Before long, Pike had washed and gotten dressed into breeches and a high necked tunic which seemed stiffer than was comfortable. The tunic was of blue velvet, and patterned with stars of white thread.

Erasmus, sitting on the a stool, chuckled. “You almost look like some sea-lord. They do say that clothes make a man.”

Pike scowled. “I look like a jester. There’s not one pocket anywhere on this thing. Who does that?”

Erasmus moved over to the cupboard and pulled out a bundle of black fabric. He unfurled it, revealing a black, collared cloak edge with gold thread. “I daresay this would look even more foolish. Shall I put this back?”

Pike eyed the cloak longingly. “No… I think I’ll manage.”

Fray entered the room and asked the two men if they were ready. Pike turned with a dramatic swirl of his cloak. “Lead the way,” he said, with accidental imperiousness.

They made their way, down the cold, dim hallways. Their path was lit by Fray’s swinging lamp, which strangely glowed with a green flame. There was no one else to be seen for a long time, even as they passed through a great chamber that housed many doors or windows carved out of the walls, reached by many flights of stairs and from which faint light could be glimpsed. A strange song floated out of them, taken up many low, doleful voices.

“What is that song, Master Fray?” asked Erasmus. “It’s beautiful… but sad.”

“They sing for the dead,” said Fray, almost in a whisper. “Many of our folk have fallen, and now the danger seems to have passed. It is time for grieving…”

“It does not sound like the dirges of Men,” said Erasmus, “where women would weep and wail for days for the loss of so many warriors.”

“The sorrow of our kin runs deep. We no longer have any tears to shed…” Fray said no more and they continued on their way.

Pike looked around, feeling rather than seeing pairs of glittering eyes peering at the two outsiders from the shadows. He did not understand the language, but the words of the song burrowed into his mind. He thought they were accusing him. Mocking him. He wondered if he should make a run for it, surely he was being led into a trap. How could these creatures be so stupid, to be singing for their dead and do nothing while the slayer was marching through their halls. Erasmus did not seem like a prisoner, so Pike had not told him anything. Maybe the Paladin was in on it…

At last the plot continued. They came to a tall door of stone, with patterns of vines and flowers carved upon it and dotted with many bright stones. The door was guarded by two broad warriors in full armour. Fray said words to these and they quietly opened the door while the trio stood before the open portal.

“Enter…” came a smooth, yet deep voice from within. The trio stepped into the tunnel and at last came out into a tall chamber, filled with a pale light. Erasmus stopped in awe and wonder. The roof seemed to open up to the midnight sky, while many stars wheeled above, but it was not so. In the centre of the chamber was table, cut from a single crystal of many shifting colours. And behind this table, facing the newcomers, were two tall figures. A man sat in a chair of silver, and a woman in a chair of gold. They were Dwarves, uncanny to behold, yet also tall and fair to look upon. Fray knelt before them immediately, and Erasmus followed suit. But Pike stood for a moment, his eyes fell upon the woman, strange as an Elf-queen, with ears that tapered to delicate points beneath her hair. But her eyes were like deep wells, yet piercing. With eyes fixed on her, Pike knelt without even knowing it. He felt now that his fancy cloak made him look foolish.

“Arise guests,” said the lord, lean yet broad of shoulder with a tall, conical crown. “Welcome Fray, of the Southern Watch.”

“Welcome, Children of the Sun!" said the Lady. "Welcome Erasmus, son of Lysander, of the House Atreus. And welcome Pike, whose father and house he wishes not to be named.”

Erasmus looked at Pike curiously, but the headhunter had eyes only for the queen.

“Please friends sit,” the lord held forth his robed arm and gestured at the silver chairs. “And let us begin this counsel. We have much to discuss, and time is pressing.”

When they had all pulled chairs and sat, and took up goblets of wine given to them by the lady, Erasmus said, “Lord Husdrapa, Lady Brisinga.” Because that was their names, and the best I could come up with on the spot. “Though I did not come here of my own free will, I thank you both for guesting me, and for tending to my companion here. I would wish to remain here long were it in happier times. But it as as you said, we have an oath to fulfil, to rejoin our friends in the west who may already be embattled.”

Pike said nothing, Erasmus was obviously much more suited to this kind of thing.

“Be that as it may,” said the lord, “we are not keeping you here for no purpose. Many strange things have happened in the last few days, and we gather our knowledge before we proceed. Erasmus, you had been wrongly restrained and tried as a criminal, and yet you carried our kinsmen Fray, one of your captors, to safety. To right that wrong, and to repay your nobility, we are in your debt.”

(Note: I was definitely high after this point)

“Awesome,” said Erasmus. “But the only thing I wish for is to fulfil our quest and put this behind us. Water under the bridge and all that.”

“And that is where we will help you, with advice at the very least. You must know of the dangers you may face out in the wild.But first, we must turn to the events which took place inside this mountain.”

“That’s right,” said the Lady Brisinga, turning her eyes on Pike. “We must inform the Headhunter of what has transpired, and learn his part of the story. We supposed that you are here because you follow your missing companion, but the question is how? Tell us, Mister Pike, how came you here, into our halls, and in such… strange circumstances.”

“Uh… okay.” Pike hesitated, intensely studying the patterns at the bottom of his empty wine glass, as if seeking answers. “Well… firstly… yes, once we found out that Erasmus up and got himself body-snatched, we all knew that somebody would have to pull out him again.”

“By yourself,” said Erasmus with a raised eyebrow.

“Of course…” said Pike. He sat back and poured himself another cup of the strange, blue wine. “No one else had the stones for it, so I took it upon myself to do the job.” No one had mentioned Myra or Ruadh, nor the fight in the lower halls. Pike felt it best to not do so either.

“I must say, I feel flattered,” laughed Erasmus.

“And by what means,” said the Lady, “did you intend to retrieve your companion?”

Pike shrugged. "Whatever it would take. But there's the thing… I expected to have to rescue the Paladin from Dwarves. Why…" he gestured at Erasmus and Fray.

"Oh, of course," said Erasmus. "We should've started at the beginning."

"He was our prisoner," said Fray. "But please don't hold it against our King and Queen. That was the decision of the captain of the Southern Watch. It is our duty to keep watch on things on the southern spur of the mountain. We noticed your company, and waylaid Erasmus and brought him to the captain. You must understand, mere travellers do not go by that way. We have had to double our watch in recent times. It was wrong of us to assume you were brigands, and we paid for it dearly…"

"There was something else there…" said Erasmus, quietly and dramatically. "A… creature I could hardly even describe."

"A demon," muttered Fray. "An ancient and wicked one."

"It fell upon us suddenly," said Erasmus. "And slew all, save for myself and Fray, by some miracle."

"I was wounded though, and Erasmus carried me to the nearest outpost."

"A… demon?" Pike said softly, as if to himself.

"It was a being from a time long ago," said Lady Brisinga. "A monster descended from Dragon-kind, no doubt bred for the ancient wars against the Elves. Many of that foul brood still lurk in the dark places of the world."

"No doubt it was that Elven sword you carry, Erasmus," said Lord Husdrapa, "that brought the demon here."

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Erasmus sat there, deep in thought. "By the Heroes…" he whispered. "My life really has gotten complicated of late…"

Pike said nothing. Memories were flooding his mind.

"We warned the next outpost about the thing," said Fray, talking more to the queen and king. "But then we heard the howling, and thought the demon had returned!"

"And so it did," continued Erasmus. "At least I was certain of it. But regardless, it was not in monster-shape…" He turned to Pike.

Pike looked sideways. "What?"

"You had become possessed," said the Lady. "A terrible spirit had taken your body for its own, Mister Pike."

"Oh… is that so?" said Pike "Oh… well damn."

"You need not be too concerned," she said with a soft smile. "The spirit is gone, though you may not have walked away… unchanged. Such things leave scars on the mind, it is why we kept you asleep for so long."

"Ummm… thank you?" Pike made it sound like a question. "That would have been shit… being possessed by a demon."

"Do you remember any of it?" said the Lord with a raised eyebrow. "If it was the demon, then its body must have been destroyed somehow…"

"I don't really remember anything… it was all… dark. You see…" Pike refilled his cup. "When I embarked on the Erasmus Retrieval Arc, I didn't really know where to go. I looked for some kind of entrance for a while. And it was not long after sunset when I began to think I would never find one. But then I found… a strange looking cave. Don't remember exactly where," Pike returned Fray's questioning glance. "My keen senses told me that something was strange about it. But naturally I would not let such a thing prevent me from finishing a job. I jumped in and felt my way through the darkness for a while. But then… the thing came at me. Suddenly, and out of nowhere" Pike paused for emphasis. Erasmus gasped.

"I fought back, of course. Gave him hell, I did. The strength of my will pitted against his. But in the end, I am only a mortal man, and it overcame me at last. Then everything went black, and then I woke up." He sat back, feeling contented with himself. "So what happened next, guys?"

Fray explained the spectacle, how Pike had burst through the door like a crazed animal, flinging Dwarves aside before Erasmus challenged the beast. Pike had clearly been intimidated by Erasmus' awesomeness and been held at bay (Pike huffed a little at that). Then Pike had turned towards the door, snarling to himself as if arguing. Then it finally lunged at Erasmus, but the Paladin commanded the demon to halt with a powerful voice. And then, as if by some miracle, the demon was gone. Pike had collapsed, leaving Erasmus standing over the vanquished foe.

"You flatter me," said Erasmus. "Though I can't really take all the credit. It was quite unintentional."

"Damn straight…" Pike muttered to himself.

Erasmus continued. "But now that Lady Brisinga has deemed Pike healed, and the matter of the demon… mostly resolved, my concern now is with the quest. If Lady Erda and the others have truly moved in, as Pike suggests, the two of us must try and catch up to them again with all haste!"

"But hold!" said the Lord, doing this (*act out gesture). "It will not be so easy. There are dangers other than demons near at hand. For you see, there were others who trespassed into this mountain since you were brought here."

"I didn't know this," Erasmus gasped.

"The plot thickens…" said Pike.

"Aye. We had reports from the lower halls, where none of our people dwell. A patrol of ours seems to have found two or three intruders of unknown origin. Our warriors tried to apprehend them, but they tell that one of them was a swordsman who fought like a demon, and possessed some terrible power to instil fear into the very hearts of its foes."

A cold sweat broke on Pike's brow. He noticed Brisinga looking at him witch a cocked head. Whatever she was thinking, it was not betrayed in her expression.

"Our warriors were driven back with many losses, unprepared for such an enemy. But gradually they regained their courage and pursued them once more. They followed the trail out of the mountain's northern gate and into the forests below. But the company was ambushed suddenly and forced to flee from arrows. But the fell warrior pursued them. Few them made it back alive.

Fray bowed his head sadly. "A grim day. In all, twenty-nine good Dwarves have returned to the earth."

"This is what troubles us… this 'fell warrior'. The survivors still cannot sleep for that echo of his wail in their minds."

Pike's mind was racing. What in the world were they talking about? Is that what happened to Myra and Ruadh? And this… fell warrior appearing again outside the mountain. It couldn't be…"

"I see," said Erasmus. "That's why we can't just waltz out of here."

"Yes. We know nothing of these people. Few are those that have dared even to pass under the shadow of the mountain, yet these strangers have appeared suddenly from below and disappeared just as quickly, right when a demon appears from seemingly nowhere. I know not if these matters are related, but we must not take this lightly."

"All the more reason for us to hasten back to our company," said Erasmus. "If so great a threat is out there, right on there heals!"

"It is you who will be in most danger, for two alone in the wilds stand less chance than a company, unless they go quickly and stealthily. The way into the west has not become tamer of late."

"I can surely spare a company to escort Erasmus," interject Fray. "For part of the journey at least."

Erasmus shook his head. "But two alone will be swifter than a battle-company, and swiftness is what we need."

"Then stealth is your only option," said Lord Husdrapa.

"What about guides?" said Pike. "And not to mention supplies."

"Few of our people know what lies beyond our mountain, and we have no beasts of burden to carry stores for you, even if you could spare to take it."

"Then what do you suggest, Lord Husdrapa?" said Erasmus.

"No matter how strong either of you are, you cannot chance to remain long in the wilds. Therefore you should go by the straightest path to the nearest dwelling-place. West of here, on the northern bank of the the river Arn, lies a town called Hargrave. It was once a stronghold, built by Sea-Wolves to serve as a base for raids into the east. If you strike northwest, you will find the Arn valley in three days. Following the Arn downriver you will see Hargrave in two, sooner if you can find a boat. From there, to the land of the Rangers, I can help you little."

"It is welcome advice," said Erasmus. "If this Hargrave is the only safe place for miles around, than it is likely our companions made for it as well."

"If not," said Pike. "We'll just have to figure out something."

"Then it's decided." Erasmus stood up and bowed. "I thank you, Lords of the Mountain. If you will but provide what food and clothing we can carry, I will deem your debt repaid in full!"

Lady Brisinga nodded. "It is growing dark in the world outside. You should take the chance to rest, and wait for the first light of dawn."

"I suppose we must," said Erasmus.

"Then so be it," said the lord. "At dawn, we will see you off on your journey."

"Go now and rest easy," said the lady. "And fear no demons in your dreams." As she said this, she looked long at Pike, searchingly. Pike turned his gaze to floor, unable to meet hers.

Fray then led them out of the chamber and back down to long winding stairs. He brought them to guest-rooms and shuffled away to have food brought to them. Erasmus waited for the Dwarf to disappear down the hall, and turned to Pike.

"Thanks for your turning back for me, by the way. Even if… you weren't really needed."

"Whatever," said Pike turning away. "The Thanes got really unnerved when you up and vanished. I figured it would let them focus on the job if they knew I had your back."

Erasmus laughed. "Good to know I am missed." He paused awkwardly for a moment. "But… what of Myra?"

"What?" Pike turned back, a little too quickly.

"Myra? How was she? When you left her that is?"

Pike frowned. "Oh… Oh yes! Fine. Just fine. Had a little mental breakdown, but she's probably fine. She's in safe company… all we need to do is focus on getting back to Erda."

"Yes, you're right."

Pike turned to his bedroom door.

"One more thing."

Pike rolled his eyes. "What now?"

Erasmus held his gaze. "Who was the man with the spear?"

Pike said nothing.

"The dwarves did not seem to see him. But I did. You did not mention anything, so I remained silent. But you were talking to him, seemed to know him."

"I… I said I don't remember."

Erasmus only continued to stare at him. Pike sighed. "I don't know what he is. But he tried to kill me before, and would have done it if not for Erda."

"That's it? That's all you know?"

Pike nodded.

"What's really going on here, Headhunter?"

Pike sneered at him. "I'm a Headhunter for a reason, Paladin. I didn't ask to have anything to do with you people. This is just another job to me. And anything that gets in my way of seeing it through…" he glared darkly at Erasmus for a moment, he saw a strange light glimmer in those eyes. Erasmus thought that, just for a moment, the light in the hall had dimmed.

Pike turned suddenly, and closed the door behind him.

It's quarter to seven, and I need to wrap this up. Basically Myra is walking through the woods with Talon and his boys. She likes Talon, but she just can't banish Erasmus from her thoughts, nor Pike.

As the band is marching along through the woods, the warrior Ulfang who was at the front held his fist to make the company stop, like they do in the movies.

"What do you smell, Ulfang," said Talon, strolling up.

"Shit…" the warrior said.

Suddenly, a squat figure emerges from the shadows ahead of them. It was carrying a shield and axe, and red eyes gleamed out from beneath a heavy helm which hid its face. Myra looked around, seeing other pairs of red eyes peering at them in the dark.

"Halt! You are surrounded. Name yourselves and state your business!" it said in a coarse voice.

Talon chuckled. "How rude. Introduce yourselves before asking the names of others. But I think I know you… pitiful creatures already. What are you skulking around these parts for."

The figure let out a low hiss. "We serve the Lord Gram, these are his lands! Hurry and state your business! Are you friend or foe?"

"We are friends, of course. Here for the job offer and the coin promised. As evidently you lot must be as well, unless Gram likes to keep… odd company. But enough of that, let us through. Unless you really feel like losing your wretched life over a petty squabble." Talon's voiced seemed to have change, possessing a strange, deep echo. The road-guardian seemed to be cowed, and shuffled off the road and into the shadows with a snarl.

The band moved on, and Myra hurried to Talon's side. "What were those things?" she in a hushed voice. The others seemed to not be at all disturbed. "They were like no men I had ever seen before."

"Oh yes, of course, you probably haven't had the kind of mad adventures that we are used to. Those, my dear, were not men at all, but Orcs."

"Orcs?" Myra searched her memory for the word. "I don't think I've heard that name, but I have heard of creatures, animals in the shapes of men with red eyes and tongues. Goblins or Boggarts…"

Talon laughed. "Yes, that's exactly what they are. But I wouldn't use a word like 'goblin' in front of them, makes them touchy."

Myra's mind reeled. "None of the stories were good…"

"A bad bunch absolutely, but they can be useful, for those that can control them."

"Then, who is Lord Gram?"

"He's our employer. And has a lot more money to throw around than I thought, if he's gathered Orcs as well as a horde of freebooters. There'll be one hell of a fight ahead."

"I see," said Myra. "And what is this man lord of."

"The town of Hargrave," said Talon, and the chapter ended.