“Dwarves?” Kyle asked.
“Yes, dwarves,” Theodor answered with disgust.
Kyle became interested.
He had never seen a dwarf before.
“Walk around it,” Theodor said.
“Why? I would like to see some dwarves,” Kyle said.
“I see one every day, and it’s not a pleasant experience,” Theodor answered.
“Well, then you won’t mind seeing more of them,” Kyle said as he stepped past the totem.
“What are you doing? Turn around!” Theodor shouted.
“Why?” Kyle asked, continuing to step forward.
“There’s nothing of value here. Just disgusting and stupid dwarves,” Theodor answered.
“But it’s not dangerous, right?” Kyle asked.
“Probably not. I don’t know,” Theodor said.
“There’s something you don’t know?” Kyle asked.
“I don’t know anything about dwarves. They’re irrelevant and weak. This dwarven territory probably only exists to create easy and cheap labor.”
“So, slaves?” Kyle asked.
“Contractors,” Theodor corrected. “They are good at carrying things, and they’re good at harvesting basic ore.”
“Oh? What do they get paid?” Kyle asked.
“They get the privilege of hunting for food,” Theodor answered.
“That’s even worse than slavery,” Kyle commented. “At least slaves get a bed and don’t have to hunt for their own food.”
“They are contractors,” Theodor repeated.
“Modern slavery, then,” Kyle answered.
Theodor did not object to that.
As Kyle kept walking forward, he noticed that the forest had become much quieter.
It was like there were almost no animals or beasts around.
However, the number of trees and bushes bearing fruit increased quite a bit.
Kyle suddenly stopped walking.
“They won’t attack me, right?” Kyle asked.
“I have no idea,” Theodor answered.
“You said it’s not dangerous,” Kyle snapped back.
“It’s not dangerous,” Theodor repeated with annoyance. “Dwarves are weak. So what if they attack you? Just kill them.”
Kyle grimaced a bit. “Yeah, okay, maybe I’ll turn around.”
“Too late,” Theodor commented.
As Kyle turned around, he noticed rustling in the bushes, and he saw a couple of crouched shadows approaching.
’Oh well,’ Kyle thought.
The next moment, someone stepped out of the bushes and pointed a sharp stick at Kyle.
When Kyle saw the person holding the stick, he blinked a couple of times.
“That’s a dwarf?” he whispered, looking at the spear, pointing at his face.
“Yes,” Theodor answered.
Kyle could barely believe it.
’Dwarf?’
’That’s just a manlet!’
The man in front of Kyle was between 150 and 160 centimeters tall.
Compared to the typical image of a dwarf, this guy was not stocky at all.
Instead, he looked a bit thin.
Kyle was reminded of all the nature documentaries about isolated tribes he had seen on Earth.
’Brah, they are just tribal people or something!’
More dwarves stepped out of the bushes, and all of them pointed their spears at Kyle.
They were not attacking, just stopping him from walking anywhere.
’They’re all just midgets!’
’I expected some actual dwarves living in caves, hammering metal or some shit like that.’
’Instead, it’s just fucking midgets living in the wild!’
“Outsider!” one of the dwarves shouted. “Why here?”
’Brah, this guy can’t even talk properly,’ Kyle thought.
“I am traveling to the south,” Kyle answered with a careful voice. “I just want to go south.”
“Outsider, not allowed,” the dwarf said. “Break order. Outsider sacrifice. Make calm nature.”
’Dude, what?’ Kyle thought.
As he looked at the dwarves, he realized one thing.
Theodor was right.
He wasn’t in any danger.
These were probably the dwarven warriors, and they didn’t feel dangerous at all to Kyle.
“Calm down,” Kyle said. “I am also a dwarf.”
“You dwarf?” the primary dwarf asked with suspicion.
“Yes, I can prove it,” Kyle answered.
The primary dwarf looked at one of the other dwarfs.
The other dwarf pulled something out of a small and crude sack.
It was a bloody piece of meat.
“You, prove!” the dwarf said.
The bloody piece of meat was thrown at Kyle’s feet.
“Eat!” the dwarf commanded.
Kyle calmly took hold of the piece of meat and smelled it.
’Spitter meat, again?’ he thought, recognizing the scent.
Kyle threw the piece of meat into his mouth and swallowed it whole.
The dwarves watched Kyle for several seconds.
“There,” Kyle answered. “Do you believe me now?”
The next moment, the dwarves looked at each other in confusion.
This was a dwarf?
But he was so big!
“Giant dwarf from outside!” the other dwarf shouted.
“Giant dwarf!” another dwarf echoed.
“Good dwarf! Strong dwarf!” the primary dwarf shouted.
All the spears were pulled away, and Kyle smiled awkwardly.
“Strong dwarf!” the primary dwarf shouted.
Then, he jumped forward and pushed Kyle with all of his power.
Kyle had to take two steps back to retain his balance, and he just looked at the dwarves in confusion.
“Strong dwarf!” everyone echoed as they stomped their feet.
Next, the primary dwarf threw his spear to the side and puffed his chest out, looking at Kyle with expectation.
Everyone waited with excitement.
Kyle felt a bit out of place.
After nothing happened for several seconds, the primary dwarf hit his chest.
“Show strong dwarf!” he said.
“You want me to push you?” Kyle asked.
“Push, strong dwarf!” the dwarf said.
“Well, okay,” Kyle said.
Kyle stepped forward and pushed the dwarf with a bit of force.
The dwarf took two steps back.
“Weak!” the dwarf shouted aggressively.
Then, he jumped forward again and pushed Kyle.
This time, Kyle was prepared, and he only moved his leg back for a solid foundation.
“Push, strong dwarf!” the primary dwarf shouted again.
“Well, okay, but if something happens, it’s on you,” Kyle said.
“Not talk strange. Push!” the dwarf shouted.
Kyle took a deep breath.
Then, he stepped forward and actually used quite a bit of power.
The dwarf flew for several meters.
His body spun twice in the air.
BANG!
And the back of his head hit the ground before the body rolled a bit.
The dwarves all looked at their fallen comrade.
Silence.
The next moment, the primary dwarf stood up again, blood flowing down from the back of his head.
“Strong dwarf!” he shouted.
“Strong dwarf!” everyone echoed as they stomped their feet.