The Wonderful Wood

Back in Dwarfdom

Ethan took the crystal back to Rathanon and Diagon.

"May I look at it?" asked Rathanon stretching out his hand.

Ethan gave the crystal to Ratahnon, who took it and held it out into the sun. It glittered and sparkled like a thousand stars.

"Now, I will be able to build magical armour unlike there was ever before. I will let you know once I have made it."

They went back through the passages, climbed the stairs and came to the workshop doors.

They bid farewell to Rathanon and turned to go back to their rooms. Back in the room, they found a basket of food with a note.

The dwarf king wishes you to excuse him as he has gone to pay a sick visit to his uncle. He took some dragon fire with him hoping to cure him. He will be back soon. 

Ethan sat on his bed, and just as he was wandering how Drizzlemister and Diana might be, he felt something in his pocket vibrate. He took it out and saw that it was the lunar locket. Just as he was about to open it, the voice of the maiden in the mirror said, "don't open the locket! Just hear me out."

"Alright, " said Ethan getting up from the bed.

"Well, take out your ring. I'm going to teach you some tricks with it. First, let's learn how to turn the ring into a string"

"Okay, that sounds like fun," said Ethan grabbing the ring out of his pocket.

"Now, I want you to close your eyes and picture in your head the ring getting thinner and thinner and is as thin as a sting."

"Let me try," said Ethan closing his eyes shut. He pictured the ring becoming thinner and thinner.

"Now picture it snapping and unravelling," said the voice of the mirror maiden.

Ethan pictured the thing string snapping and unravelling itself.

"Now, open your eyes!"

Ethan opened his eyes and found a string instead of the ring that had been there a few moments ago.

"I did it! I did it in my first try!" he said, holding up the string and waving it to and fro.

"Great, I knew you would be a natural!" said the voice of the maiden in the mirror.

"Now you must turn it back into a ring." said the vocie of the maiden in the mirror.

"Alright how do I do that?"

"First, close your eyes, and imagine that the string getting thicker and thicker and the two ends fusing together."

"Okay," said Ethan and closed his eyes and imagined as the maiden in the mirror advised.

He opned his eyes and looked and there was the ring instead of the string.

Ethan looked at Diagon. He was fast asleep on the mat. Ethan looked out of the window and saw that it was nearly evening. There was a knock on the door and he quickly put away the ring and said, "come in!"

A dwarf soldier came in and said, "his majesty wishes to see you!" said the the dwarf and Ethan hopped off the bed.

Diagon got up and chsnges his shape from that of a dog, (which he took when he was sleeping), into a dwarf. They both followed the dwarf soldier into the vast hall of the warf king who sat on the throne.

He had tears streaming down his eyes. "I hope you are enjoying your stay at dwarfdom. I'm so distressed. My niece has passed away, and not even the dragon fire could save her."

It was then that Ethan remembered that he had some liquid left in the vial that the mistress of the marsh had given him.

"I think I might be able to help?"

"Her father refuses to consult any necromancers!"

"Well, I'm not a necromancer. I have a special liquid with me that can restore the dead to life!"

"Well, you must come with me immediately!" said the dwarf king and got off his thone. Tarragon! get the ponies ready!"

'As you wish, your majesty!" said the dwarf that stood next to the dwarf king.

"Alright! I have to wait until Rathnon is done anyway," said Ethan smiling.

"Come on then, we must get going right away," said the dwarf king getting off to his feet. They walked down across the hall, through several passages, turning left, right and then right until Ethan lost track of how many turns they had takes. They came to a stable and took out the three donkeys. Ethan rode on with the dwarf king and two soldiers.

 They exited the cave and came out into the open sunlight. The trees waved in the breeze as if nodding in thought. On they went and came to another cave entrance and went into it. They went along dimly light passages and went to an iron gate, which stood two stocky dwarf soldiers.

They instantly threw open the doors at the sight of the dwarf king. The passages were filled with white ribbons strung around the torches that light up the paths. They entered a passageway that led to another pair of giant doors, and the dwarf king said, "here we are!"

They went into a wast hall decked everywhere with strings of white flags, ribbons and flowers. Everyone wore white garments. A man was sitting on a throne, and his eyes were red. He got down from the throne and came and embraced the dwarf king.

"What brings you here, brother? to my mountain?"

"I bring tidings of possible hope! Please meet my visitor who is willing to try and help."

"She is beyond help. We both no that, I don't want any necromancers to worry her soul," said the other dwarf wiping his eyes with a handkerchief. His dwarf woman sitting on the throne opposite came and hugged the dwarf king as well.

"There is always hope, even when we think there is none!"

"What do you propose, brother?''

"I suggest we give my guest a chance to save your daughter from the clutches of death!"