Markus Heitz - The Dwarves

"Come and listen to this, Caphalor." Sinthoras threw back his head and laughed. "I've got a young дlf here who isn't afraid of her elders. It could be the death of her one day."

"She ought to be taught some respect," someone said behind them.

Rodario was caught off guard by the voice and whipped round, almost taking Balyndis's head off with his lance. His armor, which was slightly too big for him, clunked noisily.

Behind them was an дlf with long dark hair. Tungdil recognized him immediately as the sinister bowman who had shot at him in Goodwater and tracked the company through the Red Range. He knew they had to do something, but he couldn't for the life of him think what.

"I knew a Morana once, but she didn't look like you. Besides, the Morana I'm thinking of is dead." Caphalor's fathomless eyes settled on Narmora. He was wearing tionium-plated leather armor that seemed to swallow the sunlight. "You're not from Dsфn Balsur, are you?" He laid his slender fingers on the hilt of his sword. "Why did you lie to us? Tell us where you're from."

By now Boпndil was becoming restless. His eyes darted back and forth and he glanced at Tungdil, waiting for his command.

Should we attack? If we do, they're bound to overpower us. Tungdil didn't know what to do. The дlfar's ambush was entirely unexpected and it looked as though neither Sinthoras nor Caphalor had any intention of allowing Narmora to deliver her prisoners to Nфd'onn.

"I've had enough of your games," she said, her voice trembling slightly. For all her acting experience, she couldn't control her fear. "If you won't take me to him, I'll call him myself." She shouted out to Nфd'onn.

The дlfar laughed.

"That's too bad," Sinthoras said spitefully. "You're not the only one who's been lying. The magus is mustering his troops by the tower. We're just about to join him. My spear is looking forward to whetting itself on dwarfish blood."

"The tower?" She glanced at the mercenaries and the dwarves. "Then that's where I'll take them." She was about to push past Sinthoras when he whipped out his sword. Before the blade reached her neck, she parried the blow. "Another trick like that and I'll kill you," she said menacingly.

A knife whistled over the dwarves' heads, its sharp point embedding itself in the half дlf's armpit. She cried out in pain.

"My Morana sounded different as well," Caphalor said grimly.

Furgas couldn't contain himself any longer and lunged at the aggressor. The дlf stepped nimbly out of the way of his spear, drew his sword, and feigned a swipe at his head. Furgas fell for the ruse and readied himself to parry the blow. The dark-haired дlf rammed his sword into Furgas's belly. The prop master sank to his knees, groaning.

"Quick," Tungdil shouted to Rodario, who was rooted with shock. The impresario grabbed the sack and tossed the weapons to the dwarves. Throwing off their leather manacles, they seized their axes and hurled themselves on their hated foes.

As Rodario backed away from the smiling Sinthoras, Ireheart leaped into the breach, his axes twirling ferociously.

"So you want to dunk your toothpick in some dwarf blood, do you, hollow eyes?" He slashed at the дlf's hips, forcing him away from Rodario. The impresario seized his chance and fled. Ireheart took another step toward his opponent. "You'd better be quick because my axes are hungry for дlf flesh." They fell on each other, and Balyndis and Gandogar threw themselves into the mix, ignoring Boпndil's indignant shouts.

Andфkai and Tungdil were left to deal with Caphalor, while the injured Narmora went to Furgas's aid.

The half дlf's wound was relatively minor. The knife had missed the vein, nicking the flesh and drawing blood, but Furgas was in a critical state. By the time Narmora got to him, he was breathing shallowly, fumbling with his visor, and struggling for air.

"Furgas, my love," she said soothingly, pressing on his abdomen to stem the bleeding. The color returned to her eyes as she tended to him anxiously. Blood continued to gush from the wound. With a wild curse, she jumped to her feet, pushed Andфkai away from Caphalor, and harried the дlf with a series of blows. "I'll take care of him. You see to Furgas," she ordered. "He'll die if you don't." Her eyes darkened to hollows.

Andфkai retreated with a nod.

"How moving," Caphalor said scornfully. "I shouldn't worry, though. You'll be united in death." He dodged her weapon and kicked Tungdil elegantly in the chest. The dwarf fell backward and sat down with a thud. Caphalor smiled at Narmora. "Let's have some fun before I kill you."

He parried her next blow and punched her in the face. Struggling to keep her balance, she managed to duck beneath his sword, but his knee powered into her nose and she straightened up, placing herself unknowingly within reach of his blade.

Without stopping to think, Tungdil hurled his only ax at the дlf. Boпndil would have disapproved of the tactic, but he didn't know what else to do.

The blade whistled as it arced through the air, alerting Caphalor to the danger.

In a movement so swift that Tungdil scarcely saw it happen, Caphalor caught the weapon by the haft and tossed it back. The дlf used the momentum to whirl like a spinning top toward Narmora and knock her sideways. He raised his sword to kill her as she fell.

Tungdil had no time to dodge the flying ax, which hit him poll-first in the chest. His ribs cracked audibly and the pain was terrible, but it could have been far worse.

"Leave her to me, Caphalor," a hoarse voice commanded. The дlf froze and turned to see Nфd'onn, who had appeared out of nowhere.

"But, Master, you…"

His confusion lasted long enough for Narmora to sit up and thrust her blade into the crouching дlf's neck. The blow almost parted his head from his shoulders, but Caphalor took one last lunge at her, slashing at her throat, then toppling over and burying her beneath him.

Sinthoras let out a terrible howl. He realized that his friend was dead and that the distraction was the work of an impostor. Glancing at his opponents, he decided that the odds were against him. He had sacrificed his amulet already and was no match for the maga on his own. "We'll meet again," he promised. "Sinthoras will be your death." With that he disappeared into the tent.

Tungdil and his companions chased after him but found the magus's quarters deserted. Damn that дlf! He's tricked us again.

Rodario, still posing as the magus, had stayed outside to disperse the crowd of startled beasts. He instructed them to return to the battle and kill any of their comrades who weren't fighting savagely enough. "I'll take care of the treacherous sorceress myself." He stabbed a finger at Andфkai and muttered a few unintelligible words. "Take that!" The maga sank obligingly to the ground. Impressed by the magus's power, the orcs and bцgnilim backed away, bowing respectfully.

"An unsophisticated audience is a gift from above," he murmured gratefully into his malachite cowl. His heart had been in his throat throughout the scene. He checked that the coast was clear and beckoned to Andфkai. "No one's looking. Come quickly, Estimable Maga! Narmora needs your help!"

The maga crouched over the half дlf and began a healing incantation to close the wound, while Rodario stood in front of them, spreading out his voluminous robes to hide them from view. "Incidentally, you'd make a wonderful actress. I've never seen anyone die with such conviction."

"This is no time for flattery," she rebuked him, concentrating on her charm.

As quickly and discreetly as possible they carried the dead дlf and their two wounded companions into the tent and held a whispered conference. Boпndil peered out of the flap and kept watch.

"Sinthoras is bound to tell the magus about us," said Tungdil. He glanced down at Furgas's motionless form. Andфkai had induced a deep healing sleep in the hope that he would recover. Narmora was stroking his hand comfortingly, but she herself was shaking all over and her throat was smeared with blood.