Chapter 4

Chapter 4
Festival and Flames

Dylith was not a large town maybe a dozen or so homes ranging in size from small huts to two floors, some even with balconies. These homes were not elaborate in any way, but plain and made of a yellow-brown stone with large wooden beams. The only real color being large drapes of red fabric that hung from the front corners of the houses. The truly amazing thing about Dylith was the town was built underground in a cave. If that did not seem impossible enough, the space was carved out of the mountain itself even the ground was stone, a blue slate from wall to wall.
As the initial shock began to dwindle, sounds of music drifted into Dusty's ears. A rumble of drums, and the tune of a lute was faint beneath the sound of many voices singing to every note. “We come, we fight, we brawl at night, and the days are meant for digging. Into the depths we march, for gems and jewels and treasures, but again at night when we fight, a mans true might is measured”. As the next verses began, Dusty turned and noticed Elda sitting at one long table set away from the monstrous bonfire in the center of the town.
Approaching the tables, the music slowly died down and all eyes were on Dusty. Silence overtook the crowd as he weaved his way to where Elda sat waiting. “ That cloak fits you well, welcome to our celebration. You have our hospitality until you are well enough to travel.” Elda said. “Thank you. My name is Dusty, Dusty Gray” Dusty responded with a slightly nervous stutter. “We welcome you Dusty. Where is it that you are traveling to? You seem very young to be on the road alone.” Elda asked with a look of curiosity. “I'm not sure, there was a castle below the cliff where you found me. Do you know the one I am talking about?” A murmurer ran through the crowd and Eldas eyes shot to them with a silencing look. “That castle has been abandoned for a long time and is nowhere a boy or man wants to be. We can discuss this more at a later time. Now let us enjoy your company and let the party commence” Elda said slowly raising her voice on an ending note. The music resumed with a start and the people went back to their conversations and drinking.
Elda lead Dusty to a large table where he ate like a beast, as famished as he was, it wasn’t long before he felt like he was going to explode. “What are you celebrating?” Dusty asked wiping grease from his mouth. “The opening of a new tunnel of course! It is a dwarf tradition!” said one of the dwarves sitting with him at the table. Before Dusty knew what was happening two large women grabbed him by the arms and dragged him to where a crowd of people were dancing. After releasing him he tried to walk away but one woman who stood in front of him grabbed his hands and began to swing him wildly. Before he knew what he was doing he was dancing freely without a care in the world. He danced for what felt like hours until he was the only one left by the fire.
Suddenly the ground began to shake with a roar as lava burst through the stone ceiling. A scream pierced through the crowd as panic rushed over them all. A large hand grabbed Dusty by the arm, before he knew it he was being hauled towards the entrance of the town. Looking back he could see the lava pouring into the wooden roofs of the homes being engulfed in flame, and the screams of people who could not escape the mayhem around him. Clearing his head he finally found his footing and began to run instead of being dragged. The tunnel ended in a sparsely wooded forest at the edge of a low cliff around the mouth of the mountain. Screams and soot covered faces lining the tree line while people sobbed in terror as lava burst from the tunnel setting the woods and small valley aflame.