Act I: Gold gathering
Another quiet evening at the town smithie passed by, workers, crafters, child and old shared the calm of the Hydlaa plaza. Near the forge, one of the hard working men, of name Hruttun, slowly piled a few of those valuable gold ingots one above the other, the little mountain of them at the shadow of a tree. The man, of tough expression, wore a long purple robe which showed a rough but well defined drawing of a hand on its front. In his right hand, a galkard was held, accompanied by his sharp, menacing look towards the surrounding crafters made sure for nobody would even step close to the ingots.
Two men came and opened their way through the mass of workers around him. Being as null as he was, the Kran -named Vutayo- questioned often the tall, swollen Ynnwn. Both waved at Hruttun as he inspected them with his dark brown Ylian eyes. Vutayo felt to be just another slow Kran to him. The rarely horned Ynnwn, of name Rhodac, had several signs of violence in his face and naked torso. "Greetings crafter" he said. Hruttun threw a disgusted look to him and right afterwards to the Kran and nodded, prompting them to start carrying the ingots inside the sacks they had brought. Vutayo started grabbing ingots as the two brighter men spoke.
"So say, pepper, do you already know who do you have to bring the cargo to?" Hruttun stomped.
Rhodac shrugged "That is none of your business, you were encommended a job, the job is done, be content."
Hruttun laughed impishly at his words "Then pay me now, give me the tria or the ingots back, but stop the gibberish, pepper."
The slightly wounded Ynnwn narrowed his eyes as his hands fished inside one of his pockets for grabbing a little sack which spreaded the sound of coins inside. He gave it to Hruttun, who grabbed it in a grunt and carefully counted each of the circles, biting some carefully, thus making himself sure of their legality.
The crafter waved them away with his uncouth look, moved to a tree and sat there, still counting the tria once and again. Vutayo questioned Rhodac, who nodded. Both gigantic men wheeled north of the plaza, the Kran carrying the gold, the Ynnwn guiding the way.
Act II, part one: An interrupted trip to Bronze Doors
Both gold carriers walked wearily to the city North Doors, a few seconds after them, the Kran's patience already began to lack. Vutayo stopped once, followed by Rhodac's feet which stood as well. The arguement turned short as the Ynnwn threateningly pushed the Kran to continue, shooting out a loud laugh at his childish behavior. They stopped ten meters later, they stopped in the woods, and once again when they were left behind.
"Tell me, bluey, do you have an idea about where all this gold goes?" he laughed "You have no clue, eh?"
Vutayo shrugged hungrily "For me can eat?"
Rhodac almost growled "Look Kran, if your mouth touches a single of these ingots I'm going to make sure you are pieced and thrown into the dungeons for others can mine you, I hope that is clear enough."
The Kran nodded, showing clear signs of distraction, and the journey slowly paced to the roads leading the way to the Bronze Doors. Once they had walked through the pass that brings travellers to the next level of Yliakum the land widened at their sides once again, letting the planes around the road be lightened by the last glints of the Crystal.
Vutayo suddently moved away from the path, mumbling his desires of filling his belly, Rhodac had to follow until the Kran stopped close to the gold mine. Their mouths fell open towards the horde of beasts in front of them. Many of the so called ulbernauts were roaming the mine, threatening the workers with their fiercy looks of all sizes, some fairly small, some others sizing not less than five meters tall and deadly, sharp, one meter long claws. Hunger distracted Vutayo once again, he sat and opened one of the bags for pulling one shiny ingot off it.
"No, no, no.. stop that!" Rhodac yelled. "Pepper not want me to eat? Bad pepper!" replied the Kran in a mad manner. The Ynnwn's patience was gone, just as the little respect left towards Vutayo. But the weight of the sacks would be too much for his blunt body, for he walked a few steps down the hill to ask miners for food in loud shouts. Only a few eyes watched them unconfidently, yet caring more about keeping the hordes of ulbernauts under control, nobody replied.
Rhodac turned back to notice the Kran munching some gravel. He sighed helplessly and walked towards him, but Vutayo's look was already focused in one ulbernaut which had been altered by his mate's shoutings. "Help!!" he desperately shouted, just as Rhodac turned back with wide open eyes at the sound and tremor of the beast's feet stomping on the ground.
Act II, part two: A quiet meal next to the shore
The same day, a while earlier, two slim silhouettes stood on a rock at the dim light of the Crystal. From their spot, which was once one of their friends', they could contemplate Hydlaa's North Doors; opposite to them, fairly closer, the couple could breath the fresh air of the deep, leafy woods. The smaller of both, a dermorian of pale skin and preciously worked leather clothes broke the silence.
"Dear, how would you like an excursion to some lake?", he asked. The masked Ynnwn, who wore a black leather suit, stared at him as expecting something else. "We could.. stop there as we watch for my sister, Velh. I'm.. still a bit worried about her whereabouts". The elf hesitated, watching her in slight pity or just concern "Right what was on my mind.. Isn't it what we were about yesterday? Hm?". He then smiled and Noriin replied with one of hers and a little nod.
Both jumped down the rounded rock for their journey to the unfriendly Labyrinths to begin as the miners passed by, filling the path. They walked through the misty forest and out of it, through the valleys and passed them by, finally crossed to the next level when the clean water of a big lake came to their sight. Velh took a deep breath and sighed loudly as they neared the water, the Ynnwn stood on the shore and leaned forwards, glaring her face drawn on the surface of the living mirror. A few minutes passed until they took a seat at the shore of the lake, Noriin brought a big range of vegetables and a few mugs, unsealed one of them to hand it to Velh. He eyed the content with slight disgust, but grabbed the mug and rested it at his side as he tried one of the carrots, again certainly unpleased. The girl realized his discontent and reached him her last piece of raw meat "If that has to help you.. enjoy it, I will keep my fruit and the cider" she said. The elf's eyes glared at its sight, smiled to her and grabbed the steak, bit it and relaxed. "Yeah... drink your cider and let me ...drink the lake's water.." He frowned slightly and got an amused grin as response.
The darkest night was approaching their rest when Velh stood up and kneeled down closer to his love. He spoke in a low, concerned tone. "Hey... we will find her..". Noriin's face saddened at once, she sighed "Sheylin..", shot a smirk to him and nodded unconfidently "We will... we will..". The elf laid his arm around her back and rubbed it "Yes, we will! Hey.. we never doubt, do we?" and stared at her emanating security. "Forget your doubts, dear. We will be successful as always! And in the end we will be sitting around some campfire, while she tells her tales, hm?!". The Ynnwn girl giggled happily and her face shined again.
Act II, part three: Discovery in wealth
A grunty, rocky voice shouted in the distance "Help!!".
The couple was inmediately alerted. Velh spoke in haste as he turned back "Dear... did you hear the shouts?!". His lady nodded as they both stood up, glancing towards the gold mine, "Let's go, ulbers are attacking someone!". They had the right time to watch a red-skinned guy fall in the claws of an ulbernaut over the hill. Vutayo ran through the planes desperately, chased by another one of those beasts while the couple ran to him at the time they unsheathed daggers and hunting knives for finishing the beast.
The Kran wasn't fast enough. Both Ynnwn and Elf had to watch him being pieced by the ulbernaut just right in front of their eyes. Then the fight started; the beast approached them, waving its claws in the air threateningly, but a few accurate swings by both warriors did the job proficiently.
They stepped to the corpse for checking one last time and searched around for the other body. Velh leaded the way for they found Rhodac's body. Both sighed loudly, terrified at its sight and kneeled in respect. The Elf laughed loudly in despair and sadness, shot out "Why wasn't he more careful?!". Noriin was already checking the area, seeking some clues on what had happened. She poked his arm softly and pointed at the two bags the Kran carried a while ago. Closely inspected them before opening the untied one, at her move, her green eyes opened widely and quickly turned upon Velh's. She stuttered, "Dear.... what.. how has this.. just.." pulled one of the ingots out of the bag and concluded "It's full of ingots..!". The Dermorian eyed down, yet in thoughts and mumbled "What by all means...". Noriin rethorically asked, "But.. who could have.. ordered so much gold? Not even the most well known of the traders would be managing such an amount..". Velh, who was yet standing next to the Ynnwn's disfigured body kneeled down again and fiddled its pockets for finding a note inside one of them. He read the note and handed it to the girl, who spoke it. "Let this cargo travel to the far lands of the Bronze Doors and reach the military fortress for Polyuntri can admire and as well enjoy what his brother has to send him. There is no doubt that the ingots will be used wisely and will serve Yliakum and its war machinery. Signed..." she hesitated, then continued "Gregori Stevald". A loud sigh followed, and once again she asked to herself "Dear... I.. I can't fgure why.. There is no need for more weaponry.. why send all this gold to Polyuntri?"
"Who cares. It's ours now, isn't it?" his eyes began to shine as the Ynnwn narrowed her eyes.
"What do you mean "it's ours"? It is not ours.. it's the Squadron's...". Velh spat out and snickered, "Whose one? Did you...did you say.. the poor miners' one?", he continued, Noriin listened.
"See, these two poor fellas died... and I feel sad.. even guilty about it.. but they are dead now! No-one can help them now!". His eyes wandered to the sacks, then to her, who was already wrinkling the sheet distractedly "But... we can help those who deserve help.. now". Velh's eyes sparkled "The poor and weak miners!"
The Ynnwn's mind wandered around the wealthy stances of the Fortress, "Yes, they will not miss a few ingots, will they?" she chuckled, now in full decision "Miners brought the ores to the furnace, shall the ingots return to miners, I say"
Both shot a confident smile to each other and began to carry the ingots in their own bags. She laughed, "There must be more than twenty ingots per sack.. I wonder what was Gregori expecting from his brother in return..". The Dermorian responded with a chuckle as the sacks were finally full, tied both and stood there, watching Rhodac's already cold body. "Let's move!", he said.
"Wait, dear..", she pointed downwards "The Ynnwn has given us a wise present, we should honor his deed, at least hiding his body.. He would not enjoy others to watch him like this..". Velh gently digged a hole in the gravel and both pushed the corpse carefully, for covering it again.
"Let's not loose more time, the hungry miners are waiting", he laughed watching the effort the girl was doing to carry the gold. "Eager to move on, eh?". Both let out a grin and started walking their way back to the Magic Shop.
Act III: Deeds
The next day's dawn, Noriin and Velh hauled the sacks, both packed with amounts of shiny ingots, to the mine near Levrus' magic shop. They neither rested nor took a second to pause. Arrived there and approached the hard working miners at once.
"Miners, a gold ingots cargo has been slaughtered in the planes of the road to Bronze Doors! The gold has fallen in our hands and we wish to hand it to the ones who really deserve it!", Noriin shouted.
The ones sweating in their painful work, hardly noticed in their concentration.. or bluntness. Many miners were puzzled, possibly enslaved by the dullness in digging and having almost accepted their fate. Yet they caught the attention of one miner, Opee the name, who was immediately eager to even march upon the riches and passionately join some sort of raid against them.
The discussion heated up and dragged others off their work, a small crowd was gathered along.
"But what happens afterwards? If we take back riches because we are poor, does that mean we'll have to give it away once we are rich?". No answer was delivered to him.
The couple emptied their sacks, handing over ingots to dirty, worn hands with an honest smile. "This will not stop you from coming back here, but I hope a few ingots may perhaps buy you one of these weapons you desire", said Noriin to Kylan, another humble miner who had stepped to them.
A gentle Dermorian of name Daemen approached them, this one not seeking to recieve, but to give. He stood to Kylan and handed him a helm on his request. The couple was shockingly surprised about his kindness, and thanked him with their wide smiles and compliments.
"Show it to more." Daemen said, "One person shows kindness to five, and those five, five more. Then spreads the light". Velh's mind roamed "... and one of those five may start the revolution"
In the end it might have been a drop in the ocean, yet some minds were touched, maybe even changed...
