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“Just leave me alone!” Garth bellowed at Sly and Dar angrily after the fifth inquiry of his health. “I've already told you, I feel much better! Whatever the centaurs gave me fixed me right up!”
“They are just concerned for your health.” Gretta chided the grouchy dwarf gently.
“And we want to make sure that you are well enough to travel.” Dar had been keeping a close eye on him closely all morning, ready to act if there was a turn for the worse.
The companions had awakened just after dawn, and were busy preparing breakfast when Garth and Gretta appeared, led by one of the centaurs. He looked like he was back to his normal self, though his face was still a little pale.
“I’m fine!” Garth insisted stubbornly. “We dwarves are a hearty lot! It takes quite a bit to kill us!”
Damion considered the situation for moment. “I think we should give it one more night.” He decided finally. “We can all use the rest. We haven’t had much sleep as of late.”
The dwarf scowled. “Don’t let me slow us down! We should keep moving!”
Damion shook his head. “I don't wish to blunder into anything unaware. If we are going to follow through with this and survive, we'll need a plan.” He glanced at Dar. “Do you think you can convince Ket Matoc to loan us a few of his warriors? They may be just what we need to distract the dragonspawn and goblins.”
“That should be easy enough.” Dar smiled. “As long as they are not in too much danger, I'm sure that they will aid us in every way they can.”
“Do you think they might have any ale?” Sly inquired with a hopeful look on his face.
Dar laughed, and then shook her head. “Nay. They do not drink ale. But they do make an exquisite wine from the wild berries that they gather in the forest.”
“Do they now?” The little man's eyes brightened noticeably.
Later that night, Damion and Dar greeted Ket Matoc, who made his way out to the clearing where they were camped. The wizened creature had a sad, regretful look on his weathered face.
“Dar hast relayed your request for aid in facing the Scarred One’s minions.” The centaur murmured, his voice lilting. “Thy request is serious, Lord Omensent. Understand, we art the last of our kind. Once the last of us fall, the light that is mine people, that once burned strong and proud, would be extinguished, never to burn again.” The elderly centaur's shoulders seem to droop under the weight of the enormous responsibility. He passed a frail, trembling hand over his eyes. “I cannot allow that to happen.”
“But if you do not help, Kaviel and his creatures will destroy your people anyway!” Damion argued. “If you fight, we can win!”
Ket Matoc shook his head. “I doth wish it different, but alas, the welfare of mine people comes first.”
A loud commotion drew their attention to a group of centaurs who galloped into the clearing from the darkness of the forest. They slowed, then came to a stop a few feet away and stood staring. There was a sudden squeal of joy, and a tiny shadow leapt from the back of one of the centaurs, dashing through the fire light towards Damion.
“Kariah?” He cried in stunned in disbelief. He was nearly knocked from his feet as the elf maiden threw herself into his arms. “Kariah! You're safe!” He held her in a crushing embrace, still in shock. He kissed her hard on the lips, and held on to her tight, as if he were afraid that she may disappear. “I can't believe you're safe!” He kissed her again. “How were you able to escape Kaviel and the dragon?”
“They left me alone in the dragon's lair with only a single dragonspawn as a guard. I managed to kill it, and slipped away into the forest unnoticed. That's when K'thar found me,” She gestured to one of the centaurs. “and he and the others brought me here! They wish to help us!”
Damion and the others exchanged astonished looks. “You killed a dragonspawn?”
She smiled. “Aren’t you proud of me?”
Damion laughed, then pulled her back into a tight embrace.
Ket Matoc stepped forward, staring at the centaurs that had accompanied the elf maiden. “What doth she mean that thy wish to lend them aid?” His face was stern.
“It is our wish to drive the Scarred One and his foul minions from our blessed forest.” K'thar proclaimed. Many of the centaurs gathered cheered, voicing their support.
“The decision hast already been made!” The elder centaur said angrily. “We cannot risk fighting! We must remain aloof from this conflict to ensure the survival of our people!”
“Our kind wilt never survive if the Scarred One continues his bloody rampage!” The blond-haired centaur pushed his way past his companions and stood before his elder. “The destruction of our forest wilt continue, and we wilt be driven out and slaughtered! But if we fight....”
“If we fight, we doth ensure our demise.” The elderly centaur's expression was sad. “We wouldst never survive a battle. I fear we doth not possess nearly enough warriors to stand a chance!”
Damion finally forced himself to tear his gaze from Kariah. “Actually, all we really need is some sort of diversion.”
“A diversion?” K'thar looked interested. “What sort of diversion?”
“We just need something to occupy the dragonspawn and goblins long enough to allow us to slip into the cavern and face Kaviel and the dragon.”
The centaurs began to murmur among themselves excitedly, but Ket Matoc continued to shake his head. “The risk cannot be taken! Too many lives hast already been lost!”
K'thar ignored his elder. “If a small attack was staged, just large enough to inspire alarm, dost thou believe thy can accomplish thy mission?”
“Without a doubt.” Damion replied confidently.
“Quite impossible!” Ket Matoc still refused. “Our warriors art too few to stage such a diversion!”
“There are other creatures in this forest that wilt surely be willing to lend aid!” The female centaur suddenly argued. “An alliance can be formed, and these foul creatures will finally be driven from our blessed forest!”
“Not you too, Layi!” The centaur elder cried in chagrin. “Mine only daughter wishes to defy me?”
“Not defy you, father! Mine only wish is to save our people! If we doth not take a stand now, our people wilt slowly be wiped from existence! We must fight!” Her words were met with roars of agreement from the other centaurs.
Damion noticed that several more centaurs had appeared from the darkness, listening to the female centaur's words, and they also voiced their agreement.
“Mine children!” Ket Matoc pleaded. “We art the last of our kind! Doth thou all wish to doom our race to oblivion?”
“Better to stand, fight, and die a noble death, than to hide like cowards and die a slow lingering death!” K'thar exclaimed fiercely. The growing crowd of centaurs cheered, clearly behind him and Layi.
Ket Matoc sighed heavily, and his frail shoulders bowed in resignation. “So be it. Join these warriors in battle, and place the survival of our people in this... human's hands.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Damion replied dryly. He noticed that the attention of the crowd had shifted to him.
K'thar stared at him, his expression questioning. “Doth it be true that thou dost bear the Dragon Sword?”
Damion nodded, then turned and revealed the hilt of the sword, which glittered in the fire light.
Another loud murmur passed through the crowd of centaurs. It was obvious they had all heard of legend of the Dragon Sword and Dragon Gem.
K'thar's eyes grew wide, then he suddenly smiled. “Art thou sure that thy can truly compete with a dragon?”
“He already has!” Dar piped. “Twice!”
Another excited murmur went through the crowd, and even Ket Matoc seemed impressed.
K'thar and Layi exchanged long looks, then K'thar nodded. “We shalt help provide the diversion. All else lies upon your shoulders alone!”
Damion smiled. “I wouldn't have it any other way.”