A somber mood hung over the dining hall as the champions returned, victorious yet still missing two of their number. Everyone in the fortress has seen the dead heroes carried down to the Warrior's Tomb, still clad in their steel armor but marred with gore where they had been cruelly struck down by Xuspgas. Although the orcs had suffered heavy losses, the loss of even a single dwarf felt like losing a family member to many, and the knowledge that these two would likely not be the last casualties was present in the minds of many.
It was into this atmosphere that Unib Keskalerib, the newly elected mayor of Lanternwebs, was forced to make his first speech. The final votes had been being tallied as the orcs appeared on the horizon, and the defense of the fortress had taken priority over everything else. There had been times in the last days when he had wondered if running for Mayor had been a enormous mistake, but with Olin working the forges to create more armor and Kib outside in pitched combat with the orcs, there hadn't been anyone else to replace him, or even to turn to for advice.
Nobody, that is, except for Tosid, the first leader of the fortress. He didn't speak very much to anyone these days, and spent all of his time scuttling for place to place mumbling about spikes, grates, spiders, webs, the ancients, and gears. Some of the other founders of the fortress seemed to be in on whatever he was planning, but they never talked about it.
Nevertheless, Unib had worked up the courage to talk to Tosid one day during the siege while he was working on a set of mechanisms, no doubt to further his project, and had asked him for advice on running the fortress.
"Running the fortress?" Tosid had responded incredulously. "You need help running the fortress? I designed the fortress better than that, lad. It runs itself, more or less. Everyone knows their jobs, everything's available when you need it, it all ticks over like a masterfully carved set of mechanisms."
"Except," he continued darkly, "When something gets in the way. Something unexpected comes up. Not the goblins, no, we expect those and the military will sort it out. Something comes up like a cave-in, or there's a dead dwarf and everyone needs a bit of a pick-me-up speech. That's the only time you need to step in and do anything. Besides that, best to leave everything alone."
Unib wished now that he had asked about how to give a pick-me-up speech as he stood in front of the waterfall in the dining room, feeling the cool mist on his back. As he cleared his throat for attention, he felt the mist calming him down a bit and disguising the nervous sweat that had begun to develop.
"My fellow dwarves." he began haltingly. "I know that I was elected to be your mayor, but today I feel no different than the rest of you. I know that the tragic deaths of our two brave warriors weight heavily on all of our hearts. I know that nothing that I do can bring them back to life, free from the terrible injuries inflicted upon them. And I know that nothing that I say can replace the empty space inside each of us where their companionship once was."
Here, his voice grew stronger as he addressed the silent crowd.
"But they did not die for nothing. Today, Xuspgas lies dead, his forces slain or fleeing. Today, each of you is able to draw breath in safety, because of their sacrifice. Today, our human guests will be able to trade in peace, to leave and spread tales of their bravery and heroism though all of the lands to the south, that they will live until the mountains themselves crumble to dust in song and story."
"And they did not die unwillingly. They were taken before their time, it is true. But they were not taken in cowardice, in ambush, or in accident. They stood shoulder to shoulder with their brothers and sisters and charged, fearless to the last, and died in glorious battle with a worthy opponent. They did not hesitate, they did not waver, they did not falter. They died without regrets, upholding their sworn duty: to protect Lanternwebs and each of you."
His voice, now loud and confident, filled the room.
"And so I say: Do not mourn them. Do not shed tears for their death. Honor them. Respect their bodies, encased in the bones of the mountains and warmed by the blood of the earth as they rest. Enjoy each day of life that you have onward, knowing that that enjoyment was the thing that both of them felt was worth sacrificing themselves for."
"To Kogan Risenbomerk, Swordmaster of Lanternwebs!"
"To Kogan!" replied the dwarves.
"To Mörul Zursulrovod, Axe Lord of Lanternwebs!"
"To Mörul!" shouted the dwarves.
"And no less important are the heroes who continue to live, and defend this fortress to the last. Kib Amkolrigòth the Fields of Scalding. The Tooninator, Lyrics of Noiselessness. Flint Dakaskûbuk the Acrid Palm of Spines. Stukos Medtobkoman the Distracting Gold of Tributes. And two more to join their ranks during this battle: Ducim Dodokod the Warm Mortal of Umbras and Melbil Robusttorch the Jade Blizzard of Blades. Standing beside them will be other dwarves, no less skilled with their weapons, and together they shall defend Lanternwebs from any force that threatens it!"
As Unib stepped away from the front of the room, he almost didn't notice the chill of his soaked cotton shirt. He had completed his first act as mayor, and it felt wonderful.
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Topic: Lanternwebs (The End!) (Read 80534 times)