ng of the Spr

continued to pound away, pretending he hadn't heard. He switched hammers to a weighty and massive crosspein. Every broad muscle wor

ack. She was louder tha

your apron!", followed

he bucket to cool off. He used that same water to wash

He didn't bother arguing anymore. He nodded at the apprentice an

se which was attached to the smithy. They occupied a really nice corner of the colony by happenstance. The cave behind the shop was massive,

lf!" Gertrude screamed from

uth!", he yelled back. Folmon shed his toolbel

p!", came the automatic

d before a woman appeared before him from a bedroom. She was short and maintained widow braids in her long white beard. Gertrude

Folmon's plans. He wasn't going to leave his mother. He watched her as she continued to nag and worry over him.

must have been a disgusting half-breed human. No, he was just built as solid as they came. He was a whole head taller than the tallest dwarf in the colony, The

thing was of lavastone or from the surrounding rock itself. The entire colony was crafted this way showcasing architecture and craftsmanship only seen from the dwarves. Large pillars looked almost

tems only found outside of the colony. He stopped and picked up a few textiles for his mother to work on her quilting. Fina

human church are here." Folmon shouted to h

n today, lots of people going

rd and nodded, "They gonna thro

ainst the stone fence separating them, "Loo

mostly found the anointed of Iros underground anyway. Folmon had no way to really know beyond the few he had seen because he was

the diggers and the miners had carved away an unreasonably large depiction of the goddess, stretching far below the earth. So far down that one could not even see her feet, though they were down there somewhere between the narrow and deep chasm that the art caused. The depiction held th

's was a small cleared area with an average sized rectangle building in the center. It was surrounded by flames, torches, braziers

, "Savages, the lot of them. Orlin doesn

"They'll be back in seven years, jus

ime they selected Gregan Stone

rom Folmon, "But he wa

l with large smiles and waves. Peiter lifted his hammers overhead and pounded out a familiar rhythm. It was half past eleve

stole glances at her as he looked at the blossoms. Tulip was the loveliest dwarf Folmon had ever se

lady friend for the festival? I ha

he managed a nod. Every movement she made captivated the blacksmith. She wrapped them as she continued to chat her silent behemoth of a companion. For

e for m

tely softened as she smiled. He watched her as

tion because now presented as glowing bright red. Clearing his throat, confused, it made sense suddenly. His body was still

e people rushing away from the mines. He turned the corner and his home was there with the bright tunnel brigh

the sounds of pillars and earth being smashed about the colony. He screamed for his mother as the hallway collapsed. On unsteady feet he made it as the rubble still threatened to overtake their ho

t argue, as another rumble triggered him to move to his feet. Fleeing his h

ava. Folmon felt his flesh ignite due to the proximity, yet not a single hair was singed. The flames danced over his flesh. Where one would expect to find the snapping of bones as they rapidly heated,

here is where he made his stand, at the half engulfed door of the smithy. This far, no further. Flames harmlessly licked at his face, demolished his clothing, and played with his hair and beard.

rgy ran deeper than the core of the planet. It drifted back and into space, to some cosmic source Folmon recognized in an instant as Orlin. He grinned at this, his god had saved him! With this power, Folmon continued pushing the eruption back, step by laborious

er, praise be

er, praise be

family, and warm

his skin was burning bright, blazing red like copper in a forge. He turned to look behind him, to move toward his mother, but was instead met with the astonished stares

ire! Brother to wate

tely empty. Stubborn as he was, he continued walking to his mother before finally, Folmon slipped on the liquid ston