Orei and Luther continued on in the dark. Loud howls started up, and Luther looked about, frightened by the shadows. Determination alone drove him on. The trees were thickening, and Orei tried hard to concentrate on where they were going. The howls grew louder, and Orei felt her heart lift as the ground steepened. She looked back at Luther and beckoned him on, but still the howls came closer. Orei felt as if they were breathing down her neck, and she spurred her pony on feeling fear grip her.

These were not the same wargs that hounded her in Stonehill – these were different.

Suddenly, a huge roar shook the landscape. Orei's pony reared, sending her falling back onto the forest floor. It bolted off into the undergrowth, ears back, and nostrils flared carrying away Orei's priceless axes and rifle. She picked herself up, just as Luther managed to reign his own horse in and under control. He offered out a hand to Orei, who was staring into the darkness after her axes in despair.

Luther grabbed Orei by the shoulder, and slapped her gently across the face. Orei looked up, furious at such a gesture. Again, Luther offered his hand, and as the ground shook from the footfalls of some giant monster, Orei took it and was dragged onto the back of Luther's horse. Luther spurred his horse on and charged up the hill, hoping against all hope that this was the right direction.

As the trees cleared and the starlight shone upon the ground, Luther's heart leaped as he saw the ruined remains of Fanir's Keep. He kicked his horse on faster than ever, hoping that they would make it up the mountain and into the destroyed halls of the castle. Orei looked behind them, and fear gripped her harder as she saw trees being pushed aside and falling down in the path of whatever chased them.

They continued on; the horse’s hooves clattered against the cracked flagstones of a forgotten courtyard, and another roar shook the ground beneath them. Luther's horse bolted, terrified, with Luther and Orei hanging on for dear life upon its back. By now, the giant monster had cleared the trees, and Luther glanced behind him and over Orei to see their predator's face. A huge bear galloped after them, larger than any other he had ever read or heard of before.

It had a peculiar face: large eyebrows shot out either side, wispy in the wind around them, and a long, thick furry tail stretched out behind it, balancing its thundering run like a cat’s. Luther looked forward again, trying to pretend what he just saw wasn't real, but another roar shook his delusions aside. They had entered the castle now, and the clickety clack of hooves seemed insignificant compared to the resounding footfalls of their pursuer. Luther had no control over the horse now; he simply hung on tightly, and hoped that Orei would not fall off and be trampled by the giant bear.

They charged into the throne room, and Luther felt sure the beast would slow down, but the thunderous crack of crushed stone proved him wrong. At this point, it was Orei's turn to see the bear. Her eyes opened wide at the sight, and she saw the massive creature tear apart the thick stone walls without pause. Their horse flew past the throne and into the ravine leading to the southern gate. This slowed the beast down, and it sniffed the air cautiously. It continued on after its prey gingerly.

Orei looked down at Luther's saddle bags, and undid the clasp hoping to find something useful within. Rations upon rations lined the bags, which Orei threw away behind her. Canisters lay at the bottom, snuggled nicely next to two flares, and Orei smiled. She pulled out three canisters, and wrapped them together with their own wire. She attached a flare to the top, and pulled its firing mechanism. Red fire shot out the top, burning down into the sulphur infused explosives. She looked down at it for a moment with pride, and then let it drop behind them, right into the beast's path. It bounced once, twice, before it skittered across the ground a third time, and the flare burned down to the canisters, setting alight the black powder and sulphur.

A cloud of yellow smoke bloomed up in front of the beast, filling its face with the smelly concoction. It shook its head fiercely, and gave a mighty roar which echoed through the ravine around them. Luther's horse carried on, fear still its main motivator. Orei looked back at the beast and smiled with satisfaction. It threw its head about wildly trying to clear its head of the gas. When he looked forward again, Orei could see the golden gates of Doflhiem closing in. Finally, the clatter of hooves skidded to a halt as Luther and Orei jumped from their horse's back.

Orei ran to the gate with Luther behind her. Continuously looking behind at the giant bear, she came to a small section in the gate. It was carved, like the rest, however this small section seemed to resemble a door. Orei went up to the door, and pulled down on a small axe engraved into a vast mural. To Luther's surprise, the axe moved, and the small door slid back into the huge gilded gate.

Orei looked up at Luther and smiled. "That was close," she said, then pointed to the door. "This is a secret Dwarven escape hatch. It ensures we enter Doflhiem covertly. We’ll need to grab you a cloak to hide in."

Orei pulled her own hood up over her head, and wrapped the cloak about her, shielding herself from any unfriendly eyes. They passed through the doorway, and found themselves in the courtyard of the southern gate where they had mounted up and left earlier that day. Orei snuck out into the shadows, and skirted around the courtyard. Checking the coast was clear, she beckoned over to Luther, who was still waiting in the doorway. Luther ran over to Orei, furtively looking about as he did so. Supply crates lay outside the barracks which sat on one side of the courtyard. Orei went over and rummaged through the crates, hoping to find a cloak or at least a disguise in which Luther could hide in.

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Her hands gripped some soft material in the darkness, and she pulled, feeling triumph grip her as she handed Luther a dark cloak. Luther threw it around his shoulders, then looked down and groaned; the cloak ended at his knees. Orei looked at it in silent defeat, and Luther tried to pull the cloak down, but only managed to choke himself via the clasp, fastened across his neck. Giving in, he flipped the hood over his head, and pushed Orei on towards the cart station in a vain hope that no one would see him. Orei searched desperately for a cart, and found that luck was on their side.

As they searched the station, the last platform gave them transport. Orei jumped into the driving seat, and Luther hopped in beside him, nervously checking each strap before clipping them together. The cart began to roll as Luther covered his eyes with the goggles.

The cart zoomed, faster than ever as Orei pushed the cart to its absolute maximum. Luther had not felt the need to meditate in a long while; even the giant bear had not wrung this much stress out of him. He closed his eyes and clamped his fingers onto the seat. He felt the twisting pulls and throws of the cart, but began to relax as he felt the warm air of Doflhiem begin to buffet against his face; they were close.

They hit a straight stretch of track, and Luther opened his eyes just enough to see the station in the distance. Orei began to slow the cart down, and by the time they hit the platform, Orei had pulled up with a well-timed stop. Luther jumped from the cart, and threw off his goggles, glad to be out of the wretched contraption. He pulled his hood over his face after the wind had pulled it off, and looked over at Orei making sure his companion was alright. Orei had already started moving anxiously through the crowd, cautiously looked about for any signs of Saurin. Luther scuttled along after him, stooping slightly trying to make his short cloak less obvious.

They joined the crowd, and let it carry them across a bridge and closer to the lifts. Guards lined the streets of the ground floor, and Orei frowned at this unusual behaviour. They normally kept to the military quarters and outer mines, but now they seemed to all have been recalled. Their presence made Orei uneasy; she pulled her hood further over her head, and made her way over to the lifts. Luther sank further than ever now, hoping that the cloak would cover his peculiar posture. They found a spare lift, and together they descended onto the palatial tier. More guards stood at attention on this tier, and Orei sighed, yet again in defeat.

Both scholars and politicians strode about busily across the grand courtyards of the king’s palace. Orei and Luther walked out boldly towards the throne room, hoping that if they looked busy, no one would interrupt them. Orei strode across the courtyard, and climbed the steps of her father's house. Two great statues of Orlin and Nurlin stood either side of the doorway into the palace, and the golden doors of the throne room stood open; an invitation to whomever seeks the king's council.

The room itself was massive, and the throne was its equal. Huge pillars riddled with veins of rare ore held up a vast, intricately arched ceiling. A red rug, woven with golden wire, ran through the centre of the room and ended at the king's feet. The throne he sat on was forged from the highest quality gold, and it stretched high up the wall behind it. Small figures were carved along its back and led down to the king.

Orei's father, Luther had to admit, was a striking king. He wore golden armour to match his throne, and his crown was magnificent; a golden helm entwined with platinum runes and a large ruby to match the robes he wore beneath his armour, the colours of Doflhiem: gold and red. His great hammer, the hammer of the king forged by Nurlin for his brother to both protect and build, said to be a match in his forging of Mjolnir. Its name was Mjolik, after the fjords they lost.

The king stood in astonishment at the sight of his daughter and a large smile stretched underneath his greying red beard. He called out across the hall, "Does my own daughter see it fit to grant an audience with her father?"

Orei bowed, and gestured for Luther to do the same. The pair of them walked up to the king and stood before him.

"I bring greetings, father, from Olaf and Huldain, the ancient heroes of old."

The king looked disappointed by this, and sat back down upon his throne. "I am aware of Olaf and Huldain, daughter, what do they want with you?"

Orei sighed, and looked at her father with pained eyes. "They told me to give you news, father, of a betrayer in our midst – the one who released Myrian from his prison."

The king seemed shocked by this, and frowned. "Who is it, girl? Who released the Fallen One?"

Orei's head fell as she spoke the name, and the king stared at her for a moment, trying to comprehend it. Saurin was one of the most respected Dwarves in Doflhiem. He had fought with his brother Durie against the dragon to reclaim Nordlhiem, and now his son and the two most famous heroes ever to walk the land had told him his most trusted friend was a betrayer.

The king looked at his daughter. "Are you sure?"

Orei nodded, pain clearly etched into her face from the truth.

The king nodded in turn. "Very well then. GUARDS!"

A small detail of guards marched into the throne room and formed rank behind Luther and Orei. No one reported in front of the king, and Orei's father frowned. He stood up, and out of the shadows, Saurin appeared from behind the throne. He produced a knife, shimmering in the darkness, and stabbed the king in the back of his neck. Orei cried out, and started to run up the steps, but as she did, the guards grabbed her and Luther, pushing them to their knees and cuffing their hands behind their back. The king looked startled as tried to turn, but blood dribbled from his mouth, and he fell to his knees.

Saurin shook his head sadly, and looked down at Orei, who had tears running down her face. "I wish you hadn't told him that, dear girl. He could have lived."

The king fell forward, and his crown fell with him, landing sideways in the king's pooling blood, it rolled down the stone steps with a resounding chink as it bounced from step to step. Then it came to a stop before Orei, and she started to scream out again, but a loud thunk from a guard's baton sent her into an unconscious silence.

Luther watched, horrified at the events before him, and then saw nothing as a bag was pulled over his head.