Dwarfs have the figure of a barrel, a bit taller than certain fairy I know, but much more muscled. By much more muscled I mean really, much, much more. Marika was thin, very girly and cute. Comparing to the head of Stonecrushers clan… no. There is nothing to be compared. At least I know how to tell the difference between male and female. Females don’t have beards. Yes, I was shocked too. On the other hand, up until now I have seen only a few females dwarves on my way here, so I can’t be sure that is a rule.

Damn, I got distracted. Pardon me. What I wanted to point out once again – the muscles of dwarfs are nothing to joke about. These bastards have muscle structure probably thicker than minotaurs, and that’s something to be proud off. And here comes Gurwirg – my new opponent. He came in wearing rich robes, yet even that couldn’t hide his body. Dwarfs are full of muscles, but that fucker crossed the damn line of good taste! His shoulders were so wide, that he could have some problems walking past average doors in Neira, about half of the head taller than most of his friends – it made him look like giant in the crowd. His beard was tied in a braid. If he would put horned hamlet on his head he would look like a Viking… Well, half of a Viking. A Viking after meeting a hydraulic press that shortened him in half, and then his might somehow managed to break the press leaving him in half of his original size – a midget Viking. A Viking that is short. This kind of Viking. Yes.

He looked at me with sharp gaze, there was no annoyance, irritation or hate in it. Just curiosity.

- “You called for me, father?” Oh, and he was even nice enough to use common speech to honor the two of us. He is a decent guy.

- “Yes, blood of my blood. Our FRIEND,” The word [friend] sounded almost like an insult in his mouth. “Florian was nice enough to return home and start producing swords and armor for us, he was also kind enough to bring two warriors from his journey to aid us…”

His son quickly gazed over us again, as if evaluating our capabilities. Then he said to Florian.

- “It is great to see you, old friend, it is good to know that our brother will go on this ward wielding more than just worthy weapons. It is also a wonderful news to know that you found a companion so loyal, that are willing to go on war with us. Yet, pardon my words, I am afraid that I won’t risk them into our formation. They will simply break the line…”

- “That’s exactly what I said, yet, his companions are more than eager to prove their worth. I called for you, my son, to test their abilities. They were the one insisting. All of the brothers… and sister, allowed it.”

His son started shifting his gaze. From me at his father, from his father at Florian, from Florian to Florian’s father, and finally once again at his father.

I am pretty much sure that he just recreating the whole conversation in his head. He is ridiculously strong, because of the way that everyone treats him I can tell that he is skilled in his profession, his careful gaze said me that he won’t underestimate his enemy no matter if it is dragon or goblin, and by the way he picked his words (to not offend anyone nor to let anyone know his true intention) I deducted that he is not stupid at all.

- “I am respecting you more and more, dear guests. When our battle will be over, let us drink from same chalice.” He said bowing his head with courtesy.

- “I am more than eager to witness power and friendship from dwarf that everyone speak so highly about!”

- “Very well… tell servants to bring my armor.” Last part he said to errand boy. (or man, can’t really say because of the beard), which vanished behind the door. “May I know, what weapon will you chose?”

- “It is hard to say, to be honest. I am afraid that not only I prepared myself more against monster – so more agile weapons would be useless. But, I have no idea what you will be using. You see, adventurers are picking their equipment to counter his/her enemies, picking the best potions, kind of armors, weapons. A dagger will be useless against Behemoth, as you simply won’t be able to pierce through their fat layer, and you won’t pick warhammers against fast agile creatures. Unless you are a certain dragoness, which charge with bare hands, with no plan and no scouting into unknown territory.” I said pointing on Gisele behind me.

- “HEY! That’s not true!”

- “Necromancer. Catacombs. Ring a bell?”

- “… I did not charge with bare hands!” She yelled after a moment of hesitation.

Few of elders chuckled seeing our quick exchange of words.

- “Then, let me give you information you treasure so much.” My soon-to-be rival called. “Heavy armor and axe. That’s what I, and most of my brothers wield.”

- “If you are lacking suiting weapon…” Shield maiden Vakirra said raising from her chair “Then feel free to use this!” She unsheathed sword that was attached to her belt and presented me a blade. Which could be called only as beautiful. It was a piece of art. Not only it was perfectly balanced and sharp like dragon’s claws, but also with imprinted symbols all along the blade. It was runic blade. Runic blade wielded by one of clan-head. By the dwarf queen herself.

- “I am speechless and honored that you found be worthy wielding this wonderful sword/ But taking into consideration all what Gurwirg said and his reputation, I am forced to fight seriously. I will face him bare-handed.”

A whisper spread through the hall. One of servants from Ironblood tribe raised angered yelling:

- “How dare you…” he wanted to say more, yet the son of Gurvan cut him in the middle of his speech

- “Tell me, Ghaidiku, do you think our guest offended me?”

- “S..sir, I…”

- “First of all, I did not feel offended, second of all, I am happy to hear that you think that I can’t protect my honor by my own.”

- “Th…That’s not what I meant!”

- “I fought with many enemies. There was an ogre that charged at me and my companions. My friends ignored him as he was not carrying any weapon. Yet then he tore them apart. With just his hands. He wasn’t big. His muscles weren’t frightening. Yet in that day I lost four good soldiers. Because they were foolish. What you see is someone that tried to offend me. What I see is man that must have trick in his sleeve and decided to put everything into mobility.”

O-ho. So that’s the difference between few spoiled human-nobles I used to fight with compared to dwarf-prince forged in fire of battle. Nothing didn’t make him lost his focus. To be honest, I am impressed. Here comes my element of taunt and surprise into nothing. In the meantime his armor has arrived. It was a wonderful set of red full plate armor and axe with red shaft and black two-aged blades. Meteoric armor? What else did I expected from leader of infamous bulldozers? Let’s take a closer look at him.

Gurwirg, son of Gurvan. Clan of IronbloodLevel41Hp[1149/1200]Sp[1278/1500]Rp[2/100]MpBLOCKEDSkillsCommander [Passive] [Level 12]

Axe usage mastery - [G. Master] [Passive/Active] [Level 29]

Heavy Armor mastery - [Master] [Passive] [Level 11]

Hand to hand combat - [Regular] [Passive/Active] [Level 17]

Shield usage mastery - [Master] [Passive/Active] [Level 9]

Berserk - [Passive/Active] [Level NA]

Not pleasant! Not pleasant at all! I hoped I could finish it in quick charge, pin him to the ground as it would be extremely hard to raise from the ground in this piece of junk. But taking into consideration his stamina and health points, that bastard have endurance and constitution of the fucking minotaur. If I would pounce at him I would most likely bounce off like ball.

Morphing into big creatures could work only as distraction, for I am not really used to fight with pure STR builds. I used to use more balanced builds, which will be also useless. Unfortunately, here my lack of specialization will be my weakness. Tsh. I won’t beat him in raw power, I won’t outsmart him for there is no place for intellectual battle… in that case, outrun him?

He was putting on his meteoric armor, in same time I was taking off my robes and shirt, staying just in shorts I even left my shoes.

- “Are you ready?”

- “Yes, elder.” The dwarf roared.

- “Yes, rune guardian.” I said bowing slightly my head and licking my fingers.

- “In that case… Start!”

It took a second – dwarf hide his whole body behind a shield and rushed at me with insane speed. I am pretty much sure that he just kicked the ground and [flew] to me using just an impact. It shouldn’t be possible.

I morphed my legs in very last moment and jumped in the air. I used bit too much strength and flew around six meters in the air performing a flip and landing behind him.

- “Damn. That was scary man!” I yelled.

He only squint his eyes as he gazed over my thighs. I can’t blame him, they were looking.

- “YEP! Absolutely disguising, no matter how many times I see it!”

Thanks, Gisele, that was encouragement I needed. Really.

But, I can’t get distracted right now. I get on all four and in few leaps rushed in his direction. He already turned in place facing me again. My next movement should be made to counter his next attack. Will he slash horizontally? Vertically?

The distance between us was shortening in frightening speed, and that bastard did not even flinch! Damn you! You can’t possible attack with such a heavy weapon that you wield in only one hand in a second! Won’t you attack at all?! Suit yourself!

But he did attack. Not with his axe, but with his tower shield. I was send flying across the room and hit one of the columns. I raised from the floor.

- “Oh, snap! You got me. I did not expect that.” The word [snap] I said after looking at my arm. It was bended in awkward direction.

- “That would be the whole battle, right kid?” He asked, but he didn’t lower his guard

- “Hm? Who told you that? I still have my second arm!” He wanted to say something, yet after seeing my smile he just nodded.

Few of the elders wanted to stop it, but the guardian of the runes silenced them with strike of his staff on the floor.

- “Our guest wish to continue. Don’t shame their battle.”

I rushed at him with my broken arm behind my back, a moment before the two of us should collide I moved to the side while ducking under his axe. It missed my face by an inch, yet it was totally worth the risk, right now I was on his right – right now it was his unprotected side. I morphed my nails into talons and slashed from above my head. He took a quick step back and my morphed nails slid over his armor making sparkles appearing from impact.

He spun around dragging his axe across and slamming it on the ground where I stood a moment ago. I needed to jump back, yet he did not stop here he raised his shield and used it to attack twice buying himself time to swing his weapon once again.

I kept balancing my body performing stunts that could get my job in every circus. My right arm was useless, or so he though, this is why he tried forcing me on his left side. After some struggle I finally allowed him to push me where he thought I was harmless. I used my left arm to attack an opening, yet he quickly brought his shield to cover his face. I opened my fist and slammed the shield with open palm, just to push myself away. I used momentum to spin around and attack with my right hand. It started regenerating while I performed a pirouette my bones started snapping back to their place. It hurt like a hell yet it was completely worth it. He was not prepared for that, I mean, not every day you meet a guy that can heal broken bones in a seconds. My claws reached the target, I managed to slightly cut skin around his nose.

Not much, but should be enough. I started jumping back.

- “It is finished.” I said smiling.

- “Giving up already?”

- “No. You should. Unless you want the poison that just entered your body start working.”

- “When did you... I didn’t notice you having any vial…”

- “But you saw me licking my fingers, didn’t you? Just before we started.” I said licking my lips. I make sure that tongue that escaped my mouth was forked-snake tongue.

- “How do I know you are not bluffing?”

- “You can just wait. Well, right now I will be just running away from you. The wound is small, amount that entered your body is almost not as big as I would want too. But I have time. The cut is on your face, so muscles on your face will be paralyzed first. In few minutes you will have problems blinking.”

He nodded once, twice. Put his axe behind his back and took off his helmet. He surrendered. I walked to my bags, found a small cassette with few vials and throw one to the dwarf. He caught it, uncorked and gulped in one go.

- “Rouge, eh? I hate dealing with one of your kind. All you need is one hit.”

- “If I would get hit once with that beauty of yours I wouldn’t be left unscratched, you know?”

- “Ah, indeed, sorry for your arm.”

- “Think nothing about it.” I showed him. “See? As good as always.”

- “You surely would be pain in the ass on the battlefield, still, I have to keep what I said before. Rogues needs space to maneuver around. In mountains there won’t be many such places.”

- “Oh, fear not. We will stay behind. At least for some time. Me and Gis have our own ways of fighting. Right now I just wanted to show that I can keep your pace. We would discuss our strategies later, if you would allow us, that is. Yet I am amazed, you know, that your enemies keep draw breath when such fines warriors are marching at war.”

We moved to the table. In mean time food and drinks were served. Elders waited for us to finish. Gisele did not.

- “Not the most honorable fighting style, if you would ask me.” The father of my opponent noticed.

- “He respected our tradition, he forgave us lack of hospitality, he respected our trails, at least allow him to fight as he is used to!” Guardia of Runes chuckled.

- “Brothers and sisters. Before we would start feast…” Florian father’s looked at Gisele which had her nose in the plate. “we should start the vote.” One of other clan’s head started “I am afraid that we weren’t paying attention to the greenskins for too long. They turned to be a threat that none of us can ignore. We are at war. That’s a fact. We need to unite to deal with them. To unite we need a leader. From twelve clans three leaders called themselves to be worthy of leading us. Fehron from Redbeards – owner of greatest forges among the clans, Gurvan from Ironbloods – house of greatest warriors, and Vakirra from Stonecrushers – known from their runecraft. But before that, one last time – challengers! Prepare your speeches!”

Great. So they have to pick between hotblooded idiot with hate-issues, the so-called old fart that is probably as fake as possible and all he does is just for the spectators and woman. Finally there is Vakirra. She seem nice, I guess. Still, I have no idea how the previous conversations looked like.

Why am I even bothering with results? It’s not like it would affect me. I am here just to help Fional and make him finish what he promised me with.

I looked at Gis.

Oh, and make sure that certain dragoness’s belly is full.

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Chapter RSS About the author 2 Fictions 0 Posts 0 Threads Anuel Follow Author Tuesday, August 1, 2017 11:52:02 PM

Bio: Some people want me to write with Style, some people want me to write with Passion, some people wish to see me using logic, yet I... I find madness to be much more alluring.

Srsl tho, I am kinda crazy, ya know?

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