"Ahh, Sir Garalt," an imposing dwarf greeted him as he walked down the staircase from the upper floor.  Garalt could only assume this was King Hallsigrote that Roedin had talked about, "Welcome to Castle Arrandrall."
    "You must be King Hallsigrote," Garalt smiled, saluting the elderly dwarf.  Garalt saw a lot of King Ulmerad in the eyes of the diminutive king.  As he walked down the stairs Garalt noticed that Alyia was standing there with the dwarves, she must have gone downstairs before Garalt had awakened.  He could tell that she had not gotten much sleep from the night before, her eyes were bloodshot.  But for the situation, she was putting up a brave front.
    "Hallsigrote Anviltongue," the dwarf said, bowing, "and for ridding us of our infestation, I am at your service."
    "Ahh, we would have killed the beast eventually Lord, if we had just a wee bit more time," Roedin said with a smile.
    "We only seek a few tidbits of information from your Majesty," Garalt bowed.

    "What is it that we can tell you, Sir Garalt?  Your comrade, that wizard, has been reading our small collection of histories.  Is there anything else that is not contained there that I might be able to tell you?"
    "We are on a quest to save our kingdom, and perhaps even the world."
    "Hmm... awful big goals you've given yourselves.  What is it that you've set out to do?"
    "A great dragon has been set loose upon our homeland, and if we don't stop her she'll destroy everything we know and love.  If we don't stop her, she may go on to the rest of the world as well."
    "Yes, we've heard of the release of the great She-Beast upon the land of Kahlan far to the South.  I thought I recognized your shield insignia.  You are from Ulmerad's kingdom then?"
    "Why, yes your majesty," Alyia said rather shocked.
    "Aye, we've heard some tall tails coming from the Council's Emissaries about the evil work of Ikros.  I've known Lord Ulmerad for many years, and I know he would never have intentionally allowed the She-Beast to be released."
    "There is a plot to overthrow our king, and the usurpers released the dragon as part of that plot," Garalt pleaded.
    "Well then, our castle is your castle!" Hallsigrote said with an air of urgency, "whatever it is you need to know, I shall do my best to get you that information.  Actually, better yet let me introduce you to our resident scholar and inventor, Ghadin Ashhollow.
    A small dwarf, even smaller than all the others, walked up to Garalt and bowed before the king.  Garalt couldn't help but stare at the odd metal device that the dwarf wore on his face.
    "What are you wearing on your face?" Demonclaw asked bluntly.  Garalt felt like chiding the man for his lack of tact, but since he, too, was curious, he would forgive him... once.
    "Oh, this?" Ghadin lifted the metal wire frame of his eye glasses up and down, "this is a device that allows me to see more clearly.  My vision is not what it used to be you know."
    "Astounding..." Garalt said, looking over the device on the dwarf's face.
    "You should see his workshop," Hallsigrote said proudly.
    "So what is it that uhh..." the small dwarf said, adjusting his glasses, "that you need know?"
    "My friends here asked earlier about those two statues in the courtyard, and how they represent a great battle that happened here long ago."
    "Yes, yes, that is correct.  The statues are of a wizard named Martarious and a dragon named Vildegraas, in your human tongue."
    "We are here to awaken Vildegraas and gain his aid."
    "But the dragon has been gone for ages," Hallsigrote said.
    "Aye, but if you be wanting someone to attack that great black dragon, there be no better ally to have by your side," said Roedin, hitting his chest with his fist in pride.
    "You would then like to know where the Earth Demon is, then?" Ghadin said.
    "Yes, I was told they were put to sleep, but no one knows where they are sleeping."
    "Bah, magic... such a waste of time and effort," Ghadin said, adjusting his coat, "even if such a spell existed to put such a powerful creature to sleep, I do not think they could still be alive and no one know about it.  I mean, they would have to be buried deep underground for us not to know where they are, and they would have run out of air and suffocated long ago if that were true."
    "But if the great dragon is immortal..." Garalt said.
    "Immortality is a impossibility in this world," Ghadin refuted, "everything wears out in time, nothing is forever."
    "Then why even help us?" Drakon asked, "if such a creature could not have existed for this long, then why are we here on a quest to save our realm from the older sister of that creature."  Garalt looked back at the knight and smiled, Drakon was having a hard time hiding the smirk on his face.
    "You'll have to forgive him," Hallsigrote said slowly, "Ghadin doesn't believe too much in legends and fairy folk.  He likes to explain everything magical around him with his science.  But he is a true genius, that much is true."
    "I will do my best to help you find Vildegraas," Ghadin said, "We do have extensive maps of the caves in this area.  Maybe the dragon is trapped in a large cavern that has yet to be found."