Chapter 11: Sunlight -------------------- "I've never been a 'morning person.' And it's more than that. I just can't wake up mentally at the same time as I wake up physically. I'm groggy and I can't think straight for at least ten minutes. "Yet there I was in the middle of Tomra, somebody shaking me. I knew it wasn't morning. It couldn't be. Yet still, somebody was furiously trying to get me awake. "I just wish I had listened to him." * * * * * * * * * * * "Kindar!" A small earthquake was tearing Kindar from his slumber. And it was speaking to him. "Please, Kindar! You have to wake up! Please!" A small, pleading earthquake with a very familiar voice. Kindar rolled over and looked up. Tamar stood over him, his face in a mask of worry. "What is it, Tamar?" Kindar mumbled, rolling back to his side. "Kindar," said the ancient dwarf, "you can't go back tomorrow! You can't go back to the surface world! Please!" "But they've been following my trails and working on an exit for two weeks now. I go back tomorrow." "No, Kindar! You can't! I beg of you!" The man rolled over again and looked in the dwarf's eyes. Tears were streaming down his face, his aged lips trembling. "Why, Tamar? What is it?" Tamar breathed deeply a moment and spoke, "I had a dream, Kindar. I dreamed that someday, on the surface world, you find the one. The one who killed your child. And somehow, Kindar," the dwarf stopped a moment trying to pull his words together, "that one uses a sword that hurts you more than any pain you have ever felt." Kindar thought back to awakening after being swallowed by the zone eater. "Not possible..." he mumbled. Tamar pleaded, "Please, friend! Don't go back to the surface! "Kindar, I'm not going to survive this night. I know that. I've lived over 620 years. My time has come many times over. I cannot continue to cheat death. Take over the inn for me, Kindar! Stay here under the surface-world. Stay where you will never find the man who killed your son! I beg of you, Kindar! Please! All that I have is yours!" Kindar looked up at the elder. "Tamar," he said soothingly, "I have to go back to the surface. That is my home. My time here is over. Your dream is just that, Tamar. A dream. Go back to sleep, friend. We can talk in the morning." Tamar turned and ran from the room. Kindar could only watch a moment before sleep overcame him again. * * * * * * * * * * * Kindar didn't care if he was underground and they happened often. Two earthquakes were not meant to wake him in one night. "Stop shaking..." Another familiar voice broke through as the shaking stopped. "I'm sorry, Kindar, but I have news." "Can't it wait 'till morning, Gimet?" "It is morning, Kindar." "Can't it wait 'till afternoon, then?" "Tamar said you were difficult to get up. I believe it fully, now. But Kindar, there's news. A hole to the surface has been created. We couldn't find your original path, quite, but we made it back to the castle and opened a tunnel around there. You can go home, Kindar." Kindar buried his face in the pillow. "Great... I'll be down to head out in an hour or so." Gimet spoke again, "That's not the only news, Kindar." The man mumbled something indecypherable into the pillow. "Tamar passed away in his sleep last night." Kindar was awake. "What!" I found him this morning. I thought something was wrong when he didn't greet me at the desk. When I checked his room, he was lying in his bed, finally gone to see his father again." Kindar pulled on his robe and slid into boots. "Take me to him, Gimet." "Kindar, perhaps it would be better if you were to clothe yourself first. He'll remain at least until you fin-" The knight cut him off. "Take me to him now, Gimet." The dwarf nodded. * * * * * * * * * * * The thought of returning to the surface invigorated him. The thought of Tamar did not. Trekking through the tunnels again, he felt guilty at being happy. How could he? A friend did not wake up in the morning. Yes, he was old, but he was a good dwarf. He had more life in his body than any other being Kindar had ever seen. Kebah chittered behind him. He turned and pat the larva. "Yes, little one. I'm all right. I'll be fine." It returned a deeper, slower chitter. "Don't worry, Kebah. Everything will be all right." "We're here, Kindar." The man looked up at the sight. An enormous cavern was just ahead. A fair ways away, wooden planks lined out into a massive depression. Rubble and boulders blocked what was once a dragon-sized exit. It was the home of the Enterprise. The party took to the stairs on the right. For nearly five minutes, they walked up into the darkness. Despite knowing where it was leading, Kindar still felt anxious at the thought of moving upwards through the darkness. When the doorway opened again, Kindar shielded his eyes from the light. "Rinjai, can't you cut that down a bit?" There was nothing. It seemed the sword had spoken all it was going to. The light remained. It was bearable after a moment, and Kindar followed as Gimet and the others led him outside. "Someday, Kindar, we return here. Now that we know of this place, we will return to honor this castle and its former people. It was once a source of great evil, but also a source of a greater good. Perhaps we may even make it a part of our world." Gimet smiled. "It seems that the light never dims from here either." Another hour or so and the party found its way to the hole. Sunlight streamed down under to greet the travelers. Kebah backed away from it, but soon found it tolerable, perhaps even likable. The dwarves marveled that the world could be so green and beautiful. "Your world, man," said Gimet. "You are home." "Will you come with me, friend?" The dwarf shook his head. "Nay. My home is beneath. Yet, perhaps someday I will come to visit your world. Perhaps I will come to find you again, Kindar. Until then..." The two sized each other up a moment, and then clasped hands. "Someday, Gimet." He turned. Kebah moved to follow him. The dwarves watched as the man walked into the sunlight.