Eldorias last hope, p.13
Eldoria's Last Hope, page 13
"If you don't know, you should think about what the word friendship means," Svedra called over her shoulder.
Khaldor was left alone. Only when the others had disappeared from view did he run after them.
Meanwhile, Xeglom caught up with Ilfi and slowed his pace when he was only a step behind her. He heard Ilfi crying. His anger toward Khaldor grew stronger and stronger.
He approached Ilfi cautiously and put his arm around her.
But she shook off his arm with a violent movement of her shoulder and quickened her pace.
"Wait!" Xeglom called after her. He overtook her and stood in her way. Ilfi was forced to dodge him, but Xeglom stopped her with his arm.
"Khaldor can be a real Kûrr'morag sometimes. But deep down, he doesn't mean it," he tried to comfort her.
“I don’t care how he meant it, he hurt me. I wanted to accompany him so he wouldn’t have to walk the whole way alone. That’s why you came with us.”
"Of course, that's the only reason I came," Xeglom looked down at the floor, embarrassed.
Ilfi didn't seem to notice his behavior and continued talking.
"But then why did he say something like that?"
"I don't know," replied Xeglom. "I think he's just scared. Look at everything that's happened in the last few days. We were almost killed by those robbers. Then we finally had a soft bed to sleep in for the first time in ages, and now the village is on fire and those purple monsters want to kill us."
He held his bandaged hand in front of her face to emphasize his point.
"I'm scared too, but I'm not acting like it. And neither should you," Ilfi defended herself.
“But we weren’t called upon by the Krak’dar to undertake such a venture. It doesn’t excuse his behavior, I know that. But we have to be a little lenient with Khaldor if we want him to come home safe and sound. Just imagine how Tornir will react if we come back without him.”
Xeglom stood before her with his chest puffed out proudly and put on a serious expression.
"Where is he? You were supposed to look after him. I'll skin you alive," he mimicked Tornir skillfully.
Ilfi had to giggle, but immediately became serious again.
"Don't do that. You have such a beautiful smile. Anger doesn't suit you."
Xeglom wrapped his arms around Ilfi and held her as tightly as he could. To his surprise, she let him.
When he released her from his embrace, he looked at her with a gaze she had never seen in Khaldor before.
"Besides, we'll starve if you're not here. Khaldor can fry meat, but everything else he cooks is inedible." Xeglom stuck his tongue out at her.
"But I'm still mad at him," Ilfi said, unable to suppress a laugh.
"Of course, so am I. He'll apologize to you eventually. But you know how stubborn he is. It'll take a while, but he always apologizes to you in the end. Even if I have to pull his ears until he does it willingly."
Ilfi laughed again and hugged Xeglom in return.
"Thank you, my friend," she whispered in his ear.
She let go of Xeglom and continued on her way. She didn't know the way, but as long as Svedra didn't say otherwise, she kept walking eastward.
Xeglom walked beside her and the others followed them.
They walked through a forest for a long time. The mood was gloomy after the argument between Khaldor and Ilfi. Since his conversation with Ilfi, Xeglom had repeatedly tried to start a new conversation. But no one else said a word.
"Come on, guys. You all look like the sky is falling."
Xeglom dropped back a little to walk beside Khaldor. "What's wrong with you? Haven't you realized yet that Ilfi was right?"
Khaldor stared stubbornly ahead.
"Don't be so stubborn. Ilfi is your best friend. After me , of course," Xeglom joked.
Khaldor finally looked at him. “You’re right, she is my friend. And she always will be. But that’s all. I had to choose such harsh words.”
"I don't understand. Why are you hurting her on purpose?"
Khaldor had to think for a moment. "She's like a sister to me. That's why I can't do that to her."
"Do what? What are you up to now?" asked Xeglom.
"I can see how she looks at me. You look at her the same way."
"You must have seen something wrong," Xeglom snapped.
Khaldor flashed a smile. “We’ve known each other since we were dwarves. How long have you had feelings for Ilfi?”
Xeglom looked around as if to make sure the others weren't listening to their conversation. "I don't have feelings for Ilfi," he said, almost angrily.
"It's okay. I have..."
"Stop it, Khaldor," Xeglom interrupted him.
"But, Xeglom..."
"I said STOP IT," Xeglom hissed and quickened his pace again to get away from Khaldor.
Svedra seemed to sense that the mood was continuing to deteriorate.
"They say dwarves are stubborn, but the way these three are behaving, the stories seem to be a gross understatement."
Hrothgar smiled at her in agreement.
"Then let's cheer them up a bit."
"What are you up to?" Hrothgar asked.
Svedra did not answer him. Instead, she thought for a moment, raised her voice, and began to sing:
Bloodaxe, the dwarf made of iron branches,
With axe and shield, the brave warrior stands firm.
In deep mines and on dark paths,
Always loyal to his people in heavy battles.
Blutaxt, the hero of the dwarves,
His name resounds, echoing through the mountains.
With furious blows and unshakeable strength
He defends his homeland, always on guard.
Blutaxt, guardian of ancient legends,
In his heart, stories from ancient days blaze
days.
Through fire and ice, through storm and rain,
He leads the way, a leader so bold.
Blutaxt, the hero of the dwarves,
His name resounds, echoing through the mountains.
With furious blows and unshakeable strength.
He defends his homeland, always on guard.
Bloodaxe, hero of the dwarves,
His name resounds, echoing through the mountains.
With furious blows and unshakeable strength.
He defends his homeland, always on guard.
Svedra finished the song and looked around.
Everyone around her stared at her with their mouths open.
"What's the matter? Have you never heard anyone sing before?" she asked.
Ilfi was the first to find her voice again. "Yes, but this song..." she stammered.
"...our fathers always sing that when they sit down for a dark beer in the tavern," Khaldor finished the sentence.
"This song has never left our halls. But I've never seen you here before. How do you know it?" he asked suspiciously.
"You couldn't have. I've never been to the southern mountains. But once we accompanied Bloodaxe to the northern mountains. We visited the Granitefist clan at the twin peaks.
When we reached their gates, they were already waiting for us. We were led into their great hall. Every dwarf there had heard of Bloodaxe and wanted to see him with their own eyes. This song echoed through the great hall, the corridors, and the halls. We were there for ten days, and every evening this song was sung. That was seven years ago. But I still know every single verse. Only she didn't like this song at all."
Her eyes filled with tears and she turned away from the others. Ilfi went over to her and wrapped her arms around the tall woman's waist.
"You mean Skadra, right?" Ilfi didn't have to wait for an answer. She knew her guess was right.
While Ilfi took care of Svedra, Khaldor went over to Xeglom.
"You have to tell her," he whispered.
"I don't have to do anything. The only one of us who has to do something is you. Ilfi deserves an apology."
Khaldor bit his lower lip. "You're right. I owe that to Ilfi," he said meekly.
"I'll apologize to her. I promise. But you have to tell her how you feel about her."
"I know I have to. But I can't. Ilfi loves you, and has for ages," Xeglom mumbled.
"She doesn't love me. She had a crush on me once, but that was a long time ago. She's just clinging to the idea that she wants to love me."
Xeglom looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean?"
"I see how she looks at me, but I also notice how she looks at you."
Xeglom pricked up his ears. "How does she look at me?"
"You don't notice it because she watches you from a distance or when you have your back turned to her. I don't think she realizes it herself. But she beams from ear to ear when she looks at you."
"Yes, because she always makes fun of me," said Xeglom sadly.
Khaldor had to laugh. "That's true, but only partly. Do you remember when the flock of Zwoggel overran you because lightning struck near the pasture?"
Xeglom nodded so vigorously that his teeth chattered.
"You were in a deep sleep for three days. Old Adda couldn't say when or if you would ever wake up again."
"Don't remind me! Thanks to that time, the hair there doesn't grow anymore."
Xeglom pointed to a spot on the right side of his head, and Khaldor nodded in agreement.
“Ilfi didn’t eat or sleep for three days and didn’t leave your side. When she thought she was alone, she cried quietly. Sometimes for hours.”
"But why doesn't she say anything?" asked Xeglom.
"Her parents were always enthusiastic about the idea of her and me taking the vow. That's why she thinks she has to love me."
Xeglom looked at him in disbelief. "You're kidding me. I'm warning you, if this is another one of your pranks..." he threatened.
“By my beard, it’s exactly as I told you,” Khaldor swore, hoping that the two would finally find each other.
He liked Ilfi very much, but only as a sister. Still, she should be happy. And who could make her happier than the dwarf standing right in front of him at that moment?
"If you don't tell her, I will," he threatened his friend.
He didn't like threatening Xeglom, but sometimes it was necessary to force him to be happy.
"Are you really telling the truth?" Xeglom asked again.
Khaldor pulled his small hunting knife from his pocket and held it to his beard.
"If I'm not telling the truth now, may Bheldram guide my hand and cut off my beard."
“But I can’t talk to her,” said Xeglom. “They’ll all laugh at me.”
Khaldor lost his patience. "You go ahead with Ilfi now and I'll distract the other two. Then you can tell her in peace and no one will notice."
Xeglom nodded and waited until Khaldor left.
"But you apologize to Ilfi today, or I'll cut off your beard," he called after Khaldor.
"I promise!" Khaldor called back and went to Ilfi and Svedra.
As promised, he sent Ilfi to the front of the group so she could find the right path with Xeglom. He himself walked with Svedra and Hrothgar well out of earshot of his two friends.
"What were you talking about?" Ilfi asked.
"I told him to apologize to you, otherwise I'd let all my Zwoggel taste his beard," Xeglom lied.
Ilfi had to giggle. "Khaldor without a beard would be like a mountain without ore. None of us would have a good time."
"He was unfair and mean to you. He's only getting off so lightly because he's my friend. He just can't be so mean to you."
Ilfi giggled again and looked down at the ground, embarrassed.
They walked on in silence for a while until they saw a clearing ahead. Just before they reached it, Xeglom plucked up his courage and spoke to Ilfi.
"Can I ask you something?" His voice trembled, but Ilfi didn't notice.
"Of course. You can ask me anything."
"It may sound silly, but I..." he began and had to swallow. "...I wanted to ask you if you still..."
"Stop, stop right there!" Svedra's voice came from behind them. "You can't go any further!"
Ilfi looked at Xeglom first and then turned to the others. They were already running towards them and were almost there.
"Do you see that clearing?" asked Svedra, pointing ahead with her right hand. She was holding her sword, which she had drawn so quickly that no one had noticed. Now that she was pointing in that direction, however, everyone's eyes were fixed on it.
"How did you draw it so quickly?" Ilfi asked.
"You have to teach me that!" Hrothgar exclaimed excitedly.
"Put that thing away," Khaldor urged.
"Of course we can see the clearing. It's a nice place to take a break and have a meal," replied Xeglom.
"You must never enter this clearing. Do you hear me? Never." Svedra looked around wildly, as if she expected to be attacked at any moment.
"That's where the Chulubashis' territory begins," she said in an ominous voice.
"Chuluwer?" asked Xeglom.
"The Chulubashis . That's what we call the moor people," replied Svedra.
"That's a pretty name. It sounds like a word in our language," said Ilfi. " Khulu'bákzi , which translates as 'shining jewel'."
"They are not nearly as pretty as their name sounds," replied Svedra.
"And what do they look like?" asked Hrothgar.
"No one has ever seen them up close and been lucky enough to tell the tale. But it is said that they are small."
"We're small too. At least compared to you," Xeglom interjected.
"The Chulubashis are even smaller than you, not even half your size. They smear themselves with mud from the marsh to blend in with their surroundings."
"What's so bad about us entering their territory?" asked Hrothgar.
"Nothing," Svedra answered his question. "But they hunt anything and anyone who dares to cross their borders. Neither humans nor animals are spared. And dwarves, of course, neither."
"Then how are we going to get through?" asked Khaldor.
"We won't," replied Svedra. "We'll have to go around the outside."
"But if we go around the outside, it will take us three to four hours," Khaldor remarked.
"Days, Khaldor, days. It will take us two days to go around the moor. But trust me, you don't want to go through it."
"All right, we'll go around it. Would you go ahead so we don't stray too far from the path?" asked Khaldor.
Svedra gave no answer and immediately set off in another direction. Khaldor motioned for the others to follow her and then set off as well.
"It would have been better if Svedra had gone ahead right away," he said over his shoulder without looking at the others.
Ilfi stuck her tongue out at him and took Xeglom by the hand.
"Come on, come on. Our leader says we should go that way."
"It must be somewhere around here," Blutaxt muttered to himself. Since leaving his hiding place, he had been following the river eastward, always close to the bank. He kept turning around and looking for possible pursuers.
He ran relentlessly until he found the place he had been looking for. A small rock appeared in front of him. It was just four meters long, three meters wide, and only slightly smaller than himself. But the rock reached all the way to the bottom of the river.
Blutaxt walked around it until he found the dense undergrowth. He picked up a large branch and pushed the undergrowth aside with it. An entrance opened up in front of him. It was dark inside , but Blutaxt knew his way around here. He himself had carved the cave into the rock.
Inside, well hidden, was a small boat. It was just big enough for one person. With it and the current of the river, he would be able to reach Erinwald in a few hours. Blutaxt climbed into the small watercraft and pushed off from the rock with his paddle.
Shortly thereafter, the boat drifted out of the rock cave and was immediately caught by the current of the river. At first, Blutaxt had trouble gaining control of the boat and turning it in the direction of travel. No sooner had the vessel entered the current than it was swept away. It rocked back and forth, but Blutaxt still managed to stay on course.
The river was wild and raging with frightening force. The waves crashed high and tried to overturn Blutaxt's boat. But he fought against the forces of nature and skillfully steered the paddle boat through the dangerous rapids.
The riverbank was lined with dense forests, their trees towering majestically into the sky. Sunbeams occasionally shimmered through the treetops, bathing the river in a magical light.
But Blutaxt had no time to admire the beauty of nature. His gaze was constantly fixed on the water so that he could react in time to rocks, whirlpools, and other dangers.
As he traveled down the river, he could already see the outlines of Erinwald in the distance. The tower and walls of the city rose above the landscape, promising wealth, safety, and perhaps even the chance of redemption for the warrior.
The current grew stronger and stronger, and the canoe danced wildly on the waves. Blutaxt clung tightly to his paddle and fought against the forces of nature. His muscles burned with exertion, but he did not give up. With determination and dedication, he fought his way forward, toward his goal.
Countless hours later, as the sun was setting, he landed the boat near the city walls of Erinwald.
He got out and looked around. No one had noticed his arrival. He briefly considered hiding the boat under branches and twigs, but decided against it. He didn't have time for that now.
He walked toward the great wall. The city gate was about a kilometer to his right. But he would not take that route this time. If he entered the city there, it would take several hours to get past the guards and all the inhabitants of the city. So he decided to take the hidden side entrance. There he could enter the city unseen, without being stopped by too many people. He had to get to Menora quickly. Her tower was at the far end of the city, near the cliffs.
Bloodaxe pulled the hood of his robe deep over his face. In the shadows of the houses, he crept deeper and deeper into the city. At a fork in the road, two people passed him, talking loudly. Bloodaxe ducked behind a cart and remained there.
"... and then he walked towards my wife. I stood up and stormed straight at ..."
The voices grew quieter with every step the two took away.
