Dietrick's Tale. (a very sword buckling right-sized tale)

[Pyrus]

PROLOGUE
The giantspire mountains has long since known to be a savage place, ruled by trolls, barbarian tribes and other denizens tough enough to endure the rugged place. This tale then begins in this setting. A setting of the big mountains, of big barbaric creatures, big obstacles, and even bigger than them all, a bigger heart.
Deep within the well hidden heights of the giantspire mountain, lies the village of red rock, home to the iron axe tribe. As one of the tribes dwelling in a place meant only for the tough or savage or both, the hidden iron axe tribe is no doubt one of the most remarkable clans.
As other tribes stand out usually by ruthlessness or great prowess, the iron axe stood out only by one thing: their love for one another. Contrary to the common culture of "the strong shall survive" of the other tribes, the iron axe have always believed in looking out for one another, and it is this culture that distinguishes the iron axe and enable it to survive.
–-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a clear day thought to be normal, a trade caravan was travelling north from the city of peltarch to hoarsgate. Halfway along the narrow route within the giantspire mountains, angry shoutings was heard then followed the sightings of men with coloured paint on their faces jumping out with weapons from the trees. The caravan guards quickly fell to the sudden ambush, having almost no time to react. Within minutes, all that remained were corpses and the debris of what was once a caravan. As the aggressors scavenged through the supplies greedily, their leader look menacingly at a crying child, no more the length of his shin. As he contemplated, a sharp wizzling sound was heard, some of his men have fallen on the ground still.
Another group of tribesmen, with different paint marks jumped out and attacked them. The surprised tribals look up and began to fight fiercely and bravely, swinging with great force and savagery. The new comers did not seem as formidable as them at first, however one could notice the new comers were actually more united in their attacks, flanking together against the same targets and defending each other while the surprised tribals simply went berserk each in their own paths. In time, the first group fell.
The new victors quickly took to the spoils. But something caught their eye. A crying halfling child, was beating on the corpses of their foes. They glared at the child in silence.
Dietrick grew along in the village of red rock. The tribals have taken pity and adopted him into their village, having inspired by his will to fight despite a young age. He played and was trained along with all the other children of the iron axe tribe, being taught the basic survival and martial skills. Often teased for his size, Dietrick was never discouraged but worked harder to prove himself. In time he grew to become a muscled youth, with strength that equals many of his much larger peers.
And Finally that day came which would change this warrior forever. In the village of red rock, when the men matures to an age of eighteen or so, they would volunteer to enlist into the iron axe army. The group responsible for protecting and hunting for resources for the village. It is the passion and desire of every youth who matures to do so, it is the way of the iron axe tribesman.
As all his peers did so, Dietrick naturally followed. However... the chief of the tribe refused him. Dietrick was disheartened. He knows why. Amongst the tribals, he is strange. The only one being small in size, the only one who held a name that's outworldly. He was "adviced" to be a smith in the village at best, was told it suited him most. Dietrick however would not have it, for he always remembered the martial teachings since young, that "it isn't the strength of one's arm that makes one a warrior, but the boldness to be fearless in one's heart". This had always been Dietrick's guiding principle.
Thus naturally rebelling at the thought of having one's destiny fixed by others, Dietrick decided he'd once again fight to prove himself. Thus one moonless night, he sneaked out, out of the village, out into the woods, out into the mountains.
Besides not wanting to be stuck with menial jobs for life, Dietrick have always pondered what it was like, in the outside world. Having only heard the colourful tales of it by the elders. His heart beat fiercely, enticed by the dangers and wonders the outside world could offer. He has decided he will go out into the world out there, the world the village condemned as "more dangerous than the world they lived in". He will prove himself: by becoming triumphant in this so called "world too dangerous to venture out into". He will hone: to become a warrior greater than any his village knew. And he will master: the sword all including himself believed too big for him to wield. Let his life be a mocking reflection to the "giants" who believed his race to be lessers at.
Thus begins the tale of "THE HIN SIZED SWORD WIELDING HALFLING".

[Pyrus]

JAY BEFORE THE LEGION

The infamous Jay the swordsman comes up to the legion tower to face justice at the hands of the legion. From the eyes of Dietrick the halfling warrior…

When Dietrick first hear of the news that Jay has come up to the legion tower, set up tent and awaiting justice at their hands, a wave of the sense of pity, swept over him. Jay is by all means, someone who has attained a high level as a warrior, and has now bravely come to face the full brunt of the legion's might alone. There is respect to be found in that, even for an evil criminal.

Dietrick neither was involved or was around when Jay had committed whatever evil it is that he had done. All Dietrick ever heard of him, was that he was a wanted criminal for having supposedly done 'evil things'. Ignorant of what evil deeds exactly, it was difficult for the hin warrior to bear any form of hatred towards this warrior. And now hearing the man had come to face justice bravely at none other than the legion, Dietrick could not help but picture the man fighting bravely but helplessly cut down by the numbers of the legion.

Dietrick's heart hung low at the thought of that…

Wishing to witness a brave warrior's end, as well as intercede for him, Dietrick rides on his pony north to the legion tower.

It was midday like any other, the sun was up and in the distance, he sees a couple. Being curious, Dietrick walked up to take a closer look. Under the shade within a clearing of trees, stood Jay himself with a woman.

Dietrick did not recognize her, she had a sad look of longing in her eyes as she looked over Jay.

Jay sighs, "Shoulda been dead 'while go, Jaelle. But I dragged ye inta somethin' I nay intended. Time t' make things right, eh?"

Dietrick blinks, being the ever clueless halfling, simply stood silent watching. It was as if he was caught in a magical spell, where time froze, with only the couple in motion, and he was, like the surrounding, caught in frozen time. The couple was so strongly caught up in each other they paid all their attention only to themselves and none to his presence.

Jaelle: "Aye I ken love. We both should be dead by all rights. I'll join ye when me time comes love."

Jay: "What're y'gunna do after this..?"

Jaelle: "Finish wat I 'ave been tasked ta do"

Jay: "'m done with e'erythin' m'self. Yer free from it now, darlin'."

They exchange a few more words, with Jaelle sighing heavily. Jay leans in to plant a kiss on Jaelle's lips, and she returns it passionately.

Dietrick does not know what evil Jay has committed, but at this point, he looked only like a man who had lost all hope of life. Jay is pale looking, with dark circles under his eyes. He had the look of a man about to be executed.

It wasn't before long when the legion began marching out…

"Uh oh, the legion." Dietrick says to himself, feeling anxious. Theaon and Benji appeared at the head of the troops. Dietrick approaches and greets.

"Alright, easy everyone" Theaon assures the legionaires.

"Are yuh all really gonna kill jay here?" Dietrick asks Theaon as he stood between the legion and Jay.

Behind, Jay slides on his helmet. "Mmh.."

Theaon: " <h>We're going to try to capture him"

Dietrick replies quietly: "h> dats just. may all go well with ya'"

Dietrick then informs Theaon: "h> dietrick not noes wat jay does so he not gonna join in. he is here to watch wat happens to great warrior."

Theaon: " <h>Jay murdered a defenseless woman and her child. Then had them sacrificed to Umberlee..."

A look of shock came over Dietrick's face. The deeds were vile and cruel. Perhaps because Dietrick did not witness it personally, he could not reconcile Jay and the cruel injustice together. He could only agree in his heart Jay deserves the justice that was coming to him.

The battle eventually broke out but not before long, out of the trees north, Urdlenites launched a surprise attack on the legion. To the south, heavily armed humans sprang up as well and attacked the legion tower. Caught in a perilous siege, Dietrick jumps in to help the legion fight off the mysterious invaders.

Jay fell early... but his death came at great price. The mysterious assailants' attack was well planned and their troops well trained. Many legionaires were killed in the battle, including Benji and Troff.

"Our flank!" yells Theaon followed by someone's scream. The attackers had mage support, casting the likes of spells like acid sheath. Dietrick took cover behind the side of walls, springing out to cut down the attackers as they came from both directions north and south. Eventually, the battle was won and the attackers defeated, but half the legion were dead, as well as many innocent adventurer who had merely intended to watch the event as a bystander, not expecting the onslaught.

For the life of Dietrick, he cannot understand why the likes of Aelthas and Albryanna simply stood by the side watching and refused to lift their weapons to help. Is Aelthas not Grag's nephew??? Benji had yelled in fustration at one point: "DRAW YOU FARKING SWORDS GONDAMN IT! USE YOUR DAMN WEAPON AELTHAS!"

Albrayana, present Norwick militia commander was asked to help. She replied she was "watching". Grag had angrily responded "And i watch when i defend yer walls!?"

Perhaps if they had helped, less would have paid with their lives. It is difficult to understand Aelthas and Albrayanna's motives, and even harder to have respect for them after this.

The air was filled with the scent of blood in the aftermath. Standing amidst the corpses, Dietrick offered a silent prayer to Tempus to honor the valiant who gave their lives. When he was done, he walked around the corpses obstructing to Theaon.

Dietrick: "Theaon Dietrick wants ask, din ya say yuh were gonna take in jay?"

Theaon: "Well that got out of hand considering what happened.... He joined the gnomes in attacking us, then these farks attacked."

Dietrick sighed in his heart, Theaon is right, it was too chaotic back there. Apparently it is thought out that Jaelle was behind the attackers. And then Dietrick had this thought, that Jaelle indirectly killed Jay.

"This jaelle very very silly, if she let legion take jay quietly jay not die… now in way she get her lover killed..."

"Aye Diet." responds Grag. Dietrick could feel the pity in his heart as well.

"Jaelle wouldn't have wanted Jay to suffer sitting in a prison." replies Senria.

In a way perhaps, Jaelle liberated Jay. Their love and the way they loved, probably cannot be understood by Dietrick. Dietrick had intended for Jay to be taken, jailed and given a new lease at life. But as Aelthas puts it, "Some don't get a chance at redemption". So it seems true and so ends the life of Jay.

END</h></h>

[Pyrus]

EPILOGUE OF A HIN WARRIOR

Sunset after the defeat of the dracolich and the Hungry One, last of the demonic taint holder…

Dietrick stands atop the hill, gazing at the distant sun setting in an orange hued sky. The clouds are dyed like wild fires.

Finally… it is over...

Or has it really ended? Perhaps. It is fact, that the dracolich and Wendigo the Hungry One has been ended, defeated before Dietrick's very eyes in battle merely hours ago in a wave of massive assault by various heroes of narfell. Despite this fact, the experience of the reality of it seemed almost surreal. The taint, the horrors, the bloodshed, they all seemed like only recent occurrence, floating by in his mind.

Then it came, like a gentle breeze, images of each significant battle. It all started so many years ago. He was but a recruit drafted into the Norwick Militia, fighting off Norwick town sieges with all his breath against the demons, into the very heart of the demon fortress itself… The backlash... How it tainted the rawlinswood and how the first taint holders originated...

How a simple guardsman accidentally befriended druids... How he chased after the source of the demon remnants, how he discovered Thoon Half-Balor, after which leading the dragoons and hinnaks into battle within the warrens.

The finding of the ancient druid scroll, the forming of Irmmansul... He did not ask for all these, but as fate would have it, fate led him into one event after another...

Ultimately...

The destruction of the Hungry One, the final, LAST taint holder.

Its over? Just like that?

Thinking back, he was so serious back in the day. The injustice loosed upon his colleagues, fellow guardsman Chet who lost his and his family's souls to the demons. Slog of the demons who slew the innocents including yana within the grapevine.

The helplessness… The Anger...

He was chasing, chasing to follow the trail leading to the end of all these…

Over the countless sweat and blood shed, he was looking to the biggest, the most glorious battle as that end. That end of all these, the epilogue of his warriorhood. Just one, one glorious battle for an important cause, and to die in it, will win the greatest honor a warrior can win for eternity. To finally stand at Tempus' side, as one who has walked the way, and earned his place.

He had grown playful of late... restless easily.. bored fast... Often having to come up with mischief to amuse himself, so different compared to the past... In truth, he was restless. Having earned his honor as a warrior when he defeated his tribe village's champion and acknowledged by his entire village, he hadn't met a battle since, that meant something. A difficult fight in terms of technicalities sure, but a battle that meant something about honor, no.

He was waiting…

They say, its not how well a warrior fights that makes a great warrior. But how a warrior dies, that makes the greatest warrior. For it is how he dies, whether he died gloriously, at that point by which he can truly be examined as to whether he has the spirit of a warrior.

Dietrick had asked Maya to recite a prayer to Tempus over the Temposans. He expected her to. He was prepared, prepared to see that glorious end to it all…

Here now however, he is still standing, looking at the beautiful sunset inside the silver valley. So it has all ended, but somehow, that glorious death in the greatest battle to save narfell, did not happen as he had expected. He still recalled Maya revealing Tempus' given sign, something about the white and black horse, which goes to mean Tempus is taking no sides for that battle. Tempus' intent would be for whoever fights more valorous to take the win. The thought that nothing special is upon his side that day to push him closer to victory, he had thought it is this day he is to fall gloriously in what seemed an impossible battle.

And strangely, it has all ended. The end of a trail he had followed for so long, the beginning and end of the demon taint wars.

Or, has it really ended? Perhaps. For now at least however short, there will be peace for sometime... Perhaps it simply isn't his time yet.

END

[Pyrus]

ONE HIN SHOW
A solo hin's misadventure into the abyss turns out to be quite the ride

Rain drops fell out of the night sky like a maiden's weep as the Captain makes his rounds around the valley. Looking back, it has been years since his last adventure, since the demon wars and his involvement in the southern Rawlinswood trouble. These quiet years, he had spent guarding inside the valley.

He must've been reminiscing about the past deeply, for Dietrick had not noticed the little hin girl approaching up to him.

"Hey! You look funny." says the little girl.

"Heya!" replies Dietrick as he awkwardly looks about him in attempt to detect any body odour, feeling insecure.

Dietrick smiles awkwardly as he looks at the girl in silence.

"Want to see a surprise?" the little girl asks mischievously.

"Yah!" replies an excited Dietrick.

She beckons him to follow as she leads him around and out the main gate, sneaking out she did. Dietrick grows worried for the little girl leaving the main gate, at this time of the night. He was about to call out to her that it was a bad idea when suddenly she started climbing up the side of a hill. Dietrick quickly followed.

The chase continued as Dietrick pursued and finally caught up to her, they finally reached a set of menhir stones in the middle of the silver valley.

"Close your eyes." the little girl says.

Innocently, Dietrick does so.

An arcane sound is heard…

"Can dietrick open eyes now?"

"You can now."

Dietrick opens his eyes, for a moment he lies in shock. They were nowhere in the valley but in what looked like hell… They were in the abyss…

The girl transformed into a huge spider babilith, staring menacingly at Dietrick. Dietrick instantly reacted by clamming his helm over his head and puts his sword up.

"What do ya want!" demands Dietrick.

"To eat your soul, through the stomach…" replies the Babilith as it crawls towards Dietrick to attack, the two charge towards each other and start to exchange blows. The monster's huge claws rend into Dietrick's armour which dents severely under the huge claws' pressures. Knowing he cannot win this battle, Dietrick tumbles backwards, gulps down his potion of invisibility and runs for his life.

Each time he saw a way down slope, he scrambled down. Over his head, the flap of wings can be heard. A peek up reveals a mass of black shapes circling overhead. A winged demon sweeps down behind Dietrick and chases. Predicting his foe cannot see but could only sense him, he keeps on running.

Eventually they reached the bottom of the abyss, in front of a mysterious sealed well. The demon stops and looks around, trying to find the little hin. Suddenly, he feels an invisible blade at his throat.

"Where are we, talk!" Dietrick interrogates.

"In the Abyss..." the fiend replies and laughs even as he lurches forward his throat at Dietrick's blade, dying immediately.

The stress is building up in Dietrick as he is desperate for a way out. The Babilith is catching up, Dietrick could see it by the top over looking the well.

"I see you..." the spider snarls.

Dietrick quickly looks about his surroundings for openings: above him is pure darkness, the Babilith's claim that he is in the abyss does not seem false. He has one advantage though, the path down to where he was is too narrow for the giant Babilith to squeeze through towards him. He still has some time... or not... some mephits circle overhead above him with a winged succubus in their middle.

Dietrick tries desperately to examined the sealed well while batting off the mephits who charge straight at him with his sword.

The succubus begins to cast as Dietrick continues to examine the sealed well, hoping it may prove to be an exit.

Then his mind went into a whirl, confusion!!!! When he regains consciousness, the succubus lies dead, but he is severely wounded with arrows pierced through his body. By Tempus he miraculous survived a battle he had no control over. Holding the pain in, Dietrick drinks healing potions as he moves towards the well. Desperate, he pulls out his silver masterworked hammer and begins smashing the sealed well entrance.

The constructed cover over the well does not bulge in the least, the material it was made of is not any he had seen before. Dietrick is stranded, desperate, the well's cover cannot be broken and more demons will arrive soon drawn by the loud clammer of his hammer against the well's cover.

Five dretches appear by the only exit out from where the well was. They begin casting.

"ARGGGGGGGGGGGH!" Dietrick unleashes his battlecry.

Left without a route to escape, Dietrick's mind is filled with only the desperation to survive as he charges frantically at the dretches, cutting large bits off each swing. They fall to his skill in battle, and what's left is the Bebilith waiting sinisterly up the hill.

Dietrick reaches for his ginger made bow and begins firing at the Babilith, fully aware that the spider could not get to him where he is.

Dammit!" curses an exasperated Dietrick as the arrows fail to pierce the Bebilith's thick hide.

Left with no other viable choice, Dietrick charges up the slope at the waiting Bebilith and the two once again lock into melee. At the first opening as the spider reels back to dodge an attack, Dietrick tumbles backwards and with great athleticism gets up and sprints in the opposite direction.

Dietrick feels helpless as he dashes forward blindly. Not knowing any way of escape, just attempting to escape becoming a meal, and living only for each present moment.

"I don't wish to die… Not like this..."

Each time there is a way leading up, Dietrick takes it, with the Bebilith close behind in chase. Eventually the two reach higher grounds. Seeing a corner with tall rocks obstructing passage, Dietrick fled into the narrow passage. The Bebilith lagging behind, unable to keep up with Dietrick's superior running speed.

A group of stronger mephits sweep down to ambush Dietrick within. Like a panther pounding each prey after another, Dietrick flashes with each blink of the eye leaping from one mephit to the next while dodging their magics. Magical bolts are cast in rapid succession, a barrage of bolts fly at the hin who is seemingly caught in a position impossible to dodge. However right before they hit, magic from Dietrick's waist belt deflected them off. The surprised mephits are left open from the shock as a quick reacting Dietrick dispatch the last remaining few.

"Come on out..." says the familiar demonic voice of the bebilith, peering side-to-side through tiny openings in the rocks obstructing the passage in.

Dietrick catches back some of his breath, fumbles into his pack and begins drinking more healing potions. He is in a stalemate, caught somewhere without exit and a hungry bebilith awaiting him right behind those rocks.

"Don't force me to go to you..." the Babilith taunts... frozen helpless, Dietrick stares at the spider mutter incantations and becomes a smaller sized monster. The new resized demon approaches him from around the rocks, the two circle around the rocks with the rock in between, before Dietrick gulps down a speed potion and decides to take the chance to fight the Babilith's new form.

The smaller sized demon walks run into a mighty smash of Dietrick's almighty sword slash. Blood splurts violently as Dietrick successfully hacked a wide open wound across demon's chest, sending splinters of its demonic hide flying in the air. The demon however quickly transforms back into its huge bebilith form. Dietrick takes the opportunity to run out the narrow passage as the demon is now trapped in there again, now too large to pass through.

Continuing his blind run forward, a shape begins to form ahead of him, a building! Running up the entrance door, Dietrick fumbles with an unrelenting door knob.

"Dietrick aint' got da time for this!!!"

Stepping back, Dietrick charges straight and throws all his weight against the door. The door falls back from the momentum of Dietrick's body toss.

Huff… Huff... Huff... The hin warrior catches back his breath as hot sweat drips down to the ground from his forehead.

Dietrick's picks himself up as he swipes off the door splinters off him quickly as he begins to look at his new surroundings.

Having entered the building, he now stands along a cobbled corridor, it looks like some sort of temple. There are openings from the corridor into a big room. Huddling close against the wall, he slides his head to peep inside the room.

Hell hounds line up guarding something huge… Several succubus are in incantation, a huge winged devil lie in the middle of the room, imprisoned in the succubus' magical ward.

A hound spots Dietrick. Dietrick quickly pulls his head in, takes a deep breath and holds up his sword close to his body.

Patter patter comes the hoof steps getting louder

NOW!

Gauging the distance by the sound of the steps, Dietrick swings his sword outwards at the doorway right as the hound steps in. Red gushes vibrantly as blood splurts from the cruel cut into the throat of the hound and a clean pull of the blade back.

The hound yelps and gurgles desperately a few moments before lying still.

The next nearest hound approaches the doorway but refuses to enter, wary of whatever lies behind by that doorway...

Dietrick pulls himself slightly away from the doorway having felt the heat approaching. Flames burst out behind the doorway. The hound refuses to enter and simply tries in vain at breathing fire into an empty doorway.

But Dietrick noticed, that there is a very short interval between each fire breath. Timing it closely, Dietrick charges out of the doorway just as the flame breath ends.

Seeing the terrifying swordsman figure of Dietrick charging at it, the hound turns to try getting back to its allies.

??!?!?!??!?!?!

The hound's eyes widen. Its hind legs have lost their sensation a second before the horrifying pain hits.

Dietrick had lobbed off its back hind legs sending the hound crashing to the ground… Lying on its side as its front paws are still 'running' in the air, the hound widens its eyes another one last time as a huge blade falls right on top of it...

Plain in open view inside the room, the rest of the hounds charge at Dietrick.

This is it, its now or never! GAMBIT

Knowing its over if the succubus' cast confusion on him, Dietrick gulps down several potions, including his one and only potion of clarity. With flames leaping at him, Dietrick charges directly towards the succubuses lined at the back of the room, totally ignoring the hounds which try hard to snap their fangs at him.

Tumbling across and beneath the leaping snap of one hound and jumping over the firebreath of the others', in similar fashion Dietrick makes his way to the first succubus while succesfully at the same time dodging the hounds' determined attacks.

His giant blade cuts the first succubus nearly in half as the rest begin to grow nervous, concentrating their spell barrage at him. With amazing speed, he takes the succubus's' down one after another as their confucion spells fail against him. Their evard's black tentacles proving more of an aid against the hounds than against the hin who slips away from their grasps easily due to his size. As the last succubus falls, Dietrick turns to finish off the last remaining hounds.

Victory…?

The large devil in the middle stirs… Its eyes looking slightly impressed at a lone hin's skill in besting a room filled full with demons.

"Free... at last..." he moans.

Standing strong before the towering devil whose huge wings casts a shadow over the hin warrior, Dietrick is unwavering.

"What do you wish, mortal?"

Delibrating between Telli to return or his freedom, Dietrick concludes even if Telli were to return back to life now, them being trapped together in the Abyss with no way out would do neither any good.

"Dats easy. Dietrick just wants go back to da silver valley, outta this place!"

Reaching to grap hold of Dietrick's hand, the Devil mutters an incantation and they appear right in the middle of the valley.

"And now I'd go have some fun..." says the Devil as he casts a spell and disappears, leaving a half relieved, half bewildered Dietrick staring after him...

Letting out a deep sigh of relief, it is only now in safety that Dietrick begins to notice that the hammer he had in his arsenal had a strange glow it never had before...

Pulling it out and examining it, a puzzled Dietrick is reminded he had used this very hammer to smash at the strange out of world material that the well cover is made of.

Hmph. Not bad for a day's work.

Edited for language and additional content
-end-

[Pyrus]

When the Valley's Flower Withers

A prequel and seperate story on its own to Once upon a Fall series.

Three years ago at dusk, in the time of the crop blight…

Voices can be heard from within the barracks in the Silver Valley…

"So explain again…one is real and one is not?" Z was asking in his usual gentle prudent self.

"Well ya think can der be two real z? Can there be two dietrick or two z?" replies Dietrick a little edgy.

"What is the other? One of them changling, things?" Z continues asking.

"Yea. Is wat me guess " came Deet's reply.

"Twins?" Z.

"Noes. How many times me have to say they both tink they are the real same person?!" came an irritated reply from Dietrick.

"sorrie..." Dietrick apologetically as he face palms his face.

"oh, you din say...ok." Z replies quietly.

"Many stupid probs lately, dietrick losing patience quickly.." The hin gives out a long sigh, still face palming his face, he continues... "Just da crop alone give me probs."

"Well, hopefully this'll work..." Z says.

"Yah at least one prob down. Farkin hells me shud get like lotta pay for da kinda work ere' heh." Dietrick jests a bit, his face looking weary and stressed.

The two engage in casual talk between themselves as they waited, an unusually long time pass before a handful of dragoon militia enters the barracks finally, with two identical looking girls with them.

Dietrick thumps his chest at the sight of them.

" <h>well lets get this over with and destroy one of them." says one of the dragoons.

An awkward stunned look flows onto Dietrick's face as his eyes widen, the Captain just got slightly annoyed. One of the girls begin to sob, the other followed after which as well.

"h> thanks dragoons, nice work. mind keeping watch outside please? Dietrick like to speak to them in private." Dietrick says cordially, about to let it slide. He couldn't let them stay however, he knows he cannot trust them around Mary, not with the kind of thoughts they were holding, those were dangerous thoughts.

"Nope, we got the iron blades and we stay till you tell us which one ta strike and destroy." One of the dragoons replied defiantly. Dietrick's eyes narrows…

W-what? What is this?

The other dragoon thumbs his chest and salutes Dietrick. "They've been like this the whole way here, Sir." The other dragoon reports. In the background, Z cringes slightly, but nods slowly and sadly. Z being his honest self, probably could not bear to see the speculated outcome.

Dietrick's eyes looked sharp, like those of a hunter. He stood still; facing the two Mary's and the two dragoons behind them, the way he always did when he's about to strike. His hands reach for the handle of his sword on his back, and slowly, Dietrick draws out his legendary sword Lawgiver. As the gleam of the sword is slowly exposed, Dietrick orders the dragoons outside…

Sheeeeeeeeen A smooth clinking sound is heard from the friction between the metal of the sword and the scabbard as the sword is slowly unsheathed.

"Wait! Wait wait wait..." whimpers Mary as she looks on in fear at the magnificent sword being drawn...

"The iron test . . . it didn't work, right?" Mary asks nervously.

_A bolt! Dietrick's mind goes back weeks ago. The iron bar, it was pressed against both Mary's wrists. Both of them developed a skin rash… A confirmation of fey anatomy...

Either both are fey, or one had a natural allergy. Drats! Dietrick will need a true seeing spell to find out for sure..

He snaps that memory out as he focuses back into the present._

"What if this test is wrong?" Mary continues saying, in that nervous voice, almost trembling.

Dietrick looks at her straight and silent. He held no expression.

"And you kill the wrong one? What if? are YOU SURE?" Mary continues saying…

Suddenly, Dietrick flings his sword off... The sword somersaults and makes a clang sound as it crashes into the side wall. Mary jumped at that, squeeling.

Dietrick holds up two empty hands. "Dietrick not say he gonna kill anyun?" An assuring expression flows on his face as he replies.

An ominous voice comes from the back behind Mary. "You won't have to, we will." says one of the dragoons, still inside the barracks. Two more still remained after a few others were sent off.

"If you want sir. but I would not fell comfy leaving you both alone with these...girls." the other dragoon respond to the earlier command, appearing more loyal than the other.

"Now kin da dragoons please leave us first? dietrick wish do this in private." sighs Dietrick as he orders.

At this point, Z who was standing beside the hin warrior, leans in to whisper into his ears. "I should cast it on you, Dietrick. Let you make the decision...I don't feel comfortable pointing the finger."

Dietrick, looking uneasily at the surprise commotion whispers back, "Very well.."

"Sir, identify the victim. So we can get this over with." replies the defiant dragoon.

"They disobey you?" Z questions, surprised as well by the dragoon's behavior as he held back from casting his spell, interrupted by the unexpected defiance. Dietrick hadn't expected this either, he did not... Dietrick noddles his head to Z.

"Victim? They want one of us dead. I don't know why . . . " Mary whimpers and begins to cry, tears falling down her young cheeks.

"Eh ye both jus stay quiet." the defiant dragoon snaps at both Mary.

"Now fer da last time, all dragoons please keep watch outside." Dietrick orders firmly, he was getting ready against defiance of orders.

"Sir, the folks ouside are gatherin. Making a fire and all." reports the other seemingly loyal dragoon who hasn't lost his allegiance to Dietrick.

Dietrick's eyebrows furrow. "They are?"

"Yeah."

"Darn it!" Dietrick looks down, trying to think as quickly as he can, he knows the situation is starting to get out of hand, and he had to act quickly.

"If it looks like you are gonna 'back down'.." the defiant dragoon says in the background with an ominous tinge to it. "You gotta decide..." taunts the defiant dragoon.

Okay so now I've got a defiant dragoon, a mob outside, two young girls… I must think quick....

"…and you gotta be sure..." continues the defiant dragoon.

"Yup." adds in the other dragoon.

"Cause they wants the blood of a fey." says the defiant dragoon.

I got it! First, I will get rid of the dragoons out of here. Next I'd use the true sight spell from Z to identify the right Mary, then keep them both safe within the barracks and have the council decide the fate of the changeling.

Dietrick eyes alight with resolve as he begins to pass down his decision, "Well just let da dragoons outside to stand watch. Any of da folks outside try a fire or anything , be da first to go to a cell."

"The fire IS lit, Sir." reports the loyal dragoon.

"Wat?" Dietrick was shocked.

"There is a bonfire, and room for a stake in the middle. Now if you want us to go out, we'll go." continues the loyal dragoon, awaiting Dietrick's command.

"Oh man… ah got it." Dietrick brows furrow as his mind fiddles for a quick solution.

"Sir? Didn't you start this hunt?" questions the dragoon.

Z stood helplessly quiet, biting his tongue watching Dietrick having to face it alone. The two Mary on the other hand, were sobbing so hard their entire bodies shook. Tears streamed down their face, as fear trembled their young bodies.

"Okay here yer orders... Go out, get da crowd to go back to dey homes, tell em' me will handle this. Anyun resist, will stay overnight in da barracks tonight." Dietrick orders, his eyes locked with the dragoons'. Dietrick was getting into the mood where he would smack any idiot who tries anything stupid.

"With all respect, no." the defiant dragoon replies.

"Wat?" came a surprised Dietrick.

"I will go out. But I ain't gonna send the good folk off. They want their little girl back. Whichever one it is, and they want the fey." replies the defiant dragoon.

"Are you defying orders? Are you da captain here or me?" Dietrick questions.

"Right. You are." the defiant dragoon replies before throwing down his badge and leaving.

"It's even worse outside....sir." the loyal dragoon says, seemingly becoming more tense with each minute.

"Calm down dragoon. It'd be alright." Dietrick smiles nervously, trying to assure his man. He is a good warrior, but a leader? The youthful seventeen year old is perhaps too young, way too young...

Dietrick turns to look between the two Mary with a difficult face.

"Z can ya put da true sight magiks on dietrick now pease?" Dietrick says with a tired look at Z.

The rumble of voices get louder and uglier outside the door…

"Tell da dragoons to hold da door! Dun let any one' of em get thru!" orders Dietrick sharply.

"Yes Sir." The loyal dragoon turns to leave the room.

"Thank you dragoon. Me counting on ya!"

"And sir? The girls are right. What if you cannot tell? Or they both show as Fey? Like they bopth reacted to iron? You gonna hand them both over?" questions the defiant dragoon.

"Den dietrick will do sumthing dats fair to the valley, to them. Trust me, yer captain. " replies Dietrick with a determined look and a firm tone.

"Fair." utters one word from the defiant dragoon as he turned to look between the sobbing girls.

"You have me word." assures Dietrick.

"Yer gonna kill one of these two to be fair." says the defiant dragoon.

"Mebbe. Right now please watch da door outside." Dietrick orders again, getting irritated with the defiant dragoon.

The defiant dragoon looked to Dietrick's sword thrown aside on the ground and replies with a skeptical voice, "Fair. Right." He then turns to leave the barracks.

"So, to be clear…one of them is real and lives here and the other is a fey who took her looks, but don't know it?" Z questions, appearing uptight.

"Actually we dunno fer sure. So just put da magik on me, and da truth shud be clear , dats wat dietrick hopes." Dietrick replies.

Z nods and quickly proceed to utter a quiet prayer. Suddenly, both Mary's dash towards the exit!

Heavy hoofs pound on the floor as the quick reacting Dietrick dashes after them, his heart pounding just as quick as his feet.

"Fark! Wat is this?" cries Dietrick when he reaches the outside, the grass is crimson red as a light drizzle washes blood across the grass floor. His face contorted and in shock as he grimaces, staring wide eyed at the dead body of a young Mary on the ground.

_Fifteen seconds earlier…

Both Mary's dash out of the barracks door. The first one was grabbed by the arm with her wristed pressed against the flat of an iron blade. Her wrist turn red with rash, the mob rushed at her..._

The second Mary stood living, but trembling as she looked wide eyed as well at the dead look alike of her on the ground, drenched in blood.

"Finally." says the defiant dragoon.

The body laid on the ground unchanged, as Dietrick turned to look at the other surviving Mary crying beside the dead one, he saw a changeling… Visibly shaken, Dietrick's face turns pale. Z's face turns red as he watches a few paces behind, biting his tongue. The mob begin to carry up the corpse towards the fire...

"Stop!" shouts Dietrick as he rushes forward like a wolverine pushing aside every person to the body. Angrily, he pushes away the ones carrying the dead Mary, then slowly, Dietrick carries her up on both arms. Her eyes were closed, a sad expression laid on her face as red colored her clothing. The mob starts to wander away, congratulating themselves. Dietrick stood silent carrying the body in his arms, rain dripping down over his face.

The hin warrior utters only one word in the rain, "...........fair..."

Retrieving his sword from the barracks, Dietrick bade a crying Mary and Z to follow him as they made their way to the Vrocka, healer of jiyyd.

A pained look held upon Dietrick's face as tears flowed down. Vrocka begins chanting, the diamond crumbles to dust in her hands. A silent expression came upon her face, before speaking, "Yondalla has her now."

Dietrick clenches his fist and howls up.

"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGH!"

"Young do not stay in the sands long." Vrocka continues speaking as Z frowns sadly.

Dietrick's howl was long and echoed up about the small shabby healing house.

END OF PART I</h>

[Pyrus]

ONCE UPON A FALL

Two tales filled with shame, anger, humility and enlightenment. The present awaits as the past still haunts.

It was one afternoon, the halfling leaned against the circled stone wall around the Peltarch commons, looking up in the sky as the white fluffy clouds pass by, slowly. Chewing on the stand of wheat grass in his mouth, Dietrick held the same dumb founded blank expression he always had. He could hear Scuttle's voice along those of the rest of the sisterhood nearby.

"It does rain a lot here, that's for sure"

"Indeed it does, makes for an annoying road trip, being all soaked and that."

Women… It remains a mystery to Dietrick still how they are concerned with such trivial matters that do not bother him in the least.

"Marie you busy?"

"Oh, not really. Just meeting someone new, why?"

"I need to go to oscura to put a bulk order for rice in with Yuki."

"Oscura? Sure... we can go down there. Not my favourite place in the world, but you do what you have to."

It seemed the sisters were going to Oscura. Out of boredom and wanderlust, Dietrick decides he would tag behind as a follower. Ignoring their women chatter, he simply stays behind the group in a daze. Before he knew it, they were enroute there on a ship from Peltarch. The sailing proved uneventful, until they disembarked to step into docks of Oscura.

An oscura guard peered over the group.

"Hold there." says the Guard.

"Greetings." Dietrick hear Marie greet him.

More dilly dallying as the women continue their soft approach with the stern oscuran guards, explaining their business. Dietrick simply looked quietly at the guards, undesiring involvement and hoping to enjoy a quiet break from the long harvest moon festival held days back.

"Suppose women are dressing however they like nowadays," The guard says, still looking at Dietrick, he had been looking at him for a while.

The halfling warrior has his two hands supporting behind his head, appearing to have no reaction towards the Guard, as if he is hardly paying attention. He isn't. Dietrick knew he was capable of beating the guard silly within minutes, but did not wish to bother with the trouble with the law that could come with it. He was above losing what is better to a lesser warrior who knew no better.

"Ha ha no he is here to help carry if they have any in stock!" Shade answers.

Dietrick scratches his head with a dumbfounded look then follows behind lazily. He wonder why women could cast aside self-respect and pride to be patronizing to pricks like that. Regardless it was not his affair and he does not bother.

Eventually the women finish explaining to the guards and move on to their objective, speaking with the trader Yuki at the docks in oscura.

Yuki nods politely. "Greetings adventurers. How may I help you?"

"We wish to negotiate a bulk purchase of rice."

"We need 50 pound bags.. for each turn of the moon."

Dietrick leaves the women to their barter, contended to keep to himself. He looks about, trying to be unnoticed as he stood behind the group. Nothing has changed, still the high and dark ceilings, everything grey, and the same kind of sleazy patrons around. He continues observing abouts as the women continue speaking in the background.

"I just recently ordered a large shipment of rice. However, it was taken by Kuo Tua, and the guard are far too busy with something to be of aid to me. If you find it, you may keep it."

"The Kuo-tua you say?"

Just hearing that Dietrick knew he would be asked to enter battle afterwards by the sisters. Not really a hassle, he liked battles anyhow. As the women barter with Yuki, Dietrick's ears caught the conversation of a group of sailors bragging nearby.

"Nothing like a good ol' hin bashin', I say!" One of the sailors say blatantly out loud, seemingly as afraid no one would hear.

Dietrick eyes narrow at his direction. Feeling the familiar restless rising within, he strode over to the group of sailors.

"Hey der!" He half-shouts rudely, looking unfriendly.

Arlinn the elf crept behind, whispering nervously. "Don't don't don't."

The halfling could not hear her words, he could only hear the restlessness within him.

"They'll throw you over the well if you cause trouble in town.." Arlinn continues to whisper.

Nothing, the halfling still hears nothing, the restlessness continuously building up.

"Oi! Fark off pint size, this be a private conversation." shouts the sailor down at Dietrick.

"Me dun care wat bout yuh business but me hear bout yuh talk bout aving killed a hin."

"That's horrible.. You don't want to experience it.. " Arlinn continues to whimper quietly behind Dietrick's back, what she fails to understand was that Dietrick was looking for precisely that, except it won't be them dunking him in the sea but him spilling their tomato juice.

Dietrick turns his head sideways and says quietly, "Go back to da rest. Dun want yuh gettin in dis..."

The others begin to notice the tension between Dietrick and the four sailors, him standing firmly and looking up at them. Shade comes over, gently codling "Dear i need you."

No. He will not. Being quick in the mind Dietrick is fast to notice Shade's subtle attempt to draw him out of the confrontation by giving him an excuse to back off from what he started. Shade was wrong. That is not the kind of man Dietrick is. Dietrick is not going to walk off, act like a half orc and mutter saying things like "Those bloody cowards... If they knew better... Fine I'd help Shade carry the rice which is more important than a half ling i hear is murdered..." This is serious business, business he started, business he planned to finish.

Dietrick stood unflinching.

"Sowwie shade, but me thinks ders sumthing me need take care of first."

Murder takes precedence over a bag of rice, at least in his books.

"Yer well, he got in our way." the sailor comments.

'Good' he thought. Dietrick is hoping they will soon think about shoving him around with their weapons, giving him the perfect excuse to lob their hands off under the pretext self-defense. He stood alone waiting for the four to make their first move... The sisters were still at Yuki's. They will not help as they will not wish to jeopardize their mission to acquire rice Dietrick thought. Which is good as he did not wish others implicated.

"Take care o' what? Pike off!" cries out one of the sailors.

The gleam reflected off the symbol of the raging man upon the thick belt around Dietrick's waist. It was the belt of the Champion of Norwick Fight Night. The belt obvious, Dietrick tucks out his chest intimidatingly as he gives them a cold sharp look. His eyes were cold and wide, radiating the sharpness of his killing intend. ((Intimidate Check: 18+9=27)

"Me wants da hin's body....." Dietrick demanded of them. Since it was in Oscura where you could not kill without consequence, he decided he will simply collect the hin's body to give him a proper burial at the least, it was the least he could do for a kin murdered in cold blood.

"Threw it o'erboard pintsize, now get lost, take ye mamma's belt with ye." the sailor tries to get the halfling to leave, instead of attacking him outright...

"wat'd he do? why did yuh do dat for!" Dietrick shouts at them.

"Cos he got in th' way, like ye, now pike off or else we'll get the guard!"
the sailors seem more anxious in getting him away now.

The eyes around the docks glance at the halfling Dietrick, seemingly a bit anxious. The hin however is unfliching, his focus and glare is upon the sailors. He is looking for trouble... Never... Never let the wrong go ignored was usually the way Dietrick reacted towards injustice, especially concerning fellow halflings.

The sisters begin to grow nervous, coming nearer to try to pull him out of the confrontation.

"You came to help us and we need you." Shade speaks.

"That was my plan." Marie says.

"Dietrick says he just wanna company to wander."

"Well now we need you to kick frog butt." Shade replies.

"Was goin help anyway wit yuh sisters stuff but ders a prob ere' and me not want yuh all gettin into dis mess wit me."

Marie looks to Dietrick and nods. "Good luck then Captain. Our paths split here."

A pang sprang in his heart. He never expected help, and anyone could say that just fine, but not Marie. Marie like him, is a dragoon, sworn to protect the lives and rights of all their kind. If that meant anything, it meant bothering about a halfling who may have possibly been murdered in cold blood by the sailors standing before him. What point is there in such an oath if one only bothers when one is able? If one would ignore this oath in the face of danger, then one has no right to be a dragoon, a betrayal of the noble ideas of the silver dragoons! His codes, his honor, they were always with him, and even more now. Dietrick could not find himself more disgusted with Marie within, deserting her own captain coldly concerning a murder of her kin, for the interests of the sisterhood and a bag of rice! Did he need her help, no! But for her to act like a selfish coward, perhaps he had been wrong about her afterall!

Dietrick nods in response, "Is best."

"There'll be a bloody probably if ye don't get lost short stuff." the sailor threatens. Useless threats, THAT is precisely what Dietrick is looking for.

In the background…

"Everyone else, please come with me. Dietrick can handle himself." Marie says to the sisters and friends, Dietrick however is long out of earshot and his mind was focused solely on the decapitation of the four sailors.

"Reallie? me like noe why yuh killed da hin…" Dietricks says with sarcasm. Bringing his face up and raising his chin, he says sharply "Bring it." attempting to taunt them into attacking him. >((Taunt Check: 10+12=22))

"Cos I felt like it, wha' ye gonn' do 'bout it?" the sailor tries to egg him, but Dietrick will not fall for his tricks to bring the guards into their fight.

"Watever me likes. Din yuh say yuh do sumthing? me still waitin fer yuh. Make yuh move or dun talk like yuh gonna do it." Dietrick continues taunting them, threatening them… Inside, Dietrick was screaming for their blood, he could hear the edge of his blade cutting across their bones and flesh...

"I killed a hin, dropped 'is body overboard. Was a sweet kill" the sailor says grinning. "Now pike off."

"Ooooh guess yuh just good only at talking...." Dietrick taunts them again... ((Taunt Check: 6+12=18 ))

"Me kin go elsewhere to settle dis..." Dietrick threatens him as he is beginning to see the cowards are only trying to goat him into attacking them. Absurdly enough, it was four against one, the odds was on their side and they too spineless to attack...

"And unless ye want to find out wha' the punishment is, pike off! Blah blah, wha' is it? All of ye hin sleep together, so ye get pissed if another dies?" the sailor takes his shot to taunt Dietrick, but Dietrick being intelligent and experienced at such endeavors, does not fall for it.

A pained laughter escapes from the hin and he shouts out loud just as he slowly turns to walk off, "Buncha farkin cowards!"

Dietrick left the docks to follow after the sisters who had but left moments ago. He manages to catch up with them, finding the group waiting in the park in front of the Shiny Coppers, Marie was nowhere to be seen. Alexi and Shade seemed to be conversing just as Dietrick stepped in to hear some bits of it…

"Ye nae mess with a blooded oscuran." says Alexi.

"Exactly." Shade adds in.

"He has no rights here." Alexi continues..

"Not on their turf." Shade adds in again..

Those words held no meaning to the hin.

"Shade?" Dietrick greets.

"Oh you are ok!" exclaims a surprised Shade as she rushes forward to hug the cold figure, only to be repelled off violently as Dietrick shrugs her off. Inside, Dietrick is screaming for blood. Shade stumbles back, Dietrick did not apologize or even notice that, dark anger has overwhelmed his senses.

"Yuh said yuh need help wit fishies right?" Dietrick asks.

"Yes!" Shade replies.

"Gud, let me help cuz me wants spill sum blood." came from the heated Dietrick.

An hour later…. The group was headed into the caverns outside the west gate, in search of the rice shipment stolen by kuo-toa...

His knees were bent laying on the sands as his sword was stuck into the ground vertically, hilt up. Dietrick was praying. Whispering silently, Dietrick prays to the spirit of the murdered hin, his sword as witness.

"Kin who die injust at hands of murderers.
Dietrick not avenge you yet, but he not forget wat happens.
Dietrick will do all he kin to avenge wrong dones to yuh.
Fer now, take da blood of enemy lizzies me kill as offering to yuh death."

Slowly, he gets up and figure eights his sword, letting out a war cry "Hoowah!".

Three kuo-toa were by the corner. The warrior looked to his side as he heard something… His eyes widen as the short figure lobs off the head of the mage in a clean stroke.

Wha- Where'd he…?

One second the mage fell and the next, the other standing beside him is dead.

What's happening?

The kuo-toa soldier grips his shield and weapon firmly, before him in the darkness lay a halfing warrior, sword raised up coming for him. The Kuo-toa which can see well into the dark, looked into the face of the helmed halfling, cold eyes gleamed in the eye slots of the helmet.

Those eyes…

The kuo-toa soldier defends himself as he looks to see the immense pain below… His torso had already ripped open and blood gushed out like a river.

At least, death was as cruel as it was swift…

The kuo-toa soldier passed peacefully, death came for it quickly. It was barely a minute and the first batch of kuo-toa have fallen, Dietrick did not take a scratch.

The group eventually ventures deeper into the caves…Eventually going into a set of tunnels... Up ahead, a rumble of heavy footsteps approaches...

Dietrick stands at the end of the tunnel as a multitude of what seemed like three dozen kuo toa charged towards the group. The kuo-toa hissed and made their mad , angry noises as they came right at Dietrick. The halfling however, was unflinching at the sight, silent, his mind being preoccupied…

They murdered that hin… They murdered that hin... They murdered that hin...

As the first rank of the kuo-toa reached the unmoving Dietrick, the hin's sword suddenly sprang to life, slashing like a whirlwind… The blades could not be seen, they were moving so fast like that of a fan!

Over the next few minutes, blood splattered violently on the side walls of the tunnel as limbs fly in all directions. Finally when it stopped, the ground was filled with a mess of what seemed like thirty kuo-toa being thrown into a mixer... The halfling pants... heaving in and out air from his lungs.

They continued down into the tunnels and took out the remaining kuo-toa before reaching into an enlarged cavern. Within, the sacks of rice was found as well as some loot and treasure. Dietrick grabbed a few healing potions from the corpses even as the women exclaimed with excitement at the recovered rice.

"Shade yuh kin keep da loot and use da gold fer da poor in pelt. Me only ask fer da names of da sailors me saw." Dietrick requests of Shade.

"Yes i will do my best to find out." Shade replies.

The group scavenged the tunnel and cavern, packed up the rice and loot and began to walk back the way they came…

As the group retraced their steps back to Oscura, Marie and Dietrick converse along the way.

"Captain, I’ve encountered them before." Marie informs.

"Did yuh noe dey killed dat hin before?"

"No. They were after elves before."

"Yuh din luk like yuh care at all when dey said dey killed a hin." Dietrick taunts Marie with sarcasm, fuming inside and whenever she passed into his view, he looked at her with disdain.

"I care, I just know when I can't do anything about it…"

Was that it? Her excuse to ignore evil done to a kin and not care in the least simply because she was powerless??

"Do yuh noe wats da duty of a dragoon?"

"..It would be like me running at a dragon. Of course I do!" Marie retorted.

"yuh dun." Dietrick says with firmly.

The duty of a dragoon was to protect the lives and rights of all right-sized, that they will not be bullied and picked on for their size. What point is it, if a dragoon sworn to this duty did so only when he could? Would it serve to carry any more meaning? If the valley faced an onslaught of drows, will they drop weapons, turn tail and run away leaving the valley filled with civilians to the drow simply because they could not have done nothing anyway? NO! The dragoons will stay and fight to the last man as long as there was still one civilian left… At least it will be, under his command Dietrick thought.

"I thought you wanted me to be smart." Marie questions even as the group walk further into the sand caverns back towards the city.

"Din think yuh to charge at em' and kill em, but to act as if it neber happen, to nub even try to do anything bout it scuttle. Dietrick no forgives dat… By da way dietrick remember yuh were quick to say we partin ways when me went up to talk to em'. Wasn't thinkin to drag any of yuh into it anyway but yuh were reallie quick scuttle, yuh COWARD!"

"You know what? If you want to be that pigheaded about it.. you can have this back." Marie seemingly offended finally by Dietrick's insult at her honor, hands him her dragoon badge.

The badge glimmered on his palm, the Captain looked down quietly at it, his hand grab it firmly... A great temper was brewing within him, the lava was rising rapidly...

_This feeling is familiar, just like that time…

"Pig headed? Wat'd yuh say ?" Dietrick raises his voice at Marie.

"Dietrick! be nice." Shade calls out from the side, though the warrior could no longer hear her. All he could think of, is Marie's disgusting behavior.

"I resign." Marie says.

Dietrick reached out and grabs Marie's collar, and lifts her off the ground. Marie on the other hand, makes no attempt to resist.

"h> Yuh own kin died and yuh din even care a fark bout it, and now yuh callin me coward fer telling yuh a real coward fer acting dat way!!!!" Dietrick cries out against Marie still holding her in the air.

"I didn't call you a coward, I said you were being pigheaded." Marie says, as she continues. "I care Captain, but there's not a damn thing I can do about it."

She doesn't care, she doesn't! She's using the reason that she could not do anything as an excuse for ignoring that murdered hin!

"h> darn farkin right, yuh call me pigheaded fer carin bout a kin who is murdered, yuh coward." Dietrick says

"If you feel like that, that's fine. You're entitled to your opinion. Now, put me down." replies Marie, oddly enough able to still speak with clarity despite being suffocated as Dietrick garbs her collar and is lifting her in the air…

"h> me said me din care if yuh can't do anything, but yuh din even care bout it! or try to find out bout da hin, or da names of his murderers." Dietrick continues to pin point his accusation against her wrongs.

At this point, Alexi turns back and walks into the passage in the caverns where the confrontation was, the others still far ahead.

"You two coming?" Alexi asks, still unaware of what is going on. Then he looks and finally understands what is going on.

"Dietrick, drop her." Alexi says.

"Shut da fark up and get off me business alexi." Dietrick answers coldly, this was an affair between him and Marie.

"I'm not your business anymore. I resigned. Drop me." says Marie, still held in the air.

"Dis ain't just bout resigning." says Dietrick.

Does Marie think she could do something like this and simply throw in the towel, saying 'resign' and walk off like nothing happened? She is just like he was…

At that moment, the one in front of Dietrick that he saw held up in the air was not Marie, but him. He saw him in her.

Traitors…. Traitors to the honor they swore to uphold... Betrayers of their people... Betrayers of the trust their people had placed in them...

The others ahead begin to notice something amiss and walked back into the intense situation. Shade was speechless. Alexi drew a gun off his belt.

"Drop her." says Alexi as he points the gun at Dietrick. Unfortunately this had no effect on Dietrick, his sole attention focused on the one he deems as a betrayer.

"I don''t care what you think it's is about." Marie replies.

"Dis bout yuh throwin yuh honor away and callin me pigheaded fer upholdin da honor of a dragoon!" Dietrick shouts at her.

Alexi cocks the gun at Dietrick, still no reaction… Although Dietrick likely wouldn't have known what that was anyway since the existence of guns in their world was a questionable one.

"No, this is about you being an idiot." Marie says.

There goes it. Something like a fuse cracked and shattered within Dietrick.

"Dietrick? what are you doing?" Shade asks.

"I have dealt with these men before. They are slavers." Marie starts to say…

"If yuh fire dat alexi... Me take it yuh asking fer it." threatens Dietrick.

"They capture and kill people." Marie continues...

"Talkin to a traitor of da dragoons." Dietrick answers Shade.

"Marie is a dragoon?" came a surprised Shade.

"And yuh quit? me was gonna find out if me was wrong bout yuh anyway after dis and kick yuh out if me was right. And yuh noe wat? me was darn right! bout yoo!" Dietrick accuses angrily.

"Call me a traitor if you like... but I do what you can''t. I get in the places you can't, I find out what you can't." Marie says, though the words seemed to carry no relevance to the situation as Dietrick saw it, they were more random than what's not.

"As Dietrick says before..." Dietrick says but was interrupted..

"You think with your muscles, not your brain." Marie insults Dietrick. That earned her a slap across the face from Dietrick. Dietrick was infuriated.

'How dare she who has no merits insult his! She knew nothing! She had done nothing!' And yet with what she had done now she dared do this!' He thought to himself.

There Marie was, unflinching from the slap, her sheer defiance and arrogance only served to intensify the scorching hate within Dietrick, for 'he' was exactly like that.

"Me wasn't being rash der! Me -cared- bout em' -murdering- a kin!" Dietrick cries out angrily…

Words… more words... but he was no longer listening, Dietrick kept blabbering through his angry teeth...

"Me din expect yuh to be able to bring justice, but yuh closed and turn yuh eyes away frum a kin murdererd by ebil sailors! …Ain't bout wat yuh do , but bout yuh heart and yuh honor!" Dietrick continues to cry out..

Even as Marie tries to justify herself, claiming to know what was best for the situation, claiming she would have done something in secret, to which Dietrick was highly doubtful and believed nothing would have been done out of it…

"Dietrick was farkin sure yuh wudda done NOTHING bout it!!!" he cries out in fury!

Words splatter about by the different people; Marie speaking calmly as if she was Ao who knew all and sees all, Shade demanding Dietrick apologize and threatening him what she would do if he didn't, but it all came down to only one thing… Dietrick choke slams Marie into the sand...

Still grabbing her tightly by the collar, Dietrick slams Marie into the ground as she chokes, kneeling over her pinning her down as he rapidly lays his haymaker punches into her body straight. The blows came heavily as Marie spurts blood out of her mouth. She goes into unconsciousness quickly. The others looked on in shock as three quickly charged towards Dietrick to attack, their weapons ready.

Marie laid there, unresponding to his attack and crying out,
"Leave him alone!" But the three did not step in their tracks, still heading straight at him together with their weapons drawn.

Shade's mace approaches nearer, closer…closer...closer... Dietrick's hand reaches for the sword handle on his back...

His three assailants lay winded on the ground wringing from pain. He stood over Marie and over them, taking in air into his lungs, in and out...in and out...in and out... Then came a voice from below him.

"If you think... I have betrayed the valley... then you only fool yourself...
But.. I will not follow you." says Marie.

That conceit.

Dietrick lunches straight at her and punches her rapidly again. Even as the others cried in the background, he did not stop. This time, Marie did not regain consciousness, her world becomes black.

"Yuh traitor, and yuh act as if yuh nay done it… just like -him-."

Somehow, somewhat, Dietrick was reminded of someone else… Someone from his past...

Chapter ends here. The next chapter takes the form of a separate story, a prequel "When the Valley's flower wither"_

[Clan Dolvak]

golf clap

((wish I coulda been there to witness this. great write-up!

BTW, there are Dwarves from the Hold on patrol in norwick… just because you dont see them IG doesnt mean they arent there (though its hard to know they arent there if the spawns arent ever set) As part of the agreements between the Hold and the Realm, some of the elite dwarves help guard the gates... so, the idea that "no gold cloaks or militia are around" isnt really possible... there are always redcloaks and dwarves at the gates, whether you see them IG or not...))

[Pyrus]

@040536af55=Herrold:

((OOC interesting how you cut Aramuil's mention that it was Grag's actions that doomed Jiyyd. If you are going for a word for word transcript.. Why omit that? Good read anyways))

((I omitted it because the tales here are meant to be focused on Dietrick, its more tedious if I had to add in the others. Glad you enjoyed it ))

[Herrold]

((OOC interesting how you cut Aramuil's mention that it was Grag's actions that doomed Jiyyd. If you are going for a word for word transcript.. Why omit that? Good read anyways))

[Pyrus]

THE DARK DWARF

He was dark, the darkest dwarf Dietrick has ever met. He sat on the stone bench in black platemail. It was an ordinary black, yet the black seemed so dark, as if it only becomes darker, and it does not stop getting darker… Dietrick stood across him, with the fireplace between them. He was peering at the dark dwarf from behind the flickering flames...

Dietrick was indignant. He felt angry. What the dwarf did felt wrong. Dietrick had watched him shoo out the troff legionaries who were carrying materials out of the Norwick north gate. He heard him say to them "Yeh are as much a band of brigands in me eyes as what yeh call bandits in deh pass.." Dietrick could not stop fuming inside.

Dietrick's hands showed scars from battle, as he had been in countless in the defense of his old home town Norwick. And as he could never forget each of those battles, he remembered well how many times the Legion had been there to assist directly, and the hardest battles they had fought with each other side by side, notably the war within the warrens against Thoon and his bugbear army. Now to turn and see his old home town treat its helpers who came in its time so is… dishonorable, which leaves a sour aftertaste within his mouth.

Now... Him, that dwarf was alone sitting on the stone bench in town, and Dietrick happened to be at the fireplace opposite him. The fireplace stood between and seperated the two. Dietrick decides to speak up for the Legion.

"hey! yuh da un' dat shoo da legion out da oder day. Dietrick wants noe why." Dietrick naively asks wondering why.

"Well lad... be me experience that deh legion nae give a fark who dey endangers....and piss off some big farker." was his reply.

"Few folks 'ere do th' same, dwarf." Jay adds in.

The dwarf held up a hand to jay, and spoke "lad nae un.. do it on the scale of the Legion... fer example, if yeh cen point me to where Jiyyd be at the moment." He swigs down the entire ale.

Dietrick went silence for a moment. Dietrick was caught unaware... What the dwarf said was true, Dietrick still remembered how the Legion had implusively killed his hinnak friends years ago before even finding out more. This incited more of the Hinnak's distrust of humanity, something Dietrick had always hoped to salvage.

Rather unconfident, Dietrick speaks again, "mebbbbbbee legion do funny stuff sumtimes, but legion help alot ."

Jay turned to Aramuil.... "Yer lil' mage there gave th' order t' blow up Jiyyd..."

"Sometimes, danger is necessary to accomplish a larger goal." came Aramuil's defense.

"Dietrick dunno njast war , was not der. but dietrick noe legion fought in many battles dats fer norwick interest, nuthing gain fer em'. Days ago in south gate battle, legion was un's defendin der, not yuh or dwin's gold cloaks."

The dwarf's eyes turn to look at Dietrick. "Dat because ..lad, notice that be the first gate."

"Huh?" Dietrick was puzzled.

"We allow the war monger to ply their trade with summa distance frumma teh defense proper " The dwarf motions to the double gate. "...dat where the real gate be."

"Dats no true, just other day, da hobbos sneaked into norwick at da east valley, where docks is. general lyte and legion was sum of dose dat was der to stop da hobbos coming into norwick deeper, no norwick militia der at dat time. " Dietrick stubbornly argues.

The dwarf holds up a hand to Dietrick. "Nae want teh hear it... Lad me is way older den yeh is."

"You're rather close-minded." Aramuil comments to the dwarf.

"..dealt with teh legion fer years." The dwarf continues, and holds up a hand to Aramuil.

"lad... 4 of yeh is speakin teh me at once... ..defendin shite yeh barely understand"

Aramuil argued with the dwarf a little longer. A woman taps Aramuil on the shoulder and he proceeds with her to the fight night tourney ground.

"Dietrick no as old as yuh, but dietrick fought ere' since demun wars. in all norwick attacks fer pass few years cept njast wars. dietrick noes legion did helps alot. is why dietrick not think way yuh treat legion ave honor."

The dwarf looks over to Dietrick. "Gud fer yeh lad."

Dietrick responds by thumping his chest once in respect.

The dwarf swirls his ale looking over him, muttering dwarven to himself. "d> Wonderful the village idiot has engaged me in a battle of wits."

"I think ye two shoul' stop bitchin' an' fight or somethin'.." remarks Jay to Dietrick and the dwarf.

The dwarf looks for a pouch, then up at Dietrick. "200 coin fer you teh fight deh tallie." He swigs his ale.

Dierick stood silent a minute, before speaking, "Dietrick did think duel dwarf fer honor of legion, but dietrick nub legion. No represent legion. Wats yuh name?"

"So what the point?" The dwarf asks.

"Just not think dwarf treat warriors of legion fair and no likes norwick treat helpers wit dishonor." Dietrick says what he felt within.

The dwarf says as he holds up the bags of coins. "This for yeh teh fight the tallie." the dwarf motions to Jay.

Dietrick felt more indignant. He was no cheap sellsword who would fight another to amuse the dwarf for a pouch of coins. Dietrick frowns and shakes his head. "Dietrick nub sell sword, not take yuh gold, or fight fer yuh to watch."

The fireplace begins to clear as fight night was starting, leaving only the dwarf and Dietrick alone…

"Nae worries." The dwarf puts his coins away. He adjusts the pendant of the norwick militia around his neck. "Since me is the rornsamman for this town.. Me has every right to protect it.. Me sees teh Legion as a threat to this town." The dwarf taps his head. "Because they nae think. They think a sword is the answer teh everythin." The dwarf throws the ale bottle at the fire, the fire roars up as the violent impact of the bottle spills left over ale, feeding its hungry flames.

The dwarf plants the staff he is holding and stands, his eyes glowing.

"Dietrick say sumthing fair, not see yuh arund when da battles come to norwick. if yuh der, yuh see who da un's bleedin to protect norwick."

"Who are you teh question me?" The dwarf points the staff at Dietrick. "Yeh militia?"

Dietrick did not feel afraid, there was no fear. There was only the urge to carry on, to do what he felt he needed to do. "Anyun ave' right to say sumthing fair."

"Er juss more rabble takin fer granted that we protect yeh idiots frumma what yeh bring back frumma deh woods?" The dwarf accuses.

"Protect us idiots? hmph! As dietrick says, yuh nub arund when battles are." Now Dietrick felt he was truly right and the dwarf was wrong. If the dwarf knew better, he would have known Dietrick had been fighting in every major battle in defense of Norwick since the beginning of the wars with the demons south, to the tainted woods, up till before the Njast wars began when Dietrick was captured by the fey.

The dwarf chuckles. "Everyun has un right to say sumthin."

"Yuh just so much talk, but lil' when da battles at norwick start. Is why yuh even say sumthing like dat, dietrick served as militia ere' since demun wars started."

"Lad… yeh pushin it"

"Is purdy sure Dietrick's breakin no laws." Dietrick remembered the laws and procedure of Norwick's law enforcement well, having once served init.

"Nae matter. Barbarian town." The dwarf replies.

"And?" A naive Dietrick asks, not following.

"...If me feel yeh is insultin me honor. Me has a right to drag yeh into a ring." The dwarf threatens.

"Yuh can ask Dietrick fer duel den."

"Me cen. But since me militia.." The dwarf replies, his words ominous.

"Dietrick will like see wat colonel Devlin says bout it."

The dwarf edges closer. Dietrick puts on his helmet, readying for a sudden attack by the threatening dwarf.

"Me goin teh ask yeh to remove yeh helm."

Dietrick removed the helmet, as he did not want to give the dwarf an excuse at martial 'justice'.

"Was goin wear it fer fight night. Dat against da law too?"

The dwarf looks into Dietrick's face. "Nae me wanted to see inteh yeh eyes."

He wore black platemail, it was an ordinary black, but the black seemed endless, like it does not stop becoming blacker under the light of the flickering fires next to them. His eyes glowed...

AS THE TWO STOOD STILL, THE DWARF LOOKING INTO THE HIN'S FACE, DIETRICK ENTERED INTO THE STILLNESS…

Dietrick heart paused to a slow. He felt it… There was an invisible aura of great strength, strong and dark emanating from the dwarf and trying to engulf him. This dwarf, he is strong... This feeling was not unfamiliar... He felt it before, when he faced Hillen Kruezflur the death knight. It is the 'ken' or spirit of a powerful warrior unleashing his killing intent, his... hostility. His was overwhelming, and there was a darkness to it... It felt like great serpents circling him, how small they felt he was to them and how they would easily devour him had they wanted. They wanted their prey to feel, like they were at their mercy.

Dietrick was still, unflinching. Top notch warriors knew the first move often determined the outcome as much as the last. Dietrick did not fear, Dietrick is ready. Dietrick is ready anytime to pull out his sword under a second and deliver a clean strike over with deadly precision. Such intensity and killing intent, the opposition opponent would receive it. Dietrick had answered.

Color returned. The faint sound of the crickets chirping in the grass, the people cheering in the distance at the fight night tourney ground became audible. Time was in motion again.

A chill passed briefly by Dietrick. If it was anyone else, a young warrior perhaps, it was certain they would likely tremble and be snuffed out by the dwarf's aura. As Dietrick was a war veteran whose warrior spirit had been sharpened to a high degree, and had exchanged 'ken' with many other formidable warriors through his frequent dueling, the dwarf's aura failed to place fear into him. Still… for someone to make Dietrick's heart slow for a moment...

The dwarf shoos Dietrick off. "Now git, go to yer fight night."

Dietrick's face doesn't flinch , though he does wonder a bit what the dwarf was trying to do, not attacking when he seemed like he would.

"Was bout see archery anyway, seein dwarf not see reason." Dietrick replies and the two each moved on away from each other.

Only later, Dietrick had found out the dwarf was none other than Dwin's couisin, Foilir Dolvak. His heart wondered, had they fought, who would have won?

END

[Pyrus]

DIETRICK'S FREEDOM FROM AVALON

The days… time... felt infinite in Avalon. Even the longest days of the harshest training atop the giantspire within his tribe is nowhere comparable to the shortest day of torture felt here, at the hands of the Unseelie Court Sidhe Knight Captain. Everyday, the Knight Captain devised a new 'game'. Everyday, Dietrick could feel his will sapping away... When was it? He could not remember, but he knew he had lost it... The will to fight... The more he wanted, the greater the fear from the memories of the tortures designed to break precisely that: his will. Until eventually, there was no more sadness, no joy, no hope...

"You are stripped, broken…." The Knight Captain stares with a wide grin on his face, his eyes looking intently upon Dietrick.

That stare… it permeates a sick feeling, Dietrick feels all sick everytime the Captain's eyes hover over him, it felt like everything within is being turned out...

"You are no longer of value… or any entertainment. -You-, will not have death however, I will deny you Dietrick." the Captain continues...

Barely feeling a thing in his heart, his consciousness still remained. Yet.. although seemingly empty there was still... something..., perhaps it is the feeling of hopelessness as he is being dragged by two sidhe knights side by side. They soon reach a garden, with the Captain right behind them. The garden was green, but unlike most other green gardens, a dry and cold feeling hung in the atmosphere in this one.

The knights dragged him to one end of the garden, to a wall of brambles. Pressing him against it, they held up and pressed his arms against the bramble wall. Sentient-like, the hungry wall's brambles and vines begin to slowly and cruelly wrap around Dietrick's torso until all his limps and body was wrapped by it. Tighter and tighter they went, the unfeeling halfling begins to groan and contort in discomfort, squirming but unable to get any leeway. When he was held in place firmly unable to move an inch, a single bramble vine begin to crawl and reach towards his chest. What came next was perhaps one of the most painful moments Dietrick would ever experience in his life...

_Dietrick's eyes widen as the vine begins to forcefully worm into his chest….

"Ugghhh... aaaaah.... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The halfling screams and yelps as he experiences horrendous pain, it felt like drilling as the vine is forcing its way into his heart... But there was no blood, instead, strange pus flows out from the opening in his chest where the vine entered which quickly hardened into crust. He stopped breathing for a minute when 'it' stopped before 'his life resumed' again, but only faintly._

"You will remain here. You will contribute.. Any emotions you'd ever feel will be absorbed by the heart thorn and used to fuel our world. Thank you for your generosity and nice knowing you Dietrick." The Captain smirks before turning his back and leaving.

The days… time... felt infinite.... There was no emotion, he could not have emotions. Whenever he did, his chest would hurt. The plant it seemed, would leech from him whatever emotions his heart felt. This process is painful and draining, stripping him dry everytime he felt an emotion. It was tiring to control, then somewhat naturally over time, Dietrick stopped feeling... A day would pass slowly without him feeling, then a week, a month... a year.....

Dietrick closes his eyes and rests.

A YEAR OR MORE PASSES…

Unbeknown to him, the politics shift within the court. The King of Avalon Oberon reunites with Queen Titania. The two departs, and Princess Morgaine accedes the throne to become High Queen.

High Queen Morgaine steps into the garden. Her eyes shut suddenly as her first steps land on the garden's soil.

"Are you alright my Queen?" Captain Jack asks.

The Queen pauses a moment before softly speaking, "Pain… So much of it..." She opens her eyes slowly, turning as if knowing, to the direction of a particular section of the end of the garden. A warrior lay in slumber. "It is time to return him."

It is the warmest feeling he ever felt, this warmth… it was so overwhelming...

Dietrick gasps for air as a great warmth overwhelm him, filling the emptiness of his heart to overflow. His eyes open to see a lady's hand laid upon the side of his cheek. Queen Morgaine's eyes were so soft yet… strong, and they locked with Dietrick's. It was inexplicable, but the look from her eyes gave him renewed strength instantly. Each moment her hand remained on his face, the warmth grew stronger. In minutes, Dietrick found strength in his body, he could... feel his limbs again. The damage within him did not seem completely gone however, the memories, they slowly come to him and he could feel his anger rise.

"Hush Dietrick, say no word... You are.. Tired... And I sense... brokenness. He has broke you..." Queen Morgaine closes her eyes. With her hand still laying upon his face, she scans through his memories. After a moment her eyes reopens to look intently into Dietrick's with a serious expression.

"I will restore you." Bending down to his face, Queen Morgaine presses her lips against Dietrick's forehead as the halfling still looked on, blankly. Suddenly, the warmth within him surges, skyrockets. His visions blur and he is blinded, he could see only white, the warming glow does not stop but continues to accelerate until he could not remember what happened next, Dietrick has passed out.

Birds chirp. A single ray of sunlight escapes pass the tree canopy overhead to shine upon him…

The body laid upon the ground among the tall grass for hours. Is it… dead?

A stray dog came over it and sniffled at the pack near it. A sudden movement and the dog runs quickly off.

His eyes opened slowly, his vision still fuzzy after the fall from the crash.

Where?

He asked himself, half confused yet somewhat hopeful as he'd liked to believe he was free, for a long time that had only been a dream, within another dream which ended up always as a disappointment. This time however, it seemed different, that smell of the fresh fragrance of the wild land, it smelled more real than before...

Enduring the pain, the short figure stirred itself up and limped slowly into the nearby shades of the trees, a great metal blade hanging across his back...

Within a dream-like room…
A faint smile crosses Queen Morgaine's lips. "His strength is returning."

"You seem pleased, I'm glad. Though you did not have to go to such lengths my Queen." says the Knight Captain Jack.

"It was necessary. The ex unseelie court knight Captain has broken him, if I do not wipe his memories of those treatment, that one will never be able to raise his sword again. Now he needs only time.."

Captain Jack thought in silence for a minute then nods. "Most astute my Queen, might I also add it was ingenious since it will serve your purposes as well. I'm sure he would not realize…until it is activated.." A wry grin cross the Captain Jack's lips.

"Know that it was not my original intent Captain Jack. The side effect comes with the necessary restoration he needed. Although I admit it will come of use when I have need of it. He will make a valuable ally, Dietrick Dardragon…" Queen Morgaine looks blankly into the distance and whispers softly to herself... "Go, my warrior..."

-END-

[Pyrus]

THE DARK CHAPTERS

The unseelie court captain laughs manically, his arms around his tummy as he twitches in pain… from sheer laughter..

"J-j….just look at the look on your face, so serious!" The Unseelie Court Captain tries to speak through his uncontrollable laughter.

An angry red filled Dietrick's face, his teeth clenched and the veins of his temples bulging, looking like they would burst any moment. It felt like it was using all his might, more than he had in him, but he was barely moving his right arm. He was under magical effects of movement hindrance, in such a way that he could hardly move but if he used -alot- of strength and will, he could move... just a little... similar to moving your arm up by pushing it up while its being tied down by heavy weights...

Dietrick was using all that he had, his right hand inches away from a lever, sweat flowing almost like a stream from the stem of his head. On the other side of the room, a hin girl stood within a metal cage which is slowly descending..... towards a water filled bottom inhabited by flesh eating monstrosities. Carrying a desperate expression, the girl cries for help endless from across the room as Dietrick is still struggling for the lever, amidst a laughing unseelie court captain.

The cage is almost hitting the waters, the monsters within jumping up constantly from the waters, eager to feast... There is hardly time left, Dietrick's finger tips are already touching the lever...

A GREAT ROAR IS LET OUT BY THE HALFLING AS HIS BARBARIAN RAGE KICKS IN!

With all of his might, the halfling wills his arm to grab the lever, a loud snap is heard as tendons within Dietrick's arm is torn. Dietrick has over exerted himself and went over the limit… Biting his lower lip in pain, he moves the limp hand to pull the lever...

"TEMPUS!" Came the cry from Dietrick as he succeeds in pulling the lever

Dietrick's entire 'frozen' body falls over onto the ground, jerking slightly from the immense pain, but this pain... was nothing compared to what would come next.

His eyes widening big, unblinking as the bottom of the cage the hin girl was in gives way and the hin girl falls into the water filled pit... The look in her eyes, those eyes were filled with gratefulness and an inexplicable sadness, one of having resigned to fate... Although the room was filled with sadness save for the Captain's laughter and the two halflings had nothing save for eyes meeting each other's, it was as if Dietrick could hear the female hin saying to him telepathically, "Thank you."

Yelps of pain is heard following the horrendous feeding noises... Dietrick howls loudly, releasing his anguish which echos through the entire room and hallways, chilling any down to the spine.

"How… touching..." says the Unseelie Court Captain as he wipes his tears off in an entertained voice. "Guess I forgot to mentioned the lever has another function, sometimes pulling it activates the second of the two function. Totally random…"

The Captain walks over Dietrick then turns to face him. He bends his face down to Dietrick's and looks at him silently with the facial expression of one having just cried over a tragic drama. Suddenly a smile crosses the Captain's face who proceeds to whisper into Dietrick's ear, "Don't get too upset, I still have much more in store for you… Can't have you breaking down, yet. I'm curious… What will you do, Dietrick?"

With that sick smile still upon the delicate featured face of cruelty, the Captain's hand reaches down and pats Dietrick on the head, who on the other hand is filled with tears and anger…

END

[Pyrus]

IMPRISONMENT IN AVALON

Months before the Njast came and even before the taint of rawlinswood threat was ended…

The captain of the silver dragoons had been noticeably going into the hills east lately, often alone to go over his own thoughts and worries.

On one such evening, as he stood upon one of the hills in the east of the valley as usual, strange lights came aglow nearby in the deeper woods. Curious, Dietrick goes into the woods to find out.

A young hin girl was held tightly around the wrist by a strange 'goat man' like creature with a purple hue.

"Let go of me!" The hin girl cried in exasperation as the goat man pulls her even more thickly and leading her behind him.

"Let girl goes , we fight!" The Captain draws the huge claymore from his back, holding it upright with two hands.

The goat man smiles sinisterly with some hidden nervousness, "Come with me you little wench, as for you..." The goat man turns to Dietrick,
"I have warned you before that we could do the 'same' to your people... Let this be the first as of our warning to you..." The goat man makes a twisted laugh and pulls the girl into the vines crawling up behind him, and disappears.

"Wai-" The captain shouts after him, as the vines slowly start to close in, an infuriated Dietrick charges at it and jumps right into the vines just as the last bit of the vines begin to sip into the mess of a thicket.

Then the lights were gone, so have the vines as well. Butterflies hover across the spot the vine stood, now empty.

On the other side, in the plane of Avalon…

Heavy steps blaze across the grass in the plane of purple hued skies, a savage animal of a Dietrick running after the goat man, bend on cutting him down and freeing the hin girl. Inching closer and closer to the goat man, the three finally arrived upon a clearing filled with all manner of strange plants, each twisted in their own ways.

Panting, but steady, holding his sword up, Dietrick the warrior halfling moves slowly towards the goat man who can no longer get away. By this time, the Goat man is standing still, hands still upon the hostage, looking straight at Dietrick with an unmoving stare. Victory seemed upon hand, alas fate has betrayed the warrior…

A figure clad in black armour springs down from above right in front of the goat man, a twisted smile curls across his lips. Dietrick's eyes widen... this familiar figure... the captain of the unseelie court... Dietrick had been captured once before, during then the captain had ... done things to him. Dietrick's eyes grows hard.

"Good. Me got scores wit you toos." says Dietrick.

"Oh? I was hoping to carry on our sessions, the last one had been most..." the Captain pauses to think casually a moment before continuing, "...pleasurable." His lips curl into the same twisted smile as before. Unfazed before Dietrick, the Captain's eyes betray his haughtiness. The sense of worry grows within Dietrick, by this time had already noticed he had fallen into a trap, a dozen unseelie court knights had surrounded him from all direction.

Putting his hands around lawgiver firmly, Dietrick speaks in a loud voice, "You think me gonna get scared? Lets start!" The hin charges forward, promptly intercepted by a few unseelie knights who were cut down in a manner of a few rounds as the hin trips one , cuts the other down just in time to face the one recovering from the trip to finish him off as well. As the ones behind him and at the sides are nearing him within paces away, Dietrick instinctively finishes off the ones in front quickly and lunches at the Captain.

Like a menacing whirlwind, the Captain and the halfling get into a violent maelstorm of a battle, the blows from each side were swift and violent, the other unseelie knights kept at bay, sensing they would only quickly meet their end if they were foolish to go near. The captain slowly steps back, trying hard to parry off blow after blows of what felt like the force of an ocean as the heavy sword of Dietrick clashes upon his weapons. As Dietrick raised his sword high and was ready to rain down upon the Captain with a next attack, suddenly, for the first time, a special kind of fear struck his heart.

His eyes wide and a drip of sweat flowing down the side of his temple, his heart froze.

"This…what is this?" came the voice within his heart, the fear grows by the second.

The Captain smiles smugly at the unmoving Dietrick, as if his muscles had tightened and locked themselves, he stood still with his sword still raised up in the air, his eyes filled with anger, fear, like that of a lion caught in a man's wild trap.

"Move.. Durn it.. MOVE!!" Dietrick cries within as he tries to struggle but his body would not move…

At the throne room of the unseelie court…
Dietrick stands motion-less, a dozen unseelie knights in single files on both sides of him, with the Captain in front, smiling smugly as he bowed to Queen Titania.

The aged, but cold beautiful face of Queen Titania looks upon Dietrick coldly, it contorts into an irritated expression as she narrows her eyes.

"Ah. Its -you-.." A somewhat surprised and tone of gladness was in her voice as he turns to thank the Captain before turning back to Dietrick.

"How should he be dealt with, Queen?" The Captain asks, the usual smug smile still hanging upon his face.

The Queen thought silently for a moment.
"He had been most…. painful.. This Dietrick. Foiling much of my plans and even having the audacity to raise this... this pathetic attempt of an attack in my very world... Rest assured, he will have nothing but an easy time here... What recommendations do you have, Captain?"

"If I may so boldly suggest, my Queen... I have been observing this Dietrick closely, it appears he is indeed a hot blooded warrior as the servants speak. If we simply executed him, -we- would have fulfilled his wish of a glorious death and granted him undue honor he had always craved for... Therefore, I suggest instead we give him what he would absolute loathe most... a continued existence filled with humiliation, scorn and toying. Yes especially toying, he had such a -huge- reaction just from the last time..." The Captain turns to smirk at Dietrick before turning back to the Queen as sunken feeling starts to enfold the hin.

"A most astute observation my Captain. He shall be placed in your responsibility then, I -trust- you will take great care of him..." Both the lips of the Queen and Captain curl into a twisted smile...

-end-

[Pyrus]

HIS MOST IMPORTANT DUEL

Having returned home to an unexpected welcome, Dietrick finally faces one of the most important duels that will change his life forever…

The gifts were presented. The elder appraises each, nodding approvingly as each gift was presented, seeming pleased enough and ordering them to be carried to the back. A short moment passes. With the last gift carried off by one of the returning men, she turns a sour but thoughtful gaze on Dietrick. It warms into a smile.

"You will face our proudest warrior in fact. If you can defeat in an honorable duel. Then.. we will welcome you back from the dead. IF you lose. You must turn around and never return here. And let our hearts rest. Also if you win.. I might grant you any request you may have."

His heart freezes, it must have for even when he could hear Gears commenting in the background, "…Kinda ironic, ennit? Y' comin' back here t' brag 'bout what a big warrior y'are...an' we actually did everythin' we could t'~avoid~ fightin' on th'way here." He could not feel anything towards that, rather, his mind was glued to the notion of what he 'might' lose, if he fails, it would all be over...

Dietrick slowly tilts his chin up to look sternly and proudly at the elder.

"Is honor. Me accepts the tribe's challenge." Had this not been what he had always dreamed of, what he always wanted? Finally! To even be given the chance to fight the tribe's best is the greatest honor any tribesman can receive, for only the worthy are given such! His heart was that of mixed feelings, of cold fear yet also hot es-tactic.

"Only those with great need or questions return from beyond." The elder remarks before her figure fades away into the tent...

The duel was to take place in the night, for now, the four were allowed rest. Dietrick had translated what was to occur earlier and now they gathered around a pot in an emptier part of the camp. Ginger is cooking dinner, Gears is looking around wondering why he is here in the first place, and Dietrick appears lost in thoughts, his sword leaning upon one shoulder with his legs spread wide open.

Memories flood him starting from the oldest, every battle, each painful moment, his anguish, his resolve, everything he had been fighting for, is for this moment... He will earn their approval, he will take his warrior-hood they denied. If he failed, then all would be for nothing...

As these thoughts strengthened the resolve within, his fear of the risk subsided, all that remained, was how much he wanted to win this fight and how he could ensure that.

Z nods. "You'll do fine." He assured Dietrick, somehow this priest's words were always comforting and Dietrick knew he meant it.

"Don't be silly. You won't lose. You're councilor of defense."

Dietrick puffs out his chest and braces himself.
"Hooorah! Tribeman of iron-axe never think of losing!"
She is right. He should cast out fear and put up the courage of a warrior.

Ginger is cooking rice that night, he could still remember freshly Ginger mixed butter spice and dried mushroom with the rice. It smelled great. Ginger always is a superb cook, if only she wasn't married....

There was a slight argument between the group as Ginger had wanted Z to give blessings and special seeds that can enhance Dietrick's prowess, but Dietrick bore the words of the Elder well... "No magic. No outsider witchcraft. You win or lose by your prowess as a warrior alone or not at all."

Ginger childed Dietrick "They're seeds. not a scroll or a potion. Eat the seeds with your meal. It's not more magic than a fenberry or pipeweed."

Hesitantly, Dietrick agreeded to have the seed mixed with his rice, convinced himself good nutrition isn't witchcraft. Dietrick never forgotten the taste of that meal, because it was the only thing before the moment he had been waiting for all his life, the duel where he proves himself warrior worthy.

Ginger dished out the rice to the others, Z eats normally, Dietrick chewing extra enthusiastically, and Gears was complaining again...
"Y'know, back in Luiren when someone comes home... We give'em a good meal. Not have r' strongest warrior fight'em."

"This is tribe. Have own proud ways. Need respect."

Gears smirks and raises a brow. "Yeah, right..m' I gonna have t' wrestle someone f' th' right t'have blankets t'night?"

Ginger grins. "Count on it." Gears grins back.

They continue their meal and finish up, Dietrick's face was one of contend and comtemplation. The four get up after cleaning up and begin to look for the elder.

"M' not comin' up t' this gods-f'saken wasteland ever again. ~ever~" Gears grumbles along the way there.

"Not likes it? Is beautiful!" Dietrick tries to make him feel at ease.

"Even if there's gold deposits?" Ginger teases.

"Even then s'not worth it. Dietrick, whatever does it f' y', but it just looks like a buncha snow t'me. "

A tribewoman appeared in front of the group, she smiles and thumps her chest lightly.

"The Elder sent me to see if you are ready."

"I am." Dietrick adjusts the scabbard on his back idly as he replies. The woman leads them to a cliff, it has a ladder at the bottom.

"...an' cliffs." Gears adds on with a grumpy face.

"They wait up ladder for you."

Dietrick thumps his chest, thanks the woman and begins to climb the ladder proudly, the others follow close behind.

The four reach the top. At the other end of the cliff, awaits a big man. He wears only hides. He carries a hard, mean look. Gears looks him over. "Bugger, he ain't even wearin' armor."

"Not underestimate gears. The more you think he's uncovered, the stronger he likely is." Dietrick is standing still, his eyes locked onto the tribe's champion, studying him.

"M' not, m' sayin' he's brave. Takin' on an armored opponent."

"Tribe fights with great strength."

And that was the key, the warrior of the north focus on attaining as much strength as possible and hitting as hard as they could. If Dietrick battles this foe in raw combat, he is clearly outmatched. He needs a tactic, and quick. Dietrick begins to kneel on the ground, lifting his sword up with two hands to the sky.

He begins to pray,
"O great Tempus,
Dietrick this day fight proud champion of tribe for rights back to home.
Not ask for victory or strength
but ask for honor and bravery in me heart
dat me fights without fear and fight fair
bless our fight and let victory,
if i get it, be a glory to your name"

Halfway in the prayer, the Elder nods to the champion.

Dietrick nods and thumps chest to champion. "Me Dietrick." Dietrick unsheathes and draws out the huge sword on his back.

"Fight with the strength of Arvoreen at your side." Ginger cheers.

"Readys?"

Dietrick's cloak flabbers lightly in the wind, and stays very still. Unflinching, not even one bit. He looks at the warrior intently.

The champion draws a small axe and a rather sharp battle axe from his back.

"Tempus be with you, brother." The champion speaks.

"With you too! brother ! hoozaaaaaaaah!"

Dietrick leap charges forward, his sword cutting across the snow ground...

There is no tactic, no plan, just instinct and experience as the body "knows" and reacts.

The champion is a brute, a butcher, flaying the axes around wildly and when it hit, it hurts like a jaggered edged axe sinking into the soft uncovered flesh of a piglet. Again and again the champion swings and chops at Dietrick. Dietrick goes defensive, doing his best to dodge and block off the attacks with his giant sword, managing to evade most of the attacks. But even with the concentrated effort, some of the monster of a barbarian's attacks still got through, it was like an unpredictable whirling fury of a maelstorm. Dietrick's masterworked breastplate begin to split at different spots, deep gashes revealing.

The wind swirled around from the speed of the two warrior's weapons, it was so fast, the attacks, the blocking....

The hin appeared to be trying to defend and block off the brute's attacks as best as he can, but with one out of ten getting through, how long would he last?

Then, in the battle, Dietrick taunted the warrior. Putting up an irritating smile, Dietrick tells the champion how much he is enjoying being hit and encourages him to hit harder...

"Rrraaaaaaaaghh!!!!!!!!" The champion lurches forward for an all out.

Within that split moment, Dietrick tumbles to the side and swings his sword across... The side of the champion splits, blood splurts out. But it does not stop, he continues to lurch towards Dietrick like a mad man, like his wounds didn't matter, like he hadn't realized...

Again and again he lashes out at Dietrick, with the hin narrowly dodging out of his way....

It was a trick! Dietrick tricked him to open himself, and in that instance whenever the Champion launches himself out, Dietrick would capitalize that moment of opportunity for his own counter-attack, attacking the man at his opening where Dietrick had predicted his opponent would create for him by reading his movements.

Red fluttered about as the two tossed about in the snow.

"AArggh!"

The champion lurches forward.... A smaller figure whizzes pass... It was a split of the second...

The two figure stopped and remained still. The champion collapsed onto the ground, his blood dying the snow red.

Heaving in and out, his cloak tattered and his armour split, broken and bloodied, Dietrick sticks his sword into the ground and goes to the champion, bending over him to bandage his wounds.

Gears breaks the silence. "He's not much a' a champion, s'what he is..."

"He's pretty strong actuallys. But me know some tricks or two bout duel,
have duel much in life." Dietrick replies, a hand holding a bleeding side as he looks at his knocked out brother.

"I thought he was fairly tough." Ginger says.

"He took a lot of good hits, that's fer sure" Z comments.

And ginger is right Dietrick thought. This man was clearly stronger in terms of toughness and his attacks, if Dietrick had not used any maneuvers he would've lost, he knew it within himself...

The intensity was over, it became calm as the quiet snow flakes that fell upon the strong muscled hin. Holding the blood back, a smile breaks on Dietrick's face at he looks into the face of his bested opponent.

"You fight braves..." Dietrick praised the champion, his tone is one of respect. A quick snap of his fist to his chest.

A groan escapes the lips of the badly injured champion as he gets up, slowly.

"You really have changed, Dierick." The champion smiles proudly at him and pulls the hin into his embrace. "Welcome home, brother!"

This -is- that moment he had been waiting.... All his life... Dietrick could feel the blood flowing into his head... It felt like he was standing atop the world... This feeling… It felt like.... the ultimate victory...

The champion tries not to wince at his own wounds, slapping Dietrick on the back. Dietrick carried a cheerful smile, like radiant sunshine, with of course the usual tinge of silliness to it.

Beaming and smiling up cheerfully, Dietrick hugs the champion too… Around the legs. "Thank you brother!" He cried back in uthgardt.

After the emotional scene, Dietrick straggles back to his companions, rubbing his side , smiling still with a happy look.

"All's well, that ends well." says Z.

Gears stood watching, looking bored. "I still don't see why we had t'come f'this..."

Dietrick walked up to the elder and exclaimed, "Me won elder! Pity the late elder wasn't here to see it."

"So you have," the Elder smiles warmly. "IT does this old heart good to see you back from the dead. I hope you stay. If not do not stay away. Now let's see to a few gifts to you and your friends."

"Thank you elder for your kindness. me afraid me cannot stay here for good yets as my destiny in the outside world is not over yet, but me will always return again to see all of you if me can. Me missed the tribe alot during the few years in the outside world."

After some casual words, everyone began to make their way down the hill.

On the way down…

"Aright, whatever." Gears comments in his usual sulky tone.

"Gears not happy we get gifts? Sure? Gifts? Sure?" Dietrick tempts him.

"M' anticipatin' some manner a' bug on a stick…"

"Me can ask elder to give ya dat if ya want..." Dietrick snickers, Z fights a smile.

"If they've got better, I'll take it." Gears looks around.. "…they must be hidin' th' goods then, though."

Dietrick laughed heartily. "Thought ya might."

The group proceeded down and came back to where the Elder's tent was, a girl went to fetch some gifts.

Dietrick went on to converse with the elder in uthgardt, as gears blinks blankly at Dietrick.

"Me come back is to see all of ya cuz me missed ya all! And to show and prove to ya me finally found honor of warriorhood! Besides dat, proving me worth now as warrior as biggest dream. Me also like to see pa and mas who raise dietrick... "

He stops abruptly and scratches the back of his head suddenly...

"Come ta think of it, me found out something interesting in world outside. See gears there?" Dietrick points to Gears. "Is smaller like dietrick. dietrick not short human afterall! dietrick is actually of different race call halfling. hin for short."

Dietrick lowers his head slightly as if something came to mind, then raises it slowly back up and continues in a slow voice. "After this, dietrick would like ask.. umm if allowed bout how dietrick come to be here… "

The elder lowers her worn gaze..but only a moment before proudly lifting her eyes again.

"We found you as a babe among the wreckage of outsiders' traveling. A caravan I think they call it. You were aong the spills we took from those who slaughtered those outsiders. We.. And you know ..we gave you a family and raised you as one of us. There..there is only one thing left from that wreckage that you were found in. It is how we came to give you an outsider name. You can have it, if you want it."

Dietrick's lips waver as he finds air to mutter out the words, "P-pleas-se. Thank you elder, and yes me like to have it. it is... important. "

The elder whispers to a woman beside her who went inside the tent, emerging out soon after, holding something in her hands. Dietrick blinks , pausing for a very long moment, looking at the elder then at the direction behind her at the woman. She smiles to the Elder and then to Dietrick, presenting him with a bundle of cloth, wrapped around metal pieces.

Dietrick moves slowly with his warrior stride steps , taking heavy steps forward. He stands with a contemplative expression, as if some GREAT secret truth is waiting to be revealed to him. His breathing became heavier as he goes closer to see what laid within the bundle. He bent his head and looks at it...with unblinking , serious eyes, his arms shake a bit as they move up to receive it with two hands. Holding it, Dietrick looked blankly at it, still.

After a moment, Dietrick opens his lips. "Thank Arvoreen and Tempus Miea taught me to read common.."

Lying on the cloth, are pieces of rusted metal. Piecing them together, they reveal themselves to be once a name plate attached to an oaken chest. A name shows when properly puzzled together, it reads, "Dietrick Dardragon".

He continued looking at it with emotional silence.

"Thank you. elder. thank you so much."

"I hope that brings you some answer. IF not I am sorry there is nothing else left."

"No elder you have done so much, it gives me the answers indeed that me looked for since me found out me is a hin."

Turning back, Dietrick thanked his companions too.

"Thank you Z, thank you gears , and ginger. Me finally know who ..-i- am."

"Dietrick?" Gears asks.

"Dietrick, Dardragon. that is my family name." Dietrick replies proudly.

The Elder speaks. "IT is good to see you, Dietrick. IT does my heart good to see you become such a strong warrior. I still strongly wish you had stayed with us..but that is the past. I hope you next visit will not be so long. Now Tempus be with you all. I need my rest. I do not have the energy of my youth."

Dietrick looks sadly at her. "There are some troubles i have at the south, and not knows if i can come back and when. but me wants you to know me always thought of you all in my heart since me left. Me will not forget you all as you have never forgotten me. me swear someday me will come back, if me still breath for that."

The hin warrior thumps his chest, clenches his fist hard, holding his fist against his chest not putting down emotionally at the elder, bidding her a long farewell.

The elder frowns and standing up as straight as she can she strides off with a nod to Dietrick and his friends.

And as they walked out the gates barely more than a short distance, Dietrick exclaims, "My name.....is Dietrick, Dietrick Dardragon!" He roars his name into the endless vast skies.

-END-
And herein lies the end of Dietrick's pursuit to find his warriorhood, honor and the truth behind his past. And marks the beginning of a new search….

[Pyrus]

HINNAK

Following the defeat of Thoon and his army of bugbears who worship Orcus…

Quiet. Is quiet that Dietrick knows not before. It had been a long series of events… The death of Hillen Kreuzflur... The fall of the demon fortress... The defeat of Thoon in the warrens... and now finally, the completion of the purification ritual by the druids using their sacred stones... The woods might be a little wild now, but overall, things seemed to be going quieter for once. A time for peace has come, and it is well deserved.

It might have been over, but Dietrick will remember well what transpired; for these are events filled with blood, sweat, and feelings of helplessness. In these dark times, allies are important, and he remembers well those who helped him bring about the peace he fought so hard for.

Dietrick simply cannot understand... Understand why the priest could be so prejudiced and narrow-minded. Theaon opposes the alliance between the silver valley and the thunder tong of the hinnaks. He claims they worship the fury gods, but when requested he attempt to convert them, he goes quiet. Always easy for "no", never around to clean up the mess, it seems Dietrick must settle this himself since Theaon will not. Ironic that is the councilor of defence to do this, when it ought to have been the councilor of faith's role. But then again Dietrick is not one to concern such, he is one of action for what seems right. If Theaon will not meet the hinnaks, Dietrick will attempt converting them himself.

Why? Why does Theaon not see? Running village is not about "picking allies". Its not about talking only to the "nice looking people". It is about dealing with people who live in the world, forming treaties and diplomatic ties so our valley makes less enemy and our people could enjoy peace, something rare in narfell. Theaon does not want this alliance. What does he want? One less ally loyal and committed to fight alongside us ? Who will aid us when the valley ever comes under attack? The legion? Will the legion be enough? Dietrick still remembered well the legion being tricked outside their own town and locked outside by snow goblins.

A deep sigh…

Atop the hill within the valley, where the stout fellow is located, Dietrick stands by a campfire just outside the building. It is his favorite spot when he wishes a breather. He likes looking at his fellow kin below working the fields, and this never failed to bring some comfort. Far below, a hin bent down to work on the weeds of the fields. Watching him, Dietrick felt as if time stopped and the world became to himself, a calm flowing over him.

Why does Theaon not understand..?

Fustration laid within his heart.

Dietrick had put in efforts to bring the hinnaks closer to the valley and made headway in the progress, it was not easy and not because he wanted additional military security. What happens should the hinnaks are left to be? They will always remain a tool to the "other circle". Dietrick does not trust this "other circle". At one time he did, but not after he saw the bodies hanging upon Irmunsul. If everyone continued to harp upon the wrongs the hinnaks committed during the defiler war, if everyone continued to see them with disdain and treat them as outcast with suspicion, eventually, history will only repeat itself. The hinnaks having no choice, will simply have to side with the other circle should a day come when the other circle decides it wanted "more". There will be war between us, there will be bloodshed with many dead. The hinnak will leave, coming back perhaps in the distant years for revenge. This will never end, no good will come out of it. Does Theaon wish this? To kill, be killed by your enemy's children, and to kill again until only you are left? To what end?

A deep sigh…

Dietrick rubs at his forehead with his right hand as he stands atop the hill in silence. A light breeze passes.

He trusts them. The hinnaks have kept to their word always, and seemed honorable, they fight well and are never afraid to take the fight to the enemy when needed. Dietrick favoured such over the ones who ought to fight, but hide. Thinking about it, the hinnaks reminded him of himself. Some frowned upn him over his ignorant and tribal ways, likewise the hinnaks are being viewed upon badly due to their past and their goblin blood. Prejudice is the trouble here.

Is it their fault they are borned the way they are, that they are what they are? Hinnaks are living beings too! The forced union between hin and goblin, this was not by choice but by the twisted cruel force of the defiler. What they are, what they do were forced by the circumstances caused by the people around. Have they ever had a choice? Have anyone given them a lease on another way of life? No. Seeing them as victims, Dietrick strives to help them to see there is another way, to bring them back…

A bond had formed between the hinnak and him during the period of chaos with the tainted woods affair. The hinnaks had fought alongside him against the enemies, to him they are friends. It wasn't norwick or the legion, but the hinnaks and the other circle, who did more of the real work in keeping the taint and evil at bay.

Thus he will not permit Theaon to ruin this alliance so easily. He will "save" them. To save this alliance, to continue his work in drawing the hinnaks closer and winning their trust. In hopes one day the hinnaks will become better, forsaking their less desirable ways they picked up when they were reviled and become accepted by the civilizations of narfell. "The hinnaks are not evil, just people forced into what they are, maybe some think me a fool to trust them, maybe one day this trust will kill me, but this is something my heart believes to be right, and me will see it to the end."

Facing the pressure from Theaon who wishes to call off this alliance , Dietrick will only have to try converting them himself. If they accept another faith, perhaps Theaon will lose his reason to cancel off the truce?

The next day, Dietrick leads a small number of dragoons mainly priests south, into the rawlinswood where the thunder tong of the hinnaks live. Enjoying the peace in the deep wilds of the woods kept hidden from the outside world, Dietrick experiences one of the most enjoyable time in his life found in their hospitality. No wars, no hate, just friends sharing their ways to each other.

[Pyrus]

AT THE GATES OF IRON AXE

Following the arduous travel over the harsh terrain and the unexpected encounter of the mysterious bounty hunter, the adventure to reach Dietrick's tribe continues…

The four now stood on higher ground, the sun shining brightly overhead above. All around them lay the vast snow covered lands and plateaus that ran on for miles. Apparently Ginger had sneaked off to climb the cliff the assailant was on earlier, didn't take the rest long to catch up to her , only to discover the assailant had long before shape shifted into a bird and fled. The group promptly continued westwards.

Now where they stood the land runs on and on, hence the view is much clearer than ever. As they peered out, they see huge giant shadows lurking in the distance all around the valley below. They walked on northwards to their destination. All the while, Dietrick remaining calm as he led the group, though his heart beat a little faster inside.

Walking closer, they see a giant ahead on their path, tall and mighty guarding. Z the human ducks behind the rock, while the smaller ones were already small so needed little cover.

"anyun can uhhh speak giant tongue here?"

"Nope." replies Gears.

"Try common." suggests Z.

"Ok…" Dietrick walks up. "elloz!" His usual innocent demeanor hangs on his face which turns up to look at the giant, his sword still in its scabbard. On the other hand, the giant trenches through the snow with its giant sword and then turns its head with a hungry sneer toward Dietrick.

"Me Dietrick and wish to pass, will giant let us pass freely?" Dietrick thumps his chest and looks sharply at the giant, awaiting a response. The giant looked hard at the little hin for a long silent while. Dietrick's heart turned icy calm, the same feeling it always held before a possible fight.

The warmth of the giant's breath billows out from its nose and mouth at each huge breath it takes.

"Sometin' funny about yoos , puny one. Why should i not grinds you up for food. I's get awful hungry up here. Stupid s me not. Not easy havin' live away from warmer low parts."

Dietrick replies calmly, "If giant and kin let us pass, Dietrick have a fine rare gift from the low parts lands for great warrior like you."

The giant bellows. "Me wanna see dis gift. If it great as you puny thing say. Maybe lowland giants not chase me off no more. and I cans go back home."

Having known the existance of the giants native to the giantspires, Dietrick had already prepared beforehand a bargaining chip collected during an adventure long ago, saved for just such a moment come the day he decided to return to his village, now is that moment. Carefully, Dietrick unbundled and lays down a very solid rare, gigantic half-plate on the floor in front of him, it seems to only suit the size of giant-class creatures.

"With it you will be stronger, metals hard to go thru this. Its made of fine metal and very well master worked. If you allow us free passage pass your lands here, this armour is yours."

The giant grunts and nudges Dietrick with his sword.

"You back way. NO tricks."

Dietrick steps back from the armour, an invisible glee forms on his face as the giant falls for his bribe, he KNEW they would be tempted by such a treasure.

"So we go and you and kin not attack then?" Dietrick questions confidently, watching the giant enjoy his find.

The giant grunts and holds the plate up. "Mes make others stay on da west sides of da pass.. you stay on da east sides.. If you come too far west in da pass.. maybe I get gift AND a snack."

"Thank you friend." Dietrick thumps chest at the lumbering off giant who is busy fiddling with his gift. The four waited, true enough the giants on their side began to head westwards, 'the' giant kept his end of the bargain.

Dietrick turns back , lift his helm a bit and sticks his tongue out at his friends, grinning.

Z nods, "Good."

"Yap, we better go quickly." Dietrick calls out to them as they continued their journey once more, and just as their feet continued, the bickering between the two blonde hins begins.

Gears remarking in hinnish as they move off, "Yeah, good work armin' y' tribe's enemies."

Dietrick replies in the same tongue, "He says he going back to low lands, me helping tribe."

"An' giants never lie..."

An awkward silence came over Dietrick briefly before he retorts, "Tribe happy to fight strong foe anyways."

Gears rolls his eyes as Z walks on quietly, pretending nothing is happening in blissful ignorance.

The group followed the river north, Dietrick being native to these parts could tell they were coming closer. Perhaps closer than they thought, in barely an hour the group finally reaches what looked to be signs of civilization: a wooden wall with a gate. Finally...

The sky was a pleasant mid-day blue. The four approached the gate slowly. Dietrick's heart leapt and his face was astonished, it had been years since he last lay eyes on this once familiar gates.

"Wait!" Ginger cried out in hin as she pulled him back. Dietrick snaps out of his daze and looks at her as she hands some valley's local produce to him.

"Tea and tobacco for your elders."

"Thanks ginger. They will love it. Thank ginger on behalf of tribe." Dietrick smiles sweetly at her.

Dietrick noddles and turns back to look fondly at his home, quite the opposite of Gears who pulled down his hood.

The four walk further up to the gate and Dietrick knocked hard on it.

"Elloz!" Dietrick called out.

The gate opened to reveal a tribesman.

"Aiya! Me back!!!!!!!" Dietrick cried out as he lift his helm off.

The gate clamped shut.

The smile on Dietrick's face fades as an awkward silence came over him.

"Um...maybe he din recognize ya." Z comforts.

A snorting sound came under the hood of Gears who poorly tries to conceal a snicker...

A sudden realization struck in Dietrick's mind. "Oh me forgot they not speak common..."

A voice passes through from behind the gates, in a language none save Dietrick understood.

"We don't see many strangers around here." An unhappy eye peers through a slot in the gate.

"Me Dietrick! me home! open up brother!" Dietrick cried in the same tongue.

A snorts came from behind. "Yeah right. Turn around and go back home. He died years ago."

"No me really backs! Take look at me face!"

The tribeman unbars the gate, bear handing a rough log. Upon sight of the tribesman gate guard, Dietrick thumps his chest in the way he usually does, the way of his tribe, though a little prouder this time than usual.

"Me Dietrick! of iron-axe tribe! is back home now!" A hint of exasperation hides in his voice.

The tribesman peers a long moment at Dietrick and frowns. "The Elder will want to see you, runt. Explain why yer not dead."

Dietrick scratches back of head with an awkward smile, ""Errr... Me wants see him too. Bring me to him please!"

The others behind were somewhat left helpless...

Gears glances at their gibberish and turns to looks to Ginger.

"Sounds like a whole lotta grunting to me." Ginger whispers.

"Y' catchin' any a' this...?" Gears whispers back.

"Nope."

"Yeah."

"I think he said they're fixing to marry Z to one of their tribeswomen. But he mightsa said two." Ginger continues in her whispers to Gears.

Z just goes on smiling politely, perhaps due to the fact he hasn't understood over half the conversations on this trip anyway...

"Him? Oh.. That elder died two winters ago. His widow Elder now. Only woman who ever best him in arm wretlin'. Gee i wonder why."

"Nooo..." Dietrick whimpers.

The smile fades on Dietrick's face to form a deep frown followed by a sigh. A tinge of remorse stung his heart. He always... thought he would show his village elder when he finally became a true warrior, to prove him wrong, to get his acceptance.. But now...

Dietrick pauses in his thoughts before raising his head to reply. "Then please bring me to see the new elder then, his wife."

Dietrick braces himself after a while, then beams a bit more, it is still a great joy returning back home afterall and Dietrick's gloom changes to euphoria quickly. The tribesman glances at the three strangers with Dietrick and then waves them all along. Dietrick explains to the others they are being bought to the elder now, and they promptly followed the tribesman in. The village is simple, several tents in the clean snow, with simple rugged looking tribes folk walking about tending to their simple daily chores.

The tribesman stopped before one of the tents. An elderly aged woman with a bent back who has the company of a few young tribal maidens at her side stood before them.

"There she is. Z's future bride." Ginger whispers to Gears.

"Birthin' hips?" Looks like she'd snap in two. Gears whispers back.

Dietrick thumps his chest quickly. "Dietrick of iron-axe, return home elder."

The elder waves the tribes man off as she nods curtly to them all. Dietrick blops his head slightly, looking up reverently. She listens to a whisper from the man and then narrow sher eyes at Dietrick.

"We thought you were dead, Dietrick. I can barely recognize you. You..." A smile crackles her old face briefly. "You have grown..out."

"Yap! me have grown! Err not recognize? me the only shortie heehee."

Her face turns to a frown. "If you were not dead all this time, where were you?"

"Me sneak out of village to the ouside world elder!"

The elder frowns deeper. "You ran away from us? Why?"

"Late elder, your husband not allow dietrick to join other males to fight for tribe! so dietrick leave to find warriorhood! Tribe trainer taught dietrick is bout heart and not size of arm dat makes one warrior, err... me .... did take it down so me wanted to go out to outside world to prove self! and find warriorhood." He explains.

"And who are these strangers you bring with you?"

"These here are frens me found in outside world, is thru their help dat me ables returns here safely"

"So instead of facing your responsibilities to your tribe with honor you ran away? Yes heart is important, but so is your family and tribe. What about them? We've mourned you all this time!"

A guilty look sinks onto Dietrick's face. "Sorrie.... but me left is becuz me wanted to be like.. others!"

Dietrick looks down soberly for a minute. "Was sad cuz elder not give chance to Dietrick, when is after all dat dietrick is taught and learnt here. It was hurt to Dietrick honor when elder told Dietrick to beat metal instead cuz he fear dietrick cannot fight as well as brothers. So me didn't throw away honor, me went to find it!"

Dietrick then went on to mention his friends and himself bought gifts for the elder and village. Taking out the gifts, he holds them out in cupped hands.

With a frown the Elder replies. "Did. Let's see these gifts. Then we will see more about your honor and place in this tribe."

-end of this chapter! for the grand finale, read "HIS MOST IMPORTANT DUEL!"

[Pyrus]

"MORE THAN LIFE"
A sweet cuddly tale of hin-sized hugs…

His memories had been fuzzy since his return. Pictures blurred by a haze, Like shadows moving in the morning mist.

Some of them had to be real.. No mistake about it regarding those feelings… so intense.... It is something important, he just -knows- it. Your head can lie but your heart will not, as he learned, to always trust his instincts.

Why hasn't he returned earlier? Why did he not? There is a missing gap in his recollection and therein lies the answer. Then there are the feelings, and vague pictures, like something happened somewhere, though he could not remember any of it, save for bits and scraps. He remembers one thing though, clearly as good as real from his dreams.... He remembers the words "it is more than life..."

_**The day before his return… A warrior is stirred from his rest...

After finding out of Dietrick's death, the brave Milo Dardragon, gives up his life and riches, in exchange for an attempt to reach down to Dietrick, via the magics of a kelemvor priest...**_

A lone halfling stands at a cliff, looking at the empty wastes ahead.

"Dietrick!!!"

He hears a faintly familiar voice and turns slowly to see who it was.

"Milo!"

The other hin in front of him runs forward to him, seeming happy.

"I heard you got killed in the Lost City!!"

Dietrick nods once with eyes closed, he sighs then opens his eyes again.

"Milo die too?"

"Listen…your needed back home! "

Dietrick tilts his head in wonder.

"...umm..kind of.. Long story.. "

"needed? home? where?"

Dietrick retains his blank expressionless look, Milo on the other hand looks around frightened at the gloomy surroundings.

"I told you i was going to take you back and meet my family.. "

The flashback zoomed like an electric jolt through his head. Yes... Dietrick had met Milo just before -that- battle. There was an agreement, should he return...

"oh ugh....is nice see kin yah... "

"I heard they tried to raise you but you didnt want to come back? "

Nods once Dietrick did.

"I don't understand.. " Milo peers at Dietrick, with the innocent demeanor of an innocent child, waiting for an answer.

"dietrick life over. "

"We can bring you back.... it doesnt have to be, i can find the gold.. "

"der is nuthing fer warrior dat fails. "

"gold? wat milo mean? not understand. "

"I'm doing whatever it takes...." A determined look spells on Milo's face.
"You spent your whole life not knowing any family... I'm here to make sure it happens... "

"nope, dietrick noe milo. was tempus kindness. allow dietrick see kin before death. Is gud enuff"

"We barely got to know each other... I didnt know how serious you were when you said it may be the last time we see each other.. "

"but bad milo join me in death now. "

(yet another tale to be continued in time... )

[Pyrus]

Dead Warrior

The warrior had died. He once said: "A warrior without fighting spirit is dead on inside, even if alive in body."

For him, he had died in both areas.

To most, being in the fugue is a suffering. To him however, it made no difference since he no longer had the will to fight on.

When the remnant knight slayed him, it not only took his life, but his will as well when the blade struck into him like an acid's sting.

He always wanted … to be a great warrior, and believed as long as one had the courage to take up arms to fight in a battle, that made the person a warrior already. For it isn't the strength of one's arm, but the boldness to fight in one's heart.

However, what reason to fight on, if one could do nothing! Against enemies like those he saw within the lost city, he fell helplessly like an ant against a giant, running, caught, crushed under a minute. What good is it if your fight can do nothing! If all that courage brings about is only as good as being clobbered like rabbits before an army of tribesman, what good is it!

He questioned his worth, because he doubts it now. All that training and skills, only to be a mere ant against enemies he needed to fight, it is tragic for a warrior. Why can't he be stronger? Why is he so weak? He recalled telling himself he would work hard since his fall at the demon fortress.
He decided then he will work to attain skills and heart worthy of legend, he made a word to himself, in front of Lawgiver, so he would not fail the sword again.

Who was he fooling? Himself? He had raised his spirit higher , he had trained harder. He had not lack of spirit nor skill, and what good was he? Only worthed as much as a second to his foe. The shame from such disgrace, his spirit could not bear.

"I am weak. I am nothing and I can't accomplish anything." He thought to himself.

He was angry for a minute and kicked at the sand and air. Then he just sits down, against the wall of a ruin, dead.

Inert, he becomes part of the ruins. He knows he cannot do it alone this time, he has bought out the most he could since the last incident at the fortress, but he has failed yet again. He could not find justification this time around, thus he gives up resigning himself to fate. Perhaps his elder was right? He never was "as fine". Fighting have lost its meaning to the hin even as he awaits vindication in the sands, time forgotten in his wait.

[Pyrus]

At Long Last! The Warrior's Return
A tale coming soon to this thread site near you….

**When time came for males of age to join the fighting force of the tribe, Dietrick's elder had ordered him to stay out simply because the elder did not believe that he could be as fine a warrior. With wounded pride, Dietrick fled his village, away from what he knew, for the unknown outside world. He pursued to find honor, and to grasp warriorhood. It was such that begun the humble tales of a right-sized adventure.

Two years have passed, the halfling have grown into a fine warrior. He now seeks to return back, to reclaim all that is important, all that he had been fighting for.

This is Dietrick's story of his confrontation of his past. It would be what would make him hold his head high, and know he is a warrior truly, if he passes this obstacle….

Shortly a week after the fall of the Demon Hold...**

"There'd better be things t'hurt before we reach this "village"… Feelin' slightly tense" The blonde haired hin said, as always in -that- tone of his...

"Careful what wish for... Oh! err but everyone shud feel happy! Cuz! very very very few gone in deep secret parts of giantspire!" The other blonde, well muscled hin replied to the group.

"Do you have gifts to bring your elders?" The female hin, lean and agile-like questions.

"Errrr.. Nope."

"That's not good."

The three halfling and a human chatters along as they climb the ridges along the nars pass, up higher each step they went, eventually going along north west , leading them onto a winding path through some foothills.

Each of the little ones along with the one big one struggled, some harder than the other trying to find proper footing on what seemed like very rugged paths along the hills, each step harder as they climbed higher.

"How far away do you live? Er.. did you live?" The master crafter known only as 'Z' asks as sweat flows down his hard working face.

"Far Z, up giantspires..."

"Oh, Ok."

The rugged looking halfling with a giantsword on his back continues to move as his eyes were fixated on the map in his hands, he begins to hymn a tribal mountain tune.

"I wonder if they'll have any darkwood trees out there that need cutting." The only female, a halfling comments. Her usual wood-interests sprouting, even amidst the walk up.

Dietrick on the other hand , is still looking at the map.

"Where'd you get the map?" The human Z asks out of curiosity.

"Sam sold it to me." Came the usual, innocent unsuspecting tone.

"Sam?" Came the wary reply.

"Yup, horc. He knows me wanted by pelt, so offer me short cut route." The hin replies innocently.

From there, the trail narrows and climbs fast, one side drooping off steeply and climbing up just as steeply on the other side.

The blonde haired hin stuck by the female, a rather put off look hangs on his face.

"Me checked map, it does go to home direction."

"Ok. All i wanted to know... that it was checked out."

"Yap it is Z."

The tougher hin sticks the map into the insides of his breastplate and proceeds to climb carefully. Z nods and follows after him.

"Though me never walk this way before..." Dietrick remarks....

"I was out this way once before. There was a bugbear tribe up here."
The female, climbing after them comments.

"Err... Hope they not see us..." Dietrick scratches the back of his head with an awkward smile, his hands holding onto the footings.

Finally, the last of the quadruplet tussles up. The four froze in pause, catching their breath as their eyes widen.

They now stood atop a narrow ledge, higher up they are now as they gazed over the lush, vast plains below them. An eagle glides pass in the infinite sky above.

"Ark!" The bird's call echoes through the huge empty air, as the quartet feels a wave of thin, strong wind greeting them.

Dietrick looks at the path ahead, a look of uncertainty on his face.

"Hmm.. Seem no many use this path up in mountain. Scout or just go?"

The female hin is bent down, her fingers on the ground, studying.

"Can have a scout walk in front of group is good idea." The dirty blonde haired warrior suggests.

"Can't tell if there are tracks." Replies Ginger.

"Dietrick, if y'came ~down~ this way by y'self, why d' y' need r' help gettin' ~back~?" Gears rolls his eyes, a sarcastic tone as usual.

"Was lucky, me was young and silly then." The muscled hin looks into the distance, into the narrow ledge pathway ahead, as if recollecting his past memories without looking at Gears.

He sees a narrow stony ledge waiting, with the cold wind biting in gusts every so often. He moves his feet forward without hesitation, as Ginger moves ahead, the other two follow behind closely.

" 'Cause y' old n' dignified now." Gears says as he walks on grudgingly, non-nonchalantly.

Dietrick sighs softly as the distant memories return, his heart beat in eager anticipation.

A great gale zooms by, snapping Dietrick out of his day dream as sharp movements caught the corner of his eyes. His hands reaches out instantly to hold Z back against the wall as the man shuffles his feet against the falling ground below him.

"Whoa!" The human man looks wide eyed below him as chunks of rock and ground collapses down.

"Careful Z." Gears cautions as Z steps as further away from the edge as he could.

"And Gears." Ginger looks back at him, with concerned eyes.

While Dietrick seemed to go on as usual, seemingly appearing to be quite accustomed to the terrain and climate, the other two males appeared to become cautious, staying away from the ledge, Z in particular pulling his cloak tighter as the cold icy wind continues to bite at the four like a hungry wolf waiting to devour one.

"Err... Is very cold up mountain by da way..." Dietrick cautions the group from his experience. "Is quiet at least though..." He tries to comfort the group with his usual nervousness around people that develops when he feels discomfort in them.

The group continue travelling up along the ledge, Dietrick remained the only one talking for a while.

"Learn to breath in Z, you will like air here, is very fresh."

The unpredictable wind strikes again suddenly as Gears stumbles near the edge, Dietrick leaps backwards towards Gears and grabs hold of him, making sure he doesn't fall off. Gears gets gusted up against the cliff face as the wind changes direction. Z helps him up from his wobbling legs state.

Dietrick hides a small laugh, seeming amused as the blonde haired hin starts to learn of his heritage ground.

"Maybe we ought ta link ourselves, you all being so light. Link hands maybe." Z suggests.

"Might be dangerous. If one fall, all fall. Specially wit' loose edges." Dietrick rejects the idea.

"So if Z falls, he drags us all down?" Ginger supports.

"If ya all like..." Dietrick looks to Gears, considering.

"The winds might lift gears or ginger right up." Z speaks concernedly.

Dietrick frowns, the idea worrying him.

"I'd let go if I fell." Z says.

The other three hin did not reply to Z, and the idea was left to die as they continued travelling along the ledges of doom.

After some distance, the silence breaks.

"If there ain't anythin' t' fight afore we get t' th' village, I sure hope s' one a' y' kinsman y' don't mind me maimin'." Gears grumbles.

"Me sure we find sumthing to kill before, Gears." Dietrick replies.

Gears flattens himself against the cliff face as snow slides down suddenly from above them.

"Shhh, avalanche." Ginger warns with a soft voice, the group instinctively follows suit along with Gears.

The four were as still as dead for a time, even after the avalanche was over. They waited longer.

"I was thinking more for you all, me ta help you stay grounded." Z speaks.

"Too risky Z. We'd be fine, don't wooor-ry..." Dietrick was cut short, he looks up. A little snow and small rocks tumble from above, then all was silent again.

"The snow's heavy and soft from melting. It's dangerous to travel this time of year." Came the hushed tone from the girl.

Dietrick winces and looks up. "Think is over. Let's ... go." Z nods.

"No loud noises." The girl says, the other three instantly lowered their volumes, agreeing readily as they continued.

The two agile hins pad quietly through the heavy snow, Dietrick on the other hand trudges through like a giant through a river, heaving his legs over step by step.

Hours pass…

Gears growls as Z helps him up, Dietrick smiling mischievously near him as he almost slips again when another gale of wind blows by.

As the last of a series of such very similar incidents filled most of the earlier part of their journey, their situation seems to brighten at last as they step into light.

Dietrick squints up at the sky, bright rays shining upon his face.

"Think we further now." The warrior speaks.

Before them were some odd looking ice ground.

"Black ice?" Ginger peers at it, Dietrick peeks from behind her, her curiosity spreading to him.

"It's very slippery. Dangerous. Go around it." Ginger continues as she side steps around it.

"Gud idea." Dietrick agrees with her tagging behind.

Quite shiny in the weak sun, up ahead the narrow ledge path widens into a high mountain pass.

Dietrick's eyes widens big as he gasps a second, beaming on the inside like the bright sun rays that now shone upon the four. Before them, looked to be what can only be described as the purest white. Like enchanted, the land has a rustic wild feeling to it, quiet and serene, covered with untainted snow.

"Finally…Home..." Dietrick sighs softly as his lips turn to a smile, admiring the land fondly.

"Yeah, s' just like y' Dietrick... thick... simple..." Gears smirks as Dietrick makes a face at him.

"Tracks Ginger?" Z whispers to the Ginger as she studies the ground, Z looking around cautiously, the other two however still lagged behind, bickering...

"But is happy place Gears. And gears should be honored, is one of most beautiful place."

"I can't see any in this heavy snow." She shakes her head looking up at the tall human watching over her.

"I'd need a stronger wind to sniff out enemies too."

Z takes out a spy glass and peers from one direction to another, turning as he does.

"Wow... snow... can't see that anywhere else..." Gears mutters and rolls his eyes.

"Which way on the map, Dietrick?" Ginger asks him, he unfolds the map he had kept inside behind his breastplate and looks.

The route trails west along the contours shown.

"West." He takes a look at his compass, turns towards the west and walks a bit forward.

A hill stood nearby.

"We'd go up hill for a better view." Dietrick leads them up, walking in front.

He walked to the edge at the highest point of the hill, looking over the land quietly, watching. His face a blank expression.

"Gears' dream come true...." Dietrick mutters as he looks blankly down over the vast snow scape.

Despite the thick fog and snow, the movements of four legged creatures about below them over the hills is distinct against the white backdrop.

Z struggles to see through the snow as Ginger watches and counts them.

"Kinda foggy though - hard ta see much."

"Lotsa wolves."

Dietrick's eyes, acustomed to the climate, remains watching silently the numerous white wolves lurking about ahead.

"Gears gonna stab or we go arund?"

The blonde frowns.

"...s' place reminds me a' somethin' I did that was less than fun... " He paused a minute before continuing, "Rather not bring th' whole pack down on us. 'Sides, wolves don't carry gold."

"We kin leave 'em be, unless they attack us" Z suggests, which the group did. The four make their way down then proceeds to navigate pass the great white wolves around the ridges and hills.

There were some unavoidable battles with one or two of the pack but with the group's fighting skills and Ginger's ability to make peace with them, the group easily made pass the wolves and reaches a narrow passageway that spans through two tall hills.

The hin couple were in front and fell first to a trap no one expected. Poison gas springs out at them as Ginger and Gears begin to cough. Dietrick and Z were a few paces behind, out of reach.

"Ya two alrite?" Dietrick asks and looks at them concerned.

An unfamiliar voice calls from above...

"Surrender Dietrick to me and all this will go away."

Against the snow sky backdrop, on top of the hill over watching them, stands a lone slender figure, clearly a woman's and shaped like an elf. Magical energies swirl about her.

Still confused, Dietrick cries out. "Wait! Wait! They are me frens! Not enemies! Or ..wait, are a part of da tribe?"

"Dietrick, that ain't y' tribe y' git!" Gears rebuttals him.

"Who is that Dietrick?" Z questions.

"I'm not part of your tribe... I'm here to collect on the bounty on your head before word gets around." The woman replies, her face hidden by a helm.

"Ya from Peltarch?" Dietrick asks.

"I'm not from Peltarch." Came the reply.

"Bounty?" Says the puzzled Z.

"Bounty? What yer talking bouts? Who put da bounty on me heads?" Dietrick asks with some confusion, then remarks. "Someone for gears to stab..."

"And such a stabbing there shall be." Was the blonde's reply.

"Maybe not yet.. But I'm sure the stuffed shirts in Peltarch would be grateful enough to me for bringing in a wanted criminal."

"Busy nosey bugger..." The warrior mutters, then engages in quick hinnish to Gears. h> "On a side note, dat sumun Gears will like stab, bet she got lotta nice gear and gold."

h> "Y' better hope she beats y' out on m' list."

"Me was framed and me am innocent."

"That's not for me to decide."

"So you won't let me off?"

"Well... I don't really know how much I would get for turning you in yet... But you have to worth.. something."

"How much for ya to willin let me off? "Me is four against ya, and me frens are strong, should think of reasonable price..."

The hin tries to persuade, but is a natural failure at diplomatic speeches...

"I'll let you off cheap..300....but only because you're not an official bounty yet. I honor my contracts." The female replies to his earlier question.

"Okay." Dietrick throws a bag of coins up.

But as he begins to pull in the talk of odds, she frowns a moment. "Make it 500."

"Ya just said ya honor yer contracts. And me said okay alreadys. Is a deal made."

"My contracts to take people in.."

Dietrick looks to gears. h> "Maybe yer can cut a deal wit her?"

h>"Y' got y'self inta this, don't look t' ~me~ t' save y' sorry arse. Just give'em th' gold an' s' go."

Dietrick attempts to intimidate the woman instead, making himself look as mean and brutish as possible, like some thuggish formidable warrior and threatens her. "Yer magiks running outs, and we are many, take the gold and go otherwise it might not work in yer favour in the end.... " Dietrick had observed the magic around her fade as their conversation dragged on, and capitalized on it.

The woman assilant sighs and glances around. "Fine 300. But if the stuffed shirts put out the word. You're mine."

"Sure! See ya!" He waves up to her as she picks up the pouch then turns to leave. "Let's go."

The group is ready to continue again, Ginger is however nowhere to be found...

-end of this chapter! for the next chapter, read "AT THE GATES OF IRON AXE!"

[Pyrus]

WANTED! OUTLAW!

He never held back and he always kept to it, his heart. He believed strongly that goodness, lies in the heart, and one should always follow it, as its the purest form of morality that will never go wrong, it is the voice of conscience. Even back in his tribe, during his growing up years, the hin had always detested tradition and always resisted those he does not see the reason for and more often than not challenges such laws. As long one is clear to his heart and follows what he knows is right, then it is more than all one can ask for: a clear conscience."

Little would he know such of him, would led to his current predicament…

He still remembered vividly, what happened that day...
The tireless hin had pursued them: a pair of wicked gnomes who kidnapped and tortured Jerr. Having caused damage to the city and murdered an inn keep to buy silence, they were causing much evil within even as the halfling worked to bring justice to them.

Finally he tracked his leads to a warehouse where his foe is hiring many to deliver important supplies to.

He had masqueraded as a hin looking for employment. He stood in the queue waiting. Suddenly, a peltarch guard appeared. The guard was going to clear him and his other friends away from the warehouse, as well as look into the report of a theft.

Such ignorance he saw in the guard…

The guard proceeded to ask the dwarf standing guard over the warehouse entrance who he thought is the thief. An outrage roared in him when the dwarf, to his shock, indicated him to the guard. He had done nothing even close to stealing, and he was just standing in the plain open!

He had stolen nothing! He was innocent! Surely this dwarf who is employed by the kidnappers is doing this in order to eliminate him by borrowing the hand of the law, a power made up by lifeless words on papers.

The laws are blind.

The guard approached him, he demanded Dietrick go with him to see the Judge, and he will have to wait only until morning while being detained…

A simmering strong fire slowly grew inside the little barbarian. A great roar inside of him cried about how the guards were not catching the evil culprits responsible for kidnapping and torturing Jerr, burning the city and murdering the inn keep, but they are going to take him, a complete innocent instead? He would not buy it!

With steely gaze and an angry heart, a deep longing for true justice was sought inside of him.

"No, me won't go with you, me not done anything."

He tried pleading and explain to the guard his innocence.

Instead of finding out more, the guard wished know only if he is coming or not or if he had to be dragged. Replying that that is up to the judge to decide. This further infuriated Dietrick. Why does an innocent man seeking good have to be put in a jail while awaiting trial for something he never did? Is there no justice?!?

Dietrick revealed to the guard he is investigating a pair of kidnappers who are responsible for the arson in the city and the murder of the inn keep.

But the guard would hear no reason. At least it was what it seemed to the barbarian hin, who knew little of the politics and complicated procedures of the city.

He told the guard he wouldn't go. He strapped up his breastplate quickly, not taking more than a few seconds for just a few straps and armed himself with a sword, being an ex-militia, he knew too well they would only use force on him if he resists their arrest.

The guard blew a whistle. The hin looked looked blankly with a steely gaze, unflinching. Within minutes, five more guards surrounded him.

"Shall we start then?"

And he made the move, he attacked the guard with his blade, he had planned to knock them out before running away. But the sword would not penetrate his armour??? What manner of sorcery is this?!??!

Sensing a hopeless battle, he gulped down an invisibility potion, pushed the guard off at the back and made a great run to escape!

Being quick on his feet, he fled the city even as the gate guards were firing arrows behind his back.

An outlaw he became.

But regret once he did not, he hadn't been in the wrong. He had assaulted a guard, but only in defense, they would have attacked him anyway.

Why should I yield to corrupt laws where justice do not exist?
The hin questions.

-END-

[Pyrus]

The Sword of Legend - Lawgiver

He rotates the handle of the blade, the sword turning. Light reflects off it as he looks at it silently.

It is a strange thing how certain weapons of power fall into the hands of some very specific people. Fate perhaps?

It is noted weapons may inherently decide a warrior's fate, or sometimes the other way is possible.

A sword wielded by heroes for generations tend to get into the hands of only somewhat naturally- heroes by some strange twist of fate.

Dietrick looked at it, his heart beat and beat. This is the sword of legend, the lawgiver. Looking at it, it emanated a strong sense of depth inside of him, as if the sword is alive and trying to communicate to the hin. Trying to tell him the long centuries old histories of heroes who used to wield it, of the great glory they shared, its tales of how many a great evil villain were vanquished under it and how the sword was hidden for so long… Or perhaps its an excited hin's lunatic imaginations conjured by his fasination.

Somewhat though, he knew somehow, his destiny have changed the moment he took hold of it. Like as if the sword had a destiny of its own, its destiny is intertwined with the hin's, each of them will affect the other's fate in the living world, one way or the other. It would be too late for regrets, not that the hin would, it was his desire to find such a sword, it was his desire from the start to fight valiantly on the battlefield and to die gloriously, if it came to that.

The old historian Ullidy had told him that a demon lord was defeated with the blade a long time past. And that an army of demons are looking for it now. Not that it mattered, since the hin had somewhat already made many deadly enemies already, another simply did not make any difference to him. Like... what difference does it make to a man with leprosy if he contacted a heart disease? Either way he's a dead man... Likewise, what difference with one more after his life? The hin smirks at the thought.

The hin had just made it back out of the epic battle with the demons. Kara the knight had led a number of valiant heroes into the heart of the corruption: the stronghold fortress of the demons. Dietrick had fought and died valiantly in the last room, watching his friends standing in daze with the succubus's firing at them without mercy, he charged in front of them with anger and struck the wenches down. Alas, the bebilith trapped him within its web with a glabrezu spewing forth rays of great light that hurted with each blast. Despite his efforts he fell in the battle, a battle worthy. Kara had lifted his sword as a loan and finished off the demons, including the balor leader.

Now he is the one unworthy. The sword had felled demons within its legendary strength, but it was he who had failed, his strength hadn't been worthy enough to swing it and bring forth victory. The battle rhythm is broken, the smooth flow of the beat of battle is interrupted with his abrupt death, the sword had fought on whilst his strength had failed, and having have need of someone else to carry on Lawgiver's strength in that battle instead. How unworthy! The sword is legend already, but he isn't.

He looked at the blade silently. "Since I am the bearer, and you chose me, then I MUST become stronger, and fulfill your calling for me. I will find and walk this path you are cleaving out for me…"

He decides he will work to attain skills and heart worthy of legend, he made a word to himself. A strong fire burned within. His shame from the defeat at the final battle with the demons had strengthened him, in other ways. What he now lacked in strength, he makes it up with a strengthened spirit-will, which does not fade with death, and over time as strength returns, with both spirit and strength, it makes him possibly an even stronger warrior.

By chance, he ran into Ullidy again, the historian who first revealed origins of the sword.

"Chaos follows that sword." The old man speaks.

Ironically, the sword is a bane of the chaotic, what his nature happens to be himself. He looked at it with a suspicious eye wondering if the sword would someday turn on him.

Chaotic wielding a weapon against the chaotics, and chaotics are drawn to me. He thought on the attention and fights the sword would invite, and as he imagines, a silly curl comes on his lips. "More fights…. hoorah!!! .... "