Story a Week 31 - Propheteering 13

 So apparently I posted this last night and didn't remember doing it and didn't put my normal heading paragraphs in.  Silly me. :)

Here's another segment of the Propheteering storyline.  It's a little shorter than the others in the series.  Next week, unless I have inspiration for a different story, I'm planning on posting the next part of this storyline.  Enjoy!

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Cuddlington heard a very quiet scuffling sound behind him.  He whispered, "Rixi, is that you?  Where did ye go lass?"

He saw her finally when she turned towards him thanks to the light from the dragon's chamber.  Before he could say anything further, Melbrid said, "Where did you get that?  It's practically glowing with magical energy."

The dwarf couldn't see the item that the sorcerer was talking about.  Rixi said, "Um, I found it here.  One of the orcs must have dropped it."

Her friends all looked at each other doubtfully.  Cuddlington dismissed it all with a wave of his hand.  "We have bigger problems.  Did ye see what's waiting fer us out there, Rixi?"

Rixi gazed out at the dragon.  It seemed to be sleeping after it finished slaughtering the orcs.  She said, "Yes I did.  I think we can defeat the dragon."

Cuddlington closed his eyes and shook his head.  He was about to spout out a witty retort when he opened his eyes and noticed that he wasn't standing with his friends any longer.  He was still in a tunnel of some sort, but instead of unnaturally bright white light coming from behind him, it was instead a dim golden glow.

Startled and wary, Cuddlington turned towards the glow with a hand on his axe.  He was startled to see a dwarf sitting on a glowing golden throne.  He immediately knew that this must be Kilzan Thunderhammer, the god of all dwarves.  "My lord!" Cuddlington exclaimed as he dropped to one knee.

"Oh fer Ur's sake, rise," Kilzan replied.  He spoke in a voice that was at the same time booming and quietly reassuring to Cuddlington.

Cuddlington, uncertain of himself, rose and looked in Kilzan's direction.  The throne he was sitting on was very ornately decorated with some of the most well-known exploits of the god while he was a mortal during the Gods' War around 1400 years ago.  Kilzan was smiling down on Cuddlington as he said, "Yer in fer some rough times comin' up here, young 'un.  That Yif has some plans fer ye and yer friends, that's fer sure."

Cuddlington nodded, he said, "Yeah, that's what I figured.  He hasn't been hiding that."

Kilzan laughed heartily and stepped down from the throne and approached Cuddlington.  "He ain't exactly subtle, is he?"

Shaking his head, Cuddlington replied, "Nope.  Subtle as a battle axe."

The dwarven god laughed heartily again.  "Well, I can't tell ye fer sure what he has planned for ye, but I can help ye on yer way a bit.  For instance, I can tell ye that one of yer friends has gotten assistance like this."

Cuddlington wondered which of his friends he was talking about, but couldn't think about it long as Kilzan was still talking.  "Also, the dragon has a weakness.  If ye can hit it, there's a join in its armor where its legs meet its torso."

"That certainly will help," Cuddlington replied.  Something was puzzling him though and he said so, "I don't really understand why ye're helping me.  The Gods aren't known for their direct assistance to individual followers."

Kilzan put a hand on Cuddlington's shoulder.  "Ye're a little different, Cuddlington.  If I might be a little blunt, I also have plans for ye and I'd like to see ye survive this ordeal that Yif is putting ye through."  Kilzan's smile disappeared and was replaced by a solemn look.  "There's a lot of stuff brewing up right now, Cuddlington.  Storms, hurricanes and... beer!"

Kilzan laughed again and Cuddlington followed suit.  Kilzan slapped him on the back and said, "I really wish ye luck.  Ye're gonna need it."

There was a flash of light and Cuddlington found himself in the darkness of the tunnel outside the dragon's chamber.  He felt a little disoriented.

He was startled when Rixi said, "Cuddlington!  You had disappeared!"

Cuddlington turned to where his friends were standing near the opening to the dragon's chamber.  "Yeah, it was strange.  Kilzan Thunderhammer took me somewhere and told me about a weakness that the dragon has."

When he paused, Melbrid burst out, "Well, what is it?"

Suddenly, Cuddlington heard movement in the chamber.  He looked and saw the dragon looking directly towards them.  To him it seemed like he was staring straight into his soul.  A hiss from Meentha startled Cuddlington, "You fool!  You've woken the dragon!"

Cuddlington looked back at the dragon just in time to see the dragon open its maw to release its breath weapon.  "Look out!" Cuddlington yelled.