The Egg Room

“Did you hear the rumour?”

    Guarding the entrance of a cave at the side of the village, two Knockers chattering.

“Which one?” The other dwarf asks, casting him a side glance.

“The emissary of the Taint has been defeated in Ard Ramalia a few weeks ago. Apparently, that was the deed of the Saintess.”

“Mmmm…”

    Despite the news brought back by a few Knockers having lately visited the Beastmen’s kingdom, there’s no way they would let us touch what is, basically, their treasure. Let alone if they knew what we intend to do with it.

    Hence…

    Both of the guards, until now peacefully exchanging some words, suddenly seem dazed. They frown, one of them reaching out his hand to his forehead.

    …We’re gonna help ourselves.

    Not losing any time, Tyffeon and I sneak behind the guards, borrowing their keys to open the doors and step in.

    Beyond the entrance, we follow a long corridor carved into the stone.

“Even if we return from the depths, it’s going to be a pain to escape Toll Dubh, you know this?” Tyffeon reminds. “I’m not exactly sure that Gobha will be disposed to listen to you.”

    Our steps lead us to the threshold of a large room, a large door lined in gold keeping it isolated.

“Baby steps, ok?” I glance at him. “We don’t exactly have the luxury to foresee to that point. Let’s handle the emissary first.”

    I take a step forward, grabbing the golden handle.

    The door emits a low rumble, as if reluctant to let us enter.

    Aligned in multiple rows, the room shelters dozens of eggs the size of an owl. Each of them is securely placed over a red pillow, on a stone pillar.

“That’s the first time I see the Egg Room with my own eyes.” Tyffeon notes as we approach the first pillars.

    Stopping in front of one of the eggs, I run my fingers over its surface.

“And it’s probably gonna be the last as well.”

***

    As the festival of Gebo approached, the chief of the Knockers himself walked into the Egg Room. According to the tradition, it was his task to taste the first egg. To approve of their quality.

    Thus stepping close to one of the eggs, he used a silver tool to pierce a hole into the egg shell, retrieving enough of its content to fill a small plate.

    Taking it to his lips, he inclined it enough to swallow the substance, doing his best not to stain his generous beard.

“These eggs may be used for Gebo.” The ruler nodded solemnly to the head cook present for this symbolic ceremony. “Make good use of them, cook the best pancakes out of them for our folk.”

    His task accomplished, the chief of the Knockers headed to the door when the tool he’d been holding escaped his grasp, rattling on the floor.

    Losing his balance, Gobha fell to his knees. A liquid mixed with blood splattered the ground as he regurgitated.

“Chief Gobha!”

“Chief!

    But as the Knockers rushed to their ruler, the skin of the latter had already become grey, his sclera filling with darkness…

***

    We can’t depart to the depths without making sure that these are destroyed. If we ever were to chase after an imaginary emissary while the ruler of the Knockers gets tainted… it would be a disaster.

“Fine.”

    As he steps closer to me, Tyffeon takes his sword off its sheath, extending it to me. I take hold of the weapon as he nods to me, walking then past the first pillars.

    In a large, quick move, I run the blade through the eggs on both of my sides. Letting them fall to pieces while Tyffeon sets fire to the eggs on his side, one after the other. Burning them to the core, until mere ashes remain.

    No hesitation. No remorse.

    If becoming a criminal to their eyes is the price to pay to protect, then so be it.

    Though, I am aware of what these eggs represent to their eyes. More than a delicacy, a proof the younger ones bring back with them, acknowledging the time they spent in the depths.

    I easily perceive the horror, the hurt in their eyes when the guards rush into the Egg Room. When they see the blade of my sword shattering to pieces the last egg, its yellowish and sticky content staining the cushion, dripping lazily to the floor.

“…What have you done?!”

    In no time, a whole bunch of dwarfs gather in the Egg Room.

    Exchanging a glance with Tyffeon, I throw the sword to the ground. It’s better to let them capture us than to risk an unwanted bloodbath.

    Before we’re taken to jail, the ruler of the Knockers himself enters the Egg Room. Seeing the damages we occasioned, something shifts in his gaze.

“Being a broken Saintess is not enough…” He utters in a strained voice. “You have to have no heart at all? No respect for our folk?!”

    While the guards restrain our moves, ready to slay us at the slightest suspect move, Gobha clenches his fists. A tremor agitating them.

    But none of us reply to him.

“Accursed Saintess… You’ll be sentenced to death.” He bitterly announces. “Now take them!! Take them to jail! Out of my sight!!!”

    As the guards take us away, we bypass the ruler without uttering a word.

    We have no proof that would be enough to soothe his rage, and I’m not naive enough to think he’ll believe my words blindly. That’s not the kind of man he is.

***

“This is gonna become a habit, isn’t it?”

    Back in the cell, I sigh before letting go of the bars to glance back at Tyffeon.

    He sneers.

“I would almost think that you find it funny.”

“You’re imagining things.” I avert my gaze, placing my hand against my hip.

    A thud.

    Loud enough to suggest that someone just hit the ground.

    I turn my gaze to the corridor, taking a few steps back into the cell as a shadow flickers against the wall lit by the flames of a nearby torch. A shadow with beast ears and small horns.

    Soon, Timoria appears in front of our cell. Branches grow from her back, but instead of becoming ominous and as numerous as when we fought the emissary, there are fewer, shorter.

    As the grown leaves fall from her branches, they whizz to the bars, cutting them into slices.

    Her Lignum magic is decidedly more powerful than before she got tainted. Just as for her benediction.

“I… wasn’t too long, I hope?” She asks, holding in her arms the weapons we got confiscated.

    As we walk out of the cell, I place my hand against her free shoulder. Her free one, indeed, because the other one has been requisitioned by Awa.

“We still have our heads upon our shoulders, so that’s fine. Is the path clear?”

    She nods.

“We shouldn’t waste time though, they won’t stay confused for long.”

“We’ll do with that.” Tyffeon chimes in as we sneak along the corridor, heading out of the jail. On our way, any Knocker we meet seems dazed, their gaze blurry. “Your benediction is already pretty convenient. The fear you inspire in them makes a good diversion.”

“I’m glad it could help you.” She assures with a timid smile.

    Putting on the cloaks Timoria brought with her, we discreetly step away from the jail’s entrance.

“Now let’s head to the depths.” I utter.

    If so far the plan has gone as we intended, we’re still only halfway done. Halfway to begin our quest, that is. Nothing more holds us back in Toll Dubh, but going through the village and the exploited part of the dungeon feels like a source of hassle.

    Of course, we have barely reached the entrance of the tunnel leading to the lower levels when we hear voices rising…

    A guard blows into a dragon’s horn.

…Along with a sound of alert.

“The Saintess has escaped!!! Catch her!!”

    I glance at the Knockers closest to our position, seeing the suspicion in their gazes.

“Oh, dang… We’re screwed.”