NUIA part 3: Dwarf [COMPLETED]

Chapter 1: Aubre Cradle

Her head hurt like hell. As if someone was having fun hitting it with a steel hammer. Repeatedly and regularly.

Klong. Klong. Klong.

She covered her ears to try to stop hearing the deafening noise. And especially to keep her skull intact.

Klong. Klong. Klong.

Had she fallen asleep in a metal factory or in a machine shop? How could she have fallen asleep in such a place, anyway?

"Find the weapon. Save your people."

She opened her eyes and jerked upright. Which was a very bad idea, because her skull suddenly ached more. She cowered and held her head, groaning in pain.

"Find the weapon. Save your people."

The deep voice made her flinch and she leapt to her feet, surveying her surroundings.

"Who are you? Show yourself! Are you out of your mind, making such jokes? And then... Wait a minute, where am I?"

She realised that she had no idea where she was. She had woken up at the foot of a tree, in a small green area dotted with flowers, shrubs, fir trees and flaming maples, surrounded by high stone mountains with a snowy peak in the distance. A few metres away from her flowed a calm river. She had no idea where she was. Nor why she was there. Nor how she had got there. She realised to her horror that she didn't actually remember anything from before she woke up. She had lost her memory!

A deafening noise followed by a scream startled her. She looked up at the ruckus and saw a woman, losing control of her glider, starting a very dangerous descent. Instinctively, she ran in the direction the glider seemed to be going and heard the impact. She arrived at the scene a few moments later. The glider was totally destroyed, but the woman was already getting up. She didn't look seriously hurt, but the amnesiac went to her anyway.

"Madam! Are you okay?" she asked, before mentally slapping herself. Of course she's not okay, she thought, she just crashed!

"It could have been worse" the woman reassured her, a Dwarf with thick red hair, about the same height as her. "Only a few cuts and bruises. My glider wasn't so lucky though... I was just out picking tea leaves for my daughter, and... Oh no! My bag! Where is it?"

The amnesiac searched through the wreckage of the glider, and found a cloth purse, fastened with a lace.

"Is this it?" she asked, holding up the object.

"Yes!" exclaimed the other, relieved. "I'm headed back to camp now. Phew..."

The amnesiac came to support the woman as her legs seemed to fail her.

"Guide me to the camp, I'll help you."

The two Dwarves set off towards an encampment, nestled in a steep cliff. They were greeted by another Dwarf with long braided red hair and freckled cheeks. The girl scrunched up her nose in an angry pout as they arrived.

"Mum!" she cried. "Don't tell me you've been using that damn glider again?"

"I have to" the woman moaned, "it's long enough to get there, I might as well take the shortest route back."

"But you'll end up killing yourself if you go on!"

"The glider is destroyed, anyway" intervened the amnesiac. "Considering the state it ended up in, I don't think it's repairable. It's a miracle you got away with only a few scratches..."

"Thank you for taking care of my mother... My name is Mikaella Ynga."

"My name is Ludovika" replied the amnesiac. At least I seem to remember my name, that's a good start, she thought.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" asked Mikaella's mother. "It's the least I can do to thank you for your help..."

Ludovika accepted her offer. As Mrs. Ynga was about to start cooking on the campfire, her daughter interrupted her and took the pot from her hands.