Commando Part 5

      The Kingdom of Mount Ayalim wasn’t just the mountain itself. It included the mounds, and various settlements surrounding the region. Ayalim stretched from the base of the Crehx to the slopes of the Qad Rise and the very slopes of the Northern Quwar Heights. Each mount was about the size of a small village with six buildings on top. A few just had one temple with a set of stairs descending to the ground. They were all about two or three stories high. Mount Ayalim stood well over fifteen hundred and eighty four stories high. It was mostly carved around the entrances whereas the rest was left at its natural state.

      King Sasseak Hornbrand led them towards the Mountain. Maurice, Brittany, Hilastes, Amonif followed King Hornbrand to Ayalim with Prince Kulem. They left the High ranking officer to his duties. Ayalim’s commander of the Guard followed them with just a troop of Guardsmen. All around them were Dwarves of various shapes and sizes for dwarves. Beards were in a number of styles and colors. Some beards had sections or locks dyed a single color. Ayalim’s dark green banners dangled on their poles, and from their posts. The dark green banners had golden borders and two ivory axes flanking a silver triangle. These banners varied in sizes according to which building they hung from. Some were in flag shapes on poles on top of towers. At guard every guard tower, temple, shop, and street corner a Guardsman. Each one of them was armed with an axe and a rifle. Their shields were slung on their back with ivory axes and silver triangle painted on it.

      Several hundred of Ayalim’s citizens walked about the area carrying on about their own business. Many of them bowed to the king as he passed through the crowds. Heralds blew their trumpets at the King’s approach to the entrance. King Hornbrand ordered for the group to stop at two statues that stood one story tall. Each one was carved to resemble heroes from an ancient era. From these statues to the very doorways of the Mountain laid the red carpet for the king, his court, and those who wish an audience.

      King Hornbrand turned to Maurice and his three companions. He requested for them to dismount and hand the reigns to someone. A score of Dwarves, and Gnomes came to take their steeds away to the stables. Luckily they had one Uwaux Caretaker/Handler or these Jumbo Cats. About three to four dwarves handled the goats and yakox while the Uwaux handled their large cats. He mumbled to the steeds in his native tongue. All the gnomes and rest of the dwarves took the bags of weapons off the Yakox’s back.

      When the steeds and pack mule were led away to some stables Hornbrand and his son took them inside. All along the red carpet were lines of Guardsmen, Royal Guards, and Green Rangers standing guard. The vigilance from the guards could be felt on every inch of his body. Sweat started to pour from his pores drenching his clothes. Commando Viyamor continued following Hornbrand and his son to the gates of Mount Ayalim. Every foot of the gate was carved with decorative designs with gold as the door frame. Over a score of large red garnets were encrusted on the door frame. The two Dwarf royalties approached the doors, which were opened at their approach.

      Without thinking Maurice followed the king and his son inside Mount Ayalim. Brittany, Hilastes, Amonif, and the baggage carriers followed his lead into the mountain. As they entered Ayalim several members of the King’s Court greeted them. A total of seven court members stood at the entrance. The King’s Groom of the Stool, Doorward, Steward, Head Butler, Ushers, and main Herald greeted and welcomed them inside. King Hornbrand and his son said hello to each member. A tall Dwarf with a black beard eyed Maurice with some suspicion. It was only due to the Dwarf’s position in Hornbrand’s Court. At the entrance they came upon what appeared to be a city carved into the interior of the mountain. From the looks of things his multiple greeters brought them inside a city full of dwarves and gnomes.

      Ayalim’s interior at the entrance was carved to resemble a machicolation. Beyond this well-crafted and built machicolation the city inside appeared like houses on top of houses. It appeared like entire city blocks of apartment complexes and condominiums. The city itself was carved out of the mountain with homes and workshops around the entrance. As high as the group of homes stood none of them were as high as Ayalim’s ceiling. Past the homes they came to a vast chamber with support beams and pillars. Parts of the chamber were still under construction while other parts had markets, bakeries, and roaring fires cooking meals. There were various passageways and tunnels that led to other chambers and sections of the Mountain. Only one of these passageways led to the throne room.

      Inside the passageways Maurice spotted what looked like heavily armed guards turned out to be suits of armor.  Hornbrand took the party over to a golden hallway. This particular hallway had no statues At the beginning and end of this golden hallway stood four heavily armed guards. Hornbrand’s throne room was vast enough to put a couple of ships inside. The throne room was an octagonal shape with tapestries handing on each wall. A statue, urn, large vase on a pedestal, large crystal, and a glass orb sat bellow the banner-tapestries. At the central end of the throne room was the throne itself. It stood on a seven foot tall platform carved from stalagmite. The throne itself stood six feet tall made from stone with a large Topaz above the seat.

      At the feet of the platform was the reward for the weapons and ammunition. The reward consisted of five medium sized chests full of gold coins, gems, rubies, and lots jewelry. Sassaek Hornbrand went over to the chests and pushed each one towards Maurice. The Dwarves and Gnomes carrying the bags of weapons and ammunition placed them to the side in the throne room. Each one bowed before leaving them. Maurice, Brittany, Hilastes, and Amonif grabbed a chest for themselves letting Prince Kulem to deal with the last one. He ordered for a man servant to pick it up. The Head Butler escorted the smugglers and commandos to their guest sleeping quarters.

      Hornbrand had given them guest room to stay in and invited them to dine with him and his court. Every single guest room was located in the southwestern wing of Ayalim’s grand citadel that faced the Qad Rise. Once he settled in a circular room Maurice took a bath and changed into a nicer set of clothes one of the servants laid out for him on his bed. He exited his room to find a servant waiting on him. His companions came out of their rooms in party attire for dining. Amonif and Hilastes wore matching dining clothes whereas Brittany wore a dazzling blue dress. Maurice could not help but keep gazing at her as they proceeded to the dining hall.

      Once there they entered a vast chamber decorated for a special occasion and long tables for a party of eight hundred or so. It was filled with guards, captains, nobility, members of Hornbrand’s Court and other relatives of the Royal Family. Hornbrand spotted them and darted for them. The Dwarf King brought them to his table and asked them to dine next to him and his son. All four joined the King who sat at the head of the table of nobles, members of his Court and commanders of his own army. Amongst the Court of three hundred and forty were one hundred and twenty seven gnomes. These Gnomes had status’ and professions such as Key Houlders, Sages, Alchemists, and Royal Sorcerers. Other members of the Court included Pages, Secretaries, more Butlers, Doorwards, Cupbearer, Almoners, and plenty of Constables.

      Their feast lasted a good while in the night, but still seemed short for a Dwarf’s feast. Maurice assumed it was due to Ayalim’s plans to prepare for any future attacks from the Beast Men and Purple Beasts of both the Crehx, and the southern tribes. It was also to make defenses for another threat to the north Orcs, and a division of lesser Gantronese troops still in the Sarcagos. The King left them alone to their sleep Brittany had retired to her own quarters after two glasses of the finest wines. Hilastes and Amonif stayed for a drinking contest and some games amongst the patrons.

      Maurice got up and was permitted the King’s leave for some rest for the next day’s travel. He left the feast after warning the two Unseen Bears to get some rest before tomorrow’s journey. Alone Maurice took the way they had went to get to the Dining Hall. Along the way to the citadel Maurice could not help but feel that he was not alone aside from the statues, and standing armor. In a long hall Maurice had this notion that he was being stalked, no hunted by someone. He tried to shrug it off but something moved in the darkness of the ceiling behind him. The commando heard something move drawing his attention to the ceiling of the main hall to the citadel.

      He studied the darkness trying to decipher anything suspicious that could stand out in the ceiling. Unfortunately the darkness enshrouded everything forcing him to give up. Maurice then decided to stay put and wait for this assassin to come get him. This just encouraged the figure in the dark to come out his hiding spot. He heard someone drop on to the floor their feet landed on the stone floor.

      Maurice turned around armed with a dirk he received in the chest. He faced an assassin dressed in dark leather cloak the assassin tossed to the floor. This assassin stalker revealed his dark gray clothes with a blood red shirt underneath, brown gloves, brown boots, and a black bandana holding a head scarf used to cover the face. This assassin had brownish skin with a mustache and a goatee showing he was from Koriv. This Korivian assassin was armed with a long knife coated in red, an old flintlock pistol, and a short dagger.

      Without warning Maurice threw his dirk at the arm wielding the pistol hoping to scratch him or force a wasted shot. His dirk nailed the assassin in the forearm forcing a reflex to pull the trigger as the Korivian jerked from the impact and pain. His would be assassin grabbed his arm dropping the pistol while holding the long knife. Maurice charged the assassin and performed a kick knocking the assassin to the ground. He picked up the pistol and stood over the assassin. The assassin tried to jab him with the long knife, but Maurice brushed the stroke to the side with the pistol. Maurice proceeded to beat the assassin senseless with the buttress of the pistol. He did so with such brute force and aptitude that the assassin dropped the long knife. Determined to get this fight over with Maurice snatched the long knife and stabbed the Korivian finishing him off. Maurice now stood over the corpse of the assassin realizing he had probably angered someone powerful enough to hire an assassin to go after him. He took the long knife from the corpse and the pistol as prizes to keep. Tired and a little drunk from the party Maurice retired to his guest room.