The Dan’Burk mountains, the homeland of the Cyclopes.

Rumfus and Cetrid entered a town named Ditchford, it was mainly a residential refuge at the base of the largest peak on the eastern side of the mountain.

From Ditchford, Dragons could faintly be seen near the summit of the mountain, Rumfus looked up and smiled, he knew the challenge that laid before him.

This wasn’t going to be an easy battle for Rumfus, he already knew this though, for battling a new, unknown creature is almost always a challenge.

As Rumfus and Cetrid walked the beaten paths of Ditchford, they noticed that many of the residents were living out of makeshift huts.

They looked poor and malnourished.

Cetrid poked at Rumfus’ leg as they walked through the streets to get his attention.

“All these Cyclopes look… uh... miserable.”

Rumfus kept looking forward as they walked.

“Of course they do, my dear Cetrid, they were driven from their homes.”

Cetrid scratches the back of his head.

“Why don’t they go find somewhere else to live if they’ve… uh... already had to leave everything behind?”

Rumfus looks down towards Cetrid.

“In the past, some Cyclopes never even left their homes in the mountains to see what else this land had to offer, they were content looking down on Langstay.”

Cetrid looks down at the ground as they continue to walk.

“Huh…”

Rumfus looks back in front of him.

“Maybe they’re waiting…”

Cetrid stops walking and looks up to Rumfus.

“What could they be… uh… waiting for?

Rumfus stops walking and looks back towards Cetrid over his shoulder.

“I don’t rightly know, but I would guess that they are waiting for a hero to come take back their mountains so that they may be able to ascend the cliffs of Dan’Burk once again.”

Just then, there is a tap on Rumfus’ shoulder, when he turns around an angry-looking Cyclops is looking down at him.

“And who are you then, are you supposed to be this hero that comes and saves all our skins?”

A Cyclops child comes up behind the adult Cyclops trying to get his attention.

“Pa-pa, why are you being mean to the Human, what if he is here to help?”

The adult Cyclops turns to look at the child.

“One Human?

You think one Human and his deformed green Imp could take on even one Dragon?”

The Cyclops looks back at Rumfus.

“I saw hundreds of trained Cyclops fighters swiped off the peaks, villages burned to the ground, innocent families torn apart.

You come here seeking some easy fortune like all the rest, well, what makes you think you won’t meet the same fate as all of them, Human?”

The adult Cyclops turns and starts to walk away as Rumfus lifts the brim of his hat.

“Because, Cyclops, I’m not here for the money, I’m here to do what’s right!”

The Cyclops stops and turns around.

“That’s all well and fine, but good intentions aren’t going to keep you from being slain by one of those beasts.”

Rumfus smiles.

“I’ve come with more than just good intentions, friend, name’s Rumfus.”

Rumfus extends his arm to shake hands with the Cyclops.

The Cyclops looks down at Rumfus’ hand, snarls then point his finger to Rumfus’ face.

“We’re not Friends, Human, you have no idea what you’re up against, it’d be wise of you to turn around and go back to wherever you came from.”

The Cyclops turns back and starts stomping away once again.

Rumfus turns and looks at Cetrid, who had curled up in a ball behind him.

“Well, he was quite rude, wasn’t he?”

The Cyclops child slowly walks towards Rumfus and Cetrid.

“I’m sorry about him, his name is Gaucrog Greenbelly, he’s my uncle.”

Rumfus looks down towards the child.

“Oh? And who might you be?”

The Cyclops child looks down nervously.

“Oh… uh… my name is Sgruk Granitechewer, me and my parents used to live with my aunt and uncle before the Dragon attack… we were the only two from our house that made it out of the village…”

Rumfus puts a hand on the Sgruk’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry to hear about what happened to your family, young one.”

Sgruk looks up towards Rumfus.

“So is it true, are you here to fight the Dragons?”

Rumfus laughs.

“Why yes, Sgruk, hunting Dragons is what brought Cetrid and I here to your mountains.”

Sgruk gives a confused look to Rumfus.

“But… all you’ve come here with is a walking stick with an ornament on it… you don't even have any armor… or even a shirt for that matter.”

Rumfus smiles and puts his hand on his hip.

“Not all battles are won with armor and weapons, young Sgruk.

And this walking stick, as you put it, is more powerful than one might expect.”

Sgruk is still looking confused by Rumfus’ lack of weaponry.

“Hold on a moment, Mr. Human.”

Sgruk scurries into a nearby tent as Rumfus looks at Cetrid.

“You see?

These people need our help, Cetrid, there’s always going to be people who are uninterested, unwilling, or unable to solve their own problems and that’s where we come in, helping those who can’t help themselves.”

Sgruk climbs out from the tent with a long object wrapped in a fur blanket and places it on the ground in front of Rumfus and Cetrid.

He begins to open up the blanket and inside is a beautiful and pristine shortsword, it looked as if it had never even seen battle before, save for the tip of the blade which looked slightly dulled.

Sgruk picks up the sword and goes to hand it to Rumfus.

“You know, just in case.”

Rumfus takes the sword from Sgruk and begins to inspect it.

“This is an excellent looking blade, where did you acquire it?”

Sgruk picks the blanket up off the dirt.

“It was my father’s most valuable possession… he used it to clean between his teeth after meals… I was hoping you’d be able to make better use out of it than he did.”

Rumfus points the sword towards the mountain’s peak.

“This sword… will be a sword of legend, the Cyclopes people will tell stories, not of me, but of Ashrune, Conqueror of Scales, the sword that was used to fell the mighty beasts, gifted to the first one who climbed the mountains and came back, a feat all made possible because of the generosity of one young Cyclops.”

Sgruk smiled.

Cetrid began to tug on Rumfus’ robe.

“About this whole… uh… climbing the mountain thing.”

Rumfus turned and started rubbing Cetrid’s head.

“Don’t worry, my dear Cetrid, I had no intention of letting you climb the mountain with me.”

Cetrid closes his eyes as his head drops in relief.

“Oh thank you… uh... sir!”

Rumfus looks down the path that leads to the mountain for a moment then looks at Sgruk.

“Can you do me one more favor, Sgruk?”

Sgruk looks at Rumfus inquisitively.

“What is it?”

Rumfus looks back at the path.

“Keep an eye on Cetrid for me, he doesn’t enjoy being left alone.”

Sgruk nods as Cetrid walks over to him.

Rumfus whistles to Brandy then puts the sword, Ashrune, in one of the scabbards attached to the traveling gear draped over Brandy’s back.

“Perfect fit, like it was meant to be!”

Rumfus nods his head to Sgruk and Cetrid then heads out of the Village.