Chronicles of the Dragon Cave from A to Z: "U" is for United

  (Last prerecorded event of the cave preparations for the Challenge.)

  All dwarves gathered in the Main Chamber for one last meeting. Air was heavy with doubt. It had been one hell of week. April was upon us and the dwarves had plenty of reason for their concerned looks. Five posts were missing, rumor had spread about their Master getting bad news on the war against the Dragon Slayer and to make it worse, defenses of the stronghold were falling.
    "Is he really coming out  to talk to us?" Pancholin held his hat on his hands.
    Tassin nodded for the fifth time.
    Sessin rubbed his beard. "He has been in the Quartz Chamber for several days. No one has seen him, except for SAM."
    "He told me to call for this meeting." Tassin's voice was calm and confident. He was a master in pretending.
    Milin tugged his cousin's sleeve and motioned his head. Sessin nodded and turned to his father. "Milin wants to know if we're backing off from the challenge and from the Ninja Minion job. Maybe we should-"
    "Nobody is backing off from anything." I said, moving towards my favorite mound of gold. "I gave my word."
    My dwarves became silent and turned to look at me. I've seen better days but I've also seen worse. Much worse. I can read their minds but even if I couldn't, the expression on their faces was clear enough. We are united by a symbiotic bond. If I am strong, they are strong. If I am weakened, they are too. If I disappear, so they will.
    Tassin spoke first. "Sire, I am sure Captain Ninja would understand if we explain-"
    "I know he would. But we're doing it anyway, to the best of our capacity."
    "Without all posts and without full strength?" Pancholin twisted the hat in his hands. "Why?"
    "Because my word has great value to me."
    The dwarves looked down. They didn't understand yet.
    "It may seem like senseless stubbornness right now but I assure you there is a greater, if not so obvious, reason behind all this. We have a big problem that makes us feel helpless and threatens to sink us down. The best thing you can do in such cases is go out and help someone else, somehow. It will make you feel better. It will make you feel useful. It will help you focus your mind on something different than the problem you find no solution for. All those things will help you still your mind and lighten your heart."
   Tassin looked up at me. "So when we come back and face our own problem, we'll do it with a different attitude."
   I nodded. "Whether a problem can destroy you or not depends on your attitude more than on the problem itself." The fact I saw backs straightening and chins raising made me smile despite the chaos in my heart. We were not ready, timing couldn't be worse but we were united. Union strengthens hope.
    "April starts tomorrow. We will unite forces. You'll do your ninja minion job the best you can and I'll take care of the missing posts and the stronghold the best I can."
   "And if we fail?" Sessin asked.
   I tightened my claws but kept the smile. Even dragons aren't invincible. "We would have at least tried. Now cheer up and make me proud."