Chapter One: Adrift upon Storm Clouds<\/b><\/p>\n
The lantern light burned dimly, the oil within nearly gone.\u00a0 The acrid scent of that dying beacon meant little to the wide and eager eyes of the children, persistent with their folded hands and pouted lips.<\/p>\n
A stout and surly dwarf raised his arms high, attempting to placate the crowd of children as if they were as easily tamed as dogs.\u00a0 His eyes were wide as well, though they were trapped beneath prominent ridges and a bushy brow.\u00a0 There was no escaping the wee captors.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright, lads and lasses.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got me cornered, fair and square.\u00a0 What\u2019s it going to take for an old fellow to get some rest?\u201d<\/p>\n
One anxious little boy piped up louder than the other children.<\/p>\n
\u201cMister Dorn!\u00a0 Tell us why one man travels with the dwarves!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI tell that story every time we come to Lacrimore,\u201d the burly, squat fellow protested.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell it again,\u201d a young girl exuberantly squealed.<\/p>\n
Sighing, the dwarf knew his fate was already set in stone.\u00a0 Conceding to the wishes of the crowd, Dorn pulled a stool away from a nearby table, placing it in front of the eager children.\u00a0 With another heaving breath, he hopped into the seat, and gazed at his attentive audience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a day much unlike this one, when high above the Goldenscale Cliffs\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
He sat just beyond where the light could show his curious appearance.\u00a0 The sun was obscured by vicious-looking grey clouds, not uncommon for that time of years above the cliffs that the Thunderfury dwarves called home.\u00a0 He knew that powerful gusts of wind would rip through the ravine late into the night, shaking the rope bridges and blowing out candles, torches and lanterns.<\/p>\n
Dorn dwelled peacefully, just within the darkness, leisurely tearing apart pieces of crusty bread.\u00a0 Every once in a while, a faraway flash of lightning illuminated the cliff faces, and the homes carved into their sides.\u00a0 Those bolts of electricity were just powerful enough to brighten Dorn\u2019s home for a moment.<\/p>\n
Within his cliffside abode, the dwarf\u2019s floors and walls were bolstered by stone.\u00a0 The entrance retained its dirt and rock composite, lending an earthy scent to the home.\u00a0 That pungent waft was overpowered by the thick aroma of the dwarf\u2019s afternoon meal.\u00a0 Dorn carelessly dunked his bread into the bowl of stew beneath him, mashing past the vegetables.<\/p>\n
Despite the favored meal, he could not keep his attention from wandering toward the outside.\u00a0 It was spring in Cracius, and that meant especially violent storms.<\/p>\n
A loud snap, like that of a whip, echoed out in the ravine.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere goes another one,\u201d Dorn said.<\/p>\n
The dwarf stood, then, dropping the latest torn piece of bread.\u00a0 He approached the entryway, sucking the bits of stew off his fingers.\u00a0 As he reached the place where stone transitioned into dirt, he could see the heavy rain coating the wooden planks of the rope bridge outside his home.<\/p>\n
Before his eyes, another rope snapped, flinging the bridge from his side of the cliff.<\/p>\n
A powerful sigh shook the dwarf as he began shaking his head.<\/p>\n
A mighty boom<\/i> shook the cliffs just as a flash of white briefly stole Dorn\u2019s vision away.\u00a0 He leaned out of his abode, looking north.\u00a0 There, hundreds of feet higher than the cliffs themselves, a massive statue straddled the two sides of the ravine.\u00a0 A fading trail of displaced electricity was still barely present, but it dissipated after only a moment.<\/p>\n
Another sigh shook Dorn\u2019s stout body.\u00a0 The statue of Vaulen Thunderfury was constructed to perform just as it had.\u00a0 The dwarves\u2019 ancient king held a steel hammer high, catching bolts of energy upon it like a lightning rod.<\/p>\n
Dorn spat into the ravine, knowing that, despite serving as it should, the statue would still require an inspection.<\/p>\n
That task always fell to him, the dwarf understood.<\/p>\n
Only a little discouraged, the dwarf headed back inside.\u00a0 In mere moments, he emerged again, carrying a coil of rope upon his shoulder.\u00a0 Turning north, he began up the earthen ramp.<\/p>\n
\u201cOi, Dorn!\u00a0 Heading to work already?\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned his attention to the eastern cliff.\u00a0 There, on the opposite side of the ravine, one of his neighbors stood against his dirt entryway.\u00a0 He smoked from a thickly packed pipe, only pulling it from his bearded face when he had been seen.\u00a0 He held it high, saluting the other dwarf.<\/p>\n
\u201cAye,\u201d Dorn said.\u00a0 \u201cNo sense waiting for Thurgan to come get me.\u00a0 I\u2019d rather get it over with sooner than later.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHave an ale for me,\u201d the neighbor said.<\/p>\n
The worker nodded, but proceeded up the rest of the ramp.\u00a0 Before he could reach the top of the cliff, the path abruptly stopped, only halted by a short railing.\u00a0 Dorn needed only to turn slightly to his left to see several dozen, if not hundreds, of his clan.<\/p>\n
Grumbling quietly to himself, the dwarf proceeded inside.\u00a0 The mead hall was expansive.\u00a0 Visitors to the place were apt to express their awe, for the place seemed to stretch on much farther than it needed to.\u00a0 Yet, at every table, dwarves sat about, telling tales and imbibing of thick, frothy ales.\u00a0 At some tables, an earthen pillar rose up from its center, bolstering the ceiling above.\u00a0 Drunken fellows leaned around the pillars, practically lying upon the tables.<\/p>\n
Beyond the walls, passages led deeper into the earth.\u00a0 Some led to other dwarves\u2019 dwellings, while the larger ones led down into the mines.\u00a0 The complex was naught but a giant anthill, by Dorn\u2019s reckoning, toiling endlessly within the ground without a second thought.<\/p>\n
He blew out a large, yet quiet sigh, continuing into the crowded hall, hoping to go unnoticed by his kin.\u00a0 Most seemed content to talk about nothing in particular.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the smell of the Goldscales after a good rain,\u201d one squat fellow shouted.\u00a0 \u201cThe cliffs carry the same waft as what\u2019s atween me good wife\u2019s legs!\u201d<\/p>\n
A hearty shout left the mouth of many a dwarf following that observation.\u00a0 A score of stony mugs rose into the air, sending amber liquid splashing everywhere.<\/p>\n
Upon Dorn\u2019s path, a trail of suds dampened the dirt.\u00a0 He scowled, but didn\u2019t turn his attention too closely to the rambunctious dwarves.<\/p>\n
Better if they don\u2019t know I\u2019m displeased<\/i>, he thought.\u00a0 My, but dwarves love to hear themselves talk<\/i>.<\/p>\n
The rest of the journey through the mead hall was much the same.\u00a0 He had glided through the place like a ghost, until finally his eyes settled on the stone steps that marked the ascent toward the surface.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere he is!\u201d came an exuberant cry.<\/p>\n
Dorn was stopped in his tracks, nearly gnashing his teeth together upon hearing that voice.\u00a0 He turned slowly, aware of who had seen him.<\/p>\n
No sooner had he completely faced the speaker had the full weight of the situation been thrust upon him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello Thur \u2013\u201d<\/p>\n
Not one to let his words alone do the talking, Thurgan Thunderfury leapt out at Dorn.\u00a0 The stout dwarf\u2019s large belly struck Dorn completely, and it was only due to their low centers of gravity that either remained standing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell met!\u201d Thurgan exclaimed as Dorn stumbled backward.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve met before<\/i>, Dorn thought to himself.\u00a0 He stood straighter, and dusted his clothes off.<\/p>\n
\u201cYe\u2019ve arrived at just the right time,\u201d Thurgan asserted.\u00a0 \u201cFrom what I\u2019ve been hearin\u2019, the weathers been clearing up.\u00a0 By the time ye get topside, I\u2019ll wager even them stormclouds\u2019ll be gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOut with it, Foreman,\u201d Dorn pressed.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it you want from me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, ye are the best climber we have.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd, as always, I\u2019ll be the one to inspect the statue to make sure it hasn\u2019t been damaged.\u00a0 Is that what you\u2019re getting to?\u201d<\/p>\n
Thurgan\u2019s brow furled.\u00a0 \u201cWell\u2026 yes.\u00a0 In a roundabout way, I suppose!\u201d\u00a0 He let out a loud belly laugh, and clapped the younger dwarf on the shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cThink of it this way\u2026 nobody but ye gets that close to ol\u2019 Vaulen\u2019s heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grumbling, Dorn turned and began up the steps.<\/p>\n
\u201cMind the wet steel of the hammer!\u201d Thurgan called out.<\/p>\n
The journey up the steps was uneventful, for nearly all of the dwarves were celebrating the storm.\u00a0 It was a happy time in mid-spring, before the flowers bloomed.\u00a0 Every rain was heralded as a boon from their long dead king.\u00a0 Vaulen had created quite the clan, and Dorn was sure that all of them, in constant mirth, shook all of the Goldenscale Cliffs, from their cold northern peaks to the canyons in the deep south.<\/p>\n
Though his thoughts drifted to the history of his clan, the dwarf wasn\u2019t able to concentrate on them for long.\u00a0 The dwarven warren had been mostly left behind and beneath him, but some of the more powerful clan members remained near open air.<\/p>\n
While Vaulen had long before been entombed within the cliffs he called home, his descendants were still proud to carry on his legacy.\u00a0 On opposite sides of the long hall, the throne room and the council room faced each other.<\/p>\n
Dorn could see that both sets of grand oak doors were thrown open, the bright torchlight within spilling out into the long hall.\u00a0 Breathing deeply, he held his breath, and quickly tiptoed past.<\/p>\n
While voices within grumbled and mumbled and whispered and shouted, no one seemed to be concerned with the quiet passerby.<\/p>\n
Satisfied with that, the dwarf continued on his way.<\/p>\n
The scent of the withdrawing rain was powerful, and grew stronger still as Dorn stepped into the sunlight once again.\u00a0 He longed for the following months when the wildflowers would bloom about the western fields.\u00a0 That sweet bouquet was worth every pungent, wintry moment of every year, the dwarf told himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cBright and early,\u201d a voice called out as Dorn emerged from the caverns.\u00a0 \u201cSure ye aren\u2019t an elf?\u201d<\/p>\n
Any other dwarf might have been offended by that comment, but the owner of the voice was known, and the joke was appreciated.<\/p>\n
\u201cAye, Fali.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure,\u201d Dorn said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne o\u2019 these days, ye\u2019ll fart a flower, and the whole clan\u2019ll be calling ye Dorn Lilybritches,\u201d the other dwarf continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd my clan will be feared from the Mar Coast all the way to Gandarst,\u201d was Dorn\u2019s retort.\u00a0 He remained silent for a few moments as his friend laughed at the remark.\u00a0 Several dozen of his kin were topside, their eyes pointed toward the sunny sky above the statue of Vaulen.\u00a0 \u201cWhat have we got going on out here?\u201d<\/p>\n
A distant roll of thunder answered that question, though Fali seemed intent to offer his own insights.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery few minutes, we hear a noise from up high.\u00a0 At first we thought it was a seabird, flown too far from the ocean.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut by now, I\u2019m sure all the rest of them think it\u2019s the baying of old Vaulen\u2019s ghost,\u201d Dorn assumed.<\/p>\n
\u201cOr worse,\u201d Fali said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHarpies?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a long while since the clan\u2019s heard the screeches of those winged bitches.\u00a0 All I\u2019m saying is, if ye be set on headin\u2019 up there, be sure\u2019n be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorn nodded.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s about time something exciting happened here.\u201d<\/p>\n
A cry from above challenged that notion, and both dwarves furled their brow as it echoed through the Goldenscale Cliffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot too late to be a proper dwarf and choose to love digging more\u2019n climbing,\u201d Fali offered.<\/p>\n
\u201cBah,\u201d the other scoffed, sounding more like his kin than usual.\u00a0 He began forward, his friend by his side.\u00a0 As they went, he began uncoiling the equipment he had moved topside with.\u00a0 \u201cGive me a rope, a hook and a book any day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another cry from the top of the statue had Dorn reflexively scowling.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny day would be better appreciated without such distractions,\u201d he clarified.<\/p>\n
\u201cYe forgot yer book anyway,\u201d Fali said.\u00a0 \u201cNo sense worryin\u2019 about it now unless ye planned on pickin\u2019 up a sharp, quick read.\u201d\u00a0 As those words pushed past his friend\u2019s ears, his stubby fingers gently tapped against the crescent edge of his axe.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never go unprepared,\u201d Dorn replied, gripping the small dagger on his belt.<\/p>\n
\u201cAye, and I\u2019ll be sure to thank the gnomes what gave it to ye after a harpy takes off with it in its rump while another takes off with ye.\u201d<\/p>\n
They arrived near the edge of the western cliff, where one of Vaulen\u2019s large steel boots sat upon a large stone pedestal.\u00a0 Fali gave his friend a hand to step upon, and boosted the climber to the base of the stone.<\/p>\n
Dorn turned and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t plan on being supper for some bird maiden,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI may look a mite more tender, but I\u2019m still as tough as any dwarf you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStart climbin\u2019 afore you start sproutin\u2019 that flower,\u201d Fali teased.<\/p>\n
Nodding, the dwarf prepared for the ascent.\u00a0 Even as another cry echoed out toward the clouds, Dorn gathered up his rope, a hefty hook tightly bound at its end.\u00a0 The spring breeze was overpowered then by the sound of that rotating grapple.<\/p>\n
In the blink of an eye, the rope and its attachment soared skyward.\u00a0 The hook came down just where the dwarf had planned.\u00a0 It locked into place just above Vaulen\u2019s belt, where enough steel jutted out to provide a hold.\u00a0 The dwarf pulled firmly on the rope, but was unable to free the hook.<\/p>\n
A subtle smile briefly parted Dorn\u2019s lips as he stepped beside the old king\u2019s leg.\u00a0 Without hesitation, he leapt up as high as his squat frame would allow.\u00a0 His powerful arms helped him to rise as he brought his hands over each other in mere seconds.\u00a0 If the dwarf had any difficulty climbing, it didn\u2019t show.<\/p>\n
\u201cYe aren\u2019t tied off anywhere,\u201d Fali mentioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need to be,\u201d he contested.<\/p>\n
True to his words, Dorn seemed to need no assistance.\u00a0 His feet moved up Vaulen\u2019s leg so swiftly that he appeared to be more akin to a squirrel than a dwarf.\u00a0 Fali looked on in disbelief as his friend continued to scurry up the statue.<\/p>\n
After only a short while, the dwarf\u2019s ascent had him sitting upon the belt of the effigy.\u00a0 He rubbed his hands together, trying his best to distract himself from the meager blisters his climb had caused.\u00a0 Dorn wasted very little time, however, retrieving the grappling hook and sliding over to the center of the belt.<\/p>\n
When he arrived beside the pronounced buckle, he looked down, to where a score of his kin congregated.\u00a0 Fali stared above with his mouth agape.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve done this dozens of times, and you\u2019ve watched,\u201d Dorn called out.<\/p>\n
The muttering of the dwarves below didn\u2019t gather his attention.\u00a0 Rather, he focused on the task at hand.\u00a0 He stood, bracing himself against an oversized steel button upon Vaulen\u2019s tunic.\u00a0 With one foot upon the large buckle, the dwarf began spinning the grappling hook in wide circles again.<\/p>\n
Gasps could be heard from below, for Dorn was moving before the grappling hook had ever reached its target.\u00a0 The dwarf was airborne as the rope began coiling upon Vaulen\u2019s partially outstretched arm.\u00a0 The king of old squeezed his hand into a fist, the arm facing upward.\u00a0 It provided the perfect support for the diminutive fellow scaling the statue.<\/p>\n
Dorn made the arduous task seem incredibly easy.\u00a0 His strength was a spectacle to behold, for his legs did naught but dangle.\u00a0 He lifted himself solely by the power of his burly arms, until he reached the silvery wrist where his rope had coiled.<\/p>\n
Fighting against gravity, the dwarf scaled the rope.\u00a0 Before anyone could worry that his strength might be fading, he was sitting plaintively upon Vaulen\u2019s arm.\u00a0 Almost leisurely, he tugged at the rope, slowly apprehending the grappling hook.\u00a0 With that once more in his possession, liberating the rest of the rope was easy.<\/p>\n
After taking a few moments to steady his body, Dorn stood.\u00a0 The air was thinner up above, and when he looked down at his captive audience, over two dozen feet beneath him, he had to inhale deeply to catch his breath.<\/p>\n
Another baying reminded him of his task.<\/p>\n
He walked down the straightened path that Vaulen\u2019s arm provided, stopping just at the elbow.\u00a0 At that point, he was near, again, to the ancient king\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n
The grappling hook was aimed a bit higher.\u00a0 At once, it left Dorn\u2019s hand, flying high into the air.\u00a0 The rope sped upward, and almost escaped his grasp, but another three feet of slack became accessible as he tugged it into place upon Vaulen\u2019s crown.<\/p>\n
So far below him, Fali and the others could barely see the fearless dwarf.<\/p>\n
That thought had never crossed his mind.\u00a0 With ease, he hoisted himself up, once again able to rely on his sturdy legs for aid.\u00a0 He proceeded up the ancient effigy as though it were a mighty mountain.\u00a0 Before long, he was at eye level with the former ruler of the Thunderfury Dwarves.\u00a0 Vaulen stared south, perpetually unaware of the miniscule mortal that scaled his likeness.<\/p>\n
Only a few moments later, Dorn sat upon the exquisitely crafted head of the statue.\u00a0 Individual strands of greasy dwarven hair had been timelessly captured and recreated.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t the most comfortable feeling on the climber\u2019s backside, but he took solace in that moment anyway.\u00a0 So far from the ground, he felt freer than ever.<\/p>\n
The lone dwarf was almost deaf to the cries he heard, despite the fact that his proximity had made them much louder. \u00a0He looked to the sky, where low flying clouds looked ready to take him away.<\/p>\n
Nearly obscured by those fluffy white distractions, Dorn could see the silhouettes of some winged beasts.\u00a0 He swallowed hard, his hand slowly migrating toward the dagger on his belt.<\/p>\n
After a brief observation, he saw several more, circling around the statue.\u00a0 He realized then that they were divebirds from Blacklehn, likely returning north following the harsh winter.<\/p>\n
Yet still, the dwarf was sure that the cries he continued to hear did not come from any bird.<\/p>\n
He stood, knowing that only one more climb was necessary.<\/p>\n
Dorn\u2019s eyes pierced through the skies, toward the weapon that his clan had looked to for strength and courage.<\/p>\n
Vaulen\u2019s hammer shimmered in the afternoon sunlight.\u00a0 The intricate etchings upon the weapon would serve as the dwarf\u2019s only grasping point.<\/p>\n
Swallowing hard, the climber gathered up his grappling hook.\u00a0 He began spinning it in wide arcs.\u00a0 Without trepidation, he heaved it a dozen feet in the air, watching the pronged metal glide over the hammer.<\/p>\n
With a resounding tonk<\/i>, the tool fell into place.\u00a0 Dorn tugged fiercely several times, but the grapple wouldn\u2019t budge.<\/p>\n
Nodding, the dwarf stepped to the edge of the crown.\u00a0 He only stopped long enough to take a breath and say a prayer.<\/p>\n
Then, he leapt into the air above Vaulen\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n
The rope swung forward, and the brief weightlessness had Dorn forcibly closing his eyes.\u00a0 After only a few moments, however, he teetered beneath the oversized steel mallet.<\/p>\n
Forcing a smile, the dwarf began his final ascent.<\/p>\n
With raw hands and nowhere to use his feet, the way up was difficult.\u00a0 Despite the arduous task, Dorn proceeded on with contentment.\u00a0 As he reached the hammer, he was able to set his legs into motion again.\u00a0 In mere moments, he hoisted himself up to the top of the mallet.<\/p>\n
Breathing heavily, he wasn\u2019t immediately aware of what he shared the platform with.<\/p>\n
The cry was so near and so loud that he nearly tumbled backward.\u00a0 He fought to preserve his balance, but when his eyes landed upon the protruding handle, he still nearly fell back in surprise.<\/p>\n
For there, dozens of feet in the air, resting upon the circular pedestal at the head of the hammer, was a baby.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be damned,\u201d Dorn said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chapter One: Adrift upon Storm Clouds The lantern light burned dimly, the oil within nearly gone.\u00a0 The acrid scent of that dying beacon meant little to the wide and eager eyes of the children, persistent with their folded hands and pouted lips. A stout and surly dwarf raised his arms high, attempting to placate the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[63,222,61],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1UVey-9A","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594"}],"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=594"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":596,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594\/revisions\/596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}