largest gemstones I\u2019ve ever seen outside of our mountain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gisraen showed a toothy grin for the first time since many of those in attendance could remember.\u00a0 He had lost a few teeth in scuffles with other dwarves throughout the years, including one of his lower ones near the front.\u00a0 Still, the other hunters could tell he was excited.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter we take care of this place, we\u2019re each going to have our own mountain, Barr,\u201d he said to the occasional foreman of the Frostveil.<\/p>\n

Before anyone could react to his statement, they heard another of their group cry out, and turned to see Thralni take a tumble as he stepped into the cavern.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou blathering bumblehead,\u201d Barranac snapped.\u00a0 \u201cBlast it all, ye fool.\u00a0 One wrong move in here could bring the whole place down.\u00a0 We know there\u2019s a river \u2018at runs above our heads.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a bit through here,\u201d Ragmer said, pointing down toward the floor as more torches were lit and illuminated the place.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s still as can be though, and the reflection\u2026 It looks like glass.\u201d\u00a0 The handsome dwarf hummed to himself.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to bring Maya Stonetree here,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s always wearing those skirts, and I\u2019d bet this reflection would give us a good look at her bum.\u201d<\/p>\n

Almost as soon as he was done speaking, he felt Gisraen\u2019s fist land in his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cOw!\u00a0 Ye\u2019re still wearing your spikes,\u201d he protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cAye,\u201d the berserker said.\u00a0 \u201cYe think I forgot?\u201d<\/p>\n

Behind them, Barranac laughed.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t bother thinking about any other dwarven lass than yer wife, Ragmer\u2014especially Maya.\u00a0 Once she popped out her little one, she stopped wearing those shorter dresses.\u00a0 My best is you\u2019re wearing kilts more often than she is these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just glad he\u2019s not wearing one today,\u201d Volgrem teased.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2019s that?\u201d Barranac wondered.\u00a0 \u201cTrying to do whatever you can not to lose the other eye?\u201d<\/p>\n

All the dwarves in the cavern laughed then, even those who the joke had targeted.<\/p>\n

All except Calder.<\/p>\n

The other members of the council noticed that their king had grown quiet, and they looked to him for his leadership.\u00a0 He pointed toward the back of the chamber that they were in, where a small passageway was not as illuminated as the rest of the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo ye all hear that?\u201d he asked.\u00a0 \u201cThe singing\u2019s grown softer.\u00a0 Whoever it is, they know we\u2019re here now.\u201d<\/p>\n

His closest advisor nodded.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s like they\u2019re trying to lure us in,\u201d Fograk agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet them,\u201d Barranac said.\u00a0 \u201cWhether it\u2019s a human or a giant, they\u2019re no match for the seven of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYe fool,\u201d Volgrem said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not just one person.\u00a0 Can\u2019t you hear it?\u00a0 There are multiple voices.\u00a0 And ye just told them how many we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBah,\u201d Gisraen said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just like with all the crystals in this place.\u00a0 It\u2019s just one lady whose voice is bouncing off the walls of this oddly-shaped place and creating this strange pattern.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a woman at all,\u201d Thralni said then, during a lull in the conversation.\u00a0 The lad said his piece with such conviction that everyone looked at him at the same time, waiting to hear what he had to say.\u00a0 \u201cLook,\u201d he pointed toward the ceiling, and the large, menancing crystals that jutted down from there.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re in the maw of some ferocious, icy beast.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dwarves looked at one another, then, a little worried that it could be true.<\/p>\n

\u201cYer a good storyteller, Thralni,\u201d Fograk said.\u00a0 \u201cMay ye keep that sort of wide-eyed imagination through all yer days.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though he was disarmed a bit by the words of kindness, Thralni still lingered a bit toward the entrance to the cave.\u00a0 He felt a chill run up and down his spine, and he knew that it wasn\u2019t from the beauty of the song that they all heard.<\/p>\n

The dwarves took their time to investigate the room and found more than enough gemstones embedded into the walls of that section of the cave to be impressed and hopeful that the fortunes of the Frostveil were about to change.\u00a0 Barranac carefully tore pieces of crystal away from the walls and ran his hand along the uneven stone behind it.\u00a0 With a nod, he seemed pleased with their discovery.<\/p>\n

They found that the water that was on the floor also covered a layer of ice that had gone solid some time before.\u00a0 It was just slippery enough that the hunters had to take care as they crossed from one side of the chamber to the next.<\/p>\n

The time came for them to scout deeper into the cavern.\u00a0 Gisraen, squeezing his fingers into tight fists, splashed onto the icy path, and delved into the darkness.\u00a0 Ragmer was close behind him, holding a torch up high.<\/p>\n

The next room was larger, and they could see that there were no more crystals present.\u00a0 The icy river continued along, catching the torch\u2019s radiance better than the earthen floor did, but it still didn\u2019t offer up much light.\u00a0 Even when the remaining dwarves brought another three torches into the chamber, they couldn\u2019t see much.<\/p>\n

Barranac hummed as he investigated the walls of the room.\u00a0 There were some minerals in the walls there that were a bit more impressive than the ones they would fine in their mine beneath the mountain, but only in trace amounts.\u00a0 And there didn\u2019t seem to be any other gemstones there like there were in the front chamber of the cavern.<\/p>\n

As Ragmer returned to the path, he could hear Gisraen gasp in front of him.\u00a0 He hurried his pace, and stood next to the armored berserker, the pair catching the first glance of the woman who resided in the cavern.<\/p>\n

Sitting atop a rock that overlooked the glassy river, the woman looked to the water, admiring her reflection.\u00a0 She ran her fingers through her raven-black hair, the luxurious mane hiding her visage above and below the water.\u00a0 It also stood as a stark contrast to the white dress she wore, lines of lace seeming to lend it an almost scaled appearance.<\/p>\n

They realized that once she had fallen under her gaze, the singing had stopped.\u00a0 The song\u2019s pull didn\u2019t seem to end however, and the dwarves shuffled forward.<\/p>\n

The woman never seemed to acknowledge the dwarves, turning as she stood.\u00a0 She stepped from the stone then, sending a small splash of water into the air, and then she slowly entered the darkness at the rear of the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cCareful lads,\u201d Calder said.\u00a0 \u201cSomething\u2019s not right here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hunters didn\u2019t respond, entranced by the woman they could not see.\u00a0 But when Calder grabbed Fograk by his wrist, the old dwarf shook his head, as though he was waking up from a dream.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to go get the others,\u201d the dwarven king insisted.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s got her spell over them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, my liege,\u201d Fograk said.<\/p>\n

Together, the pair made their way from one dwarf to another, shaking them from their trances.\u00a0 Calder realized that it took more work to wake them, all except for Thralni, who remained in the rear of the chamber.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re resistant to the song, Fograk,\u201d the king called out.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve heard it more than these lads have.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Fograk made his way to the front of the new chamber, he could see that another corridor led off into one more chamber of the cavern.\u00a0 That time it seemed to slope downward ever so slightly, but it might as well have been a chute to a prison cell.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, ye louts!\u201d the old dwarf said, doing his best to shove back the heavily armored berserker at the front of the group.\u00a0 He gave up then, focusing on the enthralled dwarf at his side.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll wake up you.\u00a0 You wake up your brother,\u201d Fograk growled as he gave Ragmer a hearty shake.<\/p>\n

The handsome dwarf blinked his eyes as though he had just woken up from the deepest sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u00a0 Where are we?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have time to deal with ye,\u201d Fograk said, grasping the other dwarf by the shoulder and shoving him toward Gisraen.\u00a0 \u201cWake him up, or he\u2019s never going to get out of this durned place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ragmer did as he was instructed, confused as he was.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy aren\u2019t we going after her?\u201d Barranac wondered, the mine foreman a bit less bewildered by what had happened.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s the one whose been singing about treasure, isn\u2019t she?\u00a0 And she led us here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye,\u201d Ragmer said as he gave his brother-in-law a few taps on the face.\u00a0 \u201cAnd we know the ice can hold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe jumped right down on it,\u201d Barranac said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but the petite thing weighed less than the helmet atop yer head,\u201d Fograk said.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve got a bad feeling about this, and we\u2019re heading back to the hall.\u201d<\/p>\n

The chorus of voices sang again then, seeming more powerful than ever.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t just a song that resonated within the cavern, but a symphony.<\/p>\n

Once again, the dwarves were enraptured, except for Calder and Fograk.<\/p>\n

Gisraen crunched into the ice, his heavy boots helping him not to slip as he moved into the corridor.\u00a0 And with the path made behind him, Ragmer had a steady way placed before him as well.<\/p>\n

Fograk growled.\u00a0 \u201cBlast it all!\u201d\u00a0 He made his way forth but couldn\u2019t hope to stop the dwarves who made their way into the corridor.\u00a0 As he shuffled his way past them, he landed on an unadulterated strip of ice, and slid the rest of the way, all hope of being able to stop the procession gone from his mind.\u00a0 He cried out as he moved along and grunted when he was well out of sight of everyone else.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn whatever gods showed me this place,\u201d Calder growled. \u00a0By the time he had shaken Thralni out of his stupor again, most of the other dwarves had shuffled onto the icy path forward and were in the corridor.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t stop them, but he knew that Fograk was still in his right mind.\u00a0 \u201cAre you alright down there?\u201d he called out to his friend.<\/p>\n

After far too long a delay for his comfort, he finally heard his closest advisor call out again.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too dark to see down here.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got a bad feeling, me liege.\u00a0 I\u2019d get the lads out of here if I was you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The thought of leaving any of them behind had Calder ready to spit.\u00a0 He reached forward, grabbing Barranac by the collar of his tunic, and tugged him back, just before he stepped too far into the corridor.\u00a0 The foreman fell to his backside, getting a fair amount of cold water on his britches.<\/p>\n

That surely woke him up.<\/p>\n

\u201cGah!\u201d he cried.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t think I\u2019d be going for a swim today!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYer lucky I didn\u2019t drown ye meself,\u201d Calder called out as he reached Volgrem.\u00a0 His hands slipped though, and he could feel the frigid cold begin to press through his gloves.\u00a0 It was somehow colder in the cave than outside of it, and he wondered if some dark magic was to blame.<\/p>\n

It was too late to stop them anyway, he realized.\u00a0 They had reached the next room, which seemed impossibly large.\u00a0 Calder could hear his grunts and groans echoing to the far reaches of the place.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe punch Gisraen right in the face, Fograk,\u201d the king ordered.\u00a0 \u201cWhatever it takes ta get him right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sure enough, the oldest hunter\u2019s fist bounced off the berserker\u2019s nose, and Fograk waved his hand from the pain of such a hard blow.\u00a0 Gisraen\u2019s eyes flashed, and he shook his head, barely cognizant of the punch he\u2019d just received.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is it so durned dark?\u201d he wondered.<\/p>\n

Before long, the company of dwarves were roused from their dazes once more, some nursing bruises, while others dealt with soaked boots or backsides.<\/p>\n

With the dwarves in their right mind again, they were able to sweep their torches higher toward the ceiling\u2014which they just couldn\u2019t see\u2014and toward the floor, which illuminated them to a new revelation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all water here,\u201d Ragmer said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just one big frozen lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder plucked the torch out of Thralni\u2019s hand then, sweeping it back and forth along the ground.\u00a0 He gnashed his teeth together, knowing that danger had beckoned them into the place.\u00a0 As he moved the light source about, he noticed that its flames, still flickering powerfully, seemed to burn less bright.<\/p>\n

\u201cCursed magic,\u201d he grumbled.<\/p>\n

Fograk was by his side again, nodding while he too wore a concerned expression.\u00a0 \u201cAnd there\u2019s no way this ceiling could have rose this high on the outside, even if we descended a few feet or so.\u00a0 There\u2019s something foul at play here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though they were no longer ensorcelled by the woman and her singing, they still felt compelled to venture forward.\u00a0 If it was great evil that had called them there, it needed to be extinguished.<\/p>\n

One of the dwarves, Barranac, lost his footing and nearly fell to his face.\u00a0 \u201cDamn it.\u00a0 Watch your footing, lads,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s a fallen stalactite or something that I must have tripped over here.\u201d\u00a0 The foreman grumbled as he spun about.\u00a0 He knew that he should have known better.\u00a0 He was always fumbling around in the dark beneath their mountain.\u00a0 Scouring through the foreign cavern should have demanded the same caution.<\/p>\n

When he lowered his torch, however, he was shocked back into an upright position, gasping from what he saw.\u00a0 The other dwarves nearby could see his uncharacteristic fear and drew closer to his spot on the lake.\u00a0 When they brought their own torches together, they spotted what had left him so uneasy.<\/p>\n

A gnarled hand, decayed and greying, jutted out of the ice.<\/p>\n

A chill ran up Barranac\u2019s spine, for he was better prepared for that decrepit limb, and was able to follow it through the ice into the shadowy water below.\u00a0 He was still able to see the preserved body of the drowned warrior that was frozen in time below.\u00a0 Only a few flakes of skin were missing from the fellow\u2019s face, but his eyes had long before lost their luster, colorless orbs seeming to stare up at the world above.<\/p>\n

Following their compatriot\u2019s gaze and noticing the thing that gave him such a fright, the other dwarves of Calder\u2019s council fanned out and spotted other bodies beneath the surface.\u00a0 They could hear at least one of their jaws chattering then.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re standing atop an icy graveyard,\u201d Ragmer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSteel yerselves, lads,\u201d their king ordered.\u00a0 \u201cKeep a cool head and we\u2019ll be out of here and back in our homes before long. \u00a0All we have to do is\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder\u2019s words trailed off, because as he spoke, and his men brought their torches together, another object in the rear of the chamber could be seen.\u00a0 Although it was only an outline at first, when his hunters turned, Calder was able to make it out a bit more clearly.<\/p>\n

Thrashed against some rocks, and frozen just as much as the corpses beneath the ice, was a large longship.\u00a0 Despite their fears and their apprehension, the hunters couldn\u2019t help but let their admiration of the workmanship overtake them for a moment.\u00a0 A dragon\u2019s face had been carved into the prow, and when the torchlight flickered against it, it almost looked as though it was preparing to spit out a pillar of fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d such a beautiful thing get down here?\u201d Ragmer asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho cares?\u201d Gisraen replied.\u00a0 \u201cThe important thing is that it never got back out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis place is cursed,\u201d Volgrem said behind them.\u00a0 \u201cWe need to get out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not one of them protested his reasoning, and together, they turned back to the direction they had entered from.<\/p>\n

A scattering of light shined down the sloping corridor, the sun casting its rays further into the cavern as it descended closer to the mountains.\u00a0 Each of the dwarves in the cave wondered if their way out would be closed off to them if too much time had passed.<\/p>\n

Even though the group of them were looking toward the exit, none could say with any certainty how or when the woman in white arrived there.\u00a0 She blocked their path, and with the new eeriness in the room, it froze the breath in their mouths as they took account of her.<\/p>\n

Closer than they had been, they were able to see the harshness of her skin.\u00a0 The light behind her seemed to wash over her, leaving the splotchy spots and bruises more prominent than they would have seen with her torches.\u00a0 As she raised her gaze to meet the dwarves\u2019 stunned stares, they could see that she wasn\u2019t an ageless beauty, but a hideous witch.\u00a0 Her skin was pale and tight, drawn back so that she looked as though she was wasting away and perhaps already dead like those poor sailors trapped beneath the ice.\u00a0 It was her eyes, however, that the hunters were most fearful of.\u00a0 Black and soulless, looking upon them, the dwarves knew for certain that they had happened upon something dark and demonic.<\/p>\n

As though she knew that their fears were beginning to pour out of them, she allowed her lips to part.\u00a0 A devilish smile filled with sharpened teeth greeting the dwarves, and she licked her lips with a thin, long tongue as if she had already tasted the rising emotions in the cavern.<\/p>\n

A strange giggle entered the chamber, though it sounded like it came from all around the dwarves, and not specifically from the witch.\u00a0 The giggle, strange as it was, grew stranger then as it began to undulate as though it came from underwater.<\/p>\n

The next moment, the witch slipped beneath the ice, as though it was never there to begin with.\u00a0 They heard not a splash, nor a cry as she dropped, but they could feel the fear welling up in their throats.<\/p>\n

Even though they knew that they needed to race for the exit, awash in their emotions and their morbid curiosity, they were frozen in place.\u00a0 Beneath them, they could hear the ice cracking, and far behind them, another sort of rattling and clinking.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething\u2019s not right, here,\u201d Gisraen ventured.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing is,\u201d Ragmer clarified.\u00a0 \u201cWe need to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the dwarves brought their torches closer together again, they watched as shadows danced on the wall closest to them, almost as though their torchlight was farther back in the room than it should have been.\u00a0 They watched as unnatural figures ambled all around their group, raising bent and crooked hands toward the ceiling.<\/p>\n

All at once, they heard the ice shatter, and they could feel the stability beneath them wane.\u00a0 Dead hands reached up from the ice, before the bodies of the drowned men gained life and hauled themselves from their watery graves.\u00a0 A mix of taller, hulking fellows and smallfolk like the dwarves were present, and the king\u2019s hunters wondered how they would have come together.<\/p>\n

\u201cSteel yourselves,\u201d Calder said, grabbing hold of his mighty axe for the first time since they had entered the cavern.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve got to be illusions, right me king?\u201d Fograk wondered.\u00a0 \u201cThe serpent and the stag you mentioned yesterday, they both seemed like magic\u2014like they weren\u2019t there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not willing to bet against them being real,\u201d Calder said.<\/p>\n

Fograk was shaken.\u00a0 \u201cThese are just magic spells meant to test our resolve.\u00a0 Surely the dead are meant to stay that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

As one of the shambling, drenched corpses approached the group of dwarves, Gisraen swung out with a heavy fist, his spikes pressing through the damp clothes and waterlogged flesh of the undead.\u00a0 It sent out a horrifying moan as it flung backward, back into the darkness.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey feel as real as any fellow I\u2019ve ever hit before,\u201d the berserker said.<\/p>\n

Soon, the dwarves realized that it wasn\u2019t just a few sailors that had found their way to that unfortunate crypt.\u00a0 Out of the shadows of the place, a horde of the shambling dead appeared.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet out of here,\u201d Gisraen demanded.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll hold them off while you start making your way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re everywhere,\u201d Barranac said with a gasp.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen cleave them in two and be done with it!\u201d Calder growled.\u00a0 \u201cBack up until they\u2019re right on top of ye, and when ye\u2019re at the exit, make a break for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hunters did as they were instructed, readying their weapons, and slashing at anyone who drew too close.\u00a0 As Ragmer fumbled at the short sword on his hip, Volgrem fired his heavy crossbow, a bolt reporting with a loud thud as it landed in the chest of a nearby walking corpse.\u00a0 The one-eyed hunter growled as he set his weapon on the ground and pulled back the cord to arm it once more.<\/p>\n

Blind as he was in one eye, he didn\u2019t see as a drowned man lunged out of the shadows, and thrust an old, rusty dagger into his shoulder.\u00a0 Volgrem howled out, partly from the pain, and partly because he could smell the terrible scent of death on the warrior who had attacked him.\u00a0 His dominant arm ached, and he couldn\u2019t push the drowned man off him to reach for another weapon.<\/p>\n

A hearty war cry rang out then.\u00a0 Barranac swung out with a military pick, and his aim was perfect, for the curved metal sank into the undead warrior\u2019s skull, ceasing its attack at once.\u00a0 With a shudder, the frozen dead relinquished its hold on its weapon, and its legs gave way beneath him.\u00a0 Barranac had to fight to hold onto his pick, but finally, the corpse slid off, and crumpled to the ground.\u00a0 Even though there was no blood present from his attack, the mining foreman gagged a little to see the blow he\u2019d delivered.\u00a0 He shook his head then, looking to his friend instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe alright then?\u201d he asked Volgrem.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll live.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYe get back there then.\u00a0 Ye can cover us from anywhere with ye\u2019re crossbow.\u00a0 Ye don\u2019t need to be this close to the front lines.\u201d\u00a0 He could see his companion\u2019s healthy eye go wide then.\u00a0 Barranac turned and swung out with the blunt side of his weapon, delivering a crack to another dead man\u2019s head that had him tumbling into yet another walking corpse.\u00a0 \u201cWell, go on then,\u201d he pressed.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want to be here another moment than we have to!\u201d<\/p>\n

Together then, the dwarves worked as they were meant to, protecting one another as they exercised a tactical retreat toward the tunnel.\u00a0 One by one, they moved along, ensuring Calder knew that he wasn\u2019t about to be the last one through.\u00a0 He grumbled and grunted but knew any excessive protest would just have his lads inviting more danger upon themselves than they should have.<\/p>\n

The crunch of dwarven boots into the footfalls that Gisraen had made in the icy stream beneath them resonated seven times then, as the company of dwarves escaped the risen dead.<\/p>\n

At the top of the ramp, the dwarves held for a breather, ensuring that every one of their clan had escaped the horrors below.\u00a0 Barranac was the last one to reach safety, and he turned about at the last second to swing his pick.\u00a0 He miscalculated the distance to his foe, however, and only managed to lop off the corpse\u2019s nose. \u00a0Barranac sucked in a gasp through clenched teeth.\u00a0 Though he knew that such an injury would have him rolling on the ground, the dead warrior cared not.\u00a0 Barranac nodded then and prodded the warrior with the head of his pick instead, knocking the corpse over.\u00a0 The dwarves could hear the rattling of bones and armor as the corpses rolled down the ramp.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf ye don\u2019t mind, me liege,\u201d Barranac said, \u201cI could just as soon forget about all the gems and jewels in this forsaken place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder nodded.\u00a0 \u201cAs could I.\u00a0 Let\u2019s find our way out of this damp cave and forget we\u2019ve ever seen the durned place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Together, the group hurried through the narrower chamber toward the bright area of the cave that was filled with crystals.\u00a0 They thought they could hear the waterfall churning a little harder then, but they realized it was a different, more unfamiliar sound.\u00a0 Barranac and Ragmer turned about, ready for whatever new horrors would scurry out of the shadows.<\/p>\n

But as Ragmer lowered his torch, he could see that their opponent was not above, but below.<\/p>\n

He turned about, stumbling over his words for the first time that any of the other dwarves had heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s some\u2014there\u2019s something coming!\u201d he warned, unable to better identify the dangers that encroached on their group.<\/p>\n

Some of the dwarves who had already made it to the crystal chamber hurried their steps, hoping that they could get out of the way of their kinsmen.\u00a0 But Fograk and Gisraen saw the shadow slithering beneath the ice, and skidded to a stop, ready for battle.<\/p>\n

Bursting up from the frigid water below, the black serpent that Calder spotted while he was atop Syril\u2019s back the day before sent shards of ice in every direction.\u00a0 Fograk shielded his eyes, but when he was able to see again, he realized that his king hadn\u2019t gone mad the day before and wasn\u2019t imagining the serpent.<\/p>\n

Calder shivered at the sight of the thing, for it was even larger than it had been in the light of day.\u00a0 Iridescent black scales shined the torchlight back at the dwarves in the chamber, and even the sunlight that managed to pierce through the watery veil outside the cavern danced along the serpent\u2019s body, sending sparkles dancing on the walls.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king noticed the creature\u2019s black, soulless eyes then, and he understood that the creature and the woman who had lured them into the horrible place were one and the same.<\/p>\n

Gisraen didn\u2019t care what the serpent was, or where it came from.\u00a0 He hopped forward, sending a fierce hook toward the creature.\u00a0 Though the black serpent reflexively danced away, it wasn\u2019t quick enough, and two of the three spikes on Gisraen\u2019s gauntlet slashed a deep cut across its neck.<\/p>\n

A prominent hiss rang out in the cavern, and the serpent froze for just a moment.\u00a0 Though the creature had a serpent\u2019s body, the dwarves could see the somewhat human face, drawn back as though a snake was wearing a mask.\u00a0 The creature\u2019s hooded head had rows of white apparent there too, reminding the hunters of the woman\u2019s appearance when they saw her.<\/p>\n

For a time, it seemed as though Gisraen\u2019s blow might have been all that it took to slow the serpent down, but as the seven warriors looked on, they watched as her chest expanded.<\/p>\n

None could expect the devastating magic that came barreling out of her unhinged jaws then.<\/p>\n

As though a blizzard had rolled through the region southeast of the Frostveil mountain, a cloud of snow and ice ripped past the serpent witch\u2019s jagged teeth.\u00a0 Each of the dwarves felt that harsh cold then, but it was Gisraen who felt it fiercest.\u00a0 The other hunters watched in horror as he froze solid, unable to move or even cry out in protest.<\/p>\n

The terror gripping their hearts only grew as she burst forward.\u00a0 As though she was an iron bolt fired from a ballista, she flew forward, crashing through Gisraen\u2019s torso, shattering him to pieces.<\/p>\n

Howls and cries rang out as the strongest, most aggressive of them had fallen.\u00a0 Ragmer\u2019s jaw hung ajar, and tears welled in his eyes then.\u00a0 Before he realized what he was doing, he flung his torch forward, and grabbed his sword in both hands, rushing toward the witch who killed his family member.<\/p>\n

It was too late, for she already dove back into the water beneath the ice.\u00a0 It seemed that wherever water was present, she could find an escape.<\/p>\n

Despite the cold that gripped each of them\u2014an icy shroud that threatened to steal away their breath and their energy\u2014the dwarves shook off their discomfort and their pain, looking to either escape or fight to their last breath against the serpent.<\/p>\n

She burst through the ice again, that time between all the dwarves, who felt they couldn\u2019t attack without a sense of dread overcoming them.<\/p>\n

Calder stepped forward, leveling his axe.\u00a0 \u201cDamn it ye water witch,\u201d he growled.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, by the gods, are ye killing my clansmen?\u201d<\/p>\n

The serpent allowed a smile to curl her lips, and she drew nearer still to the dwarven monarch.\u00a0 \u201cYou woke me, dear dwarf,\u201d she replied.\u00a0 \u201cYou woke me, and I am no fool to the power of songs.\u00a0 I\u2019ve brought many a fool to my lair, all with an ensnaring voice.\u00a0 They\u2019re all greedy in one way or another.\u00a0 And they all meet a watery grave.\u00a0 This, you see, is where I keep my collection.\u00a0 But one thing I\u2019ve always lacked is a king.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nearly all the dwarves then lunged forward, leveling swords or axes or picks.\u00a0 But just as before, she sank beneath the ice, a haunting, watery cackle filling the brightened room.<\/p>\n

The hunters watched as the black figure swam through the water below, gripping their weapons until they creaked in protest.\u00a0 Even beneath them as she was, the witch knew exactly where she needed to be.\u00a0 Once more, she rose from the frigid water, that time behind Calder.<\/p>\n

Though it seemed she tried to catch the king unaware, he felt her presence, and swung back with his mighty axe.\u00a0 She danced away, and breathed deep, her serpentine chest billowing with the power of a freezing blizzard once again.<\/p>\n

Before she could finish inhaling the cold from within the cave, a loud click resonated through the area.\u00a0 Her eyes shifted, finding the furthest dwarf in the room.\u00a0 Volgrem raised his heavy crossbow, pushing past the pain that burned in his shoulder.\u00a0 The quarrel had already been fired, and as the witch focused her gaze, she spotted that bolt soaring across the room.<\/p>\n

It was too late to dodge it.\u00a0 The projectile sank into her throat, and she lost hold of the frost breath that would have sealed the dwarven king\u2019s fate.\u00a0 A terrible screech emerged from her snake-like lips, and she withdrew back into the cold water below.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet out of here lads,\u201d Fograk urged then.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve got a chance now!\u201d<\/p>\n

At the back of the cavern, Barranac showed his eagerness to take that order.\u00a0 The dead had shambled up the icy ramp in the next room and swelled in the corridor behind them.\u00a0 He tossed his torch in the chamber, hoping to scare the frozen warriors away, but it only showed the dwarves how many the witch has amassed in her collection.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many are there?\u201d the mining foreman muttered.<\/p>\n

The undead warriors seemed to shake off more of the frost and the clutch of death with every passing moment.\u00a0 Whereas they had dragged their feet before, their pace had increased, and they began to swell through the previous chamber.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuickly!\u201d Fograk said again, hurrying everyone out of the cavern.<\/p>\n

Barranac didn\u2019t need to be told a third time\u2014and Fograk didn\u2019t intend on offering up another warning.\u00a0 The miner looked to the walls as he was passing, knowing that he was leaving a substantial treasure behind.\u00a0 But as he could hear the dead\u2019s watery growls behind him, he knew that he valued his life far more.<\/p>\n

He watched as one dwarf after another leapt through the exit of the cave, no longer hoping to sidle along the earthen ledge.\u00a0 They only hoped that the icy lake would hold their weight.\u00a0 Barranac shouted as he passed through the freezing curtain of water that flowed from overhead, streams dripping down past his helmet and soaking his hair and his beard and his clothes.\u00a0 Somehow, despite his hearty leap, when he landed, the lake was sturdy enough to bear his weight.\u00a0 He watched as the rest of his companions slipped and slid their way toward the snowy ground beyond the lake.\u00a0 Barranac, too, was eager to have solid ground beneath him once more.<\/p>\n

Between the dwarves, a collective breath was sighed, for being in the fading sunlight, they felt far safer than they had in the cave.<\/p>\n

A screech rang out, and a shadowy figure shot forth from the cave like a bolt of black lightning.\u00a0 The dwarves knew it was the witch, but Barranac never saw her coming.\u00a0 Outside of the cave, she didn\u2019t descend through the ice as she did inside.\u00a0 Instead, she crashed through it, breaking up the icy floe at once.\u00a0 Most of the dwarves had already made it the banks, but Barranac slipped beneath the water, gasping before he was completely submerged.<\/p>\n

Knowing that he and his hunters were in trouble, Calder reached into his backpack, and pulled a thin white object out into the open.\u00a0 The dwarven king rarely played any music on the fabled whistle, but in those moments, it was as though he were a virtuoso in music.\u00a0 He placed the instrument to his lips and blew out a deep tune that indicated that danger was in their midst.<\/p>\n

Almost at once, Calder had second guesses about his decision.\u00a0 It would take too long for anyone to rescue the adventurous dwarves. \u00a0He knew his hunters would tire long before the dead. And with the undead army beginning to spill out into the open, a horde of them tipping into the water.<\/p>\n

The encroaching army drew near and swelled in numbers, but they were not the only ones present who meant to endanger the members of the Frostveil.\u00a0 All at once, the witch burst from the ice once more, on the other side of the lake but drawing closer.<\/p>\n

Another crossbow bolt soared out from Volgrem\u2019s weapon.\u00a0 Having acclimated to the sound, the serpent only let her gaze fall upon the flying missile for a moment.\u00a0 She slithered out of the way and withdrew back into the ice once more.<\/p>\n

That time, when she rose, it was right behind Volgrem.\u00a0 He looked about, studying the ice to see which way he could look to find the sea witch.<\/p>\n

It was too late though, for she already had what she wanted just out of reach of her.<\/p>\n

Volgrem was too weary to discard his bow, and with the broken floe breaking apart, he knew that he didn\u2019t have the solid ground he needed to help him reload the blacksmith.\u00a0 Worse still, he was certain he could feel the witch\u2019s breath behind him, the scent of decay invading his nostrils.<\/p>\n

The one-eyed warrior turned, just in time to see the creature lunge forward.<\/p>\n

With a shriek leaving her lips, the witch dug her long, bony fingers into Volgrem\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 On reflex alone, he dropped his crossbow and grabbed hold of the monster\u2019s arms, but there was no hope of pushing her back.\u00a0 She was deceptively strong, and she kept pressing further, her other fingers wrapping around the dwarf\u2019s head as she lifted him off the ground.\u00a0 Before long, Volgrem stopped resisting. \u00a0A sinister, toothy smile showed on her face as she threw the dead dwarf to the snowy bank.<\/p>\n

Rearing her head back and looking to the sky, she roared out in triumph.\u00a0 Blood coated her hands, but it was the crystals of frost that caught the attention of the dwarven king not so far away.<\/p>\n

Calder looked on at the beast, horrified of what she had accomplished in so little a time.\u00a0 Two of his best hunters\u2014and important fixtures to the clan\u2014had been dispatched so easily.\u00a0 His heart contended with many emotions.\u00a0 He felt sorrow for his lost friends, rage against the fiend that called them there to enact her horrors, and fear that he could not hope to lead his other companions out of the nightmare that wrapped its hands around them.<\/p>\n

He shook his head, reeling his focus back into the moment. \u00a0Those crystals of frost on the serpent\u2019s face were telling, he knew.\u00a0 She wasn\u2019t just looking skyward but inhaling another breath of cold air.\u00a0 Without Volgrem\u2019s crossbow, the dwarven king knew that there was nothing that could reach her\u2014nothing that could stop her in time to prevent another devastating attack.<\/p>\n

A thought crossed Calder\u2019s mind then.\u00a0 A weapon may not have been what was needed in those moments.\u00a0 Earlier, she had reveled in the opportunity to give a soliloquy.\u00a0 Now, after proving her might, perhaps\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d he called out again, just seeing a pause in her actions.\u00a0 \u201cIf ye wanted a king, ye could have just taken me any of the previous times I was here.\u00a0 Why the tricks?\u00a0 A great and powerful creature like yerself could have destroyed anything that came near.\u201d<\/p>\n

The serpent witch stopped inhaling that cold breath, just as Calder had hoped.\u00a0 She slithered through the water, faster than he would have liked, but he lowered his axe instead of raising it, even as she brought her head closer to his.\u00a0 The serpent-like features faded away, leaving her harsh human features there instead.\u00a0 As the strands of her pale hair moved aside, Calder wondered if it was by some cruel magic, or if it was a well-timed passing breeze.\u00a0 Her darkened eyes seemed to sparkle as she considered the question.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat could be better than watching a look of happiness fade into one of sorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder let the question spin in his mind for a moment before he latched onto the true meaning of her words.\u00a0 She wasn\u2019t asking the terrible question about what she had done.<\/p>\n

She was telling the dwarven king what she was about to do.<\/p>\n

The dead that she had collected spilled out of the cavern, no cares about the icy pool below.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t rise out of the water or try to swim, but he could see as they walked across the floor of the lake, some standing tall enough where their heads peeked up out of the frigid water.<\/p>\n

Calder\u2019s hunters readied their weapons, expecting to fight to the death against the witch\u2019s army of evil.\u00a0 Each of the walking corpses passed right by the dwarves there at the lake, their aim drawn instead toward the Frostveil.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king felt his heart twist in his chest knowing that he had doomed not only the seven of his clan who had ventured to the cavern that day, but perhaps all his people.\u00a0 After so storied a history, he was devastated by the thought that they would be slain by one avaricious endeavor.<\/p>\n

Calder knew that there was nothing he could do to stop the dead that shambled toward the shore, and toward the place that he called home.<\/p>\n

But perhaps he could save his companions at the very least.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would you collect the bodies of drowned men?\u201d the dwarven king asked. \u00a0\u201cSurely you could eat them and sate your appetite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, but my king,\u201d the witch said, \u201csome appetites are sated in other ways.\u00a0 I like to look at pretty things.\u00a0 Some are pretty\u2026for a time, before their flesh begins to grey and spoil.\u00a0 But here, in this place, the cold and the water keep them pretty.\u00a0 And my appetite is never satisfied enough with that.\u00a0 That is why my collection is always growing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder heard a distant song played on one of the Coldwhistle clan flutes, and he quickly recognized it as the song of reinforcement.\u00a0 While his trusted hunters seemed to bubble over with excitement, he could feel his heart aching even more.<\/p>\n

Any allies who came to their aid were bound to perish as well.\u00a0 He knew that they were bound for the end of their days.<\/p>\n

On reflex, he reached for his pocket, pulling out his own bone flute, and bringing it to his lips.<\/p>\n

Before he could play a song of warning for the people from his clan, the witch spun around him, nearly drawing close enough to enclose him in a coil of her thickened black scales.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy bother trying?\u201d she hissed.\u00a0 \u201cYour clan will fall this eve, and you shall be the centerpiece of my newest collection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calder froze for a moment, feeling the pain of her words ring through him.\u00a0 He began muttering under his breath, and she reveled in the difficulties the dwarven leader experienced.\u00a0 The witch coiled closer together, until could hear what words he spoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoever Ylva is, she can\u2019t help you now,\u201d the creature whispered into his ear.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king looked up then, arching one of his eyebrows.\u00a0 A one-sided grin stretched his lip, and he waited for the moment that the witch realized that he had a plan.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t use the whistle made of bone to play a song, but instead pursed his lips and blew out a shrill tone that would call on another ally.\u00a0 Before the witch could understand what was occurring, Calder swung out with the flute like it was a shortened staff.\u00a0 Incensed, the serpent witch dodged out of the way and slid backward, taking in the deep breath that she had failed to inhale before.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king\u2019s eyes went wide, for he knew the effects of the devastating attack that she prepared.\u00a0 But his counterattack was already in full effect.<\/p>\n

Lialla dove down upon the area around the lake, gone quiet except for the fluttering of her wings as she stopped herself from slamming into the ground.\u00a0 As the serpent witch cocked her head back to take in a cold breath of air, she was met instead with the sharpened talons of the falcon who fought for her king.\u00a0 The bird\u2019s claws sank into the blackened eyes the monster opened wide in fear.\u00a0 She thrashed, but it was too late.<\/p>\n

Calder was ready to throw a cheer into the air.<\/p>\n

But he realized it was too soon to celebrate a victory.<\/p>\n

The witch breathed out an errant breath, releasing all the cold air that was stored in her body.\u00a0 Frigid white powder took to the sky, catching the falcon before it could escape, icing Lialla over completely.\u00a0 She careened to the lake then, shattering into pieces as she struck the icy surface.<\/p>\n

Though he had lost much that day, Calder found himself grasping at his heart at the sight of his beloved bird\u2019s demise.\u00a0 His feet wobbled beneath him, and it took every effort he had to ensure he didn\u2019t fall to his rump or pass out from the wave of emotions that overtook him.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king gnashed his teeth together then, steeling himself as he moved to ensure his falcon\u2019s death was not in vain.<\/p>\n

While the witch still thrashed about, swiping her clawed hands out to try and slash any dwarves who dared to move too close to her, Calder moved away from her.\u00a0 None of his hunters wanted to risk a battle with the monster even with her sight stolen, and indeed, their king urged them to the other side of the lake to ensure she wouldn\u2019t harm them by any means.<\/p>\n

But there was one dwarf who Calder waved closer instead.\u00a0 Fograk gripped his hand axe tight enough that the protest of the handle sounded more like a warning that it would snap in two.\u00a0 The king pulled his advisor close then.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe\u2019ve got to aid the approaching army, my old friend,\u201d Calder said.\u00a0 \u201cSteer them away from the army of the dead.\u00a0 Ye\u2019ve got to save our clan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fograk\u2019s lips parted as he began to protest, but when he saw his king\u2019s stern gaze, and he received a steady shake of his shoulder, he knew there was no convincing their leader otherwise.<\/p>\n

Sure enough, Calder turned back toward the cave and blew his whistle, running across what little sturdy ice was left until he reached the rock wall.<\/p>\n

The witch turned toward the sound, her face a horrible image being seen by the other dwarves who remained on the lake.\u00a0 Blackened blood dripped from her torn eyes, leaving her looking even more horrifying than before.<\/p>\n

Calder whistled again just as he slipped behind the frigid waterfall.\u00a0 When he looked back through the watery veil, he could see as the serpent slithered across the snow and onto the ice, a ferocious hatred urging her onward.\u00a0 A cold chill ran up his spine, for it seemed as though losing her vision didn\u2019t do much to douse her rage.<\/p>\n

As he ran further into the cavern, he heard a loud crash behind him, and spun about to see her wobbling off the rocky wall at the entrance of the magical cave.\u00a0 She smashed into crystal formations and stalactites as she slithered about as well, sending out a bloodcurdling screech as her frustrations became apparent.<\/p>\n

Calder thought to hold still, as quiet as he could be, and to venture a chance at sneaking out past her, but he knew it would be too much of a risk.\u00a0 Instead, he looked deeper into the cavern, toward the darkened corridor that led to where the dead and lay frozen beneath the ice.\u00a0 Blowing out a silent sigh, the dwarven king lifted his whistle again.<\/p>\n

Biting the musical instrument between his teeth, Calder brought his hands to his head, and covered his ears.\u00a0 He blew out the loudest, most discordant note he could, all while running into the darkness.<\/p>\n

As he finished playing his maddening song, he uncapped his ears, and kept down his path.\u00a0 But when he heard silence behind him instead of a scream or the sound of the witch slithering forth, it was as though a cold hand had gripped his heart.<\/p>\n

Calder\u2019s eyes went wide, and he rolled to his side.\u00a0 It was just in the right amount of time, it seemed, for a blast of cold air came barreling forth, the witch intent on freezing the dwarven king for her collection, even if she could no longer enjoy the sight of it.<\/p>\n

He sat there in silence for a time, letting his eyes adjust to the darker part of the cavern.\u00a0 The dwarf caught his breath as well, working as hard as he could to remain quiet despite his fatigue and his fear.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need to see you,\u201d the witch hissed.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t need to hear you.\u00a0 I can smell you.\u00a0 I can taste your fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she spoke, Calder looked to the ground, searching for anything he could to make a noise ring out in the corridor that would muffle the sound of his footsteps.\u00a0 His heart sank further then when he saw the broken pieces of one of his hunters there.\u00a0 Gisraen\u2019s head was still in one piece, but in shattering him, the witch\u2019s magic had somehow left him frozen in ice perpetually.\u00a0 The powerful berserker looked as though he had been fashioned out of glass.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, me old friend,\u201d Calder muttered under his breath.\u00a0 \u201cBut by the gods, I\u2019ll avenge ye,\u201d he went on, invoking the deities that their clan believed in, but that he never truly called on before then.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king leaned forward, finding another chunk of ice that looked to be a frozen section of Gisraen\u2019s backpack.\u00a0 He scooped it up and heaved it across the room then.\u00a0 As it landed, it rang out, just as Calder had expected, but it echoed a dozen times in the strange cavern.\u00a0 The dwarf hadn\u2019t expected that.<\/p>\n

Neither did he expect the witch to dart through the corridor without care or worry.\u00a0 She smashed her way through an earthen pillar where a stalactite and a stalagmite had met, sending chunks of icy stone flying everywhere as well.<\/p>\n

Narrowing his eyes, Calder skittered forward, grabbing up one of those bits of debris.\u00a0 He heaved it at the serpent, watching it slam against her scaly back.\u00a0 She flexed as it struck her, and turned about, screeching across the corridor sounding more like a banshee than a witch.\u00a0 Calder had already slid away though, stopping against the other wall.<\/p>\n

Above her head, another large stalactite hung, and the dwarf knew what he had to do.\u00a0 Grabbing up another large stone that he was sure he could heave, he aimed right for the base of the hanging spike.\u00a0 With all his might, he flung it forth, a resounding crack reporting.\u00a0 The witch\u2019s body spasmed at the sound of it, but she couldn\u2019t move fast enough to avoid the falling earthen spear.<\/p>\n

It collapsed onto her, and scratched her scales, but it only seemed to incense her further.\u00a0 Calder\u2019s eyes grew wide, and he turned to his side, scrambling toward the ramp that led further into the cavern.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are in my domain!\u201d the witch shouted.\u00a0 \u201cI will feast on your bones and keep your skull as my trophy!\u201d<\/p>\n

The dwarf knew that he needed time.\u00a0 As much as he didn\u2019t like the idea of slipping down the slope, the crunch of his footsteps in the ice at the ramp\u2019s center would provoke the witch yet again.\u00a0 His heart pounding in his chest, he let his hands guide him down, until the reached the frozen lake within the cave.<\/p>\n

Calder slung his pack forward, fishing through it to find what he needed.\u00a0 As dark as it was, he couldn\u2019t see a thing before him, and running into the shadows wouldn\u2019t win him a victory against the witch.\u00a0 Sight was the only advantage he had over her.\u00a0 He knew that he needed to bring his back.<\/p>\n

He spilled out the contents of his pack, jerking upright when he heard his flint rattle onto the floor.\u00a0 Silence in the narrow corridor behind him left Calder\u2019s teeth chattering. \u00a0Still, he found the small hunk of stone, as well as the loop of steel he needed, and the torch that would bring the light back to the cave.<\/p>\n

Steadying himself, Calder looped his fingers through the steel, and held the stone and above the torch.\u00a0 Then, anticipating the noise he knew would summon the witch, he blew out one last breath.\u00a0 The king set to work then, slamming the fire striker against the flint, sending sparks flying.\u00a0 Even when he heard the shriek of the witch in the corridor, he kept at his task, until he had fostered the flames upon the head of the torch.<\/p>\n

With the light roaring to life again, he could see further into the expansive chamber, including the bow of the massive longship that was caught up in the ice.\u00a0 As he turned, he also spotted the witch, struggling to make her way down the ramp.<\/p>\n

Calder sprinted forth, leaving his pack behind.\u00a0 It took a few steps to get proper footing beneath him, as the ice there was far slicker.\u00a0 He used that momentum when the witch tumbled into the chamber though, for a slide across the lake was far quieter than his awkward footfalls.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re still here, my king,\u201d she said, in an almost singsong voice.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve known this place while I slumber.\u00a0 You think I don\u2019t know when something is here that shouldn\u2019t be?\u201d<\/p>\n

The dwarven leader hunched low, as though she really could still see through her shredded, black eye sockets.\u00a0 Even from afar, he could see the sickly, dark blood that careened down her angular, pale cheeks.<\/p>\n

He puffed in a breath of air, and looked about, wondering what else he could do to escape the trouble that he was in.\u00a0 Beside him, one of the drowned warriors she had risen lay dead again, a crossbow bolt stuck in its head.\u00a0 Calder shuddered to think that any moment, it could sit up again, and come after him.\u00a0 But as his torch crackled, and the serpent witch jerked her head in his direction, he knew that the corpse would be a temporary salvation instead.<\/p>\n

Calder lowered his torch, setting the flames upon the dead fellow\u2019s body.\u00a0 Once it fought away the last bits of dampness that clung to it, and the bitter cold, the torch crackled upon his body.\u00a0 With a larger surface area, the fire crackled much more.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king ran along before the witch slithered in his direction.<\/p>\n

Hearing the sizzling flames, the creature furrowed her brow.\u00a0 She knew that something was amiss, then, and she breathed in, sucking the chill from the large chamber.\u00a0 The next second, she blew out another vile cloud of icy air.\u00a0 The frost nearly blew out the flames on one of her dead playthings, but it persisted.<\/p>\n

Far from that spot then, Calder leaned against the bow of the longship.\u00a0 As he lifted his torch, his breath was taken from him, for that far in the chamber, he could see that she had collected many ships over the years.\u00a0 The cavern went on far beyond what he had expected, and he wondered if she had risen all of her dead, of if there were some still slumbering in the ships, and beneath the ice farther back in the room.<\/p>\n

He shook his head.\u00a0 Calder couldn\u2019t allow himself to be distracted by such thoughts.\u00a0 All that mattered was escaping the witch\u2014or dispatching her.<\/p>\n

Watching her slither closer, and remembering how hardy she was, he didn\u2019t know how possible it was.\u00a0 But as he leaned against the longship, his axe rattled against the long-frozen wooden base.<\/p>\n

Before he could be found, he kicked a hunk of stone across the ice, allowing it to slip into the broken segment of the lake and plunge into the water.\u00a0 The witch slowly glided toward it, sinking beneath the icy layer, as she had done so many times before.<\/p>\n

Calder turned about and hoisted himself over the railing of the longship.\u00a0 While she was underwater, he knew that was his best hope to move away from her.\u00a0 The damp and rotten wooden planks creaked under his weight, and he winced to hear it.\u00a0 Knowing that she wood know for certain where he was after he surfaced, he sprinted forward, until he reached the bow of the vessel.<\/p>\n

Just like he had expected, the witch emerged from the water, furious from having found nothing beneath the ice.<\/p>\n

His shoulders rhythmically rising and falling, Calder prepared himself.\u00a0 He made sure that his grip on his axe was firm, and that the cold hadn\u2019t dulled his strength.\u00a0 He remembered those he had lost and knew that it was his feelings of covetousness that had led them down that dark path.\u00a0 He used it all to empower him.<\/p>\n

With one mighty swing of his axe, he cleaved through the head of the prow on the longship.\u00a0 It fell from the raised vessel, crashing to the ice below.<\/p>\n

The witch moved at once, slithering to that part of the cavern, slashing with her long claws, hoping to catch the escaping dwarf.\u00a0 But when she felt nothing there\u2014not with her hands, and not in presence either\u2014she knew the mistake she had made.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t hear the torch pass, but she heard it fall at the ground by her side.<\/p>\n

Calder leaped from the bow of the ship, with his axe raised high into the air.\u00a0 With one mighty swing, he cleaved his axe into the witch\u2019s head, a sickening crack resounding louder than her singing had across the region near the Frostveil.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king\u2019s hold on the axe was the only thing that kept him from slamming into the ice at full force, and he tumbled when he could not pull his axe from his foe.\u00a0 When he came to, and looked up, he was surprised to see the witch looking down on her, a vicious snarl etched on her face.<\/p>\n

As he adjusted, he saw in the flickering torchlight that her hideous scowl was not one she could control.\u00a0 The axe had done its part and slain the beast.<\/p>\n

Another crack rang out, as the ice beneath the witch gave way. \u00a0She fell into the water, her body stuck in a rigid pose, and as she sank beneath the surface, she seemed to look pleadingly at the dwarven king.<\/p>\n

Calder froze for a time, until he realized his axe would sink beneath the ice as well.\u00a0 He reached out but missed his chance.<\/p>\n

The weapon that had ended the witch\u2019s life was lost to him.<\/p>\n

Without the monster\u2019s magic there in the cavern, a great rumble shook the walls and the ceiling around him.\u00a0 Calder looked to the ceiling, grabbing his torch for a better look.\u00a0 Sure enough, stalactites and chunks of rock began falling from above.\u00a0 He hopped out of the way just before a large piece of stone crashed into the ice where he had stood.\u00a0 Another huge piece of falling rock careened toward the longship, smashing through the planks there.<\/p>\n

Even though the witch was defeated, danger still surrounded Calder.<\/p>\n

He began forward again, sprinting through the cavern as fast as he could.\u00a0 He only stopped to scoop up his backpack again, hoping that nothing spilled out as he took hold of it, or when the witch slid through the area.\u00a0 Even if it did though, he knew it was a worthy sacrifice.<\/p>\n

Moments later, he climbed up the frozen ramp, stomping through the footfalls that had been pounded into place by his hunters earlier.\u00a0 Never slowing, he breathed deeply, sharp, cold breaths running through his lungs.\u00a0 Once more, he stopped closer to the top of the ramp, taking hold of Gisraen\u2019s frozen head.\u00a0 As macabre as it was, he didn\u2019t want to leave such an important part of one of his hunters to remain behind in the haunted cavern.<\/p>\n

That chamber, as narrow as it was, was far more dangerous than the one that he was in.\u00a0 With chunks of frozen stone falling there as well, there was less room to dodge falling stalactites and stones.\u00a0 Still, he managed to spin out of the way or pace himself just right to avoid any damage.\u00a0 And before long, he passed into the crystal-filled room.<\/p>\n

Calder\u2019s eyes went wide, for the veil at the exit looked different.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t just highlighted by the water that cascaded off the cliff.\u00a0 Instead, it looked like frosted glass began sliding over the aperture.\u00a0 The magic of the cavern was fading, and he wondered if without the witch, it would ever open again.<\/p>\n

Tossing his torch to the side, the dwarven king grabbed hold of Gisraen\u2019s head in both hands and sprinted forth as fast as he could.\u00a0 He leapt through the hole, feeling as though he had jumped through a frost spider\u2019s thick web.\u00a0 A second later, he was splashing through the waterfall and crashing through the already broken ice upon the lake, though he held Gisraen\u2019s head above his own all along the way.<\/p>\n

He emerged from the water with his body drenched in the cold.\u00a0 His hair and beard were soaked through, and as he labored toward solid ground.\u00a0 Climbing out of the lake, the dwarven king shivered and chattered his teeth.\u00a0 Despite his discomfort, he knew that he didn\u2019t have time to waste.\u00a0 The witch may have been defeated, but an army of the dead were still on their way to the home of his clan.\u00a0 Although he was just one dwarf, he would do anything he could to aid his people.<\/p>\n

As he wrung out his beard and swept the water from his hair, he looked to the campsite he and his people had set out earlier that day.\u00a0 All the horses were gone, the only mount left being Rondak, Volgrem\u2019s boar, who had pulled him out of the lake and lay on top of him.<\/p>\n

Calder\u2019s heart ached again knowing that his curiosity had led to the deaths of two of his greatest hunters.\u00a0 He sniffed and closed his eyes, allowing a deep sigh to leave his chest.<\/p>\n

When he opened them once more, he assessed the situations once more.\u00a0 All the horses were gone<\/em>, he understood once more, realizing that it would make his travels to the Frostveil that much more difficult.\u00a0 He began to curse under his breath about Thralni, the dwarf meant to tie the ponies to the trees there.\u00a0 But then he remembered seeing them the first time they had escaped the cavern, and he realized they had only recently been cut loose, probably to spare them from the witch\u2019s undead army.\u00a0 He shook his head, upset that he had let his emotions paint Thralni in a poor, unfair light.\u00a0 He was a good lad, thrust into a situation that none of them should have been in.<\/p>\n

Calder whistled as loud as he could, trying to see if he could summon Syril to his side.\u00a0 The pony was nowhere to be seen, even as he made his way to the campsite.\u00a0 He looked to Rondak but knew that none of his people could have rode atop the boar the way that Volgrem had.\u00a0 He wondered if the boar would even allow him anywhere close to the fallen hunter.<\/p>\n

Standing beside the smothered campfire, Calder swung his pack off his shoulder, and emptied all the contents from there.\u00a0 He took hold of Gisraen and placed what was left of him in the pack before he hung it from a low branch of the nearest tree.\u00a0 There was no time to give his hunters a proper burial, but the king refused to allow them any disrespect that he could otherwise avoid.<\/p>\n

Just as he finished stringing up the backpack, he was startled by an equine snort.\u00a0 He turned to see Syril there, his pony looking as beleaguered as he was.\u00a0 He bowed his head, knowing that their hunting trio had been broken up.\u00a0 Syril and Lialla didn\u2019t often spend time with one another, but they were aware of each other.\u00a0 The sight of her fall, along with the rest of the chaos that unfolded, may have taken its toll on the poor horse.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe\u2019ve earned a rest, old friend,\u201d Calder told his pony.\u00a0 \u201cI just ask you for one last thing.\u00a0 Help me get home.\u00a0 I need to save our people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Syril nudged up against the dwarf, almost as though the request was not one that he had to ask in the first place.\u00a0 Calder hopped into the saddle then, trotting his mount carefully until he could feel the sturdiness of the ground beneath them.<\/p>\n

As they moved along, the dwarven king passed one last glance at the cave that had lured him into danger, and almost become his tomb.\u00a0 Just as it had the days before, the entrance faded without the sunlight beaming down upon it.<\/p>\n

Calder wondered if it would ever open again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Riding across the snow field that led to the great steps of the Frostveil, Calder saw a great many of the undead strewn upon the ground.\u00a0 Not many of his clan appeared to lay with them, and his heart swelled with pride and hope.\u00a0 But as he saw the torches and lanterns that lined the steps toward the top of the mountain, he knew that not everything had worked out for the dwarves of clan Coldwhistle.<\/p>\n

Nor would it.<\/p>\n

The horde of drowned warriors didn\u2019t seem to need the witch\u2019s magic anymore, for they climbed, slow and steady, toward Calder\u2019s home.<\/p>\n

The king didn\u2019t know how many of his people had fallen, or how many had retreated, and as the sun faded away, and a light fog covered the area, he couldn\u2019t tell just how bad things had become.<\/p>\n

With Syril becoming tired and uncomfortable, the dwarven clan leader could tell his fraught pony wouldn\u2019t have the strength to bear his weight up the steps.\u00a0 He hopped out of the saddle and scampered up the steps on his own.<\/p>\n

Without any weapon, Calder knew that he couldn\u2019t do much.\u00a0 But as he reached the rearmost walking corpses, he never hesitated.\u00a0 He grabbed one by its tattered cloak, and tugged it sideways off the steps, the corpse silently falling from that great height.\u00a0 When the other undead warrior turned to look at the dwarven king, Calder was already moving again, charging forth to push that foe off as well.<\/p>\n

Those fiends flagged behind many of the other undead warriors that were farther up on the steps, and Calder knew that he would have to sprint the entire way to catch up to the rest.\u00a0 He panted as he ran, his boots tapping against the much-trodden stone, the snow and ice on the structure long expelled.\u00a0 Fatigued as he was, the dwarven leader didn\u2019t look up in time to see that one of his foes had turned around\u2014not until a moment before it lunged at him.<\/p>\n

Calder gasped, holding the living corpse back with his hands.\u00a0 Though it seemed to be naught more than a withered husk of what it had been when it was alive, the warrior had a certain heft to it.\u00a0 Calder knew that if he didn\u2019t push forth with all his strength, it would be him falling from the steps.\u00a0 Whether or not they could survive such a plummet, he knew that he could not.<\/p>\n

Chomping at him like a vicious wolf, the walking corpse pressed him further and further back.\u00a0 Calder was weary.\u00a0 He was weak.\u00a0 The day had taken its toll on him.\u00a0 As he lost ground, he felt himself bump up against the lantern on that side of the steps.\u00a0 He felt the stand it was on falter, and then crash as it fell from its spot.<\/p>\n

His heart pounding in his chest, Calder pushed back with everything he had. \u00a0As he looked up, the corpse\u2019s brown, emaciated face began to take on a bluish hue.\u00a0 Calder could feel that he was beginning to overpower his foe.\u00a0 And then, as though the witch\u2019s magic had failed it, the undead warrior gave up altogether.\u00a0 The dwarven king nearly charged off the other side, stopping his momentum just in time to prevent himself from tumbling off.\u00a0 The corpse, on the other hand, toppled like a child\u2019s doll, never trying to stop itself from taking that plunge to the ground far below.<\/p>\n

With renewed spirit, Calder resumed his ascent up the steps.\u00a0 Perhaps enough time had passed, or the dead had traveled far enough away from the witch\u2019s magic for it to be sustained.\u00a0 All hope of those possibilities faded away as he neared the platform near the midway point of the rise.\u00a0 The dead were still present in force, and it seemed that it was only the members of Calder\u2019s council who still guarded the way up toward the mountain.<\/p>\n

The remaining four dwarves looked exhausted.\u00a0 Barranac stood behind Fograk on the stairs beyond the platform.\u00a0 He no longer had access to his military pick, which looked to be embedded in the skull of one of the undead who lay sprawled out between the pillars.<\/p>\n

Fograk swung his axe with abandon, hoping to scare the dead back, but he couldn\u2019t accomplish anything of the sort.\u00a0 The witch\u2019s playthings cared not for any of the danger they encountered.<\/p>\n

Below them both, on the platform, Ragmer and Thralni fought with fiery passion.\u00a0 While most of the dead seemed to be concerned only with climbing the stairs, a handful looked as though they deemed the two dwarves there to be worthy of attention.\u00a0 Ragmer wore a handful of stab wounds, dark crimson stains upon his yellow tunic.\u00a0 He still fought with rage beyond what any had seen in the time that they had known him.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor Volgrem!\u201d he cried, burying his sword into one of the monster\u2019s legs, setting it off balance.\u00a0 \u201cFor Calder!\u201d\u00a0 He pulled out his blade before slashing it through the creature\u2019s abdomen.\u00a0 \u201cFor Gisraen!\u201d he cried, louder than any other war cry that could be heard on the mountain in that bitter cold night, just before he thrust his sword up through the corpse\u2019s throat.<\/p>\n

Thralni watched on, impressed by his companion\u2019s prowess and determination.\u00a0 Every few moments, when it looked like a walking corpse drew too close to a distracted Ragmer, the youngest of the hunters darted forward, and dug his knife into a thigh or calf, ensuring they\u2019d do more shuffling than walking.<\/p>\n

When Calder arrived at the platform, his hunters spotted him and rejoiced, even amid the battle.\u00a0 Barranac grabbed hold of a torch fastened along the side of the steps, and leapt past Fograk, using it as a new weapon.\u00a0 Thinking that the flames might have frightened the undead, he was surprised to see them fighting harder.\u00a0 It was as though they were invigorated by the threat of once again fading into oblivion.<\/p>\n

Calder furrowed his brow then, understanding what sustained the drowned warriors, even in the absence of the witch.<\/p>\n

\u201cDouse the torches and the lanterns!\u201d the dwarven king cried.\u00a0 \u201cAny light source ye have, extinguish it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Barranac, just entering the fray again after a long hiatus, seemed remiss to relinquish his weapon so soon.\u00a0 \u201cThey burn just like anything else, me king. \u00a0And our lights are the only thing helping us see in the fading light of day. \u00a0Why should we do such a thing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe witch might have brought these poor sods back, but it was the sun and our torches that kept them going.\u201d<\/p>\n

After Fograk pushed a few of the undead back, he smashed the nearby lanterns with his axe, letting the candles fall far to the ground below.\u00a0 Thralni ran from one part of the landing to the next, extinguishing the braziers there as well.<\/p>\n

Just as had happened with the walking corpse on the stairs leading to the platform, the skin on their foes began fading to a dusky blue\u2014just as they had looked when they were trapped beneath the ice in the cavern.\u00a0 They slowed, and Ragmer was able to greatly outpace the horde that still were present on the landing.\u00a0 The dwarf began to flag then as well, no longer as threatened by their presence.<\/p>\n

Barranac took the time to catch hold of the shambling dead and heaved them off the side of the platform.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t throw them off,\u201d Thralni said then.\u00a0 As his companions risked looking at him and offering strange glances, he nodded enthusiastically.\u00a0 \u201cIf anyone goes scouting, a torch might reanimate them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barranac saw the logic in that, and changed his strategy, pushing them closer to the center of the platform.\u00a0 He avoided their bites and their weapons where he could, but more than one slashed him even in their slowed state.<\/p>\n

One by one, the fallen warriors fell again.\u00a0 Upon the steps, Fograk fell to his rump, tired beyond belief as the undead there tumbled down the steps.<\/p>\n

Calder fell to the ground beside one of the stone pillars there as well, and the other surviving hunters joined him there.\u00a0 For a long while, everything was quiet.\u00a0 Calder gasped, then, when he felt an unexpected touch at his side.\u00a0 When he turned to see Syril there, nudging him with his muzzle, the other four dwarves couldn\u2019t help but let go of a subtle laugh that covered their sadness and their solemnity.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king took in a deep breath and wiped the cold perspiration from his brow.\u00a0 Burdened with the responsibility and the blame of what had transpired, he bowed his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what comes next, lads.\u00a0 We\u2019ll hold no feasts or vigils, at least for a short while.\u00a0 We\u2019ll avoid any sorts of flames until morning, preferably before the sun thaws out these poor lost souls.\u00a0 Tomorrow, we\u2019ll begin the work of taking these old warriors from our land and finding a new place for them to rest\u2014somewhere deep, where the light of a flame cannot ever find them again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hunters nodded, one after the other, but otherwise sat in silence.\u00a0 Beaten and tired, and feeling the tremendous loss they had encountered, their emotions almost had them passing out.<\/p>\n

Calder looked to the east, where he knew a pair of his hunters had lost their lives.\u00a0 And though they meant much to him, he also pitched a glance toward the bottom of the steps, knowing that those dwarves who had come to aid them from the mountains had suffered and paid the ultimate price as well.<\/p>\n

His heart aching, the dwarven king held his hand over his chest.\u00a0 Surprising even himself, Calder began to sing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThrough valleys deep and roads long, I pray my love ride hard and strong.<\/em><\/p>\n

Spirits inside, hear my voice guide, my clan home where they belong.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Mountains are full of a thousand voices,<\/em><\/p>\n

Of stone and snow and sacred earth,<\/em><\/p>\n

Singing songs of brave spirits defending,<\/em><\/p>\n

These frost-covered lands of our birth.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The other dwarves who had partaken in the surprising adventure with him joined in as well then, but he was more surprised to hear, during a shift in the song, that a great deal of his people had joined in from their hall at the top of the steps.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cRide hard through the night, my hunters,<\/em><\/p>\n

O\u2019er the hills and valleys wide.<\/em><\/p>\n

Let my voice be your light in the darkness,<\/em><\/p>\n

Return home to your place at my side.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All of the hunters there could do nothing to stay their sadness and their dejection then.\u00a0 Barranac, close to Ragmer, grabbed the weary, aching dwarf, and pulled him close.<\/p>\n

Calder looked down again, wiping a tear from his eye.\u00a0 Another fell, unable to be stopped in time, and it fell toward the pocket on the king\u2019s tunic.\u00a0 When he followed its trajectory, he found that it had fallen on the whistle there.<\/p>\n

It had played such a tremendous role in what had transpired.\u00a0 If they had not used the musical instruments so liberally, perhaps the witch would have never summoned them in the first place.<\/p>\n

The dwarven king pulled the instrument out of his pocket and held it out to his allies.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout these whistles,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A large thunderclap rang out, and Baldur jerked upright.\u00a0 Einar was too busy sharpening his sword to notice, he thought, but Gudbrand had looked at him throughout his talespinning.\u00a0 Baldur leaned forward a bit, and after quickly swallowing his embarrassment, thought to ask a question to deflect from the reflexive movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid any of the dwarves ever return to the cave try and obtain the riches they had left behind?\u201d<\/p>\n

Gudbrand leaned back against the pillar then.\u00a0 \u201cSome of the dwarves returned to the waterfall, long after the dead were good and buried.\u00a0 But just as it had been before, there was no cave to be found.\u00a0 The people of Clan Coldwhistle were all warned as well that the place was off-limits for mining and the sort.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalder didn\u2019t head to the place for some time, haunted by his decisions and all that he had lost along the way,\u201d Gudbrand went on.\u00a0 \u201cBut the king realized that he had to live with what had happened, and he had to celebrate the bravery that was exhibited along the way.\u00a0 He named the lake there Falconrend Lake.\u00a0 With the she-serpent defeated, it seemed to grow larger every few years.\u00a0 There\u2019s a citraltenn tree there, the first that had grown in many years, after the Coldwhistle clan had thought the last of them had grown.\u00a0 Calder thought that it was Lialla that brought about a new generation of those trees when she melted into the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think happened to Calder\u2019s axe?\u201d Baldur asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it seems as though the cave behind the waterfall was connected to many other places.\u00a0 My guess is that it\u2019s at the bottom of the sea somewhere.\u00a0 Maybe it\u2019s still stuck in that witch\u2019s skull.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the whistles?\u201d Baldur pressed.\u00a0 \u201cYou said he was going to tell his warriors about the whistles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gudbrand chuckled at the eagerness of his brother\u2019s attention.\u00a0 \u201cCalder became our most pious king.\u00a0 He began respecting the old ways.\u00a0 He grew fearful of magic and began praying to the gods.\u00a0 He issued a decree that the whistles only be used in times of great need, and that their secrets be guarded from all future clan members, except for those chosen to carry them\u2014his surviving warriors, or a family member of one who had fallen.\u00a0 Whenever one of them fell ill or grew too old or passed away, a descendant of their choosing inherited the whistle thereafter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another clap of thunder seemed to shake the sky, and the brothers could see the lightning that danced atop the clouds.\u00a0 It was enough to rouse Baldur to his feet, the youngest brother looking about the area where the dead had come so close to their ancestral home.\u00a0 For a moment, it was almost as though Baldur could see the old dwarves of legend, resting there with them.<\/p>\n

The dwarf chuckled then.\u00a0 \u201cWait a wee second.\u00a0 An army of the dead, a sea dragon that turns into a woman, a woman that turns into a wolf\u2026 You old thunderheads are filling me head with nonsense on my first hunt.\u00a0 What do you expect me to believe next?\u00a0 Is our king really a rabbit?\u201d<\/p>\n

His brothers looked to each other with widening eyes before they looked at him.\u00a0 Gudbrand looked all around as though to ensure no one else was around on that dreary night.\u00a0 \u201cNow that you know such a thing, little brother, the king will have ta decide whether ta throw ye from the top of the steps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Einar scoffed and snorted.\u00a0 \u201cMight there be some exaggeration to the legends?\u00a0 Perhaps.\u00a0 But little brother, ye\u2019ve led a short and sheltered life so far.\u00a0 The world is larger than we can possibly know, and you must always be on the lookout for things you don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, but they\u2019re only stories,\u201d Baldur said.\u00a0 \u201cShouldn\u2019t we\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Another loud thunderclap sounded out, but that one was accompanied by the brightest bolt of lightning the trio had seen, and they were surprised to see it hit the top of the mountain.<\/p>\n

Gudbrand and Einar glanced at one another again, and Baldur quickly realized the difference between a look of mock concern, and a real one.\u00a0 When a deep rumble began shaking the area, Einar hopped to his feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat wasn\u2019t thunder,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it wasn\u2019t,\u201d Gudbrand agreed, passing a glance up the steps.\u00a0 It was too dark to see anything and long before, the lanterns had died out.\u00a0 \u201cIf that\u2019s what I think it is\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Baldur wondered.<\/p>\n

Einar hurried to the wagon and tied a rope to its side.\u00a0 \u201cCome on then lads,\u201d he bade.\u00a0 \u201cWe need to tip this thing over and lash it to the pillars here. They\u2019re strong and sound, and they\u2019ve been here longer than Frostveil Hall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d Baldur pressed, concern mounting in his voice.\u00a0 He helped every step of the way, but they could tell that he was worried beyond what he had at any point in their travels.<\/p>\n

Einar grabbed his youngest brother and sat him down in front of the wagon then.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve got snow coming down the mountain, lad.\u00a0 The only thing that\u2019ll keep us safe is what\u2019s on this ledge, so ye stay right here, understood?\u201d<\/p>\n

Gudbrand and Einar sat beside Baldur then, each of them wary of the growing tremors beneath them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYe think it\u2019ll hold?\u201d Gudbrand asked his older brother.<\/p>\n

Einar nodded, but the other two dwarves could tell that even their usually stoic sibling looked shaken.\u00a0 \u201cThe ropes are steady, and the cart is built of sturdy lumber.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baldur\u2019s eyes went wide then, and he rose from his seat in front of the fallen wagon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are ye doing?\u201d Gudbrand cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all durned fools!\u201d Baldur said.\u00a0 \u201cWe were so caught up in stories and thunderstorms that we forgot about Dale!\u201d<\/p>\n

As the youngest brother raced away from the carriage, Gudbrand hopped to his feet, despite the fast-encroaching danger.\u00a0 Their pony stamped its feet on the other side of a few of the pillars, and it took some work for Baldur to convince it to turn and walk toward the carriage.<\/p>\n

Baldur\u2019s eyes went wide as he turned back toward his brothers, for he could see the huge frozen landslide, and he wondered if there was any hope of the wagon holding against the phenomenon.<\/p>\n

Pushing forward with all his might, Baldur pushed the pony forward\u2014but not fast enough to avoid a panicked kick, that sent him backward a few feet.\u00a0 The dwarf thought to nurse his new injury, but all he could think about was the mound of snow racing toward them.\u00a0 As he stepped forward, he could feel his already bruised leg give out underneath him.<\/p>\n

Neither of his brothers noticed his delay in returning, too busy grabbing hold of Dale\u2019s reins and wrestling him to the ground.\u00a0 But as the carriage violent shuddered behind them, they knew that time was running out.<\/p>\n

Baldur tried to sprint forth, even right through the fire if he had to, but it was no use.\u00a0 His leg as numb, and not responding to him the way he would have hoped.\u00a0 He turned about then, hoping that he could find another means to protect himself.\u00a0 A moment later, he stood in front of one of the pillars.<\/p>\n

Even though he was a young dwarf, he was still burly.\u00a0 His shoulders pushed out beyond the tall stone monolith.<\/p>\n

He had just begun thinking about that when the blast of snow caught hold of him.\u00a0 All it took was the smallest bit to knock him from his perch high above the region below the Frostveil.<\/p>\n

As he careened from the landing, the last thing he heard were his brother\u2019s cries. \u00a0He couldn\u2019t understand what Gudbrand was saying, nor did he believe it mattered, for he could only contend with the alternating visions of light and darkness.<\/p>\n

And eventually, darkness won out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Prequel Story, Midwinter Requiem   Shadow Serenade A Tale by Rhianna and Michael DeAngelo The three brothers glanced up at the immense flight of frozen steps.\u00a0 The Frostveil was before them, lancing toward the sky as though it meant to attack.\u00a0 But their mountain home was known for its sturdiness and hardiness, not for its […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[146],"tags":[2890,41,1119,1039,2891,149],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Featured-Gaston-Short-Story.png","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1UVey-75W","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27276"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27276"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27282,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27276\/revisions\/27282"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}