The four unicorns got acquainted with one another for a while before the sound of voices drifted through the doorway. It looked like Robin had decided to escort the last member of the party to his fate. Little did he know how much his plans had gone awry.
Once they strolled through the doorway, the dwarf’s eyes, well suited for seeing in the dark even when fuzzy with alcohol, took in the apparently empty interior. “What’s the meanin’ of this?” He grumbled. “Did my comrades leave without me again!? I’ll be givin’ them a good taste o’ my boot when I catch up t’ them! Where‘s my horse?”
Robin also glanced around, wondering where his stable boy had gone. He expected him to be waiting just inside, but perhaps he was waiting further inside in the rear stalls. “Back here, good sir. We kept him in one of out best stalls.”
“Best, huh?” The dwarf snorted as he ambled along behind his guide. “Nothin’ best ‘bout anythin’ above ground, I say.”
Suddenly, the dwarf nearly collided with Robin’s back as the innkeeper had come to an abrupt halt. Glaring up at the man, he opened his mouth to demand an explanation when the answer came to him in the form of a glow up ahead. There in the stall, four unicorns pointed their shining horns in their direction.
“By Corr’s Vein! Unicorns!” The dwarf breathed, stepping around the man. It was a little known fact that dwarves were familiar with unicorns since the fantastic beasts often used underground tunnels and caves to hide, a big reason for the scarcity of sightings. Additionally, the dwarves considered them to be good luck for their ability to purify underground streams.
Approaching the animals, the dwarf lifted a hand as if to pet them.
“Why are their horns glowing?” Robin asked.
“Unicorn magic,” the dwarf grunted.
“What magic are they doing?” Robin again searched for the missing Mika. Somehow, this whole thing made him nervous.
“Don’t know. Good thing magic don’t work on dwarves.”
The dwarf’s statement was only partially true. Dwarves had a natural resistance to magic but not immunity. Meanwhile, the unicorns, having sensed his resistance, focused all their energy on trying to change him and left Robin alone for now. Unknown by the two, the dwarf’s resistance shook beneath the onslaught, ready to break.