Part I:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ahh! I will never get used to it." I sighed.
"Persis, you don't have a say about it because of your reputation. The crowned prince's expectations for you, ahhhhmmm! Let's say, not for an ordinary dwarf," the fairy boy said.
"One of the designs not only requires dwarf skills, but I doubt I can get the damn material! Can't you do something about it?"
"My abilities are only limited to recording and projecting images, my friend!" Katibo responded.
"Can someone take my place? I am not supposed to be a good citizen after all!" I exclaimed, remembering the sins that I need to do for us to establish our settlement here in the silver city.
"If you want to lose the privilege of having long-distance mailing, I am willing to take your place! Hahahaha!" Katibo is trying to cheer me up
"Oh! That reminds me to check the cathedral mailers!"
"Ok! If something interesting happens, you know where to find me! See ya!" then he left.
I went to the mailer of the cathedral. It was a room that looked like a library, full of busy small fairies arranging and sorting scrolls in the mail cabinet at the back of the counter. The counter was manned by a beautiful elf who always greeted anyone with a smile.
"Ah, good day! Persis! Here is the letter you've been waiting for!"
"Thank you, Ms!" I said, taking the mail out of the soft hands of the elf.
I raised my hand in gratitude for their effort in retrieving the mail from their scrolls compartments.
"You know, Persis, you don't always have to visit the mailers to check your mail. We are willing to deliver it right to your doorstep!"
"Well let's say the mail is not the only reason I visit mailers" I winked at the beautiful receptionist, but the elf gave me a disgusted look.
Ooooopppsss!!! I forgot that elves have an innate attraction to beauty and repulsion to people like us.
"HAHAHA!!!" I laugh loudly to break the awkwardness! I sit in the furthest corner of the room to peacefully read the mail I've been waiting for.
________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Honey,
I miss you so much. Our son might not say it, but I am sure he misses you too. He really inherited that attitude from you. As I write this letter, he is in your old forge. You might be surprised by how much he has improved your original interior design. He not only completely restored our war-torn home, but he also expanded our place since our adjacent neighbors didn't return. I just keep pretending that they chose to stay where they sought refuge.
The war... Honey, sometimes it haunts me in my dreams. It's been 396 years since that bloody war. Randar is still in my arms, and you were the vanguard of the army. In my nightmares, I see you being pierced by multiple spears. Our town, Bibingkahan, was burning, and beams of light from above were raining down on our people. I try to avert my eyes from the dead dwarves, which I refuse to identify, but it is hard, especially when I see my sister's burning corpse. As if the war wasn't enough, we were abducted by your former employer because of your unpaid debt.
Sorry, I am bringing up bad memories again. Anyway, how is our new friend there? I hope the new human is as good as the former human, Mr. Paray, isn't it? Did you ask his name this time? Remember, they are immature creatures, poor people living very short lives. I cannot imagine what you are going through. You are not really a people's dwarf, but you have to lead our people there and guide the native race of this world. But keep holding on, don't give up, dear. Compared to other races, they need more time to grow, not individually, but as a whole.
See you in the next 100 years.
Truly Yours,
Samera Revalbeard
_______________________________________________________________________________
I pause for a minute, imagining what my wife is doing right now. Maybe she is cooking, nagging our son to wash his hands before touching the food, or perhaps she is sleeping as a proper reward for doing the household chores I know my son will never do. Well, about my son, I know he will be a dependable kid just like any other dwarf, except he will be more handsome because of me, of course.
I smile a little bit.
I roll the scroll very carefully and get a canister and red ribbon from my bag. I tie the scroll with the ribbon and place the scroll inside the canister, then insert the canister inside my clothes.
I take a deep breath and get my favorite plume from my bag. I dip the tip into the ink provided by the mailers on the table and begin to write back to my wife.
______________________________________________________________________________
Dear Love of My Life,
My heart cannot express how much I miss you. I always think of you from the moment I open my eyes in the morning until my consciousness fades away at night.
I have already retrieved the new human from the lair, and this one injured the hut during the memory transfusion. This wasn't a typical tantrum but full destruction of the surroundings. The witch was forced to use her magic, and I had to grab the nearest lumberjack axe. Yes, my love, that prick made me use a weapon to prevent further destruction. He went berserk, and the fury of his attacks was impossible given his physique. He seemed possessed by something or someone, and if it is the infamous Iros, then I might say that humans are more dangerous when they are dead than alive.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Anyway, we successfully subdued his berserk state. He is not as persistent and brave as Arnel, and he is so annoying and noisy all the time. However, he is kind, like every human I have raised. His kindness should be used with wisdom because not every act of kindness will lead him to a good place; it could put him in danger. Just like how he instinctively saved the poor wolf that was about to be killed by the prince. Worst of all, he accidentally touched the prince, and we all know what happens to those who directly touch the prince. I hope the prince will forget about this human. For now, I hope the human will figure out something to help mankind survive.
I really miss you, my love. Please tell me more about our son, and how his beard is now. I am really sad knowing he is growing up without me. I have so many things to tell him about life, forging, and most importantly, how to impress girls.
Sincerely Yours,
Persis Revalbeard
________________________________________________________________________________
"PERSIS!!! PERSIS!!! PERSIS!!!!" a dwarf is frantically calling my name in urgency.
"Hey!! No shouting here," the elf receptionist shouted.
"Hey! Hey! What's the problem!"
"Huge Problem Fore! Musang is in the ring, going to fight!"
I immediately rush to the underground to look for the dumb human, I push aside the people that stand in my way.
"Godwin!!!.... Godwin!!.... Godwin!!... " I shouted.
"Mua'Ti!!! Mua'Ti!!!" The people chant
P.S
I think I need to go to the human lair again, gonna get a human that is not stupid.
Part II:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" the announcer shouted.
The warriors around me roar in their own battle cry, and the people watching us roar in excitement. Then the two groups of people in the arena begin to run toward each other, pushing me along with them. Seconds later, the two groups of warriors clash in the middle of the arena, and the audience cheers even louder. My cowardly instinct kicks in immediately, and I duck to avoid an attack from behind. Glancing back, I see people backstabbing the warriors who were fighting in front of them; it seems the division of people in the arena before was just to simulate battle clashes.
I try my best to avoid them and run around the side of the arena until I spot the three big orcs who creepily smiled at me before. They laugh and talk to each other in a language I've never heard. It's clear they've agreed to kill me first before joining the royal rumble. With those menacing stares, I run in the opposite direction, unable to contain my fear, and scream at the top of my lungs like a frightened animal.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!...."
I feel like they're chasing me, so I try to run along the wall as I did before when chasing my wolf. But for some reason, I can't. As soon as I take one step on the wall, gravity pulls me back down to the dusty ground. I'm shocked by what's happening. How come I could keep my distance chasing my wolf that runs so fast it uses the wall like the ground?
Regardless, I need to get away from my pursuers, or rather, my killers. So I run as fast as I can while screaming as loud as possible. I hear laughter and mockery from the audience, who must find the sight of a furious small guy screaming in the arena amusing.
Looking back, I see only two orcs chasing me. I realize too late that the third orc is running in the opposite direction to cut me off. But before I can react, I bump into someone huge, like a kid running into an adult.
I fall to the ground and see a massive orc wearing a skull, his right hand holding a bloody bone club. He pounces on me, pinning me to the ground, and raises his bone club.
I close my eyes, bracing for impact.
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
"CLASSSSHHHHHH!!!!"
I feel wood chips falling onto me and open my eyes to see the orc's bone club shattered in his hand.
I notice a figure emerging from the light, appearing to be a man with a muscular build and a broad shoulder. His silhouette reveals a distinctive mohawk hairstyle and long ears, suggesting he might be an elf, albeit an unusually strong one. The guy's hair seems to be a fiery red color, and the tail of his headband flutters behind him. He raises his right foot, wrapped in a bandage, and the orc appears to recognize him, breaking out into a sweat of fear. The guy kicks the orc with such force that he goes flying several feet away.
"You're not a fighter! What are you doing here?" the strong warrior asked me.
Just as I'm starting to speak, something unexpected happens.
"RRRooooaaaaarrrrrrhhhhh!!!"
"RRRooooaaaaarrrrrrhhhhh!!!"
The orc's companions emerge from behind the guy, axes raised above their heads. As they swing, the guy swiftly turns, evading their attacks. He dispatches one orc with a quick elbow strike and blocks another's attack, countering with a knee to the chin. His movements are both graceful and powerful, captivating my attention despite the chaos around us.
Snapping out of my trance, I quickly crawl under a fallen warrior, seeking cover. Peering out, I watch the guy as he continues to fight, unarmed and unarmored yet still managing to defeat his opponents one by one. The other participants begin to take notice of his skill, forming a circle around him in an attempt to overpower him through sheer numbers. However, he remains unfazed, his demeanor calm even in the midst of battle.
" Mua'Ti! Mua'Ti! Mua'Ti!" The crowd's cheers grow louder as the lone fighter, Mua'Ti, continues to impress with his agility and combat prowess. Dodging attacks from all sides, he maneuvers away from an assailant, using another participant as a springboard to execute a backflip and counterattack. With swift strikes from his bandaged fists, feet, knees, and elbows, he effortlessly neutralizes each opponent. Soon, he stands alone in the center of the arena, victorious.
"Thud.... Thud.... Thud....."
"Ladies and gentlemen! Behold, the arrival of the champion! The undefeated warrior, Mua'Ti, faces his greatest challenge yet!" The announcer shouted.
"Release the Ogre!" the announcer added.
"Kaboom!!!"
The entrance gate of the arena blasted to pieces, and from the smoke, I can hear screams of anguish, as if people are being massacred there.
An orc runs from the smoke, screaming.
"AAAHHHHH!!!" the orc screamed.
A large hand emerges from the smoke and grabs the poor orc, then a large shadow steps out from the smoke while holding the orc.
"Oh, my fucking shit! We are dead!" I muttered.
A huge, fat humanoid monster emerges from the smoke with two heads above its shoulders! Two heads, for heaven's sake, and they are very ugly, with overgrown noses and tusks. Both heads are bald, and they look very similar, except that one head has a single horn in the middle of the forehead!
"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!"
"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!" both heads roared.
I looked at the guy and his face seems look troubled.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
One of the ogre's heads bites the head of the orc, then they notice the elf standing in the middle of the arena. The ogre charges toward him, attempting to stomp or crush the elf with its huge feet or fists. The ogre's smashing of the ground resembles a chimpanzee attacking its enemies.
Thankfully, the elf is agile enough to dodge! I cheer for the elf quietly, hoping he not only defeats the ogre but also kills it. I don't want to become somebody's snack, for God's sake!
The elf's attacks are not very effective against the ogre. The fighter is swift and strong, but the monster manages to hit him with a wide swipe, sending the fighter flying to the side of the arena.
"CLASSSSHHHHHH!!!!"
The formidable fighter crashes into the wall of the arena.
"OOOHHHHHHHH!!!!" the crowd was shocked.
Dust rises from the ground, and smoke spreads around the elf.
"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!"
"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!"
The crowd went silent as they were intrigued to know the situation of the fighter. The smoke obscured the condition of the elf; I couldn't see if he was okay, but I doubted anyone would survive from those massive limbs hitting their face.
"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!"
"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!"
"Oh! Lord" I needed to think quickly; it seemed the elf required some assistance. As the ogre walked towards the smoke, trying to see if he had successfully killed the fighter, suddenly, from the smoke, the elf jumped and then kicked one of the heads of the ogre, making the ogre fall.
"YYYAAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOO!!!"
The crowd cheers louder
"Aha!" I muttered.
I ran towards the corpses of warriors, grabbing swords and spears, then plunged the weapons into the ground, making the blades point upwards. After finishing the trap, I waved to the elf, trying to get his attention!
"Heyyyy!!!!"
The elf noticed me
"can you make him fall again?" I shouted.
"Take his attention away from me and I will do it again!" he said with confidence.
"Ok! When I give the signal please do it again, I prepared traps for that ugly guy"
Right after I said that, I tried to mock the ogre while lighting my torch. Then, I threw a stone, hitting him in the back!
"Hey, you ugly bullshit! Try to take this!" Then I swung the torch first to get their attention. When they looked at me, I showed and swung my ass in their face!
The ogre roared and ran towards me!
"OOAAAAAHHHH!!!! Wait, wait, wait." I regretted getting the monster's attention. I should have thought of a safer way to do it. I run away from the ogre.
"No... I was just going to give the signal when..." Suddenly, the ogre falls forward, and the plunged weapons pierce his chest!
"AAAAoooogggggghhh!!" the ogre cried in pain. The elf jumps onto the heads of the ogre and bashes their heads with a big rock held by an elf with both hands. However, their skulls seem so thick that the elf keeps bashing their heads like a madman.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"
"YYYAHHHHHHOOOO!!!" the crowd cheers louder. The heads of the ogres crack, and the rock is covered with crimson blood. Brain matter spreads on the ground, and the elf is panting. He raises one of his hands as a way of announcing that he wins the royal rumble!
"OH no!! OH no!!" the announcer shouted. I look at the announcer, and I just noticed that he is wearing a tengu mask.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the fight is not over yet!" the announcer claims. He spreads his four wings, jumps, and lands in the middle of the arena. He clears his throat and removes his mask, revealing his face. The people are shocked, as is the elf. Meanwhile, my jaw drops because the announcer is the prince that I encountered when I saved the wolf.
"Verily, the fray is not yet concluded!" he smiled.