Deepforge (7 page)

“Chromatic dragons?”

“That’s almost certain, and probably others like us, but with evil intent. The dragons also mentioned the ancient prophesy, and that what we do now will make it possible for that to come to pass.”

“Grognor, you need to understand the meaning of ‘evil’ is subjective. Nearly all humans see dwarves as evil and you as a malevolent tyrant. Our only saving grace has been that you haven’t warred against us for control over this valley.”

“We would have, Kathryn. If Deccon hadn’t have stopped us, we would have. I see your point, though.”

Brendon chimed in, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend, in a way. Our old ways of fighting against each other was a doomed situation. According to all the wise ones we’ve talked to lately, our only chance to survive depends on us being at peace, and putting this behind us… I can’t believe I just said that.”

Grognor placed his hand on his ex-enemy’s shoulder. “You were a worthy enemy, Brendon. Now as joined forces, we will be unstoppable. I too, can’t believe these words are coming out of my mouth. Truly, the times are changing.”

Brendon smiled. “I still believe I would have taken you down, Emperor.”

Grognor smiled back. “And I still believe I would have crushed you on the field of battle.”

They both chuckled.

Queen Kathryn could not believe what she was seeing and hearing. “I never, never even dreamed of this day happening.”

The Ambassador walked in. “Your Majesty, Orogo has arrived. He’s talking with Bōddy.”

“Please ask him to come in, if you would, and ask Bōddy to join us as well.”

“Yes, your Majesty.” Taylen walked out.

Moments later an impossibly handsome dwarf, dressed with the finest garb in all shades of copper, walked in.  Bōddy came in behind him.

“It is perhaps ironic,” began Bōddy, “that the dragon companion of the humans has always been in dwarf shape. Perhaps a look of things to come and we never realized it?”

Orogo chuckled and sat down with the rest. Bōddy remained standing.

“Bōddy, please sit with us,” Kathryn insisted.

He nodded and reluctantly sat, obviously very uncomfortable with the meager seats.

Grognor noticed the elf’s discomfort and snickered. ‘These are
very
comfortable to me,’ he thought to himself.

Orogo began before anyone asked, “Everything Bōddy, Grognor and Brendon have said is true. The dragons had council about this and I can assure you. gods, ones more powerful than the gods of myth have come to visit us. Everyone in the Deepforge Empire is to stop fighting each other at once, and turn efforts toward the threat to come.”

“Just exactly what
is
this threat?” Kathryn asked.

“We’ve been looking into this, and are afraid it’s not good. The chromatic dragons have awaked on the western continent, spreading their diabolical corruption. There are humanoids of all sort over there, too. I don’t think the dragons will get involved directly, but they will be pushing the humanoids east. You need to be prepared,” Orogo explained, grimly.

“We’ll assemble the armies, and I’ll cancel the Spring Games at once,” Kathryn said, resolute.

“No, don’t do that,” Orogo said, “I mean, do assemble the armies, but... Grognor, send a group back to Deepforge and make them ready. Bōddy, your people will need to come out of hiding. The elves have skills nobody else does. Queen Kathryn, the games are an important part of your society. Grognor has come a long way to compete and to find the strongest warriors in your midst. I think you should proceed as planned. I will be meeting up with the other dragons and convene another council. We need to fully assess the danger.”

“To be honest, Orogo, I don’t see how we can proceed with the games. All the power is out, in case you hadn’t noticed,” Kathryn said.

“Your societies existed for eons without electrical technology,” Orogo said, “I think you can make do.”

The Queen shook her head ‘no’, but she would not go against the copper dragon’s wishes. “Very well. We’ll proceed as best we can. Our best guess for a rebuild of our technology is no less than a solid year, and that’s if the copper mine holds up. We’ll have a…traditional…Spring Games this year. For the good of all society.”

“So,” Grognor began, “let me get this straight. The chromatic dragons are pushing their people against us, meanwhile the metallic dragons…
you
…are pushing us against them. Is that about right?”

This statement made everyone at the table very uncomfortable.

“Now just hang on a minute, Emperor—” Orogo began, realizing where he was going with this.

“No, I think it’s high time we got some say-so in this,” Grognor interrupted. “We’ve given the metallic dragons the utmost respect for the whole of our known history. We’ve done everything you’ve asked of us, without question.” He stood up, his voice rising in volume and emotion. “We’ve mended our ways, and made peace with long held enemies, because you asked…no…demanded it so.”

Bōddy reached over and touched Grognor’s arm in an attempt to calm him down.

Grognor pulled away, obviously getting more upset. “No, dammit! Bōddy, you and your ‘hide-and-seek’ elves are just as much in the middle of this crap. You’re issue in this is self-serving, as is the dragons’. You just want us to leave the world like
you
want it!”

Orogo stood up and began to speak, but Grognor cut him off.

“For once,
you’re
going to listen to
us
!” Grognor continued. “Now, making peace is fine, as much as it made us sick to do so…” he looked at Brendon, who was nodding his head in agreement. “We would have probably exterminated them if you had not intervened. That’s fine. Now that I’ve spent a couple of weeks with them, I can see them as fine warriors…and with a bit of training, who knows? But, the point is, whether to fight or not was
our
choice, not yours! Now we have two factions of dragons pushing their pawns to fight each other. This is bullshit! What will you do, hide and watch your playthings kill each other? Like hell you will!” Grognor was fully yelling at Orogo now, with Brendon and the Queen nodding their heads in agreement.

Taylen rushed in, hearing the commotion. “Is everything ok in here?”

Grognor continued without missing a beat, “If you want us to fight, oh, we’ll fight alright! We’re a unified Empire, and
nobody
will take this away from us! That includes the dragons! All of them!” He pointed his clenched fist at Orogo, who was a bit taken aback by the impudent dwarf’s actions.

Grognor continued, “By the gods, who have also abandoned us… we’ll fight
you
as well! Do not test us, as a unified people we can defeat you, and
will
!”

Orogo got a bit upset at this statement. “Now Grognor—”

Grognor didn’t let him speak. “You will remain quiet! For once!” He screamed at the copper dragon.

Everyone in close proximity heard this, and began to assemble outside the council room. Grognor’s words were loud and clear.

He continued, closing in on Orogo and pushing him with his fist. Orogo stood fast as the disrespectful dwarf continued his rant.

“This is how it’s going to be, oh, honorable dragon companion!” Grognor said with the most sarcastic tone he could muster. He stood nose to nose with Orogo and continued. “You and your dragon friends will honor our demands, and will no longer direct us the way you or some unknown gods, or some condescending elves want!”

Grognor’s fury was boiling over and was joined with Brendon and the Queen, effectively cornering the dragon. Taylen and several others looked on incredulously.

“What in Moradin’s name is going on here?” Kergnor asked as he was joined by Teelena and many others.

“The Emperor is chewing out Orogo!” Taylen said, not believing what he was experiencing.

“Well, it’s about damn time somebody did!” Teelena said, proud of her new husband. “Tell him, Darling!”

Grognor didn’t hear them, he simply continued on, managing now to push Orogo back a bit with his fists. “First of all, you will fight
with
us! None of this watching and advising crap. You’re dragons! Act like dragons, and
do
something! Don’t you have fire, and all that kind of stuff? I know you must, but we wouldn’t know it to see you! Second, you will leave us alone! We don’t give a shit about your dammed Dragon King prophesy crap! We care about us, now! If you want to help, fine! But, no more pushing us one way or another! Third, you will find a way to make peace with the chromatics!”

Orogo frowned at this, and began to slightly morph in anger. His size slowly began to grow, and his skin began to turn to copper colored scales.

Grognor was undaunted. “Don’t you dare change now, in this building! You want to fight, fine! I’ll meet you outside! Here’s the last demand: You and your chromatic friends will leave this world forever!” He then turned to Bōddy, who was very surprised at Grognor’s outbursts. “You and your elves will either come out and become part of our community, actual citizens of the Empire, or by Thor we’ll war against you too! We’re tired of your arrogant crap!”

Shouts of “Yea!” and “Damn right!” and other encouraging phrases came from the large crowd gathered.

Grognor pushed Orogo hard, causing the dragon to stumble and fall. He began to change, enraging Grognor. As soon as Orogo got to his feet, Grognor punched him in his nose/snout. Orogo fell back again, crashing into a table.

Orogo’s voice began to change with his shape. “Impudent dwarf! You know not what you’re doing!” He sounded loud and low, more like a dragon than a dwarf. He stood up again, now looking more like a dragon, and twice Grognor’s size.

“Oh, yes I do…impudent goddamn dragon!” Grognor yelled and punched Orogo again, much harder this time.

Orogo flew back and crashed through the wall to the outside. He roared, very much angry, but apparently trying to control his transformation. “Grognor! Stop this!” he roared.

Grognor jumped out through the rubble and punched Orogo several times in rapid succession, causing the transforming dragon to once again fall back. “Come on, damn you! Change!” Grongor screamed at the tops of his lungs, causing everyone around to wonder where the power had come from. He pushed back his sleeves and waited for the dragon to react. The entire village had gathered around, and all were shouting encouragement, either for Grognor or Orogo.

Orogo roared again, his fury peaking. The village watched as he transformed before them. His skin now copper scales, his head and body quickly stretched and morphed, wings quickly growing to full size, and his arms and legs transforming. He was huge! The crowd quieted down a bit as they saw the fully transformed copper dragon before them, angry and ready for a fight.

“Damn! He’s incredible!” Teelena said.

“Been a long time since we’ve seen an actual dragon!” Taylen said.

Grognor stood ready, furious and meaning to teach the dragon a lesson. Orogo roared loudly, now realizing he had lost control. He quickly spun around and roared again at Grognor. “How dare you attack me!” He then swung his tail around at the furious dwarf.

Grognor simply jumped over it. “You’ll never again dictate what the humanoids do!” He then punched down hard on the dragon’s tail as it swept by, causing a massive bruise.

Orogo roared in pain and slashed at Grognor with his massive talons. “You cannot stop us! We have knowledge of the future that must be!” he roared.             

Grognor couldn’t get out of the way in time, and took the full brunt of the attack. The dragon’s talon connected with Grognor’s metal breastplate, scraping it deeply and also knocking the Emperor several dozen yards away. He hit the ground hard, but quickly stood back up. “Everyone get out of the way!” he yelled.

Orogo flapped his wings once and came down to slash at Grognor again. Grognor was ready for it this time, and ducked. The dwarf then jumped up and punched the dragon several times in the snout, splitting open the creature’s flesh.

Orogo roared in pain again, and couldn’t hold back anymore. He growled deeply…

“He’s going to spew acid! Everyone run!” Queen Kathryn screamed.

Grongor looked up and smiled, he knew he had him. Before the dragon could spew, he jumped up and rapid punched him in the snout again. This nearly spoiled the dragon’s attack, but did manage to throw him off.

Orogo roared again and let the acid go, totally missing the dwarf, and lunging the acid globule at a pile of rubble. It hit and splattered, reducing the rubble to a puddle.

Before the dragon could recover, Grognor grabbed a hold of his front talon and yanked as hard as he could. The dragon went down in a roar of anger and surprise. His massive body slammed, causing the ground to jolt. Grognor then jumped on the disoriented dragon’s head and began rapid punching him again. Orogo roared and scrambled to get to his feet, flapping his wings and clawing the ground. Grognor climbed up behind the dragon’s horn crown and grabbed hold. As the dragon flapped and took to the air, he tried to reach up and knock the pesky dwarf off. Grognor summoned all his strength and twisted, causing the dragon’s head to turn, and making him crash to the ground, tilling up the road and destroying a small dwelling in the process.