Wire Harp Submission 3

I

Homer Brazengold prince of the dwarven kingdom of Geminshire, was the first of his party of four to arrive at the entrance of Forge-del, a set of ruins that were located within the base of Mount Derden.

A thin layer of snow covered much of his ring mail boots while blistering winds swept through his red-orange beard, slightly numbing the lower part of his cheeks and jaw.

Tightening his thick snow-jacket over the steel plate armor that covered his four-and-a-half foot muscular body, Homer's blue eyes looked back to see the approach of his three companions, all of whom he had been friends with since childhood,

In the front of the group was Homer's fiance, the blond haired Hilde Ironkegar wearing her thick furs over the plain set of clothes and leathers that covered her robust figure.

Behind Hilde was her twin brother Sorbek, who was the same four-foot height as his sister, but his head of curly hair and beard were a shade darker. He wore studded black leather armor over a layer of clothes. Three days before, Sorbek-at the request of his sister and future brother in law-had recently returned to Geminshire after a two-year journey in the west.

Six inches behind the twins was Olaf Fikkleleaf, Homer's adviser and oldest friend. He was an inch taller than the prince and had pale skin, much of which was hidden underneath the chain mail suit and steel helmet that was molded in the shape of a wolf's face. Despite having three battle axes strapped over his backpack, Olaf quickened his pace and made his way up to Homer and asked in his soft voice. "Do you think it was wise not to come with banners showing we are from Geminshire?"

Homer shook his head, wiping the bits of snowflakes that clumped over his eyelids. "This is not a diplomatic mission Olaf. Just a run though some ruins, like old times."

"Except no treasure," Sorbek commented as he and his sister walked up to Homer. "So what is your reason for bringing us here, your majesty?"

Homer noticed the goosebumps and hair rise on Sorbek's skin while Hilde walked past him and spoke with Olaf about opening the large door that led into the city.

"Forge-del was one of Geminshire's sister cities before it was abandoned in my father's time. I figured this would be a good place to explore.”

"I see," Sorbek replied, crossing his arms and looking at the door. "I see. And do we just knock on the door and expect the ogres or whatever inhabits the city to answer politely?"

Hilde, whose ears picked up the conversation, walked over and punched her twin in the shoulder. "Why don't we just use your thick skull to break it down?"

Sorbek rubbed the spot where his sister’s fist had landed, then reflected on his sister's words as he walked over to the door.

The prince quietly walked behind Sorbek. "So what does our locksmith think about this door?" he asked, patting Sorbek’s shoulder.

Sorbek smiled as he touched the door's wooden surface, feeling a bit of frost that had build up for who knows how long. He found no sign of a lock or trigger. He pressed his ear up to the door and knocked four times. "This door is hollow."

Wasting not time, Sorbek grabbed Homer by the threads of his snow coat and flipped him into the air. The prince of Geminshire let out a scream as he unceremoniously crashed through Forge-del's wooden door.

Hilde charged her twin and pinned him to the ground. "Sorbe, if I had my axe-" she stopped and cursed as Olaf rushed past her and disappeared through the hole in the door.

"I'm sure your beloved is fine Hilde," Sorbek replied, pushing his sister off of him. "I'm not sure what Homer's ulterior motive is to exploring this city, nor do I really care. But there is something else in Forge-del that I have been wanting to see since I was a child. You remember the Beer Gardens of Forge-del that father spoke of?"

Hilde raised a blond eyebrow. "Beer gardens?"

She shook her head, trying to remember her father's stories as she followed her twin through the hole.

II

"An interesting way to enter," Olaf remarked as he helped the prince to his feet.

"Yes it is," Homer said, brushing the splinters and chips of broken wood off of his armor. He sighed, knowing that Sorbek still held some hostile feelings towards him, despite having been engaged to Hilde for so long.

At least he didn't break my jaw like he did last time the prince said to himself, remembering the day he announced to everyone that he and Hilde were going to get married. After expressing what he felt were appropriate feelings on the matter, Sorbek had left home.

As the distant pain came to his jaw, Homer turned and stared into the darkness that engulfed Forge-del. "We're going to need some light to find our ways around this place."

Olaf quickly struck a torch that made a light that glowed several feet around them. With the light illuminating from the torch, they saw a broken stone road , with buildings on both sides that almost reached the ceiling. Olaf and Sorbek took a few steps down the road and saw that no light came from any of the windows.

Hilde and Homer began lighting lanterns in an effort to create more light. "My father told me that the people of Forge-del set up traps around the city," the prince said, his eyes alert.

"But isn't that why we brought Sorbek?" asked Hilde as her twin approached them.

Sorbek shrugged as he grabbed one of the lit lanterns. "With all the treasure I've acquired the years, I probably deserve getting burned by a trap or two. I wonder if something caused the people of Forge-del to evacuate."

Hilde questioned her brother's words. "What could have been big enough to drive these people from their homes?"

The three males exchanged glances with each other as their own ideas came to mind.

"An army of invading morlocs," Olaf suggested.

"Perhaps a sickness or a plague," replied Homer.

"A malevolent dragon," Sorbek said.

Hilde rolled her eyes at what she thought were wild guesses. "If there were an invading army or a dragon in Forge-del, wouldn't we have spotted it? Or if there was a plague or a sickness, wouldn't we have found the bodies?"

Sorbek shrugged his shoulders and took a scroll from his pocket and placed it on his belt. A blue glow emitted from the scroll, glowing in a radius twice the distance of the lanterns.

"Something I picked up from a wizard friend of mine," Sorbek said with a smile.

"Yes I'm sure he knows you have it," Olaf remarked before throwing his torch backwards.

Hilde shook her head. "You can create light in your own way and we will stick to ours." That said, she took a look at Homer, then walked forward. Shaking his head, Sorbek followed his sister.
Prince Homer looked at Olaf and said," We should follow before they cross paths with some monster."

"I'd be more worried for the monster who would be foolish enough to cross them," Olaf said before taking off after the twins.