East, the first land to witness the sun, always pleasant, always flourished with green vegetation with enormous wealth is what an ordinary living soul would assume. It once was, before it split from the middle land, but then the truth prevailed not on the ground but in the darkness under it. Deep under it, there were mines, minerals and one large kingdom of Dwarves. The one consistent source of wealth, craft and power.
Helion was unusually quiet during the journey, Bregt had the wheel the whole time, I realised how good he was with the ships and wondered why he worked for the council.
The dwarves were scattered like bugs on the beach with huge guns and axes to welcome our arrival. They waited on the shore as the ship stopped aside. Helion pulled a wooden plank and tossed it into the sea. The gnomes jumped on it with an oar and a stick and started to sail to the shore. Fyena led the group with water to her legs.
Three dwarves came near, as soon as we stepped out they handed us the cuffs.
"We are from the council," Bregt protested.
"We don't care," a dwarf said.
A huge hollow within the plain, the sides were fringes of stones that made steps of paths. A tank waited to escort us into the excavation. I sat near the window, next to the Hellion and Feyana. Two dwarves sat against us, they both were armed with muskets and a shield. The tank took off, showing us the whole quarry, step by step. Helion slept in the way, Bregt who was between the two dwarves couldn't afford it. In fact he spent most of his time moving the muskets away from his face.
"How long does it take?"
The dwarves didn't answer, one of them leaned back and commanded to stop the tank. We got out in front of a huge bunker. A metal slit opened in the metal door, two eyes popped out and skimmed us.
"We got visitors," one of the dwarves with us said.
"What kind?"
He sighed, glancing back at me, "An elf, two gnomes and a half-orc?"
"A half-orc?"
"No danger, he's chained."
There was no response, the eyes studied the chains, my face, and my gestures.
"They claim they are from the council."
"Council… Is the wizard dead?"
"No," Fyena said without hesitation.
The slit closed, we heard the metal wheel rotate, the door moved to one side, rotating like a giant wheel.
"Get in."
We walked through a narrow burrow, reaching the mine hoist. We walked into the metal platform, one of the dwarves stopped outside and pulled the lever. The wheels above us started to turn, the platform started to descend, gradually taking us through the mines.
The East kingdom was ruled by one dwarf, he was called the last born, for years he was the only heir of the realm and would be until his daughter births a boy. He owned the East, the land and the world under it.
We had a glance at the mines, the gold, the stones, the tracks, the machines before we ended up in front of another giant metal door. The dwarves who guarded the door pushed it open for us, a few more dwarves rushed us from behind, and we entered yet another majestic hall. An underground quarry filled with dwarves dining in groups. The hall was filled with the essence of meat, spice, and the celebration. The throne was in the middle, just a simple stone throne placed on a twelve feet stairs. The last born was an old man with a long silver beard. He held a bowl of wine in his hands, which he tried to pour into his mouth without shaking. He of course gave up and tried to reach for the meat, he ripped them with his fingers and grinded it with his toothless gums.
"Thought, the last born was young," I whispered.
Fyena acted immediately, with an acute sway and got her elbow between my ribs. She then stepped forward and grunted preparing for the introduction.
She spoke, but neither could I hear it. Her voice was underplayed by the feast around us. She then turned and stared at the dwarf. He reluctantly walked to the throne and climbed the stairs just to put some words into the old dwarf's ears.
"You will speak," he announced from the top. The court immediately went silent.
"I'm Fyena Neltz, I come on behalf of the council. The council-"
The last born interrupted by raising his fingers.
"Who is he," a dwarf shouted from a distance.
Fyena and the gnomes turned to me.
"I'm Harthmen."
"We did hear of a half-orc named Harth."
"Must be me, I'm the son of Orzhmen."
The dwarves started to prepare, I could hear the tankards landing on the table. I could see them quickly getting armed, I could see them climbing down and getting closer.
"He's with me," Hyena broke the motion. "There's nothing to fear."
The court suddenly burst into laughter, a dwarf rolled down to the steps and crashed the floor as he jiggled around. The old dwarf smiling, called the dwarf near him close.
"We don't fear orcs," he said aloud. "Especially a half one."
The dwarves continued to laugh again. The Dwarf near the old whispered again. After an approval he raised his hand to make everyone silent.
"Our guests have some announcements to make."
Fyena took a deep breath, "You are requested by the Wizard to hold the attack."
The crowd fell into laughter again.
"The attack has begun already, tell the wizard we would get the council before the men do."
The crowd continued their laughter. The sovereign pulled the dwarf again. He finally climbed down jumping from the steps.
"Lord says you can leave any time, or just stay and see the council rise again," he said and went crossing us.
"What do we do," I said in the continuous clatter of noises around us.
"We wait."