Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
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
Half A Hero 30
“Alright!” Rhylls clapped his hands after picking the ten men. “Line up boys, we’re going to do a gauntlet!” He smiled as he turned to Ghwyr, trying to see if he understood what that meant.Obviously, Ghwyr knew nothing about what it meant. He looked back at Rhylls, forehead creased as he tried to get a meaning of what the other halfling meant. He was too preoccupied to even think about what it meant. All he was thinking at that time was how to survive the entire ordeal.As the other halfling explained to him the rules, his mind roamed elsewhere. After seeing Rhylls chosen men, all he could think about was how to evade their attacks and defeat them without getting too injured. The men Rhylls chose were huge and seemingly powerful men, he doubted that he could last a fight with them upfront.As he looked at Rhylls again, all he could see was his moving lips, he couldn’t hear anything from him or somehow the world was eerily silent. He could only hear his heart thumping violently in his
Half A Hero 31
Ghwyr sat on the floor, bloodied, battered and out of breath. He had finished ninth of the ten opponents, but it wasn’t with ease. His hands trembled from the fatigue along with his knees. He was barely standing when he knocked out the last opponent. His vision partially blocked by the big welt below his right brow. Now he fears if he could still do one more. Using the club, Ghwyr put his weight on it and stood up proudly while masking his despair and fatigue to everyone.It would’ve been easier for him fighting off these men if the bracelet of Salidas had worked. Unfortunately for him, the bracelet only rolled low numbers and not once did it glowed to give him a power up. It seemed like Lady Salidas turned her back on him, but he quickly rebuked himself for thinking such blasphemous thought. He focused himself on the fight instead.The circle was silent, but their eyes tell a different story. Ghwyr could see their elation and excitement for the battle as if they wanted to challenge h
Half A Hero 32
“Why are you crying, little Ghwyr?” His uncle ran up to him as he tumbled to the ground.Ghwyr pointed at the children laughing at him from the hill above them.“Did they push you?” His uncle asked.“T-t-they… t-t-told… me… I… I couldn’t be… a… h-h-hero.” Ghwyr sniffled. “I… I… p-p-pushed… one… and they pushed me… back…” He sobbed.“Now, now... Ghwyr.” His uncle tried comforting him. “If you want to become a hero, then you don’t have to listen to them. Don’t let their fickle words destroy your great dream.” He patted his back.“B-b-but…” Ghwyr’s mouth twitched as tears rolled down his cheeks.“No buts, young halfling.” His uncle smiled. “Cheer up, Ghwyr! Crying won’t fulfill your dreams, but your hands can!” He said.“But my hands are too small.” He sniffled once again. “I… can’t do anything… with small hands! They told me, I need to have big hands to hold a sword!” He wailed.“Hush now.” His uncle calmly said. “It doesn’t really matter if you have small or big hands at the end of the
Half A Hero 33
Ghwyr woke up early that morning. His head was no longer pounding from that terrible headache he experienced last night, and his eyesight seemed to have gone back to normal and his swelling right eye was completely gone. He could now see properly without any haze or blur.He moved slowly touched the right side of his body. It was still aching a little but not as much as the day before. Ghwyr sat down on the bed and stared at the wall for a moment. How was he able to heal that fast as he did? It was when he recalled the amulet, Frejr had given to him.He touched the trinket and mumbled a prayer to Dian Ceto before doing the same thing to his bracelet. He profusely thanked Lady Salidas for her divine intervention. He would’ve met his devastating end if it weren’t for her.After saying his prayers, he stood up slowly out of bed, wore his shirt hanged at the chair where Rhylls sat, and looked for his armor, but it wasn’t there. He realized his armor was gone including that beautiful one h