《On Dwarves and Depths》 On Dwarves I. Time of Life and Hunger On Dwarves I. Time of life and hunger. A fortress has survived. Its roof carved basalt, its floor bedrock. Its doors sealed; its people locked. High above it are openings, mouths of dim light for a few hours a day, indistinguishable from the stone at night. A path connects it to the outside world; on the surface obsidian statues linger unmaintained and unworshipped. Inside, the halls are still lit by torches, the houses still lit by hearths. The workshops still work, the forges still burn. There are those who carve stone and those who weave cloth, those who buy it and those who steal it. There are still saloons, taverns and councils, they still meet there. There are still people, who live. They marry, but only when the time comes. They wait even longer to have their children. And still more they wait, when an important decision has to be made; more than one died waiting. If you wanted to make them hurry then they will only hurry to shut you up. Their thick legs hurry through the streets, there are no longer crowds to slow them down. Their halls are very wide, not because they used to be full, but because of the satisfaction of the agora without horizon, the impression of generational work; the ultimate sacrifice was not prompt death, it was to work a lifetime. But when a sacrifice includes the words life and death, it is made for those who endure, for those we beget to replace us. Before, yes, but now... now one did not live in the same world, now it was the sacrifice, the expense, the waste, that is made for the dying, when one knows, for certain, that there will not be a worthy tomorrow, and then, there will not be. Because the Sun was always hidden by clouds, because our allies had committed suicide, starting wars when there was not even time to arrange the next harvest. Because our enemies had hidden themselves under the sierras and mountain ranges. Because we did too, when we accepted that it was the only alternative that would preserve us. Every colony was abandoned, every road too. Every brother on the surface was selected to stay where he was, off the mountain. The councils initiated debate and consensus won. All the brothers inside the gates would stay, all the cousins would leave. The councils wielded their arguments, the cousins were tall and fast, the surface their place of origin and the food under the mountain was limited and not suitable for them. It helped that the cousins had no representation. All patrols would come back, garrisons would return, delegations would be called. All pacts would be broken, promises would be abandoned, enterprises would be sold. All friends would be forgotten, hatreds would be forgiven, values would be given up. Everything would be given up, except life. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Such betrayal and such abandonment could not be forgiven, and so it was waited, time the healer cured. There was no longer anyone to reproach us, no one was left to claim revenge, the criminals and their responsibilities had died in bed, their children after them and then their children''s children. Get lost adding generations and then with ours you will find yourself, still no one has knocked on the door to ask for explanations since then nor is it expected. Indeed, there was no time for the next harvest, at first cousins came asking, then demanding, the former received no answer, the latter did, coming from cannons and crossbows. Then whole armies coming, the former armed and armored, the latter starving and in rags. None could enter, not a single one penetrated, the foundations too solid, the gates too thick, the arms too weak. They went to seek another place to raze, on the spot multiplying, as the hosts of the starving increased. Our enemy also came, afflicted now by the same problem as the cousins. Among them only violence reigned, with a dash of the worst kind of intelligence. But now it was not so, there was no one to plunder, no one to rob, no looting, no boarding, no time for warriors, but for vagabonds, vagrants, beggars. They too had no answer, but they found another entrance, and their eyes see in the dark, they can eat anyone else and each other. They survived. Thus, the door to the deep was also closed, the pits sealed and the wells collapsed. Still the most pathetic war was fought, the most desperate, one so miserable that no ancestor would be satisfied. The enemy was weak, weak as never before, brainless, shameless, desperate. They dug holes with their hands, but were collapsed. They charged together and held hands, but died and failed. Morale could not hold, armed with stones and sticks. In the end they fled, into the deep, even knowing that others awaited them there. Never, since the last years of our grandfathers'' grandfathers'' grandfathers'' grandfathers, has anyone come to the gates, never has anyone sent any more messages, never have they attacked, from above or below. This circumstance has changed a lot, nobody goes to the battlements anymore, nobody studies to be a diplomat. The knowledge about cousins and enemies, about distant brothers, about lost plants and animals on the surface, are a thing of legend and astonishment, like any fascination impossible to verify, before the silence of the ages. Such is our time, silent, absent and monotonous. No change in circumstances, no change in laws, no future, only the present. Now there is no different thing in sight, it is clearly not a time for heroes. Perhaps only curiosity, because a lost world is a great catalyst of this side of nature. Add to this, youth, then add the loyalty of small groups of friends or perhaps just acquaintances. Finally, let''s mix with the second part of the apocalypse that preceded us, also ready to succeed us. They say that through the great west crack you can see the moon for a few minutes, let''s go tonight, now that the guards leave the gap where the river, let''s say that only to drink wine we went. For a moment the light of the luminary illuminates a fissure that to the black depth leads. Shall we hear above the wails of the abandoned cousins or below those of the expelled enemies? I do not know if we will dare to hear it. On Dwarves 2. Her and Them. On Dwarves 2. Her and Them. Three shadows meet, they conspire innocently. Perhaps society was born to satisfy their needs, but they gladly abandon it, today they feel it as a bondage, too many responsibilities, too little leisure is bad for the soul, and I don''t even have any. She is not perfect, she is not, but for them, not to say it, just to think about it, is impossible, because she is, she is perfect. Her thighs are thick, her hips are hidden for good from their gazes and the empty conversations of long friendships. Her belly is scanty, her back curves like a mathematical function. Her nose is straight, her lips thick. Her skin quartz, her eyes sapphire, her hair amber. Not a freckle is missing, each one strategically positioned. Her breasts... The consequence is obvious, she was coveted. They always flank her, one on each side, for which of them would want to have the other between her and him. In all things be fair, in all things moderate, so I''ll flip a coin, if the obsidian Pillar comes up I''ll start with the bricklayer, if the face of the Father of All comes up, I''ll talk about the waiter. I advance you, none is better, but equally of her prisoners. Face. A typical face, a common face, a face in which everyone sees a possible friend, perfect for the beer and wine business. We talk about the thinner in features, the more pointed nose, the more pronounced cheekbones. Maybe less tall, but it depends on the boot. At least he can say he is less fat, although the beer hormones are already starting to make a difference. The hair black, the voice clear. Because he rejoices in singing and only sings better because he enjoys it the most. In fact, now it''s the only thing he enjoys, aware that the trio''s relationship has soured, but he''s not going to give in, even more aware of her. Pillar. Because he has erected many pillars, not in new homes but in old houses, older than the land registry that counts them. Every day he slips, every day his back hurts a little more. He is already tired and has just finished his first age. Three more hours on shift? Please, let it be over already. At least he''s gained muscle, but only in his arms and legs, and because of the little use outside, they don''t even pay off. His hair is ruby, but soon it will matter little, for he fights a battle hard to win, every day his red soldiers give ground and soon only a field of loneliness will remain, a wilted hill. But first, and only first, he must win a war, although he does not know whether of hearts or of attrition. Finna was her, the blonde, the smooth, the warrior. Beleg was him, the friend, the acquaintance, the evergreen waiter. Mim was him, the strong one, the red-haired one, the one who fixed our roof. If they were to talk about the day they met they would lie, none of them remember, it''s one of those cases where the relationship precedes the talking and the walking. Come to think of it, it would be a good excuse to say: I was friends with her first. Now they gather, like a congregation of hooded heretics, to break the laws of the established order, in the name of a cause as worthy as spending a sleepless night doing something new. Tomorrow there is no work, but the day after that there is. Follow me as soon as I get up and don''t look back, I can''t say for sure that no one is watching us. Loki the lame sometimes sleeps in the hut of some tower, I tried to detect his pattern, but I think he is rather ruled by beer and where it catches him when the Sun falls. When she speaks wittily, as on this occasion, they laugh heartily. Every interaction counts, every skirmish pays off. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Let''s go and they shoot off after her. Just a minute and they all crowd in. Okay, it''s all right, there''s no one there and at last they come out through the gap. It''s pitch dark behind the wall, but to light a torch in that desolation would be the height of stupidity. Today was the day, today a little of that forgotten moon enters, the last anchor with those nights of camping of the travelers, because there are no more trips. In less than a rooster''s crow at the chosen point they have arrived. A last cliff, a single high step. To the right the fortress. Black stone merges with black wall; there are towers with battlements, but few make use of them. It is more beautiful here than inside, though they think of something beautiful that is closer; she does not, she sees it clearly, the centuries that have passed, the buildings that have been abandoned. Literature made her dream of places where to plant the flag, where to extend the kingdom, where to put iron to use. But deep down she knows that her father, veteran of no battle, is right in this matter. There is no kingdom but this one, she will bequeath these stone walls to her children, and they to theirs. While she looked at the garrisoned city, they took advantage of the direct entry of moonlight to see not above but below. The crack deep into the bedrock was, under normal circumstances, a glimpse into the blackest and most unfathomable abyss one could imagine by closing one''s eyes and placing one''s hands over them. Today it was a mystery to be solved that was difficult to approach, for the presence of magical moments can never replace material reality: any false step would surely mean certain death. A certain death. A death. How easy it would be, wouldn''t it? She looks away, the stone is slippery as if it had been made to cause terrible accidents, one in which a friend or a rival could die. After all they no longer speak to each other, they no longer love each other, they are just a hindrance, a problem for each other. If only it would happen by itself, without the need to give the push, then everything would be so simple. They were both very close, looking into the depths, pretending to be fascinated, pretending to be interested. Each time they craned their necks closer, as if trying to reveal more of the depths. Each time the bricklayer''s hand came closer to the other''s back. Each time the waiter''s foot slid closer to that of his partner. Only a sharp, cruel blow restrained them from sin. Not to them it was delivered, for they were petrified now, with incredible tension in their necks and heads. The blow was bone on rock, announced only by an exhalation. In a very brief moment they raised their heads, yielding to each other the opportunity to consummate the crime. They saw only the blond mane, tied to an already unconscious body, sliding down the cruel rock into the blackness of the crevice. There went their dreams, there went the prize of their joust, there went the life of a girl, of a soldier. There went the reason for their hatred, here came a reason to shake hands, for nothing made sense if they did not find success in this mission. Without saying anything, with a face of serious panic, they decided to go down. On Dwarves 3. Over the deep chasm On Dwarves 3. Over the deep chasm They ran, they really ran. One might have thought that they had developed goat legs like satyrs, because if not, I can''t explain how they didn''t kill themselves trotting down the rocks. They had nothing, NOTHING, to go down, no rope, no nail, not even a light, and not much experience. They returned through the gap in the wall this time with the stealth of a stampede and most of the time holding on all fours so as not to slip on the climbs. No one saw them enter, but they wouldn''t have cared by now. Beleg stopped for a moment, making a point. They looked at each other and, again without words, knew what the problem was. What shall we do? said the one who stopped, let''s not say it, Ill go quickly for tools of my work. Do you have ropes in the tavern? said the other. Yes! We''ll wait for each other in the gap, don''t go without me. That''s how they appointed each other, it didn''t even cross their minds to go after her alone, they were out of their minds. Mim was the first to arrive at the masons'' workshop, on the way crossing paths with few others. Luckily his race was given to manners and order, though that would not prevent stares and comments tomorrow morning. Running, they saw his mane to the little wind of the cavern, with an indescribable face. He didn''t have the key so he forcefully pulled to open the warehouse; four well-delivered blows with his shoulder and a kick when no one peeked out. He loaded up with nails, loaded up with candles and helmets, one for himself and one for the aborted murder victim. He came back even faster. For the other dwarf access was easier, but the marathon less discreet. He had been thinking about it as he ran to his goal, the tavern would be crowded at this hour and sneaking in without being discovered was a task worthy of a master thief. In the end he opted for the quickest way, he would enter as if it was nothing, pass the bar straight to the pantry and if the boss stopped him he could only say he had forgotten something, the wineskin perhaps? Everything went as planned, except for the moment when he heard the deep voice he now feared the most. What are you doing? I''ve never seen you in these parts at this hour if you arent paid for it Time to improvise. Meanwhile, many houses down, the red-haired man running was arriving, but slowed down as he realized he had arrived first. Where is he? I cant believe it... But over there came the other one. Sorry, I got held up with the innkeeper. He had probably lost his job, it was obvious that the owner was waiting for the first excuse to fire him according to the rules. Now it mattered little to him. Over his shoulder he carried the long, thick rope, for which he had no excuse in subtracting it from the larder. Come on, quick, we have no time to lose marched the two again, and again mustering all their balance, now with the spelunker''s burden. You may wonder why they did not cry for help from the beginning, why the secrecy. Because of her. They were not to be there, and any infraction in the squire lady''s profession meant severe expulsion. Who of the two would court her if sleep and sustenance were snatched from her by calling for help from the same guard she belonged to? The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. By the time they arrived the mad star was already shying away from the upper opening, the sinister hole growing blacker and blacker. Beleg prepared the knot, then Mim nailed the spike with the rope. The descent depended on the strength of their arms, but they did not fear for their lives, right now. Ill go first friend, not to boast, but I have more experience with heights and dangers, said the mason, appearing modest. The other one held his retort because there was no flaw in the first one''s argument, any answer would be born of stubbornness. Mim was already coming down, swelling the muscles of his forearms. He was staring intently at the rock two or three feet in front of his face, why look down if almost nothing could be seen. In no time Beleg, of more modest limbs, followed close behind him, buttocks a foot and a half away. They descended with exasperating but necessary slowness, halting to a stop only when their feet struggled to blindly find the wall. Only for a moment, when they reached the real blind area where only the candles on their helmets allowed them to see somewhat, did they stop. Wait! said the one further in. She''s dead, you know that, don''t you? he asked somberly. Yes, and you know that, don''t you? replied the waiter, with certainty, but clearly trying to mark the irrelevance of the statement. Right... let''s move on Making it clear, with his tone, that he understood that quitting now was irrational and cruel. Now, more than ever ignoring the fear and the stiffening of the arms, they climbed down with tenacity and a determined look. How black was the cruel pit that had taken her and now them. The Moon was not going to allow herself to stop for a moment, for no one she had never been in a hurry, nor for anyone had she ever put on the brakes. Minimal reflections from the opaque rock and the starlight already allowed vision. Only now the candles kept them sane, tied to this world and not to the one that exists where things are not seen, the world without form or color. How incredible was existence without light, how contrary to the preservation of our lives, but how full of freedom in its amorphousness. Here no one would be a blacksmith, here no one a counselor or a knight. Here there were no parents or children, no house or shelter. Without form no one is taller, no one uglier, no one richer or poorer, no one more -ego-. But our duo didn''t think of that, did they? You see, no one has been down here in a long, long time, but it wasn''t sealed off in the old days either. Obviously, it is one of those dangerous places about which children and the less responsible adults of this society of ours are forewarned, but the ship of caution sailed a long time ago. As has become clear, falls on live rock are more than dangerous, they can be deadly, but there is another side of the coin to the horror of this sleep depriving crevasse that I want to tell you about. The world is an onion, it has many layers, and not just as a metaphor for life, but literally. Logically, the first layer was where the cousins lived, the first floor of the world, the surface. Here, the cavern, where stands the fortress of the little ones who do not see the sky, is the subsoil, the layer immediately below. There were, or perhaps still are, upper strata, a world above the sky and beyond. But there were also those below, as I''m sure you were already thinking. And as I''m sure you can also imagine, it''s no place for innocents. Or at least that''s what everyone learns at some point in their lives, either by old advice or by institutionalized teaching, DON''T GO TOO LOW. But in love anything goes, even suicide I have been told by some poet. And so, Beleg, the former waiter, and Mim, the former bricklayer, went on. On Dwarves 4. Holes in holes in holes On Dwarves 4. Holes in holes in holes Ten times they thought they had reached the ground, ten times they missed, their senses betrayed them. Definitely, if there was no deep water at the end of the vertical path, there would be no chance for her. And perhaps not even in that case there would be, perhaps from this height the water was little different from reinforced concrete. They would have thrown something before starting down, try to hear a noise at the end of the fall, but they feared that if she was at the bottom whatever they threw would fall onto her, besides, they intended to go down no matter what. Mim was still first in the descent, now with more distance between one and the other, as Beleg''s arms required more rest. With his gaze still fixed on the rock ahead he felt his feet failing to find rock, something that had happened before in the jagged fissure. He continued down, supported now only by the herculean strength of his hands, until the candle over his eyes revealed the gap that prevented him from resting his feet. It was a wide crevice, the crevice in the great crack, capable of holding a dwarf, if he was willing to crawl. Wait! he ordered, though not too loudly, he wasn''t going to tempt the possibility of a collapse with the vibration in his voice. What is it? replied Beleg, at last closing the distance. It''s just that there''s a gap here... lean now on the rock with your feet and rest your arms for a minute, if you go down any lower you''ll have to support yourself with your hands only stated the red-haired man. ... Okay, I''ll stand for a minute replied the other, trying not to make his relief at the rest too obvious. There''s no point in her... well, she shouldn''t be here, but I''m going to try to lie down inside, if only to rest as he said this and swayed a bit to step into the opening in the rock. Ok said the other, as you say Beleg replied not wanting to argue. Now with his legs steady he gave a final swing with his arms, to transfer the weight of his torso inside. With great skill he released the rope, and held tightly to the ceiling of the crevice. Now, by bending down a little, he could support his hips and rest at last. A small ripple formed in the rope by his oscillation and continued to descend until it was lost in the depth; how much was left to reach the bottom, they did not know. Now Mim took advantage of the scarce space to lay her back, only then did he realize that this horizontal opening reached much further. In fact, he had no idea where it ended. Meanwhile, Beleg wondered if the rope would be enough or if this risk was rather for nothing. Tell me something, I don''t see you from here friend he commented, coughing a little, can you hear me, friend?. Yeah, sorry... it''s just that... you haven''t heard anything since we arrived, have you? the construction craftsman replied at last. No, nothing but you and the air currents, which make little noise anymore returned Beleg. Yes... I think the air current in this hole carries sounds, maybe a voice reiterated the red-haired man. After a few seconds of tense silence Beleg spoke again I think I''m going to keep going down, let me rest in that hole of yours for a while he waited a moment for the other''s response, but there was none. Are you there? he started again, "Shhhhhhhhhh" he heard instantly. Making the psychological effort to look down, Beleg could see Mim''s feet resting in the void, the rest of him being inside the opening. There are two blue gems in here, I see them glittering at the bottom of this hole explained the mason at last, And? wondered the other, I don''t know, we could pick them up... they don''t look like ordinary stones to me, very pure opals perhaps, WAIT, I''ve seen them get bigger! Oh no, no, closer rather. Dang it, help, pull my legs, for heaven''s sake! Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Saying I''m coming, I''m coming, I''m coming! was all Beleg had time for before he watched his companion''s feet disappear into the narrow cavern. When he saw it and heard the quickly stifled scream of the trapped Mim, he could not but begin to doubt whether climbing down the rope and coming face to face with the horrible hole would be a wise move. Fear had left him paralyzed, so much so that now he was glad no one could see him, no one could judge him for flinching. But what explanations would he give if he went back now, alone. Would it be acceptable to say -we went for a walk, the three of us, but the others are dead, good night-, I think not. He gathered his strength and began to tackle the two-meter descent to the wolf''s mouth, now with his paws well away from the rock, circling the rope and narrowing his ankles. Holy gods don''t let my father or grandfather see me like this, he thought, but didn''t say, not wanting to tempt whatever had kidnapped his sidekick now. When he finally got a good look inside, he felt a guilty relief. There was nothing and no one. There were only a few drag marks on the gravel where Mim had been lying a moment ago. Nothing could be seen, nothing could be heard. He now faced a major dilemma. He had gone down to save someone accompanied and now he had to risk his life in one direction or another, alone. Below, he could only see the abyss continue, with a rope that, descending, merged with the blackness of the hole, representing little hope. Above, there was barely a glimmer of light left, because, at several points, the crevice where they had plunged narrowed, leaving even less to be seen where it was now. Then there was the abyssal horizon in front of his face, where the man he had considered murdering not too long ago had disappeared. The decision was clear, unlike the black hole where Beleg lay. He took the slightest impulse and supported himself with his legs as Mim had done previously. In no time he also had his arms firmly inside the narrow crevice, soon after he leaned his body, head in, on the floor of the crevice, but in his case head down, to crawl well inside. She''s dead he affirmed inwardly she must have cracked her head open at the bottom of the chasm, I know it. There was never any hope, only the panic of the moment, I''ve accepted it, now the only worthy thing to do is to try to redeem my sin. Damn it, why didn''t they seal this monstrous hole and why were we so stupid he continued his internal monologue, buying time while deciding whether he had the courage for real or not. Finally, Beleg was able to quiet his thinking mind and his rational one, which was telling him to get the hell out before it was too late. There was no room there to extend his arms, as after a good yawn, only to crawl inside with slight shoulder movements. Something had pulled Mim by the head, surely, leading him into some deep burrow in this subterranean hell. Before, when the world had not lost its head and hope, the crust of the earth, the level just below the surface, had been the realm of his race, shared of course with a considerable number of cousins, invited by bona fide dwarves, and enemies, who plagued the caverns and built their own citadels beneath the mountain. Below was the realm of other creatures, overwhelmingly unknown to even the most learned of the giblets, or any other known people. There was talk of devils, there was talk of other dwarves, brethren who lived far deeper, there was talk of enemies, driven out once upon a time by wrathful ancestors. Perhaps I will even return having solved part of the mystery thought Beleg, now with calmer nerves despite the situation, "they will surely make a statue of me". On Dwarves 5. Antediluvian Horror On Dwarfs 5. Antediluvian Horror Many feet above their home fortress would already be dawn. Activity would start a little before the faint sun would make itself seen, with the impotence of the last centuries. Now the bakers would be working with their meager raw materials and the patrols would be eager for relief. If he found even a tiny hole that connected with the ground he once called his world, he would try to warn the others, no matter the work and the shame; but he was not so lucky. The path went on and on, only the candle on his forehead gave him hope, only it allowed him to follow Mim''s trail. Clearly, he had been dragged on, to an unknown and nameless depth. As courage faded, as hope failed, but the inertia of his decisions impelled Beleg not to stop, at least until he knew the whereabouts of Mim the bricklayer. He did not know exactly in which direction that dismal passageway would move, but perhaps, he thought, he would already be under the city, not too far below its stony foundations. In all that solitary journey, only one element caught his attention, something that didn''t quite fit. Sometimes, over the marks left by Mim''s dragged body, there was a shiny dust, as if scattered or scraped from some surface, perhaps spilled by a bag, but very irregularly, found only sporadically. Then thought the, likely former, waiter, a trace left by my friend perhaps, though I don''t recall him carrying a bag with him, much less one carrying such a precious and tiny treasure. It looks like diamond dust, perhaps the remains of another singular stone. Beyond Mim having decided to strike it rich, buy the most expensive glittering powder he could find and take it to those depths in the time he took the materials for the ill-fated descent, he couldn''t think of many possibilities. He said something about some opals, precious gems in the dark. For the good of Beleg''s back the path began to rise and widen, and at last he was able to walk upright, as if he had undergone an express evolution, from snake to dwarf. However, Mim''s trail was still as before, so it was deducible that the poor fellow would not have gotten up even in this stretch, dragged surely by the kidnapping beast. There Beleg remained, following the glittering dust and churned gravel, now feeling nostalgic for the safety of the narrow path overcome, for he could no longer see the walls to his sides well, and was still somewhat crouched so that his candle would illuminate the only clue to his companion''s whereabouts. In the meantime, I think we''d better change the scene, let''s see what his adventurous brother was doing, after two claws, hard as rock and black as the abyss they had tried to descend, grabbed him by the armpits and pulled him mercilessly. That abyssal monster was pulling him, but the blue opals he had seen, symmetrical twins, were always at the same distance from him. If they were its eyes it did not take them off his person and thus he was galloping at full speed without looking where, perhaps he knew the way by heart or it had more eyes. By the time they had reached the widening, Mim had his eyes closed tightly, almost as tightly as his teeth, resigned to whatever fate awaited him. After all he had lost her just as he was about to lose his soul in an indecent crime, surely whatever happened was a just end, perhaps even ordered by the Father of All for his moral transgressions. Definitely that demon from the depths, whose body he could not decipher in the gloom, would have nothing good in store for him. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. For a while, which Mim could not determine, he had been incapacitated, losing all perspective of time and space, perhaps after becoming unconscious while debating his few alternatives. The blackness of the underworld had no difficulty in merging with the blackness of nightmares and soon the worker awoke to an unexpected scene. The first thing he saw were all the colors of the rainbow, blurred in an infinite number of dots and randomly scattered throughout his field of view. Then he ducked his head, which was suffering from its own weight, and he saw his body, of which he was beginning to regain control, sitting on a chair, with his arms on his legs, which did not reach the glowing floor. When his eyes adjusted to the colors he was receiving, he could better understand where he was: nothing more and nothing less than a huge geode, the size of a home or a den, depending on its occupant. Its seat was no less particular, for it was like a black stone, obsidian for sure, but carved very finely and without leaving it too sharp. He looked left and right and there was nothing but gems on the walls emitting mesmerizing lights. He could see some furniture, also dark and of refined finish. Even a tower clock, with its pendulum wobbling and emitting its particular and monotonous sound, except that in the round end gleamed a titanic ruby. Such observations confirmed the worst assumptions, he was sitting in the home of a demon. The cousins, on the surface, spoke on many occasions of demons, but they referred to those of their stratum, beings with pointed tails, eyes and claws. The demons of the lower stratum had no wings, no red skin. They were pure black rock, as any dwarf with a decent education would know. They did overlap in some respects, they lived for corruption, obsession and vice. But perhaps most importantly they were ancient beings, perhaps immortal. Although Mim was never very fond of reading, in the main library of the fortress there were some documents that spoke of these beings. You will be interested to know the hypothesis of Nimoth the Younger: ...the antediluvian horror of the mountain, a sullen and cruel creature, could well be the progeny of the mountain itself, created in a bloody attempt, but fortunately so far useless, to wipe out our race. If so, it is up to each one to decide whether they are black aberrations or the guardian angels of the stone itself. One last piece of information from the same author, which will undoubtedly be of value to you: ...they spend their lives without time, in the caverns beneath the caverns, where the wealth of the earth is most abundant, planning the individual corruption of each dwarf on the face of existence. The bricklayer''s only relief was this, he could neither see nor hear anyone else keeping him company. But he could not help think that his kidnapper was behind him, in the blind spot of his vision, and that he was not making the slightest noise because he was not breathing, for he had no lungs but stone inside. Good morning, it''s dawning! he heard behind, confirming again the worst possibility. The voice was melodious and of good intonation, it could belong to any good-looking dwarf, all rather grave and gentle. Friend, you don''t know how long I''ve been waiting for a visit in this barren neighborhood, I was about to start talking to the rocks, me!, Mim was paying close attention to the words of the well-mannered beast, though he couldn''t see it yet and was beginning to think it would be worthwhile to start praying for his immortal soul. Now, why don''t we introduce ourselves while your friend arrives. On Lore I. The Layers of the World Friends, I have been thinking that, in order to be sure to attend to your interest and, certainly, to better understand the situation Finna, Mim and Beleg have gotten themselves into, it would be convenient that, from time to time, we visit the library. And although I, unlike Mim, have no knowledge of how to build a strong and sturdy home, I do know that the layers do not start with the roof, but with the foundations. Therefore, we will begin by visiting the works of a relevant author, who will enlighten us about a world that, like many others, turns out to be counter-intuitive in its real nature. Here I leave you the excerpt that attends us, written by Shalmanasar II, king of kings among the cousins of a forgotten age, who liked to abandon the affairs of court and country in favor of scholarship on the truth of existence: Gather here knowledge about the physical foundation of our world, thanks in part to the donations and teachings of my friend, the elf of the peaks Slbirin, who knows more than anyone else about the strata above our heads. In truth our world neither begins nor ends where reason and the senses seem to tell us, and we lead our lives, from cradle to grave, experiencing just one or two of the many strands of existence. For in truth our existence goes much lower than the fortresses of the dwarves and much higher than the peaks of the elves, we men being right in the middle. It was inscribed in some celestial law that reigns over us all, that each people would lead its life in one of the layers of the world, but would have another, secondary layer, which it could also call home partially, for a time, always longing to return to its own. Thus, men live in the first, the surface, 0, which contains us all in its soil, which sustains us and is where we live most at ease. But also, with the dwarves many coexisted and coexist, because, although their darkness is not suitable for us and their food even less, among them we can lead a tolerable life. With them, the dwarves calling each other brothers, the matter is reversed, because their home is underground, the subsoil, the -1, where their masses accumulate under the mountain. And, at the same time, their presence is common and tolerated in our cities, where the sun dazzles them, but money calls them all the same. Finally, the elves, who as it is known make their life on the peaks, above the clouds, layer 1, where large craters welcome them; they are therefore far fewer in number than dwarves and men, because they have little soil to tread and cultivate. Many tame birds and other beings to cross the skies and for them the distance between their cities, hidden in the peaks, is not so much, because the riders reach them in a short time. They have their second home on the surface as well, where they do a great teaching work for the less fortunate people by the stars. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Thus, these three strata contain the part of the world that is familiar to these three great and laborious races, as close as cousins, to use the dwarf jargon. But existence, as we were saying, does not end here. The men are the most ignorant of this reality, being centered in the middle stratum, but the elves are very studious of the layers that surpass them in height and the dwarves of the layers that are under their soil. Even so, I have been informed by both peoples that neither of them knows much of the true nature of the strata that precede and succeed -1, 0 and 1. I have also been told that for us, the peoples at the center of this scenario, life would not be tolerable away from our layers either above or below, just as it is when humans try to coexist in the elven stratum, or worse, when dwarves try, for it is said that they barely make it alive from lack of air. Even with this fact over our heads, our curiosity for the lives of others does not cease, nor do the ailments of the body restrain us. Before going into more detail about the known layers, it is worth mentioning the presence of immense barriers that make the passage between some of them very difficult, perhaps impossible. Although, both dwarves and elves have written about natural or artificial openings of which rather little is known, since I have never found neither authors nor witnesses who have written or spoken of having crossed these barriers. Surely these were arranged by God to divide nature in the corresponding lines and not to allow unnatural crossings that would be detrimental to the established order. The only testimony that has come to my hands is one legend that represents an alternative history of the Father of All, deity of the dwarf brothers, in which the ancestor god descended to the underworld on a crucial mission for his race and the world. The details of the same are collected in several works, the most complete being the one published by Nimoth the Elder, in another past era. Now I will only say that the legendary dwarf must have used all his strength, will and cunning to break through the barrier that lay before him, nothing more nor less than the Quartz Wall, which according to the same story embraces the whole world underneath. At last, I leave here compiled everything I know about those layers that surpass us in both directions, starting with those that descend, the first being below the subsoil and known as Avernus, or stratum -2, place of lost civilizations, demons and hopes of wealth.... For now, friends, I think it will be better to rest from so much lost knowledge, which sometimes is better lost. It is best to return to the plot of two naive individuals as much in love as lost under the rock and, thus, discover the truth first hand. On Dwarves 6. About Gog of Magog or “Gimno” Fed up with the road, Beleg had picked up his pace. He trotted straight ahead and without stopping, more accustomed now to the darkness of the terrible track he followed. From time to time he ducked his head, illuminating the trail he was chasing. And for a long time now he was chasing it. The tunnel had been slowly but steadily turning downwards and if after this he had to drag Mim along with him well he did not feel strong enough. His courage had been failing him for a long time now, every step would have to be taken again on the way back, and he had already got the kind of aide stitch that could defeat you even if you were the greatest hero of legend. I''m not even armed, he began. It wouldn''t even do any good to be armed, for I don''t know how to use any tool but the mug he developed. How I would like a mug now, well filled with the cold yellow he concluded. As he finished blaming himself for this last thought he bent down to sit, defeated by the aching pain in his side, the mark of one who never exercises and now wants to strain his body. How well I know it. Damn it Mim, if you are not close I''m afraid the only thing I''ll end up doing is an exercise in cowardice, already the spirit fails me more than the body, this he said in a low voice, keeping himself company in the darkness. Finally, he propped himself up on one elbow and then laid down completely, face up, still debating what to do. He wondered if abandoning his companion would not be an even greater crime than the one he considered perpetrating a few hours ago, when they were still looking down into the crevice, the crevice he never thought he would descend into. He turned sideways, frolicking in the dusty tunnel, where tiny rocks poked all over his body and dust ruined the color of his chestnut robes. He moved like someone turning from one side to the other on the bed, trying to find the nirvana of comfort, knowing that it was a fleeting sensation. But, in a twist of his body, his left eye caught a reflection, a bright spot in the darkness that still awaited him on the unexplored path. No more than a meter forward, still crouching and with the side stitch inching in, she allowed his candle to illuminate the double doors of what was surely a cavernous mansion, her target and the home of the beast that had snatched Mim from him. Now it was a matter of opening them, or giving a few polite knocks. In the meantime, as you are accustomed to, let us return to the conversation between dwarf and horror. There in the chair sat Mim, awaiting his fate without much hope, which he now also did not harbor for Beleg, his brother, friend and rival, for the beast, surely through its striking perception, was already awaiting him. Now it was a question of which dwarf had a worse fate pending. I hope you like the hall and enjoy its opulence, it doesn''t seem, friend, that your labor brings you a handsome profit, surely you''ve never seen such a collection of gems before? said the thing behind his back. Now, swain, I will reveal myself to your eyes to increase your amazement; be here the glory of Avernus. Barely making a sound, something slipped behind him. The tension and hardness in Mim''s neck would now have served to cut diamonds, and he could not turn his head as -it- proceeded to parade into the center of his vision. It was black, all cut onyx and angular, not polished and beautiful like the black gems of his home. Indeed, as Mim was understood by the holes and tears his clothes suffered in the shoulder area, its claws ended in spikes so sharp they could effortlessly pierce his throat. Its legs were hideous, for, although it seemed to walk upright like the dwarves, its knees were inverted and its legs did not end in a foot, like that of all good races, but ended in a single thick spike each, on which it stood with great balance. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Indeed, its eyes were two large blue opals and the only thing that emitted light in its thin, opaque body, on which the light reflected by the geode it called home was consumed. When Mim dared to study the beast''s head properly he was surprised to see no replication of the angles of the rest of its body, but rather a round face. The head seemed to lack elements, for, although he could make out lips and eyebrows of onyx, of the nose only the foundation remained, as if the rest had been carved away. The same was true of the ears, both of which, though present, seemed to end in a long tip that had been severed, in both cases by a surely brutal blow. At the top of what could be called its forehead he carried a symbol, carved as a slit, so it was difficult to distinguish it from the rest of the body, only some reflections within the geode betrayed its presence and led to think that it continued up his forehead to the top of the head. When the demon seemed to realize that Mim was paying attention to its mark, he decided to start talking. Friend, I hope you like what you see, though I don''t expect it. I have told you that I am looking forward to getting to know each other better. You, I, and the little black-haired fellow who approaches us every moment, have much to talk about. Perhaps now you are wondering about your future, as anyone who calls himself wise should, but I assure you that you have nothing to worry about. Friend, take me for an ambassador, for all I wish is to parley with you and yours. Please, we must get to know each other well and establish relations to our mutual benefit, it is all for the sake of economic progress and stability, no doubt. Now, my friend, let me have the privilege of establishing dialogue, beginning by sharing my name. My name is Gimno, no more, no less, and I am sure... That''s a dwarf name, DEMON! shouted Mim, of course startling the creature, whose few-faceted face was unhinged. Certainly, and I''m sure... said the demon trying to save the rhythm of the monologue. We have nothing to talk about and you know it well, you won''t fool me with your opals again, thank the Father I have never encountered such a beast before, but I know enough not to trust any deal or ruse! Mim replied, more confident than ever and regaining his morale as he saw that things were not going the way the beast thought. As he spoke in such defiant terms, he began to rise from the chair, mustering what little strength the recently awakened man has. Be thankful that I am not armed, for then I would rid the underground of your horrible presence here and now. Then the light inside the geode began to fade: the blues, yellows and reds began to fade, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish the creature''s black body from the dark background that enveloped it. LISTEN TO ME STUNTED, your kind is a race of short-lived greedy people, living a pathetic cycle of accumulation. You squander the wealth of the soil, which always ends up in the hands of those who do not know its true value! Your life will be but a sigh in mine, a sigh that you will waste working for those who have more money than you, because they have more money than you! Mim shrank back into the obsidian chair, his mouth small and thinking more and more surely that the demon was going to rip his head off with a single sweep of its hand. Forgive me, forgive me... it said as the light regained its power. Friend, I know that you are in a strange place and that the situation that attends you does not allow you to see the benefit that my person will bring you. Besides, you are in search of the young lady who fell a while ago... the blonde maiden who seems to have decided to rush down the moat without wings or climbing tools. At the mention of this information, Mim''s face obviously lit up, and, seeing the betrayal of his emotions plastered on the dwarf''s face, the demon''s face brightened pleasantly too. Friend, it seems I have hit the key I was looking for, perhaps we should then dialogue, fair enough, with all involved present as is only fair at once a fine stone door, surely the entrance to the geode, was heard to begin to open inwards. I see that the last guest already arrives, I had left the door open and I see that it has been the right choice. Excuse me! On Dwarves 7. Corrupting Crusade Come in, gentleman were the first words Beleg heard as soon as he finished opening the double doors wide enough to leave the perfect gap for a dwarf of his girth. They came from a demon, whose appearance far surpassed the horror he had already been imagining in his head on the way to the rescue of Mim, the bricklayer. However, the manners, shocking and bombastic as they come, were such a surprise that they did not allow the ex-waiter to react in the natural way his body was clamoring for: to run on all fours without looking back. Excuse me, your strong-armed friend is waiting for you in the parlor, just behind this beautiful wall of pyrite and gems. You two and I must be having a discussion, as I''ve been telling him. If you''ll do me the favor of coming in... he said, as he stuck the black spikes he had for legs a little to his left, leaving room for Beleg. A Beleg, stunned by the blue opals of the impossible face of a being of black stone, entered without grumbling and without ceasing to look at the demon. When Mim heard some footsteps, clearly not given by the terrible spikes of the demon Gimno, he imagined that Beleg was already present in the dazzling geode and decided to act, though resigning himself to the obsidian chair still. For all that is dear, Beleg, run for your life! he shouted sitting down, hoping the demon would be content with one prisoner. Beleg turned his head in the direction of the sound, imagining that behind the wall was his companion. Don''t worry, your friend is upset about the journey and the tragedy that befell your female friend. Please come with me, you go ahead! the creature expounded. In a fleeting moment, in a cerebral instant, Beleg accepted that the black demon knew something important about Finna, perhaps he was even involved in the fatal accident. Still impassive, he walked slowly to the opening in the wall, which divided the rooms of the geode. Brother, why don''t you run, did the demonic beast get you? Don''t listen to him or you will end up falling under his spell said Mim agitated when he saw Beleg appear in the room. There is no need to insist any more my friend, it is time for the parley, now that we are all present. Please, gentleman, sit down said the onyx beast pulling out an obsidian stool from under the main table of the room. And, as before, so did Beleg, without pause but without sudden movements. Don''t obey him, damn you, what''s wrong with you? the red-haired dwarf demanded to know. Have you seen his claws or the stakes he carries for legs? Where do I run to, Mim, in this hole, from which I don''t even have the strength to get out? reasoned the dark-haired man. They were both silent under the patient gaze of the demon, who waited politely for them to be quiet. Mim! You have a name at last, and how nice to know it, may I ask yours, good sir? he commented looking at Beleg, paws clasped together. Beleg is my name, will you let us go? replied, now calm, the ex-waiter. Before disposing of that matter I would like to address other issues, allow me to do so as I am the host of this meeting said the demon as he began to prowl the room, certain that his guests would not flee. Indeed, master dwarf, my name is not Gimno, though I have used it for many years. My name is Gog, which in my native tongue would be something like -of the earth- and this not for nothing as you clearly see. To begin with, and to get to know each other better, let me relate to you my situation and what I require of you, good guests. As he spoke, he began to make circles by digging its singular paws into the ground, which was filled with black gravel. And then we can also talk about your blonde friend said the walking onyx before beginning his tale, to decisively grab attention. Mim, Beleg, this has been my gome for a long time. And in this precious geode I reside for a very simple reason, I fear to return empty-handed. I came with a mission, of notable importance, and, you see, this is a little hard to tell, but... I came to corrupt your city. Both dwarves gaped, wondering if now, just like that, they had stumbled upon an existential threat to the fortress. But don''t worry! continued the demon, trying to appease the spirits. I''m not going to do it anymore, indeed, I swear I''m not going to do it, for a simple and very humble reason: I can''t!, then Mim interrupted The iron will of our people made the task impossible for you, surely!, but even Beleg added I rather think that you came to your senses, surely you took pity when you saw that we didn''t deserve such a fate. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Such original hypothesis my friends, surely you are respected for your wisdom wherever you come from. Yet you stray from the truth here; but I will enlighten you, gladly. When I was still able, many, many years ago, I used to go out and do my work. I will spare you the details, but let it be known that I never took a life, nor stole, though I could. But, one day, as the Sun dawned on your citadel and glimmers of light entered through the openings, which was the time when I was hiding right here in my geode, well... let''s just say things were never the same again. I was rejoicing in my greatest treasure, Sebastian, the huge diamond bestowed upon me as advanced payment for this very work of corruption of which I speak to you, when through all the tunnels came hundreds of your kin. I could not defend myself, for they were all soldiers, and with them went their king, Golmen. Both dwarves looked at each other, they knew the name, as they all did, but they were surprised to hear it from the onyx mouth that was lecturing them today. The king knew of my purpose in this stratum and, so that I could not continue my arduous work, he left me ruined as you see me. Then interceded Beleg, now asking, Is this not your usual appearance? The stony demon lowered his head, defeated. Friend, you would be ashamed of that question now if you had seen me in my true glory and splendor. My body was of smooth onyx, rather carved as you now see my rounded head. My hands and feet, though always nimble and deadly were slender and delicate looking. My nose and ears were commented upon in the court from whence I came, but they were taken from me by three cruel blows upon my face. And with the true form of my body and my face, my true power was gone. I could no longer convince anyone of my truths, and, thus, the nefarious dwarf monarch fulfilled his purpose. But why didn''t he kill me there, when I was at his mercy? You may wonder, both guests nodded, now more interested in the continuation of what was really a piece of their unknown history, than in their lives. Because I was still useful to him, so a pact was signed, the old-fashioned way Gog assured them. Not much farther down, through tunnels you have never yet visited, you begin to see beautiful quartz crystals coming out of the rock, lots of them. Soon after, on the descent, you will find that the entire floor is of this same white quartz. And then, you will not be able to descend, for the immensity of this layer of shining crystal surrounds the world completely, and it is very thick and it is very hard. Even yours would take decades, perhaps centuries to drill a tiny hole to descend. And you know an easy way through, don''t you? asked Beleg, unafraid, but thinking what a nefarious bargain the king of his ancestors would have made with a demon of this ilk. Indeed, or, rather, I have the only key to the only door in... probably countless miles replied the Gog creature. And I have it right here, by the way he continued pointing to the mark on his head, which he bent down for all to get a good look at. The indentation on its forehead continued upward, now revealing itself to be the representation of a sword. Said weapon was superimposed on another indentation that made a perfect circle on the round head of the onyx being. In case you''re wondering, I''ll tell you: it represents my conquest of the world, or that of my prince, rather. Though rest assured, there is nothing left of that dream now, which brings us to the crux of the matter. How long would you say it has been since, among your kind, this Golmen reigned, who left me so battered? When the demon asked, Mim looked at Beleg, for he had no idea and knew that his companion was somewhat more knowledgeable about the history of the fortress. It was something before the Sun reduced its heat over the world, hence it will have been something more than three centuries, perhaps four, Beleg answered, a little proud to get this trivia question right. Well that''s it, there we have it, in all that time I have done absolutely nothing, and it has clearly flown by continued Gog. I''ve been waiting for people like you. You want to come down, it''s clear, and so do I, because I no longer wish to continue with this mission. But I have a problem that you can solve for me: I must return with the certainty that I have left your elegant and sturdy fortress, totally and utterly corrupt, prey to greed, avarice, obsession for accumulation, or else my prince will not be happy, it is very important to him. So... why don''t you come with me and... play corrupt, as proof. Gog checked the impassive gaze of the dwarves, who had been starting to disconnect from reality for a while now. But then I''ll help you, you can go wherever you want in Avernus or even go lower, which I imagine is what you''ll want. WAIT, wait... you say too many things demon interrupted Mim, fed up with the stony beast telling him about its problems. You said that to continue descending you have to go through a great layer of quartz, so what is at the bottom of the pit we descended, the one Finna fell through? And why would we want to continue descending beyond the black realm you come out of?, hard but accurate questions on the part of the mason. Of course, dear Mim, what fine questions I''ll be happy to enlighten you about...