Before he could react he heard "Gotcha!" from a younger voice around the corner. He blinked a few times and looked to see who it was. When the lights left his vision he saw a smaller dwarf grinning and looking at a photo he had taken before running into an alleyway.
"What was that about?" Doric wanted to follow after him but when he turned the corner the dwarven kid was gone.
"Oh well, guess I will keep wandering around. Maybe find Meldrid and thank her for helping Nyssa." He left the area and began strolling the beautiful structures. He found that while it was underground it was still expansive. Not crapped at all even though dwarves lived here they did not know the word small.
He looked at the runes on one of the buildings closer and tried to examine it but like before his spell failed. There were too many things going on with these runes that he could not keep up.
He noticed as he was looking at the runes the dwarves were looking at him with a rising curiosity some seemed interested in talking to him but when they tried to approach him others would get in their way. It was as if half of them were curious and the other cautious.
It made sense, he was a floating flaming skull after all. It was not something that was probably common or safe in these parts. He looked at the growing crowd and clicked his teeth.
"I promise I am not here to do anything bad. I was fascinated by these runes. What do they mean?" He tried his best to sound safe to everyone. When he spoke it made the curious more curious and the cautious a little scared.
"My group is here from the Great Tree, Welsher sent us to help you guys out with the Cordos." With that said everyone looked at each other and back at the skull. Welsher's name seems to hold a lot of sway.
They all calmed down and one of the young, female dwarves walked up to him slowly, her eyes darting at him and at the wall behind him. "You're friends with Welsher?"
Doric nodded and spun around in a circle to let his flames make a circle as he clicked his teeth. "Yeah, he's my teacher. We were sent here and we are on a mission to clear out the Cordo infestation."
She smiled and laughed at the motion Doric made. She clapped her hands and ran back to her mom. The rest of the dwarves relaxed and another one laughed. "You can't be a student of Welshers, you are too weak-looking!"
Doric looked at who said that and it was a sitting dwarf with an arm out at a table. He looked like he was preparing for an arm wrestling contest. Another dwarf was on the ground across from him he looked dazed after what he supposed was a defeat.
"Are you looking for a challenge?" Doric asked clicking his teeth and moving towards the dwarf. The rest of the crowd gave way to Doric as he arrived at the seat across from the dwarf.
"I know you skull types lift things with your minds. Which is stronger, your mind or my raw strength!" The dwarf continued to goad him on as he put his arm on the table preparing for a match. He wanted to challenge Doric, He looked like he was ready to humiliate the skull.
"Very well, Let's see if Welsher's training has prepared me for the might of the Dwarves." Doric clicked his teeth and used his powers to hold the hand of the dwarf who smirked at the feeling. He looked at another dwarf who ran up and began counting down.
"3…2…1….GO!"
Immediately Doric felt the rough muscles shove his psychic power hand down he was not prepared for such explosive strength from the small man. He struggled to keep the hand from reaching the other side.
"You got more in you than that dontcha?" The dwarf continued smirking as he slowly moved his hand down further and further almost reaching the table. Doric gritted his teeth grinding them as he kept his all his power to just hold the hand there. Right as he felt his power slipping he felt the table slam with the dwarves' hand.
It was over and the Dwarf had won. "Ah, good try little skull, the name's Eiker, What's yours"
"Doric, The strengths of the dwarves are no joke. You beat me so soundly. Looks like I need to keep practicing, or I'm going to find myself in a tough spot." He clicked his teeth and laughed. Eiker did the same. He looked to the dwarves and let out a bellowing command.
"This guy's alright! How about a round for everyone to celebrate the new arrivals!" Cheering erupted around the crowd as everyone began running to Doric and asking him all kinds of questions. He answered as many as he could and felt a bit embarrassed.
He was never really good with large crowds focused on him but he was glad that it was a friendly place. He was tired of constantly fighting for his life. He asked some questions of his own and found that the dwarves like in his fantasy stories were very good at crafting. They apparently used magic in their crafting to create masterful runes.
It was similar to the magic he had been practicing but on a level so advanced that he was many years away from learning it. However, it did not stop him from going to the runesmith's shop to see how they did it. Surprising to him, it was Eiker's shop.
"Ah so you are interested in Rune magic, are you? You came to the right place. Got anything in mind that you need made?"
Doric shook his head. "Not in particular, I was just fascinated by it and wanted to try my hand at it."
Eiker laughed and pulled out a quill and a smooth stone. "Well, let's see what you can do."