Two Hearts and a Dragon

A brutal winter descends upon the island of Inis na Bhfiodhbhadh. From the frozen northern lands comes a horde of barbarian orcs—warriors hardened by cold and blood—who breach the realm of the Little People.

Elves, dwarves, and fairies have guarded this hidden world for ages, protecting its arcane artifacts, ancient wisdom, and priceless treasures. Though they resist with courage, their losses are devastating. In the end, the survivors are forced to abandon their homeland—and their legacy—to the invaders.

Grimnur, a gnome of the millennial forest, must flee the only home he has ever known. His fate is clear: he must seek aid from the Hyperboreans—an ancient and mysterious people dwelling in the far north, beyond even the lands of the barbarians.

His beloved Ayla refuses to leave. She fights to the last, but cannot survive the orcs’ ferocity.

Yet death does not end Ayla’s story.

Like all creatures of the Little People, Ayla possesses her own magic. Though her physical body is gone, her ethereal form endures in the Middle Realm—the liminal space between life and death. From there, she watches, observes, enchants, and whispers into the ears of the island’s inhabitants. She cannot be seen or touched, but her presence is felt.

Bound to the island, Ayla cannot leave. Beyond its shores, her magic fades—and her spirit would dissolve like mist. She has become the island’s guardian spirit.

As Grimnur prepares to depart on his faithful Wyrmax—one of the ancient wyverns that has lived alongside the Little People since time immemorial—Ayla offers him one final embrace.

He cannot see her. He cannot feel her touch. But he senses a presence—a distant voice, a warmth that steadies his heart.

Could it be Ayla’s spirit?

Perhaps.

Yes, the gnome decides. This journey must be undertaken—for himself, for the Little People… and for Ayla.