Chapter 1: Preparation
The discovery of the beings’ home world changed everything.
For so long Sapphire and Haldon had been chasing shadows—following destruction from one place to the next, always arriving after the damage had already been done. Entire lands had been scarred before they could even understand what they were facing.
But now they finally knew.
They had seen the world beyond the rift.
The source.
The place where the beings came from.
It was not simply the enemy they had been searching for—it was the heart of the darkness itself.
As the days passed after that discovery, both of them came to understand something even more disturbing.
Their world had not been the first.
And it would not have been the last.
Through the rifts and the ancient timelines they had glimpsed enough fragments to see the terrible pattern. The beings travelled from one world to another like a swarm of locusts. They arrived suddenly, tore through civilizations, consumed every resource they needed to sustain themselves—and then vanished again through the rifts.
Leaving nothing but ruin behind.
Hundreds of worlds.
Perhaps thousands.
Entire histories erased.
Entire species wiped from existence.
Their own world had simply been another victim in a long line of fallen realms.
That realization changed the purpose of Sapphire and Haldon’s journey forever.
At first their mission had been simple: restore their home.
Bring life back to the land the darkness had consumed.
But now the truth stood before them.
The problem was far larger than one broken world.
If the beings were allowed to continue using the rifts, they would eventually consume everything.
So the mission evolved.
It was no longer about saving a single world.
It was about restoring the timelines themselves.
The rifts—the ancient pathways between dimensions—were the key to everything. They had allowed the beings to spread their destruction across countless realities.
And now those same rifts would become the path that led Sapphire and Haldon straight to them.
Meanwhile, deep beneath the mountains, the dwarven settlement had quietly become something far greater than a refuge.
It had become their home.
At first the dwarfs had lived a harsh and chaotic existence beneath the earth. Life in the tunnels had always been about survival—digging, fighting, drinking, and enduring whatever dangers lurked in the darkness of the mountains.
But over time things had changed.
The presence of Sapphire and Haldon slowly transformed the settlement.
What had once been a rough mining colony was becoming a thriving underground kingdom.
Sapphire’s connection to the ancient restorative power brought life where none had existed before. Using the natural energy of the earth, she helped the dwarfs cultivate vast underground gardens. Roots from the surface forests were guided downward through the stone, spreading through the cavern ceilings like living veins.
Food became plentiful.
Green life began appearing in places where only rock had existed before.
The dwarfs watched in amazement as their underground world slowly bloomed.
Haldon, meanwhile, had begun mastering the ancient power in his own way.
Where Sapphire restored life and nature, Haldon focused his abilities through the stone itself. Deep in the mines he used the ancient energy to restore crystal formations, strengthening them and accelerating their growth.
These crystals were vital to the dwarfs.
They were the heart of dwarven craftsmanship.
From them the blacksmiths forged weapons, armour, and tools unlike anything the surface world had ever seen. With Haldon’s help the crystal veins grew stronger and purer than ever before, allowing the dwarven smiths to craft weapons of incredible strength.
The settlement thrived.
But beneath the calm surface, preparations had begun.
The dwarfs knew what Sapphire and Haldon had discovered beyond the rift.
They knew a war was coming.
And dwarfs did not shy away from war.
Day after day the great forges of the settlement roared with fire. Hammers rang endlessly against glowing metal as armour was shaped and blades were sharpened. Warriors trained in the cavern halls, their voices echoing through the tunnels as they prepared themselves for a battle unlike any their people had ever faced.
An army was forming.
Not a massive one—but dwarfs had never relied on numbers.
They relied on strength.
On endurance.
On loyalty.
Every warrior in the settlement had volunteered to stand beside Sapphire and Haldon when the time came.
Fierce.
Stubborn.
Unbreakable.
They would follow them through the rift itself if necessary.
Sapphire had insisted on preparing the settlement as well.
There was always the possibility that the beings might discover their world and open their own rifts into the mountains. If that happened, the dwarven city needed to be ready.
Defensive walls were reinforced.
Crystal-powered weapons were placed along the cavern entrances.
Warriors rotated through constant watch.
The once simple mining settlement had quietly become a fortress beneath the earth.
As the preparations continued, Sapphire often stood near the rift chamber where they had first discovered the enemy’s world.
She could still feel its presence through the ancient power.
A cold, distant darkness waiting on the other side of reality.
Haldon would sometimes stand beside her in silence.
Both of them knew the same truth.
The journey that had begun with restoring a broken world was leading them toward something far greater.
The final confrontation.
The moment when they would step through the rift—not as wanderers anymore, but as warriors carrying the hope of countless worlds.
And somewhere far beyond the veil of dimensions…
The beings were waiting.
Over the passing months, the understanding between Sapphire and Haldon and the ancient power had deepened far beyond anything either of them could have imagined when they first began experimenting with the rifts. What had once felt mysterious and dangerous had slowly become something they could shape with patience and discipline. The ancient energy that flowed through them was no longer simply a force they wielded in battle—it had become a foundation for creation as well.
Together they had begun applying that knowledge in ways that would help protect the dwarven settlement they had come to call home.
One of their greatest creations was a small device they had crafted alongside the dwarven blacksmiths and crystal workers. It was a delicate piece of work compared to the massive weapons and armour the dwarfs usually forged. Built from a refined crystal core taken from the deepest mines and encased in carefully etched metal, the device was infused with the same ancient energy that allowed Sapphire and Haldon to open rifts.
Unlike the orb that hovered faithfully beside Sapphire, this creation was compact—small enough to slip easily into the pocket of a jacket or hang from a belt. It was not meant for power or battle. Its purpose was survival.
A final safeguard.
If the day ever came when the beings discovered the dwarven refuge and the settlement could no longer be defended, the device would create a brief stabilised rift—just long enough for the dwarfs to escape and begin again somewhere else in the countless worlds beyond.
Sapphire personally placed the device into the rough hands of Horas.
The dwarf leader studied the small contraption carefully, his thick fingers surprisingly gentle as he turned it over beneath the cavern lights. The faint glow of ancient energy within its crystal heart pulsed softly like a living thing.
He understood immediately what it meant.
Not surrender.
But preservation.
A way for his people to survive even the darkest of outcomes.
The device was far smaller than the orb that had accompanied Sapphire since the beginning of her journey. That orb still floated constantly beside her, never straying far from her shoulder, its eternal flame quietly swirling within its glass-like shell.
Yet the bond between Sapphire and the orb had grown immensely over time.
What had once been simple guidance had become something deeper—almost like a language shared only between them. Sapphire had learned to read the subtle movements of the flame, the way the light shifted colours, the gentle pulses of energy the orb sent through the air.
It spoke in feelings.
In signals.
And now Sapphire could answer.
Often the orb would drift closer to her hand as if acknowledging her thoughts, the flame inside it swirling calmly when she was at peace or flickering sharply when danger or powerful emotions stirred within her.
They understood each other.
Not as master and tool—but as companions connected to the same ancient source.
Meanwhile the dwarven settlement itself had begun transforming into something entirely new.
What had once been a rugged mining colony hidden beneath the mountains had slowly evolved into a thriving underground civilisation. Horas and his people had embraced the ancient power in ways no dwarf clan had ever done before. The once barren caverns now held sprawling underground gardens where crops flourished beneath glowing crystal light.
Sapphire’s restorative abilities had encouraged roots from the upper forests to spread deep through the stone, feeding the underground soil with life. Moss-covered terraces lined the cavern walls, while small streams carved their way through channels the dwarfs had engineered with careful precision.
Haldon’s mastery of the ancient power had reshaped the mines themselves. Crystal veins that once took decades to grow now slowly regenerated under his influence, allowing the dwarven blacksmiths to forge stronger tools and weapons without stripping the mountains bare.
Together, their efforts had created something remarkable.
A new world beneath the mountains.
The dwarfs no longer simply survived underground—they thrived there. Children ran through garden paths carved between stone pillars, smiths hammered away in the forges with renewed purpose, and the settlement had begun expanding into neighbouring caverns that had once been abandoned long ago.
In many ways, Sapphire realised she had unknowingly rebuilt something familiar.
It reminded her of the feline community she had once called home years ago—a place where people lived in harmony with the land, where strength and compassion shaped the culture rather than fear.
Only this time, the home existed beneath miles of stone.
One evening, Sapphire and Haldon stood together on a natural mound of rock just outside the main entrance to the settlement. From that vantage point they could see much of the underground village spread out before them. Warm lantern lights glowed softly along the carved pathways, and distant sounds of dwarven voices echoed faintly through the caverns as the people continued their daily routines.
They stood there quietly, meditating.
Reflecting on their journey.
Reflecting on everything they had built.
The orb hovered gently beside Sapphire, casting a soft glow across the stone as the two of them focused their thoughts on the mission that still lay ahead.
Far above the mountains, the surface world had grown eerily silent.
The destruction left behind by the beings had forced most surviving cultures to abandon the open lands entirely. Entire nations had disappeared, their people fleeing underground or hiding deep within remote regions in order to survive.
Only a few scattered societies remained on the surface now.
Even they lived cautiously.
Most of the living world had followed the dwarfs’ example—retreating beneath the earth, where the darkness in the skies could no longer reach them so easily.
Yet as Sapphire looked down over the thriving dwarven settlement, she realised something hopeful.
While the surface world struggled to survive…
A new civilisation was quietly rising beneath the mountains.
And soon, when the time came to face the beings in their own realm, it would be this hidden world—this underground kingdom—that stood ready to fight for the future of countless others.
Sapphire rested both of her hands on the metal railing and leaned slightly forward, her eyes drifting across the vast dwarven settlement below. From their high vantage point, the entire underground city spread out like a living tapestry beneath the mountain—warm lanterns glowing in carved stone homes, the soft hum of the forges echoing through the caverns, and the quiet movement of dwarfs carrying on with their evening routines.
It was a world they had helped shape.
A world worth protecting.
Yet Sapphire’s expression remained thoughtful.
“Do you ever stop and wonder,” she began slowly, still looking out over the settlement, “if everything we’re preparing for… everything we want to do—destroying those beings and restoring this world…”
She paused, choosing her words carefully.
“…do you really think it’s possible?”
Her voice did not carry doubt in the usual sense. She wasn’t questioning their mission itself. What she wanted was something deeper—a moment of confirmation that the path they had chosen truly was the right one.
That all the effort, the risks, and the lives involved would not end in failure.
Haldon looked at her for a moment, slightly puzzled by the question. Then he turned his gaze outward toward the city beneath them and raised his arm, sweeping it slowly across the view before them.
“What makes you say that?” he asked.
His hand motioned toward the gardens, the glowing crystal lamps, the smithing halls where sparks occasionally burst into the cavern air.
“Look at what we’ve already done here, Sapphire.”
The underground settlement was alive in ways it had never been before.
Fields of crops flourished beneath glowing crystals. Fresh water flowed through carefully carved channels. Warriors trained in the open caverns while miners and blacksmiths worked side by side with renewed purpose.
What had once been a rough survival colony had become a thriving civilization.
Sapphire sighed softly.
“I’m not doubting what we’re doing,” she said quietly. “Not really.”
Her fingers tightened slightly around the railing.
“It’s just… I always have this feeling deep inside me.”
She tapped her chest lightly.
“A kind of dread.”
Her voice dropped lower.
“Like there’s something buried deep in my mind… waiting.”
Suddenly she struck the metal rail with her palm.
Clang.
“Waiting for the right moment,” she continued, frustration creeping into her voice. “And then—boom.”
She looked down at her hands.
“The darkness comes out.”
Haldon shifted his stance, leaning his weight against one arm on the railing while studying her face more seriously now.
“Where the hells did that come from?” he said bluntly.
He shook his head slightly.
“Sapphire, you have to stop worrying about that darkness inside you.”
His voice was firm—reassuring, but edged with the kind of tone that meant he was not going to let her spiral into those fears again.
“You control it.”
He gestured toward the settlement again, his arm sweeping across the underground world they had helped build.
“All of this exists because you chose to use that power for something better.”
He looked back at her directly.
“So if you’re still scared that one day you’ll lose control, then tell me something…”
He paused deliberately.
“What do you think all of this has been for?”
The question hung in the air between them.
Sapphire met his gaze for a moment.
Then she slowly nodded.
“You’re right,” she admitted quietly. “You’ve always been right.”
She straightened herself and exhaled slowly, letting the tension leave her shoulders.
“We only have one day left to prepare,” she said, shifting the conversation back to their mission. “Is everything ready?”
Haldon nodded immediately, his confidence returning.
“Yes. The mines are fully guarded now. The garden entrances have been sealed except for the harvesting crews. And the rift chamber…”
A small grin appeared on his face.
“It’s ready. Completely stabilised.”
“All we have to do now,” he said, “is step inside.”
Sapphire’s eyes hardened slightly with determination.
“Good,” she replied.
“I’ve been waiting years for this moment.”
Her voice carried a quiet intensity now.
“Maybe we’ll finally get our chance to make those beings pay for what they’ve done.”
Before either of them could say more, a deep voice spoke from behind them.
“I thought I might find you two here.”
They both turned.
Horas was standing a short distance behind them, his thick beard shifting as he folded his arms across his broad chest. The dwarf leader had a knowing look in his eyes.
“Come on,” he said with a faint grin. “The people have prepared a gathering for you both tonight.”
He turned and began walking back toward the settlement.
“You’d best not keep them waiting.”
Sapphire and Haldon exchanged a brief glance.
Then, without another word, they pushed themselves away from the railing and followed after him—descending back into the heart of the dwarven city where their allies were already gathering for what might be the last night of peace before the battle ahead.
They followed Horas down from the mound, descending the gentle path that led back toward the heart of the settlement. What had once been nothing more than rough stone carved out from the mountain had changed dramatically over time. Sapphire’s influence with the ancient restorative power had transformed the area completely.
The three of them walked quietly for a moment.
Sapphire and Haldon followed behind Horas as he made his way steadily down toward the central village streets.
But something felt… strange.
The settlement was far too quiet.
Normally this time of evening the tunnels would be alive with dwarven voices—laughter echoing from taverns, hammers striking metal in the forges, miners returning from the deep shafts, and the constant hum of life moving through the caverns.
Now there was almost nothing.
Sapphire glanced toward one of the nearby homes they passed.
The windows were dark.
No light inside.
Haldon frowned slightly as he looked toward the blacksmith district ahead. The great forge doors stood open, yet no sparks flew from within and no smiths worked their anvils.
He leaned slightly toward Sapphire as they walked.
“Why is it so quiet?” he muttered under his breath.
Sapphire narrowed her eyes, her senses instinctively reaching outward as if expecting danger. They passed more homes, more workshops… all empty.
“No idea,” she replied quietly, glancing around the unusually silent streets.
Meanwhile, walking a few steps ahead of them, Horas allowed a small smile to creep across his face.
He kept his back turned so they would not see it.
He knew exactly why the settlement felt deserted.
They turned the final corner into the main street of the underground city—the wide central space where the dwarfs usually gathered for announcements, celebrations, and festivals.
At the far end of the square once stood the towering statue of the dark being that had threatened the settlement years ago, a grim reminder of the battle Sapphire and Haldon had fought when they first arrived beneath the mountains.
But that statue was long gone.
In its place stood something entirely different.
Sapphire slowed her steps as soon as she saw it.
Haldon stopped beside her.
Rising proudly in the centre of the square was a beautifully crafted marble statue, carved from pale mountain stone and polished until it gleamed softly beneath the cavern lights.
The statue depicted three figures.
Sapphire stood at the front, her posture strong and calm, one hand slightly raised as if guiding the ancient power itself.
Beside her stood Haldon, carved with the same broad shoulders and steady stance he carried in life, his arms slightly crossed in quiet confidence.
And hovering just above them both was the orb, perfectly sculpted in smooth stone, its flame carefully detailed inside the sphere as though it were truly alive.
The craftsmanship was extraordinary.
Every line of the figures carried careful precision, the dwarven artisans having spent months perfecting every detail.
It was not simply a statue.
It was a monument.
A monument of gratitude.
A symbol of the day Sapphire and Haldon had saved the dwarven settlement from destruction.
Sapphire stared at it for a moment, slightly uncomfortable.
Even now, after all this time, the idea of being honoured like that never sat well with her.
Haldon rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he looked up at the towering sculpture.
“Still not used to that thing,” he muttered quietly.
Neither of them had ever sought recognition for what they had done. They had used their powers because it was the right thing to do—nothing more.
Being venerated like heroes had never been their intention.
In truth, both of them would have been perfectly happy continuing their work quietly, helping rebuild the world without statues, praise, or attention.
But to the dwarfs, the monument meant something important.
It stood as a reminder that hope had returned to their people.
And as Sapphire and Haldon stood there in the silent square, staring up at the marble likenesses of themselves, Horas stopped walking ahead of them.
His smile widened slightly.
Because the silence around them…
Was not emptiness.
It was anticipation.
And the moment he had been waiting for was only seconds away..
As Sapphire and Haldon stood staring at the great marble statue, still slightly uneasy at the sight of themselves carved into stone, something shifted in the silence behind them.
For a brief moment there was nothing.
Then suddenly—
A thunderous roar of voices exploded through the cavern.
Hundreds of dwarfs surged out from every side street, doorway, and tunnel entrance surrounding the main square. The once empty settlement burst instantly into life as cheers and shouts echoed against the stone walls.
Weapons clashed together in celebration—axes striking shields, hammers ringing against armour. The deep sound of dwarven horns echoed through the mountains, their long notes rumbling through the cavern like the call of some ancient beast awakening.
Music erupted.
Drums began pounding.
Dwarfs stomped their boots against the stone floor while others broke into lively dances, spinning mugs of ale and waving their weapons high in the air.
“SAPPHIRE!”
“HALDON!”
Their names rang through the settlement again and again.
Sapphire jumped slightly at the sudden eruption of sound, her ears twitching in surprise as she instinctively stepped back. Haldon jerked his head around in the same moment, caught completely off guard by the explosion of celebration.
For a heartbeat the two of them simply stood there in stunned silence.
Then they realised what was happening.
The entire dwarven settlement had gathered around them.
Sapphire’s hands flew up to her mouth for a moment before she laughed in disbelief. She clapped her hands together with joy and turned immediately toward Horas.
“Oh you guys… why?” she said warmly.
Before he could react, she stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug.
Horas stiffened instantly.
The dwarf leader had always hated being hugged. Physical displays like that were not exactly common in dwarven culture.
But this time…
He allowed it.
His arms hung awkwardly at his sides for a moment before he grumbled quietly and accepted the gesture with a small nod.
When Sapphire finally stepped back, Horas turned toward Haldon.
The two of them immediately greeted each other in the more traditional dwarven manner—grabbing forearms firmly before delivering a heavy slap to each other’s backs.
The impact echoed loudly.
“Horas, you dog!” Haldon laughed. “I knew something was wrong when you said people were gathering!”
Horas narrowed his eyes slightly beneath the thick curtain of his beard, a sly grin hidden there.
“Aye,” he muttered. “Took you long enough to figure it out.”
Just then two female dwarfs approached through the cheering crowd. Their thick braided beards had been decorated with bright flowers woven carefully through the strands—something usually reserved for special celebrations.
In their hands they carried two beautiful garlands made from braided rope, small crystals embedded along their length that sparkled under the cavern lights. Tiny wildflowers had been woven between the stones, giving the garlands both colour and brilliance.
The dwarfs stopped in front of Sapphire and Haldon.
But there was a small problem.
Sapphire and Haldon were both far taller than the dwarfs.
With amused smiles, the two heroes bent slightly at the waist so the women could reach them.
The dwarfs gently placed the garlands over their necks.
The crystals glimmered softly against their clothes as the crowd erupted into another round of cheers.
Horas stepped forward then, raising his thick arms to quiet the gathering.
Slowly the dwarfs settled, though their excitement still buzzed through the air.
Horas cleared his throat.
“Today, my fellow dwarfs!” he shouted, his voice booming across the square.
He gestured proudly toward Sapphire and Haldon.
“Today we celebrate our two finest companions!”
The dwarfs roared their approval.
“We stand here alive and thriving because of these two standing before you now!”
He pointed toward them again.
“These two felines—Sapphire and Haldon—saved our people when darkness came to our gates!”
Another wave of cheers swept through the crowd.
Horas continued, his voice steady with pride.
“Tomorrow they begin a journey through time itself. A journey across the rifts, to confront the very beings that have destroyed countless worlds.”
The dwarfs fell quieter now, listening carefully.
“We know the road ahead of them will not be easy,” Horas said. “And it may be long before they return.”
He struck his fist against his chest.
“But while they are gone, we will guard this settlement just as fiercely as they once protected us!”
A unified roar answered him.
“But tonight!” Horas shouted, suddenly raising both arms high into the air.
“Tonight we drink!”
The dwarfs laughed and lifted their mugs.
“Tonight we cheer!”
Axes and hammers clashed together again.
“And tonight…”
His voice boomed through the cavern.
“WE CELEBRATE!”
He threw his arms wide.
“Let the celebrations begin!”
The square erupted into music, laughter, and dancing once again.
Ale was passed around, drums began beating faster, and dwarfs rushed forward to congratulate their honoured guests.
Sapphire stood there for a moment, watching the celebration unfold around her.
Her eyes shimmered slightly.
A tear slipped quietly down her cheek as she realised just how much these people cared for them.
She turned toward Haldon.
“Haldon…” she said teasingly, wiping her eye. “Are you crying?”
She smirked playfully.
“Such a big man like you… crying in front of everyone.”
Haldon quickly rubbed his eyes and straightened up.
“Of course not,” he grumbled.
He sniffed loudly and looked away.
“I’ve just got dust in my eyes.”
But the truth was obvious.
Horas’ words—and the love of the dwarven people—had struck deeper in his heart than he was willing to admit..
Before either Sapphire or Haldon had time to properly react to the celebration unfolding around them, the crowd suddenly surged forward with even more excitement.
Hands reached out from all directions.
Laughter echoed through the square.
And within seconds the two of them were separated completely.
A group of enthusiastic female dwarfs grabbed Sapphire by the arms with cheerful determination and pulled her straight into the heart of the crowd.
At the same time, a roaring group of male dwarfs surrounded Haldon, clapping his shoulders and dragging him away toward the tavern district with loud chants of his name.
“HAAAAALDON!”
Sapphire burst into laughter as she was swept away.
“Wait—what are you doing?” she protested playfully.
But the dwarven women were far too determined to listen.
They guided her toward a beautifully decorated wooden chair that had been placed in the centre of one of the garden terraces near the main square. The seat itself had been carefully adorned with vines, flowers, and polished crystal fragments that glimmered softly under the cavern lights.
Before Sapphire knew what was happening, they gently pushed her down into the chair.
“You sit,” one of them said proudly.
Another dwarf stepped forward carrying small braids of coloured thread and crystals.
Sapphire barely had time to laugh before several of them began carefully weaving her hair into intricate braids. Tiny crystal beads were tied into the strands, catching the light as they worked.
Others placed decorative crystal jewellery across her shoulders and around her wrists.
Within minutes she looked less like a wandering warrior and more like some kind of underground queen.
Meanwhile the female dwarfs began singing.
Their voices rose together in deep harmonic chants—ancient songs of honour that dwarven women traditionally sang for warriors returning from battle.
The melody echoed warmly through the cavern gardens.
Someone handed Sapphire a wooden cup filled with sweet wine, and she accepted it with a slightly embarrassed smile.
“Please… none of you have to do all this,” she said softly, glancing around at them.
“You know I hate being venerated.”
Despite her words, her expression showed how touched she truly was by the gesture.
One of the elder female dwarfs stepped forward through the group.
Her beard had been braided with flowers that the younger dwarfs had been tossing into the air throughout the celebration. Bright petals clung to the thick strands, giving her an almost ceremonial appearance.
She looked down at Sapphire with warm eyes.
“Sapphire,” the dwarf woman said gently.
“You are one of us now.”
She gestured to the surrounding crowd of women.
“And you always will be.”
The other dwarfs nodded in agreement.
“We cannot let you leave without giving you the celebration you deserve,” the elder continued. “This is our way of saying thank you.”
She stepped closer and offered her hand.
“You have taught us more than you know.”
Her voice softened slightly.
“We will certainly miss you.”
Sapphire’s eyes filled with tears.
Without hesitation she leaned forward and embraced the dwarf woman warmly, ignoring the thick beard brushing against her cheek—something that had always amused and slightly irritated her at the same time.
“Thank you,” Sapphire said quietly.
Then she pulled back slightly and smiled.
“But you know something…”
Her voice held quiet confidence.
“We’ll be back.”
The dwarven women cheered again and raised their cups around her.
Meanwhile, across the village inside the great tavern hall, the atmosphere was far less graceful.
Haldon had been practically thrown into a heavy wooden chair near the centre of the room while dwarfs packed every corner of the tavern around him.
Ale mugs slammed against tables.
Drums pounded wildly.
Music roared through the hall as dwarfs danced across the floor with complete abandon.
Some female dwarfs spun through the crowd performing lively dances while others tossed coins across the tables. Laughter echoed loudly as warriors toasted their friend again and again.
Haldon leaned back in his chair, grinning as he looked around the chaotic celebration.
“Alright, alright,” he said loudly over the noise. “I know what you’re planning.”
His tone wasn’t angry—just resigned.
Horas stood nearby holding a mug of ale the size of a small bucket.
The old dwarf squinted at him through his beard.
“Oh you do, do you?” Horas said mischievously.
Then suddenly he turned toward the back of the tavern and bellowed:
“COME ON LADS!”
The room went silent for half a second.
Then Horas roared the words Haldon had been dreading.
“BRING OUT THE ICE!”
The tavern exploded with laughter.
Haldon groaned loudly and sank deeper into his chair.
“Oh no…”
He shook his head.
“You’re not doing that.”
The dwarfs began chanting.
“ICE! ICE! ICE! ICE!”
Haldon threw up his hands in protest.
“Please don’t do this,” he said helplessly. “You know I hate ice!”
For reasons no one outside dwarven culture fully understood, dumping freezing ice over honoured guests had become a strange ritual in their celebrations.
And Haldon absolutely hated it.
But his protests made absolutely no difference.
A group of dwarfs suddenly burst out of the tavern’s back room carrying an enormous wooden bucket filled with jagged chunks of mountain ice.
The crowd cheered wildly.
“HAAAAALDON!”
The dwarfs rushed forward.
Before Haldon could escape—
CRASH!
The entire bucket of freezing ice was dumped straight over his head.
Chunks of ice slid down his shoulders and clattered onto the floor.
The tavern erupted with roaring laughter.
Haldon jumped to his feet, shivering violently.
“AHHH—BY THE MOUNTAINS THAT’S COLD!” he shouted.
He shook himself like a soaked animal while the dwarfs howled with laughter.
Then he looked straight at Horas.
For a moment the two of them simply stared at each other.
Then Haldon broke into a huge grin.
He walked over and delivered a massive friendly slap across Horas’s back.
“Ahh man…” he said warmly.
“I’m gonna miss you guys.””
