CHAPTER TWO

DWARFS ON THE DOORSTEP

Three years have past since the day the old man came to Felix's shop. Since then they became good friends and the old man has told him much of the world and himself. His name is Doenthineb and he is a wizard, one of the last ones. He told him many ancient tales. Many stories, however, are more resent. And one dark tale keeps coming up. Far to the east there are mountains called the Grey Mountains. The dwarves there are prosperous. And in the center of this is the Grey Dale. In it there is only one mountain. It is called Argon and was one of the greatest Dwarven cities in all of Hilon. they dug deep and far, rumors spread of there tunnels being found all the way in the Dividing Mountains (this of corse is not true). But wealth like that attracts dangerous things. It was a day like any other, but that did not last long. There was a loud sound in the eastern Grey Mountains, like a bell but much louder. Every dwarf recognized it. It was the alarm for a dragon raid. The dwarfs readied there swords, spears, crossbows, and shields. But the dragon, red as molten rock, made a few pases over them breathing its flame on them and continued west and came upon Argon. They were unprepared, altho they heard the alarm they were not fast enough in there preparation and were quickly over run and killed. The survivors ran west to the Grey Plateau and tried to muster an army to take it back. But after seeing what it had done to Argon and the east Grey Mountains that there were to few willing to try to take it back. The east Grey Mountains were so ruined by the fires that they were quickly over run by Orcs and Goblins, leaving few survivors.
Felix had no Idea why it kept coming up, until June 8th, 1886. A fellow with a 4 inch long black beard, tanned skin, black hair reaching to his mid neck, a worn red traveling cloak, and a sword and crossbow hanging from his belt, comes riding down the road. As he passes the haflings they look at him with narrowed eyes. Felix was sitting out on his porch just outside his home watching this dwarf ride down the road. As he came closer he stopped in front of Felix's porch and asks "I'm looking for Doethineb, have you seen him?"
"He hasn't been here for weeks" Felix said.
"He said that he would be here and that someone named Seeker would help us" the dwarf said.
"Well my name is Seeker but I was never told about any dwarf coming by." There's a pause as he realized what the dwarf said. "Wait, what do you mean us, is there more of you?"
"I'm the first one here?" The dwarf said in a surprised voice. "That's surprising."
"Will you please tell me what's happening?"
"Sorry, I am Slohin son of Nlohin."
"That does not answer my question."
"Can I come in so we can talk in private."
Felix thinks for a moment. "Fine, just don't touch anything." Felix leeds Slohin into his house, Slohin ties up his pony and hits the outside wall as he comes in. The dwarf sits in a chair in the living room and Felix sits in another one. "So why are you here?"
"Doethineb told us that the heir of the kings of Argon was calling for as many dwarfs as posable to meet him here." The dwarf said. "I was confused because the that line was broken when the dragon attacked."
"Argon? You mean the mountain that Doethineb is obsessed with?"
"It's more than a mountain. It's the greatest success turned greatest failure, since the Halls of Colica were flooded."
"The what?"
"A dwarven city that was flooded under the sea."
Felix and Slohin made small talk for an hour longer. Slohin is from the Ciladan Mountains, a two weeks march to the west. He was a store hand. Doethineb came to his town and told them that the heir of king Thoron of Argon was Alive and was calling for aid. He bid them to rase there swords against the dragon. But few listened, Slohin only came because he was curious, and to spread the word of Milin's Magnificent Magics, the store he works for.
After all that there comes a knock on Felix's door. "Now who could that be?" Felix says to himself as he walks over to the door. He opens the door to see a dwarf with a short silver beard, white cloak, silver hair that reaches his shoulders, very pale skin, silver and gold necklaces hanging around his neck, and a spear and a shield on his back.
"Greenil Overmound, of Pillar, at your service." the dwarf said.
"What do you want" Felix said.
"Are you Seeker".
"Let me guess, your here because a wizard told you that a king of a ancient mine had called you".
"How did you..."
"Your not the first one".
"So can i come in".
"Just don't touch anything" Felix said as he held the door open for him to enter.
"Thank you" Greenil said as he pushed past. Felix looked down the road and saw a group of 2 dwarfs walking towards him. As he stood there they sped up and stopped by his door. The taller of the two was wearing a gold Cloak, a gold band on her head with symbols hanging off of it, and a bow and arrows on her back. She had a short brown beard, short brown hair, and tanned skin. The shorter (and fatter) of the two had a brown cloak, chain armor, and an axe on his back. he had dark skin, black hair, and a small black beard. 
The taller one said (in a slightly softer voice than the other dwarfs) "Are you Seeker"
Before Felix could answer he heard a shout from the sitting room. "OI PUT THAT BACK"! It was Slohin. Felix ran back in to find the problem. Slohin was still sitting on the chair but was staring at Greenil who was standing by the mantle with Felix's mother's silver clock.
Clearly not noticing that Felix was there Greenil said "Make me, if you can stand". As he said this the sound of clinking chain could be heard behind Felix. Greenil heard this and hid the clock behind his back and said "Hello, nothing to see hear".
"Put that back!" said Felix angrily. Slowly Greenil put the clock back on the mantle. As he let go it fell on the floor with a "thud" and he quickly picked it up and put it back.
"I was just looking at it" Greenil said.
"That's a lie, he tried to do the same thing with one of Milin's amulets" Slohin said.
"You have no proof" said Greenil.
As they continued arguing the taller of other to dwarfs said "So I guess you are Seeker then".
(sigh) "Yes and you are" said Felix.
"Lustainol Stonehand, of Atlas, at your service" the female dwarf said(with a wink).
"Gluon Ironbrow, of Salem, at your service" said the other dwarf. "Do you have any food for us".
"Give me a sec, and watch him" Felix said pointing at Greenil.
A few hours of making food and eating and talking went by. Greenil is a guard for the dwarven city of Pillar's Jidi Temple.(Jidi is the oldest religion in Hilon.) He answered the call because he thought there would be a lot of gold involved. Lustainol is a lore master of Atlas in the Golden Woods. She answered the call to see if it was true, and it was a king, who could resist. Gluon was a merchant from Salem in the dividing mountains. He answered the call because it would be better than the life of little food. (Even though he got more food than most in his small town). 
Night was falling when someone knocked on the door. Felix answered it and saw 4 dwarfs. The first was wearing full steel plate armor with a helmet that left his face exposed, over it was a grey cloak. He had pale skin and a very short beard. He had a large shield on his back and a battle-axe on his belt. The second had heavy chain mail and a black helmet that covered his entire face, and heavy metal gloves. He had no weapon as far as Felix could see. The Third ,and youngest, had light silver plate armor and a silver circlet with a blue gem with an eagle on it in the middle. He had pale skin a foot long braided red beard and braided red hair that reached his shoulders. He had a sword on his belt and a shield with an eagle on it on his back. The forth, and oldest, dwarf had light silver plate armor with with a golden eagle on it, a gold circlet with a blue gem with an eagle on it in the middle. He had pale skin, a long braided red beard, short red hair and a scar above his left eye. On his belt was a sword.
"How do you people keep finding me" said Felix confused and annoyed.
"The mark by your door" said the one in steel plate.
"There's no mark there" Felix said, again, confused and annoyed.
"Look for your self" said the same dwarf. Felix looked and, indeed, there was a mark there with some kind of symbol by his door. Before he could say anything the same dwarf said "I am Envymi Flamekin, of Arkos, at your service." he points at the dwarf with the mask and says "and this is Wragon of Renora." 
Then the fourth one said "I am Koron Goldenwing, son of Doron, son of Loron, son of Thoron of Argon" he then points at the youngest dwarf and said "and this is my son, Boron." 
At the sound of the name Thoron all the dwarfs inside rushed to the door, even Slohin (who had not got up from his chair since he arrived). They all stared in wonder at the two dwarfs that claim to be the heirs of the throne of Argon. After what felt like a few minutes all four of them bow to the new arrivals.