More combat logs
A lot of fighting! Deduk with the iron shortsword is the survivor of Tumam's huge massacre at the fort where he died and was carrying this battle. Zasit's corpse is that of a Cold Hunter. I believe it was Ingiz who got him? From the dialogue you can ascertain that the collective trauma I have put these dwarves through in the last two years has hardened the entire species to be immune to stress and grimly satisfied at the death of their enemies.
Kivish, Avoliton's character, was brought here by accident. He will bring me no small measure of trouble later.The clamor of battle continued for what felt like days, but was almost certainly only hours. In a cleaner setting a general would have ordered his forces to pull back and rest or switched them out with fresh forces, but as things went both sides had been dumped into this cavern by a cave-in and did not even know an exit to retreat to.
Thus the battle continued longer than even dwarven endurance could handle. The battle ended more because everyone began falling over and passing out from exhaustion. The few warriors with more strength than others finished off the traitor dwarves who were also barely able to stand.
The Cold Hunters had apparently picked a side in the battle and with their endless reserves of strength killed the remaining enemies.
Kanil had successfully defended Ilosp, Ingiz had defended the kings and rallied the loyalist dwarves, and the rhino demi-god Kivish had reaped his ruin of the traitors.
A group of dwarves had survived being thrown into the chasm and desperately cling to the sides as they worked their way up bit by bit. A few of them looked as if they were about to pass out, which would surely spell their doom and that of those below them.
Rope was dispensed and those closest to the lip of the chasm were lifted out, but there wasn’t enough to reach the rest. It was left where it was and those still trapped would have to muster the strength they had to climb the distance to reach it.
Meanwhile an accounting of the living and dead took place. The total number of dwarves left was less than 100.
Many still couldn’t even stand and passed in and out of consciousness.
Kanil searched for an exit and made for the surface without waiting for others. He desperately needed to see the surface again after that.
The tunnel he found curved upwards eventually breaking into a primitive, dilapidated, and leaning wooden tower. A left behind watch tower from the by-gone days from whence the Plagues of Forking sought to conquer the world. Kanil stumbled out from it and crested a nearby hill. The eastern late morning sun baked him in his armor and lit the landscape around all except for one part:
The slade dark fortress that dominated the landscape to the west. This was the largest building in the world with its equal being a similar copy to the arctic north. The black stone absorbed sun light as if to remind any who found hope in the light that the darkness would not be chased away. Yet, chased away it was, for its master was long dead at the hands of a nameless dwarven peasant who slew him.
Kanil sat upon the hillside and rested “Why does it always come back to someone wanting to rule the world?” he wondered aloud
“What do you say the answer be?” a distant voice whispered
Kanil turned to his right and saw a Cold Hunter- The Cold Hunter- Iteb. The first dwarf and the first Cold Hunter stood within arm’s reach. She was a hulk of a dwarf. An insane amount of muscle wrapped in bandages and under armor hefting a legendary axe that rested upon her shoulder. Glowing blue eyes shone with the light of death itself.
Old warriors say that before a duel happens it is already decided. That two master warriors battle countless times in their minds in the moments before the battle begins to reach the conclusion before it starts.
Kanil had slain more Cold Hunters than anyone and had slain the legendary elven prince Cacame. Cold Hunters could turn invisible in a moment and this would make it impossible for Kanil to stop and he would die.
Kanil could swing Cloudfought a half moment faster than they could turn invisible. He slew each Cold Hunter a half second before they could turn invisible and he would need to do so to win here.
But Iteb was armored, unlike any other Cold Hunter. Iteb was stronger and faster than any other Cold Hunter. She could probably swing that axe faster than he could swing Cloudfought with her supernaturally enhanced muscles. Iteb had fought in wars for over a century and her weapon was legendary steel.
Source:
The outcome was uncertain for both warriors, and the two seasoned warriors were united in that moment by two emotions: Fear of defeat and eagerness to test each other's merit.
Kanil recalled the accursed dwarf’s question from a moment ago and spoke while keeping his hand on Cloudfought, “Some people just can’t live on this world without ruining it for others”
The Cold Hunter’s face showed no emotion. They never did, and it would be hard to tell with the helmet blocking the face and those blue eyes shining and casting shadow around the rest of it. “Would you say that those of that measure deserve to die?”
Kanil refused to blink. Iteb didn’t need to blink. “Absolutely” Kanil said.
The dwarf was quiet for a moment “Truce Inchwhip” she spoke
“Truce. For a moment” he said back. They both relaxed their grip to a half-grip. Still ready to fight swiftly, but enough of a gesture to speak.
“I’ll give your question question, Inchwhip” Spoke the dwarf. Kanil noticed her older dialect of dwarvish. Or perhaps she simply spoke oddly even for an ancient dwarf. Her voice also sounded as if it was being shouted from very very far away. Barely audible and yet entirely understandable. He wondered if all Cold Hunters sounded like this. She was the first he had spoken to. The others preferred murder to conversation.
She continued “In an ancient day a man had a dream and in it the wisdom of the world was revealed to him. Wisdom to bring peace, abundant food and paradise to the world.Have you heard this tale?”
Kanil frowned “Many times”
“Man goes to tell others, but they refuse to believe. ‘Why would you know this’ they say. They mock the man, and the man’s dream for the world cannot be done for the world refuses him. The man turns his craft to that of war and tongue. He rallies those who would believe to defeat those who won’t so that all may enjoy paradise. The man dies to a nameless arrow from a nameless man and his dream dies with him. War goes on although the true reason long forgotten”
“So, you’re saying no one knows why we do this?”
“No, child. Those who knew and sought to forge a perfect world tried and died. Those who carried their banners continued to carry it long after and after those died then more rose who found old tattered banners and graves and sought meaning and dreamed of paradise. It continues thus”
Kanil narrowed his eyes at Iteb “The culprit is those who’d force their will upon others then? Are you one of those, corpse?”
Iteb’s face was covered still yet Kanil could feel her cold grim smile “No. I am the one who sank the earth that swallowed your forces and your foes. The one who killed both with abandon. I threw my peoples children into the great chasm and dashed all order from this field.”
Kanil gripped his blade and three more Cold Hunters materialized around him, all dwarves. He spat at her “I didn’t realize you had enough of a heart left to gloat, corpse! Do you wish to test me now and see why your goddess fell to me?”
“
No goddesses. No masters” Iteb spoke “I watered your blood here for traitors sought to water it there” she pointed her free hand at the dark fortress “A ritual of blood was to take place there. Taking place even now, and the blood of those here was to ensure its success. Dream of paradise and an old banner lifted by the traitors.”
Kanil didn’t stare at the fortress she pointed at. He was ready to swing and risk everything on his ability to fight all four hunters himself. He did speak though “What are they doing there? How many are still there?”
“Fewer by the moment. The ritual draws to a close and the dream of paradise, a nightmare to you and your blood, will be unleashed again. Lead the survivors there. Stop the ritual. We shall be waiting there.”
Kanil bore his teeth at her “You killed my men in your cave-in”
“After the dream of paradise is shattered I shall kill you, Inchwhip” Iteb said. A promise, a challenge, a gift from one warrior to another. In her own venom she promised him his chance at vengeance once the greater foe was destroyed.
“Gather, Inchwhip” She and the others blinked out of existence and presumably headed towards the fortress.
It was sometime before Ingiz was able to assemble the survivors and march them to the surface. The rhino god refused to speak, but prowled up and down the lines staring holes into the souls of every dwarf that saw him. He was the legend that ended the age of Goblins, slew the marsh god, slew the demon master, and drove the goblins to near extinction all in a year. His legendary axe in one hand and whip in another. Both chained to his arms that he might never drop them.
Ingiz had dwarves break out on the surface in establishing a camp and approached Kanil on the hillside. The human hero was speaking with his foster-son Ilosp and Ingiz decided to stand quietly in view until the exchange ended
Source: Map I threw together real quick
“...I had to be here! This is the last great battle!” Ilosp said
“Last battle? There will always be more! As long as there are still fools who dream of being heroes”
“None of them will have seen the last battle of the dwarves though! Or fought in it!”
“You were mauled. You didn’t get to fight! Lost your blade in the cave-in and instead of finding a new weapon, as I taught you, you got pinned by an overgrown chicken!”
The two argued intensely, but Ingiz could tell it was from genuine care between them both. Ilosp was an orphan of the union, one of countless, and when first adopted looked as any union child: Hair kept shaved in mock discipline, shirt tucked, pants tucked into boots, and all other forms of obsessive discipline that the dwarves liked about the Union. Now, he sought to mimic his foster-father and grew out his hair. Still short it looked more like a brown mop on his head and he wore tattered clothing from his sparring as if it being worn out was some sign of experience. His shoulder and back bore many bandages.
Kanil’s armor was similarly tattered on the right side. It was a wonder he could put it on or take it off, but smiths were rare in the Entangled Plain and new armor was found by looting the dead. None of the enemies of late had been human. Kanil glanced at Ingiz and nodded his head signaling the dwarf for help
Ingiz had lost track of where the conversation was, but didn’t really need the cue “Don’t worry, lad. Plenty of glory to still go around. Got a mess of a wounded tent and we need someone to guard them. Still got Cold Hunters running around after all.”
Ilosp was not deceived “You just want me out of the way! Guarding some dumb tent!”
“Oh, I see. Do you want to stay on this hill guarding one of the only men no one is dumb enough to actually try to fight? Wounded in the tent need help and everyone is mad as the hell at each other right now. Need someone who isn’t a dwarf with a grudge to keep the peace. That’s you”
Now Ilosp believed and was gave a messy salute that left him wincing from his wounds “On it!” and he sauntered off.
“Thanks, Ingiz” Kanil said
“Wasn’t joking. Everyone is mad. Half of the traitors were blood-kin of the survivors and dwarven custom is demanding everyone declare grudges against each other. Even those with enough sense to know better were still mad watching their cousins and siblings get split open by their comrades”
Kanil scratched his chin in mock parody of Ingiz’s usual thinking pose “Darned dwarves and their traditions and stubbornness!” he said
Ingiz spat “got that right. By the end of the day we’re gonna have another battle and there won’t even be enough dwarves to dig a hole after that, unless we get out of here and let things cool down”
Kanil was silent at that and looked back at the fortress. Ingiz hated when the man was brooding and stomped up beside him “What? Tell me now, oath-brother! I haven’t the patience for your brooding and my peoples suicidal ways”
“Cold Hunters came up here. Led by Iteb. Said the traitors were doing a ritual down there. Something about ‘unleashing a dream of paradise’ and she said I wouldn’t like it”
Ingiz spat again “Iteb? We been hunting her since we slew Cor. No one has been able to find that traitor before now.”
“Think she is telling the truth?”
“Probably” Ingiz spat again at the thought “knowing the traitors and knowing this place, I know exactly what those beard munchers were up to”
Kanil waited patiently for the dwarf to continue and he did after pulling out his waterskin and taking a swig of ale. A staple of any dwarf trying to get through a working day “Demons, brother. Bottom of that hell-hole has a door to hell itself that the original demon slithered out of. Sealed up nice thanks to my people, but Cor took it from us and then she lost it herself. Looks like they want to unseal it and let them all out again. Another Leapbodice” Ingiz spat for a fourth time on the soil that could still not grow plants from the poison the fortress poured out decades ago upon it.
“They told us to go in and stop it. Sounds like we have to”
Ingiz looked back on the emerging camp and the crippled, angry, cursing dwarves stumbling around it. “Yeah” he said quietly
“If we kill all the demons then Iteb said she’d show up and we would have our battle”
Ingiz snapped his head back to Kanil “Darned fool! Never even fought a demon and talking like it's a rotten zombie that needs beheading? Each one fights like that swamp titan that crushed your legs a few years ago!”
Kanil grimaced at the memory. The swamp titan was the greatest failure of his life and he still hadn’t fully bounced back from it. Every now and again he’d have days where darkness seemed to take hold of him and no matter how hard he fought he could not compel himself to move forward or do anything. “I’ll have to win this time then. Have to” he said
“We need to make sure the freed children and those too wounded are sent away.” Ingiz found himself dreading this. Fighting soul-devouring monsters was certainly a glorious ending for his people, but the idea of being dragged to their nightmare realm of a home also terrified him.
“You found the children then? I had near forgotten about them from all the excitement”
“There's the whole reason the traitors were able to lure us out of here and you forgot?”
“It was a confusing battle, Ingiz”
Ingiz sighed “I’ll consult the king and the queen and see what they have to say. Doubt they’ll disagree though”
Kanil reached into his pack “You’ll be needing this” he said as he brought forth a steel axe. Not any steel axe, but
Matkan itself!
Ingiz took a step back in fear “You’ve been carrying that cursed thing all along?”
Kanil nodded “Yep. You told me a dwarf cursed it to destroy all dwarves, and dwarves were hunting me. So, I kept it just in case. Think you’d find it more useful than me though considering I am a swordsman” Kanil offered the weapon to Ingiz
It radiated pure hatred. The heart of a man cursed by fate, his people, and by the world itself. He poured all his hate into this last act of spite in hopes of seeing vengeance. It was one of the greatest weapons there was.
Ingiz gingerly took the weapon and as he touched it he felt it's nigh-sentient hatred direct itself at him. “I hate you I hate you! Die die die die!” he felt it screaming in his mind before it seemed to fade to mere background noise
“How did you not go mad hearing that?” Ingiz asked gritting his teeth against the hate
“Hear what?”
“The axe and its hatred?”
“I never heard anything. Can dwarves hear weapons?”
I don't think I'm nearly as talented at writing characters as, say, Brewerbob, or Quantum Drop, but I also felt like I couldn't keep moving this along without taking some time to really develop what is happening here and how everyone is reacting. I mean, thankfully, Kanil is a simple man even in his in-game personality! He wants to fight, he likes simple concepts, and likes to ask questions. He's a pretty well set up blank slate to look at the world. We'll see how much we focus on that in the future. Tbh I probably could put more time into really just writing and developing the story out, but I feel like I'd have to slow the updates and my own time actually playing by A LOT. And that seems like it would just hinder the project which is to reach the Age of Fairy Tales and just tell some fun stories along the way.
Poll
0 (0%)
Author
Topic: In Search of Fairy Tales - Adelaathira - The End of Dwarfdom (Read 49593 times)