Return to Jorgaldur Volume V: Reunion (2)

Back in the depths (I)

"Tell them that a dwarf vampiress would be interested in talking to them. Our people haven't met for a long time. If I can be the bridge to restore an old friendship, I'd be willing," one of the inhabitants of the mansion asked while saying goodbye.

"Can we really not go take a look?" Kalnin, one of Coinin's sisters, asked.

"Don't be so annoying. He's already told you before that he'll go alone first. Maybe later," Diknsa reproached her."

"But I want to go..."

Eldi sighed. More than one was curious, but he couldn't take them "to sightseeing" without the permission of their hosts. Therefore, he opened the Gate to cross it alone.

"See you soon," he said goodbye.

"Be careful!"

"Bring us a souvenir!"

"Call from time to time!"

"Silly! Don't you see he won't be able to do it underground?"

"How do you know!?"

The high human didn't want to know how the discussion ended. He simply crossed it while waving his hand. After doing so, he found himself in a very different scenario.

It was a rather small room, although they had increased the height at the time so that the visitor would feel comfortable. However, the feeling of being enclosed and the smell of earth didn't simply disappear with just that.

"It's only been a few months. It seems like an eternity," he said to himself wistfully.

He took out a lamp to illuminate the room. Thanks to this, Eldi could verify that the spell that should notify them of his return had been triggered, so he decided to wait patiently.

Although the truth was that he didn't have to wait long. The door opened, thus revealing two familiar faces. Perhaps, the faces would all seem identical to most surface beings, but he had spent enough time with them to recognize them.

"Old woman! Tica! I'm glad to see you again!" he greeted them.

"Teacher! Welcome!" Tica exclaimed, excited.

"Your power has really grown incredibly in a very short time. Welcome, Eldi Hnefa," the old woman greeted him. "Have you come just because you missed me, or is there some other reason?"

She was friendly and joking, as always, while hiding a slight concern from them. They trusted and appreciated the visitor, but his current power made him very dangerous. If they had erred in their judgment, it could be a catastrophe for their people.

"Ha, ha. There're a few reasons, but I don't know if this's the best place to discuss them," he pointed behind them.

More and more mole-dwellers had approached the room, visibly excited. Eldi had been their benefactor, by teaching them crafts. He had even accompanied them to the old capital, the Great Brotherhood, even though they had to flee from there.

He had also helped establish contact with another group of their people, something they all benefited from.

"All these youngsters are too excited... Come on, come on, make room. We have things to do now. You'll be able to see him later," the old woman made way, as she lightly hit some with her cane.

Even so, along the way, Eldi greeted everyone he knew, and a few more. He promised to dedicate some time to his students, and also to his friends. They may be different, but he had saved a group that had had to go to the surface, had fought shoulder to shoulder alongside others, and had taught several artisans.

"I need to go to the Great Brotherhood. Now, I have the power to do it. Is it possible?" Eldi asked after a while of conversation.

He was sitting next to the elders and some of the leaders of Jordavmol, the underground city. Among them, there were some acquaintances, such as Vato, Cato's father.

"Why do you want to go there?" an old man asked.

"An... acquaintance is trying to complete the Aqtlua, a powerful medallion that would return water to people who're dying of thirst. One of the fragments is supposed to have been there. I want to check if it still is, or if there're any clues," he revealed.

None of them knew what the Aqtlua was, but Eldi's explanation made its importance clear.

"For this, I would like to bring two friends. They're also visitors, and at least as powerful as me," Eldi asked.

"How're they? Are they trustworthy?" the old woman asked worriedly.

"They're trustworthy, I can attest to them. One is Gjaki, a vampiress and a great warrior," Eldi began to explain.

The murmurs were evident. Down there, vampires were feared beings of legend.

"A vampiress? The ones that suck blood?" one of the elders asked, not very convinced.

"That's right. Although, I assure you that she has no interest in your blood. Plus, she could teach you tailoring," he put some juicy bait at the end.

It was one of the professions that they couldn't practice, since Eldi couldn't teach it. It certainly worked, as many eyes looked at him with expectation, even longing.

"Why would she help us? She doesn't know us," another old woman asked.

"Well... she's a good friend, she'll always be willing to help me and..." he explained.

Eldi watched as they looked at him expectantly. He sighed. Maybe, he shouldn't say that, but it was the truth.

"... out of curiosity. She loves to get into anything new, anything that sounds like an adventure."

"Ha, ha, ha. It reminds me of some of these youngsters," one of the old men laughed.

"It's not that you were that different in your youth," his sister reproached him.

"Yeah... and... who always accompanied me? Heh, heh."

"Cough, cough. Let's not stray from the topic. What about the other one?" said sister asked.

"She's an elf..." Eldi began, but he stopped before the murmurs. "Is something wrong with the elves?"

"This..."

"Well..."

"You see..."

"Stop beating around the bush. The elves are known as the ugliest of those above," the old woman explained.

Eldi looked at them in disbelief, and then couldn't help but laugh.

"Ha, ha. It's clear that your ideals of beauty are very different from the surface. They're considered quite beautiful there. Okay, whatever. She's also a great warrior, especially with a bow. She always goes with her sisters, surface animals, and can teach you cooking," he explained. He had left the most desirable part for last.

"Why would she come?" the same old woman as before asked again.

"Well, because she's my friend, perhaps out of curiosity and... because Gjaki will drag her whether she wants to or not," he shrugged.

That caused some laughter, and some glances towards a couple of their partners. A mole-man and a mole-woman grunted, offended and somewhat embarrassed. They too often let themselves be dragged.