A chain story by Chris Labonville, Tony Montgomery, Tyler, Richard, and Per-Arne

* Part One *

By Chris Labonville

There was a warm wind blowing through the sandy streets of the city. Strong enough to raise dust clouds into the air, lowering visibility. On the east side of Calimport was the section of the city known as the Halfling Shires, a series of halfling-made hills, rolling from Elven Haven to the East Wall of the city.

The Halfling Shires is a friendly place, more so than perhaps any other area of the city. Its hillocks form hundreds of homes and shops, pleasantly displayed, with cobblestone roads weaving among them. In the middle of all these rises, is a flat section of land, in the center of which is a large hole. Within the hole is a building, a place called The Stomp by the halflings. It is here that they hold their ceremonies, and community votes. Here that the Halfling Council meets weekly to discuss issues of halfling importance.

It was on this windy day, the fourth day of Tarsakh, that Akki Softstep, was sent out from The Stomp on an errand. Akki is a young male halfling, short even for his own race at two feet even. He keeps his blond hair cropped short save for a single long braid down the back. Akki was the personal messenger for Councilor Knobnose.

He opened the door and began climbing the stairs up the hole. Seeing the dust swirling above, he pulled the hood of his light violet cloak down over his head. His bare feet padded up the stairs until he was assaulted by the warming winds, carrying with them a shower of sand. He pulled the stings of his cloak tighter and began his way down Rolland's Road, heading west toward his home.

As he walked, he kept his head down, to avoid any of the dust that might per chance enter his hood. His thoughts were on the council meeting. Councilor Knobnose was leaving the city for awhile, and at a time when things seemed to be very volatile for all residents of Calimport. The council was not happy over his announcement. How could it make do in the lawless days ahead, without its Councilor of Justice? Akki was being sent by the councilor to notify various people around the city that he was leaving, not to mention to ask them to perform certain duties in his absence. Akki hefted the pack onto his shoulder to be sure it was still there because it contained the messages.

After a brief stop at his home to leave a note for his parents, Akki once more went the street. The winds slowed him, making it easier for him to see the exit from the Shires, leading him into Elven Haven, his first stop. From there it would be off to a place called The Diamond Spider, then into the dock ward, then to guild Parvel, guild Brandson, the Temple of Lillend and, lastly, a small smithy in Dwarf Forge.

* Part Two *

By Tony Montgomery

As Akki continued on his way, he turned left onto the Street of Holes, so named thus because of the halfling holes crowded within it. The halflings living there would cross from one abode to another without ever having to leave the darkness below, because the entire area was crisscrossed with tunnels made from back in the days when Calimport was fighting a civil war. The halflings had dug the tunnels as a means to flee from the big folk.

Akki had taken this route because it was the quickest way to Elven Haven. The street was wide by halfling standards, and it led directly into a large field where both elves and halflings gathered to feast for holidays, several of which both races share.

He always had liked elves. They were so.... ELVISH! Lithe and beautiful. The one race of Big Folk which did not try to lord over those who were smaller. Akki made his way to the Haven quickly, until he found the common meadow that Elves and Halflings shared. There was activity there!!

The elves were dancing about the meadow, singing and chatting with the halflings, both races acting as if the other were the younger brother.

Akki of course decided that his errand could wait ... at least an hour or so. After all, the day still was young! So Akki moved along the lines set and, as any halfling would, filled his hands with food, and stuffed his pockets with goodies. It was then that a certain elf caught his eye. He was a short, with a half-smile, and he juggled balls with one hand while telling the story of how a halfling called The Mouse had faced down six criminals in one night.

The MOUSE!! Now there was a famous halfling. Beloved of an elf, high priest of a goddess, and possibly two? But then, what person would admit to worshipping Mask? Akki listened to the story, having heard it a thousand times, but he listened anyway, noting the number of daggers the elfe carried. Now, Akki was a smart fellow. He had no delusions about himself being a great warrior or a powerful cleric like The Mouse. He simply wanted to get ahead by running errands, and perhaps using his quick wit to learn a trade.

But the daggers now, they were all shiny and decorated with lots of jewels sparkling in the sunlight. Of course that was understandable, but the dagger which caught Akki's eye was small, sheathed under the arm of the bard. No sparkles, just a brass handle with a black hilt. It wasn't sheathed per se, but simply stuck to the vest of the fellow by a sticky substance that the gnomes of the mines made. The top half had a serrated edge, while the bottom was straight. The hilt itself was a bit longer than most. Akki moved his way closer to the bard so that he could better see and hear, or so it seemed.

The bard began to juggle again, this time using both hands and increasing the number of items being tossed, to 12. Akki smiled, a plan formulating within his mind. He listened and watched, and began to sway to the music, a hiccup ...

"I can dance as well as the bard!!" Akki had climbed to the stage and was dancing about, running into the bard. As the bard stopped his juggling, and lost one of his items, a small dagger. Akki followed through as quick as a wink, snatching the dagger after it hit the ground, following after it. He rolled on the ground, giggling insanely as the bard kicked him hard in the ribs. Of course it hurt, but the pain would go away in an hour or so. Akki stood, the juggling dagger stuffed up inside his sleeve, trying to give the bard his things back.

Now was the most difficult part. Bards are said to be a little better than thieves at this, a slight of hand, a flick of the wrist. The bard relieved Akki of his few coppers, recognizing the scam. Akki replaced the serrated dagger with the juggling dagger. He would let a guild of thieves be the judge of who got the best of the trade.

The bard felt the weight of everything all of his possessions still there. He didn't bother to check his things as he pushed Akki off of the stage. The halfling deftly hit the ground in a tumble, but he acted as if he had been properly chastened.

Akki couldn't believe it!! He had SEEN it done, however, he had never done it himself before. His heart raced as he scampered away, with the thrill of the theft, still looking over his shoulder, as he wandered onto a path into the woods. Very un-thief like, and drawing the looks of many, but then Akki wasn't too concerned with that, he only wanted to look at his dagger.

He slipped behind a tree, and looked at the dagger. Nodding, he then slid it into his waist belt like he had seen warriors do. Akki wasn't the largest fellow in the world; the dagger stuck out from his waist at an awkward angle.

"It's too big."

Akki JUMPED fearing he had been caught. Turning around and looking up ... up.. up ... and seeing one of the Big Folk. A human with two swords and braided hair. A ranger! Must be.

"It's too big for you, " the man explained.

"Ummm ... oh," Akki responded.

"Put it in your boot, behind the calf of your leg so it can't be seen from the front," said the stranger. "You can swing your hand down and back up with one motion. You can aim for your opponent's chest ... or better, between his legs. Shouldn't be too hard to do, because you're small in stature anyway. It would be right at eye level with you."

The ranger spoke to a still stunned Akki. The man grabbed the dagger from Akki before he could do anything and put it in his boot. He then bent down as if were lacing his boots, and came back up dagger in hand thrusting it at Akki, but stopping well short. "See? The weight of the dagger combined with your thrust. It should cut right through any thing short of chain."

Akki nodded as the man handed the dagger back.

"I never liked that loud mouthed bard anyway. Get yourself gone before he realizes the theft. And carry it in your boot. Use what you have. Your size and speed. Your head." He reached down and tapped Akki on the skull none too gently.

Akki didn't even reply, he vanished, hearing the laughter of the man behind him, driving him onward. He didn't bother slowing down for anything else, making his way straight into the Haven until elves with bows told him to stop. The elves led him along, but only after he told them of his business. Akki could see large trees in the distance. Their limbs grew together, and elves moved constantly from tree to tree. To Akki, it appeared that the elves actually lived IN the trees!!

Akki knew this was true, but rarely did the elves allow anyone other than the Vizier within the Haven. He was led up onto a platform which had a thick weight upon it. Akki followed the rope with his eyes and suddenly, the whole platform started moving!! The worst part wasWHERE the platform was moving. UPWARD!! How he hated heights.

He yelped, and an elf grabbed his arm so he wouldn't fall off the makeshift elevator. At the top of the elevator Akki was taken out onto a large limb of one of the giant trees and then led into the tree itself. There he had little if anything to say, simply presenting the message to the council was hard enough.

They council members were old. OLD!! Some members were smiled, while others looked down upon him. All were polite. They nodded, and gave Akki a gold piece, telling him that he had done well. And that the Council was glad that the relationship with the Shire would continue to stand. They hoped that Councilor Knobnose would enjoy his retirement ... and that the Halflings would elect someone who was a bit more responsible, although, in truth, no one believed the councilor really would retire. Halflings were famous for not retiring when they announced they would.

But that was the gist of the letter Akki brought. Akki already had read the letter while sitting at a corner table of the Diamond Spider, but he was smart enough to reseal it with wax.

The Diamond Spider wasn't very far from the edge of Elven Haven, perhaps 3 or 4 miles, and it was only mid-morning. Akki hoped to make it by the noon hour. There he would stay and eat lunch with his gold coin and possibly get a ride afterwards to the docks and maybe even on to the area controlled by Parvel. That was his plan anyway.

He quickly moved through the city streets, avoiding the beggars and pickpockets as well as the merchants hawking their goods. The Spider was famous in Calimport. Shady deals were made there, and alliances were formed. Several guilds had rooms rented within the Spider, because it was considered a neutral site where all could meet. Of course the information passed in the Spider rarely remained private. Akki couldn't care less about this, because his job was merely to deliver a letter.

So, as he slipped inside and asked the Barkeep for Spider Braz or Solena Skilhollow, he never suspected that the dark skinned, dark curly haired man before him, was THE Spider Braz.

Spider looked at the little fellow sitting in front of him with feet dangling from the edge of the barstool. Akki wore a smile on him that was TOO honest for Spider's taste. Now, Spider had nothing against an honest person, after all, how could he be a good thief if there were no honest persons to rob?

He took the letter before the halfling could object and glanced over it, then looked at the little halfling and once more back to the piece of paper. As he turned his gaze back to the halfling, the little fellow had a death dagger in his hand, screaming that Spider shouldn't do that.

Spider frowned. It wasn't that the fellow screamed. He heard screaming everyday. Nor did it bother him that the fellow had pulled the dagger. What made him angry was the fact it was done in front of everyone. He had a reputation to maintain. Spider placed the letter on the table with one hand as his other hand reached up to stroke his mustache.

"No," came a melodic voice from behind Akki.

Both the halfling and the assassin looked across the room at a pigtailed elf with a snaky smile on her face and a peach in her hand. Spider shrugged, stopping the downward motion which would allow for the wrist blade to flick out from his sleeve.

Solena sent the halfling to the corner and ordered a meal for him, "Spider," she spoke in a soft whisper, "You cannot kill the help sent out by one of our best informants. Even if he is retired."

Spider shrugged again, leaving it alone, yet still angry at the little halfling. It wasn't Solena's reputation that was on the line, but he could deal with the halfling later.

Akki proceeded in the back of a hand drawn cart to the Parvel compound. Something weighed in the back of his mind though, as he traveled. Solena had said something about Councilor Knobnose being a retired informant? Oh well. Better to get Parvel out of the way before he went to the Dock Ward. Before he entered, he saw a girl standing under a group of trees. He also heard a flute and tom toms. A beautiful girl who rumor said was named Trinity ...

* Part Three *

By Tyler

The cart ride from the Diamond Spider to Parvel was slow and bumpy. Akki gritted his teeth each time the cart hit a bump, usually every three seconds. Akki smiled to himself, staring at the newly obtained dagger that rested in his hands. What a day! Not only a new dagger, but the great Spider and Solena! The halfling swung his dangling feet to and fro, lazily yawning a yawn akin to that of a lion.

Akki watched the city pass by with wide eyes, always unconsciously laying a hand on the dagger's hilt. He had grown up hearing how exhilarating the first theft would be. Now he saw that this was true. Wanting another taste of excitement, he set off in search of his next target.

The winds were picking up a bit as Akki slid off the back of the cart. The halfling grumbled to himself while pulling the hood of his violet cloak low over his head. He bent down and tucked the dagger into the back of his boot, just like the ranger had taught him.

Akki straightened and looked around. If his guess was correct, then the Parvel guild hall should be near. The halfling glanced up tothe sky, catching a glimpse of the sun and its position while nodding to himself. He still had plenty of time to deliver the messages around the city, besides, what would a few minutes matter?

Merchants and their trade lined both sides of the street, and a crowd of shoppers milled down its center. The street that Akki found himself on was bustling with mid-morning activity. Dusty blankets and rugs hung from windows, waiting to be shaken clean. Akki paid neither these nor any of the city's other everyday occurrences any attention. He had eyes for only one thing, (Parvel was pushed to the end of the line for now.), and that was finding something new to steal ... no, pilfer. Akki liked that word better.

Akki's eyes scanned the throng of people, searching for a likely victim. Most people he saw were but simple tradesmen and riffraff, among other things. As he walked further down the street, he noticed a hooded figure talking with one of the merchants near an alley. The halfling gave in to the curiosity that was part of his nature and slipped his way closer.

The hooded figure was a strange looking fellow. The fact that he was short and wearing a cloak only added to his mysteriousness. But what piqued Akki's interest the most was a dagger, peeking out from beneath the figure's cloak, that made Akki's look like a butter knife. A black silver-laced hilt poked out of an onyx-colored sheath that hung on the stranger's belt.

As luck would have it, Akki could now catch small pieces of their conversation. Standing directly behind the hooded figure, whom Akki guessed to be a man by his voice, only brought Akki to the height of the man's knees. Akki slowly reached up with a trembling hand, thankful that he hadn't been noticed yet, and stretched to reach for the dagger. The man spun, catching Akki by the wrist and quickly dragging the two-foot halfling into the alley.

Akki's throat constricted as the cloaked figure gripped his neck tightly. The halfling gagged, his eyes lolled up into his head and his head slumped.

He was dimly aware of the man speaking to him. Fighting unconsciousness, Akki sluggishly glanced up into the man's hood and suppressed a squeal of terror. His throat constricted even tighter, and he choked for breath. Before him was a drow.

Akki had heard stories of drow elves, the most dangerous and deadly of the Elven brethren. Black face and white hair stared back at him under a hood of dark grey.

"I won't kill you ... yet. Theft is a dangerous trade for one so small." The drow said with contempt. "Especially if you intended to use this." The elf held up Akki's serrated dagger, causing the halfling to gasp and wiggle in the drow's hand.

Halfling and serrated blade tumbled to the ground in a heap as the drow suddenly dropped them. He knelt by the fallen halfling and idly traced a finger along the ground. "I don't recognize you. And I usually can tell one thief from another in this city. So tell me short one, what is your name?"

Akki struggled to his feet and glanced from the kneeling drow to his serrated dagger. He wrung his hands helplessly and cowered against the wall. "M-my name's A-Akki ... Softstep. Akki Softstep."

Akki had heard stories of drow. There were a few famous drow in the city, Zari Del Armgo, Que Neth ... Que Neth?! "W-wait!" The halfling cried. "You're that drow Que Neth! Right?"

Que frowned at the phrase 'that drow' and narrowed his eyes. Akki, gaining a bit of confidence reached under his violet cloak and produced an envelope. He shakily held the letter out to the drow, who after a pause quickly snatched it from Akki's hand.

"Come with me," Que replied, after reading the letter. The drow reached inside his shirt and came back out with a thin black strip of cloth. He roughly reached behind the halfling's head and tied it into a tight knot, covering Akki's eyes.

The drow led the blindfolded halfling by the arm down the alley and into a less crowded street. The sun was reaching it's zenith as captor led captive toward a dark, three-story building. Struggling as he walked, Akki managed to adjust the blindfold on his face enough to see out the sides.

Que Neth pushed Akki up to a door along the side of the building. Before he entered, Akki noted a girl under some trees, and the sound of a flute and some tom toms. A beautiful girl who rumor said was Trinity ...

"Was that Trinity?", Akki thought. "But I believed she was dead!"

The blindfold was removed and Akki found himself sitting in a chair in a pitch black room. Suddenly he was bathed in a bright light as the sounds of voices floated toward him.

"Who are ye? State yer name and business here."

Akki whimpered quietly and huddled his legs up to his chest. He meekly replied, "My name is Akki Softstep. And I'm here to deliver a message from Councilor Knobnose. He is going away ... That's, that's all I know."

Akki squinted to see beyond the brightness that seemed to come from nowhere. Yet, his eyes could pick up nothing out of the darkness. After long moments of waiting, Akki began to be bored. He sat forward on the chair and swung his small legs back and forth. Akki yelped as another blindfold was quickly tied over his eyes from behind him. "Your story seems true. You shall be escorted off the premises and your belongings shall be returned."

A quick check of his belongings dropped the halfling's jaw. His dagger was missing, and somehow his violet cloak had been taken too. The halfling stumbled his way outside with the help of an unknown escort. The music that had drifted from the small grove of trees near the entrances was gone, and Akki guessed that the girl had departed too.

After what seemed like days, Akki and his escort stopped and the blindfold was removed. The halfling looked around him and his jaw nearly hit the ground. His escort was nowhere to be seen, and on top of that his dagger and cloak were back without him even noticing their return!

"Strange people ... very strange," he muttered, as he started off for the docks on the southern edge of the city. If his memory was correct - it usually wasn't - then a man named Le Arn was said to be running the docks.

If Akki thought the streets were busy, the dock ward was a wave of people, an ocean compared to a lake. For the average elf or human, it would have been an uphill battle to make one's way through the throng. But for a two-foot halfling who was in a hurry, it was as easy as catching a one-legged rabbit with no tail.

The halfling was in a foul mood. He had failed at stealing the very nice dagger, no one would tell him who was in charge of the dock ward or where to find someone who knew, and on top of that he was hot!

Sandy winds blasted the crowd from all directions. Akki already had pulled the hood of his cloak over his head to shield his eyes. The sun was directly above the city now and would soon be starting its descent. Akki's time would be running out soon.

He needed a shady place, a place where the wind would not reach him. He noticed a building to his right with a sign in front that read, "The Smithy's Forge." Strange name for a tavern, Akki thought as he danced his way between people's legs and over to the door of the tavern. He stood on his toes and grasped the handle with little difficulty. Kicking against the wall beside the door, Akki was able to pull the door open and slide inside.

The interior was a dark room lit by a few candles on the wall. There were no windows, giving the room a very tight, compact feeling. A mall bar stood a few feet from the wall opposite the entrance. And a door led back into the kitchen. Round tables with chairs were scattered throughout the gloomy room. It all made Akki feel a bit at home. Except for the 10 or so grizzly men staring at him with open sneers.

"Well, looky' what tha cat dragged in, ey," the bartender said, with an accent very akin to that of a sailor. "Where be yer momma lit'len boy?" These remarks reaped loud guffaws and hearty laughs from the other men.

Akki frowned, getting very used to this, and walked up to the bar. With great difficulty, he managed to get onto one of the stools and then look down the bar. The bartender leaned on an elbow while thoroughly washing a mug with a dirty towel. "What ken I get ye, lit'le tyke?" Once more earning laughs at the expense of the halfling. "Some ale?"

Once the laughter died down, Akki looked up at the bartender, who gave him and almost toothless grin, and said, "Where might I find the Harbor Master man?"

"Ha, ye be kiddin' eh?" The bartender grinned. "Naw, really, what ken I get ye? A tasty apple? Oh! I 'ave just the t'ing. A ticket t' the zoo!" By now the room was full of laughing men who slapping their knees and very nearly falling out of their chairs. Akki huffed and reached into his pack, pulling out a sealed note.

"Well then big fellah," Akki said, "I have to get this to the dock warden. If you would be so kind as to hel ..."

"Yea, I ken give yer bloody lett'r t' the man," the barkeep said with a toothless grin. "He stops by occasionally." He snatched the letter out from under the halfling's nose and flipped it over in his calloused hands. "What be in it?"

Akki frowned slightly and reached out to retrieve the letter. "H-he really, comes h-here? You're not lying?"

"Me? Lie? I be t'inkin' ye ken get yer bloody arse out of me bloody tavern. Go on! Shoo!" The bartender gruffly, stepped out from behind the bar and flexed his muscles. In his haste, Akki squeaked as his stool crashed to the floor, but by then he was huffing and puffing outside the tavern, thoughts of his next destination in his head.

* Part Four *

By Richard

Akki huffed off, sounds of laughter trailing behind him. He walked down the jagged stone road to the docks, pushing his way through the crowd when he heard a voice rise above the crowd, shouting instructions at a ship-building crew. Akki saw that the new ship already flew the colors of Calimport, along with a couple others he didn't recognize. He gaped as he saw the man shouting out the orders, he was the shortest person Akki had seen all day, save his own visage in the mirror.

His thin blonde hair snaked in the wind, and Akki ran a hand over his own head to make sure there weren't any frizzles. He looked back tentatively at the bar he had just departed, knowing he couldn't trust the letter to be delivered unless he himself delivered it.

Sucking up his nerve, he knew that this fellow would know who the harbor master was, if it wasn't him that is. Walking up to him apparently unseen, he tapped the small person on the shoulder, saying, "E-excuse me, sir, are you the d-d-dock master?"

The man turned his gaze down to the little halfling and began shouting, not at Akki but at the crowd in general: "Damn it how many times do I have to tell you people that I'm NOT the dock master!?"

Akki reeled back slightly at the yelling but composed himself before the man looked back down at him, "No, I'm not the dock master, but I represent him, what do you need?" The short man asked.

"Umm .. M-my name is Akki, I came to d-deliver a message to h-him, but that bartender in there," pointing towards the bar, " He took it from me, said he would give it to him, but I don't believe it."

The man mused over the facts for a moment and then shook his head wistfully, thinking to himself, 'What am I going to do with that guy! ARGH." He then stormed off toward the bar, all the while yelling things.

Watching him leave Akki was taken aback by the strange weapon on the man's back - a trident... Was that Le`Arn? Shaking his head, he mentally repeated to himself that meeting so many great people in one day was impossible, but who else used one other than Sea Elves? Still shaking his head, he caught a glimpse of something odd, very odd. For an instant, the sea appeared to be completely still.

Trying not to be too obvious, he looked around and saw a person staring directly at him! Akki looked away quickly, but the sight remained in his head, a dwarf, with arms bigger then most men's legs, was boring holes through him with a cold stare. The dwarf's fists were clenched at his side. He did nothing but stare at Akki, who absentmindedly started off toward the bar where he saw the blonde elf head.

Reg Ironshot watched the little halfling, fists clenched at his side. He knew that he couldn't take out the little hair-ball in the middle of a crowd, he'd have to follow him until he was alone. Continuing to stare at the halfling, he thought of all the nasty things that he'd do to him once he got his hands on him.

Fire burned in his eyes, which blazed as though they would melt in their sockets if he stared at that impudent little bastard any longer. He watched Akki walk away from him and dared to whisper out loud, stroking his belt-length black beard, "Yes, little Akki, run while you still can. You don't know how short I will cut your time." He chuckled darkly to himself, seeming near to madness as he turned and stormed off.

Akki's heart still pounded in his chest as he looked over his shoulder, noticing that the dark looking dwarf was gone. He was so distracted that he smashed right into someone.

He fell backwards and rubbed his head, then took the hand extended to him by the grinning blonde elf, who said, "Thank you for delivering the message, Akki."

The halfling searched for words, but merely blurted out, "Thank you mister Le`Arn!" which made the elf chuckle.

"Nervous?", he asked. "You shouldn't be. I am just a person, I've just had an adventure or two. And I'm not the dock warden, I just help out a lot. Got it?"

Akki nodded nervously, "Yes sir! You're not no dock warden, nuh uh!"

The sly elf narrowed an eye at him, asking, "You're nervous about something else, something's got you spooked. What is it?" Akki had not wanted to say anything at first, because it seemed trivial, but he finally explained about the dark dwarf. The elf mused over it for half a moment and then asked, "How good are you with that dagger?"

Akki looked down at his boot, forgetting that he had it. "Umm .. well, I can sorta use it, I think," he answered. The short elf nodded and reached behind him, pulling a handful of daggers from places that Akki couldn't see, even if he had been given a chance to look harder.

"For any upcoming fights," the elf advised, "Use the dagger in a thrust-slice manner. Yours has a serrated edge. You can use it like this."

He demonstrated quickly, using a few different strokes, then backed off from Akki a few steps. "I highly recommend training your hands to work in tandem," the elf said, demonstrating his point by juggling.

First three daggers, then four, and in moments the man was smoothly juggling six daggers.

"Improving your hand-eye coordination as you go along, even this will seem all too easy a task. What you need to remember is that while fighting, keep a cool head, and watch for mistakes your opponent makes, then take an opportunity. A missed shot or misplaced attention..." the elf stopped his sentence, grabbing Akki's attention from the whirling blades. The elf grinned and spun around quickly, the blades all flying at one time.

He heard a 'thump', then another, then three more. The elf still spinning in place. When his twirling stopped, Akki stared, mesmerized, holding but one dagger in his hand.

"Like I said," the elf continued, "misplaced attention. Look down at your feet." Sure enough. The remaining five daggers were at his feet. His mouth felt dry from all the gaping he was doing that day, but he gaped nonetheless. "Go ahead and keep those," the elf said. "I've got a thousand more where they came from."

Akki was in awe, completely, as he looked up to the elf, who continued, "You are a thief aren't you? You've been taught the ways of back-stabbing?"

Akki paused for a minute, then nodded his head quickly. "Y-yes," he replied. "But I don't like it. It seems cowardly.

The remark drew a chuckle from the elf.

"Is it cowardly or is it smart? A mage may kill one by pointing his finger, as can a cleric. Yet none call that a cowardly act. Trust me! When you need to do it, remember your training," the elf instructed him.

The young halfling nodded and stooped to pick up the daggers, keeping an eye on the elf's feet, to make sure he didn't lose him. So many questions he wanted to ask him. However, as he stood a breeze forced his eyes shut for an instant, and when he re-opened them, the elf was gone.

Although he disappointed that the elf was gone, he was relieved that he could not see the dwarf either. He shrugged and went his way, flipping one of the daggers the elf gave him in his hand, still marveling at how easily the elf was able to juggle them. He thought that the elf probably was nearly as good as the famous Mouse.

Akki moved quickly to the far west side of the city. His next stop, he knew, would be a quick one. Guild Brandson was efficient, to say the least, or so it was said. Akki grasped the note in his hands as he passedthe Palace Hill.

The hill always did amaze him, so high, and filled with buildings that would put others to shame. His attention whirled, having already had much adventure this day. He stopped for a moment, trying to recall the directions he had been given.

He turned left at the common well and went down Siren's Dream Road, but came to a halt not far along the way. Turning into an alley, he stopped at a side door and knocked three times. In moments, a small slot in the door slid open. Akki had been told exactly what to do here, so he simply passed the note through the door and left the alley.

Dealing with some of the older guilds frightened him at times, although it was not often he got the chance to perform such important errands. He retraced part of his steps, then turned towards Rogue's Prospect as he thought about the next stop on his list, The Temple of Lillend. Then he prepared the next note for delivery. Walking up the steps to the temple, Akki failed to notice the hateful glare of the dwarf Reg Ironshot at his back as he walked in.

He looked around quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace of the temple, and found a nearby priest. "E-excuse me sir," he said. "I've come to deliver this message to one of the senior priests."

His hand no longer shook as much as it had earlier the day. Akki held up the rolled parchment bearing the seal of Knobnose. He hoped he would see the famous Mouse, a fellow halfling and the leader of all the priests of Lillend. Perhaps Akki Softstep was going to meet him! He hoped so. What would they have in common other then heritage? Would they become friends? Would the Mouse invite Akki back for more talks, or perhaps something else? He could hardly wait. His dreams were suddenly interrupted, as he heard the priest speaking to him.

"I'll take it to the residing high priest," the man said. "He's asked not to be disturbed for awhile." Akki's dreams shattered so hard that he thought the priest must have heard them.

"N-No!", Akki blurted out desparately. "I-I mean I'm under direct orders not to give this to anyone but the Mouse himself!" He could barely believe that he just had lied to a priest, but he just had to meet one of his idols.

The priest sighed and told him to wait a moment, shuffling off into the rear of the temple. Akki took a seat nearby and looked around the wonderful temple. He was amazed at the stories he still heard being told down at The Stomp. He hoped they all were true about The Mouse. He found that he didn't have to swing his legs this time, because the chair was approximately his own size, and his feet reached the floor.

He waited for what seemed to be hours, when a short man stepped out of the back. Akki stood straight up and dared to ask proudly, "Are you Mr. Mouse?" He silently congratulated himself for not stammering this time. The halfling before him was tall for one of their race, and he was dressed all in light grey silks with a wide-brimmed white hat. Odd that hat, very rare in fashion, yet his mentor Councilor Knobnose wore a brown one just like it.

The halfling nodded to him with a quick smile. "And you are the famous Akki Softstep. I hear you have something for me." Akki fumbled the note but he quickly recovered it. The Mouse knew his name, and even called him famous. This was almost too much for the young halfling.

"Yes sir, this is from Councilor Knobnose. He'll be out of town for a while, and he asked me to deliver this to you." The Mouse took the note from his hand and nodded with a slight snicker to Akki.

"Thank you. I do hope that the good councilor will be back soon enough, with another message for you to deliver. Especially since he sent you straight to me." Akki gulped, hoping that Mouse did not know of his lie. He was told to simply give the note to a high priest. He nodded quickly, thanking him for his time and deciding to leave, while he was ahead.

Reg Ironshot waited outside the temple for the halfling, and the time seemed to fly. Feeling revenge within his grasp, he drew his weapon closer, he walked confidently behind the halfling, unseen by Akki, as he strode from the temple. Akki never looked back, but if he had, he would have been face to face with the dwarf. Reg Ironshot had stalked him for years, waiting for just the right moment.

* Part Five *

By Per-Arne

Whistling softly to himself, Akki, spirits high, wandered toward Dwarf Forge, walking into the maze-like streets of Rogue's Prospect. He absentmindedly dodged past a group of people, his mind preoccupied with his meeting with The Mouse.

As he entered a dark alley he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise, with the feeling someone was watching him. Realizing that this was far too dangerous a place to be lost in his thoughts, he twisted and looked behind himself.

Akki suddenly found himself staring straight into the burning, hateful eyes of the dwarf who had been staring at him near the docks. He was about to turn and scream, when something hit the side of his head. Darkness gathered quickly around the edges of his vision as he saw the ground coming slowly up against him. Then everything went dark.

Reg Ironshot followed the halfling's tiny figure as Akki dodged his way through a small group of people. Although he was not as nimble and quick as Akki, he was not slowed no more than the halfling by the crowd. He simply shouldered his way through, accomplishing with brute strength what Akki had done with his agility. No one retaliated beyond giving the angry dwarf an angry glare. This was Calimport, city of decadence, and a lawless area even by local standards. Reg's expression was one pure hatred and madness.

This was Rogue's Prospect, which, with its mazelike structure would serve Reg's need for privacy just fine. And soon.

"There's many alleys that would serve me fine here, little maggot," Reg thought, "Soon, very soon, I'll wring your puny little neck."

A moment later, Reg could hardly believe his luck. The halfling seemed totally lost in thought as he walked through one of the most lawless places in the city. He drew closer to the Akki and released his hand axe from his belt. Swinging the axe backwards, he hesitated.

"Yes," he whispered, "now you will pay." Suddenly the halfling tensed and turned, only in time to stare Reg right in the face, eyes wide with fear. Then the flat side of the axe struck him in the side of the head.

A cruel laugh escaped the sinister dwarf's lips. So long and now, finally he had him. Reg pulled out a small bottle of dwarven spirits, he had planned this for too long to do anything wrong now. He soaked the halfling's face and chest with the strong-smelling liquid, and then, after taking a quick swig from the bottle himself, he threw it away.

Heaving the unconscious form of Akki over his shoulder, like one might carry a friend who's had far too much to drink, He walked trough the twisted dark streets. With a disturbing smile upon his face, he thought, "Trust me, you shall regret that I did not use the sharp side of my axe. Aye... you shall regret."

Darkness. It was all darkness, and cold, so very cold. Akki tried to collect his thoughts. It was hard to think. He felt around him, and found he was in a small box of some kind. It seemed to be made of wood, and it was quite solid.

Suddenly, he remembered. That dwarf! Those intense hateful eyes! Akki suddenly felt far colder as raw fear ate at his mind. In panic, he tossed himself around and pounded his fists and feet into the walls of his confinement. To no avail. He only succeeded in making considerable noise.

Then he heard the sound of metal against metal, and the click of a lock being opened. Searing bright light filled his vision as the lid of the chest lifted. Akki squinted against the light, accustomed to total darkness.

A low, threatening, hate-filled voice asked, "Well, well, well. What have we here, a little murderer?"

Something in the voice told Akki it would be stupid to answer. "Keep yourself quiet down there!", Reg snarled. "Softstep? Bah!" he added in a tone of contempt. "You shall die in the same way as my father, all alone," Reg whispered, "with no one to hear your squealing little screams." The lid closed with a loud bang.

Akki shivered. That dwarf knew his name, and even more, he hated him, although Akki could not remember seeing the dwarf before this day. Forcing himself to remain calm, he began to think through his options. His daggers were gone, of course.

He felt along the chest, purposefully, seeking a loose board he could pry open. No luck, the chest seemed too solid. But what was that? Akki felt something thin and cold in one corner of the chest. A nail, he realized, as he picked it up. Carefully he took the nail and wedged it between the lid and the wall of his prison, trying to locate the locking mechanism. Normally an iron nail would been an insufficient lock-pick, but chests were usually not made to be difficult to break out of.

Listening carefully, he heard nothing, so he began working on the lock. A drop of sweat trailed down Akki's brow. If this did not work ... there ... almost ... the nail slipped, and he began anew. Cursing beneath his breath, he tried again, and his time, he was rewarded with a soft click, as the lock slid open.

Whatever the place was, it was cast in total darkness. Akki stretched, then carefully began to feel around. He was in a tunnel of sorts, judging by the rough stone floor. Feeling along the wall, Akki kicked something hard. Bending down to investigate, it proved to be a torch. Another short search provided a tinderbox nearby.

Akki wondered if he should dare light the torch, but decided he had no other choice. He struck the flint and steel once, but he failed to capture the spark on the oily rags of the torch. He stood silent for almost a minute, listening to the sound of the flint against steel echoing from the stone walls. Akki took a deep breath, and struck again, this time with better luck.

The torch flared, bathing the walls in an orange light that sent shadows dancing over the uneven surfaces. The tunnel was narrow, apparently dug only recently. Wooden beams supported the roof.

What is this place, Akki wondered, and why had the dwarf brought him here? The question remained unanswered, but one thing was clear. The dwarf was mad. What was that he had said? Something about killing the dwarf's own father? Akki shivered. Dwarves are said to hold their families, especially their parents, in great respect. What had pushed the dwarf to do such a thing? Another thought immediately followed: "In the same way as my father," the dwarf had said. Akki swallowed, and looked around carefully. Perhaps the dwarf had killed his father here ... perhaps the remains still were here.

Akki trembled, not only because it was cold, but because his world suddenly had turned into a nightmare. Attempting to get hold of himself, he looked around for anything that might be useful. Beside the chest he found his bag. Searching it quickly, he determined that nothing was missing, not even the black dagger. He slung the bag over his back and gripped the dagger tightly, feeling a little more secure with it in his hand ... a little.

A thick door blocked the passage on one side. Akki frowned and thought, "No keyhole on this side, which means it is probably locked with a doorbar." Trying the door confirmed his guess.

"Damn!", he said under his breath. His only option would be to try the other way. Before his resolve could begin to melt, he began walking back through the tunnel, hoping it would lead out.

Walking carefully, not knowing what might be alerted by the light of the torch, he almost missed a rope that hung down from one of the beams. Studying the area carefully, Akki found that the tunnel had been rigged to collapse at a pull of the rope. "Intriguing, but not very comforting," Akki muttered. If he continued, he could become trapped, but then again, he already was trapped.

Akki walked past the rigged section and noticed that the tunnel seemed to change. It was broader, and it seemed much older. The place felt creepy. After a while, it came to a dead end, where the roof had caved in at one time. Feeling trapped, he sat among some rubble lying along the wall, and began to cry silently. There had been a hope, however small, but now ...

Reg Ironshot was in a good mood, even though this was the anniversary of his father's death. Today, the death of his father, would be avenged. He entered the tunnel he had so carefully prepared. There, he would frighten the halfling into running down into the caves, and he would pull a rope that would cause the roof to cave in, trapping the halfling inside the tunnel, just as his father had been trapped so many years ago. He removed the bar on the door, and opened it.

The dwarf almost dropped the lamp he was carrying. The chest had been opened, and the bag was missing. All had been for naught. No, wait! He could not have gotten past the door so he had to still be here, somewhere. Reg put down the lamp, and pulled out his axe. Relying on his infravision, he set off into the dark tunnels to look for his prey. He stopped at the rope, considering whether to pull it. No, he had to be certain so he continued.

Akki had dozed off, but he awoke to the sound of approaching footsteps. His torch already had burned out. Now he quickly scrambled to hide among the rubble. Then a figure walked past him, its breathing and its fast steps betraying great anger. Akki prepared to stand up, meaning to sneak back in hopes that the door was open. But the figure stopped just across from him, muttering a curse.

"Where can he be? He CANNOT have escaped," the dwarf hissed. Akki knew the voice; it belonged to the crazed dwarf.

Carefully he stood up and began to move toward the door. The dwarf must have seen the movement through the corner of his eye. He shouted, "You! Come back here!"

Akki ran with death just a few steps behind him. Around the corner, he saw a faint light, just enough light for him to make out the rope dangling from the beams. Without thinking, Akki grabbed the rope and pulled as hard as he could, continuing to run on. And then he heard a shocked, "Nooo!" echo behind him, before the cry was drowned out by the roar of the collapsing tunnel walls and ceiling.

Akki dared not stop. He just continued running, finally bumping into the wall in his hurry, before finding the door. It was open. He ran though, slammed it shut and lifted the bar to block the door into place.

Leaning against the door, he tried to catch his breath. Akki looked down at his hand, still clutching the dagger. He had managed without it. It suddenly felt very heavy.

Bending down, he replaced it in his boot. He wanted nothing more than to go back home now. But he still had one letter left to deliver. Akki trembled. What had old Councilor Knobnose sent, that someone would be that desperate to stop?

It had to be the letter to be blamed for all of this, this letter to a dwarf. His attacker had been a dwarf. His logic was off, but then again, it didn't matter. He'd better be on his way, the sooner he was rid of it, the better.

* Part Six *

By Chris Labonville

Even though winded, Akki quickly found his way to the smithy he was supposed to seek out. Time had passed, far too much time. He knocked on the now closed shop, hoping that someone would still be around. He was answered by silence.

The streets were fairly empty. The sun was down, and the air was cooling rapidly. Now was the time, that many people sought food and drink before reopening their shops for the busy night crowds. Akki didn't like Calimport at night, even though most business in the desert city is done after dark. He thought that too many shadows creep about at night.

He heard a commotion on the other side of the building, and then a group of people began coming down the side alley. Akki knocked again, rattling the door this time. Thoughts of the mad dwarf with friends filled his mind as the people got closer. He stepped away from the door, looking from side to side, about to bolt.

Soft laughter filled the street, as a burly old dwarf, and two tavern wenches came out of the alley and looked at Akki. Relieved, Akki found himself smiling into the eyes of one of the tavern ladies before turning his attention to the dwarf.

"I am sent to see the smith, sent by Councilor Knobnose," Akki said.

The old dwarf smacked the wenches playfully on the behind as he moved to the door of the shop. Fumbling with his keys in mirth, he said, " Ah good. Been waiting to hear from the old hairfoot. We didn't spook you, did we?"

Akki was glad for the darkness at this point. His face was flushed with slight embarrassment. He nodded, honestly for a change. " Yes Sir, a tad," he admitted. "I had a run-in with a crazy dwarf. He was nothing like you of course. He tried to kill me."

The dwarf opened the door, ushering the ladies and Akki inside, before following and closing the door behind him. The dwarf's brow was arched in curiosity. He prepared a table with drinks, as Akki set the letterdown before him

"So tell me of your adventure this day, young Softstep, " the old dwarf said as he sat down, motioning for the others to join them.

The letter must have explained who Akki was, for the dwarf suddenly had known his name, after only browsing the letter. Akki sat and sipped at the ale he was given, telling his strange tale, beginningm with his trek into Elven Haven.

By the end of the story, the old dwarf was nodding, as if in understanding. Akki was a bit light-headed, having finished three of the dwarf's strong ales. One of the tavern wenches had been inching closer to him, which made Akki very uncomfortable. A fter a few moments of silence, the dwarf spoke.

At night's end, having finished his task and nearly getting killed in the process, Akki learned the tale of the mad dwarf named Reg. He learned of the vengeance that drove Reg to nearly kill him, a vengeance that was not justified in the first place.

Akki and Reg's fathers had been friends, working together in the mines. On this very night, many years ago, Akki's father had tripped on something in the mines. The mishap triggered a cave-in, under which, Reg's father had been trapped. No one had been able to find the body of Reg's father, nor the others who had died in the mines that night, but Akki's father had escaped. Rumors had turned his father into a hideous monster, and a murderous wretch.

Hours later, and quite shaky on his feet, Akki left the old smith and his two companions, bound for home. The ale was wreaking his small body, forcing his vision to blur, and his steps to follow each other in an uneven manner. But luck was on his side, and he found his way home, to curl up safely in his bed, to sleep peacefully. He had accomplished the important duties given him by the Councilor, and even learned a few new things along the way.

Akki told his tale many times in the days and weeks to come, slowly clearing his father's reputation, after many years of misunderstanding. He did this for a few reasons, but mainly to protect himself from being dragged into an unjust feud again. And Akki did earn a small amount of fame among the younger halflings, some respect from the ones his own age and trust from his elders.