Hearth Fire

“Hold on beardling we are almost there!” Stronric said as he ran through the underground courtyard. Rugiel appeared from the door leading to the hearth with panic written across her face.

“What happened!?” Rugiel screamed as she saw Stronric carrying Bauru’s limp body.

Stronric shoved past her and went to Bauru’s bedroll. “Water now!” Stronric yelled over his shoulder as laid Bauru down. Rugiel came to look at Bauru, her face as white as snow and her eyes were wide.

Stronric looked over his shoulder and yelled at her again. She didn’t move, she just kept mouthing Bauru’s name over and over. Stronric stood and grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her.

“Look at me Rugiel!” He said, while shaking her again. “If ye don’t get me some water yer brother will die. Now go!” Rugiel’s eyes flashed to Stronric, and he could see the weight of her worry. “Water lass, he needs water.” Stronric repeated with less edge than before.

“Yes, yes I’ll get him some water.” Rugiel said shaking her head before turning and sprinting out of the hearth with a bucket in hand.

Stronric tuned back to the injured dwarf before him. “Aye, now that she is out of the way beardling, let’s see what going on.” Said Stronric as he drew one of Bauru’s daggers.

Stronric propped up Bauru’s feet and started to pull off his loose equipment and clothing. Soon Stronric formed a small pile of daggers, bow strings, a pinch of snuff, and other small trinkets, off to the side of the bed. Then Stronric cut off Bauru’s shirt. Bauru was bigger than when he had first arrived at the hold. His once shrunken and starved form was replaced by lean muscles that ran like cords of a bow string along his chest, arms and abdomen. The right side of Bauru’s ribs were a sickly shade of purple and yellow puckered by small debris. A large bone like Quill protruded from the upper abdomen. Stronric gently touched the foreign object and froze when Bauru’s limp form tensed. “It’s alright lad. Let’s see what else ye’ve got.” Stronric said gravely.

Stronric began a methodical survey of the boy’s body for injuries. He ran his hand down each arm, mostly finding small flesh wounds and more bruises. Clicking his tongue, he continued down the boy’s legs. His pants were tattered as if he ran blind through the dense brush of the forest. With steady hands he cut down the front of each pant leg and flaying the material open. He found only minor cuts and small embedded thorns. “I need to see ye back boy. It’ll likely hurt.” Stronric said, praying to the ancestors Bauru could hear him.

Stronric prepped Bauru by bending one knee and crossing his limp arms across his chest. In a swift practiced movement, Stronric rolled the small dwarf onto his side. Bauru’s shirt easily fell away exposing deep crimson rends that crossed across Bauru’s back. Blood trickled from the cracks in the scabs that had already formed over the cuts. The bruise continued around Bauru’s ribs and mixed into the gruesome sight of the dwarf’s back. Stronric gently ran his hand along Bauru’s back. He stilled when he felt the tip of the bone quill jutting through Bauru’s left flank a hand-breadth lower than his ribs. The boy might have luck on his side. With the angle of the quill’s exit nothing too vital was hit. Please don’t ‘ave one of yer lungs popped boy. A dwarf can come back from almost anything as long as nothing important is injured. Stronric signed in relief when he found no injuries to Bauru’s lungs.

“BANG!” Rugiel came running back inside with a bucket of water. In her frantic state she was spilling more water than she was saving. Stronric growled as he looked up at her. Rugiel was frozen, her face paused in a look of horror as she stared at the wreck made of her brother’s back.

“I need that water, Rugiel.” Stronric said sternly but easily. “Slowly bring it here and try not to spill anymore.”

Rugiel moved rigidly as if each step brought her great pain. Her eyes never left her brother’s wounds. When she made it to where Stronric crouched over Bauru she set the bucket down and fell to her knees. She lifted a shaking hand and traced his wounds in the air, while tears slowly fell down her face. “What did this to you Bauru?” She whispered.

Stronric understood the horrors of trauma and the shock they inflicted onto the loved ones seeing it. But there was no time to coddle Rugiel, they needed to act quickly to save Bauru.

When Stronric spoke, he left no question to his order, “Rugiel, I need ye to go out front and find me a green moss with a yellow base. It’ll be found in the courtyard among the rocks.”

“Does it have healing properties?!” Rugiel replied, her voice breaking as she met Stronric’s guarded gaze.

“Oh yeah, powerful ones, now go. Get!” Stronric shooed her towards the holds main entrance.

“I’ll go.” She whispered. Before Rugiel got up she ran a hand over Bauru’s head smoothing his blood caked hair. His head lulled to the side. “Stronric his eye! His eye is gone! Stronric!” Rugiel gasped. Her shouts turned to ragged breaths and sobs as she frantically stroked Bauru’s hair.

“Get, Rugiel I need those herbs. Go!” Stronric shouted as he quickly moved to intercept her. He tried to pull Rugiel away from Bauru, but she was unyielding as she sobbed over her brother’s head. Stronric gripped her chin forcing her to meet his eyes. “The Herbs. Bauru needs the herbs. Ye are doing nothing but worrying his wounded heart, lass.” Stronric said softly. She seemed to have heard him and allowed him to guide her up. Stronric started to try and remove her before giving in and giving her a comforting hug.

“I know ye scared for ye brother, he’s a tough ol’ goat. Now go, we need those herbs. I need quiet to work. Now go.” Stronric said as he patted her head and she turned to leave. She spared one last look at Bauru, wiped her eyes, set her chin high and left through the door leading outside.

I feel ye pain lassie, I do. I know what it’s like to lose someone important to ye. Stronric thought as he made his way back to Bauru’s side. After one last look over the backside of Bauru’s body, he gently rolled the young dwarf onto his back again. Now to remove that quill.

Stronric quickly went to the heath, he threw extra firewood onto the fire and silently prayed to Thoranthana for strength and help. The fire roared to life in an instant and seemed to burn hotter than it should. He looked up at the carved cornucopia and nodded his thanks. Stronric poured some of the water into a pot to boil. He quickly rummaged through the supplies left by Mintra until he found some folded scraps of cloth. He tossed those into the pot as well. He cut several more strips of cloth from extra clothing and laid them out beside Bauru. He then set to finding their sharpest knife. He found the one Rugiel used to prep meals and ran the wet stone over it, ensuring its edge was sharp. Returned to the hearth and placed the knifes blade into the boiling water. He then washed his hands with the remaining water in the bucket. He pulled half of the boiling cloths scraps from the water and hung them to dry by the fire.

Before returning to Bauru’s side Stronric stripped off all his extra gear until he was only in his shirt and trousers. He bent down and retrieved Bauru’s belt placing it by Bauru’s head. The last thing Stronric needed was a mat to work on. He went over to where Bauru piled up the leathers and found a large clean tanned piece. He placed the leather next to Bauru’s head and laid out his materials. He collected a second pot, poured some of the already boiling water and scraps into it and set this onto his leather mat. He refiled the pot over the fire and set in more scraps.

Stronric returned to Bauru’s side and knelt beside him. He inspected the quill. The quill was made from some type of bone like material. It was formed by three spiraling cords that wrapped around each other forming a large thick spike. He gently ran his hand along the material and found it to be smooth. “Listen here Beardling. It’s time to remove this quill. Yer a strong lad and I need ye to stay that way for yer sister.” Stronric said as he placed Bauru’s belt between his teeth. “This will likely hurt, but Dwarves are nay afraid of a little pain.”

Stronric bunched some clean cloth into a ball and rolled Bauru up enough to place it where the quill’s tip exited his flank. He gently rolled Bauru back down using Bauru’s body weight to hold pressure over the exit wound. Stronric firmly grasped the quill and tentatively turned it in the opposite direction of the quill’s spiral. Stronric sagged with relief as he felt no catching. The quill wasn’t barded?! I can work with this!

Stronric refocused his attention on the task at hand. In one hand he tightened his grip on the quill and with the other he lifted a handful of wet cloth scraps from the warm bowl next to him and rung them out. In one swift motion, he twisted the quill counterclockwise while pulling back. The quill slid free with a sickening slurp. Stronric thrust the clean damp cloth deep within the cavity the quill left and held pressure. He tossed the quill onto the leather mat and retrieved more cloth. He doubled up the cloth and pressure and Bauru let out a strained grunt. Stronric slowly peeled back the gauze to see the full extent of the damage. Went cleanly through. Thank the ancestors. It ain’t bleeding so bad, so likely missed the major arteries and organs. Only time will tell if it nicked the gut. He should be alright if he doesn’t come under fever and sickness. Stronric replaced the red tinged cloth with a new set and held pressure again.

Stronric turned his attention to the quill on the mat. It was roughly forearm length and a small first wide at the base. It ended in a wicked point a finger width around. Where did you come from? Was Bauru ambushed on his patrol? Anger and fury began to rise in Stronric’s chest. If someone attacked my own kin on my mountain, I’ll hunt them down. Stronric took a deep breath and let it out, calming himself just a bit. He kept his hands on Bauru’s wounds but shuffled closer to the mat and the quill. The quill’s surface gleamed like smooth bone, but as he leaned closer, he could see it was textured. This looks more similar to an animal’s horn than a human made weapon.

The door slammed open and Rugiel came running in with several different types of moss cradled into her apron. She ran to Stronric’s side and emptied the moss onto the leather mat. She stopped moving when she saw the large quill covered in blood.

“What is that Stronric? Was that inside of Bauru?” Her eyes darted to her brother. Bauru’s bare chest rose and fell in steady breaths. She scanned his face before her eyes settled onto the bandages Stronric pressed into Bauru’s side. She swallowed dryly as the white slowly grew red.

“Easy lassie the hard part is done. We need to clean and dress his wound. Ye be a good lass and pull more damp cloth from the pot over the fire. Replace the cloth with this moss here, the one with the yellow base.” Stronric said gingerly, testing her reaction compared to her last outburst. Rugiel solidified her posture and nodded. She quickly retrieved what Stronric asked for and knelt on Bauru’s other side. “Ye need to clean around the wound while I hold this. We must keep it clean, so the blood doesn’t sour inside of him. That is what will kill him. Bad blood it’s the deadliest killers to most warriors.” Rugiel worked efficiently around Stronric’s hands. Once the front was clean Stronric replaced his hands with a gentle knee and lifted the side of Bauru’s body so Rugiel could clean the exit wound, Rugiel finished wiping away the last of the filth on Bauru’s chest and looked up to Stronric. Stronric’s heavy voice cut through the quiet room. “Now we’ll bandage this wound and treat the rest of his body. I’ll hold the lad up and you work the bandages around his torso and over his shoulders, aye?” Rugiel nodded, not trusting herself to speak as silent tears rolled down her face. Bauru made a small grunt and the pair quickly worked and this pushed Rugiel faster.

Returning the freshly bandaged Bauru back down, Stronric wiped his brow. He left Rugiel kneeling over her brother cleaning every inch of his tattered limbs. Stronric went to the hearth and poured the liquid from the moss filled pot into a tankard. He looked back to the cornucopia. We’ve done all we can, now help the lad find his path. Stronric returned to kneel next to Bauru’s face. The belt had come out likely when they lifted him up. He took in the missing eye. How could this wound and his eye be healed yet his body broken elsewhere? He left his thoughts hidden in his mind and lifted Bauru’s head. He tipped the tankard to Bauru’s lips and allowed the warm liquid to drip in. Bauru coughed a little but drank slowly. Rugiel rushed to her brother’s head at the sound. “Take over lassie. Keep feeding him drinks as long as he takes it.” Stronric said and stood.

BANG. Another door from deeper inside of the hold slammed open. “BAHH!” Beatrice called as Indomitable limped into the room.

“Shite what happened out there!” yelled Stronric as he took in Indomitable. He walked over to the ram and inspected him. The ram’s back was lined with gaping shallow cuts and puncture wounds. Stronric let out a sigh of relief when he saw the fat layer absorbed most of the damage. Stronric led the ram over to the hearth’s light near Bauru and helped him down.

“Is he alright Stronric?” Rugiel called still cradling her brother’s head. Beatrice made her way over to Indomitable and laid down in front of him, so his head could rest on her withers.

“Aye, mostly a flesh wound. I’ll clean and close it and he’ll be fine.” Stronric replied. Stronric used the remaining supplies to clean the cuts. He retrieved a suture kit and set to sewing the ram’s wounds.

The room was quiet except for the gentle humming from Rugiel as she tended to Bauru. Indomitable let out a bay of thanks as Stronric finished his stitching. Stronric pet the Ram behind the ears and rubbed Beatrice’s face. “Ye need to see if Bauru will eat.” Stronric cut out. Rugiel did as Stronric asked, retrieving some bread and going back to Bauru. She wet the bread in the broth and tried to feed Bauru, but Bauru wouldn’t eat.

“Here give him some beer. If he goes during the night, ancestors be damned, we wont want to send him off thirsty.” Rugiel looked at Stronric like he was mad. Stronric offered her the tankard and nodded his head. “Look Rugiel I know he’s ye brother, but we are going to lose friends along the way. This is the cost of what we want.” Stronric said with a stoic face.

“Oh, your wants be damned Stronric! My brother lies on his death bed and this is what you have to say?!” Rugiel screamed at him climbing to her feet.

“Rugiel, please, it’s not like that. The Ancestors will welcome him into their hold. There we will be able to join him, when our time comes. To think otherwise is madness. Whatever was out there he stopped! Honor his actions and give him his last drink!” Stronric yelled back. Stronric was surprised by how raw his emotions were. He had lost brothers in arms many times before, but with Bauru and Rugiel it was different.

“Honor him!? You dare speak to me that way? As if I was to dishonor my own flesh and blood! What do know of kin blood? You left your world behind. What do you know of kin?!” Rugiel screamed. Stronric’s face turned to cold stone at her words. Rugiel gasped, she knew she had gone too far. “Stronric I am sorry I didn’t mean too.”

Stronric set down the tankard, slung his axe harness over his back and picked up his axe. He paused to look at the sleeping form of Bauru, now tucked into a bedroll by the fire. “If the beardling dies he will be missed. Yet, I hope ye never feel the pain I know.” Stronric turned and went through the door leading deeper into the hold. He paused once free from view and let out a ragged breath. He tilted his head back to the door as he heard Bauru’s whispering voice.

“Sis, ye went too far.” Bauru’s voice was weak and rough. Bauru let out a whimper as he sat up. Blood oozed from his wounds darkening his bandages. He picked up the tankard next to him and drank deep. “I won’t die, I just started living.” Bauru said through clenched teeth before collapsing back down on his bed.

Stronric spared a slight smile for the boldness of the young dwarf before continuing down. He passed where he had placed the head of the orc war chief as a warning. He continued until he stood before a familiar sight. In front of him was a smashed door. The placard next to it held a rune: A square with a vertical line running down the center. It was the run of Xunder; treasure talk.

Peering inside of the room, the hallway opened into a wide corridor connected to a long tunnel. The floor was covered with tracks for mining carts. The tracks formed a network connecting every direction Stronric could see. In the center of the room a large gear covered in tracks could be rotated to change the direction of the carts. The walls were plain and sconces lined the walls every ten feet. Stronric made his way into the corridor and followed the track lines. Each track led to large double doors. When fully shut the doors had cut outs just high enough for mining carts on the track to enter without opening the doors. He walked along the wall, and the next door was space roughly twenty feet away. He looked down the long tunnel and could make out more doors before he lost sight of the tracks into the darkness.

Stronric returned to the first door and realized the door was off color shad of gray. He crossed the corridor to check the next door and saw a slightly different shade of gray. When he went to the next door it another shade of gray but there were no markings that identified the room. “What kind of system is this? No markings the doors and making them all the same gray?” Stronric said. Just as he started to the next door, he thumped himself in the forehead before grabbing a torch from the wall sconce. He quickly ran to the smithy and returned to the corridor with a lit torch.

The light from the torch illuminated the doors. He could now see each was a different color. The first door he inspected was a deep blue and the door on the left was red. “It’s been sometime since I made such a beardling mistaking and relied too heavily on seeing in the dark.” Stronric chuckled. He went back to the blue door and gave it a good shove. The door remained shut, but he saw a small keyhole and retrieved his master key. With a couple turns he heard the lock click free and the door sung soundlessly open on it’s hinges. He entered the room following a single track and noticed about halfway into the room the one track split into six ending at a platform. He climbed up the stairs to the large platform taking up most of the room. The back wall of the platform was nothing but bookcases that ran to the ceiling. A large ladder ran on a tack allowing a dwarf to reach the top. The bookcases were stacked to the brim with papers and notes. Three solid oversized desks occupied the center of the platform. Their tops buried in paperwork and small trinkets.

Stronric approached the desks and picked up a sheet of parchment. Ledger of Stone Mills Company & Co. was printed across the top of the paperwork. Stronric continued to read: Stone mills requests a reappraisal of assets of material. Stronric scanned the goods listed and the prices Stone Mills valued them. “It’s no wonder these Dwarves are dead and gone, accepting outsiders insulting value of dwarven goods.” Stronric huffed. He tossed the paper aside and picked up another. It was much the same. Was this an admin room that oversaw the appraisal of materials and goods? We need these supplies. But why haven’t the Gobis looted this area.

“Thoranthana’s beard!” Stronric shouted as his forearm flamed up in pain. Swatting at the painful spot, a small spider fell from his arm and ran under the desk, disappearing from sight. He mumbled under his breath but continued to sift through the old paperwork. He found five parchments that caught his attention. I’d like to take this up to Rugiel in time. There’s aught to be a carrier’s case around. He used an old scroll case with a shoulder strap. He emptied the contents onto the desk and replaced them with the documents he found. After securing the scroll case to his back he exited the room and crossed the hallway. Using the master key again he entered the next office.

This room was of a mirror image to the one he just left, but instead of a large platform this room’s tracks continued down to a stopping block. Next to each of the six stop blocks were six large desks. A smaller platform was at the end of the room with only one desk. Stronric followed the middle track to the desk at the end. Only small piles of parchment were stacked on top, but they were covered in all sorts of tools. There were multiple mining carts covered in thick spider webs in each lane of track. He looked over the closest one and couldn’t see through the thick husk of spider webs. He made his way to the single desk on the platform and saw it was covered in various stamps and sorted piles of parchment. He looked over the top sheet: Appraisal form: 1203 Mineral goods and refinement article: Under amendment 203 subtype 32.

Stronric eyebrows raised in annoyance as he read it. This was the most dwarf thing he had found here beside the good brew. Laws. Dwarves loved laws, debating laws, making new laws and especially ensuring dwarves followed the law. The old grumblers of his small hold would spend most of their time debating the finer points of dwarven law. Stronric hated it, it gave him a headache. It seems old habits die hard. After inspecting several forms of paperwork, he got the main idea. This room was for inspecting goods, finds or trade wares, and giving them an official rating and price. Once the appraisal was finalized the paperwork would be sent across the hallway to admin who then submitted the forms and cataloged it all.

Then these carts hold this dwarven empire’s goods worthy of trade! With a grin Stronric hurried back to the nearest mining cart and plunged his hand through the thick spider webs. His smile disappeared as hundreds of small spiders exploded from the opening enveloping his arm. He pulled his arm back out and frantically danced. He finally slapped the last of the spiders squishing it on his sleeve. Stronric learning from his mistake went back for the torch and quickly burned the rest of the webs and their inhabitants away. As the webs turned to ash Stronric could see a dark gray mineral. He lifted one up, ORE! Stronric was so ecstatic that he jumped around pumping the ore in the air above his head.

He quickly moved to the next cart and burnt through the web. This cart was filled with light gray coal, metallurgical coke. Stronric once again pumped his fist. We have coke! Now we can refine the iron into some decent steel! Steel would make all of the difference when it comes weapon and armor smithing. Even the guards of Millstone used iron no better than bog iron. I need to get the others down here to help me retrieve these supplies as soon as possible!

Stronric approached the third mining cart when he heard “Bang” followed by “tip tap tip tap” coming from the corridor outside of the closed door. Stronric moved to the door cracking it slightly. Large hound sized creatures formed a mass moving swiftly down the hallway. As they swiftly crawled forward Stronric could see long hairy legs break out from the waves of their bulbous bodies. Mandibles twitched and clicked as their six eyes gleamed menacingly. Stronric dropped the torch and snuffed it out with a boot. Aye, this is what I need. A good fight to clean my head after fightin’ with Rugiel.

Stronric estimated the spiders to still be a decent way down the tunnel, so he took the time to exit the office and locked the door. He went to the center of the open corridor just in front of the smaller doorway leading back to the stairs. He turned back to the oncoming mass of spiders and saw two spiders, no four spiders, actually eight. He stopped counting as the many bodies flowed over and around each other eager to feast. Their countless legs tapping sounded like rain fall during a storm. The spiders’ hisses carried over the sound of their legs as they closed the gap between them, lowering their bodies and sprinting forward. Stronric pulled his axe free from its harness and stood ready to meet the oncoming charge.

Stronric pulled back his axe and swung as the horde reached him. His axe felled several spiders, their corpses quickly disappeared under the next wave of spiders. Stronric took a step back into the open doorway and lashed out again, taking another two spiders. He continued his attacks as he slowly went back into a narrow stairwell. Once he was deep enough the spider’s overwhelming numbers meant little, he laughed as he easily cut them down. His axe danced through the air, the dead falling into the waves of oncoming spiders and were lost. Stronric became the mountain, unmoving and perilous. As the spider came for him, death met them. As cold as the ice cap frozen through summer Stronric gave no quarter.

The dead piled thickly as the base of the stairwell. The attacking spiders slowed to a trickle through the small hole left between the pile of spider corpses and the roof. Stronric became the attacker now. Charging forward and easily dealing with any spiders that came through. When he reached the pile he lashed out with a solid kick. The pile of dead exploded back into the room, sending back any of the attacking spiders. He created a window in which he could catch his breath. Yet the spiders only clicked their mandibles and hissed. Instead of charging forward they retreated from their doom, and shrank back into the shadows.

“Ay, had enough have ye? I’m not finished with ye! Come back!” Stronric shouted after them.

Stronric paused his jest as a large dark shape slowly became visible from around the corner of the corridor. This spider’s body was the size of a horse carried on long hairy legs. Its legs ended in needle-like points that dug into the hardened ground. Its gray body covered in spikes the length of a manling’s dagger. The spider’s head sat higher than its rear carapace as it stalked forward. Stronric could make out a large black stinger as thick as a dwarven fist and two smaller mandibles hung from its rear. The creature slowly moved closer to Stronric. The smaller spiders he fought collected behind this new soldier spider. Stronric laughed as he took up his guard position.

If I can slay the leader of these spiders the rest should break and run. If things get to dangerous I can always flee. The soldier wouldn’t be able to follow me into the stairwell. I better level up quickly I need the extra power.

Stronric Wraith-Thane

Age: 73

Race: Dwarf (E)

Class: N/A

Level:10

Strength: 20

Dexterity: 13

Agility: 16

Vitality: 17.7

Endurance: 17

Wisdom: 10

Intelligence: 10

Charisma: 8

Allocatable points: 3

Stronric quickly allocated his points into vitality brining it up to 18.

New skill unlocked!

Choose from the one of the following!

Smiths fortitude

Weapon maker

Axe proficiency (low)

Guardian of the Hold

Stronric quickly scanned the new screen that had popped up. These are the skills that Rugiel had told me about. These are all useless! I already know how to use an axe. And how is weapon making going to help me!

Stronric picked the only option that didn’t seem completely useless.

Guardian of the Hold: when fighting on the land or within the hold gain a percentage increase to all stats!

Guardian of the Hold: (low proficiency) 10% increase to stats.

Stronric felt the surge of power as the words faded away. He was encased in a warm golden aura for a moment before it faded. Feeling the weight of his axe decrease a considerable amount, he flipped the double headed axe in the air and lightly caught it with his other hand. He smiled at his opponent approached. Now that the creature was closer, he could see this spider was twice his height and fast. Before Stronric could fully prepare the spider launched through the air closing the distance between them. It struck downward trying to impale Stronric with one of its razor-Sharp barbed legs. Stronric side stepped the blow and returned an attack of his own. A meaty crunch was heard as Stronric’s axe was buried into the leg. His eye widened slightly in shock when the axe didn’t just clean cut through the leg.

Stronric pulled his axe free and swung again. The spider reared back and out of reach of the dwarf’s weapon. It countered with its attack. It brought up its rear end and shot a thick white web towards Stronric. The web started small but spread like a net outward as it traveled. Stronric rolled forward and under the web, coming to a stop under the spider’s carapace. He whipped his axe in an arc overhead, parting the soft flesh of spider’s underbelly. The pincer on the rear of the spider flashed forward, Stronric saw it too late. Brought up the axe instinctively driving the sharp away from his core as it sank into his left bicep. The spider pulled back the pincer preparing for another strike. Blood flowed from his arm as Stronric retreated backwards.

The spider, trying to dislodge the dwarf from its delicate core, raised itself up and began to rain down its needle like feet. Stronric frantically danced between the legs, parring blows and dodging others. He knew he needed to alter the current flow of battle or else a lucky foot would slice him open. The rhythm the feet fell was off slightly as the injured leg was used less and slowed the attacks. That bastard forgot, we are both wounded. When the spider’s wounded front leg came back down to support its weight, Stronric threw himself at it. Swinging upwards with his axe he cut the deadly barbs protruding from the leg, he smashed into the leg. The leg cracked and snapped under his weight toppling the spider. Stronric was unable to roll free and they both went down. As the spider squirmed in pain Stronric sprang to his feet and leapt onto the back of the spider. He raised his axe over his head for the killing blow when suddenly he was weightless. The spider sprang up and jumped into the air, smashing Stronric into the ceiling of the corridor.

Stronric eyes flashed with stars and went dark for a moment before they refocused. He was lucky his own axe didn’t cut him open on impact. His hand flexed out of instinct but his axe was tumbling to the ground. Shaking his head to clear the ringing he found himself somehow still on the spider’s back. He had slipped and was now straddling the spider’s neck. Stronric slammed a fist into the spider’s many eyes. The spider reared back, hissing at the assault. Stronric took this moment to reach down and grab the exposed top mandibles. He arched his back and pulled on them with all of his might, trying to rip apart the spider’s head. The spider and the dwarf entered a contest of strength as they battled for control. Stronric arm bled freely and he was losing blood quickly. The spider was bleeding from its stomach wound and its broken leg. Stronric pulled up again and the spider arched its back trying to follow the force pulling its head apart. Out of the corner of Stronric’s eye he saw the smaller spiders creeping in to rejoin the fight.

Stronric continued to pull as he looked around him. The smaller spiders were climbing the walls and were crossing the ceiling. They swarmed under the large spider’s legs. Some became victim to the frantic thrashing of the lager spider’s legs. A smaller spider scurried across the roof then hurled itself onto the back of the larger spider, its mandibles clicking hungrily. Stronric doubled down, using all his might while the smaller spider slowly inched up.

“If I am going to die yer coming with me ye bastard!” Stronric yelled as he pulled. He allowed himself to dive into the emotions of the day. The rage he felt seeing Bauru torn and battered. The hurt that ripped through him during his fight with Rugiel. His emotions and will to protect his hold, powered him beyond what he was normally capable of. He knew the others would be come to look for him if he died, and they would meet this doom down here.

More spiders lowered themselves from the ceiling on webs reaching for Stronric. The spider behind him was mere feet away when suddenly its body was shot away. “BAA!” Beatrice stood in the doorway with Bauru supporting himself on her back with his bow drawn.

I told you! Something was wrong with Stronric!” Bauru shouted as he nocked another arrow firing at the closest spider to Stronric. Its body ripped from the web, was impaled on the wall behind it. Rugiel strode into the corridor, her war hammer brandished in front of her. She let out a scream as she brought her weapon down on the first unlucky spider in her path. The small body exploded under the force of her blow covering her apron in goo. She kicked the second spider before spinning and raining down another blow to a third.

Stronric grunted through clenched teeth, “What in the devil are ye doing here Bauru!? This is no place for someone in yer condition!” Stronric spared a glance down and saw Rugiel surrounded by three more spiders. More filing in to replace those that lay slain around her. The spiders on the ceiling hissed as Bauru’s arrows shot thought the air, killing those he aimed for. They quickly changed targets, as if Bauru held a beacon, they raced towards the injure dwarf. I need to finish this, to protect my hold and get Bauru back to the hearth!

Stronric’s weakened arm left a stream of red down the side of the spider’s head. His head still rung from the blow off the hard rock ceiling. Yet he dug deep and called out to Thoranthana and the other ancestors.

“By my oath I am bound to protect this hold!” He screamed as power flooded through him. Focusing all his strength and might, he pulled. The spider screamed as a sliver of red began to open in the corner of its mouth. Blood flowing from the wound gurgling its cries as Stronric heaved once more. A sickening crunch sounded through the corridor as the mandible finally cracked, pulling the top half of the spider’s face off.

The creature flailed once more before collapsing, crushing any spiders beneath it. With little strength left in his body, Stronric was tossed from the beast’s back. All he could do was crumple into a ball as he rolled and slid across the ground. He slowly raised back onto his feet, swaying slightly as he rose. His left leg felt weak, and fire shot through the bones. His right arm hung weakly at his side as he limped over to where his axe lay. He grabbed the handle drug the head the few feet to where the spider lay twitching.

“I’ve told the gobi’s, I’ve told the orc’s, now I tell ye spiders. These be dwarf lands now!” Stronric shouted as he hefted the mighty axe up and brought it down, cleanly separating the spider’s head from its body. He stumbled slightly as a wave of warmth swelled over him as he was flooded by his newly gained levels. Stronric turned to see the sibling sprinting towards him while the spiders retreated back into the depths of the tunnels. He suddenly fell to his knees as pain burned from his wounded arm. He looked down, seeing the bloody mess of his bicep bleeding along with yellow and green pus ooze. He looked back to the young dwarves, “Ye did well.” He said before he collapsed.

“Stronric!” the siblings shouted as they reached him.

Stronric’s vision began to fade and turned to black as he heard, Bauru’s worried voice say, “He’s been poisoned!”