Born To Hail

Chapter 21

Sebastian could tell that Drugeon had run into some trouble on his trek to Entnahil by the splotches of dried black blood on his pack. The fact that he appeared to be unscathed gave testament to his prowess in battle. Next to the pack was a hammer made from a shiny metal with a greenish tint. The head of the hammer as cover with small pyramid shaped spikes on the other end was a crescent axe head. Upon closer inspection Sebastian saw tuffs of scraggly hair.

Rosdrael reached across the table and grabbed the object wrapped in linen. He slowly, almost dramatically, removed the cloth. His eye's widened in shock when a gauntlet of red metal was reveled. "This can't be." He whispered; terror blew on the winds of his words.

"It be." Drugeon sighed.

Sebastian looked at the both of them in confusion; both held solemn looks, as far as he could tell. "Wait. What is it?"

"It be da Fist of Boden. Da oldest legends of mine kin says it was once the gauntlet of our god Bodenhurche. During a war between the gods eons ago, when we dwarves were a young race and had barely begun to dig into our mountains, his gauntlet fell from the heavens. Da gauntlet was found by a dwarf who later became king" Reaching into his cloak Drugeon produced his flask and took another draught. "Mine memory isn't what it was and can't remember his name, tis not important anyway. Boden's Fist, as else tis called, became a family treasure and was passed down from father to son along with the crown."

Sebastian watched him intently, fully engrossed in the story. With each passing minute in this land he became more fascinated and was falling more in love with it. Any thoughts or wishes of returning to earth were fleeting. Rosdrael sat as still as an eloquent statue.

"Many centuries passed and we delve further into the rock and acquired many riches. Our mountain is the only place where mithril can be mined. Even in our earliest years our crafting of such rare metals couldn't be match by human or elf." Drugeon's eyes were on his hammer as he spoke. "As mine ancestors grew richer their kings grew greedy and cruel. It took hundreds more years before we rised up and over threw their tyranny."

"During the wars Boden's Fist was lost to us. Tis wasn't 'til yer ancestor came to our home asking us to make him dat blade der that we saw it again. As far as I know he never spoke where he got it from."

"Upon completion of the blade," Rosdrael said picking up the story. "Halian fought his greatest foe this land has ever seen. A dragon, scales the color of bleach bone, Memnuroch. Halian was unable to defeat the dragon and was only able to imprison him. He returned to the dwarven empire to repay his debt to them for crafting Mooncutter. Halian returned the Fist of Boden to the dwarves but under one condition, that he place a ward over it. The ward served two purposes: one was to keep any dwarf from using it to become king again and the other to act as a warning. He told the dwarves that should the ward fail Memnuroch is sure to return and to seek one of his blood."

"And thus the prophecy was passed down from father and son in all dwarven clans so is not to be forgotten. Two full moons ago the ward disappeared. One of our seers saw your arrival and told us it be a sign. The next day I left on my journey here. I followed the Barrier as I always do, about two weeks into my journey I came upon a breach in the wall. Twas no bigger than two dwarves wide, were there stone enough around and I not be on an urgent mission I'd have filled the breach. From there on till I made it to da trees I had to hide from orcs and goblins. Few times they fell upon me at night thinking to take me unawares. But I'm no grunt of a dwarf and fought dem off. Many fled after seeing me at work with my hammer here."

"So what you are saying is you were sent here to give this gauntlet to me?" Sebastian asked.

"Correct." Drugeon answered flatly.