Chapter 6: New Boots

  Dwarves could have large numbers that lived in the mountain ranges. It was not only because they could dig deeper down, but they could go deeper into the ranges. Many communities could be found far away from an exit to the outside world. Tanso Mountain was one of those. It was where Zilphod brought Kaz.

  Before entering the main chamber, Zilphnod took Kaz to a small room not too far from the entrance. There was a clothlike divider providing a makeshift door. There was an assortment of different sized padded armors.

  The escort walked up to a set that was separate from the others, and told Kaz, “This set was made just for you.”

  Unlike the first few times, Kaz no longer felt awkward getting dressed and undressed in front of Zilphnod. The padded armor felt bulkier than her leather armor, which Zilphnod had told her to leave at the inn. After putting it on, she was handed a simple leather helmet.

  Looking at Kaz with a serious face Zilphod told her, “Get ready to hit and be hitted.”

  The two walked into the main chamber. It was filled with different obstacles. There was one that was made of stone that had a steep incline. It was not smooth but rocky, made for climbing. Gloves, neither leather nor padded, would be useful on it.

  Looking at Kaz with a serious face Zilpnod told her, “Get ready to hit and be hitted.”

  The two walked into the main chamber. It was filled with different obstacles. There was one that was made of stone that had a steep incline. It was not smooth but rocky, made for climbing. Gloves, neither leather nor padded, would be useful on it.

  There was a circle that had eight poles on its circumference. Zilphnod explained that that area was used for containment sparring. Both contestants had to stay within the poles. If one touched a pole or went out of the circle, they lost the match.

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  Against the wall, on the left, behind the sparring circle was a large dark grey shiny large boulder of unknown ore. There were pickaxes laying down next to it. This future obstacle gave Kaz confidence. It was something that she thought she was familiar with.

  There was not any more time to look at the other obstacles and features. It was time for everybody to meet. Zilphod hurried her to the mustering spot, the place where they would gather.

  General Kia looked at all those gathered saying, “This is a special class of five new troops. A troop in training has no rank. You are all the same rank, nothing. Every day for five weeks you will train here. You will get to know each other and how to fight as a team. Now line up from shortest to tallest, from left to right.”

  The five new troops started with three of the dwarves, an unknown race man, and then Kaz, the only female, got in the line as the general commanded. All were wearing padded armor. The three dwarves looked to be young adults in their twenties. They had different variants of reddish or orangish hair, and all three were bearded, except for one.

  The general then ordered, “Starting with Garnosht, and ending with Kaz, each will introduce themselves, what clan they are from, and what was your occupation.”

  Gamosht, the shortest, had cinnamon copper hair, and confidently said, “I am Gamosht, of the CinCopp Clan. I was the fifth generation rune finder.”

  Rune finders were very important to the dwarven community. It was told that behind every good rune smith was a really great rune finder. Rune finders could feel the stones, and knew which ones were special, and would accept the engravings the the rune smiths would do.

  The next dwarf, with fiery red hair said, “My name is Dartkin. I come from the Dreasal Clan, where I tended the oxen and sheep.”

  The tallest dwarf had brick red hair, but no beard, and sheepishly said, “I am Dane. I am from the Brick Clan, and I was a stonemason.”

  A beardless young adult male dwarf was seen as being shameful in the dwarven communities. There were two reasons for a male dwarf to be beardless. The first reason was that he had disgraced his family or clan and was sentenced to be beardless until a certain duration. The second reason was that he was born with genes that did not let facial hair grow. Unfortunately most embraced that at a curse, and the individual would be teased and mistreated.

  Next was the man whose race was not known, and he spoke, “I am Jessotup and I do not have a clan. I was raised in a sanctuary and was training to be a monk.”

  Kaz realized it was her turn, and said, “I am Kaz of the Auburn Clan. I was a miner.”

  General looked up and down the line of new troops, and said, “Welcome, our five new boots.”