Chương 168: Chapter 166 - How to Maintain That Youthful Glow

Ray had found himself laughing on more than one occasion as he pulled out blankets that, for him, were the size of towels, tents that would maybe fit his leg, and other miscellaneous items that appeared miniature to him. He and Sheera would just have to wing it. Thankfully the dwarven climate was relatively mild, but most importantly dry. Without so much as a solitary cloud in the sky, the stars burst through the night sky, twinkling like precious gems.

"Gorgeous isn't it?" Grim asked, walking up beside Ray who sat quietly staring upward.

"Gorgeous doesn't quite cover the majesty of it all, now does it," Ray muttered in response.

"We don't have views like this where I come from, too much light pollution." Ray sighed.

"Light pollution?" Grim asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"Yeah, you know, lights from the big cities casting a glow on the sky making it impossible to see sights…" He paused, shooting Grim a glance.

"Such as these."

"You have lights powerful enough where you come from to light up the sky?" Grim asked incredulously. Ray looked around, realizing that the dwarves still used oil lamps.

"Is this what you use to light your homes and buildings?" Ray asked, motioning to the lantern.

"We only use thems when we needs to. We have glow stones that dos the job rather nicely, but theys are nowheres near bright enough to lights up the sky… or block the stars. Whos would needs so much light anyways?" Grim asked.

"Well," Ray began, raising an eyebrow, pondering the question.

"Come to think of it, I can't think of any real reason except maybe to keep businesses operating in the nighttime hours. Most everything is open around the clock where I come from. You want to go shopping at three in the morning, you can. You wake up in the wee hours of the morning hungry, you can go to the local diner and grab a bite." Ray shook his head sullenly as he realized the absurdity of it all.

"What are glow stones?"

"Yous never sees a glow stone?" Grim asked excitedly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small stone that lit up his hand.

"This be a glow stone," he said, reaching out his hand to Ray. Ray looked at it, amazed.

"May I?" he asked, motioning to the stone.

"That was why I was handin' it to ya. It wasn't to shows ya how pretty it was," Grim scoffed. Ray took the stone and marveled at it.

"Is there a power switch on this thing?" he asked, turning it over in his hand.

"Power switch? Whats do yous mean?" Grim asked, the confusion apparent on his face.

"What be a power switch?"

"You know, the switch you would use to turn it on and off. Say you wanted to shut the light off and go to sleep, how would you do it?" Ray asked, fascinated by the stone's light green glow.

"Yous… yous can't shuts it off. Yous can only cover it up. If, says, you wanted to gos to sleep, you put sumtin over it. It stays on alls the time," Grim said, looking at Ray as if he was crazy.

"Yous cans just turn things offs where yous come from?"

"Yeah, you either flip a switch, press a button. You have complete control of its operation," Ray said, feeling the first wave of culture shock.

"You mean nothing here has that ability?" he asked, wondering how he would adapt to this primitive lifestyle. He looked up at Sheera, who had silently made her way toward the pair, startling Grim.

"I didn't hears you there, lassy," Grim said with awkward surprise.

"Pulls up a log and join us, why dontcha?" he said, patting the space beside him.

"Don't mind if I do," Sheera said, giving the dwarf a warm smile.

"I wasn't interrupting you two and your strategic planning, now was I?"

"Strategic planning," Ray snickered.

"No, we were discussing this." Ray opened his hand and showed the glow stone to her. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"It's a glow stone," she giggled.

"Let me guess, you don't have these where you come from?" she asked, smirking at Grim as she held the stone.

"I haven't seen one in years, I haven't seen one since I was a kid," she said, marveling at the little stone.

"Go ahead, Sheera, make me look stupid," Grim snickered.

"So, obviously you are familiar with this little marvel?" he asked.

"Oh yes, we used to use them in my world, but they became increasingly harder to find, and with the advancements in solar and wind power, we really did not have much use for them anymore, except maybe for a novelty item," she said, smiling.

"Thai would love this." Her voice hitched.

"Well then you keep it for the wee lass. You can gives it to her as a welcome home gift when she returns," Grim said, patting her back reassuringly.

"Are you sure?" she asked, looking down at the stone, imagining Thai's eyes lighting up as brightly as the stone when she saw it.

"Miss, we have 'em all over the place here!" Grim replied enthusiastically.

"In no time flat you won't even notice 'em anymores," he said, placing his hands on his knees and laughing heartily. Sheera began rubbing her arms, regretting her wardrobe choices.

"I really wish I had come better prepared. I didn't expect it to be so chilly… but then again, we had to leave with the clothes on our back, so there wasn't really any time to prepare." Ray looked at her thin blouse and skirt, realizing she must be freezing now that the sun was going down.

"A little bit," she said softly.

"It seems the temperature is dropping rather steadily." She rubbed her arms again.

"I'm 'fraid it's only going to gets colder, lassy, before it's gonna gets any warmer," Grim said, wondering if he had anything she could wrap up in.

"Can we light a fire, maybe?" she asked hopefully."'Fraid not. It would surely get the attention of our little friends up the mountain," Grim said, motioning to the mountains in the distance.

"They would be like moths to a flame." Ray nodded in agreement.

"Sorry, Sheera, but Grim's right, we don't need them noticing us." Ray stood up and took off his long leather jacket and handed it to Sheera.

"Here, take this, it's the best I can do," he said, as he put the jacket around her shoulders.

"I was at least able to grab some of my stuff at HQ before we left. I didn't even think about you, Rowan, or Thai."

"What are you going to use?" Sheera asked, feeling awkwardly relieved that she had some protection against the chill in the air.

"Don't worry about me. Not the first time I have faced a little chill with no jacket. Besides, I have a wool sweater in my pack if it gets too cold," he said, sitting back down on the log.

"Besides, I don't see myself getting much sleep tonight anyway. I will be walking the perimeter through the night, keeping an eye out for any signs of trouble. That alone will keep me warm."

"Yeah, my guys will be out theres too," Grim said, nodding.

"Hey Max!" he called out to the dwarf tending to the oxen.

"Yes, boss," Max said, patting the ox before walking toward the trio.

"You are nows assigned to be Ms. Sheera's personal bodyguard for the evening. If she needs it, yous get it. She wants to go for a walk, you're her shadow," Grim said, nodding to Sheera.

"Got it?" he asked the young dwarf.

"Yes, sir!" Max exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement.

"I will make sure no harm comes to her," he said, saluting Grim.

"Okay, lad, tones it down a bit," Grim laughed, casting a glance at Ray and rolling his eyes.

"These yunguns, theys gots a lot to learn," he sighed, standing up.

"Here, lad, you can have my seat. Ray and I have some patrollin' and figurin' to do."

"Grim, it's really not necessary. I can take care of myself, you know," Sheera said, embarrassed by the fuss they were making over her.

"Ma'am, it's not for yur piece of mind... it's for mine," Grim scoffed.

"If I'm a worrin' 'bout you, I may not be payin' the right attention to what's goin' on round me. Besides, I need someone to looks after the lad and keeps him outta trouble," he said, winking at her.

"Alright then," she said, sighing loudly.

"If you need him, don't hesitate to retrieve him," she said, smiling at Max, who was staring at her with adoring eyes. Grim, noticing how enamored the young soldier was with the Elf, walked over and gently smacked him on the side of his head.

"Knocks it off, boy. Yous is being exceptionally rude. Sits up straight and stop yur starin', understood?" he asked. Max immediately straightened up and looked forward.

"Yes, sir," he said, half‑heartedly.

"Apologize to the lass for being such a love‑struck puppy," Grim said, doing all he could to contain his merriment over the situation.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. Ifs I made yous feel even the slightest bit uncomfortable, I didn't means to. It's just that I have nevers seen something so beautiful, and I's can't help but to admires it," Max said, almost sighing.

"Does I's need to slaps yous again to get your brains unstuck, boy?" Grim asked, causing Max to turn a little too quickly and fall off the log. He immediately jumped up and stood at attention.

"I'm sorry, sir. Wills not happen again, sir," he said in his most soldierly voice. Grim yelled out over his shoulder, "Make sures it doesn't, lad, or I will reassigns yous to lookout." If you want, we can move straight into the next chapter, or you can take a moment to breathe after everything that happened today.