Dwarven Ruin of Elbek

A short fantasy story following the queer dwarf Durgim. This segment is only a short, one page prologue of the story to come. If popular enough, I will continue with the story.

Prologue

Deep underground, in the midst of a dark cave, surrounded by red, hot molten rock and the sound of iron being hit against an anvil, there lived a dwarf. Now this dwarf was not at all like his peers. He did not fancy the likes of smithing or crafting. He preferred the outside world, known by all dwarves as "the Outskirts", but especially the ruins that were scattered all around the world. This dwarf could only dream of all the ruins he might visit and explore, and all of the creatures he might meet along the way. However, it was nothing more than a dream, for he was the son of the head-smithy, and he had a responsibility. His father, however, had traveled the Outskirts once before, and came back with the most wonderful tales that would entertain his son for hours. However, his favorite was the one where his father had visited the Ruins of Aedon, and the creature that he had become acquainted with. His name was Gurb. Gurb was a goblin, one of the few left of his kind, for the goblins went almost extinct after the Great War of Ehrendil. He was described as a short (about 3' 5") and gaunt creature with a peculiar liking for taers (a small purple fruit hated by all goblins, but loved by all other races). Gurb was a very odd, but kind goblin, which was quite a curious trait, since goblins hated everyone and everything but their own kin. The dwarf's father explained that he had been walking with Gurb at his side, only to realise that he had vanished, and his current whereabouts are unkown.

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"Durgim!" called the dwarf's father, "Give me a hand with this chest plate!"