Prelude

   The seven dwarven priests gathered in counsel, sitting at a large
stone
table that lay in the center of the dark room.  The oldest of the
dwarves, a
snow white bearded cleric named Cole Ice-Cleaver, rubbed his stubby
fingers
along the bottom of his red robe.  "The time has come to acknowledge
the
return of Reorx," he proclaimed in a thundering voice.  "Almost forty
years
has passed since our world was stolen by the Dark Queen.  During all of
this, the gods had not known where their beloved Krynn had gone.  Now,
after
finding their beloved world, Reorx and the other gods have returned to
Krynn."
   Many of the other dwarven clerics exchanged glances.  They
remembered
when Chaos had roamed the land of Krynn and the gods left the world. 
Though
the mighty Chaos was defeated, the gods had not returned, except
Takhisis.
   Back then, many of the dwarven clerics believed that the gods, Reorx
included, had abandoned them again, as they done in the First
Cataclysm. 
After the War of Souls, the gods had found their world and returned. 
It was
said that Reorx himself had come to this very temple and spoke with the
high
priest Cole Ice-Cleaver about his return, and many other things as
well.
   As he listened to Cole speak about the return of the gods, the short
and
stout dwarf named Borowin Strakkengard ran his fingers though his black
beard, then brushed back his thick black hair.  Though he was dressed
in the
standard red robes that clerics wore, Borowin wasn't actually a priest
of
Reorx, but a mystic.  When he grew into adulthood, he had left his home
and
trained at the Citadel of Light.  He later he returned to Thorbardin to
train the mystics of the dwarven temple.  Yet, with the return of the
gods,
many of the dwarves who had aspirations of becoming mystics like young
Borowin Strakkengard, decided to become priests instead.
   "I believe we should honor Reorx's return to the world," the high
priest
continued," with a gift."
   "What gift shall we make for Reorx?" asked one of the younger
priests.
   "Should we forge him a powerful axe?" called out one of the blond
bearded
priests.
   Some of the dwarves around the table began arguing back and forth;
on
what would be the appropriate give to make their god.  Borowin kept to
himself, feeling embarrassed that his fellow dwarves would argue over
something as ridiculous as a present for a god.  A god who they haven't
acknowledged for years.
   The mystic glanced his amber eyes over at the white bearded high
priest,
whose grey eyes seemed to be staring back at him.
   Cole Ice-Cleaver stared at the mystic for just another minute, then
held
his hand to silence the babbling clerics.
   It took the priests a moment to realize the head of their church was
trying to get their attention.  Cole took a deep breath once everyone's
eyes
fell upon him.  "Last night, Reorx came to me in a dream.  He said that
there is a temple that lies in the Plains of Dust called the Hall of
Angels.
  Hidden in this temple is the powerful and mighty weapon known as the
Devahammer.  He told me this hammer was forged by the Hammer of
Kharsas." 
Cole paused for a moment hearing the "awes" and gasps coming from the
other
dwarves, then continued," It is design is beautiful, and the damage
this
weapon can deal is very powerful.  If we are to honor Reorx, then one
of us
should journey to the Plains of Dust and find the Devahammer."
   The dwarves were ready to argue over who was going to find the
hammer,
but Cole quickly climbed on top of the table and stared at all six of
the
clerics.  His eyes then turned to Borowin once more, and the mystic
took a
nervous breath.
   He realized that Cole had chosen him to retrieve the Devahammer.

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   An hour later, the temple was empty, except for High Priest Cole
Ice-Cleaver and the mystic Borowin.  When Cole announced that Borowin
would
be the one who would retrieve the Devahammer, the priests were
outraged.
   "Why should Borowin get to find the Devahammer?" yelled a grey
bearded
priest named Durik Seldirk," He's not even a cleric.  He's a mystic!"
   Borowin knew the reason why he would be the one to find the
Devahammer.
   Throughout his life, Borowin had always listened to his mother's
stories
about his father, or his brother, or his great grandfather, and the
other
members and ancestors of his clan were priests of Reorx.  Some of his
fellow
dwarves had labeled Borowin a black sheep, since he didn't acknowledge
the
gods.  He was shunned even more once he decided to turn to mysticism
instead
of the clergy.
   Cole slowly walked over to Borowin.  He eyed the young dwarf,
admiring
the dark color of his beard and the youthfulness in his eyes.  "I
suppose
you're curious as to why you were chosen for this mission?"
   Borowin crossed his arms.  "Not as curious as some of the priests,"
he
answered in a quiet but gruff voice.
   Cole stretched out his arms.  "Well don't let the priests belittle
you
just because you’re a mystic.  Over the years, this temple was filled
with
many mystics, as well as priests who were still devoted to finding what
had
happened to the gods.  I cannot begin to understand what power
mysticism
holds, or where it comes from, but I've seen some of their powers that
would
rival my own."
   Borowin nodded.  Mystics were like sorcerers.  Rather than praying
for
spells like clerics, mystics channeled the energy from within
themselves. 
Borowin could cast many of the same spells that a priest could, which
seemed
to offend many of the clerics in the temple.
   "When Reorx came to me in my dream," the priest continued," he told
me
that you would be the one to retrieve the Devahammer, a task that has
taken
the lives of many in your family."
   The mystic sighed.  Borowin's ancestor, Regulus Strakkengard had
taken up
the quest to retrieve the Devahammer from the red dragon Khandler. 
Regulus
had vowed to Reorx that neither he, nor his kin would ever enter the
Forge
of Reorx until the Devahammer was retrieved.  Many of Borowin's family
had
died trying to find the hammer.  It was said that the hammer moved from
Khandler's horde to a treasure mound of an ogre chieftain.  Then years
later, it moved to a treasure mound of a bronze dragon.
   Many of Borowin's clansmen died trying to retrieve the Devahammer. 
When
the day came for Borowin's father Ianeak and his brother Xavgold to
take up
the charge and the find the hammer, the two clerics left home without
saying
goodbye to Borowin.  The mystic never saw his brother, or his father
again.
   Cole stared at Borowin.  "One of the reasons you became a mystic
instead
of a cleric was because of your clansmen’s promise to retrieve the
Devahammer.  Am I right?" asked the high priest.
   "I just can't bring myself to believe in a god who would let his
devoted
followers stand outside the gates for eternity just because they didn’t
get
some hammer for him," Borowin answered.
   "It was your ancestor's promise, and I believe that your father and
your
brother knew what they were getting into."  Cole stopped for a moment,
scratching his beard, then added," Perhaps through you, Reorx is giving
the
Strakkengards one last chance to enter the Gates of the Forge.  All
they
would need is for you to retrieve the Devahammer.  Will you let them
stand
outside the gates for eternity?"
   Borowin looked down, thinking about his family.  He may not have
been a
believer in the gods, but he believed in the value of family.  Despite
turning on his clan's beliefs in the gods, Borowin wouldn't let his
clansmen
stand at the gates for eternity.
   He then remembered the value of being a teacher.  "What about my
students?  The ones who will be in training soon?"
   The cleric nodded his head.  "The number of mystics has gotten
smaller,
but worry not, they will be trained.  I will send for another teacher
from
the Citadel of Light until you return."
   Borowin smiled.  "Then I'll do this, but I want you to know that I'm
doing this for my father and my brother, and to bring honor to the
temple. 
I have no interest in pleasing your god.  Who knows, maybe I'll keep
the
hammer for myself."  This brought a laugh from the high priest.
   "All right so where do I find this blasted thing?" asked the mystic.
   "In the Plains of Dust," answered Cole," You will leave in the
morning
with Vash and Brunhilda.  Supplies and a map will be provided for you. 
I
will pray for your success Borowin."
   "Thank you," Borowin replied before he turned and walked out of the
room.
   He appreciated Cole's faith, but the mystic had a feeling that none
of
the high priest's prayers were going to help him succeed in his quest.
 

Chapter 1

   It started out as a quiet morning for the ranger Dorm Silverfalcon. 
A
man in his late twenties; standing at six foot with brown hair and
green
eyes, Dorm was seated downstairs in the lobby of the Elven Dagger inn,
getting some morning ale.  The Elven Dagger was located in the small
town of
Hopeful.  It was normally a spot where bards would share stories about
the
battles of the gods and the heroes who had fallen in those battles.
   However, on this particular morning, the Dagger was empty, which
didn't
really bother Dorm.  He and his companions Timer and Roxi had stopped
in
Hopeful two days earlier.
   As he drank his ale, Dorm stared around the inn, admiring the finely
crafted wooden walls and the carvings of bears, cats, and dogs.  The
ranger
stroked his clean-shaven chin and reflected on his days as a Steel
Legionnaire.  Along with the elven thief Timber and the half kender
Roxilandra, and other heroes from around Ansalon, Dorm was part of a
small
group of Steel Legionnaires who patrolled the southern lands of the
continent.  Dorm had been associated with the Legion of Steel since he
turned sixteen winters, but all of those days ended when the group's
commanding officer decided to split the group.
   All Dorm had left of those days were his two friends who had been
journeying with him for most of his adult life.
   "Don't hoard all ale for yourself," Timber remarked as he walked
downstairs, and slowly moved towards the area where Dorm was sitting.
   Dorm watched as the elf was gracefully walking towards him.  Like
many
elves, Timber sported a slender figure that was covered by the elf's
dark
colored leathers.  He wore his long blond hair in a ponytail and had
light
blue eyes.
   With a smirk on his face, Timber sat next to Dorm, then reached over
and
brushed his bony fingers across the ranger's dark blue shirt.  "Silk
shirt,
and silk pants made in Solomnia, what's the occasion?" he asked in a
soft
voice
   "No special occasion," Dorm remarked in a calm manner, sipping his
ale,"
and if you remember, I bought these in Nereka."
   Timber shook his head in a disapproving manner.  "That’s right.  Now
what
have I always told you Dorm.  Consorting with dark knights will always
get
you in trouble.  Remember what happened after you bought those
clothes?"
   Dorm finished his ale and crossed his arms.  "We would have gotten
out of
the marketplace if you hadn't put your hand's in that one dark knight's
bag
of steel."
   The elf turned with a laugh, and then ordered some ale.  Dorm looked
at
the stairs, seeing Roxi admiring a wooden carving of a dragon. 
Roxilandra,
or Roxi as her friends called her, was a soft-spoken half kender in her
early thirties with blond hair up in a topknot and blue eyes.  She had
spent
years as a scout and bodyguard in the Legion of Steel.  Shortly after
she,
Timber, and Dorm parted ways from the rest of the group, the goddess
Mishakal appeared to the half kender, giving her a long blue colored
staff
with an eagle’s head carved at the top and a blue silk robe that Roxi
now
wore with pride.  Roxilandra had always been interested in the gods
since
the days of the Second Cataclysm.  On the day Mishakal appeared to her,
Roxi
had pledged her life to the goddess and became a devoted cleric.
   Dorm stepped out of his chair and quietly walked over to the cleric. 
Timber glanced over into their direction, then grabbed Dorm's ale mug
and
asked the beautiful barmaid to fill it for him.
   Standing just a few inches below Dorm’s height, Roxilandra saw the
ranger
approaching out of the corner of her eye.  She threw back her hair and
turned in his direction.  "Tis a beautiful morning isn't it?  Mishakal
has
blessed us."
   Dorm nodded his head.  Roxi certainly appeared more human than
kender.
She didn't quite have the problem of "finding" other people's
belongings
like all full blooded kender, but her natural innocence and optimism
she
inherited from her kender mother were always nice to have around. 
Especially in a bad situation.
   "It is a beautiful morning," the ranger said softly," Did you sleep
well?"
   The cleric sighed. "As well as could be expected.  Are we going to
be
traveling to Barter this day?"
   Dorm bit his lip.  He hadn't thought about that.
   Barter was a small town west of Hopeful.  Dorm had gotten word from
a
merchant that Barter's mayor was looking into hiring bodyguards. 
Dorm's
original plan had been to travel to Barter yesterday days earlier, but
an
ogre raid forced Dorm and his two companions to stay in Hopeful and
help the
townspeople drive out the ogres.  Part of him wanted to leave Hopeful
later
in the afternoon, but the ranger felt he still had some business here
in the
small town.
   "Probably in a day or two at most," he responded after a moment of
silence.
   "No big deal Dorm, I was just wondering."  Roxi walked down the
stairs
and over to the bar.  Dorm peered out of the window that sat opposite
of the
carving of the dragon, seeing the townsfolk move through the streets. 
He
then spotted two dark knights dressed in black armor walking over to
three
dwarves dressed in leathers.
   Dorm watched as a blond haired knight stepped in front of one of the
dwarves.  "What would Knights of Nereka be doing in Hopeful?" he
murmured,
drawing his long sword he called Silverwind.
   At the bar, Timber's ears picked up the faint sound of Dorm's voice
and
quickly drew his rapier.  He looked at the cleric, who was hunched over
a
small plate of eggs and softly spoke," Do be a dear Roxi and watch over
my
ale while Dorm and I attend to go outside for a minute."

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   Borowin and his bodyguards Vash and Brunhilda studied the two dark
knights, who now stood in front of them.  They both appeared to be
twice as
tall as the average dwarf and very muscular underneath their black
plate
armor.
   One of the knights attempted to step closer to Borowin, but Vash and
Brunhilda drew their weapons and stood in-between the dark knight and
the
mystic.  "Is there something we can help you with?" asked the
strawberry
blond haired dwarf Brunhilda in a soprano voice.  She wore steel plate
armor
and was stout like most dwarves, but her face lacked the beard.
   The dark knight with blond hair spoke.  "I am Dexter, Knight of the
Lily.
  I have come on behalf of my commander Unther Swordbreaker, who is
also a
Knight of Nereka.  He wishes to speak with you three.  Particularly the
one
who is traveling to the Plains of Dust."
   Borowin clenched his fists.  The knights must have somehow figured
out
about his quest to find the Devahammer.  "I am sorry Sir Dexter,"
Borowin
answered quietly from behind his bodyguards," but we are just travelers
from
Thorbardin.  We have no idea what you are talking about."
   The two dark knights looked at one another and grabbed the hilt of
their
swords, knowing that the dwarf was lying.  They knew other ways to make
stubborn dwarves talk.
   The knights were ready to attack when Borowin spotted two strangers
walking towards them, one elf and one human.  They both had their
blades
drawn and were walking at a quick pace.
   "Well, what do we have here?" the elf remarked.
   "Gentlemen, I hardly think it's polite to interrogate travelers on
the
streets, wouldn't you agree?" added the human.
   The knight Dexter turned to the strangers.  "This doesn't concern
you. 
Move along, or else we'll use have to use our weapons against you."
   Timber looked at Dorm with a smirk on his face.  "These don't look
like
ogres, but they kind of smell like them."
   Dorm let out a laugh.  Leave it to Timber to provoke an attack. 
"You
appear to be harassing these dwarven travelers," the ranger said to
Dexter
and his comrade.  "As self appointed protectors of the town of Hopeful,
I
must ask you to cease your actions."
   A crowd of townsfolk started to gather, which made the dark knights
take
their hands off of their weapons.  "We do not wish to cause a scene in
front
of the citizens of Hopeful," Dexter said aloud," but we won't forget
this. 
Come along Marcus."
   Dexter and Marcus quickly walked away from the dwarves.  Dorm caught
a
cold glare from Dexter's eyes.
   The ranger turned to the elf.  "That was easier than I thought."
   The elf nodded.  "A little too easy if you ask me.  Something tells
me we
haven't heard the last of this."
   Borowin stepped beside Dorn and bowed politely.  "I appreciate your
help,
but we could have handled ourselves."
   Dorm and Timber looked at one another, wondering if the dwarf was
thanking them.  "Why were those knights after you?" Dorm asked.
   Borowin sighed.  "My bodyguards and I had come from Thorbardin.  We
are
traveling to a temple located in the Plains of Dust."
   "Why would you want to go to a temple hidden in the Plains of Dust,"
Timber asked before accidentally bumping into the two bodyguards,
causing
them to drop their belongings.
   "That doesn't concern you now does it elf?" Borowin said coldly.
   Timber ignored the mystic's words, throwing a smile at the blond
haired
female dwarf as he bent down to retrieve her pack.
   After the elf helped pick up the bodyguard's belongings, he stepped
back
and politely bowed to Brunhilda.  Borowin looked up at Dorn and quietly
said," We must be traveling along the East Road.  Farewell."
   The dwarven mystic and his bodyguards quickly walked away from
Timber and
Dorn.  "I hope they make it safe," the ranger said under his breath.
   Timber patted his friend's shoulder.  "I'm sure they'll be fine." 
The
elf rogue reached behind his back, pulling out a small brown bag. 
"They
might be missing a few coins though."  He reached into the bag, pulling
out
a few steel pieces.  "Next round of ale is on me."
   Dorm smiled.  He looked down at Silverwind for a moment, then made a
rash
decision.  "Keep the drinks warm for me Timber, I'm going to follow
those
dwarves."

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   Borowin, Brunhilda, and the red bearded Vash quietly walked down the
East
Road.  The mystic didn't mean to offend the ranger back in Hopeful, but
he
also didn't have time for idle chitchat.  He had a quest to complete.
   Vash scouted ahead.  A cool breeze brushed his long and heavy red
beard. 
He didn't see anything on the road that appeared threatening.  Just a
couple
of brown squirrels running around.
   Brunhilda walked quietly in front of the mystic, keeping her axe
over her
shoulders.  She ran her fingers along her beardless chin, humming a
quiet
tune to herself.
   Keeping himself as quiet as possible, Borowin reached inside his
back and
pulled out the map Cole had given him.  The East Road was marked on the
parchment, as was the town of Hopeful and Hall of Angels.  The mystic
saw a
faint blue line on the map between the East Road and the outer area of
the
Plains of Dust.
   Before Borowin could study the map more, he heard Vash's cry of
"dark
knights" coming from the front.
   Borowin drew his morningstar, moving quickly to the front. 
Brunhilda
tried to keep him held back, but the mystic pushed through his
bodyguard. 
He looked forward, seeing seven men in black armor.  One of the men
Borowin
recognized was Dexter.  The dark knight drew his sword and ran up to
Vash,
making a quick slash across the dwarf's chest.
   Borowin's eyes widened in anger as he watched Vash's body drop to
the
ground.  "Don't worry, your companion is still alive," Dexter said in
cold
voice.  "I knew I would run into you again.  My commander has need of
you,
so if you value your bodyguard's life, and the lives of you and your
female
companion, then you will come with us."
   Borowin gritted his teeth in anger.  He had no other choice.
 

Chapter 2

   Roxilandra was sitting at a small table in the corner of the lobby. 
She
was in a calm and peaceful meditation, channeling Mishakal's divine
energy
as she prayed for her spells.
   There seemed to be nothing that could disrupt the cleric's
concentration-except a bony finger that began tapping on her shoulder.
   She tried to ignore it at first, but the tapping became more
irritating. 
Finally she snapped her eyes opened and turned her head, seeing Timber
standing there with a smile on his face.  "I hope you have a good
reason for
interrupting me while I was praying," she said with her arms at her
hips.
   Instead of answering Roxi's question, Timber looked over at the two
empty
ale mugs at the bar.  "You didn't watch over my ale."
   Roxi shrugged her shoulders.  "You shouldn't just leave your ale
lying
around.  Now seriously Timber, what's going on?"
   Timber shook his head and placed the empty mugs in his newly
acquired
brown bag.  "There were some dark knights just outside harassing some
dwarves," the elf responded, staring at a finely crafted silver spoon. 
"So
Dorm and I went outside to help them."
   "Which would explain your hasty retreat," remarked Roxi as she
watched
Timber moving over to a nearby table.
   "Hey that kender has my fork," shouted a customer from across the
lobby.
   "But I didn't..." Roxi stopped, and looked over at Timber, who wore
a not
so innocent look on his face.
   "Dorm went to follow the dwarves," Timber whispered  "I suggest we
leave
and catch up with him as soon as possible."
   Timber and Roxilandra quickly left the Elven Dagger.  The cleric ran
behind the rogue.
   Her ears picked up the sound silverware rattling from his bulgy back
pocket.

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   Dexter had the dwarves tied up and kept Borowin's map in his back
pocket.
   Vash was wounded pretty badly, but Dexter made sure that the
bodyguard's
wounds were attended to.
   Borowin cursed Reorx and cursed himself.  If the god that the
dwarves
revered so much had chosen him for this quest, then why had he let him
be
captured by these dark knights.
   Brunhilda and Vash were napping quietly.  The mystic suggested to
them
both to get some rest while Dexter kept them tied up.  Borowin watched
the
blond dark knight sitting at a table, looking over the map.
   The Lily Knight studied the map intensely, closely examining each
location.  Dexter looked up from the table, seeing Marcus standing in
front
of him.  "What do you report Marcus?"
   Standing the same height as his superior officer, Marcus bowed to
Dexter
and replied," Sir, Commander Unther is back at the camp, awaiting your
report."
   Dexter looked at Marcus.  "Go and tell Commander Unther that we have
the
dwarf and will be waiting for his orders."
   Borowin's ears picked up every word of the conversation between
Marcus
and Dexter.  He wondered who was this Unther Swordbreaker and what did
he
want with him.  "Could he be after the Devahammer?" the mystic
whispered
under his breath.  What would Knights of Nereka want with an artifact
meant
for Reorx?  Was there something in the temple that Cole didn't mention
to
him before?
   "What does it matter?" Borowin muttered under his breath, watching
Marcus
walk away from Dexter.  "Sooner or later, these dark knights are going
to
kill us anyways."
   "Now I wouldn't give up just yet," a familiar voice whispered to
Borowin.
  The mystic quickly remembered the owner of the voice.
   "You're the human who helped us back in Hopeful," Borowin answered
softly."
   "The name is Dorm Silverfalcon," Dorm whispered.  "I figured you
could
use some help.  Knights of Nereka don't usually travel down the East
Road. 
You must be important to have them be chasing you all this way."
   "If you get me and my bodyguards out of here alive, then maybe I’ll
tell
you" the dwarven mystic responded.
   Dorm emerged from the shadows, drawing Silverwind and cutting the
ropes
that bound Borowin's hands.  The ranger then stepped over to Brunhilda,
cutting her bonds, then finally cut Vash's ropes.  "Now we have to get
out
here," the ranger said quickly, but he stopped moving as the sharp
point of
a sword touched his back.
   "I was hoping I'd run into you again," Dexter mused as Dorm turned
to
face him.  "I was ordered to keep the dwarves alive, but I'll just kill
you."
   Dexter thrusted his word forward, piercing the ranger's shoulder. 
Dorm
grunted in pain, but raised Silverwind forward.  Dexter made another
thrust
attempt, this time at the ranger’s chest, but Dorm parried the dark
knight's
attack, then made a hard lower slash across Dexter's stomach.
   Dexter felt the ranger's sword break though his plate armor, ripping
into
his skin.  The dark knight signaled his men to attack.
   Vash and Brunhilda charged at two of Dexter's men while Borowin
channeled
divine energy from within.
   After successfully casting a summoning spell, Borowin saw three dark
knights standing there with their weapons drawn.  He watched as they
took a
step forward, ready to attack, but they stopped as three stout azers
appeared in front of him.
   Azers were dwarves, native to the Plane of Fire.  They had bronze
colored
skin and flames around their heads where their hair and beards would
normally be.  Borowin grinned as the Azers waved their war hammers in
the
air and charged at the dark knights.
   Brunhilda knocked down the dark knight she was fighting and ran to
then
where they were keeping her's and Vash's weapons.  She quickly grabbed
the
axes, then ran though the camp like a whirlwind, cutting down any
unfortunate dark knight she crossed paths with.  When she ran past
Vash, she
tossed him his axe.
   Catching his axe from Brunhilda, Vash used what momentum he had and
slashed his weapon hard across the chest of a knight on his left.  He
quickly twirled around, cleaving another dark knight across the
midsection.
   Dorm and Dexter continued to defect each other's attacks.  The sound
of
their blades smacking against each other filled the campsite with
echoes of
loud metal clangs.
   Dexter made a hard right slash at the ranger's side, but Dorm
stepped
back and drove Silverwind's sharp edge down Dexter's chest.  The dark
knight
stumbled for a moment, trying to keep himself on his feet.  Dorm jumped
at
Dexter and slashed Silverwind hard across his chest once more for good
measure.
   With his last breath, Dexter cursed the ranger who had just bested
him...then the darkness took him.
   Borowin continued to channel his energy to cast his mystic spells. 
The
dwarven mystic casted a powerful bless spell to help aid the azers who
were
viciously  beating the dark knights.   One of the younger,
inexperienced
knights hard tried grabbing one of the azers by their fiery beard.  The
end
result of that, was the fire from the fire dwarf's beard burned though
the
dark knight's armor, scarring his flesh.
   The azer who had his beard pulled roared a lord dwarven curse swung
his
war hammer furiously at the young dark knight, splitting the knight's
skull
in two.  There were just some things you didn’t do to a dwarf in
battle, and
pulling on their beards was one of them.
   Dorm left Dexter's body and joined Brunhilda and Vash.  The ranger
slash
his sword at one of the knights, cutting off his head.  Brunhilda
finished
off the last death knight by slicing her axe through her foe's stomach.
   The azers cheered as they stood over the burned and cleaved corpses
of
their enemies.  Then Borowin waved his hand and the fire dwarves
vanished.
   "There's an old saying, that dwarves appreciate nothing more than a
good
fight," Dorm remarked, grabbing a small piece of cloth and quickly
cleaning
off his sword.
   Borowin looked around the camp.  He quickly went over to the table
Dexter
was working at and grabbed his map.  Dorm walked over with him.  "So
what's
all this about temples, maps, and dark knights?"
   The mystic turned to him with a sigh.  "I suppose I owe you an
explanation."  Borowin quickly explained about his quest to retrieve
the
Devahammer from the Hall of Angels and the circumstances that involved
his
deceased clansmen.
   After listening to the dwarf's story, the ranger's ears picked up a
loud
growling noise coming from behind them.  Dorm turned his heads, seeing
Roxilandra walking with Vash while Brunhilda Timber pinned to the
ground.
   "Brunhilda, leave that elf alone," Borowin shouted, trying not to
laugh.
   "But this elf stole my bag of steel," snapped Brunhilda, holding her
axe
blade at Timber's throat.  "When you bumped into be back in Hopeful."
   "I was going to give them back," Timber said in a high tone voice. 
The
female dwarf began moving her hands in the elf's pocket's feeling for
coins,
which caused the elf to wiggle around and laugh.
   Finding no coins, Brunhilda growled and got off of the thief's
chest. 
Dorm walked over to his elf friend, helping him to his feet.
   "Did you see that?" Timber yelled," Searching me like I'm some light
fingered kender!"
   "Hey!" shouted Roxi after she heard the elf.

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   Back at his camp, Commander Unther Swordbreaker, Knight of the Lily,
waited to hear Dexter's report.
   In his late fifties, Unther still had a fit body, but his reflexes
weren't what they used to be.  On the top of his head, he sported thick
grey
hair.  After receiving a vision from the Queen of Darkness at a young
age,
Unther had enlisted with the Knights of Takhisis, just before the Chaos
War
had begun.  Overtime, he had risen through the ranks of the dark
knights.
   After the War of Souls and the death of his goddess Takhisis, Unther
was
a man with no god and no purpose.  He and his regiment temporary
traveled to
the southern lands of Ansalon, waiting for orders.
   Unther had no idea how he would spend the rest of his days, until a
month
ago when he met a cleric of Sargonnas who told him about the Tablet of
Time
that was hidden in a very old temple located in the regions of the
Plains of
Dust.
   The Tablet of Time was a magical stone tablet.  The cleric told
Unther
that anyone who could successfully read the tablet would gain eternal
youth.
  Unther wanted to find this tablet and gain the powers for himself. 
It
would be the first step in his goal of becoming ruler of Ansalon.
   Unther thought that he would have to search all over the Plains of
Dust
to find the temple, but then his dwarven spies informed him that a
dwarven
mystic was on his way to the Plains of Dust, to find a temple called
the
Hall of Angels.  Unther had assigned Dexter the task of capturing the
dwarf
and his companions.
   One of Unther's dark knights, a handsome fellow named Samuel
Helmfire
stepped into Unther's tent.  "Sir, we have word that Dexter's camp was
raided."
   "And the dwarves?" asked Unther.
   "Dexter had captured them, but they escaped," Samuel responded," Our
spies tell us they are traveling down the East Road."
   Unther smiled.  "Take some men and go capture the dwarf.  If anyone
tries
and stop you, you have my orders to kill."

Chapter 3

   Accompanied by the dwarves and his companions, Dorm traveled further
down
the East Road, hoping to make to the Plains of Dust before nightfall. 
The
ranger scouted ahead and searching the grass,  and keeping an eye out
for
dark knights who might be waiting for them along the road.  After
hearing
Borowin's tale about the Devahammer and the circumstances surrounding
it's
recovery, Dorm, Roxi, and even Timber agreed to help the mystic in his
quest.
   The group walked a few feet behind Dorm, the elf and the bodyguards
staying in front while the cleric and the mystic.  Like any person who
shared a kender bloodline, Roxi began to ask Borowin questions; mostly
about
his family and his faith.  When the dwarf replied that he was a mystic
and
didn't fully believe in the gods, Roxilandra Shanklebee, priestess of
Mishakal, went into a loud rant about how the return of the gods would
be
for the better of Krynn.
   Borowin pointed to an eagle flying by, causing the half kender to be
distracted.  As she turned her head away from him, Borowin quickly
moved his
way past Timber and the bodyguards and up to where Dorm was scouting. 
"That
cleric you travel with is something else," the dwarf remarked, catching
his
breath.
   Dorm laughed, hearing Roxi praying to Mishakal from the back of the
group.  "That's how a lot clerics are.  My mother was a cleric of
Mishakal,
and my father was a cleric of Gilean.  Sometimes they would go debate
about
the gods for hours.  Roxi is just passionate about her beliefs, that’s
all."
   "What about the elf, is he as passionate about his beliefs?" Borowin
asked with a chuckle.
   The ranger shook his head.  "The only thing Timber is passionate
about is
steel, alcohol, and a food," Dorm replied with a smile.  "Timber can't
remember his past.  Where he came from.  Who his parents were.  All he
can
remember is his days as a Steel Legionnaire.  To be honest, I think he
prefers it that way."
   Borowin looked back, seeing Roxi stare curiously at a squirrel while
Timber was telling a joke to the dwarves.  "Some interesting company
you
keep Dorm Silverfalcon, but what about you?  What's your story?"
   Dorm looked down the road.  " Well I was raised in Solace, that's
where I
met Roxi.  I spent my childhood hearing many tales of heroes, and often
visiting the Tomb of the Last Heroes.  When I turned sixteen, I
enlisted
with the Legion of Steel.  We weren't Knights of Solomnia, but we were
good
guys...for the most part."
   The mystic sighed.  "Sounds like a good life.  I had to spend many
of my
early years hearing about my father and my brother.  Now they are
standing
at the gates of Reorx's Forge, waiting for me to retrieve the
Devahammer so
that they can enter the afterlife."
   "We will retrieve the hammer, and your clan will enter Reorx's
Forge,"
Dorm said softly.  He looked forward, spotting the most beautiful woman
he
had even laid eyes on.
   She was dressed in white silk and had long blond hair.  Her body was
sleek and perfect in all the right places.  "A nymph," Dorm said
softly,"
I'm sure she'll just leave us alone."  Though he was confident in his
guess,
doubt crept into the ranger's mind as he glanced in her direction one
more
time, and noticed that she was staring back him.  He then spotted four
small
furred figures dancing around her.
   Dorm held up a hand for the group to stop.  Timber broke his
conversation
he was having with the two bodyguards and walked up to the front," Why
did
we stop?"
   "A nymph," Borowin answered softly.
   "A nymph shouldn't bother us," Timber said quietly.
   "No, but those satyrs might," Dorm quickly added.
   The elf and the dwarf looked at one another.  "Satyrs?" they asked
in
unison.
   The ranger nodded.  "Yeah satyrs.  Little men with horns and goat
legs."
   "I know what a satyr is," snapped Timber, looking down the path. 
"Great,
one of those little bastards is coming towards us."
   No sooner did Timber finish his sentence, that the goat man who was
walking over to them, now stood a few feet away from the ranger. 
"Hello
gentlemen.  My name is Billobee, and I couldn't help but notice that
you and
your party were walking down this path."
  Timber stepped to Dorm's side.  "Spare us the pleasantries.  We don't
have
any spare steel.  Now if you excuse us, my friends and I have some very
important business to tend to."
   Billobee placed himself in front of the elf.  "Now it just so
happens
that our lady Gilda, the nymph you see down the road, has some business
with
the human."
   "Me?" questioned Dorm.  The ranger glanced at the nymph, who seem to
be
smiling at him as she held a small bundle in her arms.
   The satyr nodded.  "Yes you.  Gilda believes you to be the father of
her
child."
   "What!" Dorm yelled," How is that possible?  I've never met this
Gilda."
   Gasps came from behind the ranger.  He looked back, seeing the glare
Roxi
was giving him.  Timber slapped his friend on the back.  "How long were
you
planning on keeping this little secret from us Dorm?" he asked
cheerfully,
forgetting the satyr was standing there.
   Dorm blushed while the dwarven mystic and the elven thief were
roaring
with laughter.  Billobee shook his head.  "A month ago, Gilda took a
nasty
hit to the head by a fallen tree branch, then a fallen hornet's nest,
not to
mention a barrage of fallen apples and acorns.  Anyways, whenever she
sees
travelers coming up this way, Gilda believes one of the travelers to be
her
father, or her uncle, or in your case, the father of her child."
   Dorm looked at Timber, but Billobee placed a hand on the ranger's
shoulder.  "Look all she wants is for you and your friends to have
lunch
with us.  You could choose to just walk down the road and ignore her,
but it
really would make her day if you came and sat with her.  I'm sure your
friends would love some time off of their feet.  We’re not going to try
and
steal your food, or money, or clothes.  We mean no harm.  There’s
plenty of
food."
   Timber's eyes lit up at the sound of the satyr's last word.  He
looked at
Dorm with innocent eyes, trying to keep himself from laughing.  "Oh
please
father, can we stop and have lunch with mother?"
   Dorm turned back to the satyr with a nervous look on his face and
answered," Well we could use the rest."

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   In a small clearing a few miles away from the road. the four satyrs
danced around while Gilda sat with Dorm, her read resting on the
ranger's
shoulder as she cradled the small bundle in her arms.
   The cleric and Brunhilda were dancing alone with the satyrs. 
Timber,
Borowin, and Vash sat in a circle, eating away the lunch the satyrs had
prepared for them.  Vash looked at the small bundle wrapped in the
nymph's
arms,” You really think she's holding a baby?  I say it's a trap of
some
sort."
   Borowin raised an eyebrow," What would be the trap?  Getting Dorm to
actually father her child?"
   They all erupted in laughter, until Timber saw something slip out of
the
bundle that caught his attention.  "Is that a tail?"
   Gilda smiled and looked at Dorn.  "He looks so much like his
father." 
The nymph leaned up and kissed his cheek.
   Dorm looked down at the small wolf pup sleeping sound fully in the
nymph's arms.  "He sure does" he said with a nervous smile.
   Billobee quietly walked up to Dorm, patting his shoulder.  "Thanks
for
doing this."
   "Not a problem," Dorm answered through his teeth.
   Dorm looked up at the blue sky, watching the clouds.  Everything
seemed
calm and peaceful, until the ranger saw a dark shape in the sky moving
towards the ground.  "That's a blue dragon," he said softly.
   "Dragon!" Gilda creamed, standing up and holding the sleeping pup
closer
to her breast.
   The ranger quickly rose to his feet.  "Gilda...take our…son and
hide. 
Quickly"
   Gilda ran back to Dorm, giving him a passionate kiss.  "Be careful
my
love," she whispered in a sultry voice," I don't want you to lose you
again.”
   Dorm watched her run far, into some trees.  He looked over and saw
Timber, Roxi, and the dwarves armed with their weapons, ready for his
orders.
   The blue dragon slowly descended to the ground, bearing a rider in
blue
armor on it's back.  "I am Samuel Helmfire and my men and I have come
for
the dwarf whose name is Borowin."
   "Your men?" Dorm asked quietly.  He scanned the clearing, seeing
several
men dressed in blue armor coming from all sides.  One of the men
emerged
from behind a large tree, holding sword at Gilda's back.
   "Give us the dwarf, or we'll kill the nymph, and the pup," the dark
knight who stood behind Gilda shouted.
   Hearing Gilda's outbursts about how mean it was for the dark knight
to
refer her son as a pup, Dorm drew his sword, but Borowin placed a hand
over
the ranger's weapon.  "It's all right Dorm. I'll go with him.  It's not
worth risking Gilda and your child."
   "But the child isn't even his," Timber whispered," and it's not even
a
child, it's wolf cub."  Roxi hit the elf in the shoulder, her eyes
telling
him to be silent.
   Borowin walked over to the blue dragon rider.  The tall but slender,
Samuel Helmfire ordered his blue dragon, Darkwing to lower his head for
the
dwarf to get on.
   After the mystic managed to make it onto the dragon's back, Darkwing
jumped up into the air and flew away.
   The dark knight who held Gilda at sword point, pushed her aside and
followed the rest of the knights out of the clearing.  The nymph
quickly ran
to Dorm, tears streaming down her face.
   "Oh my darling, I'm so sorry," she cried through her tears.  "Your
friend
gave his freedom so that our son could live."
   The wolf pup, now fully awake, looked up at Dorm and whined.  Dorm
put
his arm around Gilda and kissed her softly.  "It's all right Gilda,
we're
going to rescue him."
   "I'm assuming when you say 'we'," Timber commented," you mean
yourself,
Roxi, the dwarves, and me.  How do you propose we do that?  In case you
didn't see, they've got us outnumbered."
   Billobee quietly stepped forward.  "Well actually there's a camp of
some
mercenaries who had just left the town of Rigitt not to far from here. 
The
leader's name is Lynsey Greensteel.  I believe they call themselves the
Jade
Brigade."
   The cleric's eyes lit up while Timber gave a hearty laugh.  Dorm
looked
at the satyr.  " Lynsey Greensteel?  Short woman with red hair?"
   The satyr looked up at Dorm.  "You know her?"
   "She traveled with Roxi, Timber, and me during our Steel Legionnaire
days," Dorm responded.

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   Unther Swordbreaker had just heard from one of the squires that
Samuel
Helmfire had successfully captured the dwarf who possessed the map to
the
Hall of Angels.
   The Tablet of Time would be his sooner than he thought.

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   Lynsey Greensteel as the men and women of the Jade Brigade trained. 
She
was a beautiful woman with fiery red hair, and jade colored eyes.  She
wore
a dark green shirt under her elven chain armor and carried a green
hilted
bastard sword.
   As she watched her troops train, Lynsey reminisced on her days as a
scout
for the Legion of Steel.  During her time as a scout, she had made some
interesting friends and fought horrific battles.  After the War of
Souls
ended, Lynsey left the Legion of Steel and roamed Ansalon for a while,
gathering together those who had dreams of becoming heroes.  After
assimilating a group of able bodied men and women, she then named her
group
the Jade Brigade  The Jade Brigade traveled all over Ansalon, defending
the
weak and helpless from oppressing Dark Knights of Nereka, as well as
warlords and other evil.
   One of the younger brigade members, a half elf named Ethann ran up
to
Lynsey.  "Lady Greensteel, there are some people here to see you.  One
of
them says he knows you.  A man named Dorm Silverfalcon."
   Lynsey raised an eyebrow.  "Dorm Silverfalcon?  Wonder what he
wants?"
   "Why don't you ask him yourself, he's standing right here," Dorm
shouted
from behind the leader of the Jade Brigade.
   Lynsey Greensteel turned around and stared at Dorm for a moment,
then she
ran up and hugged him tightly.  "Well it's certainly been a long time,"
she
said in a high voice, then turned her head to the cleric and the rouge. 
"You're both still running around with this riff-raff."  She quickly
walked
up to them," Timber, still up to your antics?  And Roxi, you've become
a
cleric of Mishakal.  Those robes look very good on you, though I prefer
green to blue."  Lynsey greeted both Roxi and Timber with a hug.  The
leader
of the Jade Brigade spotted the two dwarves Vash and Brunhilda. 
"Interesting company you keep Dorm.  Are you trying to reform the
Legion of
Steel?"
   The ranger knew that Lynsey was joking.  "It's a long story," he
answered.  Dorm walked over to Lynsey and told of how he met Borowin
and
rescuing him from the dark knights.  He then explained about meeting
the
nymph and Borowin getting taken hostage by the dark knight Samuel
Helmfire.
   "That sounds like quite a predicament Dorm," Lynsey remarked shortly
after the ranger finished his story.  "These dark knights you speak of,
we've been tracking them for days now, waiting for an excuse to attack
their
camp  If you give me an hour, and I can gather up some forces and
devise up
a plan to take out the encampment.  Your experienced blades are more
then
welcome of course."
   Dorm smiled.  He made a silent vow that he would save Borowin from
the
dark knights.  Even if it meant sacrificing his own life.
 

Chapter 4

   Unther looked over at Borowin, then looked back at the dwarf's map
he
held in his hands.  For the last hour, Unther had interrogated the
dwarven
mystic, asking why he was so intent on traveling to the Plains of Dust,
and
if he knew anything about the Tablet of Time.  The mystic had kept
quiet,
not answering Unther's questions.  "No matter," Unther Swordbreaker had
told
him," I'll travel to the Hall of Angels and get the tablet myself."  He
looked at the red haired dark knight Lacey who was standing at the
door. 
"Lacey, get some my dragon ready.  You, Samuel, and I are going to the
Plains of Dust."
   As if hearing the call of his superior officer, Samuel walked into
Unther's tent.  "Sir, our scouts have spotted a small force coming this
way.
  We believe it to be that bothersome band of adventurers we've heard
about.
  The Jade Brigade I believe they call themselves."
   Unther folded the map and placed it into his pocket.  "Coming to
rescue
the dwarf no doubt.  They're no threat to us."  He looked away from
Samuel. 
"We need the dwarf no longer, we have more pressing business to attend
to."
   "The Tablet of Time?" asked Samuel.
   Unther Swordbreaker nodded.  "As I told Lacey, the three of us will
be
going to the Hall of Angels.  I doubt our forces will need our help
defending the camp against the Jade Brigade."
   As the three dark knights walked out of the tent, Borowin smiled. 
For
the third time today, Dorm Silverfalcon was coming to his rescue.  The
mystic looked up at the ceiling and shook his head.  "I don't suppose
you
had anything to do with this."  After a brief silence, Borowin shook
his
head again.  "Nope, I didn't think so."

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   It was late in the afternoon when Lynsey's Jade Brigade entered into
Unther Swordbreaker's camp.  Lady Greensteel cursed for not arriving in
time
to catch Unther, but that didn't stop her from charging into camp and
shouting a fierce battle cry.
   Timber darted left, sneaking behind one of the knights and
backstabbing
him with his sharp rapier.  He then snapped his hand upward, his blade
cutting through the back of the dark knight's neck.
   Roxi stood in back, channeling the energy of her goddess to cast a
bless
spell to aid her companions.  The dwarves Vash and Brunhilda moved into
the
battle swinging their axes at the nearest Knight of Nereka.
   Lynsey and Dorm fought side by side.  The leader of the Jade Brigade
sliced her bastard sword through the body of one of the dark knights,
then
slashed a deep cut across another dark knight's chest.
   Dorm finished the dark knight Lynsey was attacking by plunging
Silverwind
deep in the knight's stomach.  The ranger moved to the dark knight on
his
left, swiping the tip of his sword across the knight's throat.
   The ranger broke away from the battle, running towards one of the
bigger
tents at the end of the camp.  He walked inside, seeing Borowin tied
up.
   "It's about time you showed up," the dwarf remarked.
   Dorm Silverfalcon ran over to the mystic, quickly cutting his ropes. 
"Are you all right?"
   Borowin shook his hands once they were free of the ropes.  "It
seemed
that the dark knights treating their prisoners well were true for the
most
part.  They took the map though," he answered," How's the family?"
   "Um...fine I guess," Dorm replied," They took the map?"
   Borowin nodded.  "They did, but that's fine.  I've got that map
memorized
in my head," he remarked, tapping his forehead with his index finger.

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   The dark knights who survived the battle surrendered their arms to
Lynsey
Greensteel.  The leader of the Jade Brigade made sure that the knights
were
tied up and treated fairly.
   Dorm turned to Lynsey.  "I can't thank you enough for helping us."
   "I'm sure I can think of a couple of things," Lynsey responded in a
soft
voice," but first you need to help Borowin retrieve that hammer."
   The ranger nodded.  "We're going to head for Storm Rose for the
evening. 
We should reach it in about a few hours."
   Lynsey sheathed her bastard sword.  "Best of luck to you then, and
make
sure you keep that elf out of trouble."  The sound of Timber’s laughter
came
from a few feet away.
     Dorm looked at Borowin, who was arguing with Brunhilda and Vash. 
He
couldn't pick up the entire conversation, but it sounded like Borowin
was
yelling at his bodyguards, saying that they were being foolish.
   The ranger sighed.  He hoped that they would reach the Hall of
Angels
before the Unther Swordbreaker did.

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   It had been a good nights rest for Unther and his fellow dark
knights. 
Unther and his comrades had left camp just as the Jade Brigade were
arriving.  The dark knight hated to leave his men behind, but with the
Tablet of Time, Unther would be untouchable by any member of the Jade
Brigade, or for that matter, any warrior on Krynn foolish to challenge
him. 
Whatever damage the meddlesome band of fools had inflicted on his camp,
he
would make them pay tenfold.
   Unther's blue dragon Highwind had brought Unther, Samuel, and Lacey
to
the entrance to the Hall of Angels.  They had made camp just outside
the
open doorway.  Unther Swordbreaker wondered what sort of traps or
monsters
lay inside the temple.
   After breakfast, Samuel walked over to his commanding officer and
held
the map out, pointing to a faintly blue line on the map.  "This appears
to
be a short cut sir," he said softly.  "They make no mention of traps or
anything dangerous.
   "Assuming we don't run into any monster ourselves," interjected
Lacey,
buckling her blue-plate armor.
   "It is wise to be cautious Lacey," Unther said softly," but it may
be
interesting to find out what lurks in the tunnel."

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   Dorm was the last to rise out of bed in the morning.
   Shortly after the skirmish between the Jade Brigade and the dark
knights,
Dorm, Borowin, and their companions used the rest of the day to travel
to
the village of Stone Rose, a small village in the Plans of Dust. 
Remembering the writing on the map, Borowin noted that the village was
only
a few miles from the temple.
   After putting on his clothes and chain shirt, Dorm headed down the
stairs.  The group had purchased rooms at the Silver Stag, a quaint
little
inn that had white painted walls.  When he entered the lobby, Dorm
didn't
see Roxi or Timber, but he found the dwarves sitting at a table,
playing a
game of Khas.  He quietly walked over to their table, observing the
game.
   Brunhilda had just finished off one of Vash's pieces when Borowin
tapped
the ranger on the shoulder.  "You'll have to wait your turn, I'm
playing the
winner."
   "That's fine," Dorm added.  He began looking around the lobby,
trying to
find any sign of Roxilandra or Timber.  "Has any of you seen Roxi or
Timber?" he asked, scratching his head.
   Borowin looked at the door.  "The cleric went to pray at the local
temple, and the elf said something about getting supplies."  A worried
look
crossed Dorm's face.  "Is everything all right?" the mystic asked.
   Dorm unsheathed his sword and looked at the dwarf.  "Well, when
Timber
says he’s going to get supplies, it means he is going to try and pick
pocket
some people.  I better go and stop him,” The ranger added as he walked
towards the door.
   Before Dorm's hand could grasp the door handle, the door threw
itself
open, slamming right into his face.
   Timber entered through the doorway, holding a large blue sack.  Roxi
stood behind him and shouted," You're going to get in trouble once
they've
found that their money missing."
   The elf turned to the cleric of Mishakal.  "The last thing I need
right
now, is a lecture from the daughter of a light fingered kender!" he
snapped.
  "Besides, everyone will probably think you were the one who made off
with
that merchant's steel pieces."
   Roxi's face flared with anger, tears falling from her eyes.
   Feeling guilty, Timber looked at her and held out her arms.  "Look
Roxi,
I'm sorry."  The cleric grabbed her staff and slammed the round end of
it
hard into the elf's stomach.  Timber turned around, holding his stomach
and
said wearily," I suppose I deserved that."
   The cleric smiled and walked over to the table the dwarves were
sitting
at. Timber watched Roxi for a second, then saw the ranger emerge from
behind
the door.  " When do you think we should leave for the temple?"
   'We'll leave in an hour," Dorm responded," Borowin says he's got the
map
memorized, so we shouldn't have any trouble finding the Hall of Angels. 
Unther should be there soon.  I did some thinking last night, and I
don't
think he's after the Devahammer he's after.  Why would a Knight of
Nereka
want a dwarven artifact?"
   "I don't know, sell it for money," was Timber's response.
   Dorm looked at the elf.  "I asked why a Knight of Nereka would want
a
dwarven artifact, not why an elven thief would want it?"
   "What do you think he's after then?" asked the thief.
   The ranger shook his head.  "I don’t know, but what ever it is, it
must
be pretty important."
 

Chapter 5

   The walls inside the tunnel were made from the earth.  Runes and
grooves
were carved all over the inner tunnel walls.  Lacey held a torch while
Unther and Samuel stood in front of her, hands on their swords.  Unther
stopped, and looked ahead, hearing the faint sound of feet shuffling on
the
tunnel floor.  "Someone is coming."
   Taking a couple steps forward, Samuel and Lacey looked down the
tunnel,
seeing three goblins armed with spears.
   "We could easily take them," Samuel whispered, slowly drawing his
long
sword.
   Unther Swordbreaker shook his head.  "Not now, let's see if we can
settle
this diplomatically."
   The three goblins quickly approached the humans.  One of them, a
stout
little fellow named Gazit extending his spear point towards Unther.
   So much for the diplomatic approach, Samuel said in his mind as he
stepped forward, stabbing Gazit in the midsection.  The goblin drew
back
thrusting his spear at Samuel, but Unther drew his sword and finished
the
Gazit with one clean stroke to his throat.
   The other two goblins charged at the dark knight commander.  Unther
moved
with speed, dodging both of the goblins' attacks.
   It was Lacey's turn to step forward.  She drew two short swords and
slashed both of her blades down across one of the goblin's chest.
   Unther turned in a half circle, driving his sword deep into the
goblin's
bleeding chest.  After his first foe dropped dead, Unther Swordbreaker
jumped at the last goblin, slashing his blade across the goblin's
throat.
   After cleaning his weapon of the goblin blood, Unther sat on the
ground,
breathing hard.
   "It seems Commander Unther still has some moves," Lacey commented
with a
smirk.
   Unther smiled at Lacey, but his expression changed when he saw a
large
minotaur at the end of the tunnel.  "It doesn't look like the battle is
over
yet," the dark knight said as he rose to his feet.
  Samuel and Lacey spotted the minotaur.  The minotaur had brown hair
and
long horns that curved into a half circle.  "My name is Torn," the
minotaur
bellowed from the end of the temple.  "My master Fangor wishes to speak
to
you in his lair."
   "Aren't you going to kill us for slaying your goblin friends?" asked
Lacey.
   Torn shook his large bullhead and chuckled.  "I have no love for
goblins.
  Now come, my master waits."

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   "So this is the Hall of Angels," Timber remarked, unimpressed.
   The entrance to the temple was a large open doorway with images of
angels
and hammers carved along the edges of the entrance.
   "Are you going to search for traps?" Dorm asked the rogue.  Timber
sighed, walking up to the door.  The elf ran  his fingers over the
edges and
the corners of the doorway.  Finding no traps, he walked inside.
   Borowin, Vash, and Brunhilda entered the temple, followed by Roxi
and
Dorm.
   In the hallway, the walls of the temple were carved of white stone. 
Images of angels and the goddess Mishakal were painted all over the
walls. 
Roxi marveled at the paintings, wondering who could have done such
incredible artwork.
   Timber was the first to exit the hallway and enter into the next
room. 
Two metal doors were at the left and right ends of the room.  In the
middle
of the floor there was a large blue infinity symbol painted on the
floor.
   "That's the symbol of Mishakal!" the priestess Roxilandra cried in
excitement once she saw the painting on the floor.
   The dwarfs exchanged confused looks.  "Why would an artifact of
Reorx be
kept inside a temple dedicated to the goddess of healing?" Vash asked
aloud.
  Brunhilda shrugged her shoulders, but Borowin figured that this is
where
the Devahammer must have ended up at after being carried off by a
dragon or
something.
   At that moment, the metal doors opened.  From the two doors on the
left
and right sides, three large skeletons emerged.  At the doorway ay the
end
of the room there were three goblins armed with swords and spears. 
"Prepare
to make this your final resting place," one of the goblins spat
   Timber laughed at the goblin's threat while Dorm drew Silverwind
from its
sheath.  Roxi grabbed Brunhilda's hand and said," We'll take the
skeletons
on the left."
   Borowin looked at Vash.  "We'll take the skeletons on the right."
   Timber shrugged," Well Dorm, I guess we get the easy work then."
   Dorm smirked and looked at his friend.  "Good, let's make this quick
then," he replied with a laugh.
   Roxi reached into her robe, drawing her medallion of faith that bore
the
blue infinity symbol of Mishakal.  She channeled the energy of her
goddess
and a bright light flashed from her symbol.
   Two of the skeletons on the left side were destroyed, but one
remained,
trying to flee from the cleric.  Brunhilda drew a mace from her belt. 
Training in the temple with the dwarven clerics, Brunhilda knew that
skeletons were strong against piercing and slashing weapons.
   Charging forward, Brunhilda took one swipe with her mace and
shattered
the skeleton's bones on impact.
   Across the room, Borowin and Vash easily dispatched the remaining
skeletons.  Like Brunhilda, both of the male dwarves used blunt
weapons,
Borowin with his morningstar and Vash with his great club.  They swung
hard,
crunching the brittle bones of the walking skeletons.
   Timber and Dorm weaved around each of the goblin's spear attacks, 
The
ranger swiped Silverwind across one of the goblin's eyes, blood quickly
spilling from the wound.
   The rogue quickly moved behind the goblin Dorm just attacked,
piercing
his rapier deeply through the injured goblin's back.  The goblin gave a
blood-chilling scream just before he fell dead to the floor.
   Dorm slashed his long sword across one of the goblin's throats, then
moved left of the one remaining goblin, stabbing Silverwind's sharp end
into
the base of the goblin's neck.
   The goblin the ranger had just struck in the neck swung his spear at
the
human, barely missing him.  He tried to go for the attack again, but a
crushing blow to his head interrupted his movement.  The goblin looked
to
his left, seeing the cleric standing there, holding a blue staff.
   Standing to the left of the goblin, Roxi once again sent the round
end of
her quarterstaff at the goblin's hand, knocking the spear from his
hand. 
She then spun around in a circle, swinging her staff hard, bashing her
weapon against the goblin's skull.
   The goblin groaned in pain, but he ceased his groaning once he felt
the
ranger's blade once again penetrate through his neck.

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   The black dragon Fangor watched as Torn entered through the secret
entrance with the three dark knights.
   Normally, Fangor would appear as a huge black colored dragon of
adult
age, with his powerful claws and very sharp teeth, yet at the moment he
wore
his human guise.
   He appeared tall and handsome, with raven black hair and wore black
robes.  He thought himself very comely by human standards, but he
missed his
dragon body.
   "Master I found the dark knights who were traveling in the tunnel,"
Torn
said in his deep voice.
   Fangor nodded.  "It has been some time since I've seen some Knights
of
Takhisis."
   Unther nodded.  "Yes, well since the end of the war, we are
generally
known as the Knights of Nereka.  However, I must say that I'm somewhat
confused.  When Torn said he was taking us to his master Fangor's lair,
I
expected..."
   "A dragon," Fangor finished for the dark knight," Yes I assure you
that
my human guise is not by choice.  I fell under a curse many years ago. 
This
is what happens when a dragon tries to read from the Tablet of Time."
   Unther's eyes widened in amazement.  "You've read from the Tablet of
Time?"
   Fangor hissed.  "Read from it?  I now have to spend my days bound in
this
cursed temple, watching over it, unable to use any magic or change back
into
my dragon form.  Only when someone...a Knight of Takhisis, reads from
it,
will I be free from its curse.
   Samuel walked over to Fangor.  "But why can only a Knight of
Takhisis
read it?"
   "Takhisis created the Tablet of Time strictly for those who were
utterly
devoted to her.  Lord Unther has been a dark knight for many years,
since
before the Chaos War if I'm not mistaken.  The Queen of Darkness saw
much
potent ional in you."
   Unther nodded and said," She showed me a vision of conquering
Ansalon
when I was younger.”
   "Yes, but there is more than you're telling us," added Fangor.  "You
had
a child with one of her dragon, when she was in the form of an elf that
is."
   Lacey and Samuel turned to their leader.  "Is this true?" asked
Samuel
Helmfire.
   "Yes it's true, but how do you know this?" Unther asked Fangor.
   "I will tell you in due time," responded the cursed dragon," but
first
you must read the Tablet of Time.  I will guide you to the room."
   Lacey looked at Fangor and asked," Aren't you going to stop us?"
   "My dear haven't you been listening to anything I've been saying?"
he
answered with laugh," Seriously, if I had wanted to stop you, I would
have
ordered Torn to rip you apart rather than lead you to me."
   Sounds of swords clanging and goblins screeching echoed around the
room. 
Fangor chanted a word, opening a stone door behind him.  "Now if you'll
just
enter, I'll be there in a moment."  Just as Unther, Samuel, and Lacey
quickly walked into the next room, the swords and screeching stopped.
   "Looks like we have more visitors," Fangor said quietly, turning to
the
minotaur.  "Don't have too much fun."

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   Roxi was praying quietly to Mishakal when the door where the goblins
came
from, opened once again.
   Vash, Borowin, Timber and Dorm ran through the door into a narrow
hallway.  Brunhilda grabbed Roxi's hand and pulled the cleric up. 
Together
they went into the hallway, catching up with the men.
   At the end of the hallway was a large open doorway.  They all
entered the
room, seeing piles of bones and scraped of clothing scattered all over
the
floor.  "Whoever lives here must take care to clean the place," the elf
commented sarcastically.
   "Thanks for the compliment," shouted a minotaur as he charged the
elf.
   "Who in the nine hells are you?" Timber asked, sidestepping the
minotaur's attack.
   "My name is Torn, and I am here to welcome you to my master’s
domain,"
Torn the minotaur growled, swinging his massive fist at the elf,
connected
hard with Timber's jaw.
   Dorm watched as Timber fell to the ground.  He swung Silverwind at
the
minotaur's side, cutting a small wound though the beast's skin.  Torn
grabbed the ranger by the shirt and threw him hard against the
stonewall.
   Vash and Brunhilda charged at the minotaur, swinging their axes
high. 
Torn grabbed a dwarf with each hand and grinned, but Brunhilda managed
to
wiggle her way free from the minotaur's grasp.
   Torn tossed Vash to the ground, then unsheathed his two-handed
sword. 
Brunhilda swung her axe at the minotaur, but Torn quickly deflected the
female dwarf's attack.
   Shouting a battle cry, Torn stabbed his blade through Brunhilda's
body. 
Vash cried in anger, then stood up as he saw the tip of the minotaur's
weapon cut through the other side of Brunhilda's body.
   Torn quickly pulled his sword free from the female bodyguard's body
and
turned in a semi-circle, slashing a deep vertical cut across Vash's
neck and
face .  Roxi ran to Brunhilda's side, trying to help her.  The cleric
screeched as she watched Vash's now lifeless body fall to the ground.
   Torn grinned, stepping close to the cleric.  He was ready to add
another
kill , but Dorm leaped into the air, slashing his sword fiercely across
the
minotaur's shoulder.
   The minotaur turned to face the ranger, driving his two-handed sword
down
towards the ranger's head.  Dorm quickly darted left, then made a
powerful
swipe across the bottom of the Torn's neck.
   For a moment, the minotaur couldn't breathe.  He would make this
human
pay.  He would...his thinking was disrupted by a sudden sharp pain he
felt
in his spine.
   Timber stood behind the minotaur, driving his rapier harder into the
minotaur's back.
   Torn's eyes turned red.  He gave one last growl, then fell to the
floor. 
The elven thief stood over the minotaur’s body and drove his rapier
through
the beast’s throat.
   Dorm looked around, seeing the sadness in Roxi's eyes.  The dwarven
bodyguards, Vash and Brunhilda were now dead.
   After stepping off of Torn’s carcass, Timber grabbed a large piece
of
cloth he found on the floor and covered Vash’s scared face.  Roxi
prayed to
Mishakal to guide their spirits safely to Reorx's Forge.
   Dorm looked ahead at on open doorway, watching as Borowin entered
the
room.
 

Chapter 6

From the doorway, Borowin watched as Unther Swordbreaker stood inside
of a
red and black circle that was painted on the floor.  The walls of this
room
were painted white like the other rooms, but there no images of angels
drawn
across the walls.
   Unther held the large stone tablet above his head.  The writing on
the
tablet was writing in black letters that Borowin couldn't understand. 
The
dwarf saw Samuel, Lacey, and a man in black robes standing with their
backs
to the doorway.  The man in black robes appeared to be staring at
Unther
with an anxious look on his face.
   Borowin looked at one of the corners, seeing a large silver war
hammer
with a blue handle.  Runes were carved all over it, and every other
second,
the weapon radiated a faint blue glow.
   The mystic's heart skipped a beat, knowing that this was the hammer
he
had journeyed all this way for.  The Devahammer.
   A few tears fell from his face.  He knew that Brunhilda and Vash,
his
bodyguards and friends, were dead in the other room.  Back at the dark
knight camp, he had told them it would be foolish for them to sacrifice
themselves so that he could finish his quest.  Now, they had given
their
lives so that he could get past the minotaur and get to the Devahammer.
   The man in black robes urged Unther to begin reading from the
tablet. 
Unther hesitated for a moment, but then he began reading the written
words. 
Borowin watched as Unther's body began to glow in a bright red color. 
The
mystic used this opportunity to sneak past the dark knights and the
black
robed gentleman.  He was only inches away from the hammer when he
accidentally stepped on a bone, breaking it in half with a loud snap.
   Fangor, Samuel, and Lacey whirled around, spotting the dwarf as he
grabbed the hammer.  Unther stopped reading for a moment, but Fangor
yelled
at the dark knight to keep reading.
   As he continued to read, Unther could feel his muscles tighten.  His
hair
was turning from thick and grey, back to the chestnut color it once
was. 
The wrinkles on his face slowly smoothing out, the crow's feet on his
eyes
disappearing.  He could feel energy returning to his body.  By the
gods, he
was regaining his youth.
   Due to the curse of the tablet, Fangor couldn't make any attack
against
the dwarf.  Samuel and Lacey drew their weapons, moving towards
Borowin, who
snatched the war hammer from the ground.
   Borowin held the Devahammer in the air, then snapped it forward,
releasing it from his hand.  The war hammer flew through the air until
it
smashed itself hard across Lacey's face.
   Lacey could feet the divine energy of the war hammer surging through
her
body, sending pain through her muscles.
   The Devahammer flew back into Borowin's hand just as Samuel stepped
in
and slashed his sword at the dwarf.  The mystic easily deflected the
dark
knight's attack with the war hammer.
   Borowin looked at the doorway, seeing Timber and Dorm running into
the
room.  The elf and the ranger charged at Unther, but Fangor blocked
their
path.  "I, Fangor may not be able to attack you, but I can keep you
from
harming my father!"
   Samuel, Lacey, and Borowin stared at Fangor, confused by what the
dragon
had just said.  Unther paid no attention.  He had just finished reading
the
Tablet of Time.
   A moment after he finished, a bright light engulfed the room.  "I'm
finished," Unther cried in triumph," I've regained my youth, and
eternal
life."
   Fangor cheered as he felt the curse being lifted off of him like a
two
thousand pound stone slab being lifted off of his chest.  His body
began to
change shape.  In seconds, he changed from looking like a handsome man
wearing black robes, to an adult sized black dragon.
   “Still want to attack my father?" the dragon roared, smacking Timber
and
Dorm hard with his huge claws, sending them to the floor.
   Samuel turned his attention to the dwarf, ready to slice him in
half, but
Borowin was too quick.  The mystic struck his enchanted hammer hard
across
the dark knight's jaw.
   "No, something is wrong!" yelled Unther.
   Once more, everyone looked over at the dark knight holding the stone
tablet.  The glow around his body had faded, and he appeared in his
late
teens, but then Unther's body started to get smaller and younger.  In a
matter of seconds, Unther's age had changed from a young man's to that
of a
crying infant.
   Fangor turned his black-scaled head to Lacey and Samuel.  "We have
to get
my father out of this temple."  The black dragon used his large tail to
scoop up the wailing infant.  Samuel ran over to Lacey and helped her
up. 
Together, they ran to the dragon.
  "Now that's I'm free from the curse," the dragon roared," I can
teleport
us out of here."
   Dorm and Timber stood up, still feeling the force of the dragon's
claw
attack.  Before they could charge at the dragon, Fangor chanted some
words
in his draconic language.
   Borowin hurled the Devahammer at the dragon, but Fangor had
teleported
away a split-second before the hammer could reach him
   The Devahammer flew back into Borowin's hands. He closed his eyes
for a
moment, seeing an image of his brother, his father, Brunhilda, Vash,
and the
members of Strakkengard clan who had went in search for the Devahammer
and
perished, entering the Forge of Reorx.  "It's over," the mystic said
softly,
walking out of the room.
   Dorm watched Borowin walk out of the room.  Timber began looking
around
the room, searching around for any other artifacts someone might have
overlooked.  "If a powerful tablet, and an ancient war hammer could be
found
in this room, then who's to say that there isn't something else in this
room," the elf stared with a merry grin.

Epilogue

A week after he recovered the Devahammer, Borowin arrived at the temple
with
the hammer in his hands.  He found no one to greet him, except for the
high
priest Cole Ice-Cleaver.
   Cole's eyes gazed in amazement as he held the Devahammer in his
hands. 
"The craftsmanship.  The design.  It's beautiful."
   Borowin nodded.  "It packs a powerful hit as well," he remarked with
a
chuckle.
   The high priest of Reorx took one last look at the war hammer, then
handed it back to Borowin.  "It is beautiful, and I'm sure you'll keep
it
that way."
   The mystic looked at the priest.  "Shortly before you arrived, Reorx
appeared to me in another vision," Cole said softly.  "He said that you
should keep the Devahammer for yourself.  He said that you endured a
lot on
your journey, and that not once did you even ask for his aid."
   Borowin held up his hand.  "I didn't ask for Reorx's help, not
because I
didn't believe in him, but because I wanted to do this all on my own. 
If
any aid was given to me, it was the aid my friends."
   Cole nodded.  "I see.  So will you be needing more rest before you
start
training the new mystics?"
   The dwarven mystic shook his head.  "No I think I can start training
the
temple mystics as early as tomorrow."

)(   )(   )(   )(   )(   )(

   In the town of Solace, Dorm, Timber, and Roxi were all staying at
the Inn
of the Last Home.
   The cleric was resting in a room upstairs while Dorm and Timber were
sitting a table in the lobby.
   The elf was using his fork to pick at his plate of spiced potatoes. 
"I
think you're wrong Dorm.  I don't think these spiced potatoes are very
good."
   Dorm started at the elf's plate of spiced potatoes.  "We'll if you
aren't
going to eat them, then I will," the ranger commented.
   Timber looked at the ranger as he grabbed the plate from the elf's
nose. 
"Look at you," Timber remarked,' taking my food like some light
fingered
kender."
   Shouts of "hey and "what" echoed throughout the inn's lobby.  Timber
moved closer to Dorm.
   "You think Borowin made it back to Thorbardin safely?" he asked.
   "I'm sure he did," Dorm answered quietly, taking a bite of the
potatoes
he had seized from the elf  After swallowing the bite, he added," His
clansmen have entered the Gates of Reorx's Forge and passed on into the
afterlife."
   "That's wonderful," Timber said sarcastically," but what about us? 
What's next for us?  Do we help the next person seeking an artifact? 
Do we
go and pick a fight with some dark knights?"
   Dorm shrugged his shoulders.  " I don't know.  We could always look
for
Unther."
   Timber laughed and nodded his head," Oh yeah, with his two little
sidekicks Samuel and Lacey, not to mention that black dragon who helped
them
escape.  Didn't he refer to Unther as his father?"
   "Twice I think," replied Dorm," Unther must have bedded a dragon or
something.  You'd think Fangor would have looked like a half dragon,
but who
knows what kind of magic was at work in that coupling.  He could have
attacked us, but he chose to get his father out of harm’s way.  It just
goes
to show that anyone could have children with dragons or magical
beings..."
   "You mean like you and Gilda the nymph," Timber interrupted with a
laugh," Seriously, that boy looked just his papa."
   Dorm shook his head.  Timber did have a point.  What were he and his
companions going to do next?.
   The ranger quickly finished his potatoes, then came up with an idea.
   "Come on, there's a tomb here in Solace I want you to visit," Dorm
said,
rising from his chair," It's called the Tomb of Last Heroes.  Maybe it
will
give us an idea on what to do next with our lives."

For Roxanne, Kacie, Jeff
 

© 2006 Alan Stover. Used with permission.