A Few Minutes Before
Ted watched as Lucas squinted at the paper for what felt like the hundredth time, adjusting his spectacles and muttering to himself. The Scholar had been studying Monica's transcription of the runes from Thraldrirlum's pickaxe for nearly an hour but seemed no closer to deciphering their meaning.
"'Rock and stone'... 'hammer's tone'..." Lucas read aloud, shaking his head. "The syntax is peculiar, even for ancient dwarven. And these markings here..." He traced a finger along the paper. "They don't match anything I’ve studied."
Ted shifted his weight from foot to foot, fighting the urge to snatch the paper away. He'd been watching Lucas struggle with the translation while Monica was inside the house, talking to Sir Tristan.
"Maybe I could take a look?" Ted finally offered. "Sometimes fresh eyes help."
Lucas handed over the paper with a defeated sigh.
"Be my guest. Though I warn you, ancient dwarven linguistics is a complex and nuanced field that requires years of—"
Ted barely heard him. As soon as he held the paper, the words seemed to shift and dance before his eyes. He muttered them under his breath, letting the rhythm of the phrases roll over his tongue.
"Rock and stone... hammer's tone..."
Something immediately clicked in his mind.
These words weren't meant to be read! They were meant to be sung!
The apparent nonsense was actually a series of musical phrases written in a way that only someone attuned to music would recognize.
"It's not a riddle," Ted breathed, excitement building in his chest. "It's a song! This is a dwarven song! Dude, I think I know how to reach Viscera!"
Lucas stared at him blankly. "What?"
"Look!" Ted took the pickaxe that Monica had left Lucas and pointed at the markings. "These aren't just runes – they're musical notation! The way they're arranged, the spacing between them... Thraldrirlum wasn't writing instructions. He was composing a song!”
The Scholar stared in disbelief at the fact that Ted had figured it out.
"I need to tell Monica!" Ted exclaimed, already running toward Madeline's house.
* * *
The present
Monica stared at Ted's excited face, momentarily forgetting her tense conversation with Sir Tristan. "What did you figure out?"
"Just—just come outside! And bring the pickaxe!" Ted was practically vibrating with enthusiasm.
Monica shrugged and followed him out, aware of Sir Tristan's heavy footsteps behind her. The villagers had gathered in a loose circle, with Lucas standing to one side.
"Okay, Monica," Ted said, "when I clap my hands, strike the ground with the pickaxe. Trust me on this."
Monica raised an eyebrow but nodded, gripping Thraldrirlum's pickaxe.
Sir Tristan crossed his arms over his armored chest.
"Ted, are you sure about this?" Lucas called from the side.
"Never been so sure in my entire life," Ted replied, taking a deep breath. Then he began to sing.
Rock and stone! (BOOM)
Hammer's tone! (BOOM)
Strike the vein! (boom-BOOM)
Feel the strain! (boom-BOOM)
As soon as Ted sang the first verse, the air became charged, and a ghostly voice joined him, startling everyone.
Monica almost faltered but then kept striking at the ground.
DIG DEEP! (BOOM)
STAND TALL! (BOOM)
FOR VISCERA! (boom-BOOM)
WE GIVE OUR ALL! (boom-BOOM)
Darkness calls! (BOOM)
Echoed halls! (BOOM)
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Swing and sweat! (boom-BOOM)
No regrets! (boom-BOOM)
DIG DEEP! (BOOM)
STAND TALL! (BOOM)
FOR VISCERA! (boom-BOOM)
WE GIVE OUR ALL! (boom-BOOM)
Gold and ore! (BOOM)
We want more! (BOOM)
Brothers near! (boom-BOOM)
Conquer fear! (boom-BOOM)
DIG DEEP! (BOOM)
STAND TALL! (BOOM)
FOR VISCERA! (boom-BOOM)
WE GIVE OUR ALL! (boom-BOOM)
Hearts beat strong! (BOOM)
All day long! (BOOM)
Join the song! (boom-BOOM)
March along! (boom-BOOM)
DIG DEEP! (BOOM)
STAND TALL! (BOOM)
FOR VISCERA! (boom-BOOM)
WE GIVE OUR ALL! (boom-BOOM)
With each rhythmic clap of Ted's hands, Monica brought the pickaxe down. At first, nothing happened except for the regular thud of metal against the earth. But as Ted's song continued, each strike of the metal tool began to resonate differently, the ground vibrating with an otherworldly hum.
Suddenly, the earth before them started to crack and shift, folding in on itself and then detaching from the ground, levitating around them.
As the song continued, the floating pieces of earth and stone began to weave together like threads in an invisible loom. They formed two towering pillars that grew from the ground up, their surfaces etched with glowing dwarven runes. Between the pillars, smaller fragments of stone and soil continued to gather, creating an archway of perfectly fitted stones that seemed to assemble themselves out of thin air.
Finally, as Ted's voice reached the song's crescendo, the space within the arch began to shimmer and twist. The air within it folded inward, creating a swirling vortex of blue light.
"It worked!" Ted finished the song and exclaimed. "I knew it, dude!"
"How did you figure this out?" Monica asked, staring at the portal in amazement.
"The runes weren't just writing – they were musical notation," Ted explained. "Everyone knows about Dwarves being great Architects, Blacksmiths, and Miners, but they were also incredible Bards and Brewers. My mother's research into the Bard Class taught me that. Allegedly, they used music for everything, even their magic. Thraldrirlum must have connected the bridge to his pickaxe — maybe others too — and used the song as the key."
Monica studied the shimmering portal with renewed interest.
"Well then," she said, "I guess we'll be leaving for Viscera sooner than expected."
She glanced meaningfully at Sir Tristan, wondering if their interrupted conversation had swayed him.
Monica turned to Lucas. "Can I have your notes from the book?"
Lucas fished in his pockets and handed her several loose sheets of parchment, his eyes bright with academic excitement.
"My research suggests there might be ways to evolve both your Mana Sense and Phoenix Step abilities. The patterns are fascinating, really—"
"Thank you," Monica interrupted gently. She then took out a heavy pouch into his hands. "Use this to help rebuild the village. There's enough gold and platinum there to construct proper walls and better houses. And Lucas? Keep these people safe. I'll bring you more information about the Old Gods once Machina's dead."
Next, she approached Tertius, Lucca, and Rochus.
"Remember our deal," she said firmly. "Three years of service to this village. Start with the manual labor—these people need strong backs as much as they need protection."
Lucca snapped to attention, offering a crisp military salute and a genuine smile. Tertius followed suit with equal precision while Rochus attempted an awkward approximation of the gesture. Monica couldn't help but smile as she turned away.
Her heart grew heavy as she approached Madeline and Ronnie. The boy's eyes were already welling with tears.
"Don't go," Ronnie pleaded as Monica knelt before him, ruffling his hair affectionately.
"I have to, little warrior," she said softly. "But I'll be back before you know it. And when I return, I'll teach you how to fight properly. How does that sound?"
Ronnie sniffled and nodded while Madeline stepped forward, tears in her own eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."
Finally, Monica stood before the shimmering portal with Ted and Heidi at her sides. "Ready?" she asked them.
"Ready," they replied in unison, their faces set with determination.
Monica took a step toward the portal, then paused. Without turning around, she addressed Sir Tristan one final time. "Big boy, are you coming?"
Not waiting for his answer, she stepped into the swirling blue light. Ted and Heidi followed close behind, leaving the knight to make his choice alone.
Sir Tristan stood frozen before the portal. Following this woman would mean betraying everything he'd sworn to uphold. The Duke's law was absolute—leaving his post without permission would be treason. And yet...
A commotion from Madeline's house drew his attention. The door burst open, and a disheveled girl stumbled out, her eyes wide with urgency.
"Wait, are they going?!" she called out breathlessly.
"Dotty, yes, they just went," Madeline replied softly.
Dotty immediately disappeared back into the house, emerging moments later, clutching a sword in its scabbard. Her face was set with the same determination Sir Tristan had seen in Monica's companions.
"I have to go, Mom," she declared. "I have to become even stronger. Tertius and Lucca will take care of you."
Sir Tristan watched in amazement as Madeline simply nodded, knowing opposing the choice wouldn’t work, tears streaming down her face but offering no protest. She just went up to her daughter and kissed her forehead.
“Be careful, Dotty. And, please, listen to Monica.”
“I will.”
The girl sprinted toward the portal and vanished into its swirling light.
“Stay safe!” Madeline shouted, seeing Dotty disappear and the light of the portal starting to dim.
The knight looked at Madeline's face, seeing the worry etched in every line. His gauntleted hands clenched and unclenched as he wrestled with his decision. Could he really let a young girl venture into such peril without protection? What kind of knight would he be if he stood idle while children rushed headlong into danger?
"Damn it all," he muttered, straightening his back. The Duke's law was important, yes, but some things were more important than that.
A true knight's duty was to protect the innocent, regardless of what authority commanded.
With a final look at the village, Sir Tristan stepped through the portal and disappeared into its depths.