The Second Prophecy (Part 1 of the Dragdani Prophecies) (49 page)

“
I’m sorry,
father; I didn’t know what he was,” said their guide.

“
That’s all
right, Dayen. They’re lying, scheming things, and they would do or
say anything to save their own skins,” said Lord Eiaten as he
slowly walked down the steps to meet them. His once-dark hair was
almost gone except for a few strands that were not yet overrun with
grey. But he had gained experience that comes with long
life.

“
State your
name, boy, and tell me why you were trespassing in my lands,”
demanded the Dwarf Lord.

“
My name is
Drago, son of Jastark.”

The Dwarf
nodded, and the others gasped.

“
Yes,” said
Eiaten, “The resemblance between you and the old King Dragdani is
uncanny. I just wanted to see whether or not you were one to be
trusted. But don’t think hose names will save you. However, you did
save my son from falling to his death, and for that I owe you a
great debt.”

“
No,” said
Peter, “I saved your son because he needed help. I would never use
that to sway favor. What kind of person would I be?”

“
By the gods,
it’s true,” said Eiaten laughing. “You look like the great
Dragdani, but you sound like your father, ha, ha. I will not kill
you. I can tell just from what you’ve said that you are a good
person. And besides, I for one hope the Second Prophecy will come
true, for if not, then this is hell and there will never be hope
for any of us. Yet you travel in the worst company.” The Dwarf was
now looking at Demala.

“
Whatever he has done to you is in the
past
. Remember, he did a lot worse to my
people than to yours,” said Peter defensively.

“
And how
would you know of what he has done. You have only set foot on this
world for just over a week,” said Eiaten.

“
How did you
know that?”

“
If you don’t
mind, young Drago, as Lord of this mountain that we are standing in
now and leader of the people you see before you, I will ask the
questions,” said the Dwarf with a certain amount of power that did
not scare the boy. However, Peter did have respect for the old
Dwarf.

“
That’s fine,
but please allow me to ask just one thing,” the young King
said.

“
I believe
that was a question, but go on.”

“
Will you
remove my friend’s muzzle?”

“
I am sorry,
but I cannot be sure he can be trusted,” said Eiaten
truthfully.

“
The
n I take full responsibility
for him until we cross your boarders,” said Peter with hope in his
heart.

“
That is a
very big responsibility, for if he were to attack anyone in my
lands, you would be put to death in his place. And understand
there’s nothing I could do to stop it. That is one of our most
concrete laws, so you better be sure of what you’re saying and that
you can trust your charge,” said Eiaten.

“I am and I do,” said Peter in response.

Dayen reached
down and untied the rope that bound Demala’s jaws.

“
The
re, it is done,” said the
Dwarf Lord. He turned to face his people. “We have a very special
guest with us. A King, and I know that he may belong to those with
whom we have cut all ties, but he is different than the others, for
he is not from this world, and I place my trust in him. So please,
let’s celebrate the coming of the one who has seen us before seeing
Bacnil, Avelan, and Jaucal.”

All of
Eiaten’s people cheered and shouted in pure joy at seeing a new
age, along with new hope, coming for all.

“
Bloody
Wizard’s, always take on more than they can handle,” said the Dwarf
Lord. “Have either of you eaten?

Demala shook his head.

“I had a little breakfast this morning,” said
Peter.

“
The
n we shall have a feast in
your name, King Drago. Today may we lay the foundations for a new
alliance between all our people!” The shouts and cheers rang out in
a way those dark halls had not known for many a
year.

Peter sat at
a short table too him for a chair, so he sat on a warm, fluffy
blanket on the cold stone floor. There were about ten very long
tables, and all were full.

T
he boy could not see any Dwarves
that even remotely looked female, for every one of them had beards.
Peter was going to ask about this, but decided to say nothing in
case, they would take offence. The boy was convinced that there
were female Dwarves somewhere, for there were children, who looked
like small versions of their parents. Peter tried to see were
Demala had disappeared too. The Wolf sat away from the others, as
he didn’t want them to see him eat. He was quite happy when Dayen
brought him a bowl of wine.

Peter had
presented Eiaten with a few of the bottles that the people at
Braten
’s village had given them. Again,
Peter found himself going through the events that lead to Braten’s
injury, and he found himself wondering what his friend might be
doing at that very moment.

Soon, this
train of thought ended, and the boy found himself enjoying the
feast and the company of these wonderful people. And as the Dwarf
Lord promised, they did feast. They feasted until it hurt their
insides and they began to fall, drunk and content.

The drunken
young Draga-Wizard-Elf fell over one of the drunken Dwarves. He
fell flat on his face then rolled onto his back and lay there along
with Demala, Dayen, and the Dwarf Lord himself. There were hundreds
more men, women and the odd teenager (who had a few sneaky drinks
after waiting for their elders to drink themselves
silly).

There they
stayed until sun-up.

“
Come on, up
you get,” Demala said while nudging Peter with his head.

“
What time is
it?” Peter asked sleepily.

“
It’s time
you were up.”

Peter lifted himself off the cold floor and
had a long stretch. He was surprised that he slept at all, for all
that could be heard was the snoring of those Dwarves who were yet
sleeping.

“
Eiaten has
asked that we join him in the main hall,” said the Wolf.

They made
their way through the room by stepping over the bodies of those who
still slept.

They passed
some others running down the corridor they had taken. They heard
them before they saw them, for they were shouting at the tops of
their voices as they ran.

Recognizing
one, Peter turned and
shouted, “WHAT’S GOING ON?”

“
I DON’T
REALLY KNOW, BUT IT MUST BE SERIOUS! LORD EIATEN IS CALLING ALL OF
OUR WARRIORS TO HIM!” said the Dwarf. He swiftly turned and
continued on his way.

When they
reached the main hall, Dwarves were running all over. The place was
hectic.

“
What’s
happening?” Peter asked Eiaten as the Dwarf came into
view.

There came a
shuddering scream from one of the dark corridors leading deeper
into the mountain.

“
What was
that?” Peter gasped after he nearly jumped clean out of his
skin.

“
That was my
youngest daughter,” the Dwarf replied. “She has been
taken.”

“
Taken by
what?” asked Peter.

“
By the
Qurpeds,” said Dayen.

“
I asked you
here because I need your help, if you’re willing,” said
Eiaten.

“
We shouldn’t
get involved in this, Drago. We should go as soon as we can,” said
Demala.

“
The
se people have been nothing
but kind to us. I don’t know what you’re going to do, but I’m going
to do what I can,” said Peter with disappointment in his
voice.

Demala picked
up on it. “Forgive me, it’s just that I’m used to looking after
myself. It’s been a while since I’ve had to think of
others.”

“
It’s okay, I
had no right to say that to you after all you’ve been through,”
said the boy.

“
That’s it!
What do you know about me?”

“
I know a
good bit. And maybe if you stick around, I’ll tell some day, but
only when I’m ready.”

“
I guess this
is what I get for keeping you in the dark about things you probably
already know, huh?”

“
I guess so,”
said Peter. “So, are you in or out?”

“
I’m in, but
only because I want to know what you know about me.”

“
What are the
two of you talking about?” asked Eiaten, who was completely
distressed.

“
We’re with
you,” said Peter, “but I’ll need my -”

“
Sword,” said
Dayen, handing Yeluilat over to the boy.

“
Thanks.”

By this time,
the room had filled with Dwarves raring to go and save Eiaten’s
daughter.

“
Now, does
everyone know what has happened?” the Dwarf Lord asked all present.
They answered with a single nod.

“
Good, then
get your weapons ready; we’re going to hell itself.” After his
short speech, Eiaten ran into a Dark passage, leading the charge
toward the nest of their dreaded enemy.

As before,
when Peter set foot deeper into the mountain, he could see
nothing.

Peter drew
Yeluilat from its sheath, and the shimmering light on the blade
shone faintly on him and the walls, almost giving the place a
watery look. Peter whispered its name, and the light intensified so
it was giving off just enough light for them to see.

“
Someone
’s snuffed out all the
lights,” said Peter, for he could see streams of smoke rising from
the tops of the torches lining the walls.

“
It was them.
They’re trying to make it hard for us to find our way,” said
Dayen.

“
Why don’t
you do one of your tricks and get them to light up again,” said
Eiaten.

Peter wasn’t
sure whether it would work, but he was willing to try. He
concentrated on the torches and said to himself. “Light up, light
up.” Nothing happened. “I’ll try again,” he said. But just then the
torches lit up brighter than they were before.

The
y walked on through the
passageway and could see tunnels at both sides of them that were
too small for them to use, but big enough for the
creatures.

“
How bad can
they be if they’re that size,” Peter said to Demala.

“
Bad,” said
the Wolf, “very, very bad. There’s one thing you have to know
before we find them. They are a type of parasite. They use a toxin
on the tip of their sharp, spiky feet, if you can call them that.
Just so you know to stay out of their way.”

“
What kind of
toxin are we talking about here?” asked Peter, getting a little
nervous.

“
The
kind that turns you into a
mindless slave,” said Demala.

“I suppose we will have to be careful,” said
Peter.

They suddenly
reached a crossroads.

“
So
where now?” asked
Peter.

“We go straight,” said Dayen.

“
You’re
sure,” said Eiaten.

“
Yes, father,
I remember. It’s only a few meters away now.”

“
Is everyone
ready?” enquired the Dwarf Lord.

The small
army reached a dead end; there was rubble, as though there had been
a cave-in. They were uncertain whether or not it had been
recent.

“Maybe we took the wrong road after all,”
said one of the Dwarves.

“No, I know this was the way,” insisted
Dayen.

“
He’s right,”
said Demala. “Can’t you smell the girl’s scent,” he said to
Peter.

Peter stuck
his nose into the air, sniffed, and nodded vaguely. “Yeah, it feels
like its circulating round in my blood. It’s like I’ve been living
in dreamland and I’ve just woke up for the first time in my life,”
said the boy excitedly.

“
Your first
time picking up someone’s scent is always a great experience,” said
the Wolf.

“
If the two
of you are finished,” said Eiaten, “we have to move all this
rubble.”

“
That’s no
problem,” said Peter clapping his hands together and then
separating them a second later. The rocks, boulders, and even the
smallest stones jumped aside, and there was a round tunnel were it
all once stood.

“
Just one
question.” said Peter. “What size of creature or creatures caused
this cave-in?” He gestured with his hand at the round tunnel. No
one answered; they were thinking the very same thing.

“
We’ll have
to crawl in,” said Peter. “And I think I should go
first.”

“
No,” said
Eiaten, “it’s my daughter they’ve taken. Therefore, I’ll be going
first.”

Peter stood
aside for the Dwarf to pass. Then Peter went, closely followed by
Demala, Dayen, and then the rest.

When Peter
reached the end, he saw that the room was completely empty. He
stepped down and stood beside the Dwarf Lord.