Crater Creator

6. Tiny People, Big Problems

I wake up to find Nalak shaking me awake, "Chris wake up now! Come on little man, you are having a nightmare!" " Ok, ok I'm awake," I scream. "It was just a nightmare, relax mate." "Oh, you scared me half to death." Nalak exclaimed, "You still look tired; you have bags under your eyes. Here I have something that can help." Nalak pulls out a container of green liquid from his pouch. "Here," he gives me the bottle, "This should keep you energized for at least four to five hours. It is not an enjoyable taste, but you will not feel tired anymore. Drink up, the next stop is the Human encampment." I take the cork out and chug a quarter of the bottle. The taste remains me of the first time I eat raw beef. I drink some of the water to lose the taste. Within five seconds, I feel extremely rested, as if I slept for more than twenty hours.

"Chris I wanted to say thanks for coming back for me. I had given up hope, but thanks to you I now have a reason to continue with my... our mission. The only reason I ran off was so I could find the nearest exit, the Dwarf you saw in the cave, he was *sniff* my brother. I never mentioned him, mainly because he did not like engaging in combat. Therefore, he became a miner. He and a group of other Dwarves were going to be paid a ton of money if they went to mine in this mine past Ídchanar. I just needed to get out of there, but I was halted by Gon, that bloody Troll. He then foolishly told all about what Gimrak has done to get to this point. So I am sorry for what you had to go through, I'm relieved to find you heartwarming and reliable, and so I thank you." " No need to thank me, kind Dwarf, I am just here to help. How in all of A'Hearn am I to travel, from here to wherever your 'prisoner' is?" He then laughed saying, "We should move on, we best not linger in an area such as this one"

After a well-deserved rest, we set off towards the Human settlement, where I hope they still live. As we skirt by the tree's I feel a sudden pain on the side of my neck. It feels like a thorn just pricked me. I pull out the thorn it looks like a little sharpened twig. "Well, that's peculiar!" I say confused. Nalak turns toward me and asks, "What's peculiar?" "Never mind, just a twig stabbed the side of my neck?" I hand him the oddly shaped piece of wood. "Oh I remember these guys, this is a mini spear. Well unless you stepped on it, then we have some Furies to deal with." " No, I did not step on it hit the side of my neck. What's a Furie, and are they dangerous?" "Oh no, they are just extremely annoying. They are about the same size as a Fairy except they are more aggressive and dumber. Furies believe that we are giants to their small life, so we are a threat to them. So they think that they can 'destroy us' by throwing sharpened twigs and pebbles at our exposed areas. Furies do not speak with the common tongue. I honestly do not know what they speak. I call their language pip-squeak because I cannot hear what they say. Anyway, they are no danger to us. All they will that will do to intrude our travel is to annoy us; they will not any real damage. Here wear these glasses they deflect the projectiles."

I take the glasses, and then I remember the Fairies in Gwasgow. They came to Gwasgow to enjoy the gardens, sometimes even help. One time a Fairy took pity on me because I could not grow anything. Therefore, she grew grass and said, "At least now there is something green in your yard." I thanked the Fairy as she flew away. I still keep thinking, "How could I live my life so much smaller the even Gnomes?" They are like four to five inches tall. So if all Fairies are female does that mean that Furies are...? "Ow!" I said, "Geez those guys are a pain." "Yeah, they'll get you when your guard is off. Do not try to kill one or else you have to fight their wives, the Fairies. As peaceful, as they seem they can destroy a Rock Giant. They use ancient magic that no one can understand, not even the Elves. So just, try to ignore the Furies. Look! I can already see the settlement. We are almost there so step it up. The last one there is paying for dinner!" He said while running away into the distance. I laugh, "Don't think you're going to win so soon! You haven't seen me run before!" I run faster than a gazelle and liquefy through the trees. The pebbles and spears were thrown at me feel like nothing. I hurdle over a bolder slam my feet onto the grass and a trapdoor open below my feet. I fell twenty feet down before I found myself in a cave and I cannot see anything except the skylight. My legs hurt but they are not broken. I cannot stand up, so I lay on the hard rough rock.

The trapdoor closed and torches ignited exposing two Human men in full white iron armor with steel swords. They looked at each other in confusion then asked me, "Who are you and what do you want?" I put my hands up and tried to say, "My name is Christopher Drinkwater and I was traveling with my companion, Nalak Spiritsmasher." I said with a nervous voice, hoping they would believe me. They asked me, "Are you related to Tucker Drinkwater? Don't lie to us, or we'll tell our leader that the dogs have a new squeaky toy!" I stand scared and shocked. 'Tucker's here, my slaver, my worst nightmare has come true.' "I'm related to Tucker, but I don't remember much about the past." "Baahhh I don't believe him, look at him. He is too small to be a Human." Said one of the men, the other man announced, "Remember when Tucker kidnapped and raped the Gnome woman and she had a kid? That kid might be this one." " What should we do with him? Kill him or give to Tucker?" " Naw let him go, what harm could a Gnome do to us? I can just put my hand on his forehead and he won't harm me, watch." He places a hand on my head and pushes me away. I lose my temper unsheathe my sword and cut his arm off. He lets out an ear-deafening scream and trips over a rock. He then falls onto the floor and is knocked out. His friend tries to pull his sword out, but I get to him before he can. Shank him in the gullet, and he dies why an eerie, "Whyyyy me, Lord?" I hear footsteps echo from farther in the cave. I snatch up some arrows hanging on the soldiers back and pull the rope that opens the trapdoor then climbed up the rope to escape. Before I reach the top I hear, "What happened! Who did this madness! Find him and kill him."

I ran down the hill, my legs still aching, toward the settlement, and found that Nalak did not have any good luck either. I found Nalak fighting Goblins and Humans, and he appears to be losing. I fire an arrow at a Humans' hand so he drops his sword. Nalak looks to find that I have arrived to aid him in this fight. He turns and throws a small hammer at a Human running toward me. I fire streams of arrows at the incoming crowd. I turned my head to find that I have a Furie riding my shoulder. He is trying to stab me when an arrow whizzed past my head brutally murdering the Furie. I hear a scream come from behind me. Some of the Goblins hear the sound and cower, dropping their weapons. Humans hear the scream and gawk to find what caused the sound. Nalak lumbers over to a tree, bleeding from his stomach, groping his stomach, and quivering like a scared dog. It seems everyone stops to see what just made that alarming sound. A gold dot flies down to the fallen Furie and loses color to expose a Fairy hugging the deceased Furie. More colors follow out of the lightwoods of all different colors. "It's the Fairies, men at the ready. For we fear no creature who defies man. We are stronger than these pitiful and pathetic wastes of land," a Human commander said. Then the sky turns pitch black and the beautiful colors turn into blood red. A Fairy spoke in Common Talk, "The Humans challenged us; let's show our respect, by accepting." All of the lights go out and I fall into a fetal position. There was a scream "Shields up men they come for Ahhh!", and the sound of bodies being torn apart and the tortured Humans and Goblins cry for help. I close my eyes and cover my ears. Something gently touches my shoulder, not to yank me away, but comfort me. I do not react; I just wait for it to strike.

The sun returns, I look around to find neither corpses nor bodies. The hand touching me was a green Fairy in Human height, she said, "I remember you, and you are from Gwasgow. I helped you with your garden. I see you have been through a rough time. I invite you and your Dwarven friend to stay with us in the Ídchanar. I assure you that the Pure Elves will welcome your friend." I look back to find Nalak is practically bathing in his blood, "Please take us to Ídchanar just to assist my comrade." "They will patch up your friend and you too." Confused I looked down to find that I have been shot several times in the stomach with arrows. I let out a sudden sequel of a surprise then fall to the ground.