“Perhaps the clearest sign that humanity and the dwarven under empire once shared closer ties is the presence of Potomian ‘Ironbeakers’. These are ironclad warships engraved with enough runes to power a small regiment. It is with these ships that they halted a Traxian invasion almost three centuries ago so decidedly, that Traxia has respected Potomian coastal sovereignty ever since.”


    - Harald Oskir, Explorer’s Guild Scribe, “On Dwarves and Humanity: A Friendship That Was”


    <hr><hr>


    She braced enough that she tucked into herself as she landed, her legs touching first and allowing her to roll before being snatched mid motion by a rocky appendage. Leaving a fresh set of rocky scrapes and rashes across her side, the golem stopped her from rolling off its hand and plopped her back on, the startling experience scrambling her senses. When she was finally able to stand back on her own feet, she found that the battle had shifted, what was a potential defeat now turning into a certain victory.


    From within the city’s final tier of walls, the gates up to the highest points opened up and a legion of clockwork guardians, more modern than the ones in the forge town, strode out to do battle with the echoes. Supporting them were scores of reserve dwarven warriors and rallied garrison troops that tried to take advantage of the momentum. Below her, most of the echoes had fled further from the golem, with Sophia now hiding in the shadow of the golem as the beasts retreated from it. Off in the distance, Sophie could spy some mysterious looking humanoids, and though she couldn’t identify much from where she was. She suspected that they were the ashen elves that had hunted her and Morea hinted at being affiliated with. She offered them a small wave of thanks, doubtful that they would even notice, but reasoned that it was necessary all the same. For without the Goddess, the battle and her current life would surely have been forfeit.


    Sophie gestured for the golem to grab Sophia as well, hoping that it would understand her non-verbal cues. Thankfully, whatever fires of vengeance that had burned within it had faded upon its near defeat at Arantos’s eyewall.


    Pick up, incoming. Sophie warned her counterpart.


    Sophia had just about enough time to look up when the golem picked her up and promptly deposited her next to Sophie. The two shared a wordless moment as they both sat down and simply leaned against each other. Even without pestering her through their thoughts, Sophie could tell that her counterpart had her own encounter with the Goddess, judging by how Sophia kept glancing at her hands and the small flicker of shadow that she absently toyed with. Sophie clasped her counterpart by the shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze, for them, it was over.


    The horde still lingered around the city but a large portion fled with their leader into the depths of the cavern. With more dwarven reserves now mopping up the city streets and garrison troops sallying forth from the walls, the battle’s conclusion drew near. Fresh battle cries occurred from where the ranger’s were, the sound that carried from them echoing louder than she had thought possible. It seems they got some reinforcements too. Even the golem, more passive than before, seemed to realize this, opting to help ferry the duo away from the fighting as it recuperated from its own battle wounds.


    Within the city itself, Sophie spied a strange light blinking at her, calling out to her. Turning to Sophia, she found her counterpart nodding. Gesturing towards the light, the golem understood and trekked into the breach section of the wall, taking its time to stomp out any offending echoes in its path. To their surprise, the moment the golem stepped into the city proper, dwarf warriors who weren’t actively fighting stopped to kneel at the golem, muttering runic prayers and ancient tongues that was beyond the duo’s comprehension. Only a few noticed with no small amount of surprise the two half elves currently using the embodiment of the amber God as transportation vessel. But whatever reaction they had, Sophie was at least, too exhausted to care.


    What she did care about though, was when they reached a large roadblock, the golem unwilling to barge through its own people. That much the duo understood and with a polite bow, gave it the permission to release them. In front of what looked to be a hundred dwarven guardsmen with shields, pikes, axes, crossbows  and clockwork guardians in support, the golem lowered them in front of the barricade.


    Sophie was now acutely aware that while Sophia gave off the sense of a battle weary dark warrior. Her, on the other hand, was battered, bruised, covered in blood and half naked. Despite that, she found the dwarves less judgmental than expected, and instead looked at the two of them with what could arguably be a small amount of reverence. There was a tense silence as neither side acted, the golem dutifully moving back towards the frontlines to aid its people. Then one of the dwarven pikemen tapped his weapon on the ground.


    “Warriors. Warriors…” He began chanting.


    One, then another, and another and slowly, the majority of the guards chanted the words. There was something surreal at the sight, the armor clad dwarven guards chanting the title at them. Sophia dipped her head politely whilst Sophie tried to bow, wobbling unsteadily as her multitude of wounds reopened without the Goddess’s touch. Concern radiated amongst some of the guards but Sophia quickly came to support her and cast a questioning look at her.


    Are we still going there? You should probably see a healer first. Sophia mused.


    Beyond the gate. Top of the hill, it was calling us. Sophie replied, the act of thinking itself, brought her some small amounts of pain.


    With a grunt, Sophia pointed towards where the light had been, Sophie’s arm already draped over her shoulder for support as they advanced. Some of the guards looked ready to protest, but instead chose to simply observe the situation and to remain on the lookout, electing to follow the duo on the flanks instead. Sophie imagined their bizarre procession must’ve been a strange sight for the citizens of the city. With the siege finally lifting, more than a few curious souls poked their heads out to see what was happening and what all the chanting was about. What they would’ve seen was a wounded half elf, another half elf, and twenty odd dwarven warriors on the flanks. Some chanting, some simply making sure the way was clear.


    When they finally arrived at a large squared building on the edge of an overlook, the duo stopped and so did the guards and curious onlookers that had followed them. The original chanter that had sparked the strange ritual helpfully went to knock at the door to the building, giving the two a polite nod which they responded to in kind. A peephole of sorts opened on the doorway and the guard exchanged some hushed words with a person within, the opening closing once more before a few audible clicks came from the doorway.


    As it swung open, Sophie saw a dwarven lady beckon to someone out of sight, and to her surprise a familiar smuggler popped out of the doorway. She recognized Uldren’s right hand man, the scout that had been with her and Aryana when they first journeyed here. The dwarf looked at her, a flicker of recognition in his eyes before concerned filled them as he noticed her dire state. Then he looked at Sophia, recognition also appeared, followed immediately by confusion as the dwarf’s baffled expression almost made Sophie chuckle. Thankfully, smugglers had to deal with surprise cargo all the time and he seemed to recover quickly enough, standing tall and half grinned at the duo, even if he shifted somewhat nervously.


    “Well.” He chuckled half heartedly, “Now there are feckin two of ye.”


    <hr><hr>


    “Idiot, idiot, time to awaken. Awaken, awaken or you’ll leave me forsaken!” Yana chittered, “I lit my light, but I brought the blight!”


    Startled by the buzzing noise in her ear, Aryana groggily stirred from unconsciousness as she cradled her aching head. The last thing she remembered was the monster with many eyes looking at her then she fainted. Spirits, I feel awful. She turned to the source of the noise who looked half apologetic, half panicked.


    “Stars… what… what happened?” Aryana groaned.


    “I knocked you out with magic of the fae. All so the monster wouldn’t spirit you… err away?” Yana chirped before shaking her heading, “Focus fool, or we’ll turn into ghouls. For here comes the drainer of life, the ultimate bringer of strife.”


    “I… you what? Why? But ugh, my head. What’s this about the-”


    “Lass! Lass! You’ve got to come see this! They’re back! They made it back!” Mesurn barged into her room, the dwarf’s face still filled with a sense of bafflement, “But one’s in bad shape, come on!” He called out just as he disappeared back out the doorway.


    “Wait, wait, I urge-meep!” The faerie shrieked as Aryana gently but urgently ran past it and out the doorway, the creature suddenly needing to pursue her.


    Aryana practically tripped down the stairs in her mad scramble to the main her, a sickening twist of her ankle followed by a viscous jolt of pain soon followed. But she felt hope and fear well up in equal parts, pushing her onwards as the delicate balance threatened to spillover. When she finally stood in the inn’s main room, she found a scene of chaos.


    Dwarves were running this way and that as they hastily turned the inn table’s in a makeshift hospital bed. Armoured guardsmen, all unrecognizable to her, now stood around the edges of the room, a few even turning their heads over so slightly in her direction. Then she saw her, Sophie clad in blackened armour, her exhausted expression matching her weakened stance. Aryana wanted to call out, but then she froze. Next to Sophie was also Sophie, this one battered and bloodied and a little more naked than the other one. Her heart sank as she looked on, but something in her gut could already tell which one was the one she cared for.


    “Sophie…” She whispered as she leaned against the wall, her heart aching at the sorry state her partner was in.


    Amidst the chaos of the room, she saw Sophie’s ears perk up, the bloodied elf looking directly at her, her eyes widening into the twinkling look of wonder that Aryana had come to recognize. Barely taking heed of the faerie trying to chitter on behind her, Aryana raced towards the two Sophies against the objection of a few nearby dwarves. The other Sophie seemed surprised but understanding of her, whilst her Sophie still seemed to be in some mixture of shock and joy. Knowing that there would be much resting to be done in the near future, Aryana seized her chance and swooped in with the biggest but gentlest of hugs, wrapping Sophie within her arms as the girl tried her best to do the same. Ignoring the wounds, stains, and blood, Aryana simply pulled her in and held Sophie’s head between her hands as she planted the deepest of kisses. Relief, concern, gratitude, fear, and love all flowed between the two in a tender outpouring of emotion, and they remained that way for a solemn moment, simply happy to be reunited.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Aryana felt Sophie return her kiss and the two almost melted within each other’s embrace. Their moment was broken when Sophie winced from pain and the half elf offered a pained but goofy grin.


    “Ary.” Sophie mumbled.


    “Easy, easy. You made it. You’re here, I’m here.” Aryana nuzzled her love.


    “Alright, that’s enough cuteness for the… day? Night? Time in a cave is weird. Anyways, I’ll explain things while she’s resting and that does mean you need to get healed.” Other Sophie rapped Sophie on the head, earning herself a glare from normal Sophie.


    Aryana just smiled pleasantly and nodded, giving Sophie one last peck on the cheek as the injured elf let out a mournful moan at being seperated once again.  A thankful dwarven guardsmen joined with Crunak and Hafnir to bring Sophie to the table, two medics shuffling forward from behind the crowd to tend to her wounds. Seeing her darling in safe hands, Aryana turned to the next curiosity in the room, the other Sophie. Catching the sideways glance, other Sophie gestured upstairs and before Aryana knew it, she had simply vanished from sight.


    “The dark one, a messenger. Taken along, like a passenger.” Yana’s familiar rhyming fluttered back around her.


    Aryana offered the faerie a small smile, giving her a knowing look but heading after the strange Sophie nonetheless. Yana reluctantly followed and settled uneasily on her shoulder. Though Aryana didn’t show it, she was thankful that the strange little fae had accompanied her so far. While her chittering was occasionally annoying, it was a welcome chatter in the glumness of the cavern. Aryana let out a sad chuckle, next time we go on break, let’s not go into a cavern.


    She stumbled upwards as her ankle gave way more than once, unwittingly letting a fierce scowl in annoyance at the pain. A sudden hand startled her as the strange Sophie cautiously held her steady, an unreadable expression on her face. Grateful if a bit spooked, Aryana nodded her appreciation whilst Yana cowered behind her. Other Sophie raised her brow at the sight of the faerie, but unlike the dwarves, Aryana suspected that she could truly see the faerie’s form instead of a mote of ethereal light.


    Aryana guided other Sophie to her room and beckoned for the dark clad elf to sit down, only now noticing that this Sophie was also wounded in some places, though not as gravely as her Sophie. Perhaps seeing Aryana’s frown, the other Sophie dryly grinned.


    “Sophia. Call me Sophia, helps with the confusion.”


    “O-oh! I-I’m…”


    “Aryana. I know.” Sophia giggled.


    “Ahh, well… umm hi.”


    “Hi. A little surprised?”


    “Mmhmm. I watched you… sorry, Sophie fall. I knew she’d make it but… she looks better than expected I guess. But anyways, what was I trying to say? Right! There was one, but now there are two Sophies!”


    “Hahah, fair enough. You know, the whole time we were out there, she’d sometimes think about how you would react to seeing the two of us. Truthfully though, you were a lot more calm than expected.” Sophia winked.


    “I mean, I know Sophie. Don’t get me wrong, I was surprised. But when one of you looks like she just walked out of the hells…”


    “Aye, does tend to walk into trouble very decisively. I would know, I’m her after all.”


    “Ah! About that…”


    “Right, I might have forgotten to clarify. I am Sophia, but I am indeed also… a version of Sophie you might say. I do have her memories, her appearance, and perhaps her more… dangerous indulgences. But that is where we diverge slightly. For in the moment of my formation, I was blessed by the lady of shadow and secrets, Morea.”


    “Morea? Ah! The one who they named Morus after! Really? The Goddess?!”


    “Indeed. And because I am essentially thought made whole, alongside the powers granted by the Goddes Morea, I can also shapeshift as well as call upon the powers of the shadows.”


    “Whoa, so you’re touched by the divines? Literally? Then…?”


    “Only into this form you see or into an object. After all, this is technically still my original form, though you haven’t exactly seen me around before.”


    “Huh?” Aryana squeaked, “Seen you before?”


    “ I’ll explain in detail another time, especially since I don’t seem to be losing any bodily autonomy and seem like I’ll be sticking around. Still, what I brought you here for is to explain everything that happened after Sophie… took her little tumble. Figured you might be a little curious, though I warn you, it’s a complicated story. If you have the time. And your… friend as well.” Sophia looked pointedly at the faerie, “No promises though, I suspect that our dwarven allies will have much they would like to discuss soon enough.”


    Aryana could feel Yana shiver, but the faerie offered no objections, at least, not vocally. Sensing no ill intent or hostility from Sophia, Aryana nodded, unable to hide her eagerness at learning just what had happened to her darling.


    Seeing her reaction, Sophia finally let out a genuine grin, “Well, for me anyways. All I remembered at first was that Sophie was wet, miserable and had just escaped some strange subterranean sea monster…” As Sophia continued, Aryana couldn’t help but smile a little, she had found two more ways to differentiate the pair. Not only did Sophie’s jewelled eyes shine a little bright in a crystalline way, but Sophia was far more willing to talk than her dear Sophie.


    <hr><hr>


    The next few hours passed by with a flurry of activity. After finishing listening to the almost absurd tale that Sophia had told her. The two and a still frightened faerie headed back downstairs to check on Sophie. Upon arriving, they spotted the half elf still laying on the table, though someone had provided her a pillow of sorts. Sophie’s body was practically covered in bandages and gauze, making her very much look the part of a battle hardened heroine who just returned from the field. Around her, dozens of dwarves were chattering away at each other, everyone recounting this or that in their account of the siege that took place.


    With Sophie now freed up, Aryana wasted no time in fawning and caring for the wounded girl, bringing Sophie to a ferocious blush as the half elf was being babied in front of everyone. In truth Aryana had an agenda of her own, she was jealous that more than two dozen people could’ve oogled Sophie, and so she needed to reassert her dominance. Sophie meanwhile, was too wounded and loved to complain.


    Seeing that she was no longer needed, Sophia introduced herself as a twin that stalked the shadows. Earning herself some suspicious glares but quickly silencing them when she began recounting the fantastical journey that they had gone on. All the while, Sophie occasionally whispered a few corrections into Aryana’s ear, but mostly remained content to be showered in little kisses, letting themselves be lost in the background as Sophia stole the limelight.


    Then came the first interruption. The Inquisitor simply barged into the inn, arriving with a few new faces and then the familiar faces of the rest of Uldren’s party and the dwarf himself. The smugglers were mostly relieved that almost all their numbers had survived. While the black clad inquisitor led a few more dour looking dwarves to Sophie, each holding small chests in their arms. With a singular raised brow at Sophia’s presence, the inquisitor revealed the task that he would’ve had the two perform as the dwarves opened the chests. Within them, fifty high quality runes that he wanted Sophie to drain completely with her powers. At first the duo were baffled, the strange request making them both suspect something more was at play.


    To their surprise, after two hours, Sophie was done. The runes returned to their little chests and the black clad man revealed that their part to play was complete. So gobsmacked by the nearly insignificant feeling magnitude of the task that Sophie had to ask for clarification.


    “I needed a day of your time at most, planned for a day. Didn’t know it’d turn into this week long affair and a damned siege.” Inquisitor Korvin had said, “As a mission in itself, this was an unmitigated disaster compared to the task at hand. On the flip side, a diplomatic masterstroke since they likely saw their ‘God’ being connected to the Inquisition and you.” He nodded appreciatively at Sophie.


    Then he delivered one warning that had Aryana sick to her stomach as he left.


    “But you, well more like I guess you three. Will have to be careful. As compensation for your service to the Inquisition and myself, I shall remain… quiet about this state of affairs. But I fear eventually someone will catch wind of those dwarven lips when wet with ale.” He discreetly gestured at the smugglers, “Then, then you might expect some trouble. For not many who aren’t saints or sainted can so easily work alongside the ‘Gods’. So if my colleagues catch wind of this or Goddess help you, the Imperials? You best be ready.”


    To know that after everything that might still face such trouble certainly put a damper on the celebratory mood in the inn. But to her delight, this time it was Sophie who reached out to comfort her, the half elf clearly reinvigorated after absorbing the energy of fifty runes.


    Before the two could celebrate Sophie’s newfound strength however, a summons came for Sophie and Sophia. It was a call directly from the dwarven hierarchy that seemed to surprise none of the dwarves present or Sophia, and thanks to her warning, not even Aryana. Only Sophie was caught off guard. Though Aryana wanted to follow, she couldn’t and had to reluctantly watch her girlfriend leave.


    A few anxious hours later, Sophie returned with a procession outside, their cheers echoing even after she had slammed the door shut once Sophia entered. She then promptly buried herself between Aryana’s chest and died of embarrassment. Her sorry state of dress while standing in front of a hastily gathered crowd of thousands was too much to handle. She was awarded a strange dwarven medal, proclaimed a stonefriend, handed over a rock that earned her even more accolades, then ordered to remain until tomorrow for a proper reward even after being gifted a bag of gold coins. All while covered in bloody bandages and looking like a dirty ragged mess. Aryana didn’t have the heart to joke that she actually found this rugged version of Sophie somewhat attractive if not actively stimulating, figuring that her girlfriend was embarrassed enough. To tease on another day, perhaps.


    Sophia didn’t have much to say, perhaps understanding that Sophie would rather spend this night mulling over everything before disclosing anything. Also that perhaps she would want to spend more time with Aryana, a gesture the redhead greatly appreciated. Though she didn’t appreciate the insinuation that came with Sophia’s obscene hand gesture as the girl headed upstairs. She wasn’t wrong, in light of everything that had happened, Aryana greatly desired Sophie. But, she would let her rest, for now.


    With their jobs done, Uldren and the others retired to their quarters. Mentioning that when they leave tomorrow, the smugglers will take them back to Festheim. For Aryana, that was a bizarre statement more than anything else. After suffering so much and even enduring a siege, for normality to return just like ‘that’, seemed almost unthinkable.


    As everyone settled in for the night however, she grew more comfortable with the idea. For the first time in what felt like a long time, she had Sophie all to herself, Yana needing to stay in a cozy little pocket on her pack instead. The two cuddled all night long, but in their crucial moment, both of them seemed almost afraid to engage in anything more. Aryana too aware of the faerie very much present in the room, and Sophie seemingly too aware that Ary too, was in a weakened state. Ultimately, they settled on a barrage of kisses to end the night, Aryana taking great joy in watching Sophie’s tired form slowly drift off to sleep. Spirits above, it is good to have her in my arms again. She sighed contentedly, I just hope what the inquisitor says won’t come to pass but knowing her… she shook her head, Ostia, all I should think about is Ostia. A proper vacation, and not a stupid cave. Definitely not a cave. Aryana gave Sophie one last peck on the forehead and smiled to herself, goodnight darling.