Beers and Beards: A Cozy Dwarf Tale

Chapter 11: Somewhere else

On the side of a cliff there stood a white stone gazebo. Mist fell from a great waterfall that stretched beneath it, vanishing into the clouds below. A black mountain rose up behind it, seeming to touch the sky. A circular marble table sat in the centre of the gazebo, and a group of cloaked figures sat around it in ornate wooden chairs.

“Has everyone chosen then?” A crisp masculine voice asked. There was a clink as jade tokens were tossed onto the table. Each token was delicately carved to represent a different race. They were a couple humans and dwarves, a gnome, a beastkin, an elf, and a dragon.

“A dragon again?” A feminine voice giggled. “Those scaly shut-ins are never useful.”

“You’ll see,” A masculine voice growled. “It will be different this time.”

“Now, now, this is for the betterment of us all.” The first voice chided, an amused lilt to their tone. The two stopped bickering and sat back in their chairs with a harrumph. “Good. You all know the rules. No interference, and no direct contact besides that which is allowed. All agreed?”

“AGREED” was the chorus.

“If that's done, I have concerns about a particular aspect and wish to discuss it.” One figure stood, the attention of the room shifting to them. Soon a heated discussion was underway.

On the other side of the table, one cloaked figure elbowed another and whispered in brusque feminine twang, “I got the jump on you; you’re going to miss your chance.”

“I don’t think so.” A deep gravely voice spoke out.

“Well, I think you’ve lost before we’ve even begun.”

“Ah, but I have an advantage.” A smile winked from behind a bushy beard.

"No doubt he will give you a chance sooner or later, but how is that an advantage?"

There was a pregnant pause, before the woman gasped.

"You wouldn't!"

"I would."

"That's against the rules!"

"There's a loophole."

"Who cares if there's a loophole! There is always - !" The woman dropped her voice to a hiss, wary of eavesdroppers. "there must always be a choice."

"I've paid too much to lose this chance, and my chosen can't afford to lose this chance."

“What about the penalty?”

“I don't care. The reward will far outweigh any personal cost.” The man smiled self-assuredly.

“If you say so, but I can’t imagine anything worth that.”

“You’re simply lacking in imagination, a character fault.”

“Hmph, you’ll pay for that remark!”

The conversation across from them came to an end. An accord was reached.

The first voice spoke again. “We are agreed?”

"AGREED".

The first nodded and they all called as one, “Let the new era begin!”

Beneath them, the mountain trembled.