The Hammer of Fire (35 page)

“I’m an old lady,” said Petra. “Boldness of
speech and the handsomeness of face are not of great importance to
me anymore. Riches and comfort do sound nice but with the gold
you’ve already paid me I can survive quite some time here in the
southlands. I’ll never get back north again, that much is
certain.”

“But,” said Milli with a little choke in her
voice.

“No,” said Petra. “I’ll go with you as far as
the Five Sisters and no more. Dol is possessed by that hammer,
Milli. There is evil in its power somehow.”

“What can we do?” said Milli just as Brogus
sat down at the table with a thump.

“Hello, ladies,” he said.

“Petra is leaving us,” said Milli, turning to
the broad shouldered dwarf with a tear in her eyes.

Brogus yawned deeply, “I’m exhausted. What
was that?”

“You just slept for ten hours,” said Milli.
“What’s wrong with you these days? We need to get ready for the
trip to the Five Sisters to complete the quest and all you do is
sleep.”

“The beds are comfortable,” said Brogus and
stretched his arms out with a long, languorous yawn. “Besides,
Dol’s in there all night making … uh … noise … with some girl so I
have get my sleep during the day.”

Milli said nothing.

“It’s true,” said Brogus.

“I know it’s true,” said Milli and folded her
arms across her chest. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like
it.”

“If you’re jealous then just tell him,” said
Brogus with a small smile. “He’s a lot more passionate nowadays.
Maybe there could be something between you two?”

“I’m not jealous,” said Milli pursing her
lips and looking to the ceiling. “I’m just worried about him
hanging out with all those … women.”

“I don’t know where he finds the energy,”
said Brogus. “He doesn’t sleep at night. He just ….”

“Ok, we get it,” said Milli with a glare.

“Sorry. It’s just that he didn’t want to come
here in the first place and now he’s having more fun than the rest
of us altogether,” said Brogus with a shrug of his shoulders, and
when he couldn’t keep the grin off his face had to look down at the
table.

“I see you grinning like a rock leopard,”
said Milli.

Brogus let out a little chuckle but continued
to stare down at the table.

“We have to get out of here today,” said
Milli. “I’m sick of this town and I’m sick of these people.” With
this she stood up and strode purposefully over to where Dol spoke
with the two girls. A few seconds later she stood with her hands on
her hips staring up at the tall girls and the dwarf, “Come on, Dol.
It’s time to leave.”

Dol turned to her with a sharp look and his
blackened hand went to the hammer at his side before his face
relaxed into a smile, “Oh, it’s you, Milli. Have you met the
girls?”

“No,” said Milli. “Dol. Don’t you want to get
on with the quest. The Five Sisters. You know who?”

Dol shrugged his thick shoulders and grinned
at the girls, “I don’t know that one more night will hurt. It’s
just a couple of weeks travel anyway.”

“Yeah,” said the girls in tandem. “We like
Dol.”

“You shut up,” said Milli and put her hands
to her hips and flipped her long blonde hair. “Dol, I’m leaving
right now and you can come with me or not.”

Dol looked at her for a moment and laughed
aloud throwing back his head, “You, by yourself against Gazadum.
Without the Hammer of Fire. What can you do?”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Milli. “Maybe I’ll
go back to Craggen Steep,” and then she put her hand over her
mouth.

“It doesn’t matter,” said Dol loudly.
“Everyone will know my name soon enough. Dol Delius of Craggen
Steep who slew Gazadum with the Hammer of Fire.”

Just outside the tavern Cleathelm, who
happened to be walking past at that very moment, stopped dead in
his tracks and turned his head. Halfway down the block, from where
he was following the dwarf, Uldex saw Cleathelm walk over to the
tavern and peer in the doors. A moment later he dashed down the
street, a look of excitement on his face. After Uldex made sure
Cleathelm was far enough away he too went to the tavern door and
looked inside. “Milli,” he said in a soft whisper and then stood
there for a long moment just looking into to the building. Then,
with a quick motion, he turned and walked back out into the street,
taking up position by a horse tied up across the way. He motioned
with his hand to beckon his companion up from down the block and
then made sure the axe at his side was sharp and slid easily out of
his belt loop.

Half an hour later Milli stood with her
equipment in hand on the street outside the tavern tapping her foot
impatiently on the dirt road. Not ten minutes before she sent some
boys off to get their horses while Brogus and Petra had promised to
gather their gear and meet her outside. Dol remained obstinate but
she was sure he would come out and join them as soon as they made
it clear their threat to leave was serious.

“Hello, Milli,” said Uldex standing at the
corner of the building with his hand at the axe on his side, his
leather jerkin pulled straight and tight, and his hair perfectly
brushed.

Milli turned and her mouth opened wide as she
stared at him, “Uldex?”

He bowed.

“What … how … did you?”

“I’m here for the Hammer of Fire,” he said in
a quiet voice. “Cleathelm is here too and he’s got a thug with him.
They just spotted you a little while ago. I imagine he’ll be along
shortly to try and take the hammer himself.”

“But … how …,” said Milli looking up and down
the street and waving her hands in aimless little circles. “I don’t
understand?”

“We followed you to Das’von and then paid the
mages to use the portals the same way you did.”

Milli looked at him with narrow eyes, “How
did you survive the desert then?”

Uldex tilted his head to one side and closed
one eye while he continued to look at her, “What desert?”

“Where we got teleported,” said Milli.

“We didn’t go to a desert. We came here right
off,” said Uldex. “I mean not right here but maybe ten or fifteen
miles outside town.”

“But why would they teleport us into that
awful desert and you directly here?” said Milli, and her little
hands went to her hips and her face reddened.

“You’re beautiful when you’re angry,” said
Uldex and smiled.

“Yes, she is,” said Brogus stepping outside
the door of the tavern with his axe already in hand.

“Brogus,” said Uldex his voice flat and
toneless.

“Brogus!” said Milli.

“I know my name,” said Brogus and took
several steps towards Uldex who pulled his own axe from his side
and raised it.

A number of passersby in the street
immediately stopped their own conversations and gawked at the two
dwarves who stared at one another not more than ten feet apart.
Just up the across the street Carus pulled out a little throwing
axe and measured the distance to Brogus with his eyes.

“Move along,” said Brogus. “You’re not wanted
here.”

“Brogus!” said Milli. “Uldex says Cleathelm
is here too. They’ve come for Dol’s hammer.”

“It’s not Dol’s hammer,” said Uldex keeping
his eye on Brogus. “It belongs to Craggen Steep.”

“It is my hammer,” said Dol, stepping out of
the door, the apples in his hair fiery red and a sneer on his face.
“Anyone who tries to take it from me dies.”

At this the growing crowd moved back a couple
of steps although no one left the area. In fact, word of the
incident seemed to be spreading like gas from a volcanic eruption
and within seconds the crowd size doubled.

“You’ve grown boastful since we last met,”
said Uldex with a glance at Dol. “The influence of the hammer no
doubt?”

“Come and find out,” said Dol and brought the
hammer up into a fighting position.

Uldex narrowed his eyes and moved to his left
in an attempt to position the morning sun at his back, “It doesn’t
have to come down to this Dol. The hammer has to go back to Craggen
Steep, you know that. I’m authorized to let you use it against
Gazadum if we can agree to certain conditions.”

“Authorized by who?” said Milli with a sharp
look at Uldex. “The Council of Elders?”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Uldex. “What has to
happen is the hammer must return to Craggen Steep. Come with me,
Dol. We’ll take it back together. My uncle will honor you and when
we take over rule of the realm you will be given great power. The
new regime doesn’t care about your blood taint, we just want good
men to fight with us!”

“I already have great power,” said Dol with a
smile and spun the great hammer over his head. Its massive steel
head glinted in the morning sun and Uldex caught a glimpse of the
dwarf’s blackened hand and upper arm, and the head of the hammer
seemed to suddenly blaze to life.

“The hammer is corrupting you, Dol,” said
Uldex. “Come back to Craggen Steep. Cleathhelm is here and he wants
it for the Firefists. We Blackirons ….”

“Are traitors to the homeland,” said the
voice of Cleathelm as strode down the street with Blaggard in tow.
“Uldex the traitor. My father was right. Hand over the hammer, Dol.
All will be forgiven and the Firefists will reward you greatly.
Perhaps you might even be First Edos?”

“Come and take it, Cleathelm,” said Dol with
a smile and the crowd grew ever bigger.

“This is crazy, Dol, Uldex,” said Milli
trying to position herself between the two antagonists. “Just go
back home, Uldex. Leave us be. Dol will never give up the hammer.
You don’t want to do this!”

Uldex shrugged his shoulders, “What I want is
not important. The hammer has to come back to Craggen Steep.”

“It’ll take years to walk all the way back up
there,” said Milli as she ran over to Uldex and put her hands on
his chest. “Can’t we just wait a week? We’ll take it south, kill
Gazadum and then back to Craggen Steep. What’s the hurry?”

Uldex looked into her yellow eyes and his
expression softened, “I’m not opposed to that, as I said earlier,”
he said and lowered his axe. “Dol, after you slay the beast promise
me you’ll return to Craggen Steep and I’ll molest you no
further.”

“Don’t listen to him, Dol,” interjected
Cleathelm taking a step forward and pulling out his own axe. “He’s
a lying Blackiron. Only the Firefists can save you now.”

Dol shook his head, “The only promise I make
is that whoever tries to take the hammer from me will die.”

“My wrists are bound,” said Uldex looking
down into Milli’s plaintive eyes. “There is only one course of
action.”

“No,” said Milli, but Uldex brushed her aside
with a sweeping blow of his left arm and she stumbled and fell onto
the street with a little gasp, “No!”

“Milli,” said Brogus and rushed over to
her.

“Help Dol,” said Milli and pointed to Dol now
being approached on two sides with Uldex coming one way and
Blaggard and Cleathelm on the other.

Brogus stood and walked over next to his
friend, “I’m here with you, Dol. They’ll never get the hammer.”

“I can take care of this,” said Dol and with
a quick motion shoved Brogus’s shoulder.

“Now,” said Cleathelm and Blaggard hurled a
dagger at the duo but it went well wide of the target and embedded
into a watering trough near Milli. The girl immediately pulled it
out and turned back to the fight.

Cleathelm charged forward with his axe raised
high and took a swipe at Dol who moved to the side with a swift
motion and let the burly dwarf rush past. Brogus, slightly off
balance from the shove, attempted to chop the head of the Firefist
but his axe only succeeded in nicking the heavy plate shoulder
armor. “Damn,” said Brogus, just as another dagger from Blaggard
sailed past Dol’s head and embedded in the horse post behind
him.

“Help them,” shouted Milli to Uldex but the
scarred dwarf was already circling behind Dol and Brogus to the
opposite side of Blaggard and not far from where Cleathelm stopped
his rush. The powerful dwarf turned to Uldex and gave him a quick
grin, “Help me now and I can help you later.”

“Go burn yourself,” said Uldex. “I’ll kill
you after I finish with Delius.”

“Uldex!” shrieked Milli and held up the
dagger.

Cleathelm spun around and took two purposeful
strides back towards Dol and swung his axe in a short arc in front
of his short-haired foe while Blaggard threatened to throw more
daggers and kept Brogus occupied. Dol casually flicked his hammer
but Cleathelm pulled back with a quick motion and then launched an
attack towards Dol’s left side. This time the axe came down towards
Dol’s head. Instead of backing away from the blow, Dol moved
forward and the axe handle came down on his shoulder. With no room
to swing the huge hammer properly he simply shoved it into
Cleathelm’s face and the burly dwarf screamed as the sound of
burning meat crackled in the air followed by the terrible smell of
burnt flesh.

Cleathhelm dropped his axe and fell to his
knees clutching his face as Uldex used the moment to make a quick
step forward and aim his axe at Dol’s exposed back. Brogus leapt
between the two and tried to block the blow but overextended his
arm, and Uldex’s axe bit deeply into the bone.

“Ahh,” screamed Brogus, but then an axe
thrown by Carus plunged directly into the back of his head and
silenced him forever.

“Damn,” said Uldex and tried to pull his axe
from Brogus’s arm as the dwarf fell but he wasn’t fast enough as
Dol bolted over with a single stride, raised the hammer high, and
brought it down towards the scarred dwarf’s head. Uldex let go of
his axe and tried to roll away but the hammer hit him with a solid
blow behind the right shoulder and he spun into the ground with a
loud thump.

Dol turned to Blaggard who was already on his
knees cutting Cleathelm’s throat and taking his heavy purse of
gold. The little goblin immediately dropped his dagger. “I only
worked for Cleathelm. I have no feud with you, Delius. I threw my
daggers wide on purpose. Take the hammer. Kill them all, I don’t
care. Let me have Cleathelm’s purse and you’ll never see me
again.”