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Half A Hero 22
The road towards the Bottom-trodden was rocky. Unlike the paved roads of the capital, the road headed to the lower towns were rocky and unpaved. Ghwyr recalled how bumpy the road was when he first left for Gahayam. It made him nauseous and sick that he painted the road with his vomit.But that was three years ago. Evidently, things had been different now that he has traveled on carts for multiple occasions, this shouldn’t be as bad as the last.They descended into the slopes, slowly climbing down from the proud kingdom situated above a flattened mountain. The cartman said it would take them half a day to reach their destination. He was lucky enough to ride the last trip to Bottom-trodden or he would’ve waited the next morning before he could go there.He sat there silently along with some other people as they passed by northern villages located at the side of the leveled mountain. The villages had a different vibe to themselves compared to the capital. It was serene and calm just like
Half A Hero 23
“Off you go, halfling!” The stall keeper threw some water at him. “You’re damping my business!” He spat.“I did nothing to you!” Ghwyr said. “I was just asking a—” He evaded another water attack target on him.Ghwyr went away while grumbling at the stall keeper. He continued looking for the dwarf Paryghor. However, he was going nowhere with his efforts. No one was cooperating with him. They would either chase him off or told him they don’t the man and it was frustrating him.The night was not getting any younger. The crowd thinned by a half since he arrived and most stalls were already closing, yet he still had no information on where to find the dwarf. He sat on one of the benches at the center of the square as he contemplated on what he needed to do next.“Hey, kid… wuchudoin’ here?!” A drunk man stumbled towards him. “You hava coin?” He slurred.“I am looking for someone.” Ghwyr stood up and tried walking away, but the man blocked him and pushed him down to his seat.“W-where you…
Half A Hero 24
Ghwyr wasn’t sure how what time it was already, but he was still running away from his perpetrators. The men had some other colleagues lurking around the market. He almost got stabbed as he ran away from them earlier. He fought off two of them hiding in the alley, and he had to hide inside a trash jar he found empty at one dimly lit alley.He was inside the jar for a few minutes now and it was getting more unbearable. The smell of rotting meat and vegetables were not as bad as the critters moving beneath his boots. He felt its slithering body rubbing against the sole of his boots. He could just pop out of there and move someplace else, but his gut feeling was telling him otherwise.Just as he shifted his weight, Ghwyr heard loud footsteps approaching. He stood still and hoped that whatever creature was beneath his boots wouldn’t move as much. The men were cursing and called him names as they seemed to be looking around the area.“Where did that bastard go?!” The man said while catchin
Half A Hero 25
The dwarf stared at him and dragged a chair from the corner of the room. He sat in front of Ghwyr placing his axe on the floor and crossing his arms, showing his dominance over the halfling.“So, what would it be?” The dwarf took a deep breath. “Are yah goin’ to pay me for the costs of this project or not?” He asked.“W-w-what?” Ghwyr’s forehead creased on his question. “W-what do you mean by pay?” He was confused with what the dwarf meant.“This project Rygard told yah, will cost yah.” He said. “Them golden chains not goin’ to create itself.” He shrugged his shoulders.“He never mentioned that to me!” Ghwyr exclaimed. “I… I… only came here—” he tried explaining, but the dwarf was adamant.“He got yah right there.” The dwarf grinned. “Tis project he wanted me to do is costly. 10 gold coins and 10 silvers worth. Also, I am goin’ to need an assistant for this. So, what say you?” He said to him.“Ten gold and ten silvers?” Ghwyr’s eyes widened in shock. “But I—”“Or I could just leave ya
Half A Hero 26
The forge was located at the bottom floor of the house. They entered a small door hidden in the floorboards adjacent to the dilapidated kitchen on left side of the house. After descending to the forge, they immediately began their work.It has been hours since they began and all Ghwyr did since then, was stand at the corner, looking at Paryghor as he stared at the fire while waiting for the metal to melt into liquid. Paryghor told him earlier that the golden chains Rygard asked him to make were not made of gold, but rather a technique that only a few of the dwarves could do.Both of them sweated in the sweltering heat from the flame emanating from the kiln. The heat was getting unbearable that his throat was getting parched from it. Gwhyr removed his armor and put to the side while fanning himself with his hand.“It’s not yet done?” Ghwyr asked.“Nah, this process takes a lot of time. However, once it reaches its consistency, we need to get to work immediately.” Paryghor explained whi
Half A Hero 27
Ghwyr wasn’t sure if dozed off or not, the sweltering heat from the melted metal messed up with his mind a bit. He couldn’t recall where he was for a moment, and he couldn’t understand why there was a cold towel over his face. Somehow it was refreshing.Just a few feet away from him, he could hear a clanging sound of pounding metal. The clanging sound hurt his ears, but it did make him remember where he was. Ghwyr sat up and took out the towel from his face.“Ah, glad yer awake now.” Paryghor said as he pounded the metal on the anvil. “Sorry, halfling, but I need some extra hands now. Get those tongs!” He pointed the tongs resting on a shelf at the left side of the room.Ghwyr took a deep breath and nodded. He stood up and groggily took the tongs from the shelf. He shook his head as he tried ridding off his light-headedness. He gave the tongs to the dwarf, but he only stared at it before insulting him.“What ‘m goin’ to do wit that?!” Paryghor raised his eyebrow. “Used the tongs and s
Half A Hero 28
“A-alright…” Ghwyr nodded.Ghwyr couldn’t understand the dwarf’s sudden change of mood. Despite his anger, Ghwyr noticed something in his eyes. There was a hint of regret and longingness in them.“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” Ghwyr sighed and rested his head against the wall.“Nothing to be sorry for.” Paryghor shook his head. “I am most sorry for yah. They should’ve told yah about that part.” He continued on clanging the metal.“Yeah, thanks.” He stared at wooden ceiling still in utter disbelief.He just wasted his entire day from traveling and running away from the muggers only to be met with this revelation. He could’ve just stayed in the capital and earn more money by taking the lower jobs until he saved enough for the armor. However, his itch for a more fulfilling adventure overshadowed his logical thinking and now he’s paying the price of his recklessness.“Hey… why do you need an armor anyway?” Paryghor asked. “Is your townsguard armor not enough?” He turned to him.Ghwyr thought
Half A Hero 29
This might be the last time Ghwyr would ever breath his last. He wasn’t sure what the other halfling would do to him once he reached the surface but from the way Paryghor reacted, he knew it might be worse. He couldn’t help but crack a little smile just thinking about how his mere errand became a downward spiral to his very demise. It seems like Lady Salidas might not have been pleased with the offering he gave her.The other halfling Rhylls, calmly told him to follow him. Ghwyr followed him as they climb up the stairs and into the kitchen above. Once they reached there, Rhylls wrapped his arm around Ghwyr’s shoulder like how a friend would and walked him towards the living room, where they stopped there for a moment.“You see, I think I kinda like you. You’re a fellow Gahayamin after all!” Rhylls said calmly to him. “Unfortunately, I have to administer the rule of the streets, you understand?” He leaned in closer.Ghwyr looked at him and took off his arm around his shoulders. “It’s a