Chapter 3

 

 

In the chamber above the throne, Lore and Nyssa sat stunned at what they had heard. They listened as Craw ordered that his goblins were to take over the guard barracks and that more would be arriving shortly. He also ordered all weapons to be handed in and warned that any dwarf found with one afterwards would be severely dealt with.

 

‘What are we going to do?’ Nyssa asked in a small voice as they heard everyone begin to leave. ‘Our folk will be doomed under Mogrom and her goblins.’

 

‘Worse than that Nyssa!’ Lore replied grimly. ‘I’ve been to the northern edge of the Chill Mountains. Beyond them is just ice and I’ve felt the coldness that Orcon rules it with. Nothing will survive if he brings it here.’

 

‘What can we do?’ Nyssa said dismally. ‘With Eldor captured what hope is there?’

 

‘If only he could be rescued somehow!’ Lore said fiercely.

 

But both knew there was little they could do. They left the chamber and made their way back to the exit. But as they stepped into the main corridor an angry voice made them jump in fright.

 

‘So there you are!’

 

They spun around to find Lore’s mother standing there, a foot tapping the floor in annoyance.

 

‘Mother!’ Lore stammered.

 

‘You should be ashamed of yourself, Lore!’ she said. ‘I know where this passage leads. Fancy spying on your father like that.’

 

‘We... we just wanted to know what was going on,’ Lore defended. ‘I’ll be king one day and I should know what’s going on.’

 

‘You’ll be king of the kitchens is what you’ll be,’ Merrill replied sternly. ‘Some scrubbing and cleaning to teach you a lesson.’

 

‘But this is serious!’ Nyssa exclaimed.

 

‘Yes, it is. Now, off you both go to bed… this instant!’

 

‘But... ‘ Lore began, but was silenced by her firm look that could be just as tough as his father’s.

 

They both turned away and headed down the corridor, their hearts feeling as brittle as glass.

 

Merrill watched them go, deep concern suddenly on her face. They were both children still, yet she knew they would have to grow up very quickly from this day on.

 

* * *

 

Lore said goodnight to Nyssa at the door of her bedroom and headed off to his own, wondering whether he would be able to sleep. Once in his room he got into his pyjamas and slipped beneath the covers of his bed. His mind raced with worrying thoughts. What would life be like as slaves to Mogrom and her goblins? He could picture them all having to work in the mines, something that dwarves normally enjoyed. But it would be awful under the cruel control of goblins! And what of Eldor? Was he in fact still alive… or had Orcon and Mogrom already killed him?

 

Sleep finally came and with it a disturbing dream. He dreamt he was wandering in a vast place of thick, rolling mist. It was bitterly cold and each step he took was a struggle, the cold draining him of strength. But something told him he must keep walking, that he was needed somewhere ahead.

 

Then quite suddenly he heard a voice calling his name.

 

‘Lore…’ it whispered.

 

‘Who... who’s there?’ he asked in dread, his teeth chattering.

 

‘It’s Eldor,’ replied the wizard’s voice. ‘Keep walking toward me.’

 

Lore stumbled forward as quickly as his chilled, numbed legs would carry him. Then the mist thinned a little and there was Eldor, standing like a statue with the mist curling about him.

 

‘Eldor!’ Lore exclaimed. ‘Where am I?’

 

‘Don’t worry, Lore… you’re only dreaming,’ Eldor replied reassuringly. ‘I’m appearing to you to tell you how Orcon can be defeated as he is the real threat to Lendor. There is one hope. You must take my staff south to the Scorching Desert and find the cave of Ashmon, the Desert Lord.’

 

‘Ashmon?’ Lore frowned, not having heard the name before.

 

‘He is an elemental being like Orcon and governs summer’s rule. He lives in the desert beyond the Bleak Mountains far to the south of Lendor. Orcon and Mogrom have put an ice spell over his cave and trapped him there.’

 

‘But… no one knows a way over the mountains, Eldor,’ Lore replied. ‘They are said to be impassable.’

 

‘Moonwing will find a way for you,’ Eldor replied. ‘You will find him waiting for you once you escape the citadel. But you must recover my staff and take it with you. Only it can free Ashmon.’

 

‘What... what shall I do with it once I reach Ashmon’s cave?’ Lore asked with a shiver as the cold suddenly deepened around him.

 

‘If my staff touches the ice spell, it will break it and free him.’

 

‘But...’ Lore began.

 

‘No more questions, Lore,’ Eldor said. ‘Orcon will discover me appearing to you before too much longer. Be warned though… he and Mogrom will come after you with a fury once they learn you have my staff. They will know it could free Ashmon. But should great danger ever threaten you, thrust it into the ground and call my name. But only once mind you… only once…’

 

His voice suddenly faded away, the mist swirling up to cover him.

 

‘Eldor... wait!’ Lore cried out.

 

But the wizard was gone and a sudden crushing coldness swept over Lore as if someone… or something knew he was there. It wrapped tighter around him, freezing his very bones and he gave a sharp cry of pain...

 

... and woke up with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed and gasping for breath. He was back in his bedroom, its window rattling in a moaning wind that blew about the citadel outside. A single candle burning on a small table under it flared as if disturbed by it.

 

‘It was just a dream...’ he muttered in relief.

 

But was it, he wondered? He was still shivering from the cold he had felt and Eldor’s voice had been so clear. Suddenly there was knock on his door and he gave a fresh start.

 

‘Lore!’ Nyssa’s voice called urgently.

 

‘Come in, Nyssa!’ Lore said.

 

The door opened and Nyssa slipped inside in her pyjamas.

 

‘I heard you cry out,’ she said. ‘Are you all right?’

 

‘Yes… but I had this amazing dream… about Eldor!’

 

He quickly told her about it and she listened in wide-eyed wonder.

 

‘Do you think it really was Eldor?’ she asked once he had finished.

 

He nodded.

 

‘I’m sure it was,’ he replied. ‘Remember last summer when Dom was sent the dream by Queen Erin about the Stardust Fountain. This was the same… but sent to me by Eldor’s magic!’

 

‘What do you think we should do? Should we tell you dad?’

 

‘No… he’ll be watched closely by Craw or some of his goblins,’ Lore replied. ‘But if I knew where Aunt Rena was, I could tell her. She could come up with a plan…’

 

He suddenly fell silent as they both heard a sound at the door. It started to open and their hearts flew into the mouths, thinking it were goblins. But it was Rena herself who slipped into the room, a pack on her back as if she was going somewhere.

 

‘Aunt Rena!’ Lore gasped. ‘You gave us such a scare!’

 

‘Sorry,’ she replied. ‘But I needed to see someone before I left.’

 

‘Left!’ Nyssa said in surprise. ‘Where are you going?’

 

‘I’m getting out of the citadel before Craw has a chance to take my ears,’ she said grimly. ‘And someone has to warn others of what has happened… the dwarves in our mines, the elves, fairies and gnomes. You tell your father, Lore...’

 

‘Wait, Aunt Rena!’ Lore interrupted. ‘Eldor has just appeared to me in a dream telling how Orcon can be defeated.’

 

‘What!’ Rena said in shock. ‘What did he say?’

 

Quickly Lore told her what the wizard had said.

 

‘Ashmon, eh?’ she said thoughtfully once he was done. ‘Few know of him in Lendor as his influence is less than Orcon’s. But I know a little about him and he does indeed live in the Scorching Desert. Now that’s a journey and a half I can tell you.’

 

‘Have you ever been there?’ Lore asked, knowing how adventurous his Aunt had been in her younger days.

 

‘Good dwarves, no!’ she replied with a laugh. ‘Though I did try once to cross the Bleak Mountains with some other dwarves. And got hopelessly lost! They stretch across the entire south of Lendor and we spent almost a week just finding a way out again. But if Eldor says Moonwing can guide us over them…’

 

She fell silent, her expression thoughtful.

 

‘So, what shall we do, Aunt Rena?’ Lore asked. ‘Nyssa and I thought if finding dad, but he’ll be watched we thought.’

 

Rena nodded.

 

‘He is and I was just lucky enough to slip away before Craw could put a watch on me too,’ she said. ‘It’s probably why Eldor appeared to you, knowing that Brodon would have his hands tied. No, it will be up to us if there is any chance of defeating Orcon.’

 

Lore and Nyssa looked at each other and grinned. Another adventure was beckoning! Rena noticed their expressions and her face grew quite serious.

 

‘This will not be some pleasant hike in the mountains mind you. I know you’ve had adventures in the past, but this will be very, very dangerous. If we manage to get Eldor’s staff and escape the citadel, Orcon and Mogrom will eventually find out. They will come after us with a vengeance.’

 

‘Eldor said as much too,’ Lore said.

 

‘Then you must take orders from me without question. Agreed?’

 

Lore and Nyssa nodded.

 

‘So how do we get Eldor’s staff?’ Nyssa asked.

 

Rena grinned slyly.

 

‘I know where Craw is sleeping,’ she replied. ‘And one of the citadel’s hidden passages opens into his room. Hopefully he’ll be asleep by now and we can sneak in and grab it.’

 

‘And getting out of the citadel?’ Lore added.

 

His aunt winked at him.

 

‘You just trust your old aunt,’ she replied, then frowned. ‘But before we do anything we need more supplies for the journey. I’m ready to go, but we need some gear for both of you.’

 

‘But we are ready!’ Lore said, snapping his fingers at a sudden thought. ‘Before the blizzards came we were going fishing with some friends. We still have our packs with some food for the trip… cheeses, biscuits and dried fruits.’

 

‘Good! Than let’s get them and be on our way!’ Rena urged.

 

* * *

 

It didn’t take long for Nyssa to hurry back to her room, change and grab her pack. By the time she returned, Lore was dressed and ready to go. Both had put on their warmest clothing and put coats in their packs. They knew it was going to be cold outside.

 

Rena led the way and they passed down several empty corridors, their ears pricked for the sound of any patrolling goblins. They came across none and Rena shortly took them down a little used corridor till she reached a spot she recognised. She pressed a hand against a wall and a doorway swung inwards, revealing a passage running ahead into shadows.

 

She then took a lantern out of her pack and lighting it with some flint, ushered them inside. The door closed behind them again and they headed off down the passage. It twisted its way through the citadel, crossing a few other passages before arriving at a dead-end.

 

‘Beyond this wall is where Craw is hopefully sleeping,’ she whispered. ‘I’ll go in and get Eldor’s staff. You two wait here.’

 

Lore and Nyssa nodded and she handed the lantern to Lore. She then placed a hand against a wall and another door swung inwards and she stepped through.

 

A single candle burned on a table in a corner of the room and in its light Rena could see a shadowed bed. It was hard to see whether Craw was sleeping in it or not. She was almost upon it when the bedroom door on her right suddenly opened. In walked the goblin himself, Eldor’s staff in one hand.

 

He grinned menacingly at the sight of Rena.

 

‘Well, well… who do we have here sneaking about!’ he growled. ‘Come to cut my throat as I slept, eh? Well, you’ll pay with both your ears and your head for this bit of treachery!’

 

‘Not if I can help it, Craw,’ Rena growled, crouching in a defensive position.

 

‘Not without a weapon I think,’ Craw replied as he went to draw his sword.

 

At that Lore and Nyssa stepped into the room, momentarily distracting him. Rena reacted instantly, charging at him and driving a shoulder into his belly. He gave a grunt and sagged winded to his knees. Rena snatched Eldor’s staff from him just as two more goblins appeared at the door. They went to draw their swords, but Rena brandished the staff at them.

 

‘Don’t move or I’ll use the this!’ she snapped. ‘Now… back away from the door!’

 

The goblins came into the room and stood to one side of the door.

 

‘Quickly… outside!’ Rena urged to Lore and Nyssa and they darted out of the room.

 

‘Get them, you idiots!’ Craw managed to blurt as he got his breath back. ‘She can’t use the staff!’

 

The goblins leapt at Rena, but she managed to leap out of their way. Then she was out the door and slamming it shut in their faces.

 

‘Run!’ Rena shouted at the waiting Lore and Nyssa.

 

They fled through the citadel, Rena leading them down several corridors. Shouts and cries sounded close behind them as Craw came after them. They shortly arrived at the door to the throne room, Lore wondering why Rena was leading them here as there was only one way in or out.

 

They burst inside and Rena darted across the floor to the throne. She gripped one of the battle-axes on the wall beside it and gave it a hard tug. To Lore and Nyssa’s amazement the throne began to slide out from the wall with a grinding of stone. It revealed a low opening and chamber beyond.

 

‘In you go!’ Rena urged as the sound of running boots and shouts came up the corridor.

 

Lore and Nyssa quickly ducked inside just as Craw and several goblins burst into the room.

 

‘Stop!’ Craw bellowed in rage just as Rena slipped inside as well.

 

He gave another bellow of fury as the throne suddenly shot backwards like a door bolt. It then slammed shut with a resounding boom.