The dwarves shifted their feet uncertainly under the glare of the large bear in front of them.

“Relax, everyone,” Malik shouted. “Charles and his family will be staying with us for now.”

The dwarves relaxed but still looked warily at the bears.

“Charles, welcome to Stone Wing Spire. Find a spot and get yourself and your family settled. I will call for a meeting soon,” Malik said and headed into the dwarf building.

He had to hunch his back, and even then, his wings grazed the ceiling. He immediately felt claustrophobic. This must be what it felt like to be buried alive, he thought. Without taking more than three steps, Malik quickly backed out, gulping for air.

“Never put a heaviness rune on any of my buildings,” he said to Themo who was wearing a wide grin on his face.

“Noted,” Themo said with a chuckle.

“By the way, what is that small building right there?”

“Oh, that’s the outhouse where we relieve ourselves. If only I knew of a banish odor rune,” Themo laughed. Malik wrinkled his nose in understanding.

Naveck strolled up, “Glad to see the Shape Shifter made it.” Themo’s eyebrows rose at that. “So, what do you think of the building?”

“I think it’s a beautiful example of exactly what I do not want,” Malik said with a straight face.

“Oh, dwarven craftsmanship isn’t good enough for ya, eh?” Naveck joked. “Don’t worry, gargoyle, just tell us what you want and we’ll do our best.”

Malik explained that he wanted a spire piercing through the clouds with lots of windows. He also wanted odd things like a blood preservation tank and anti squirrel traps. As Malik went on, Naveck and Themo’s eyes glazed over. Naveck started waving his hands for Malik to stop.

“Malik, we can’t do all that. We can make yours a little taller than ours, we just don’t have the tools or resources for anything grand —”

“I can actually help with rodent traps,” Themo interrupted. “A common rune is designed for this very thing. Just need to draw it, put a little piece of food on it, then activate it. If a rodent comes and takes the food, it goes off, paralyzing the rodent. If you come across it while it’s still paralyzed, ya just bash it.”

Malik narrowed his eyes, “What size must the creature be for the rune to be effective?”

“Oh, I don’t know. About ye big? The size of a small ingot,” Themo said, making a gesture with his hands about the size of a rat.

“I mean, how powerful can you make the rune? Can you use it to paralyze something bigger?” Malik asked, hoping the dwarf would understand what he was getting at.

Thermo scratched his bald head, “I guess. How big is this squirrel anyway?”

Malik rubbed his temples and Naveck’s belly was bouncing in silent laughter.

“For the beetles, Themo,” Malik said through gritted fangs.

Thermo’s forehead wrinkles as his eyebrows crawled upward, “Oh. Of course. Hmm. It could work. It gives a minor jolt. Like a miniature lightning bolt to rodents. If we make them large enough and pour enough Energy in, it just might work.”

Malik waited patiently while Themo worked it out for himself aloud, “Good. I’d like you to make as many as you can along the treeline and thoroughly map it so we can avoid them going in or out.”

“Yes sir!” Themo said and thumped his chest before running off. Malik and Naveck looked at each other quizzically.

“He’s enthusiastic,” Malik remarked as he watched Themo bolting to the trees. Naveck nodded silently, watching him as well.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Malik remembered something Zahid had told him about an aura. He originally thought Zahid had just been misinformed but began to wonder if it was taking effect. If that were the case, why was Themo influenced by it, but Naveck wasn’t? In any case, it wasn’t a skill, or he would have received notification. He decided to experiment with it and ask Zahid the next time they spoke.

“Me, you, and Charles are going to have a meeting in a few minutes. I’ll come get you after I’ve welcomed Charles and his family,” Malik said.

“Sounds good, I’ll get started on your house.”

“Ah, speaking of that. I’d like to learn from you and your craftsmen. I need to be involved in the construction.”

Naveck shrugged, “Probably wise that you learn.”

Malik nodded and headed toward Charles. They already had flimsy cloth structures set up. Charles opened a flap in front of one in his human form.

“What are those?” Malik asked, wrinkling his nose.

“Tents, Malik. Tents. They’re very convenient for traveling,” Charles’ voice rumbled even in his human form.

“Ah, I see. That’s an interesting contraption you have there as well,” Malik said, pointing at the cart Charles pulled. It was in three sections that had hinges.

“Yes, I needed to design it that way to travel through the forest. Helps to get through the trees.”

Malik was fascinated with this human’s contraptions already, “What else do you have?”

Charles belted a deep laugh, “We have a lot. But, I can tell you what we have that’s of immediate use.”

Malik nodded enthusiastically.

“We have a handful of axes, hammers, bows, a saw, and an auger that could probably help those dwarves with their construction,” Charles said, nodding towards the group of short bearded men.

Malik didn’t know what half the tools would even look like but he felt like he had just found a precious treasure.

Charles’ family stepped out of the tent as well. His son, Sam, was also in his human form. He wore a stern expression, as if unhappy about something. There were also dark circles under his eyes. Malik didn’t know what it was, but his skin crawled as he looked into the boy’s dark eyes.

Noticing the nonverbal exchange between the two, Charles gestured with his hand toward his wife and daughters, “Malik, please meet my wife Sigrid, and my daughters, Elle and Milly.”

The three ladies all gave a slight bow and smiled radiantly, in stark contrast to Sam’s brooding expression. All of Charles’ children appeared to be in their late teens or early twenties. Unlike Sam, Elle and Milly were athletically built and wore tight-fitting leathers, a bow slung over their shoulders. Malik thought that they looked at home in the outdoors. Their hair was wild and dirt smudged across their young faces. Sam, on the other hand, was brawny, despite the missing arm and appeared to have been freshly bathed without a smudge of dirt on his loose robes or skin.

“Welcome to Stone Wing Spire. I’m happy you’re here, but I’ll need everyone to work hard. We have a lot to do,” Malik said.

“We’re not afraid of a little hard work, sir,” a confident Elle said.

Sigrid laughed, “You’ll need to prove to these girls that you aren’t a lord that lazes about.” Sigrid had a voice like honey. She wasn’t old, but she had pleasant crow's feet at the corners of her eyes from years of happiness.

“Where will you need us most?” Milly asked, equally as confident as her sister.

Malik hadn’t had time to acknowledge any of the girls as they spoke in a steady stream of each other, “We need to build defenses. We were ambushed by the beetles last night and lost one of the dwarves.”

The family didn’t look worried but wore expressions that told Malik that they wouldn’t back down if the beetles came back.

“We could build a wooden watch tower. Milly and I could take shifts and pick them off with our bows,” Elle offered, Milly nodded beside her. Charles smiled at his daughters for jumping at the opportunity to help. Sam had already disappeared back inside the tent.

Their enthusiasm was infectious to Malik, but he wondered if it had anything to do with his aura or if it were his imagination, “I love the idea. Can you make one so that a dwarf may stand below and wield a spear through a window?”

This time, Charles answered, “A fairly simple task, I believe. Girls, go get started on gathering the lumber.”

“Yes, father,” they answered with one, grabbing two of the axes and heading toward the tree line.

“Ah, you have a wonderful family, Charles. I think it’s time you meet mine. But first, I would like to have a meeting with you and Naveck. I suppose the other dwarves look up to him as a leader.”

“Lead the way,” Charles said with a nod.

They walked toward the dwarves setting a foundation for Malik’s home. He stopped and shook his head, “No, it needs to be twice as large as this and circular. I plan to build up.” The dwarves nodded, disassembling what they had started. Luckily, it hadn’t been much. Malik wanted it to be large enough to engulf the dwarves’ quarters and the incubation chamber. His instincts told him that the wide base would benefit him for years to come.

Naveck strode over, “You must be Charles!”

While Naveck and Charles greeted each other, Malik quickly pulled Grazel to the side and whispered into his ear, “I want you and your men to keep an eye on their son, Sam.”

Grazel’s expression remained neutral as he gave Malik the faintest of nods, understanding his assignment. Malik straightened and rejoined Charles and Naveck for their meeting.