They call me Dumont. I'm sure other names are tagged on as well, but
this is the one I prefer. I'll begin back as far as I can remember...
 

I wake in a barn with a headache the size of the Algor Sea. I open my
eyes, well one of them anyway. It must be swollen shut from that shield
that hit me. I scan my surroundings as best as I can.  With the pain
clouding my vision, I am unable to neither see far nor gauge proper
distances. I rise slowly to my feet. I close my eye; the pain blinds my
sight temporarily. I open it again and behold my mother lying in a bloody
heap at my feet. The gruesome sight shatters my will to hold back the
oncoming darkness. I retch and fall to the floor. The fearful darkness of
sleep reclaims me.

 My nightmares are running rampant.... I'm replaying what happened ...
I remember the good life. I just finished my schooling on the regions
of Old Dwarfshome, Caspia and the little that was known of Gelosia.  Mom
was bent over the cauldron creating another masterful meal for the
family. I wandered over to see what the delicious meal today was. My
favorite! Boiled Caspian lobster, shipped fresh from Kieron, along with
carrots, turnips and her secret seasoning filled the air with a
mouth-watering aroma. I wish I had learned how she made that. Suddenly the door
flung open and there my father stood in its place. His haggard appearance
warned me that something happened in the mines. Before he breathed a
word, I immediately jumped up and rush to his side. "What happened, Dad?
What in the gods name happened?" Right then his composure seemed to
change, he became the man I knew, the man I had admired. "The Black
dwarves have risen again. They attacked the men in the mines. I saw him, I
saw Grimald! He led the attack. The knights that were stationed there,
were overcome so easily...." Up to this moment I never had a reason to
fear. ".... and I took my shovel and I hit him! I hit Grimald! You should
have seen his look, even if it was only for a brief moment. I'm afraid
I doomed us, my family." He hung his head. Pride filled my heart. "Dad,
you may have doomed us, but I'm even more proud of your courage." He
lifted his head and smiled despite of himself. "We must leave
immediately, they have broken through the first line." He suddenly said, "They are
hunting for me. We must leave and leave now."

 So we fled Dwarfshome, fled what we worked so hard to achieve. We
arrive at Jones farm. The kind family set us up in the loft of their barn.
My dad went to look for employment. I went to town. This the first time
I had ever set foot in Kieron. The place was teaming with excitement.
The word of the attack had already reached this town. Apparently, Verres
and his knights had defeated Grimald and his goons. With this news, I
ran back to the Jones' barn. Dad had returned from his job hunting.
".... apparently I'm too old than what they were looking for." He was
saying, "They wanted younger blood." He stopped is conversation with Mother,
"Ahh! There you are Dumont! I want you to join the fighters. They need
new recruits to join the onslaught of invasions recently." I looked at
him with wide eyes and a slack jaw. "But Dad, the black dwarves have
been defeated. We can go home!" He regarded me with stern eyes. "I heard
that too, I also heard that they are at a stalemate on the level that
we lived on. We can't go back. As much as I'd like to return, once we
left they won't want us back. They see us as cowards now...." He let it
drop at that and turned to the window. "So please, Dumont. Will you
please join the fighters and prove to them that you are in fact courageous.
I don't care what they call me, just as long as my family is safe." I
gaped at him, closed my mouth and try to say something, but ended up
gaping again. "Okay Dad, I'll do it. Where do I have to go?" I've never
seen him happier. "Good, first you find the town square. The one that's
got the big monument in its center..." His head darts up listening for
the sound he heard. I heard it too. Dad motioned me to stay with Mother,
and went downstairs. All I heard was a lot of commotion and then a
scream that chilled my very soul. I knew my Dad had died. I quickly looked
around for a weapon, anything that I could use. I spied a pitchfork and
decided it would work. I positioned myself between my mother and me as
a black dwarf reared his ugly head. I quickly jabbed at his face. Two
prongs found their way into each of his eyes, killing him instantly.
Next and orc and a mangy goblin popped out of the hole faster than I'd
expected. The orc grabbed the pitchfork and the goblin swung his buckler
down on my head, hitting me squarely in the face. Instantly, I lost
consciousness.

The last scenario plays over and over, until I hear 2 unknown voices
hanging over me. I slowly open my eye. "How is it that he is still
alive?" "Dunno, just lucky I guess. That gash would have killed a normal man.
Let's get him to the hospital."

I feel my world spin as I am taken from this place of death to a place
of life. A silvery voice is over me now. "He has lost a lot of blood.
His eye isn't responding to my prayers, I'm afraid he has lost it for
good." The priestess jumps like she has been stabbed. "It's okay, it'll
be a reminder of my failure...j-just do what you can." As I slip back
into the terrors of sleep, I hear the priestess mention. "A strong one
this lad...."

I'm out of the hospital after a day's rest. I make it to the town
square and ask an old man where I can find the Fighter's hall. Determined to
keep to my promise. I ignored the heeding of the more known
adventurers, and joined the Fighters to make my dad proud.