>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
 
Hours later Travis woke Andrew, they were lying on their makeshift beds in the torch-lit room. Looking around the room for a few moments getting his bearings. “I had hoped all this would end up being a sugar-induced dream caused by too many marshmallows." He said chuckling, "Can you believe that any of this is happening?" 
 
“I was thinking about that earlier," Travis chuckled. "I had a dream that you had told me about a secret race of dwarves under New York. In my dream, I was trying to convince you to go get your check yourself into an asylum. So at this point either we're both crazy, or this, unfortunately, is real." 
 
"I'm still not convinced that we're not both insane" Andrew joked back. They both started laughing as a knock on the door interrupted their conversation.
 
“Come in," Andrew called out. 
 
The door opened and one of the same dwarf women from the night before entered the room with a curtsy. “I brought you food and water," she said smiling as she set a tray on the table. “Is there anything else we can get you Midgardians?
 
“Thank you," Travis said, “what time of day is it?" 
 
“It is near mid-morning," she said, “King Karvir ordered me to let you two sleep as long as you needed. He wanted to ensure that you had enough time to recuperate after all you went through yesterday. I've been waiting outside for three hours for you two to awake.”
 
"Three hours?" Travis said with a chuckle, "you could've knocked, we'd have been happy to wake up for food."
 
"As I said, the King himself ordered that nobody disturb you." she responded, "so I waited until I heard you two talking to finally come in."
 
“Wait, did you say mid-morning?" Andrew broke in, astonished, “have we heard anything back about my little sister yet?" 
 
“I do not know," she responded, “I will pass on to the King that you’re awake, with luck he will have an answer to that question." 
 
“Thank you," Andrew said as he picked up a tough hunk of gray bread off of the plate and took a bite. 
 
As they began eating she curtsied and left the room.
 
Andrew and Travis stared around the room as they ate, trying to come to terms with what was going on. About the time they finished eating, the door swung open again without a knock. King Karvir was standing in the doorway with a smile on his face. "Good morning, Midgardians," he said striding into the room, “I hope you rested well.”
 
"Good morning, your majesty," Andrew responded, “we both slept better than we thought we would.”
 
“Glad to hear it," King Karvir responded with a chuckle, "what did you call me?"
 
"I called you, your majesty," Andrew replied, his face flushing a bit.
 
"And why do you call me majestic?" the King joked, "I suppose mine beard is quite majestic, but am I majestic as a whole?"
 
"Where we come from we don't have kings or rulers, we have a president." Travis interjected, “but in the counties who have kings, that is how people address them."
 
"That is very conceited of them to demand such a thing," the King sniggered. "No m'boy, here in the realm of the dwarves, kings are no more majestic than the rest of their people. We do not raise ourselves above our fellow dwarves with such repugnant pleasantries."
 
"Then what should we call you.... sir?" Andrew replied.
 
"Here we refer to those, who have a superior title, as their title itself. So, with you now knowing that, you may call me 'mine King'."
 
"We will remember that," Andrew said, and then made sure to add "my king." Travis nodded in agreement.
 
Karvir smiled. "Now that you've both eaten I'd like to have an opportunity to show you two all that mine city has to offer."
 
"Sure," Andrew said, "have we heard anything else about my sister?"
 
"As I promised last night, mine envoys departed early this morning and are going with most haste. It is almost a full day's ride to the Great City of Nul Darahl, so I'm not expecting them back until on the morrow sometime."
 
Andrew wrung his hands with worry, "I don't know if we can even get back to the surface anytime soon, even if we get Tessa back."
 
"We will discuss those matters once your sister is in mine custody again," Karvir said. "I can see the worry in your face, rest assured that while we may be at war with Svartalheim, there is still hope. Your sister is safe, I can say that much for sure. King Thornud wouldn't dare harm a Midgardian."
 
"How can you be sure?" Andrew asked doubtfully.
 
"The punishment from the gods would be swift and severe. We're lucky that their punishment hasn't come down on our heads for the way mine men treated you. I cannot express how sorry I am for their rough behavior." Karvir continued, "they should've realized you were not of this realm and not treated you as such."
 
"I have another question," Travis said.
 
"I'm sure you'll both have plenty of questions," Karvir chuckled." Your realm sounds very different than here, so please, go ahead."
 
"You've said words like tomorrow, night, day, and morning," he observed.
 
"Yes," Karvir replied, "and?"
 
"And," Travis continued, "if we're underground and you can’t see the sky, how do you know if it is day or night?"
 
"A wise observation," Karvir stated, "follow me, and I will show you."
 
They walked back into the hallway and through the grand throne room. "These are the Jarls from mine clans past, '' he indicated at the statues lining the room. “Someday when I die and return to stone, my likeness will also be enshrined for future Jarls and Kings to gaze upon."
 
Up ahead two large doors ground inward allowing light to stream into the great hall.
 
Andrew winced as hazy daylight filled his eyes. Travis looked around in amazement, he had not been conscious when they arrived the day before. Andrew started to finally being free to take in his surroundings. The wall in front of them was twenty feet high with towers placed evenly along its length. Beyond the wall, a column of smoke rose, and he could hear a chorus of voices mixed with the sounds of hammers ringing on metal. He looked up trying to find out the source of the daylight and saw four large cut crystals glowing as bright as the sun.
 
"How?" Andrew asked squinting as tears blurred his vision.
 
"They're called Sunstones," Karvir replied as they walked down the stone steps of the palace. "It took almost twenty runeweavers, two seasons to engrave each of them. They're considered some of the most precious gifts the gods have bestowed upon mine race."
 
"Sunstones? I remember a mention of something called 'sunstones' from my history class." Travis said out loud. Ahead a horn sounded and the outer set of gates slid open. As they exited Travis and Andrew were dumbstruck, spread out before them was a bustling city. Hundreds of dwarves were going about their days along the street in front of them.
 
"Our greatest achievements are mere footnotes in your histories?" Karvir asked, astonished.
 
"Well, no offense, but," Travis finally remembered what he had learned, "you weren't in our history at all. Where we come from, outside of literature, myths, and legends your race isn't even believed to exist."
 
"Really?" Karvir asked, having to raise his voice so Andrew could hear him above the sound of the bustling street.
 
"Yeah," Andrew went on, "legend says the Vikings, or Midgardians as you call them, used stones to help navigate. Some of our historians guess that the stones allowed them to see the sun even through the clouds. But even if that were true, there are no clouds, just solid stone up there."
 
"Aye," Karvir said grinning, "that's the only piece of knowledge that mine ancestors were willing to give to the Midgardians. The true power of the sunstones was kept from them for the preservation of mine people."
 
They continued onto another street that ended at a shallow hill with a large vaulted building on top. Karvir continued, "the Midgardians of old were a fierce people. They truly enjoyed fighting, pillaging, and raiding anyone that was not of their kin. The thing that kept them from raiding mine ancestors' realm for its vast riches was their fear of magic. So when we offered them the stones as payment for our protection as we departed our homeland. We had to ensure that those who remained in our homeland would be protected. To that end, we only gave the midgardians but a hint of the power that the stones possessed."
 
They stopped at the entrance to the large vaulted building at the top of the hill. There were no doors, only columns of marble that reached from the ground to ceiling. They stepped between a pair of pillars and Andrew stopped dead in his tracks, staring in awe at what was around him. Lifelike golden statues of men and women double Andrew's height lined the walkway in front of him. There was incense and what appeared to be offerings at each of their feet.
 
"These statues are the closest we can get to our gods on this side of the great sea," Karvir explained in a somber whisper. "This temple and a few others like it are but a pale representation of Asgard in this realm."
 
"Why did you need the Midgardians to help?" Travis whispered back, finally finding his tongue. "And why did you leave your home across the ocean?"
 
"Bah, it was because of him," Karvir said pointing at one of the golden statues. "That is Loki, the Trickster, Son of Odin, and the bane of mine people. You see, a few centuries before our departure, Loki had come to our realm begging for our help. He gave us a fateful tale and pleaded for us to assist him in paying back his brother Thor for a trick he played on his wife. That is Thor, God of Thunder, Son of Odin, and Thor's wife, Sif, Goddess of Fertility," he pointed to two statues. The statues were of a broad-shoulder bearded man holding a hammer, and one of a beautiful female. "Sif's known to be the most beautiful of all Asgardians and had long flowing golden colored hair. One day, while Thor and Sif slept, Loki concocted what he thought was a funny scheme. He snuck into their chamber and cut off Sif's hair down to her scalp.
 
When they awoke, and Thor saw what Loki did he was very angry. He called for his brother and when Loki felt Thor’s wrath, he offered to replace her hair to make up for his trick. The God of Thunder consented under the condition that he replace the hair with locks of actual spun gold. Loki could not create such a marvelous gift, but he knew of a few craftsmen that could fulfill the demand."
 
The three of them arrived at the head of the room where stone benches lined a fountain. The fountain had four statues different from all the rest. The four statues were smaller and seemed to be carved out of solid gemstone instead of gold.
 
They sat down and Karvir continued, "Soon after, Loki ventured into. the realm of mine people to find a craftsman skilled enough to help him. In his search, he found the master craftsmen Ivaldi working at his forge with his sons Baldor and Kvili. Loki pleaded with them to make Sif a headpiece so grand that it would please his brother enough to spare his life.
 
Ivaldi agreed to do the work and delved into the deepest reaches of our realm to find the purest of all gold. Gold that would be fit for a goddess to wear on her brow. While they waited, the sons stayed busy and produced two other gifts for Loki to take back to the Gods of Asgard. The first gift they called 'Skidbladnir'. It was the fastest of all ships and carried more men than any other. It is also said that it could fold small enough to be placed in a pouch for storage. 
 
The second gift was Gungnir, the deadliest of all spears. The brothers made Gungnir as a gift for Loki's father, Odin, the Allfather. After they finished crafting these gifts, Ivaldi returned with the needed materials. The three of them then crafted the crown for Sif with golden threaded hair flowing around it. Arms laden with gifts, Loki left Ivaldi's forge. While on his way out of our realm, by chance came upon two brothers, Brokkr and Sindri, who were working in their forge. 
 
Loki, being the God of Mischief, caused strife wherever he went and it was then that he saw an opportunity. Showing the other gifts he had received, he taunted the brothers saying they could not succeed in crafting such items. Pride swelled in their hearts and they bet Loki that they could make gifts worthy of the Gods as well. 
 
Loki accepted their wager and made the terms the direst he could think of. If the brothers failed in making gifts worthy of the gods, Loki would kill them. But, if they succeeded, the brothers insisted that they receive no less than the head of Loki himself. Loki agreed to the terms and the brothers began their work.
 
As they began working their first piece of gold, Loki began to worry. Their skills were beyond his estimations, and not wanting to lose he decided to cheat. The trickster disguised as a wasp, stung Sindri’s hand attempting to hinder their work, but he failed. Soon after, Sindri pulled a living boar with golden hair out of the fire. The boar who gave off light in the dark and could run faster than any horse, even over water or through the air. Sindri named his creation Gullinbursti, the Golden Bristled.
 
Sindri then set another piece of gold on the fire as Brokkr worked the bellows. Loki the wasp then stung Brokkr on the neck, again attempting to hinder their prowess, and again he failed. Sindri soon drew out of the fire a magnificent ring, which he named Draupnir. The ring was such that every nine days, it would produce eight new rings of equal magnificence. Loki seeing these gifts began to fear, but the brothers were not finished.
 
Sindri then put a block of iron on the hearth. Sindri told Brokkr that they needed to proceed with caution. For their final gift, even a single mistake would be devastating to them both. Loki, realizing he was going to lose their wager, needed to do something. So he stung Brokkr’s eyelid, causing blood to cloud his vision and prevented him from being able to see their work. Sindri continued alone, producing a hammer of unsurpassed quality which he called Mjollnir. 
 
Exhausted from their work, the brothers fell into a deep sleep. While they slept, Loki snuck in and gathered up the gifts and fled back to the safety of Asgard. When the brothers awoke and became enraged when they found their treasures gone. Having won their wager with Loki, Sindri and Brokkr pursued him to Asgard to claim their prize. Loki arrived in the hall of the gods before the brothers and presented the marvels he had acquired. To Thor, he gave Sif’s new hair as well as the hammer, Mjolnir. To Odin, the Allfather went the ring Draupnir and the spear Gungnir. And to Freyr, wife of Odin, he presented, much to her pleasure, Skidbladnir and Gullinbursti.
 
Soon after he presented the gifts to the gods, the brothers arrived at Odin's Hall in Asgard. They plead their case and explained the wager and the Allfather. With remorse, the Allfather agreed that Loki indeed owed the brothers his head. As the brothers approached Loki, axes ready to take his head, the trickster pleaded with Odin for mercy. He reasoned that while he had indeed promised them his head, he had not promised them his neck. For them to take his head, they would have to take his neck, thus they could not kill him. 
 
Brokkr and Sindri protested, but the Allfather out of love for his son was merciful with Loki and agreed. Odin's decision enraged the brothers, but the brothers thought of a different way for Loki to pay his debt. The brothers suggested that as his punishment, Loki’s mouth would be sewn shut for one hundred years. The punishment would make it so that he could not deceive anyone with his lies during that time. Odin was reluctant, but he agreed to their terms, and the brothers set to the task of sealing Loki's mouth closed. When finished the brothers were content, and they returned home letting the actions of Loki fade from their minds.
 
Loki however, had vengeance in his heart and vowed to get the brothers back for sewing his mouth shut. He plotted and schemed for years until he once again visited the realm of mine ancestors. As vengeance on the brothers, he came as a rat and unleashed a plague that threatened to wipe out mine entire race. Our numbers dwindled until only a few thousand remained. It was then that what remained of six of our clans decided to abandon our ancestral halls and find a new home. A home that would be free of the sickness and far away from Loki's wrath.
 
We fled to the realm of Midgard, and it was there that we befriended the Midgardians. We offered them limited knowledge of our sunstone in exchange for their help, and they agreed. Their leaders sent ships in all directions with instructions to find a mountainous region for us to settle. After nearly ten years among the midgardians, our hopes began to fade. It was then that their greatest explorer, Erik the Red and his son Leif, returned with news that they had found a suitable place that they called Vineland. After much preparation, we voyaged across the great sea, here to Vineland, and set up our first of many cities."
 
As Karvir finished with his tale, Andrew's mouth hung open, lost for words. Finally, he leaned towards Travis and said, “Gods, Dwarves, and Magic, this is far beyond what we learned in history class.”