Bargrux ordered the dwarves to stand guard in the temple as the elderly dwarf handed him a few devices. The king descended into the darkness for several minutes. However, that did not bother him. His eyes adjusted to the dark, allowing him to see the details carved on the wall.
1
‘This is our history.’ Bargrux sighed as he scanned the carvings with wonder. He came to a halt as a particular image entered his view. It was of a dwarf sitting on a stone throne with Vors placing a crown on his head.
Bargrux caressed the stone face of the dwarf with affection in his eyes. Tears glistened in his eyes as he stared at the rugged face for a few minutes. ‘You were the hope of our people, but nothing was ever enough for you.’ Bargrux tore his gaze away from the image as he continued his journey.
The scenes changed to show a great war as dwarves stood side by side with skardians as they fought an army of humanoid beast people. Then it showed a great time of prosperity for his race before moving to a more sinister scene.
Gods. Caged and imprisoned deep within the mountains. Dwarves prodded them with different devices as looks of cruelty were displayed on their faces. Bargrux shook his head as he knew what was coming next.
Another war. Dwarves fighting dwarves in the great fortresses beneath the earth appeared on the walls. On one side stood the crowned dwarf from before. Behind the other army stood Vors and a skardian god. The female god stood tall and proud in dwarven armour. Her two feathered wings stretched out from her back as flames swirled around her.
‘Alessia.’ Bargrux sighed as he gazed at that image. The goddess had revealed his clan’s betrayal to Vors after she escaped an attempt to capture her. The final scene depicted the defeated dwarf king with the two gods standing over him.
An ancient stone door barred his path just beyond it. The dwarven runes carved upon the face of the doors told of ancient curses that would befall anyone who forced their way through them. Bargrux revealed the golden key in the palm of his left hand as he studied the doors.
“There it is.” He mumbled as he pressed the tip of the key against the smooth stone door.
The piece of stone disappeared inside the door at the key’s touch. Bargrux took a deep breath as he turned the key, and a slight click echoed in the area. The was no sound as they swung open. Even the passing centuries had been unable to affect the dwarven craftsmanship.
Bargrux shuddered as an ominous feeling washed over him. The light of flickering flames appeared from inside the room he had unlocked. ‘There’s no going back.’ He thought as he steeled his resolve.
His fingers stroked the head of God’s Bane on his hip as he strode inside. Bargrux’s eyes darted to the walls, searching for hidden traps. However, none appeared to exist. ‘They were confident in the curses on the door.’ Bargrux nodded to himself as he kept a steady pace.
The shape of the flames appeared in his vision as he neared them. They formed a cage with a stone throne in the centre of them. Bargrux’s eye narrowed as he stared at that scene.
“Hmph! It’s been too long. Tell me, how goes the war?” An ancient dwarf was covered in stone as golden chains bound him to the throne.
Bargrux’s eyes went to the crown on the dwarf’s head momentarily before answering. “The war ended long ago, Your Majesty.”
“Did it now.” The figure hummed as he attempted to open his eyes. However, the stone encasing them refused to budge. “What of my father? Did he survive?”
Bargrux remained silent as he contemplated what he should reveal to the ancient existence. After some hesitation, he decided to speak the truth. “Vors died in the war.”
The ancient king remained silent for some time. Bargrux could not tell what he was thinking as the stone prevented him from making any expressions. ‘This can’t be easy. A demigod trapped in an eternal prison. How long has it been since his last visitor?’ Bargrux grumbled in his mind.
“So, I was right. The gods can die a permanent death.” The stone figure said.
Bargrux nodded, unsure of how the figure was able to speak. However, he presumed the old gods had made it that way so they could interrogate him.
“What of my bloodline? What happened to my son?” The figure asked after several moments passed.
“Your son passed away some time ago. He carried your teachings and beliefs with him til the end.” Bargrux responded. “He left behind a son of his own who still lives.”
“Did he now.” The imprisoned dwarf grumbled from inside his cage. “How did my son survive my fall?”
A complex expression appeared on Bargrux’s face as he heaved a sigh. “Allessia begged Vors to have mercy. Your people and your bloodline live on because of Allessia’s grace.”
Some time passed as the figure contemplated all he had heard. “Why are you here?”
“I am here for the weapon. You know what I speak of.” Bargrux’s gaze turned cold as he stared at the ancient figure.
“Hmph! Do you think I will give it freely? For a dwarf to be here, you must be a lackey of the gods! Allessia would never allow you in here otherwise!”
“I wasn’t asking. I was telling you, grandfather. I will uphold my oath to our people!”
The stone figure fell silent after Bargrux’s response. Several minutes passed before a sigh escaped from him. “My own blood. The shame you bring upon me! Go ahead! Take it! Take this curse from me, and let me die in peace!”
Bargrux nodded as he stepped into the flames. The fire did not burn him as he crossed them. ‘The elders were right. Only those who worship a god of the first flame can cross this defence.’ Bargrux sighed as he approached the throne. A silver box that had a black needle protruding from it appeared in his right hand.
The needle pierced the stone encasing the dwarf with ease. Bargrux felt it when it found the flesh of the dwarf. ‘Time to see if this works.’ He pressed down on the side of the box with his thumb, and golden runes appeared on its surface.
Bargrux stared at the device intensely as the silver turned a shade of green. ‘It works!’ A wide grin spread across Bargrux’s face as the stone figure trembled. Eventually, the box stopped reacting, and Bargrux stored it in a pouch on his belt.
‘Now, the final piece.’ Bargrux removed a golden disc from a separate pouch and placed it on his grandfather’s chest.
“No!” The stone king mumbled weakly. “How do you know about that? Not even my son knew!”
“There are some things, grandfather, that even you are unaware exist.” Bargrux snorted as he gently stroked the disc.
A humming noise filled the chamber as the disc released a white light. The stone figure screamed in agony as the stone encasing it crumbled and fell away. Bargrux’s eyes widened as he saw the greying flesh of his grandfather clinging to his skull.
“You can’t! Leave it with me!”
Bargrux shook his head as he glared at the ancient dwarf. “This is the key to our salvation. I would never let it die with you.”
The flesh of his grandfather turned to dust before Bagrux’s eyes as what remained behind.
Bargrux reached out and took the black stone that shone with a he studied the disc. His grandfather’s chest was the last part of him to fall away. But when it did, Bargrux’s eyes shone as he stared at what remained behind.
Bargrux reached out and took the black stone that shone with a dark light in his palm. The golden disc fell apart at that point. However, Bargrux did not care about that. He always knew that the unique item only had a single use. ‘We waited so long, and now I have both items I came here to collect.’ 𝘦𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘦𝑙．𝑜𝑟𝘨
Bargrux sighed as he stared in wonder at the black stone. ‘Such a small thing, yet so much power.’ His mind wandered to the now green box in his pouch. ‘Grandfather’s divinity as a demigod is stored in there. But it’ll have to wait until we return to the mountain. The procedure will be painful.’
‘Once I use it to turn myself into an artificial demigod, the rise of my people is all but assured.’ Bargrux chuckled as he rubbed the black stone delicately. ‘As for you… We’ll have to wait and see if someone worthy of your power appears.’
Bargrux was not stupid. He knew it would be suicide to fuse with the black stone for anyone who was not born with divinity running through their existence. He doubted that an artificial demigod could contain and use its power.
1
He stored the black stone in an intricate gold and silver box before storing it in one of his pouches. ‘I never thought it’d be possible. That I would hold a piece of the First Ore…’