Chapter 3:
Johanna’s boots made a crunching sound as Kirsten and her walked the thin trail. Occasionally they heard a scuffle in the surrounding wood, though nothing was there. Johanna often checked behind her to see if Kirsten was there, which she always was.
“Scared?” asked Kirsten jokingly, her long blonde hair swinging side to side as she walked.
“Of course!” Johanna exclaimed, turning to look at Kirsten yet again, “What if we get attacked by a bear?”
Kisten snorted “I think what’s in this forest would scare any bear away.”
“That’s not helping.”
“Neither is me lying to you.”
After night had settled, the two of them sat around a campfire that Kirsten refused to help Johanna with. It had taken Johanna half an hour with the help of the Apprentices Guide to be able to get the fire started. Now, after being fed dry branches, the flame reached high and joyfully danced in the middle of the small clearing.
The fire was hypnotic in the middle of the darkening landscape, like a small breath of life in the middle of a sea of despair. The two girls, who seemed to glow in the light of the fire stayed quiet. The smaller one, who’s light red hair seemed even brighter from the fire, was reading the small booklet for the thousandth time. The taller one was carving a piece of wood with her knife, and occasionally looked up at the other girl, a bemused look on her face.
Farther into the forest, a small light formed. It flickered for a moment, before getting bigger. Johanna was reading, when the paper seemed to be easier to read. Turning around to see where the light was coming from, she could see a large ball of light, growing even bigger passing the size of a pumpkin.
“Kirsten!” She hissed, and pointed to the light.
Kirsten looked up from her carving and at the light, “Yes? What do you expect me to do?”
“What is that?” Johanna asked
“I have no clue.” Kirsten said blatantly, lying through her teeth. The light, was in fact, an Elf Light. The Elf light had lured many a person to their death in the Viking’s age.
When Johanna stood up, the light stopped inflating. Slowly, Johanna walked through the thickets towards the light. The light got smaller as she inched towards it, and when Johanna was less than a foot away, it started to float farther into the forest.
Johanna glanced back at the campfire, where Kirsten was now standing, watching intently. The wisp had already gotten farther, almost disappearing into the trees. Johanna darted after it, wanting to find out the secrets it held. The wisp lead her farther and farther into the forest, the campfire now gone and the only light was from the small wisp. The wisp didn’t stop until they reached a cave, Johanna stood there for a moment, waiting for the wisp to do something. Slowly, it traveled farther into the cave. Johanna followed, though hesitantly. As they got deeper in, Johanna saw a light ahead, and she walked into a room lit by lanterns. A heavily muscled man with balding grey hair, was leaning over a craftsman table using large tools on a slab of metal. The wisp let out a loud hiss, like air deflating out of a tire.
“Arik? Is that you?” The man said, not even turning around “Did you get the stream water I asked for?”
The wisp, whose name was apparently Arik, hissed again.
“What do you mean you’ve got something better I asked for-“ The man turned around and looked at Johanna. She could now see his thick beard and worn eyes. He gave an exasperated sigh and said “Well Arik. What did you bring her for? I don’t need an assistant, not this one at least. Too scrawny. I suppose you can feed her to one of trolls, in exchange for some gold of course.”
“What?!” Johanna squeaked “Why?!”
The man turned around and continued with his work “Because Trolls mine the best gold, or at least they steal it from the miner elves, who mine the best gold.”
“No.” Johanna said flatly, “Why are you going to feed me to the trolls?”
“Trolls love to eat humans, and If I provide them with one, they give me gold. Simple as that.”
“Isn’t there a better way?” Johanna asked, “You know, a way where I don’t get eaten.”
“I suppose you could go and steal the gold from the dwarves or the trolls, but only a mad man would ever attempt to steal from a troll, and very few creatures can find a dwarf.”
“I’ll do it.” Johanna said.
The man turned around again, “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that.” He seemed to think for a minute. “It’s a deal.”
“So I’ve just got to track down these dwarves, and get a bag of their gold?”
“Yes, and make sure no trolls catch you.”
“Who are you, may I ask?”
The man looked her in the eye for a moment “Name’s Regin. I’m one of the best dwarf blacksmiths there is.”
“You’re a dwarf?” Johanna asked skeptically, “But you’re so big.”
Regin snorted, “That’s what they all say.” He turned around back to his work, “Now get a move on, I don’t have all night. Take a lantern with you, or else you won’t be able to see.”
Johanna nodded, and picked up a lantern from the table.
“Oh!” Regin cried as Johanna was almost out, “And don’t try any funny business, I’ve got wisps like Arik all over the forest, that’ll be watching you.”
Johanna held the lantern high as she walked through the forest. Occasionally catching glimpses of wisps, she trekked through the dark, hoping that she could stumble upon the hideout of the miner dwarves.
“If I were a miner dwarf where would I be?” she asked herself
“I wouldn’t go that way.”
Johanna jumped, standing before her, at three feet tall, was a small man in overalls.
“What are you?” she asked
“I know what you are, but what am I?” He said gleefuly.
“That just what I asked.” Johanna said, not amused.
“They say we are supposed to be this way, so I am.” He sung.
“Then what are you supposed to be?”
“Elves of old, Elves of new, we became two.”
“So you’re an elf?”
“Maybe if you opened your eyes, you could see.”
“My eyes are open!” Johanna protested
“Then where are you?” he asked giggling and swinging around a tree.
“I’m in the forest, so are you. I’m supposed to be looking for the miner dwarves; do you know where they are?”
“Finders keepers, losers weepers!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Dwarves never lose their gold; unless you make them.”
“That’s very helpful.” Johanna said, “But I need to find the stupid dwarves first!”
The Elf snickered. “Open your eyes.”
“My eyes are open!” Johanna exclaimed, thoroughly annoyed with him.
“Not with the light on!” The elf snatched the lantern from her hand, and blew the candle out.
“Hey!” Johanna protested, “Now how am I supposed to find my way?”
“Open your eyes.” He whispered. Then she heard him shuffle away.
“Open my eyes?” She muttered “My eyes are open.”
Then she looked up. Nestled in the branches of the trees, were tiny lanterns, glowing in the dark. They made a line, that lead to Johanna’s right.
“Open your eyes.” Johanna whispered, awestruck. She then jogged under the line. Keeping her eyes on the tree tops, she followed the line, which resulted in her tripping over many roots.
It wasn’t long before she came upon another cave. Plucking a lantern from the tree, she tucked it into her knapsack, just in case she needed it later.
She ducked behind a tree, as she heard voiced come from the cave.
“I don’t know Lou.” She heard someone say, “You think we need more gold?”
“Don’t question me, Craig, I know how much gold we need.”
Peeking out from behind the tree, she saw two men that were of similar stature to Regin, leave a big bag of gold, on a cart tethered to a donkey.
“If I steal the gold, they’ll notice.” Johanna murmured, “But if they were to think of it lost…”
Nearby, a deep river was rushing by. An idea began to form inside Johanna’s mind. After coming up with a plan, she sat and waited for another bag to come out.
It wasn’t long before another dwarf heaved a bag of gold into the almost full cart. Once he was gone, Johanna crept out from behind the tree and made her way over to the cart. The donkey, which was eating, lifted his head up and nudged her as if asking for more hay. She unsaddled him and led him over to the bale of hay which he gladly munched on. Then, she went behind the cart and gave it a great heave, which set it down the mountain. Quickly she grabbed two bags of gold, which felt like they wheighed a hundred pounds and ran after the cart to the river.
Johanna let the cart tip over, right in front of the river. She took one of the bags she was holding and dumped it into the river. The dwarves would see the gold in the rocks and assume the other bag also fell out and swept down the river. Quickly, she ducked behind the tree up at the mouth of the cave, and watched as one of the dwarves came out and saw the cart.
“Lou!” He called. “The cart’s gone down to the river!”
About ten other dwarves ran out of the cave and started to freak out.
“Some of the gold went into the water,” one said, “It’s gone by now.”
“Well, I guess we’re going to be working all night. Thanks to Craig not tying up the donkey correctly.”
There was more muttering between the dwarves. Johanna smiled and turned back into the forest.
When she got back to Regin’s cave, he was shocked. “How on earth?” He looked at her wordlessly.
“Well, I suppose I should reward you. After all, not just anyone can get gold from the dwarves.” Regin walked to a big chest and pulled out a golden sword.
“This should suit you.” He said handing it to her, “Very light and precise. It’ll cause great damage if used correctly.”
“Thank you.” Johanna said astonished, “Thank you so much.”
“It’s a pleasure.” Regin nodded
“Do you happen to know how to get to the Gates of Jaðarr?”
“Arik can take you there. He knows the way better than I.”
Arik zoomed over to Johanna’s side letting out a hiss.
“Arik would be pleased to take you.” Regin translated, “Now, off you go. I have things to make.”
Johanna let Arik lead her out of the cave. Her new sword at hand, they got outside, the morning light was greeting her.
“Arik.” She said. “If I don’t get to the Gates fast, I’m not getting in.”
Arik let out a hiss and zoomed through the forest, and Johanna rushed after him.