by C L Carr
The sounds in the corridor were indeed fighting. A small group of orcs and an ogre had sneaked away during the fighting and began to dig themselves out. Olie and his group had caught them off guard and put them down quickly, one dwarf sustained minor injuries but aside from that all was well. The digging had not been far along, so there was no need to close off any tunneling.
Aside from the diggers, nothing else was found during the corridor search. The teams reported back to Daelin and went about the work of fortifying the main entrance or assisting with cleaning up the dead and the living alike. The process was long and daunting, or so it seemed to the victors. Though few were killed in the fighting, the deaths were obviously felt among the living. The bonds the dwarves held were beyond that of most human families. The loss of a fellow in combat was like losing part of themselves. In all, fourteen were gone. In the center of the entrance hall pyres were made of wood that was found in the store rooms and the side corridors off the main hall. A cleric prayed to Maldor for the safe care of the souls of the dead, and asked for his blessing over the dwarves that they may purge the beasts from their realm.
Artirius watched in respect. There was honor in everything the dwarves did. As much as he admired the elvish people for their grace, art, and knowledge, he admired the dwarves for their honor, pride, and respectful ways. Artirius found it easy to love the dwarves and want to help them in anything that may come. In his mind, though, he knew that this fighting would spread farther and farther. It would not end here with these deaths. It would spread north. It would most likely find a hold in the south, as well. As much as he wanted to stay and help the dwarves finish things here he realized that he would not see the conflicts in their lands to the end. He would need to head north soon, because the sooner he made it to Atriel, the sooner a solution could be found. Demons that could invade one’s dreams? This was a power beyond what Artirius understood and he feared it may be able to overwhelm the world he knew and loved.
Artirius found Tressnou with Balic. They were talking over things off to the side of the great hall, away from most of the other dwarves. Artirius looked to Tressnou as he approached.
“Artirius, I was just discussing some things with Balic. So far nothing of note in the south has stirred up. We were going over a few things wondering what our next move should be. At the moment, I think we may need to wait and see.” Tressnou looked over to the pyres and the dwarves mourning there.
Artirius too looked again as the smoke rolled through the holes in the ceiling off into the air far above them. He marveled at the abilities of the dwarves. They were crafty and creative, but always functional. He, too, made a small silent prayer to Maldor as he looked at the smoke.
As the ceremony was ending, shouting came from the service area. Olie came running out with a yell, “They are attacking from the trade road!”
Dwarves quickly scrambled to action and funneled down the hall. The barricades made near the road did their job, and it was easy to send back the attackers. Two were caught off guard in the attack and sadly were added to the list of the dead, though more orcs and gnolls fell in their place. Once the rear guard was secured, the besiegers fell back to a safe distance holding the road. It was uncertain how many were on the road, but more than had attempted to take the mine
Daelin, Artirius, Tressnou, Norrak, Derril, Balic and Bulzad met in the mess hall. They sat and went over the events of late. It was clear that things were little better for them in the mine. They may have secured the main hall, but it was not going to be a clear and easy path out the front door, or down the now besieged trade road. To make matters worse, Artirius was in need. Clearly his meeting with Atriel was of importance, for Galmatros was having the dreams intercepted. What was odd to them all was that Galmatros had offered Artirius safe passage if he simply left. Many things were not clear, but the fact that all these things were linked, was.
“Well, our friend here came through this way to avoid the beasts at our door and it seems that we may have led him to them instead,” Daelin looked at the others at the table. “Derril, is there anything that you know that may help us?”
“I know this mine and the terrain very well. This place was not made to be easily held, in fact the main door is particularly vulnerable. You see, imagine a small cavern that is egg-shaped. At one end is the door to the mine, at the other is a passageway to the mine roads. Along the sides are sheer cliffs that are easily forty feet tall. We can access one through a hidden door down the northern corridor, but there is no guarantee that on the other side of that passage no nasty beast waits watching down on the main door. Though the cliffs are high they are most likely climbable. At this point I cannot tell you much more. This is not the fortress that is Deep Hollow. Now I wish it were.” Derril looked to Daelin.
“Well, that is something then, more than we had. Truth be told the best thing we can do now is see what we are up against and that perch just may be our ticket. I think here we may need to rely on some luck. We need to send someone out that door to gather intelligence.”
“I will go,” everyone turned in surprise to Balic. “What, this is my kind of work to be honest. Tressnou may not mention where he has found all of his secrets but odds are I was the one who had an arrow in his behind getting the information. Trust me, I will be quick.”
“Well the brave dwarf speaks,” Tressnou smirked.
“There is another thing,” it was Artirius that the attention was now turned to, “these matters here will not be resolved by us alone. Nor all the dwarves of Deep Hollow. This demon is interested in more than just your affairs. You know, Daelin, that Galmatros will be on this land from one corner to another sooner or later. That, even if the hordes here are felled, more and more death and destruction is coming.”
“We do not know that for sure though, Artirius,” Daelin looked to the barbarian.
“Many things are cloudy, but I do fear he is right Daelin,” Tressnou now also looked to Artirius.
“They have blocked my dreams. Offered me to leave without harm befalling me. They want me to turn back. There is something they don't want me to see, or to do. I need to get to Atriel, and I need to as soon as I can. Even...” Artirius stumbled over the words he needed to say.
Daelin found them instead, “Even if it means leaving us.”
“I do not mean to say it that way...”
“You do not have to be worried my friend. I take no offense to what you say. Sometimes we have things bigger than ourselves to contend with and we must make these decisions. I would love to have you by my side through this all, and have appreciated having you as it is, for you have done great things for us. You came to us looking for a way to the north and in the end you helped us in finding these things. Imagine if we had not realized the siege was going on here. What if the trade roads were not checked for another month. The beasts could have been at Deep Hollow's doors without any warnings. We may be under siege here but I assure you that at least one group made it to the city and even if we all die here, my people are safe. We may have been saved in helping you.”
Tressnou spoke now, “And he may still save you yet. Atriel knows something and Artirius is the key to it all. Apparently this man is not only unique among his people but on a greater scale. This plague on these lands may rest on this hero’s shoulders.”
As the word was spoken Artirius shuddered a bit. He did not like the word, hero. He was not a hero. He was a human mixed with magical blood, but not a hero. The word implied he was better than others and he did not like that. He was simply walking the world, a small part of a bigger picture. How could it be that he could save a world, when he did not want more than to blend in with it?
“Let us waste no more time on this for now,” Balic looked to Derril, “Take me to this passage so I may gander on the ugly beasts outside. Artirius and Tressnou, come with me while the others discuss matters more, never know when I might need saving by one of you.”
“O if I had a coin for every occasion you said that, Balic. I wo
uld be a rich elf,” Tressnou smiled as he looked to his friend.
“O if you had a coin for every exaggeration you tell about me, you mean?” Balic chuckled as did all those in the room.
“Follow me then, I will show you,” Derril stood and nodded to the ones left in the room and Artirius, Tressnou and Balic followed. They passed the service hallway and entered the main entrance chamber. They took the northern passageway on their right and walked only a dozen steps. “Here it is.”
They all looked to the blank wall on the left hand side, Artirius saw nothing at all.
“As always well engineered, I can barely see the tooling but there it is,” Tressnou smiled.
Balic looked to Derril, “Or he can’t see it at all. These unrefined elves lack the vision I guess, brother.” Derril and Balic laughed at the joke. As dwarves, they had a supernatural sight when it came to stone work. To them, this looked like any door a human would turn a knob to open. The elves had some small ability to notice such things but even refined abilities like Tressnou's could not define such things fully. And this was not just average work, Derril had made the passage himself and among stone workers few came close, if any, to his ability. This was of the highest caliber work. “Now to be honest though Derril, I see the door but how do you open it? Not a design I'm familiar with.”
“Some vision,” Tressnou clucked.
“Well let me show you, Balic,” Derril pointed out a few things to the younger dwarf. Artirius and Tressnou really could not see what was being alluded to but they looked on anyway intrigued.
“Aww, so to open it I just,” Balic moved forward and sliding a few stones this way and that, finally pushing a stone into the wall itself, the doorway opened revealing a stairway ending in stone wall, obviously a door built by dwarves but again to the non dwarves it just looked like a wall.
“Very good my friend, one day you may yourself be able to cut a door like that, now the one up there is the same in design be careful, I will wait for you here.”
“Well then, follow me my friends, in case I may need your help,” Balic looked to Artirius and Tressnou who both nodded and followed him. The stairway was wide enough for two to walk shoulder to shoulder and cut smoothly into the rock. It seemed almost natural, Derril was truly the craftsman. They moved up slowly and quietly, finally rising some forty feet to the door. “Now, keep it down. I am going to open this up and crack it a bit, just stay right there and wait for my sign,” He pointed down a few steps. “If I'm in need of help you'll know.”
“And how is that?” Artirius asked.
“Because he will be over us and to the bottom of the stairs before anything crosses the threshold,” the two chuckled lightly.
“Couple of comedians, thought I left the wise cracks back home...” Balic said as he moved to the door. Carefully he moved the stones which made no noise at all, as though they were not really rock. He gently pressed the last stone in and the door was unlocked. Balic cracked the stone door just enough to see out, as he did natural light shown on them from outside as a gentle breeze wafted the scent of gnolls from beyond. They were still out there, most certainly.
After Balic surveyed the immediate area outside the door, he slid himself through the crack. Artirius and Tressnou waited below. After several minutes passed they both became somewhat nervous, but remained in their places. Finally, Balic reappeared and motioned the others to come with him but to stay low. They all slid through the door and out onto the ledge.
It was as Derril described. To their immediate left was a drop of a few dozen feet and the main door to the mine was visible. Sheer rock walls climbed up and formed an oval with one tip being the entrance and the other end a path leading out to the main roadways. The opposite side had no ledge like this side, and the way the ledge, on their side, was formed made it very unnoticeable.
Bellow in the bare ground oval, several barricades, and other fortifications had been made. At least fifty or sixty gnolls, orcs and ogres were packed in the oval, which was approximately thirty feet wide and fifty feet long. The ledge continued along the entire curve of the oval and out and around to their right, which would head them in the direction of the northern trade road. They moved along low and quiet to the end where the ledge curved, as they did the ground slowly getting closer to them with the natural rise of the floor below meeting a level area at the top of the chasm. Here they were only thirty feet at most from the ground below. Carefully they peered out to see a large encampment covering the crest of the incline. More barricades were set up here and in the immediate area. What must have been a thousand or more laid or sat about, a medley of each race. A few tents were set up, most likely for the more notable among them, three in particular, which must have been for the leaders of the respective groups assembled here. Fighting their way out seemed less viable having seen this in front of them. To the north, the tree line could be seen not far off where the large main road disappeared from sight. To the south, the trade road headed off into the distance, another portion of forest obscuring it far off.
Having seen enough, the group headed off along the curve of the ledge to the north. It ran nearly an hundred yards and stopped abruptly. Here the ground was less than fifteen feet away. The invaders had not placed any significant force here but in the daylight any whom dropped down would most definitely be noticed on their way to the trade roads. In the dark, no great guarantee could be made either, as orcs and gnolls could see well in the. Artirius motioned to others that it was time to head back to the mine. A few minutes later they were behind closed doors at the bottom of the steps with Derril.
“You all get a good look then?”
“Yes,” said Tressnou, “and it seems they are keen on keeping us here or killing us with the number outside. Let us discuss this with Daelin and the others.
The four made their way back to the service area. In their absence another push was made on the underground trade road entrance, two dwarves were injured but no deaths. They divined to the others the tactical situations outside in detail.
“It is obvious that they mean to force you out the front door,” Tressnou looked over the dwarves and lone man assembled now. The same group sat in the kitchen area as before with the additions only of Browlie and Olie.
“Then we should fight them back down the trade road,” Bulzad advised.
“No,” Tressnou contested “It too easily makes us vulnerable to ambush along the road via unknown passages and could allow them to surround us. They could very well retake the mine without us even knowing.”
“Then,” Norrak chimed in, “the only other choice is the slaughter of those whom besiege us above the ground. Open the doors and fight our way cleansing the ground of the evil that befouls it with each death.”
“Again ill-advisable, the number is too great, especially with the terrain in their favor. We most likely would be the ones slaughtered in that hole.” Tressnou looked to the berserker.
Daelin had been sitting looking blankly ahead for some time now. “Bulzad,” he looked to his general, “how long will our food supplies last here?”
Bulzad thought for a moment, “At least another week, perhaps two if rationed properly, but after that not long...you don't suggest.”
“Yes, I do Bulzad. The only resonable choice for now. We need to wait here.”
“But then we are just waiting in this hole for whatever may come to happen? I just don't like the idea, some action must be taken or else we just leave ourselves here to die.” Derril questioned Daelin.
“You should know better friend, we have the advantage here. The only entrances are controlled by us and bottle necked. We have the numbers to defend all if not more than they have outside, but at the same time they have too great a mass for us to simply push out. We are essentially in a stalemate. Waiting is the right course of action for now.” He looked over the others and ended his stare on Artirius. “At the same time though, we need to get this man out of here. In the bigger picture he will benefit not only
us, but many others much more if he learns more about Galmatros and his intentions. This Atriel obviously knows of these things in enough detail to worry this demon. If we are here then they will think Artirius is here, too.”
“Now that is not the only choice...” Tressnou began but was cut off by Daelin.
“O but it is, Tressnou dear friend. If we are lucky, word has made it to the city and help will arrive soon enough. In fact, that is all we can really bank on. If not then, when the time comes we will deal with matters one way or another. If he gets a weeks head start then we have helped a great deal in my opinion. That could have him a third of the way to the barbarian lands or better. That much closer to his ultimate goal.”
All those present thought on the issue and it was Olie that spoke next, “They will need a distraction, if they are to use the lower portion of the ledge to escape, that is. I have an idea. One that may work.”
“Let us hear it then,” Daelin looked to the young defender.
“A ruse of sorts. We will open the entrance and give them what they want, Artirius. He will step out inviting them to battle. Then we will all rush the barricades near the entrance and as the fighting starts he will disappear and meet with Tressnou and Balic near the staircase. We can keep the fighting going there for ten minutes or so, giving them time to get to the other side and drop down. Maybe even make it to the woods if they are fast, and even if they don't it should distract patrols in the area, maybe even have them called back. One way or the other it should be enough time.”
The room looked to Olie, “And here I thought you were a half wit,” Daelin smiled. “I like it. I would like your berserkers and the defenders to do this Norrak, if you would allow it.”
“As I told you, my men and I are all yours. Besides this is much like my plan for slaughter. Just without killing them all at once.”
“Then it is settled,” Daelin looked to Artirius.
“It seems it is. I do not wish to leave your sides, but as you all know, I must. Atriel must be met, and his call must be answered. I thank you brother dwarves. I thank you all.”
“For duty and honor Artirius,” Daelin looked to the human, “and of course to kill an orc or the like as the situation permits. Let us wait for nightfall, by your estimates that is about four hours from now. Pack up and rest up. Be ready when I call everyone. I have fortifications to see to.” Daelin rose and, as he left the room, he patted the barbarian on the shoulder.
Artirius, Tressnou, and Balic prepared to leave as the others organized the ruse attack. The three took the opportunity to rest a few hours, as they had no idea for certain when they would be able to rest again. The rear was attacked yet again with a casualty this time, but no injuries else-wise. They were pushing hard on the dwarves to make a move. Conveniently Olie's plan would look just like that, it would act as the diversion they needed and the reaction that the enemy predicted. If controlled in their attack, their losses would be light in comparison to that of their enemy's.
As time grew nearer to the opening of the door, the berserkers started up their cheers and battle cries. The dwarven defenders unit geared up and prepared for the fighting ahead in their own solemn way. Browlie and Olie as was often the case were poking fun at one another. Daelin found the Artirius, Tressnou, and Balic to leave and nodded to them all.
“Make to the tree line fast and travel in the forest near the road, not on it, for at least a day or two. It may be slower, but it will be less likely that you are noticed. I cannot tell you what may be up the road, but likely small bands of them are out and about with such a large force here to fall back on if they needed to. I am sure that from the road you will know where to go, though since you last traveled it the mountain passes are not as clear as they used to be, Artirius. I pray that we give you the time needed to make it.”
“As we pray for your safety here, brother,” Artirius held out an arm which the general received and they shook. “May Maldor watch and guide you.”
“Aye, and may he give you swift feet on the road ahead,” Daelin nodded.
“As soon as we can, we will be back friend,” Tressnou smiled to the dwarf.
“The warning is taken, thank you in advance for letting me know,” Daelin smiled to the wizard. Another hand shake was exchanged.
Lastly, he came to Balic, “Now my grandson...”
Artirius looked over surprised, he was unaware that Balic was related to the general. No one had mentioned this to him.
“Take care of them, and go with honor. I love you my boy,” Daelin leaned in and hugged him tightly.
“I will my grandfather.” Balic smiled and nodded.
Bulzad had now joined them, “It is time. When you give the word general.”
The tension was high now, but these were battle hardened warriors. This was not new to any of them. Daelin looked to the wizard and Balic, “Get to the door and be ready at the top of the stairs, Artirius will only be in the fighting for a minute or two. We don't need him to be worn out before the running starts. Good luck you two,” he waved to them as they walked off nodding.
“Now Balic....” Tressnou's comments to the dwarf were not heard as they headed down the corridor though it was obviously a joke of some sort as the two were both laughing.
Daelin ordered the dwarves into position; he himself would be in the fighting. He had ordered Bulzad to stay out of the fray, in Daelin fell Bulzad would be needed to command the forces here. Under protest Bulzad saw instead to the forces holding the trade road, which were still holding strong.
“Well lad, are you ready?” Daelin looked up at the barbarian.
He did not like any of this. He would much rather stay and live or die with the dwarves, it was a simpler idea and a more direct approach. It was the barbarian way. But of course he was more than that. He had a role to play, not his own, it was time for him to go. “I am,” Artirius nodded.
The two moved to the main gate which loomed over them all. The round door with its heavy bolt and aged emblem, sat waiting to be opened as the dwarves waited for their leaders signal, they were all tense.
Artirius looked down at the dwarf and nodded, the nod being returned by the general. Daelin looked to the dwarf assigned to open the door and gave him a nod of his head signifying it was time. The dwarf pulled a lever and tumblers moved and the bolt slid out of the door which slowly began to swing inwards. The fighting was about to begin.
Chapter 11