Private Tales Where Am I??

[Kazar]

By the time Fynaurie landed next to him, after taking the scenic route to get there of course, she would spot a very unamused look on his face. Of course she had to make a theatrical display of her descent instead of taking him up on his self rated brilliant suggestion. Kazar pointed to the markings he spotted.

“I think my arm may be slightly fractured,” He said with a wince. His magic helped support it, but he would need more than that to allow it to heal. For now, he was far more curious about what looked like some sort of ancient door. When Fynaurie spoke, he looked at her with a quirked brow.

“Dwarves?” He repeated quizzically, “You mean those hairy midgets from the stories they tell you as a kid? You believe in those?” Kazar couldn’t help the amused grin that cracked across his face. Dwarves weren’t spotted in Amol Kalit and he never spent time in the trade cities that may have had the odd dwarf here and there. Thus, he had no reason to believe they even existed.

“I can’t read this nonsense,” He declared, “Any ideas on how we can open it?” He began tracing a hand over the surface as the winds grew harsher behind them. Kazar began to ponder punching his way in, and his body language would give away his crude plan.

Fynaurie

 

[Fynaurie]

"I'm sure I have something to tie your arm..." Fynaurie tilted her head back. The wind, still irritated at being controlled, tugged a few strands of silver and sent them dancing across her face. She looked up the cliff.

"...when we get back up there."

It wasn't helpful right now. Fynaurie was about to instead describe what a dwarf was and exactly why it was not a good idea to call them midgets when she realised he was going to punch a rock.

She stepped between him and the rock. She looked up at him defiantly, as if she could possibly stop him if he chose to simply move her aside.

"Dwarves are also master craftsmen who consider even a common door as a feat of engineering to be explored," she said, as if she had even met a dwarf. It was what the books said.

 

[Kazar]

Kazar looked temporarily hopeful as she mentioned she had something to his arm, only for it to settle into a scowl at the follow up. He looked up towards the cliff, thinking back to how that damned chicken was so nice and cozy up there. It was probably eating the rest of the snacks by now.

The part giant called upon his magic, solidifying the elements to harden his fist in preparation for the punch. He had done this countless times before, and the impact usually cracked and shattered most metals. His eyes went wide when Fynaurie abruptly stepped in front of him, pressing herself against the door and directly in his path.

It was the first time Kazar looked genuinely irritated, lowering his fist as he looked at her. Instead of offering a helpful suggestion, she gave him a lecture about dwarves. The part giant simply stayed silent, moving to cross his arms over his chest. The wind howled behind them. He eyed her for a moment longer, noting how she refused to budge with her back against the door.

“As much of a feat of engineering your ass is, it’s doing absolutely nothing right now to open this door,” He said icily, gaze flicking above her head towards the runes, “The storm is getting worse. We have to get through this door,” Kazar looked over his shoulder, the snowfall getting heavier behind them. It would start to tax her greatly if she continued to hold it back.

Fynaurie

 

[Fynaurie]

"Fine," she hissed.

It was as close as he was going to get to an admission that she didn't have a better plan for getting through the door. She stepped aside and crossed her arms over her chest rather deliberately. She looked into the middle distance defiantly.

"Break your other arm then," he muttered childishly. She was vaguely watching what happened next as she tried to work out if the ass comment was a joke, an insult or a complement. She needed to immerse herself in this language more, but she was barely allowed to visit the human mountain town.

 

[Kazar]

Kazar had a profoundly smug look on his face as she stepped aside, revealing that she certainly had no plan of her own. He called upon his magic and slammed a fist in harshly against the door. There was a pulse through the doorway and the runes glowed an angry red. However, nothing of consequence happened outside of excruciating pain shooting through the part giant’s arm.

“FUUUUUCK!” He growled as he shook his poor fist and cradled it. He glared at the door, looking down to see fractures along the stone surface of his fist. When the magic eased away, this translated to cuts on his knuckles, “What is the point of this door?! What little midget is going to hike his diminutive ass up here to get through this door?!” He went off on a long, angry rant about the door for a few more seconds before he finally took a deep breath and exhaled.

“Do you know any dwarven words at all?” Kazar finally asked her quietly, acting as if he didn’t just have a frustrated explosion seconds prior.

Fynaurie

 

[Fynaurie]

Fynaurie continued to pretend that she wasn't observing his antics. At first she was glad that he had failed, but hadn't injured himself too seriously. She wanted to be right, but not enough that he had to break his hand.

Her look of disinterest had started to change into a smug smile. Before she could chastise him for ignoring her again he asked her how much dwarven she knew.

"It would have been a lookout," she said without much certainty.

"Well, I speak it a little," he replied. By which she meant that she spoke it almost as well as the trade tongue. That they schooled all their children in the towers would seem a novelty to humans.

"But...I never really learned much of their runes," she admitted the flaw that kept her from lording his failure over him. "Dwarves often hide the mechanisms for their doors. Have a look around."

 

[Kazar]

Kazar didn’t miss the smug grin beginning to grace her face. The “I told you so” face couldn’t be more clear if she were screaming the words at him. However, his question appeared to wipe that look clean off, revealing that she was just as clueless. He simply eyed her in silence for a moment, eyes slightly narrowed in loud, non-verbal judgment.

He shook his head and walked towards the door, looking around for any contraptions or mechanisms. Kazar glanced over at her, “Are you going to stand there looking pretty or actually make yourself useful here?” He quipped as a nudge to get her to help search for something.

He brushed aside a giant clump of snow to reveal what looked like an ancient gear jutting out from the mountain wall. There was a glint in his eye as he brushed aside more snow to reveal some chains. Kazar glanced up and saw a lever higher up along the rockface. He couldn't reach up there, and the ledges neaby didn't look sturdy but… He quickly looked over at Fynaurie.

“Get over here, I’ll give you a boost if you can pull that lever,” Kazar pointed up at said lever.

Fynaurie

 

[Fynaurie]

Fynaurie was young be elven standards. In common with Vaxor she was rebellious, difficult to control but also fond of complements. Vaxor preened for hours on end and would perk up in pride at any complements he received.

"Fine," she replied at his request. She looked up at the lever. It didn't look like it was going to budge easily.

"Dwarves haven't been seen around here for a long time. So they're either deep in the mountain or this is going to be a long abandoned hall."

"Sure you can do this with a bad arm?" She asked, standing in front of him.

 

[Kazar]

Kazar was secretly happy she didn’t offer any protests to his plan. There was an odd sense of comfort in her being just as lost as him, and he didn’t feel as dumb as he originally did. He stared at her blankly as she walked over towards him, only to get in that little quip at the end.

“If I can’t do this, it just means you’re too heavy,” He stated briskly without missing a beat. With that, he placed his hands on her hips and hoisted her up towards the lever. He couldn’t deny the shooting pain that coursed through his injured hand, but her size compared to his helped quite a bit. He held her up easily enough, putting her within reach of the lever. Now it was a matter of her applying her strength to yank it down to hopefully get the ancient door open.

“Any luck?” Kazar said almost through gritted teeth, unable to see beyond her figure from his vantage point, “Don’t mind me, I’m having a great time over here,” He scowled as he spoke. The grip from his injured hand began to tremble from the strain, but he largely fought through it.

Fynaurie

 

[Fynaurie]

The heavy comment didn't get a verbal response. She didn't need to speak, not when the narrowed eyes over her shoulder said careful so very easily.

She would prefer more veiled complements, thank you very much.

There was no further warning before he took a hold of her and hoisted her up easily. The sudden movement made her belly flip and annoying disturbed a group of butterflies that decided to stay there for now.

"Yes, yes I see it."

Fynaurie grabbed it with both gloved hands and gave a tug. Nothing.

"Let go of me!" She said. With her full weight she yanked downwards and it finally gave. There was a low thud from below them, followed by a series of clicks that got faster and faster.

 

[Kazar]

“What??” He vocalized incredulously when she asked him to let go. However, he knew better than to argue with someone as fiery as her. He promptly released her, watching as her weight did the trick to bring the lever down. Even then, he instinctively reached up and helped her down after the lever was pulled.

The sounds of gears shifting and turning resounded all around as a doorway opened before them. Kazar stared for a moment, suddenly excited that the chance discovery had finally paid off. The path appeared as a long, dark tunnel at first, and the earth was warm. The part giant hunched and stepped in, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He could see a faint glow near the end of the tunnel, his brows furrowing.

“Do you think there’s someone actually in there?” He asked quietly. Truth be told, he knew absolutely nothing about dwarves beyond the occasional children’s story.

Fynaurie

 

[Fynaurie]

She almost jumped as the clacking stopped and the door started to open. She had started to suspect the sounds were peter out with the doors firmly closed.

She followed him inside, glad to be out of the harsh wind. Fynaurie wasn't especially tall for one of her kind. Sky elves often weren't as tall as their woodland counterparts. But this half man half giant not only towered over her but took up the entire width of the corridor too.

She tried to peek her head past on one side and almost go squeezed against the rock.

"Eugh, why are you so big?" She bemoaned. "I can't smell goblins, which means I hope thatight is dwarves."

 

[Kazar]

Kazar was oblivious to Fynaurie’s plight, casually striding through the cramped hallway while slightly hunched over. He looked at her as she pressed against him while attempting to look past them both. The sight of her squished up against the side of the tunnel was almost enough to make him start chuckling right there. He quirked a brow at her question.

“Same reason your ears are so big, you can probably use them to glide over the valleys,” He responded dryly, though a smile tugged at his lips.

The path mercifully grew wider as they kept pressing. Kazar was able to stand to his full height again as he rubbed his neck as the glow became brighter. He kept a hand on his weapon, prepared to fight if needed. Oddly, he couldn’t hear anything at all.

There was a wider chamber at the end of the tunnel and it revealed the source of light to be two torches on the stone wall. The engravings and markings were clearly dwarven made or otherwise. However, there was no one present. Kazar looked down the path that continued on. They could either rest here where it seemed perfectly safe, or they could keep venturing forth for no real reason.

“...I’m going to go find one of these midgets,” Kazar declared valiantly. He walked over, pried a torch off and began to venture further in. He had never seen architecture like this before and the sight fascinated him. As a geomancer that crafted from the earth, handmade structures always captured his attention.

Fynaurie

 

[Fynaurie]

"I can deal with a big ears joke," she said, even if she had reached up to feel one of them at his comment.

"But don't call a dwarf a midget if you value your kneecaps. They are not to be trifle with in their own domain, but they are usually hospitable to friendly guests."

It was strange to have torches left burning but no guards in sight. She didn't have her glaive or bow, only a short sword. At least she didn't have to try and squeeze past the lunmox any further.

Fynaurie slowed and used her teeth to tug free one of her heavy leather rising gloves. She held out her hand, palm forwards. Her kind were always sensitive to the movements of air.

"A warm current," she said. "Someone has fires lit."

 

[Kazar]

Kazar didn’t miss the way she reached up and fiddled with her ear. He blinked a few times at that, “I was joking. I think your ears are nice,” He said, almost too quiet to hear, but of course with those ears she certainly would. He rolled his eyes at the comment about dwarves. Did she think he was that much of an imbecile?! Of course he wouldn’t call a dwarf a midget to its face! Maybe…

He kept walking further until he could hear some speech. Of course, Fynaurie would hear it sooner. It was idle chit chat about nothing in particular. However, as soon as he emerged, he saw two figures spring to their feet. Spears were pointed at the duo.

“Stop right there!” One of them shouted in the Common Tongue. To Kazar’s surprise, they were two orcs, one male and one female. Of all the things he expected to run into here, orcs were not what he had in mind. Kazar’s eyes widened, but he held up his hands to show he didn’t mean to threaten.

“Easy, we’re just seeking shelter from the blizzard outside.”

Kazar realized the orcs weren’t looking at him, but at Fynaurie. There was pure hatred in their eyes as they pointed their spears at her.

“Your kind….have been shooting down our tribes when we escaped Bhathairk and sought shelter,” The female hissed. The two began to inch closer.

Kazar grimaced, muttering under his breath so only Fynaurie could hear.

"I thought you were the good guys.."

Fynaurie

 

[Fynaurie]

She could fight orcs. She had fought orcs. But always with enough room to dance around their spears and axes. She didn't have that here.

Fynaurie made a basic orcish gesture of greeting. Her lessons had included some rudimentary reviews of orcish culture. A lot of their interactions were non verbal. Fynaurie showed that her hands were open and hat she didn't hold a weapon.

"I cannot speak for all elves. I don't know what our forest cousins have done. We would only defend our towers," she said, taking a slow step away. "We just went for shelter. I've never heard of...Bhath..airk..."

 

[Kazar]

The orcs stared suspiciously, but they made no moves after that. Their spears slowly lowered and Kazar visibly relaxed. He hadn’t heard of orcs being ‘reasonable’ so this was all new to him. There was a certain intelligence in their eyes. There was prejudice against orcs just as there was against giants, and he had always endured names like ‘halfwit’ or suggestions he had rocks for brains. The orcs continued glaring at Fynaurie but they backed down.

“You can’t have our food,” They stated bluntly.

Kazar raised his hands to show he had no intention of doing so. They didn’t appear to be in the mood to talk and they stood there staring. The half giant finally got the hint and began to walk around them to venture deeper into the tunnel, ensuring the orcs saw his empty hands the entire time. Once out of earshot, he glanced back at Fynaurie.

“I’m impressed you convinced them you meant no harm with that grumpy face of yours,” He couldn’t help but whisper in amusement as they walked in the darkness.

Fynaurie