A chilling air blew through the crystal white valley of Coldridge. Snow was frozen solid on everything its flows could reach. Only the mountain caps in the distance seemed to be immune to the cold grasp of this eternal winter. The valley far and wide boasted a few brave and hardy trees that fought through the cold heights of Coldridge. A small lake was in the very center of the valley, forever frozen and nearly hidden by the snow as well. The valley would be lifeless save a critter here and there. A rabbit, a deer, maybe a wolf or two, bears were known to roam this valley but it's most peculiar inhabitant was...a gnome. The gnome was named Ayafre and she was the only one of her kind for miles. She wore a thick layered white and purple robe and warm fur boots. Her hair matched the ice she treaded on as it was a pale crystal blue. She made her way across the ice, carefully placing her wooden staff down with each step to avoid falling over. However it must be told her staff was more of a twig as Ayafre's statue is something to note. She was two feet two inches and plump enough to stay warm, but thin enough to gracefully slide across the ice now and then. She came to her home on the lake shore. A stone tower made around the base of a tree, with branches sticking out here and there, like a multihanded man in armor ready to face even more snow. Her keen blue eyes stared up to the top of her tower, spying a raven starting a nest.
"More birds!" Ayafre cried. "There's more trees around, doesn't this tree look occupied to you?" Ayafre questioned the bird with a soft high pitched voice.
The bird paid no mind to the small gnome and continued to peck around her tower. Ayafre tightened her lips and held out her hands.
"Not my favorite dinner but revenge is best served cold," Ayafre murmured.
She slowly wiggled her fingers and a harsh wind began to blow. Her hands turned an icy blue, and began to sparkle in the sun. The sparkles became brighter until her hands were surrounded in an icy blue aura. Ayafre suddenly shot her hands upward aiming at the crow. A large chunk of ice appeared and flew at the crow. The ice crashed into the bird and black feathers flew as the crow plummeted off the tower to the snowy ground. Ayafre ran over and picked the crow up.
"You'll make a grand stew, for you crossed the great wizard Ayafre the Great. The most powerful gnome mage in the land!" Ayafre said with a devilish laugh.
Ayafre looked the crow over observing that is was a large crow as it was a little over half her size. She then spread the dead crow's wings apart and laid it on the snow. The gnome stretched out her arms and wiggled her fingers. She gritted her teeth and her hands quickly turned red until they glowed, just like before, but this time a small flame sudden ignited in each of her hands. She slammed her hands together and a fire ball rocketed into the crow. The fire consumed the feathers and lightly toasted the bird. Ayafre turned her hands blue once more and dragged the smoking crow to the door of the tower. Ayafre fumbled around her robe pockets for her key. She finally pulled out a smooth stone with several runes carved outwards so the runes stuck out. She fit the stone into the middle of the door, on top of the same rune pattern etched into the door. The stone fit the door perfectly. A light scarlet light traced around the door frame. The door slid upward allowing the gnome entry. Ayafre grabbed the crow by the neck and dragged it into her home. The door slammed down behind her and the rune stone popped out high into the air. Ayafre snapped her finger and the stone gently floated to the floor. Her tower was neat and homely. A warm fire crackled in the corner next to a large warm rocking chair surrounded by stacks of books. Ayafre dragged the crow into a kitchen with a great cauldron in the middle. Ayafre tossed the crow into the empty cauldron. Ayafre then stood over the put and squeezed her hands together. They glowed a light blue and suddenly water gushed down from her hands quickly filling the whole cauldron. Ayafre then waved her hands and her cupboards flew open.
"What to cook with crow," Ayafre whispered to herself while looking at all the contents of her cupboards.
Ayafre sighs unable to decide. Ayafre looked over her shoulder into her living room, at the stacks books.
"Cookbook...upstairs isn't it," Ayafre murmured.
Ayafre wiggled her fingers and tossed a fireball into the cauldron letting the crow boil. Ayafre walked away from the cauldron to a staircase at the other end of the kitchen. She walked up the stairs and came to her bedroom. Her small bed was tightly packed in the middle of mountains of clothing and books scattered around the room. Tall book shelves lined each wall, and the sun poured in from a large window. Ayafre jumped over a pile of clothing onto her bed. She landed and a book bounced up. Ayafre caught it and opened it.
"Crow...hmm," Ayafre whispered while flipping through pages.
A rock sudden shot through the window. Ayafre screamed and turned around to see what it was.
"Ayafre get yer hinny down here ya wee turkey gizzard!" A loud voice shouted from outside the tower.
Ayafre growled knowing who it was. Down below a four foot, burly, hairy dwarf stood with a rifle in his hand and the reins of a giant ram in his other hand. The dwarf had a giant black beard and long black hair with a small pony that barely collected any of his hair. He wore black pants and an iron chest piece that left his arms bare to the valley cold. On his belt was a large hammer with a head bigger than Ayafre's. The dwarf's back was covered by a large stone shield. His ram had dirty white hair and strapped with several packs of mining picks and other similar tools.
Ayafre angrily opened the window.
"Doraffe! What have I told you about shooting my tower!" Ayafre shouted.
"Well do ye have a doorbell? No! You got yer fancy pantie rock door. Did you hear me knock no! I've been standin out here in the cold this whole time ya runt!"
"I need a rock door to keep idiots like you out!"
"Well that says a lot about yer hospitality! I should blow yer tower to kingdom come ya wee git,"
"And I should burn your beard!" Ayafre shot back, "What do you want?"
"I did me mining and yer goona turn it to gold,"
"I don't have reagents come back again!" Ayafre exclaimed quite annoyed.
"Oh! So I came all this way fer nothin? That's it ya wee tosser, I'm comin in!" Doraffe exclaimed.
Doraffe reached into his ram's pack and pulled out a stick of dynamite. Ayafre's eyes widened and she spread her arms and charged a fireball. Doraffe lit the dynamite and threw it into Ayafre's window. This caught Ayafre off guard; Ayafre screamed and hurriedly snapped her fingers. The stick fell slowly to the ground but exploded in the air. Ayafre shot out of the window and all the way down from the tower into the snow. Doraffe let out a loud belly laugh, mocking Ayafre. Ayafre coughed a few times as she tried to stand up. She looked up at her tower which now had a billow of smoke coming from the bedroom.
"Doraffe! That was the last straw! You're dead!" Ayafre raged.
"Oh, what are ya goona do bite me ankles? Kick me shins?" Doraffe mocked with a laugh.
Ayafre spread her arms and wiggled her fingers. Doraffe continued to laugh. Two aqua covered orbs appeared in Ayafre's hand and she slapped them together. Doraffe suddenly stopped laughing. With a poof of smoke the dwarf was turned into a small sheep. At this Ayafre now began to cackle uncontrollable.
"Oh Doraffe! You're so cute now!" Ayafre shouted through laughing fits.
Doraffe the sheep rushed around looking panicked, but with another poof of smoke he suddenly was back to normal face down in the snow. Doraffe looked up and Ayafre gasped.
"You...you, turned me! You turned me into a sheep!" Doraffe roared
Ayafre now appeared frightened with her jaw gaping.
"But...the spell...I didn't do it right?" Ayafre stuttered.
"Guess not...I got betta and now I'm comin fer you!" Doraffe yelled as he sprinted at Ayafre.
Ayafre spread her wiggled her fingers and clapped them together. Before Ayafre could cast the spell Doraffe reached over his back and smashed Ayafre in the face with his shield. Ayafre flew several yards as Doraffe roared in victory. Just as the gnome hit the snow, a gallon of water appeared over Doraffe and drenched him in the water.
"Oh look at that! You cast a spell, bless yer heart. Thanks for the drink I do work up a sweat laughing at yer wee corpse flyin through the air," Doraffe scoffed.
Ayafre could barely move from the dwarf's blow, but right out of the snow a bolt of ice suddenly struck Doraffe. The water covering the dwarf froze as well and Doraffe became stuck to the ground.
"Oi! Hey show yourself ya little midget," Doraffe challenged as he tried to struggle from the ice that froze him in place.
Ayafre emerged from the snow still dizzy from Doraffe shield.
"Ok now...I burn your beard like I promised," Ayafre seethed.
Ayafre spread her arms and a pair of flames ignited in her hands. But as she casted the dwarf picked up his shield with his free hand. Ayafre casted the fireball at Doraffe and Doraffe launched the shield at the gnome. The two missiles hit their targets and both lay on their backs in the snow defeated.
"Eh, gnome you better not be alive," Doraffe grumbled reeling from the fireball.
"I hate you dwarf," Ayafre mumbled back.
"I just wanted that transmute alchemy magic stuff ya know,"
"I said I didn't have reagents,"
"Well then where do we get em?"
"There's a cave higher in the mountains,"
"Ok...If we get you yer reagents you'll turn me rocks into gold,"
"Ya know you could always mine gold,"
"Hey! That's hard work finding rocks is much easier,"
"You're so lazy,"
"Yer one ta talk ya giblet, no reagents my eye,"
"Fine! As soon as I can walk without collapsing let's go,"
"Fine by me,"
"No wait! I get to ride Billy!" Ayafre suddenly demanded.
"What! No I'm riding Billy!"
"Fine! We both ride Billy!"
There was a brief pause as the dwarf thought it over.
"I ride in the front,"
"Ok," Ayafre grumbled with a sigh.
A few minutes passed and the pair still were unable to get up. Although neither would admit it to the other. The ram trotted over to where Ayafre was laying and looked down at her. Ayafre had fallen asleep. The ram bent down and gave Ayafre a firm rough lick in the face. Ayafre was quickly awoken and screamed.
"Eww! Billy! Doraffe tell your ram to find another girl!" Ayafre shouted.
"What! Gnome stop hittin on me ram, he's too young!" Doraffe yelled back.
The ram bleated and ran over to Doraffe. Doraffe reached up and grasped the ram's soft wool. The ram jumped on its back legs and Doraffe was flung into the air. Doraffe kept hold of his ram and landed on the ram's back. Doraffe dug his heels into the ram's side and the ram trotted towards Ayafre. Doraffe reached down, grabbed Ayafre out of the snow and placed her behind him on the ram.
"Ah so what way Ayafre," Doraffe asked.
"West," Ayafre moaned in pain from being moved.
Doraffe dug his heels hard into the ram and the ram galloped off to the west. The sun was beginning to set and the valley getting colder. The wind blew harder making the journey harsher.
"Blast, dis isn't goona be a fun time comin back." Doraffe murmured to Ayafre/
"Yeah tonight is going to be a cold one, let's just get to the cave before the sun sets,"
The two rode through a snowy forest dangerously dotted with snow drifts over five feet deep. The forest was even colder with the trees blocking the sun's warmth. While traveling through the woods the elevation began to rise until they were riding uphill.
"We're close aren't we," Doraffe remarked.
"Yup, keep a weather eye. I haven't been here in awhile, and you know all the kinds of things that live out here," Ayafre warned.
"Oh there! Just up the hill, that it?" Doraffe shouted while pointing up the hill at a small cave entrance.
Ayafre nodded and Doraffe slowed Billy down to a steady trot. The pair reached the cave and hopped off of Billy. The dwarf whispered in Billy's ear and the ram reached its muzzle into one of the packs it carried. Doraffe patted the ram and took the pack Billy was eager to explore. Doraffe set the pack on the ground and opened it revealing a bag full of oats. The ram laid down and munched on the oats while Ayafre and Doraffe cautiously entered the cave.
"Torch," Doraffe said.
Ayafre took her staff and placed one hand on its head. Her hand turned red and suddenly the staff head burst into flames. She passed the torch to Doraffe who slid his rifle onto his back to hold the torch. The cave had black rock walls and large pathways. Ice covered Stalactites hung from the ceiling like fangs shining in the torch light.
"So what we lookin for?" Doraffe inquired.
"A special dust that I have only found in here,"
"So we're lookin for some strange dust?"
"Yes, it has a green tint and there should be a whole pit of it in here,"
"You remember the way to it?"
"Um, sure,"
"Um?"
Ayafre quickly looks down avoiding eye contact.
"Um! Gnome I seem to recall your sense o direction, which sucks!" Doraffe shouted.
"I kinda do, here take that passage on the right,"
The two strode through the cave, being careful not to slip on pockets of ice embedded in the cave floor. They came to the end of the passage when Doraffe suddenly stopped.
"What! Why did you stop fatty?" Ayafre asked while trying to squeeze her small body around him.
"There," Doraffe pointed a large bloody animal corpse unrecognizable as it was mostly eaten and only a flesh covered ribcage remained. Ayafre gasped at the sight of it.
"Ok we're leaving," Ayafre quickly concluded.
"Hold on missy! I still need my gold,"
"You know I transmute because you supply me with the magic reagents you always seem to find in caves like these. You do this job, and then I'll do mine back at the tower,"
"No, yer not,"
"Yes I am,"
"No, yer not," Doraffe said with a sudden whisper.
Doraffe grabbed Ayafre by the collar, and leapt next to the corpse. He quickly muffled her cries as loud footsteps could be heard coming down the passage behind them. A great white haired beast nearly seven feet tall and wider than the ram, came trudging through the passage. Ayafre and Doraffe hugged the wall hoping not to be seen. The great beast continued past them, when it was out of sight down another passage to two let out sighs of relief.
"Big fella there," Doraffe whispered.
"Now can we leave?"
"Stop bein such a kitten, let's go after it,"
"After it! We need that sand remember?"
"Ayafre Ayafre, do you really think that we are goona just take the sand without meeting any of those blokes? No, obviously that thing and our sand are going to end of in the same place,"
"Your logic is mind boggling," Ayafre grumbled.
"See I can be smart somes times,"
"I meant that negatively,"
Doraffe pulled a reluctant Ayafre along with him down the passage after the beast. They heard a loud bestial roar come from the room ahead of them.
"If I didn't know better I'd say these were yeti," Doraffe stated.
"Yeti? You think so?"
"What else could they be?"
"Wait...these?"
Doraffe started to laugh.
"Oh! Isn't it obvious! We have outright walked right into a Yeti nest lassie!"
"Nest! Are you serious!"
"Aye and I know how to deal with these," Doraffe said eagerly
"How?"
"Walp, usually I just try to kill em,"
Ayafre sighed foreseeing her own doom.
"You're going to be the death of me aren't you,"
"Aye, I nearly had you earlier today,"
The two came out of the passage into a huge cave room. They stood on a stone platform above a large sand covered area, with over ten giant yeti striding around and dozens of smaller yeti.
"Dis yer sand?" Doraffe inquired.
"Uh...yeah, you know there's probably other caves with this stuff,"
Doraffe took his hammer in his right and his shield in his left.
"What are you doing!" Ayafre whispered.
Doraffe smiled deviously. He then leapt off the platform into the sand pit. The dwarf charged at the yeti hammer raised high.
"Are you crazy!" Ayafre screamed.
Doraffe charged in and smashed his hammer into the nearest yeti. The yeti roared and soon the entire cave of yeti was attacking Doraffe. Ayafre looked on in horror as Doraffe was overwhelmed by the yeti. Ayafre gritted her teeth and began raining fireballs down on the yeti. One after the other she threw the balls of flame upon the yeti.
"Hey peashooter! Get that bloody sand!" Doraffe shouted as he hammered a yeti in the head.
"Oh! Sorry!"
Ayafre planted her staff in the cave wall and skidded down to the sand pit. Doraffe suddenly flew through the air and hit the distant cave wall. The whole yeti pack charged at the fallen dwarf. Ayafre just finished filling a bag with the sand and saw Doraffe's peril. Ayafre brought her hands above her head and closed her eyes. Small orbs of blue light appeared to be spinning around her hands. The spinning increased till there was a whole storm of blue lights rushing around her hands. Ayafre clenched her fists and all the sudden with a huge puff of smoke, every single yeti was turned into a sheep. Ayafre collapsed to the ground exhausted. Doraffe got up and ran to Ayafre hammering through the herd sheep in his path.
"Alright lassie time ta go,"
"What happened to your earlier confidence?"
"Look missy yer little sand castle isn't worth the energy I would have to exert for me to slaughter a whole cave of yeti!"
"Sure," Ayafre murmured while rolling her eyes.
Ayafre stood up and looked around.
"Well couldn't hurt to grab more sand now," Ayafre said.
All the sudden a cloud of smoke burst over the sheep, and the entire herd of sheep turned back into their yeti forms.
"Oh I'm thinkin it could hurt a lot, yer a sucky mage," Doraffe remarked.
Ayafre gasped, "Oops,"
The yeti turned to the two intruders very much enraged.
"Time ta go!" Doraffe shouted and the two clamored up the rock platform with yeti pursuing. The two rushed down the passage with yeti close behind. Ayafre however had difficulty keeping up with Doraffe's pace and was falling behind, dangerously close to the yeti furious yeti.
"Doraffe! Short legs!" Ayafre screamed.
"Oh bugger ya git! Come'er,"
Doraffe picked the gnome up off the floor by the back of her robe and tucked her under his arm while Ayafre struggled and kicked furiously.
"Doraffe! What have I told you about picking me up!" Ayafre screamed through her tantrum.
"Pipe down shorty, or I will let you go!" Doraffe shot back.
Ayafre growled, but looked back at the close group of yeti and decided it was for the best. An idea then came to her. She clasped her hands and gritted her teeth. She pressed her hands together hard until the veins in her arms began to bulge. All the sudden the cave began to shake, stalactites began falling from the ceiling like spears and behind them the whole cave started to collapse with a loud rumble.
"Ayafre? Was that you?" Doraffe questioned.
"Yeah just shut up and keep running!"
"Just sayin...it's not very lady like,"
"That's the cave not me!" Ayafre roared.
The cave exit was just in sight but Billy was nowhere to be seen and several large yeti were still behind them.
"Got any more tricks there pint size?" Doraffe shouted.
"Uh..." Ayafre stuttered while thinking.
Ayafre gasped in surprise.
"Hold on!" Ayafre cried.
"To what?"
"Me!
Just as Doraffe leapt out of the cave, Ayafre clapped her hands. The two were suddenly launched straight up into the air. However their accent didn't stop, the very clouds were getting close at hand as gravity seemed to have no bearing any more.
"Gnome what the ell did you do!"
"Uh..."
"How are we going down!" Doraffe screamed.
Ayafre clapped her hands again and their accent immediately stopped and turned into a much more rapid decent. The two quickly began to scream foreseeing their death below.
"Curse you winky, bloody, hatefull, evil little witch!" Doraffe roared.
"I'm sorry!"
The two plummeted hopelessly to the ground. Until Ayafre held out her arms and snapped both of her fingers. The two abruptly began to softly float down to the ground.
"See! It's all good!" Ayafre cried as they safely floated.
"Last time I ever do this sort of thing with you,"
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