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“One of us is a traitor.” The firelight glimmered on the dwarf’s face, reflecting in his dark eyes. He looked about the remaining company. They had dwindled to an appallingly small number in an appallingly short amount of time. “I want to know who it is!”
A silence met him. His two companions stared back at him grimly.
“We may have had a traitor, but what if he is dead now?” one asked.
“Is he really?” The dwarf moved dangerously about the table to the speaker. “I don’t think I’ll feel safe until I know that he is.”
“How will you know?”
“There’s only one test.” And as he spoke, he plunged his dagger in, driving it in till the hilts rested against his ribs.
“I trusted you,” the dying dwarf whispered. “It was part of your tests.”
“I trust everyone I swear in,” the dwarf replied, bending above him. “Until they betray me.” He drew back, pulling the blade with him. The warm blood flowed out and onto the floor, leaving a pool beneath the body.
“Let’s take him out to the streets so the others can see that even traitors in our own fellowship meet the same end.”
Alive
Sally
Inzil
Nerwen
Boro
Eruhen
Finduilas
McCaber
Pitchwife
the Phantom
Mithalwen
Dead
Folwren - Moddess
Bom - Member of the Valley Forge
Wilwa - Night Watchdwarf
Glirdan - Ordo
Gal55 - Member of the Valley Forge
Rikae - Member of the Valley Forge
(For the record, I'd like to make note that I know Rikae's a she, but I didn't want to bother making it so in the narration. It's just so much simpler to have all the Forgers be "he's" in the story. Sorry, Rikae. Gal must've been special.)
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