Chapter 19: Unexpected Meeting

(Dwarf POV)

I stroked my long beard as I wait for the others to finish mining.

“Oi, You lazy prick. Help out here.”

I smirked at him.

“Eh, I’m your escort. If I don’t look out for you guys, who will?”

He left me alone after snorting.

Just a few weeks ago, when we finally were trying to get back on track with the world, we were given a grave reminder.

We lived at the mercy of the goblin horde.

When we had a respectable army, we went out to claim the upper ground of this region rather than staying in the caves.

‘T was a mistake, though.

Our army hit and defeated multiple goblin villages, but they just kept coming.

And just a few days ago, our army retreated with heavy casualties, so we’re back to the usual.

Mining for materials and food.

“Rockberry again? Everything we eat either taste like rocks or like dirt.”

“Don’t complain.”

Rockberry is a type of mushroom that looks like a berry.

Two of the dwarves babble while mining.

Hmm.

What’s that?

I saw small shadows from a distance in these tunnels.

By the way, our group consists of 8 miners and me as the sole warrior of the group.

My role was to protect these guys from critters, but it seems not only critters are interested in dwarf meat.

I could feel the faint rumble of the earth. Goblins are on the move.

“Move back… back…”

I whispered to the group, and they understood. We slowly backed down from our position and went on the opposite side of the shadows.

I gripped my dual hand-held war axes and ready myself for battle.

Suddenly, we heard a shriek.

A goblin call.

Bgggggoooomm!!!

Many goblins came out from the walls surrounding us!

“Whoa!”

Even though surprised, I quickly cut down four goblins that headed straight for me.

The others also can take care of themselves even they’re just miners.

So, I moved while fighting off groups of goblins in these tunnels. The others followed me.

After an hour, though, we were so tired of fighting that we went inside a small dead-end and covered the entrance with a makeshift wall made of rocks.

It’s a good thing that the walls of this room are rock-made.

This room might be one of the stone deposits of this mountain.

“Let’s rest here.”

“We’re not getting out of here, aren’t we?”

“Just rest your bodies, I’ll find a way to get you guys out of here.”

“You don’t understand, Dolf. The age of dwarf heroes is over. No dwarf can fight off endless hordes of goblins. Not anymore.”

The oldest dwarf looked downcast while he said these things to me.

Hero tales are one of the things that inspired me to become a warrior.

Tales of a small group beating an army, stories of a single dwarf bringing down a dragon, or a large number of enemies.

It was all back then in the golden age of the dwarves.

But now, even some of the dwarves themselves think that they are a dying race.

They are just waiting for the goblins to put them out of their misery.

I looked up to the open ceiling of this room. It was already night.

Will I die here?

You could hear the goblins slowly breaking the walls of the room.

As I close my eyes thinking, I felt an unnatural chill.

I felt this before. Actually, how could I forget this feeling?

Undead.

“Whoa!”

I tried to ready myself quickly, but arrows threateningly stopped my arms as they hit carefully around me.

A ghost and two skeletons came down while two skeleton archers are posted outside of the ceiling, keeping a close watch.

“What do you want with us, Undead?”

This undead group came from a hole in the ceiling of the room. They must come from another tunnel and dug a pathway.

I know this guy (Idmon) is one of the unique creatures. Undead are supposedly angry guys that attack living creatures randomly and certainly do not exude this intimidating aura that I feel from the skeleton in the middle.

He’s sure to be the leader.

Idmon: “(t) Do you need help dwarf?”

!

This guy.

Dwarven warrior: “What would be payment, huh? Souls, I believe.”

This guy might be a lich in disguise, offering help and later sucking the life out of us for his benefit.

Idmon: “(t) How about an audience with your king?”

The surrounding dwarves looked alarmed.

Dwarven warrior: “What would you do with our king!?”

I tried to reach for my axes, but my hand froze.

It was frozen. Ice magic?

The ghost that’s with the skeleton looked extremely annoyed at me.

Idmon: “(t) My goal is to eradicate the goblins from this region. Won’t you ally with me?”

Miner: “How could we trust an undead like you!”

One of the miners suddenly shouts out.

(Idmon)My improved quite a lot this past few weeks or months should I say? I forgot to track the time during this journey.

My skill now can relay messages to multiple persons nearby.

Idmon: “(t) I get you out alive, and then we discuss an alliance. Simple.

And how could we, a small group, even pose a threat to your civilization that has their army, I assume.”

This skeleton guy seems dangerous. But, he makes a lot of points for this one.

Still, I will accept his offer just because I want to know his agenda. This guy looks much more potent than the normal undead.

Even though not physically but in spirit.

Dwarven Warrior: “Okay, we accept your offer.”

Complains come out from the miners, and they tried to convince me otherwise on this one.

Dwarf warrior: “If you are all so inclined to decline his offer, do you have a plan in mind?”

They went quiet.

Idmon: “(t) Thank you, Dwarf Warrior. My name is Idmon, by the way. May I have the honor of knowing yours?”

Dolf: “It’s Dolf.”

We made a handshake. My hands touched the skeleton's bony hands.

The chill was unsettling. It was like back then.