The five clans present at the Hrútr Main Hall brought joyful sound that echoed through even the distant corridors. A handful of dwarves gathered with several instruments and brought music to life. Couples and even singles joined in dance, some done so upon tables. It wasn't long before the kegs of Dragon Fire Ale were roll to the main platform. Once they were cracked open to pour out, a cheer radiated amongst the party.

"Why call it 'Dragon Fire'?" One dwarf asked as he filled his mug to the brim. He had already been chugging his share before he got his answer.

"It was fermented using the dragon fire" the dwarf who brew the concoction proudly said as he stood on the table and began his story of how he and his sister took down a mighty dragon, but kept it alive so it would help with their brew. Once it was done, they all shared a round, including the dragon to which they befriended. Some of the dwarfs who listened in on the story awed, but others openly doubted the authenticity.

"No way ye beat a whole fire-breathing dragon!" A younger dwarf called from across the table.

"Didn't Brone fight a dragon!?" Another of the younger dwarves shouted, which was enough for Brone to part his lips from his drink and jump atop the table.

"Aye! twice I had fought against a dragon, one breathed fire, nearly singed off me beard! While the other was a God of Lightning that called upon thunder clouds at will!" He got into his theatrical performance as he drew his blue spear from his back, striking it through the air. At the climax of his story he plunged the spear tip into the table, causing a cold chill to quickly spread out, freezing that portion and impressing the surrounding dwarves.

"Chill my glass" One dwarf nonchalantly said as he brought his glass mug up to Brone to which he tapped the spear tip against it and caused it too to freeze to the point it cracked; the ale began to leak from the crack, but the dwarf didn't worry and quickly began to down his drink.

"Bah! Their damn dragon burp, they can keep that; the real taste is in the Spider Bite wine" Frare brought over a large glass jug that was almost as large herself.

"Why put it in glass? Ye just gonna break it" Dordon was already pouring himself his second drink.

"Put a sock in it and let me have my damn wine!" Frare shouted angrily, already annoyed with her husband's tiresome opinion and nitpicking; she then turned to Lumikki and gave her a smile as she spoke softly to her, "Lumi, sweetheart, do ye mind chilling this for us?"

461

Lumikki was fascinated by the story from the brewer. Real or not, the implication was interesting. Befriending the dragon is not what she found to be absurd, nor was it the matter of beating one in battle. It was the thought that with its flames, one could brew ale. It was a craftmen’s choice she’s never considered before.

But soon they were singing her Uncle’s praises as the warrior who downed dragons. And in the heat of the moment, Brone had put on a show. Lumikki wanted to step in, eager to prove her frost, but Frare provided her the better opportunity to show her skill. And she would do one better as Lumi planned to avoid cracking the glass.

The little raven looked over to the jug that was heaved by Frare as she gauged just the right amount of strength needed. She settled on just a kiss, blowing one toward the wine just a few feet away from her. The Daemon’s chill hung in the air as it crossed the room, but it would concentrate soon around the glass jug. Wrapping around its surface like an unfurling flower as the chill would make a black frost creep along the surface like massive petals of an inflorescence coming to a bloom.

Lumi managed to keep the ice from touching the wine, it only sat on the glass. But the drink took no time to chill to a more refreshing temperature, more so than the ale brought out just before.

” When did yer frost start taking such a ghastly color?” Inquired Viola, she was sitting just to the side of the Daemon at a fairly empty table. Her face was more surprised than disturbed, but she was fairly taken aback by the discovery. ” Not long after I left Mum. Perhaps it was a parting gift from Nan. I liked to see it was a waking reminder of how much I miss her.” Lumikki uttered her words like a susurrus in rowdy storm. She had no desire to speak on it, let alone do it right now. And so she tried to shift the tides elsewhere. Approaching Frare to grab two glasses and pass one to her mother.

” Have ye seen Pa since we got here? It’s been rowdy…” Lumikki trailed off before Brone’s uncle caught her eye.” Maybe I should look for him.” She muttered, walking over Nargbark to entertain another conversation with him in the in the rowdy crowd.

"Such a pretty frost, like obsidian" Frare was amazed by how Lumikki's ice had blackened and created beautiful designs as it coated the glass. She distributed the drinks to those who desired wine before taking a seat beside Viola, but as she had sat down, Lumikki was already making her way to Nargbark, "Is everything alright?" Fare asked, wondering if there some form of tension; she had missed the dialogue between the two, but assumed something might have been said.

* * *

"Black ice, huh?" Nargbark said, though he wasn't looking at Lumikki as she approached, but he was staring at a far off wall at the western side of the large cavern. He pointed to it; the depiction it had, shown a female dwarf hammering down on an anvil, "Do you see the sparks that come off the anvil? Well look again" Taking a more focused look, the viewer can see what was suppose to be, or expected to be, spitfire sparks were actually in the design of snowflakes, "That story is of an old myth; the older generations believed that it is mainly the men who can forge using fire, but at some point, they've realized the structures of ice can only be created by Winter. No male dwarf has any craftsman ship with ice, for we cannot use fire to forge ice, and our hands are too rough to handle something delicate. So they associated winter with women, feminizing it, then eventually it was believed that because without fire there is the cold void, that our All Father Dhurain had an older sister who was born first, for Winter was always there before the heat of summer came along." It's possible that some dwarves had heard of such a tale, but it was rarely ever spoken by the males and only passed down the women.

Nargbark eventually looked back at Lumikki and nodded at her, "A very old tale, but not really known by the men, for we tend to fear what we don't understand nor what we cannot temper with fire, but in time we learn to accept things if it means no harm to us, for we feared the surface world for along time, but here we are; some even say that your father holds the tear of Dhurain, which was frozen by his older sister in remembrance to his work.".

* * *

The crowd cheered when Morgrym finally arrived. He smirked, though tiredness could be seen in his eyes, it didn't stagger his walk which shown his authority in the party. Dwarves raised their glasses and mugs to him, and as he walked through the crowd to get to the head of the table, he looked down to see that someone must have slipped a mug of whisky into his hand. He laughed, then took a swig before calling out to everyone, "Welcome, everyone! The time has come for the clans to come together and celebrate our history, our present, and our future together, no matter how far we are, our home will never be forgotten!" In response, the cavern was filled with cheers.

"The Långsiktighet Clan, the Wisest of the dwarves, who's insight cannot be rivaled!" As Morgrym said this, he raised his mug to one side of the table to which half a dozen dwarves raised their mugs, their chests swelled in pride.

"They also hold the Öga Opal, said the be eye of the first Dhain dwarf" Nargbark whispered to Lumikki as he watched the introduction.

"The StarkMithril Clan, the Merchants and the treasurers of the dwarves, our treasure hoard is represented by their works" Several StarkMithril dwarves lightly slammed their mugs on the table in salute.

"They hold the Huggtand Diamond, said to be a shard of a fang that belonged to a strong lunar wolf that was defeated by Dhurain himself".

"The Brandarbetare clan, who are argued to be the best blacksmiths with hottest forges in all the land!" The Brandarbetare clan drummed their hands upon the table in response.

"They hold the Bläs Citrine, said to be part of the sparks that flew from Dhurain's forge, which can produce powerful flames for a forge".

[color:1a7c=ff3300]"The Heavyaxe Clan, the dwarves who had seen more battle and adventure than any other!" That is when Brone, Dordon, and several other dwarves took up shields and weapons and banged them together, even Frare took one of her own son's axes and banged them against her husband's shield.

"They hold the Hjärta Emerald, said to be the Heart of the Stone, giving love and courage to the dwarves."

"And finally, the Hrútr Clan, we who hold onto the memory and tradition of the clans, so that we will always remember who we are and where our home is" Morgrym raised his mug towards his wife, then to his daughter. Everyone began to clap.

"Your family hold the Riva Sapphire, Dhurain's tear which holds the memory of the clan." After Nargbark said this, he gently nudges Lumikki forward so she can join her father at the head of the table as everyone took their seats to eat.

855 | 1,316

” Nothing just…It’s weird to see yer baby grow and change so much yer absence. Sometimes….all the time, I worry if she’ll be alright.” Viola happily took the glass from Farer’s hand. She did not often drink, but the ol’ Demi-human did not want to spoil the mood with her woes and worries.” Is it good seeing the boy again?” She tried to change the tide of the conversation so that it would be entirely off of her and onto something else.

*****

It was her curiosity that called her over, just as much as her desire to run from her mother at the moment. As much as she loved her Ma, she couldn’t bear to explain herself at the moment. She lacked the capacity, the words, and the desire to be understood by someone she felt she had to reason with just to listen. So she went to the one person who could delve further than the pointless droll of it all and once more he would surprise her. Opening their reunion with a tale lost past that she’s never heard of; and likely never would have. While pointing toward a mural to the side which depicted it best.

Lumikki was in awe as she studied its lines and details, her hand clutching the glass of wine lingered over the table before she left it altogether. And with his mention of the snowflakes, a detail she overlooked entirely, she was charmed. She walked over the wall and traced the etched stone with her fingers, lining all the snowflakes that flecked the mural before turning back to Nargbark. Her face looked sad to see such things lost and as she walked back to his side her outstretched hand would flicker with small flurries. All before the ice of her magic would creep from her palm and slowly manifest a handle, that would eventually keep branching until the head of an axe would form. She let it slam down on a table, its strength deterred any cracks or fractures and its thud denoted its heaviness. With a glance, it was a black axe but if one’s eyes would linger longer then they could see it was in perfect likeness to Spellcleaver.


****

The time had come for her father to speak at last and every word from his mouth filled her with inspiration and excitement. She would far be the only one to experience this, as every Dwarf from every clan would clamor and cheer when they heard their names respectively. And Nargbark would be so kind as to add context for her in matters she did not quite know.

Lumi as a young girl of course was told all the stories of the clans and the stones they were entrusted with. But they were quite the fantastical tales, so hearing the words of a Dwarf old and wise, cemented the validity of their making and creation. As if this truth was always before her but was overlooked as a matter-of-fact before she truly took the time to let it sink in. And so her head would swivel between her father’s rally and Nargbark’s helpful interjections. Until of course when he pushed her forward to join her Pa on the head table. It was so sudden, that she was taken by complete surprise. Stumbling slightly as she took her first steps but her wings aided in her grace as they helped him glide forward.

” Ye were amazing Pa.” She whispered so only he could hear. Viola was coming from the other end and taking her seat. Lumi followed suit by pulling back her chair. Taking the seat to his left.

” Yes Morgrym dear, ye always did have a way with words. It’s always nice to get to see it. I forget sometimes after all with all the grunting ye do back home,” she teased him with a coy smile on her face.

"Aye, I get a feeling what ye mean, though me lad isn't grown an inch taller, he's gotten wider and stronger in his character" Frare said, baring her smile as she watched her son act a fool with his kin, "But I didn't expect him to grow two more arms though" he quickly said with irritation before he got up and went to sit at her husband's side as Morgrym was speaking.

* * *

"Bah! They could have gone without a damn introduction, but it needs to be done" Morgrym had feigned annoyance but couldn't truly hide his enjoyment of the gathering, "Why do I need to bring a speech home when ye can understand me 'gruntin' ?" he then gave three quick grunts towards his wife, then playfully chuckled.

* * *

The table fell into loud and energetic conversation, all were digging into the food, the drink, and quick to share stories and bellow their laughter. But it would be short lived as a young female dwarf ran from one of the corridors and immediately rushed up to the head of the table. Some dwarves had noticed this and were curiously watching as the young dwarf spoke into Morgrym's ear.

"The vault is under attack!?" he yelled this as a question and an announcement, causing silence to fall. All were looking towards the head of the clan. The young female dwarf nodded her head, catching her breath from running a long distance.

"The guards are doing their best to hold off the golems! But they're stugglin'!" She said, scared and sweating.

"Clan heads! I ask that ye send your best to defend the vault!" Morgrym quickly stood up and turned to face the table where all the dwarves were already standing and drawing their weapons.

"Ye don't need te tell us twice!" The head of the Brandarbetare clan called back.

"Ye didn't need te tell us at all!" The head of the StarkMithril Clan answered as he laughed, riling up his chosen champions.

"I thank ye for yer hands, but please don't send more than half yer party!" Morgrym was grateful for their support, especially when none of the clans claim any treasure within the Hrútr Clan's vault; as for the selected dwarves who were chosen to fight, he needed to make sure the main hall was protected even more so than the vault; though the treasures within the vault were well valued like heirlooms that some dwarves would sacrifice their own lives to protect... it was the children that were currently in the Main hall at the table they valued above all else.

As Dordon stood up, Brone placed a strong hand on his father's shoulder and sat him back down. He then gave him a wide smile before drawing forth his black axe, "Yer duty is te protect mum" his tone showed the love and confidence that his parents found pride in.

"I ain't no damn flower, but I'm only staying because of the youngins'" Frare slapped the back of her son's head before pulling him in for a hug and a kiss on the forehead. Brone quickly pulled away, slightly embarrassed that after all these decades that she'll still treat him like a child... though he still loved it. He rushed over to the armory stand to grab both his helmets and his satchel.

As for Morgrym, he rushed over to the nearest weapon he could find: a black axe embedded into the surface of one of the tables and pulled it free. Though the moment he touched it, he realized it was made of black ice. He pushed the thought to the side and began to fasten his belt and started pointing down one of the main corridors, giving orders to the selected champions and directions to the fault, implying he will be leading them.

642 | 1,958

In the heat of the moment, no one noticed the rising chill in the air. No one but Viola who quickly looked toward her daughter just across from her. Lumi was turned away, looking at the spectacle of Dwarves preparing for a battle. The lot of them stilling sorting out who stays and goes. Her small dainty wings that she dawned as decorative additions to her ensemble would twitch. Stuttering over and over as if flicking in and out of existence. Until eventually they would splinter in almost a grotesque way as they lobbed up the surrounding darkness. Snatching the shadows and forcing them to assimilate feathers to her wings. This would go unnoticed to all but Viola and she would sit, her mouth agape at the horrors that were taking her daughter.

“ Lu—Lumikki….” Viola would gasp, her words were breathless and her nerves in havoc. She tried to reach out to her daughter, partly with the hope that this creature wasn’t even real, just jer imagination from the stress of the attack, and part to see if Lumi was ok. But her hand would quickly halt as the chill in the air dropped further drastically.

Lumi, paying no attention to her mother, would watch as her father gathered the men. From the corner of her eye she would notice Brone step and and confront his parents. Easing their worries as he once again exerts the warrior he became. All in the hall would overlook her, like a child among them. They were so hearty and energized from the implications of battle that they were nearly salivating. Lumi would move her gave to her petrified mother, her eye ablaze in a purple hue. Her stare almost seemed as cold as her chill but she hastened to soften her features as to not further worry her Ma.

” I love ye…” As if to conflict with her ominous exterior, her voice would leave her meek and soft. As if she was more scared to speak to Viola than confront the battle. “ I want to help Pa. They are strong aye, but magic on their side could help maybe turn the tides.” Lumikki shot from her seat but Viola would lunge forward and grab her arm. Her grasp was strong and tight and it pulled Lumikki back to her seat. In complete dismay she would look back to the woman glaring back at her. “ Who are ye? Are ya me daughter? Me baby girl?”

It almost broke Lumikki’s heart to hear it, the Daemon would almost fall into tears. Her face was distorting from the sadness, but it would influence the shadows that were blurring and obscuring her form. Lumi inhaled deeply as she grabbed for both her mother’s hands. Her shaky little palms would cup them together as her downward gaze would rise up once more to meet her mother’s eyes.” Always Ma….I’ll always be yer girl. Ye’ll break me heart if ya say that….Look, I’ll tell ye more when I can, just know I’m ok. Brone makes sure of that. And…and if ye need someone to blame, blame the father that left me. Ye did perfect by me Ma, but now…now I need to go.”

Lumi pulled away and shot from the chair as Viola sat back completely stunted. All the woman could think to do was raise her hand to her mouth as sh crumbled from all her thoughts. But Lumi wouldn’t see that, the Daemon refused to turn back. She wanted to tap back into the anger that forced the darkness to reach for her. And as she took to the air, she’d snatch the darkness beside her and toss it into the air. Flying through it so that it would lay on her like a veil.

Meanwhile just below Morgrym Picked up her makeshift axe. For the pain of confronting her mother, this little triumph brought a smile onto her face. Knowing her Pa held her magic in his hand filled her with enough peace to fizzle some of her sickening anxiety. Lumi clutched the air, willing her magic to renew the strength of the axe. Pushing some of her very essence onto the blade.

All the dwarves were scrambling, gathering what weapon they could find before splitting. Half stayed to protect the main hall, the rest would follow Morgrym towards the corridor that led deeper in. "Viola! Lock up!" He said it subconsciously, whenever there was some kind of trouble and his frustration got the best of him, he would grab a weapon and head out the door while asking his wife to lock the door behind him and board up the place to prevent any intruders that may try to take advantage of him being gone. Unlike some of the dwarves, he didn't give Viola a gesture of any kind, for it would imply there was a chance he wouldn't return... no, telling her to 'Lock up' meant he'll be right back.

As the troops made their way towards the corridor, Brone looked behind him, but Viola was standing alone. He looked amongst the troops and about himself, but as he looked up and saw that he could no longer see the high ceiling of the hall, he knew that Lumikki was hiding in the darkness, more than likely planning on joining the troops in securing the vault. The dwarf couldn't help but smile knowing his niece would be a great asset to this mission.

They entered the tunnel and followed the straight path that sloped down. This path was entirely dark, no torches were lit because no dwarf intends to bring guests to their private vault. This was to their benefit, for dwarves could see in the darkness, usually giving the enemy a surprise from the shadows. Brone had slipped on his gray helm, Dham Nezhud; the wide horns gave reason to the surrounding dwarves to give the Heavyaxe more space.

"Ye gonna show us some of that blizzard magic?" One of the dwarves from the Brandarbetare clan came up to Brone, seeming excited to witness the tales in person.

"Back in the days, magic was barely allowed in the halls" Another dwarf from the StarkMithril Clan scoffed.

"I'm leaving the blizzard te the Hrútr" is all Brone said with a smile before he walked up to reach the frontline. The other two dwarves looked at one another, assuming he was referring to Morgrym. They did notice the head clansman had drew a black axe made ice and wondered he wielded such magics.

The black axe in Morgrym's hand glimmered and emanated a heavy amount of frozen air, but didn't freeze his hand. He had assumed the axe was crafted for someone else, unaware who was the blacksmith or the owner; it upset him that he would take someone else's make without their knowing, but he will be sure to thank them at the end of this situation.

* * *

They will eventually feel rumbling of what seem like giant footsteps beneath their feet. They were close, so they signaled one another to ready themselves. Once they turned the last corner to where the vault should be in view, they spotted them: half a dozen golems made of stone, but the size of these beings were not what the dwarves were expecting, nearly twenty feet tall. They were standing still as if guarding the vault that laid open just down the corridor

The moment one of the stone golems turned their face towards their direction, Morgrym shouted "Attack!" and all the dwarves shouted in response as they charged forward from the darkness and into the light that came from the vault. The first of the dwarves to land a hit was Brone; he bulleted forward as great speed head first, slamming his horns into the right leg of the golem that dared to lay eyes upon them. The stone leg cracked and with the dwarf's immense strength, he managed to push the leg back, causing the golem to fall to one knee. Brone stopped and readied his black axe, and with one quick turn, he swung Dhurandarin, slicing the golem's kneeling leg at the thigh, severing it entirely and causing the golem to topple over and fall prone. The rest of the dwarves swarmed it and wasted no time striking it repeatedly with their weapons.

The other five golems finally turned to face the troops and began moving towards them with no voice, but the sound of heavy stone slamming onto the ground as they walked.

719 | 2,677

Lumikki was like a hush, a whisper. Among the rowdy Dwarves and the clanking of their weapons and armor. Not beings of stealth in the slightest, after all, where is the honor? There is no glory in a battle unannounced, no merit in a smite without a storm. And the charged air, almost crackling with the tension of warriors off to war, gave way to an intuitive hum from their single focus. A subtle song of their people, a melody of the ancients.

And as they felt the heat in their cheeks, the pulsing hot magma flowing within the hands that clutched so tightly to their weapons. Their breath was visible as it poured into her chill in the air. The unnatural cold that hung around them was underground. A place usually refreshing was now more frigid than it ever was. But if you asked them, they’d more than likely assume that they were simply breathing fire. That their vitality would brim and erupt from them as they marched on. And Lumikki would let them have it, giving way to new expressions of their vigor. As she perfectly contrasted them and with the juxtaposition they both shined.

” Yessss, the blizzard would come from me blood. I will pour the tundra on our enemies and make them wish they stayed to summer days…. Lumi muttered softly. Drowned in the gruff below.


This was the first time she ever witnessed one. Lumikki only read about them thus far in stories but their appearance was hard to question. Moving stones in the shape of men would shuffle before one would lock eyes with the lot below. Of course, the golem would not fair along with her Uncle itching to show his might. And with one simple word howled from her father, the Dwarven began their assault.

Except for the victim of Brone, most golems would put up a fight. The boulders they’d consider limbs were constantly crashing into the Dwarfs as they retaliated, only to be met with steel and iron chipping them away. Lumi observed her kin, she didn’t often see them in action besides her Uncle. Who already became far too pronounced to maintain the lofty charm of simpler means anymore. All his moves were now calculated and tempered by the constant clashes he endured and the scars and lessons now etched to his wear in skin and bone.

But Lumi was not a complete observer, leaving her family to their devices below. For as many of them did reach the acclaimed title of a great warrior, their brash nature and excitement to show off had left a few sloppy and open. For in their reckless abandon to prove among the best in this demonstration, not all swings were tight, and not all factors were considered.

Like a weaver, Lumi weaved her spells so intricately. Using the ample darkness provided to hold back the strikes of the golems. Her tendrils swiftly wrapped around their arms, legs, and necks to hold them in place to be struck down. Shards of ice so black, Dwarfs simply regarded them at the moment as obsidian as they jut from the ground and held off the falling titians. Freeing the way for Dwarves to run before their granite bodies hit the ground. And those that lingered in the distance out of Dwarven sight and fury, Lumi would glide toward and meticulously shatter with her ice. Peeling away at all their joints and snapping them so that they were left rubble on the ground.

Metal clanked against stone all throughout the tunnel as the fight raged on. The temperature drastically dropped, but neither of the dwarves nor the golems had reacted to it, for the heat of the battle kept them warm.

Stone debris fell here and there, some dwarves were thrown to and fro, as for Brone, he would reach any of the available golems and cut down their legs, forcing them to fall to the ground, causing a small tremor before a handful of dwarves would swarm the fallen foe and finish it off.

Eventually, the remaining of the golems had suddenly dropped. None of the dwarves were aware of the frozen joints at that moment, for they put their focus on destroying the monsters, some even had their pickaxes in hand, yelling out they were more effective.

Soon enough the tunnel fell silent, the golems were no longer moving, but several dwarves to posted to keep watch of them while the others investigated.

Brone had rushed in through the large door and entered the vault. Several Ever-flames lit the vault, revealing the gold and jewels that were presented within. Nothing seem to be have been moved or stolen as far as he could tell by looking a quick look. He then rushed to a nearby groaning guard, "What happened here?" he asked as he knelt before the injured guard.

"It was... Grektor from the... L-Lerformare Clan... he took the... Riva Sapphire"[/color] The guard struggled to speak.

Brone didn't know who Grektor was, but he has heard of the Lerformare clan and he knew that the Riva Sapphire is the Hrútr clan's heirloom gem. "Where is he!?" Brone's voice risen, nearly shaking the guard who then passed out.

286 | 2,963

” Be glad ye got so much to of him Uncle.” It was as if she appeared from nowhere. Occupying a space just beside the guard and looking him over, her sightless veil would peel away like black petals falling in the wind. The stray snowflakes that hovered around the Daemon fell to his cheek and melted on the touch of his still-warm skin. ” Ye should know better than to act so brash. Got to tend to the wounds before ya shake everything out of ‘em. But I can help with that.” Lumikki placed a hand on his forehead and after a few seconds, her frost would crawl along his skin like a blooming garden. Frost flowers would sprout and bloom only to whither instantly after and fall away. Many of the blossoms would sit atop his chest as that was where it must have been worse.

In just a few minutes of continued application, until the last flower wilted, Lumi kept at work. By then the remaining Dwarves fresh from the fight, their wits almost back into them, would pour into the vault as well. Parting only when Morgrym finally passed through, as he had to properly survey the field before being able to move on. Of course, the little word they got had already found its way to him, being parroted by the Dwarves present as they uttered it all out in shock the moment the news reached them. So the muttering of the crowd could be heard like a crescendo of voices spoken simultaneously.

This gave Morgrym time to think before he passed the doors but the grim look on his face still sank deep. Each line is sunken with the distraught impact of the reality. He was shaken but didn’t choose to be so for long. Vigorously shaking himself harder than the news did before focusing on the guard who remained lying on the floor. It would take time for his narrowed mind to take notice of his daughter, so out of place she was he figured her more of a phantom. But with the realization of her presence would only wind him for a second time and his pale hand would grip the black frost axe even harder for it. And as if to answer his anxiety or her proximity, the axe would send a chill up his arm as if it were excited to get a word in, especially on the reunion.

” That should be enough…” Lumi began to mutter. Her eyes stayed glued on the man in her arms and she could not spare focus to properly greet her father. Still, she spoke, her voice only growing more stern and sure with every word.” Wounds proved to be near fatal, if we had not come as soon as we did, he’d of bleed out on the floor. But…I think I’ve managed to seal the gash. The rest would be for him to do as I cannot replace all the blood. Oh, but we aren’t done with him are we.” The man’s head had been moved to her lap in her craze to aid him, and with a simple flick of her finger to his forehead and a harsh chill sent to the back of his neck and face, the fallen Dwarf’s eyes would be a flutter. As if woken from a startling dream he shot up in haste, but the lack of recoil in his action denoted that he was now in a much better state than before.

And with that, just as she felt her role for the moment was done, Lumi tried to melt back into the background and hide in the darkness. Not that she turned invisible once more, but more that she tried to take up no attention as there were matters at hand.

It took Brone a few seconds to realize Lumikki present. He looked up just as she was in the middle of materializing from the darkness. A black snowflake touches his cheek and the coolness calmed him, as if Lumikki was placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. He took a step back and allowed his niece to tend to the guard's wounds.

Morgrym would soon arrive, the news reaching of what happened was obviously the reason to his visible frustration. Like Brone, he didn't fully realize Lumikki was there until she was already fading back into the darkness. He wanted to call out to her but Brone's hand gripped his shoulder, partly to comfort him and partly to remind him that the clans need him right this moment.

Morgrym turned to the door of the vault to see the rest of the dwarves standing in a cluster just outside the door, many looking in, others in conversation about the situation. He then turned to the guard and asked him to confirm what happened. Now capable of speaking more clearly, the guard told Morgrym that Grektor was the one who stole the Riva Sapphire and escaped, though he wasn't sure where to.

The black ice from the axe in the dwarf's hand began to spread up his clenched hand, though not harming him in any way. Morgrym turned to the other dwarves and ordered for everyone to return to the main hall for further instructions. They closed the vault after doing a quick sweep, locked it and they doubled back to the main hall. Brone hid his expression as best as he could beneath his helmet, but his teeth clenched tightly. Grektor was back and is still stealing the precious gems of the clans.

293 | 3,256

[Exit]

Lumi loomed over the scene like a phantom. Quite, still, and present in much of a way one would not notice unless they meant to look at her. It was not time for the Daemon to be boisterous, passionate, or heated. It was too easy for one to get carried away and she couldn’t afford it. So when her father barely grasped that she was there, Lumi was relieved. There was no time to spare on the logistics of why Lumi was there or she is she should be allowed to stay. There was only time to catch the thief before he got away.

So as her Pa instructed them to return to the main hall, Lumi on silent wings would make her way back over. Carefully gliding in the air and observing all that was down below before slipping back to where they were prior. Once again she was shrouded in the dark, a means to avoid the confrontation of her mother. But as Morgrym would shuffle back into the hall and settle, she would hover over him and wait for word of what will be done next.