We reached the Burning Scroll. The inn was a cozy little place, just outside of the forest. You could still see the city walls in distance, but the sounds aren't as clear from here. Many people were sitting inside, drinking, gambling, singing, one person was sleeping too, probably drunk. We sat in a corner and ordered a couple of ales, the old man said it was worth the money, so we gave it a shot. It had a sweet n' bitter taste, quite good actually.
Sam went outside to take a piss, and just as he left the wench came to check on me. She was in her late 70s, not bad for a dwarf. "What kind of food can a human get around this place?" I asked, implying I don't want any of that dwarven food. She looked me dead in the eyes, "we don't have any to your liking, in fact, you aren't welcome here."
That was not my intent. I immediately apologized and ordered some plump helmet stew. She nodded and left. The guy in the next table gave a smirk, "oh boy, you've got some balls telling a dwarven wench you don't like their food, watch out for her piss in your stew" I was disgusted! "She wouldn't do that to a customer," I asked hopefully, "would she?" no reactions. I was bored, Sam isn't exactly the communicative kind, so I'd welcome any chat at this point, "anyways, why is this called the Burning Scroll?"
The guy leaped to his feet, excited, "you seriously don't know?" he said, grabbing my hand. "Look into the fireplace!" I looked in there, it was a sight from another world! The whole fireplace was a single sheet of paper, burning. "What is that?" I heard myself asking, as I was looking into the fireplace. One could be amazed knowing such a building was brighten by only one scroll, but if you looked at the fire, something else would put you in that state. It was as if the fire was coming out of the scroll itself.
"It's the burning scroll," he explained, "holding the essence of Ash-Kazaf, the brass titan, he was enslaved right in this place by these dwarves ancestor."
"What do you mean enslaved? I though titans were only a myth," I know they are a myth, but this fire couldn't be real either. Either this is truly heavenly, or the wench drugged my ale.
"Aye, they are, they are of mythical nature, yet they exist, and you exist because they willed you to exist. Titans were here before any god, before any light, and before any metal. They formed the earth and the heavens, and feast upon mortal and immortal the same. You've heard the story of the twelve titans, aye?"
"I've heard of eleven."
"You humans and your stupid believes, it's like you want to get hurt. There are twelve titans, and Ash-Kazaf is right in front of you." He went back to his table. I looked around, Sam was dancing with a group of the dwarves near the gate. Something in the fire was calling me, and I needed to know more.
"I'm sorry. Please tell me the story behind the scroll," I said as I approached the dwarf again.
"Sit, it's a long one"