Chapter 43

That night I met with Nimue, Damien, and Tina. We got together outside the walls of the city, under the orchard that stood to the west of Oak Hall and the fields of grain that grew there. Most of the fruit had been already picked, yet the air was still heavy with its scent and the atmosphere there was relaxing. I greeted Damien and Tina politely and then we got down to business.

"I spoke to Mai Woo today while you were out doing your thing," Nimue told me, her voice edged with distaste at having to mention the woman's name, "and she provided me a briefing paper on the region beyond the mountain range you call the Alps. It was fairly detailed. The whole area is dotted with dozens of small isolated settlements and communities, and there is a wide diversity of population groups there. I showed it to Damien and to the others we rescued during our raid on Minos. They've all had a look at it and all of them have identified a possible community that they could move into if the option was made possible for them."

"It can be," I told my mate, "if they are certain that they want it."

"We are still thinking about it," Damien admitted, speaking up for the first time, "While there are several Elven communities identified in the report, none are from my own world and at the moment we are hesitant about imposing ourselves on others, even if they are technically our own kind. The same goes with most of the others in our small community. That is except for Tina here. It appears that there is a community of dwarfs in the identified region that are blood kin to Tina and she was interested in making the trip to their village to speak to them and to see if they would welcome her."

"That sounds reasonable," I indicated, glancing over to Tina, "and I think pragmatic at the same time. You don't know the situation there and it might not be to your liking, given what you've gone through since coming to Game World. In any case, I'd be honoured to escort you there if you'd like."

"That could be a problem," Nimue quickly informed me, "for several reasons."

"Oh!" I murmured raising and eyebrow and glancing about the group gathered before me.

"My people are anti-social," Tina informed me bluntly, "and do not take kindly to strangers. Mostly they think strangers are out to take what they have and they can be paranoid about it sometimes. It is one of the reasons I am hesitant about dropping in on them."

"Another reason is that they've been having problems with some neighbours lately," Nimue told me. "There is a large community of goblins to the north-east of them that has been giving them problems. Normally the goblins have ranged northward in their search for food. The goblins are cannibalistic and will eat other sentient beings if they get a chance. A group of them descended upon the dwarven village about a week ago and they've been slowly starving the dwarves out. According to the report Mai Woo gave us, the goblin's number about a hundred strong and they have worgs with them. So far they've killed a dozen dwarves who lived beyond the city wall but that has been it. The goblins are being cautious."

"They're being nothing but cowards," Tina snapped angrily, "for they know that the dwarfs in the village outnumber them and they fear a real fight."

"That might be so," Damien chided Tina, "but it doesn't change the fact that the goblins have laid siege to the village and the villagers are running out of food and that no one in the region will come to their aid because the dwarves have alienated everyone."

"That may be true," I decided to interject, "but I'm not everyone in that region. If I go there I will go in open friendship and I will help the dwarves whether they like it or not. If others join me on the excursion I will be grateful. The only things I want to know are who manages the dwarves and who manages the goblins."

"They both come under Isanti Network," Nimue told me, "so there is no advantage there except for the pleasure of causing the bastards running this world a little more grief."

Personally I had wished that the goblins had belonged to Onyx Network, but you can't have everything you want in the world. Still I had to admit she was right. We'd still be causing someone on the other world a little grief. Hopefully that network would get the message and start playing ball by my rules.

We left at dawn the next morning. My party included four of my five mates, Dork, Goiania, Damien, and Tina. I also brought my six locals from Oak Hall and the two soldiers that I'd rescued the day before. I figured we could make use of their particular skill set and it would be a good introduction to life on Game World for them. The final person in our group was Mai Woo. I wanted her with me in case I needed something special. Of course the whole thing was going out as an exclusive. From what I got told that morning, the conglomerate was doing very well and interest in joining it was going up.

The village of Arlberg stood on a broad plateau that faced down into the rolling tree covered hills of the Black Forest and to the west of the plateau were the headwaters of the Rhine and behind it stood tall magnificent mountains. The village itself was surrounded by stone walls and watch towers and it included a stone longhouse and a keep. The wall was tall and thick and it would take great effort to breach it and the dwarves knew it as did the goblins. Unfortunately the goblin commander was patient and he knew right well that time was on his side. With but a few goblins mounted on worgs he could control the access to the village and ensure that no one would escape unnoticed and if anyone did, they would quickly be captured and killed if for no other reason than to fill the cooking pot with fresh meat.

Our arrival in front of the village longhouse caused quite a stir. Dwarfs appeared from all about us armed with swords and axes and pikes and they all looked pissed. Thankfully Tina spoke up for us.

"Stand easy brothers," Tina bellowed out at the amassing crowd, "for am Grutina of Dorr Redding, daughter of Angstrom the Maker. I am of the blood of Afar Hardfist and I claim kinship with the people of Arlberg."

It didn't really help. There was some mumbling and grumbling and a lot of glaring and no one lowered their weapons or showed the slightest interest in welcoming us to their town. So we stood there and waited until someone of authority was informed of our presence. It took longer than I expected, but eventually someone did show up.

"I am Daghout Rockcleaver, Lord Mayor of Arlberg," a heavily bearded dwarf informed us after he pushed his way through the ring of people who were standing guard over us. "Who are you people and how did you get past my sentries and more importantly, those detestable goblins?"

"I am Grutina..." Tina started to say again.

"Yes, yes, I've already heard your claim woman," Daghout Rockcleaver snapped out, cutting Tina off, "and I care very little about it. What is more important is the fact that you are here. Are you in league with the goblins? Are you thieves or spies?"

"Neither," I told the man gruffly in dwarvish, glaring down at him as I did. My voice carried and all about us heard me speak and several muttered surprise to hear their tongue spoken by a human. I didn't care. Instead I pressed on before Daghout got a chance to recover from his surprise.

"We came to help you Daghout Rockcleaver," I continued loudly, "though from the courtesy that you've demonstrated today, I think our journey here was ill advised. However we are here now and will stay and assist you if you so desire it. If not, we will leave you to your fate. The choice is yours."

The man glared at me sternly for a moment as did the men behind him. Then his eyes moved over my attire and my accouterments. They took in my sword that hung at my side in its scabbard and the hatchet stuck in my belt. His eyes travelled up to gaze at my chest so he could note my bandoleer of throwing knives. Then he spotted my necklace of cat teeth and the dragon's claw. His eyes went wide at that.

"You have slain a dragon?" the man muttered up at me, half as a statement of fact and half as a question.

"I have," I told him without hesitation.

The man's face flushed at that and then he turned away and moved to talk with several other men from the village who looked more like advisors rather than soldiers. They only spoke for a moment and then Daghout turned back and addressed me again.

"Forgive our manners Great Warrior," Daghout said, bowing his head as he spoke, "for this last week has been a trying one for us and our tempers have been on edge. Perhaps we should start over again. Would you like to accompany me into the longhouse and drink with me and rest a bit so we can talk in comfort?"

"I would," I told the man with a wary smile. Then I turned to my people and spoke to them using the trade tongue that we were all familiar with. I left Nimue in charge just in case a problem arose and I told her to post guards while she awaited my return. I took Kola with me, as well as Tina and Damien and Mai Woo. Thankfully every member of my party were wearing a translator unit so no one would be caught off guard if someone decided to spring a trap on us.

The longhouse was eighty feet wide and at least two hundred feet long and it was lit by torches and a central hearth and it was filled with long trestle tables and benches. At the far end was a dais upon which stood a single chair. It was to that chair Daghout walked without hesitation and sat down. When he had settled himself he called for drinks for all of us and then suggested we pull up a bench so we could rest our feet. We did as we were told.

"So tell me Great Warrior," Daghout said once drinks were brought for us, "how did you reach Arlberg?"

"You would not believe us if I told you Lord Daghout," I said, using the man's title for the first time, "nor would the goblins if they were told. Let us say that we have access to magical means that allow us to travel from one place to another unseen."

"Elven magic?" the man asked looking sharply at Damien as he spoke.

"No, not Elven magic," I told him firmly. "The magic is my own that I can call upon as I need it."

That silenced the man for a moment. He just sat and sipped his drink and stared at me thoughtfully. Finally he spoke again.

"Would you kill another dragon," the man asked me cautiously, "if asked?"

The question surprised me and it did my companions. For a second I said nothing. Then I smiled and responded.

"Why do you not speak of the goblins that have you boxed in here with no place to go Lord Daghout?" I asked him bluntly. "I came here thinking that you were in need of my aid and that of my friends but I don't really think that is so for you'd rather chatter about dragons than about how to rid yourself of the pestilence that has surrounded your town and sealed your gates. Tell me what you are thinking about?"

"The goblins can wait," Daghout snorted in response. "They can't get in for we keep watch and there are more of us than there is of them. More importantly we have water and food and while this siege may last a while we know from past experience that goblins get bored easily and that they lack patience to wait things out to their end. Eventually they will lift the siege and go elsewhere or they will attack and we will kill them. Either way they aren't worth the worry at the moment. However, we do have a problem that you could help us with if you were so inclined."

"And what would that be?" I asked bluntly.

"There is an ancient wyrm to the north-west of here," Daghout replied without blinking an eye. "He lives in the waters that feed the Renos River and he is a thorn in the side of my people. Kill him for us and we will treat you well my good warrior. We would indeed."

I didn't trust Daghout one bit and while the hairs on the back of my neck weren't causing me any concerns, I decided to tread lightly with this man.

"I would still like to talk about the goblins first," I told him after a moment's reflection, "before we discuss anything else."

That irritated the man even more and I took note of it. I was beginning to regret coming to this village and getting myself involved in their troubles. It was obvious that the locals didn't want us here for they had no qualms about telling us that to our faces and instead of directing their energy towards a clear and present danger, they wanted me to go after some other threat that they claimed was a thorn in their side. I just sat and waited and wondered as to how far I could push with this man before he really got pissed off.

Daghout did discuss the possibility of us dealing with the goblins, but only as a preliminary to me going and dealing with the dragon to the north-west of them. I told him that I would think about it and then called a recess to our talks. I wanted to chat with my people for a bit to see what they thought of the situation.

"I think we should leave," Felicity told me bluntly, surprising everyone in our group who knew her. "These people don't want us and they've implied that they don't need us. I don't know whether it is because they're just arrogant or stupid but facts are facts. Besides, I don't think you should go looking for trouble. Fighting a bunch of goblins is one thing but going after a dragon is another. In all the stories I've ever read they're pretty hard to kill."

"They are," I stated bluntly, unconsciously touching the claw that dangled from my neck, "and personally I agree with you. I don't know what the problem is with the dragon and these people but I can tell you that it probably more complicated than this Lord Daghout is making out. What do you think Tina? We came here for you more than for them and the chance to kick some goblin butt; do you want to stay?"

"I don't know," the woman replied hesitantly. "They are my people by blood but they are not my people and I can see that now. Perhaps I have lived with others for too long but I find them insular and paranoid and I can sense dishonesty in Daghout's words. I don't trust him and I do not think I want to stay with these people."

"What about you Nimue," I asked my mate, "or you Damien? Have either of you sensed Dindraine since coming to this place?"

"I have sensed others," Nimue informed me, her face shadowed with regret, "but not my sister."

"I have sensed the same," Damien interjected, "as has Goiania. There are several bands of Elven folk nearby but neither of us has sensed Dindraine amongst them. As for Daghout, I do not trust him either. The man has machinations that bode ill for anyone who gets involved with them."

I had to agree with Damien and my mates and Tina and the others in our group. The dwarves were up to something that just wasn't kosher and we all could sense it. Still I wanted to do something about the goblins if only to stir things up a bit and have some fun. To be honest with myself, I was enjoying bouncing about and causing trouble and getting into fights and I was feeling disappointed that the dwarves didn't want our help.

"What about the dragon?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Avoid it," Felicity said curtly garnering several nods of agreement. "I think we should just go home and consider this trip a bust."

"But..." Mai Woo started to say in protest.

"But what?" Nimue snapped angrily, cutting the woman off.

"Nothing," Mai Woo responded, lowering her head submissively.

"What did you want to say slave?" I asked, glancing over at Nimue as I did, letting her know that I wanted to hear what Mai Woo had to say.

"Nothing my lord," Mai Woo muttered in reply.

"She was going to say something about the viewers," Nimue growled in response, "and that we owed it to the conglomerate to put on a good show for them. Well they can all drop dead as far as I'm concerned. This trip has been a bust and that's that."

"You're right," I acknowledged with a sigh, "that the trip so far has been a bust, however browbeating Mai Woo every time she opens her mouth isn't helpful. I have her with me for a reason and I expect people to accept that fact regardless of how they feel about the bastards who run Game World. Now I asked Mai Woo what she had to say and I expect an answer."

"I was going to say," Mai Woo quickly told me, "that your fight with the other dragon had garnered Onyx Network big points and that I'm certain we would get better ratings now if you ended up fighting another one."

"And you're probably right," I admitted quickly before Nimue could put in her two cents worth, "but I really had no intentions of fighting the dragon. I did however want to meet it and to possibly talk to it."

"Talk to it?" everyone else gasped aloud, surprise clearly visible on their faces.

"Yes," I said with a chuckle, "I wanted to talk to it and find out why these dwarves disliked it so much, although I'm pretty sure I already know. Still it would be interesting to talk to one wouldn't it?"

Most of my group said no. Still I wanted to do it. I also wanted to mess with the goblins as well. The only thing I didn't want to do was to deal with Lord Daghout and his village. Once we were agreed on that point, I told one of the dwarven warriors who were watching us to let Lord Daghout know that I was ready to speak to him again. The warrior took off and then returned a few minutes later with Lord Daghout and his band of advisors.