“And then, I drank all the ale while she went to the mines to get some copper.” the three dwarves laughed their hearts out. Their small mouths kept moving in sync behind their big, thick beards. One of the dwarves, Bombar, kept hitting himself on the leg, as he slowly became red in the face.

“That’s a good one Gamli,” Bombar said, wiping a tear from his cheek.

“I scared my donkey, that’s how much I laughed,” Bafur said, the wagoner.

Max sat next to Snickers, they both looked confused as to why the jokes were so funny, they didn’t get it, but it was dumb to ask. So they just laughed a tiny bit for them not to say anything back, after all, they were getting a free ride until Greyford.

The three dwarves were stuck on the road when Max and Snickers passed by. They helped them fix their wheel and earned themselves a free ride.

“Thank you for your help lads!” Bafur said. “You can come with us if you’re headed towards Greyford.”

“That’s exactly where we’re going!” said Max back then. “Thank you, we would love to take a ride with you guys.”

“Then come, jump on back, and let us go!” Bombar slapped Max over his back, Max almost kissed the floor. They were stronger than they looked.

“So where are you from? Kobold? Max, if I remember ya name son,” Bombar asked.

“Near Rearmot,” said Snickers. “Just under the mountains of Borzz.”

“I was there once,” Gamli joined the conversation. “I got attacked by some kobolds then.” they all looked at each other, Snickers looked shocked, and like he panicked a little, he stuttered trying to say something until the dwarves started laughing.

“Only a joke, don’t take us too seriously,” Gamli scratched his ear. “We like to joke a lot on our travels.”

Snickers felt relieved. “You scared me there for a moment,” he said, laughing a little bit with them.

“And you big guy?” Bombar looked at Max, who was choking on a piece of dry meat. “Where do you come from?”

“You wouldn’t know of it,” Max said, still chewing.

“Come on,” Bombar laughed. “The three of us were in every corner of this world, we know all the places. Test us.”

“That’s the thing,” Max said. “I’m not from this world.”

The dwarves and Snickers looked at each other and then they started laughing.

“Good one, good one.” Gamli laughed.

“A really good one, I didn’t hear that one ever before.” Bombar started hitting himself on his leg, laughing. “But for real, where are you from mage?”

“I didn’t joke,” Max said with a smile on his face. “My friends and I were summoned here in this world by your King. He told us we are some heroes and we have to fight this Demon guy in 5 years or so.”

They looked at each other, their faces pale. “That’s not for joking young man,” Bombar looked at Max, almost afraid of what he heard. “Demons are serious, no one jokes about Demons or Heroes.”

“I told you,” Max finished his meal. “I’m not joking.”

“Well,” Gamli jumped in. “If what you say is true, you shouldn’t go around telling people that. It’ll only bring panic, and there are still some Demon worshipers around us, you don’t want a giant target on your back.”

“I already have a target on my hand.” Max thought to himself.

They were riding in silence for a while until Bombar started dropping his jokes again, the laughter spread in the wagon like wildfire.

They traveled slowly, but Max was happy he didn’t have to walk. Snickers looked cheerful, he wasn’t depressed anymore.

“And then I ate his tomatoes, from his hand while he was asleep!” Snickers finished his story, the wagon started laughing again.

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The further away they got from Ermsworth, Max noticed Snickers being happier. He also noticed more non-humans on the road. At first, it felt a little weird, seeing all these “creatures” now that he had only seen them in video games before. But he didn’t mind it, it was definitely a unique experience.

The sun and the heat didn’t bother Max anymore, because of the good company he had.

“Look,” Bombar pointed a finger at a person with a black robe, limping on the side of the road. “Maybe we should help that traveler, they seem to be hurt.”

“Hey, you!” Gamli shouted. “You can jump on the wagon if you’re headed towards Greyford!”

The person nodded, said something under their breath, and jumped back onto the wagon. It curled in one corner and it seemed as if it had fallen asleep. They couldn’t see who it was or what it was, the face was hidden behind the hood. It seemed as if the dwarves didn’t care much who that person was, so Max tried to ignore it as well.

Max and Snickers continued to enjoy the company of the dwarves, who kept the atmosphere lively with their never-ending jokes and stories. The dwarves’ laughter was infectious, and even though Max and Snicker didn’t always understand the humor before they realized it, they started laughing at their jokes as well. The road to Greyford was long, but the good company made the journey feel shorter.

The countryside around them was lush and green, with hills and occasional patches of dense forest. The sun was warm, the birds chirped happily, and a gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of wildflowers. It was a perfect day for travel.

Max leaned back against the wooden side of the wagon, feeling the gentle wind on his face, and the moving wheels beneath him.

The dwarves now began to sing, their deep voices blending as they sang an old dwarven song about a legendary blacksmith, The Ballad of Threin Ironhand.

In the heart of the mountain, where the fire burns bright,

Lived Threin Ironhand, a master of might…

The dwarves kept singing, surprisingly nice.

With hammer and anvil, in the forge’s warm glow,

He crafted the wonders that legends bestow.

And then came the chorus, Max loved the sound of the dwarves singing.

Oh, Threin Ironhand, the smith of renown,

With a heart forged of iron and a beard long and brown.

His works were of magic, his skills without peer.

In the halls of the mountain, his name we hold dear!!

The person in the black robe, who had joined them earlier, remained curled up in a corner, it looked as if they were asleep.

Bafur the wagoner, guided the donkey along the path, singing without a problem. He had a keen eye for the road ahead, avoiding potholes and navigating around any obstacle with ease.

The air became a little cooler as dusk approached, and the first stars began to twinkle in the dark sky. The dwarves lit a small lantern and hung it from the side of the wagon.

One day came a dragon, with scales red,

It roared through the valley, filled dwarves’ hearts with dread.

But Threin, unfazed, forged armor of gold.

A shield for the heroes, and a blade to be bold.

Suddenly, the hooded figure slowly sat up, stretching and yawning. The song stopped, and everyone looked at the traveler.

The traveler lowered the hood, revealing a pretty face, almost pale white skin, and silver hair hiding her eyes. With her hand she moved the hair from her face, revealing emerald-green eyes. She was an elf and by the looks of it, a mage.

“Thank you for the ride,” she said softly, her voice woke up something in Max. “I am Aliana, a mage from the Silverwood. I’m grateful for your kindness.”

The dwarves exchanged glances, clearly, they were as surprised as Max and Snickers. Bombar was the first to speak.

“Well, well, a mage from the Silverwood! It’s not every day we meet such an esteemed company. I’m Bobar, and these are my companions, Gamli and Bafur. And these two lads are Max and Snickers.”

“A pleasure to meet you all,” Aliana said. “I was on my way to Greyford when I injured my leg. Your offer of a ride was a blessing.”

“Nonsense!” Gamli said, waving his hand. “No need for the fancy words, we are happy to help a fellow traveler.”

Max watched Aliana with fascination. Elves were rare, or so he heard.

“So raise up your tankards, and let the ale flow,

To Ironhand, whose legend will grow.”

The song continued, long into the night.

“So there I was,” Snickers started with a smile on his face. He had found his groove among the dwarves, matching their humor and even outdoing them at times. “Sneaking into the baker’s kitchen at midnight. I just wanted one little pastry, but I tripped over a bucket.”

The dwarves leaned in, interested to find out the rest of the story.

“What happened next?” Bombar asked, grinning widely.

Snickers continued. “The bucket made such a loud noise, the baker’s cat was first on the scene and leapt at me! I ran around the kitchen, the cat on my tail, knocking over flour sacks and all the bowls in its way. By the time the baker came in, I was covered in flour and looked like a ghost.”

The dwarves, and Max, burst into laughter.

“And did you get the pastry?” Max asked, wiping a tear from his eye.

“Of course!” Snickers said proudly. “But I was banned from the bakery for 3 months. Totally worth it!”

As dawn broke, the wagon rolled down a small hill. Greyford was clearly visible, with people going in and out of the town.

Bafur pulled the wagon to a stop in the town square. “This is where we part ways, lads. We’ve got business to attend to, but it’s been a pleasure traveling with you.”

“Thanks for everything,” Max said, shaking hands with each of the dwarves. Snickers did the same, sharing a few final jokes that left the dwarves laughing as they headed off.

Max turned to Aliana, who had just got off the wagon. “Aliana, I was wondering… could you teach me some spells? I am still learning, and any help would be nice.”

Aliana looked at Max, her emerald eyes shining in the sunlight. “No.” she turned away and left.

“You were too hungry,” Snickers said. “You’re banned for three months, my friend.” He laughed, while Max didn’t feel like laughing.