The Obsidian Heart of Hearthstone

Book 2 in these short stories, I hope you enjoy

In the deeply buried dwarven citadel of Mount Hearthstone, King Throrin Goldfist reigns, his life consumed by an insatiable gluttony for wealth and a prized indulgence: the ruby-red fruits imported from the distant Red Kingdom. His obsession with hoarding riches blinds him to the growing unease within his own domain, particularly the ominous whispers and strange occurrences in the deepest sections of their main mine.

When the supply of Red Fruits abruptly ceases due to a disaster in the Red Kingdom, Throrin’s frustrated gluttony erupts into furious wrath. He dispatches a war party to seize the fruits by force, all while contemptuously dismissing increasingly alarming reports of dwarves vanishing from the "Deep Deeps" of the mine. As the external campaign for the fruits falters and the internal threat from the mine escalates to a terrifying crisis, Throrin's refusal to acknowledge any danger to his precious gold sources, coupled with his violent paranoia, leads to his overthrow by his own council. The main mine, the heart of Hearthstone's wealth and now a source of unimaginable horror, is permanently sealed.

Driven mad by the loss of his treasures and his kingdom, Throrin is imprisoned. However, his avarice remains. He craftily bribes a young, greedy guard with promises of a hidden hoard to secure his escape. In a final, chilling act that epitomizes his corrupted nature, Throrin murders the guard to avoid sharing any of his riches, fleeing Mount Hearthstone as a broken, friendless exile, clutching a meager sack of his most coveted treasures. "The Obsidian Heart of Hearthstone" is a dark cautionary tale exploring how unchecked gluttony breeds wrath, leading to devastating consequences and ultimate self-destruction.