An Imposed Truce

The dragon, with a wounded roar, ducked back inside.

At the same time, Astra halted her advance toward the cave entrance and turned to stare, along with the other dwarves, at the golden light. They continued to gaze at it for several minutes until finally the lid snapped shut.

"What - what just happened?" Paula asked in a daze.

"I don't know," Astra admitted, resheathing her knife.

"That light," Berenice muttered. "So beautiful, so - so compelling."

"Compelling is the word for it," came the dragon's voice from within the cave. "It's a reinforcement for the geiss - not to mention a protection for those under it."

"One even you couldn't stand up to, we see," Frederica said.

"Apparently, I underestimated the magicks the Dwarf King employed," the dragon replied sourly.

"So what now?" Paula asked. "Do we fight or..."

"No time," Astra said. "We have to get this chest back." She paused. "In fact - I almost feel it's a personal matter now."

"The same here," Paula admitted. "I guess the reinforcement spell is repsonsible."

"Quite so," the dragon said, still from deep within the cave. "It appears then that we're at a stalemate - I can't coerce you, but you can't disobey the giess in order to attack me. So I'll withdraw for now and let you small women be on your way."

"Yes," Astra admitted, "That's probably for the best. But know this, dragon - once this geiss is complete and I'm myself again, I'll return for you and we can settle this."

"That goes for me as well," Frederica said.

"Very well then," the dragon said. "But know this, Astra and Frederica - I am not a monster, nor do I kill and eat innocent people."

"Liar!" Astra spat. "The Matriarch herself proclaimed you enemy!"

"The King's council showed proof!" Frederica added.

"Believe what you will," the dragon's voice echoed, "But no matter what either of you have been told, I'm innocent of these crimes. Ask yourself who might wish to make me appear guilty - that's who you should really be seeking. Now off with you - I'm tired of this." And with a scraping sound, the Dragon retreated back into the caves.

Astra and Frederica looked at each other, not speaking but each thinking the same thing: What if he's telling the truth? However, there was no time to act on these thoughts - the geiss was pushing them onward. With a final glance back at the cave (and a piercing glare from Astra directed at Berenice), the four dwarf women picked up the mysterious box and headed away from the cave.

1. They took the lefthand path, towards a nearby town.
2. They took the righthand path, towards an even larger mountain in the distance.
3. They took the center path, which lead into a lushly overgrown forest.

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