Part II: Reko Attacks!"What's that jeweler over there doing?"
"Why, I'd say the poor fellow's gone quite mad."
"One of those "fey moods" I suspect. Look at him go about the stockpiles collecting that junk."
"At least he's succeeding; I've seen more dwarves go berserk trying to make an artifact than I think any dwarf should."
"Agreed. I wonder what he hopes to create."
"He's a jeweler. What do
you think he'll make."
"Point taken."
Torvald stood quietly before the glaring eyes of the Evening Prayer Group.
"Why was the former broker beaten to the point of unconsciousness by the fortress guard yesterday?" Thane inquired sternly.
"I reckon that it was a violation of an export prohibition. He is currently recovering in the hospital with a broken skull.
"That is quite an injury, are you sure that he'll recover?" asked Tarmid.
"The fortress cannot be affordingk to lose extra dvarf to police beatingks," added Vlad.
"A report from one of the nurses did say that he is due to receive adamantine stitches by the end of the month."
"This is not good use of resourses. Seeingk as the fortress needs veaponry and armoringk, allovingk this as the overseer could be considered treason, yes?"
"I can assure the committee that I ain't got the slightest idea as to how this got past me. Still, I can't cancel what processes have already begun."
The Evening Prayer Group glanced accusingly at Torvald, and Sir Brenzen motioned for him to leave. As the heavy stone doors shut behind him, Torvald could already hear the committee members begin to deliberate and to argue over the situation. He was positive that he could make out the occassional insult from Vlad, who was most certainly not on his side. Only after an hour had passed was he allowed to return to the chambers.
"Torvald," Sir Brenzen began. "It has been decided that your oversight is to be forgiven this time around. However, know that it is quite unwise to displease this committee."
"I understand. Thank ya'll kindly."
The roar could be heard quite clearly, even from the surface. It was the roar of a forgotten beast, one of the primodial monsters of the world. What exactly they were, no one could truly know or agree. Perhaps they were creatures sent by the gods to punish the living for their sinful nature, or perhaps they were merely another beast to hunt in the caverns. Whatever they were, the roar of one usually meant that the nearest fortress was to go into lock-down. This does not, however, apply when the fortress in question is Demongate, where the dwarves have gotten all too used to this sort of thing.
A swordsdwarf ran towards Torvald carrying the scouting reports. He quickly saluted the overseer and began to relay his information.
"Sir, the beast has been spotted in the second cavern layer, and is rapidly approaching the stairway!"
"Send in the 1st Crossbow. If nothing else, we can at least buy ourselves some time.
"Just the one sqaud!"
"We cannot afford to risk our entire military to a single threat, now tell the commander to mobilize the troops now or I'll do it myself!"
"Yes sir!"
The first marksdwarf met the beast right as it was coming to the staircases. As the bolts began to stick into the beast and cripple it, so too did the beast begin to expel its noxious gases. The marksdwarves the arrived to fight it were quickly caught up in the gases, but it did not show any outward or immediate effects.
"This beastie's all show!" the militia captain exclaimed. "Let's show this pin-cushion who owns Demongate!
They continued to fire their bolts into the monster, and it slowly began to move with less strength and vigor. Suddenly, completely out of the blue, an enthusiastic female cry was heard and a new dwarf joined the fight. She was the new recruit to the crossbow squad.
"It's the new recruit, the strange lass!"
"Aye! Quite enthusiastic she is."
"What's her name again?"
"Dan-something or other."
"Odd sort of name for a girl, but whatever! Let's finish this."
The militia captain fired one final bolt into the beast's head, piercing the skull and tearing the brain apart. The beast let out one last faint cry as the light faded quickly from its eye. It crumbled to the ground, and even before anyone knew it the monster had fallen asleep forever. The marksdwarves all began to cheer and cry out in joy, except for the one young marksdwarf called Danman, who looked somewhat disappointed.
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Topic: Demongate: Wrapping up the Loose Ends. (Read 672612 times)