The cave shook with the increasingly loud clatter of footsteps.
“She mustn’t fall into their hands whatever the cost” a woman’s voice echoed across the cave, with striking scarlet hair and thin features, adorned in a ripped black dress, she appeared beautiful yet worn and ragged. She stopped her running facing the direction of her pursuers.
Eitri ran as fast as his stubby legs could take him, being incredibly careful with the 3-month old child wrapped in his muscular embrace. “My lady I shall lay down my life if needed” he replied in between deep pants. Hopefully it will not come to that, a tender voice crept into his mind. You must be quick; the enemy is gaining on you. “Eitri, Brokkr this will be the last you see of me for quite some time, possibly forever, raise Charlotte to have the life I could never, I do not wish for her to be entangled in these meaningless games of power, thank you for your service and loyalty you both will forever remain in my heart”, the woman then silently began to chant.
“My lady the next time we meet shall be to celebrate your freedom, there will be no doubt about it” shouted Eitri
Trust that we will not fail in our task mistress
As the distance from the woman became larger and larger, Eitri started to feel the air in the cave rise in temperature, “poor foot soldier bastards” he muttered to himself. The loud clatter of footsteps had come to a halt; the sound of distressed voices could be heard faintly, these quickly turned into screams. Taking careful note of the baby’s position on his body, the dwarf pulled out a crystal the colour of mud out of his satchel and whispered into it. Tossing it behind him his little legs suddenly found new speed and his pace greatly increased. Eitri was then blasted off of his feet as a large explosion occurred behind him, wrapping his body around the child he landed a distance away on his back. Back on his feet in but a second and he began running again. The baby was safe but the same could not be said for him, a large gash on the side of Eitri’s head was now leaking blood onto the cave floor. With renewed effort he sprinted forward towards the cave’s exit as its ceiling began to crumble down around him.
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A light came into view, with the last vestige of energy within him he kept his tired legs moving. A large stalactite lining the ceiling of the cave came crashing down behind him knocking him off balance and on a trajectory for a nearby chasm. Just when his body was about to descend into certain death, a strange force froze him in place, leaving him to stare at the bottomless pit that would have been his grave, his whole body then accelerated in mid-air towards the light. As his vision entered a frosty forest he landed in a pile of snow. Before his body even processed the cold he went into shock as he could no longer feel that tiny presence anywhere around his small torso. Fear gripped his heart as he quickly exited the white mound, however he instantly relaxed upon discovering a robed figure somehow shorter than himself looking at a levitating bundle of silk and child. This relief however quickly turned into anger. “You fucking idiot Brokkr, you said it would detonate 30 seconds after the incantation not 5” Eitri roared. “Charlotte’s fine isn’t she? It’s not my fault It was that slimy merchant that lied, as a dwarf you should be able to recognise faulty handiwork anyway” a high pitched voice screamed back. It was at this point that the baby awoke and began to cry. “Now look at what you’ve done” the Gnome mage replied. Brokkr whispered an almost lullaby like chant to the girl putting her back to a peaceful slumber and arousing a yawn from Eitri’s face.
“Eitri” he said in a solemn voice.
“Yes Brokkr”
“Do you think we’ll ever see her again?”
“We can only hope and fulfil the task to the best of our ability”
Both made frowns demonstrating the wrinkles on each’s aged face.
“But Eitri we don’t know how to raise a child; we are fighters not parents”
“Then I guess we’ll have to find someone who does know how Brokkr”