The Gods-War Chapter 2

1

Fila awoke slowly, her senses opening to the sounds and smells around her. Light played shadow-games on her eyelids as she opened them, squinting against the glare as it filtered through the leaves above. Her hand groped for her sword and found it lying beside her within easy reach. The pains of her body were like not too distant memories and she was still for a moment while she tried to recollect what had happened. The night of the ogres and the wild battle returned bit by bit and she winced as she recalled the events that had led up to now. Something seemed different though. She felt... displaced. Gently, she lifted her head and looked about her at the campsite that she knew was not the one she had made herself. The pain in her back was a dull roar that promised to become a scream should she try to reach a sitting position so she rolled over onto her side, dragging her sword over her body to have it in front of her. The crosspiece dug into her hip and she groaned, not having the strength to howl, and sweat began to slip down her brow. After the dancing spots of light brought on by the pain had cleared, she looked around and noticed her pack beside another pack with some strange harness on it. She was not alone.2

Fear shot through her at the realization. Her fist tightened around the hilt of her sword, trying to lift it up from the ground. She pulled her other arm underneath her and pushed herself up to her knees despite the pain that the motion awoke in her back and hip. Reeling from the strain, she sat there on her knees for a moment and gathered her senses once again, balancing herself with the sword.3

“Like I could defend myself anyway,” she said to herself sarcastically. She reasoned that if her ‘companion’ had meant her harm, it would have been just as easy to kill her while she was unconscious.4

“I would not be testin that lass,” spoke a voice behind and above her, “if I be in your sorry shape.”5

Fila turned her head quickly in the direction of the voice, bringing her sword up in front of her with a tremendous effort. In the boughs above sat a dwarf with a crossbow across his knees and a huge battle-axe hanging from a loop at his belt. He wore a grim smile and shook his head at the stubborn half-elf.6

“Now, lass, ye be in no condition to be usin that against me. I thought we got all that straight before.” Kelrag jumped down from the branches and walked slowly over to Fila, taking the quarrel from the crossbow as he did.7

“I suppose you’re the one I owe thanks to for saving me from the ogres,” she grudgingly said as she lowered her sword to rest on the ground in front of her.8

“Nay, I did but bandage ye up, girl. You slew them ogre to a man. Only one escaped your blade, I’m guessin’. I caught him out by the road and finished him off for ye,” he replied, patting his axe. “He left a trail a blind peasant could have followed and to ye it led me.” He shook his head in wonder.9

“Well, it seems I still owe you my life. I doubt I would be here now if not for you. I thank you and you will be rewarded when I have the means.”10

“Aye, I’m thinkin’ ye’ll be havin’ the means soon, lass.” the dwarf replied cryptically.11

“How so, dwarf? If you mean...”12

“Now, now. Settle yerself down, lass. I only meant I could use a blade at me side. I’d not be askin’ favors if I weren’t desperate. I did little in the way of helping ye and, most times, it would be enough for ye to be alive to repay me.” He scratched at his beard and thought a moment.13

“Ye see, I be on a quest o’ sorts- now don’t ye be laughin’ at me!” he roared as Fila smiled at the thought of a dwarf being on a noble quest such as knights and paladins usually undertake. “I be sworn to vengeance,” he finished quietly with a haunted look to his eyes.14

Fila’s smile melted as she realized the depth of the vow the dwarf had taken. Dwarves were no more violent of a race than men or elves, the main difference being that a dwarf will accept the death of friends and family as being part of fate. Only in extreme cases do dwarves seek vengeance and never do they seek it eagerly.15

“You have my interest now, dwarf. How did you let that happen?”16

“Aye, I let it happen. I guess I’d be lettin’ it happen again, too, if the day were to come anew.” Kelrag sat down on his pack and set the crossbow at his side. He began his story while gazing down at his hands.17

“I apprenticed meself to a master smith in our clan when I became o’ age. I was lucky to have the chance, ye know. He took no apprentices that were unworthy and I be proud o’ that fact. He was like me own da to me- me ma and da had died nigh twenty years before and I had been an orphan since that evil day. Until he took me in at the tender age o’ eighty, I’d been from fight to fight, defendin’ me honor and that o’ me folks. 18