"Why do we go there, dad?" Todus 'Toddler' Kuderk kept asking his father Gimros.
"I don't want to go to the Nashol Treasure Building. It's big and ugly. Why do we go there?"
- It's called the National Treasure Protection Facility, son. It's not ugly, it's made of the hardest stone we have around Khazak. And it's even bigger underneath."
- But what's it for? Noone ever goes there. I don't want to go. They say you won't get out if you get in."
- Good dwarves get out. It's only evil people who stay in. The Facility is there to hold those enemies of us who want to ..."
Gimros Kuderk paused for dramatic effect so his son would listen carefully.
"To STEAL our gold."
Toddler stopped short. His father never used rude words. This word. He had said it once in his bed, when noone could hear, because Toddler, like all children, liked to say forbidden words. Now, he gaped and repeated:
"To.. steal?"
"Yes, boy. And there are thieves held there now. Humans from the evil Kuriotate lands, who attacked us in Grindstone plains and sneaked into our country to take our gold away. You must come with me see them judged. It's my duty to educate you."
Toddler didn't speak during the rest of the short trip. He was going to see THIEVES. KURIOTATES. EVIL men. All of a sudden, Khazak dungeon looked both more gloomy and more attractive.
As the Kuderk family moved on, they were joined by a throng of people. Soon, it was a crowd they were walking with, and Toddler wasn't seeing much, but the top of the big building became visible. Toddler walked past a guard who was handling walkers big pebbles.
"Gifts of Kilmorph", he said, handling one to Gimros. "Can I have one?" asked Toddler. The guard cast a glance at Gimros, who nodded, and the guard gave the boy a pebble.
Toddler looked at it as they walked on. It was a small stone, which fit very well in his hand. But it would hurt if you clenched your fist around it. It had some sharp sides. The boy wondered why the soldier gave them. It was nice to be given something in the name of Kilmorph, but this one looked like a very simple, worthless stone, like so many they were stepping upon at the same time. He was going to ask his father why it was exceptional, when they stopped.
Toddler looked up. He couldn't see very well, being so small, but a big platform had been set up, and there was a tall dwarf there. Someone nearby whispered his name: "Kandros Fir". It was the First Consul himself! Toddler was so happy. He had never seen him, but he knew him: He was one of the richest dwarves in Khazak!
As Kandros started speaking, Toddler forgot about the big dungeon, the pebble, the uncomfortable crowd.
The First Consul talked of treason and betrayal. Toddler didn't follow everything, but it was obvious that SOMEONE had been doing bad things.
When Fir said that Kuriotates had been perverting some priests of Kilmorph, the crowd stirred. Toddler huddled near his father, afraid. He could feel the resentment of the crowd as Kandros Fir enumerated the clans who had lost some of their youth in Grindstone plains.
"They invaded us with weapons, and we drove them away. Now, they realise they can't invade us, so they try to pervert our ways! I have proofs!" thundered the leader.
Kandros Fir turned and raised an arm. The impressive stone doors of the National Treasure Protection Facility opened, and several guards marched out, surrounding two big bleaky figures. Far too tall to be dwarves.
Kuriotates.
"THEY tried to lure us. THEY lied to us, trying to corrupt even our priests!"
As Kandros Fir talked, his strong voice booming, the crowd reacted. Toddler felt the anger now. But he was no longer afraid. The anger of the crowd wasn't directed against him. It was against THEM. The Kuriotates. Toddler felt excited. He started playing with his pebble, expectant of what was to come as Kandros Fir started speaking again. Toddler heard the words, but somehow, it was like his brain didn't understand them. It was more like his body reacted to them directly.
The First Consul revealed that the Kuriotates had corrupted priest Nashin Ki. And the crowd booed "HOOooooo..."
And priests Egos Ryas and Bigus Veren.
"HOOOoooooo..." "HOOOOooooooo..."
As the names were listed, some priests, some small traders and a known beggar, the crowd seethed with anger. When Toddler heard his father mutter "Bastards", he himself was too angered to realise the obscenity the calm, gentle, polite, Gimros Kuderk had just said.
"So these Kuriotate spies will be punsihed! People of Khazak, it's up to you to judge them. Let them know what it means to defy Kilmorph and the Khazad!"
Kandros Fir moved away, out of the platform, and the two prisoners were pushed forward.
They looked big. Dirty. Scary.
Suddenly, one of them flinched.
The guards around them moved away quickly.
The man lifted his hand, touched his cheek and looked at his fingers whose tip was red.
The second man looked around him. Toddler recognised the look in his eyes. It was the same look the boar had when his clan had been hunting. When the boar had charged, impaling himself on the boar-spear of uncle Tobias. It was a look of fear and danger. The man was going to charge. He was going to attack!
The Kuriotate was going to charge them!
Toddler lifted his hand, and around him, many dwarves did the same. And Toddler hurled his pebble at the man. And around him, many dwarves did the same. Soon all the dwarves started sending the convicts gifts of Kilmorph.
"Death!" shouted Toddler's neighbour. "Down with the Kurios" screamed a woman to their right.
When they had thrown their first stone, the dwarves bent and picked up another one. And they hurled them, amidst cries of "Death to the spies! Death to the Kurios! Down with them! Thieves! Murderers! Pay for your crimes! Heretics!".
Most of the pebbles were small. Most of the pebbles missed their targets.
But they were many.
When there was only big rocks left under their feet, the crowd settled down. Slowly, they started moving. A slow, terrible procession, as dwarf after dwarf walked grimly past the two humps of bleeding flesh and protruding bones that had been Kuriotate spies. Toddler kicked one of the corpses when he moved by it. It felt good but his father dragged him. "Enough, it's over now."
On the way home, people didn't speak much. Toddler himself didn't speak. But he was proud. He had killed a spy, he had dispensed justice.
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regardless of the results (but I'm optimistic 
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