Outside the Mirage

#13: The Oileanach

Skull Island is noted as being one of the strangest places on the planet. The island itself moves on the surface of the planet, from ocean to ocean, as it sees fit, as though the land itself is alive. The Dwarfs of Skull Island have, for this reason, come to worship the island as a deity, absolutely sure that the island protects them from the evils of the world. Due to this superstition, the belief that sin exists solely outside the mightys gates of Skull Island, getting into the kingdom of the Dwarfs had a reputation for being rather difficult.

So it is at the gates of Skull Island where Vanessa Moreland and her mentor Alistair Merlyn currently stood, giant waves of salt water hitting the rocks behind them, leaving the two of them getting hit with small splashes of ocean.

"How long do we have to stand here?" Vanessa asked. "It's kind of cold."

Merlyn frowned, looking down at his pocket watch. "Garda Byrne should be here soon. He said 9.05am."

"It's almost 10!"

"Well, I don't know what to tell you," Merlyn said. "We won't get in without him."

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "It's starting to look like we won't get in at all."

Looking at the gates in front of them, Vanessa admired the pure artistry involved. There were so many elegant and breathtaking designs in the door, each of them made with what appeared to be gears of various shapes and sizes. One half had Dwarfs, dressed in heavy armor and wielding axes and hammers; the other side were what appeared to be humans, dressed in robes and wielding staffs and swords.

"That's a beautiful door," Vanessa mentioned.

Merlyn looked at it. "It is, isn't it? Its depicting the War of Rasai. Mages and Dwarfs went to war with one another in the late 300s. It was pretty bloody, and it was shortly after that war when the Oileanach built these gates."

"The Oil-een-itch?"

"Oileanach," Merlyn said. "It's the word Dwarfs use to describe those who live on Skull Island."

"Weird," Vanessa replied. "What are Dwarfs who don't live on Skull Island called?"

"They are called the Dearmad," Merlyn said. "Literally translates to 'forgotten'. The Dearmad are considered outcasts and not really members of Dwarven society."

"So Saul is an outcast?"

"Yes," Merlyn replied. "Saul's father left Skull Island to find a better life for himself. All of the Odenkirks went with him. Saul was just a boy, so he's basically lived his entire life outside of Skull Island."

"That has to be hard," Vanessa said. "And they won't let him come back? Even though he had no choice?"

At that moment the giant doors began to open; the gears on the door that depicted once stagnant soldiers of both mage and Dwarf began to move with the door, as though the soldiers were about to engage in battle despite the ever-growing space between them. As the doors finally opened fully, hiding the portrait of the War of Rasai, one single Dwarf stood in the doorway. The Dwarf had a long, braided beard of black that reached down to his waist.

The Dwarf and Merlyn exchanged a few words with each other in a language Vanessa had never heard; it sounded sharp and quick, both making a lot of throat-based noises throughout before both clapped a hand to their shoulder and bowed to one another.

"Garda Byrne, this is my apprentice, Agent-Trainee Moreland," Merlyn introduced. "Vanessa, this is our host for today, Garda Byrne of the Oileanach."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Vanessa greeted awkwardly.

"Good morning," Byrne greeted stiffly. "It's good to have you back here, Mr. Merlyn."