The Chronicles of Outsider: Humble Beginnings by Justin Wayne
Chapter Thirty Seven: Aftermath
Morning came and found the little town of Journ abuzz with life as the citizens were laid out in blankets and cots. One by one they awoke with a million questions and exclamations. A few particularly stubborn dwarves had even tried to take a swing at Graham and his men as they tended to them while Bryn discussed the situation with Merlon; the first to awake.
“What do ye’ mean more?” he growled and forced himself to stand and batted away her hands as she tried to guide him back down. “Woman, I’m fine! And I know where all the town’s stuff has gone so let’s go get it!”
“Merlon, you’re in no condition to go anywhere. Look, you can hardly stand.” She motioned to his quivering knees with her arms folded across her chest. “Please, Merlon, we’ve got your people back; just let Cuke and the others go get it.”
The stubborn dwarf was already shaking his head. “It’s quite a ways out there, easy to get lost.”
“Cuke has magic to avoid such a thing.”
He eyed her then and saw the concern in her face. Her eyes were sullen and lines creased her pale skin. Her graying hair was astray and cast about in the chill wind. “I aint the only one who needs some sleep.”
“Admittedly, yes,” she conceded. “But I don’t have that luxury right now, too many people counting on me.”
“And me as well.” He smiled and she realized she had played right into his hand. “I’ll be back as soon as we’ve got enough supplies for everyone.”
He made his way past the pallets and their occupants with several waves and grins until he was outside. He inhaled deeply and took a quiet moment to thank Dirringyr for bringing everyone back safely.
Satisfied, he entered his house and overheard the voices within arguing.
“..we can’t tell him yet! He only just woke up..”
“But he has every right to know.”
“I don’t know, Cuke, I’m with Thom on this one.”
“Thank you, Natalia. See Cuke? Just leave it be for now until we have the opportunity to tell him.”
“How about right now?” Merlon growled as he strode into the room. All eyes snapped to him immediately and Cuke’s resolve melted away immediately. The grizzled dwarf watched the three of them and noted the guilt stamped on all their faces. “What’s wrong?”
The group stared back silently.
“I aint one for likin’ surprises so why don’t ye’ just tell me now an’ get it over with?” he reasoned and crossed his thick arms. “Thom?”
The hobbit looked up quickly then dropped his gaze back to the floor with a slump. He shook his little head and clamped his mouth shut. Natalia likewise stared at the ground and turned her head to the side.
“Just us dwarves then.” Merlon stared Cuke hard in the eye with an unspoken challenge. He tilted his head back and thrust out his chest; but the cleric could see the strain in the old dwarf’s face from being in stasis.
“How about that arm wrestling match then?” Cuke called and walked toward him with a devious grin. “I win and we wait, you win I’ll tell you.”
“You’re on.” Merlon accepted and they both crouched beside a crate. They gripped hands with elbows flat on the wood and curled their fingers around the others’. “Ready?”
“Definitely.” Cuke smiled outwardly despite the guilt and remorse he felt inside. “Go.”
Merlon’s arm contracted and his muscles bulged; veins popping out and his face soon grew red. He pressed and pressed until sweat ran down his forehead and into his beard. His teeth grit and a snarl escaped his lips below his bulging eyes that scowled at the cleric across from him.
But Cuke’s arm didn’t budge.
He pushed back and slowly, without much effort, he laid Merlon’s arm out flat to the crate. He stared down at the crate apologetically and released the old dwarf’s hand immediately. “Sorry, Merlon.”
The now mostly grey bearded fighter threw up his hands and cursed. “Fine,” he spat resignedly. “Guess I’ll find out later, but we’ve got a job to do nonetheless.”
The group converged on him then as he wiped his brow, panting. “When I was in that…thing’s…mind control, I saw where he stashed all our furniture and food and the like. It’s out past the town a short ways in the corner of the woods.”
“Why’d it even bother to hide it all?” Thom asked, unable to repress his curiosity.
“Just to get to me I’d wager.” Merlon replied and spat on the ground. “Good riddance to the damn thing and good on ye’ boy for killin’ it.” He grinned at Cuke. “Explains how ye’ beat me just now.”
He stood and walked outside with the others following him into the street. “’Course,” he turned around slowly and deliberately. “I am curious as to where Outsider is and how ye’ beat it.”
They all froze and glanced at one another nervously. Cuke shrugged and fidgeted about. “Well, you know…just played it smart I guess.” he mumbled and Merlon nodded sarcastically with his eyes closed.
“Of course.”
“And about Outsider,” Thom and Natalia shot Cuke a look but he continued anyway. “He’s not here, uh, well, you know how he likes the forest.”
Merlon nodded again and turned back around. “Okay then, let’s get a move on.”
The sun was just setting in the west when they returned the last of the furniture and supplies to the homes and businesses. Cuke stretched out and Merlon popped his back with a scale-like set of notes.
“Quite the work out eh?” Cuke laughed and sat down heavily with his bowl of stew and bread. He stared at Merlon’s back when the old dwarf didn’t reply. “Aren’t you hungry?”
The two dwarves were in Merlon’s house, away from the bustling of the townspeople’s recovery. Bryn and her men had been at work all day to keep them fed and comfortable, with one or two waking up each hour. Natalia busied herself helping her with Thom by her side; as much to keep away from being the one to tell Merlon as to do her part.
Cuke leaned back and took a draught of the warm broth. “It’s good, Merlon, eat.”
Merlon lowered himself into his chair and held up a small painting in his hand; a painting of a young, black bearded dwarf with a smiling blonde dwarf woman and a young girl with bright eyes just like his in front of them, grinning. Merlon stared at it then tossed it to Cuke.
“That’s me family,” the old dwarf spoke huskily. “Me late wife Jeanette and our daughter Ellen.” He sniffed and wiped his round nose on his sleeve with a sad smile. “She’s six in that picture there. We had just left the ol kingdom to find somewhere new to live when it split apart.
“I got a job smithin’ mythril to the east in a city called Gilded Lily, and it was just that. Looked great as first, supposed to be makin’ plenty o coin and have a nice cabin of our own. But we get there and it’s hardly better than a slum, the house is an apartment, and I’m back in the mines.”
Merlon took a deep shaky breath and Cuke handed the painting back to him.
“I should’ve just left right then and there, but I was a fool and kept tellin’ meself and me girls it would get better.” He hung his head and shook it then looked back up with eyes glistening. “They came to me one day to tell me a messenger had arrived at our door with offer for a better job in a better place…they were so excited.” Merlon’s eyes were far away then as he stared ahead. “We were leavin’ the mines when I hears a shout, someone screamin’ “Cave in”, and the next thing I know the world’s gone dark.
“The mine collapsed tunnel by tunnel as we ran, gettin’ closer an’ closer and louder an’ louder until it was all ye’ could do not to fall from the shakin’ and cover yer ears over the boomin’.” He shook his head and gripped at something intangible then dropped his hands with a sob. “I woke up a week later with broken arms and a busted leg…but they were gone.”
Cuke patted him on the shoulder and shook him. “I’m sorry, Merlon.”
The old dwarf nodded and wiped his eyes. “Sweatin’ out me eyes,??
It was Cuke’s turn to drop his head and sweat out of his eyes. A long moment of silence passed between them as both dwarves at last began to mourn. “He saved me.” Cuke muttered and sighed. “He saved all of us.” He looked up determinedly and they locked eyes. “And yet..”
“And yet no one will know or remember him.” Merlon finished and Cuke nodded.
“He did so much, I mean, he sacrificed everything.” Cuke grit his teeth and frowned over his shoulder at the town. “And not one of them would give him a second look if he were still here I’d bet.”
“One thing I’ve learned in me three hundred and fifty two years is that the world aint fair, and everyone is forgotten eventually.” He slapped Cuke on the shoulder with a smile on his grizzled face. “But some things will live on, like legends and stories.”
Cuke smiled and sniffled. “The Legend of Outsider?” He laughed as he imagined the very thought of such a thing. “Ridiculous.”
“Just ridiculous enough that we should do it.” Merlon chuckled and leaned back. They shared the much needed laughter until it died away. “He isn’t really gone; he’s just with the few he ever loved and watchin’ over the rest.”
The cleric nodded and shook the fighter’s hand. “Old fart like you will probably run into him soon enough anyway.”
“Then you’ll really be sad with no heroes left to save ye’.” Merlon laughed and devoured his bowl of stew and bread. “So with this done with, what’re ye gonna’ do with yer life from now on?”
Cuke shrugged and set his empty bowl aside. “I suppose I’ll just keep adventuring about without destination and just see where it takes me. I’ve always wanted to see the southern islands.” He cracked a smile and a glint came to his eye with the spark of adventure. “What about you?”
“Reopen me shop o course, I retired from fightin’ and adventurin’ a long time ago.” Merlon grinned. “Thom’s already agreed to stay as me apprentice, and last I heard, Bryn and Natalia were settin’ up shop here as well; lookin’ to make an inn o their own with me friend Garth leavin’ to take it easy on some farm.”
“I’m sure Thom is excited about the prospects of getting to see Natalia again.” Cuke teased and Merlon nodded with a laugh. “Sounds like your town of Journ has become more of a home than it was before.”
“It’ll give us plenty of people we both know for me to embarrass you in front of when we have our drinkin’ contest as well.” He glanced over at Cuke when he was done and nudged him with his elbow. “Ye do know that in a few days or so when me strength’s back, we’re gonna redo that arm wrestlin’ match right?”
Cuke nodded and forced his face blank. “Of course, right after we tell everyone the infamous Legend of Outsider.”