The Dwarven Sorcerer

The Dwarven Sorcerer Ch 26

Grundi packed his rucksack for his journey, violently shoving his possessions deep inside the leather sack, waging a personal war on each article of clothing, beating everything into submission. He didn't have much time, he was doing his best to pack light, only taking the essentials but he was having difficulty deciding on what to choose; he'd been struggling to make decisions lately; anger clouded over his thoughts, he was living in a world of shadow.

He wanted to hurt something, to fight, to kill. He wanted to smash a goblin, crush an orc, even fight a troll; he didn't care, as long as something died, as long as he made something bleed. He was probably the only dwarf in the kingdom praying for an invasion, wanting the gates breached just so he could go to war. But right now he had nothing to fight but his trousers. After Ailiana was killed by that bloody wizard, there was a hole torn deep in his heart; he thought watching her killer being executed would give him a sense of fulfillment, a sense of justice, but the hole was still there. So he filled it with anger until he felt nothing but hatred towards the wizards and any other magical type.

Grundi clenched his hands, gnashed his teeth, and growled. He didn't hear the knock on the door or see the figure enter his room but he did feel the tap on his shoulder. He turned around quickly, his fists raised for a fight, his eyes wild with fury. Bofac stepped back, his hands up.

"Easy, mate," he said. "It's just me."

"Ain't you ever heard of knocking?" snapped Grundi.

"I knocked," said Bofac, "but there was no answer."

Grundi lowered his fists and turned back to his packing. "What are you doing here?"

Bofac looked uneasy. "Listen, mate. I wanted to see you before you left. I uh, I know what you're planning on doing."

"Aye? And what's that?" asked Grundi, refusing to look at his friend.

"You're joining the inquisitors to hunt down the last wizard," said Bofac.

"So what if I am? I am an inquisitor now, it's my job, ain't it?" Grundi stopped packing for a moment. "Do you know who he is? The wizard I mean."

Bofac shook his head. "No, and it don't matter. There's been enough killin'. Whoever this wizard is, he ain't even in the mountains. He left the bloody caves behind so he ain't our problem no more. Can't you just let him go? I mean, I know it ain't your decision, but you don't have to go you can just quit the Inquisition and stay here. How many more dwarves have to die?"

"Just one," growled Grundi.

"Wodin's beard! Can you even hear yourself? You ain't the same dwarf no more. Dwarves killin' dwarves, it ain't natural." Bofac was exasperated.

Grundi turned on his friend, his finger poking him at his chest. "Ain't natural? Ain't natural? You bloody bastard. You know ain't natural? Dwarves using that magical filth, pulling fucking ice out of nothing, using the weapons of our enemies to blow up their houses and crush innocent fucking she-dwarves so badly that her family can't even see the body afterwards."

"Is that what this is about? Killing this last wizard won't bring Ailiana back." Bofac immediately regretted saying that.

"Fuck you," shouted Grundi.

The two friends stood awkwardly for a moment. Bofac hung his head. His friend was too far gone, he died the day they found Ailiana's mangled body. He left the room without another word, leaving Grundi alone with his grief. Bofac pulled his hood over his head in sorrow as he headed home.

Alone, Grundi's temper exploded; he punched the stone wall hard, cracking the plaster, sending broken shards stained with blood raining down on the clean floor. The white wall was streaked with scarlet, staining its purity. He continued packing, his torn knuckles going unnoticed. He was going to be late, in a few minutes he had to hunt down and kill his best friend.