I felt very self-conscious as I stood in front of the office door surrounded by an awkward silence between the four wide and muscly dwarfs. Some of these guys were probably easier to jump over than walk around them, and that’s not even a joke.

I felt like a thin weed among wide oak trees to make a more elf like statement. Well… not that I had any real idea what elf like statements were… since I didn’t even meet a genuine elf in this world, aside from myself, which doesn’t count for obvious reasons. I was a human back on Earth, so I will act like a human, not an elf by any means.

To be fair, I have a reasonable suspicion that I wouldn’t really blend in among the humans of this world, even if I was looking like one. Earth was simply way too different from anything here. While I seem to know the languages of Rixa and can read without trouble too, since I could easily understand the words written on the map inside the office. I managed to sneak a peek at it when I joined the Bronze Company a few days ago.

Anyway, it was not the time to think about such things. I shook myself out of those thoughts and turned with a somewhat strained smile towards the two new additions to my small circle of friends. Well, hopefully.

“Hi, allow me to introduce myself again…” — I started, but was cut off immediately. At this point, I was almost expecting that to happen. Wasn’t that just pitiful? I wondered… but allowed the thought to pass, not feeling the strength to delve into that topic. These dwarfs were getting on my nerves by interrupting almost every single sentence I began… Even Emrum did that, and he seemed to be one of the most polite of the bunch.

Still, I kept my strained smile and listened to the dwarf.

One of my new companions, I think it was Tum; he had the typical brown hair-beard and eyes combination of dwarven genes was the one that cut into my words.

He placed his one handed axe on the ground between his feet with a thump, standing it on the metal handle’s point. Causing a sound that made me wince slightly, ears twitching in protest of the loud clanking sound.

Even if the man noticed my discomfort, he didn’t seem to care about it.

“Ay, spare your words lass, we know who you are well enough. Yer name is Selora, right?” — I nodded to that. — “Let me make a point here. I don’t really trust or like magic in any way, but I still acknowledge its usefulness. So do your thing while I do mine and we will be just fine.”

The man stated in a matter-of-fact tone, giving me a seeking glance, no doubt to ascertain my reaction.

I had no trouble with that and only nodded with a solemn expression. To which he smiled and said in a friendlier tone.

“My name is Tumnus Goldbraid, but you can call me Tum. Everyone does.”

“I dipped my head lightly, black locks of hairs sliding in front of my face, which I had to comb back in a frustrated movement. I wasn’t used to long hair, and it was almost as annoying to deal with it as having a pair of occasionally twitching ears.”

The man, seeing my frustration, chuckled warmly, reaching into one of his pockets and pulling out a black ring like, wait… is that a hairband? My eyes widened slightly, as he carelessly grabbed my left hand and pushed it into my open palm.

I looked at him questioningly, and I think I caught a glimpse of embarrassment before it disappeared.

The man grumbled, silently. — “What are you staring at lass, take it. You wouldn’t want to get blinded by your hair of all things outside of the outpost.

I felt genuinely touched by this track of thoughts, showing him a genuine smile this time. — “Thank you, it’s very kind of you to give me this. I will use it right away.”

And so I tied it around my hair with nimble movements. I might have been unused to having long hair in my past life, but my daughter and granddaughter both have, and tying their hair was something I cherished to do.

This little action made me remember them so vividly. I was struck with a whirlwind of emotions which I had a hard time containing, still managed it though.

Thoughts of my family, which I decidedly tried to not think about in the past week, brought back precious memories. It was a pity that I passed so suddenly, they couldn’t make it to the hospital to be there with me, and while I would love to see their faces for a last time, I was also glad they didn’t have to see me pass.

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To think I ended up having a similarly long hair as them, and now among other things have to tie it for myself. Sure enough, fate has interesting ways of teaching us useful skills.

Meanwhile, the other dwarf watched our friendly exchange and grunted loudly.

“Skodrar Ingotshoulder, that’s the name. Call me Skod if you prefer.” — I turned towards him and did a similar light bow towards him as well. Enjoying the lack of hair falling into my face with a snide grin. He slightly reminded me of the commander. He had the same characteristics: black hair-beard and dark brown eyes. Except, of course, he wasn’t bald.

The last name was completely different, though, so it’s likely that the similarities were caused by chance.

“It is good to be your acquaintance, Tum, and Skod.” — The two of them nodded, and grunted appreciatingly.

I heard a light cough coming from behind my back and turned around, looking at Emrum standing, arms crossed over his chest.

“Now that the initial introductions are done, we should get to the kitchen for our rations and move out to find a good enough spot for her to practice. Don’t forget though, even if we don’t go far, the deep roads are just as deadly even a few meters outside of the outpost’s metal doors. I expect everyone to be on high alert. That includes you, Selora.” — He said in a strict way to which I straightened my posture and nodded firmly.

“Good.” — He stated. — “Then, get moving, we have to get back here at night.” — Every one of us nodded, and we began our walk towards the kitchen that was built next to the dining hall.

About ten minutes later, we stood at the outer gate of the base, which served as the last barricade between the deep roads and the sense of safety that the outpost created.

I could feel the tension lingering in the air surrounding us. The dwarfs wore stony expressions while waiting for Tymur to manually open all the ten locking mechanisms that were built into the door.

No wonder it took so long for him to open the gate when we first arrived here.

There was another dwarf in the corridor between the two gates. This time it’s probably his turn to be the gate guard, especially since Tymur is coming along with us.

He gave me a hesitant nod when he noticed that I looked at him, which I reciprocated instinctively. It was another dwarf thing which I got used to over the week. Dwarfs tended to simply nod as a way to greet one another, at least if there was no major difference in rank.

Of course, some tended to be more talkative, like Emrum, but that could also be reasoned as a sense of familiarity because we were battle bound.

While my thoughts wandered all over the place, I heard the familiar sound of the slowly opening gate. My sense of alertness went through the roof. Fresh anxiety clawing into my stomach as I stared into the completely dark corridor while having to listen to the uncomfortable noise created by metal gritting against metal.

The eery noise echoing through the cave like ancient whispers of dark promises.

The single flickering torch attached above the outer part of the gate was the only source of light. It could barely enlighten a few meters of the cave before everything plunged into complete darkness. I felt like looking into a vertical hole in the ground, ready to consume us all.

My body tensed up, suddenly having second thoughts about this whole mission. When I came here a week ago, I was still dazed about all the things going on, and couldn’t quite comprehend the dangers lurking in this place, or how deep exactly I was under the ground.

Unfortunately, that blissful state of ignorance was over, thanks to Emrum and Tymur, who, out of some sick entertainment, believed it to be their duty to tell me all sorts of horror stories about the creatures living in these tunnels.

I felt a warm hand push against my lower back and I had to step forward, closer to the open maw of that terrifying darkness if I didn’t want to fold over. I turned around and glared at Tymur, who was the perpetrator of said action.

The man smirked at me knowingly. — “Having second thoughts, girly?”

I felt ashamed, realizing that my reaction was that obvious to the surrounding dwarfs. I looked down, avoiding their gazes.

Tymur stepped closer to me and said with that easygoing smile of his. — “Good, that’s very good. It seems our hard work to instill some sense into that thick head of yours paid off, at least. Ain’t that the case, Emrum?”

I blinked, looking at Tymur, then Emrum when I heard his agreeing grunt. — “Wait… don’t tell me, did you lie about all those horror stories you told over these days?” — I asked with a sense of hope coming back to me.

A hope that was instantaneously dispelled when I heard their firm reply, which was spoken simultaneously by both of them.

“No.”

“Ugh… I thought so…” — I said meekly as I turned back towards the darkness.

Tum stepped up to us, pulling out a torch from his backpack. There were many more poking out of it in a way that he could easily reach up for one without taking it off if the need arose.

He reached up the torch, igniting it on the one that hung above the gate. Tymur followed his example, igniting a torch of his own.

Then he turned back to us. — “Tum will lead the group, then Emrum, Lora, Skod and I at the end. This way, we can spare some of the torches.” — With that, he once again focused on me. — “However, if things go off the deep end, I expect you to use your magic to lighten the corridors.”

I was still a bit surprised by the new nickname I received so unexpectedly, but nodded to confirm his request.

Then we formed up the way he told us and began to head into the darkness. My thoughts jumping between the potential dangers in the depths and my newly given nickname, Lora… It didn’t sound that bad. Selora always sounded alien to me, but this was much more approachable, more Earth like.