The tunnels took forever to navigate, or so it seemed.  Finally,
Edge and Timon arrived at the Land of Dwarves.
	The cavern was immense.  Jagged stalagmites littered the cavern
floor.  The air was hot and humid.  Small pools of lava could be seen
breaking the surface.  The only light within the cavern was the soft, eerie
glow of the molten stone.  Edge's eyes adjusted to the semi-light, while
Timon could be heard complaining about how dull everything looked.
Suddenly, a voice came from the darkness.
	"Welcome!"
	"Lali-ho!"  Edge said happily.
	"Lali what?"  came the reply.
	"Who is it, Edge?"  Timon said from a short distance away.
	"Would you happen to have a light, dwarf?"  Edge asked.
	"Why, of course."  The dwarf turned and called to the city,
"PHOSPHOROUS MAJOR!"
	The entire cavern became lit as though by sunlight.  Edge and Timon
shielded their eyes from the sudden brightness.  When their eyes adjusted, a
grinning Dwarf could be seen standing before the city.
	Much like the mountain from which it was built, the Land of the
Dwarves was multi-levelled.  The building were carved from the living rock,
and shone slightly from the natural minerals contained within.  The walls
radiated a bright glow, which was most definitely the work of magic... or,
in this world's case, Mana.
	Timon looked about at the spectacle, amazed.  "This is awesome!"
Turning to the dwarf, he added, "You Dwarves made this all yourselves?"
	"That is right, young one."  The dwarf that Timon addressed stood
only three and a half feet tall.  He was wearing a suit of plate mail which
glistened as though it had been polished for weeks.  A great helm made of
the same strange metal sat lopsided atop the dwarf's head, and a great
mining pick rested atop his shoulders.  "We Dwarves have inhabited Gaia's
Navel for an eternity.  This is our home."  The Dwarf gestured to the city.
	Edge said, "We are looking for a smith, Dwarf..."
	"Osgard."
	"Pardon?"
	"Osgard.  That is my name.  Not 'Dwarf'."  Osgard stroked his long
white beard.
	Edge smiled.  "Of course.  Osgard, we are looking for a
weaponsmith.  This young boy is the keeper of the Mana Sword, and we need to
find a way to release its power."
	Osgard's eyes opened wide.  "THE Mana Sword?  Impossible.  Only the
Mana Knight could have removed it from its resting place."
	"I AM a Mana Knight!"  Timon said, insulted.  "Or at least, I will
be, once I grow up..."
	Edge nodded.  "We speak the truth, Osgard."
	Timon continued.  "My Grampy told me that monsters have been lurking
about my home because I took the Mana Sword.  They told me to leave.  Edge
and I made it to the Water Palace, where Luka said that Mana is growing
weaker, and since I got the Sword, I gotta seal all the Mana Seeds.  Then
the Sword'll wake up and save the world... neat story, huh?"  Timon beamed
proudly and flexed.
	Osgard frowned.  "Can it truly be so?  Then noone is safe.  Quickly
then, young one, go up there," Osgard pointed to a cave, "and tell Watts
your story.  He should be able to help you."
	"Thanks."  Timon took Osgard's hand and shook it.  He then turned to
Edge.  "C'mon, Edge... I got a world to save!"  Timon ran to a set of stairs.
	Edge shook his head, smiling.  "Impulsive... I like that.  Kinda
reminds me of me."  Edge jogged up the stairs after Timon.
	Timon tore past several Dwarves, who only looked at him slightly,
and ran into the cave which Osgard had pointed out.  Edge apologized as he
nearly bowled one of the Dwarves over, hopping over him like a tree stump,
and continued on his way to the smithy.
	The cavern was a good size, and contained a lava pool, obviously
used for smelting the metal used for weapons and armour.  A Dwarf stood in
front of the pool, working har don some project.  Timon burst in behind and
yelled, "Hey, Watts!" just before Edge had a chance to stop him.  Startled,
Watts dropped whatever it was he was working on into the lava pool.  It sank
out of sight.  Irritated, Watts turned to the interloppers.
	"I HOPE that wahtever it is you want, it's VERY important." Watts
grumbled.  "I was working on that piece for a week!"
	"Oh, I assure you, good sir, that saving the world is much more
important than that piece of scrap."  Edge grinned, and leaned up against
the cavern wall.
	Watts raised an eyebrow, curious.  "Save the world?"
	Timon handed the Mana Sword to Watts.  "Can you clean this Sword
for me?  It's very important."
	Watts grumbled, "Well, thanks to you, I have nothing better to do
with my time.  But it'll cost you... one hundred gold pieces."  Watts stood
with his hands on his hips.
	Edge withdrew a small pouch of coins and tossed it nonchalantly to
Watts, who caught it two-handed.  "There y'are, old man.  One hundred
golds.  And do hurry," Edge added haughtily, "We're in a rush."
	"Work, work, work, that's all I do... I don't NEED to take this
abuse, you know..."  Watts growled as he turned to the lava pool, Sword in a
pair of tongs.  Watts dipped the sword into the pool several times, each
time pulling it out and dousing it in a tub of water.  When he was done, he
handed the Sword back to Timon.  "There y'are, young one.  Now get out of
here... I have to start my project all over again."  Watts took a new piece
of white metal from a shelf and placed it on his anvil.  When he picked up
his hammer, it began to glow.
	Watts stared at his hammer... "What... how?"
	Timon grinned knowingly.  "That's easy.  You just cleaned up the
Mana Sword for me!"
	Watts stared at his hammer, amazed.  "Really?  That's great!  That
is just the stuff I need to make my next weapon!  Heh... I'm gonna start on
that axe I've always wanted... come back later!"  Watts began running all
about his room, setting up things he would need for his project.  As Edge
and Timon stared at each other, a small vase sailed over Edge's head and
shattered, spraying him with debris and soil.  "Go on... scoot!"  Watts
said imploringly.  Edge and Timon darted out of the room, and a door
slammed shut behind them.
	Edge and Timon looked at each other and shrugged.  "I didn't know
Dwarves were so tempermental,"  Timon commented.
	"Yeah, they're usually quite friendly where I come from... why don't
we see what else there is to see while we're waiting?"  Edge continued up
the city levels.  Reaching the top, he waved Timon on.  "Well, don't just
stand there with your jaw on the ground, c'mon!"
	Timon was lost in amazement at the beauty of the city.  "You go on
ahead, Edge... I'll be up in a minute."
	"Hey, this is YOUR quest, y'know!"  Edge called.
	"Fine, fine, hold your horses,"  Timon called back, and jogged the
rest of the way to the top of the city.
	Edge and Timon stood before a large cavern, gilded in gold and
gems.  They entered, only to see a single Dwarf standing behind a counter.
He flashed a toothy grin at the pair and said, "Hey, you two here to see the
show?"
	Timon looked to Edge.  "Hey, yeah!  That should pass the time
nicely!  Let's go and watch!"
	Edge shrugged.  "Sure, how much?"
	The Dwarf smiled.  "Fifty golds, please."
	Edge paid the Dwarf, and Timon ran ahead to find some good seats.
However, there were no seats to be seen... just a large throw rug.  The
stage itself was carved from stone, and had torches for floodlights all
along its front.  The Dwarf from the entrance entered from behind a curtain,
and orated, "Welcome to the greatest show under the Earth!  Strange and
wonderful things from far away to please your eyes and tickle your taste for
adventure!  First..."
	A small yellow Rabite hopped on stage, followed by a Dwarf.
	"Here we have a Rabite and a Man... here's Rabiteman!"
	Edge and Timon looked at each other, each with an eyebrow raised.
Shrugging, they continued to watch the show.
	"And now..."
	Stepping on stage was a young human girl, dressed in clothes similar
to those worn in the desert.
	"A young girl, lost and stranded in the Great Desert!  Poor woman...
doesn't know where she's from or why she's here... tragic, is it not?"
	The girl fell to her knees, sobbing.  "Won't you help me find my way
home?"
	The Dwarf continued.  "We're working on hiring a Sage who might be
able to tell her where she's from.  Unfortunately, the man we have found is
going to cost us 50,000 gold pieces!  She's here, working in this show to
raise the money!  Won't you help our cause?  Even 100 gold pieces would help
her find her way..."
	Timon turned to Edge.  "She's awfully cute... why don't we ask her
to come with us?  I imagine we'll have to walk all over the world to find
the Seeds... surely we'd fine SOMEONE who knew who she was..."
	Edge stood.  "I like her... a lot."  Rubbing his hands, he
continued, "I would like for her to stop by my bedchamber this evening
for... entertainment.  Would you accept... 5000 gold pieces?"  Edge leered
at the girl, giving her a wink.
	"WHAT?!"  The girl spat.  "I HAPPEN to be ROYALTY!  NOT some tavern
FLOOSY!!"  Lunging, the girl leapt from the stage and extended a drop kick
Edge's way.  Edge caught her and dropped her not so gently to the ground.
	"HA!"  Edge snapped his finger, "I knew it!"
	"W... What's going on?"  Timon said, confused.
	"She was trying to get all our money, Timon, God knows why."
	"Hmph!"  The girl said, rising to her feet.  "It would have worked,
too... I saw the way he was looking at me."  She turned away, arms crossed.
	"WHAT!"  Timon jumped to his feet.  "Was NOT!"
	"DON'T tell me that..."  the girl said sarcastically.
	The Dwarf sighed.  "OK, you caught us.  Here's your money back."
The Dwarf gave a small pouch of coins to Edge.  "No harm meant, of course."
	"Of course,"  Edge rolled his eyes.  "Come, Timon... we've more
important things to deal with than... tavern floosies."  Edge giggled.
	"Take that BACK!"  the girl called, but Edge and Timon were already
out the door, laughing hysterically.
	When they were safely outside some distance away, the pair paused to
catch their breath.
	"Hee hah, did you catch the look on her FACE?"  Timon laughed.
	"Whoo... I haven't had this much fun in a LONG time..."  Edge wiped
a tear from his eye.
	Suddenly, the ground began to shake and quiver, throwing the heroes
to the ground.
	"W-Wha...?"  Timon said, grasping a stalagmite for support.
	Several Dwarves could be heard, shouting, "EARTHQUAKE!"