“What's going on?” Shandon asked them. “What happened down there?”
“We disrupted a gathering of goblins,” Hallic said as he breathed heavily.
He dabbed his forehead with his sleeve and grinned at his daughter.
“Mel blew up a group of their mages, or wizards or whatever they were. I don't know if they're all dead but a lot of them are. The rest of the goblins, armed warriors, are a bit put out by what we did. I'm pretty sure that they are hot on our heels and looking for vengeance.”
Shandon glowered as he listened to Hallic.
“Looking for vengeance, are they?” Jergen growled. “Well, so are we.”
“Let them come,” Pieter added, sounding uncharacteristically fierce.
“There are about a hundred of them,” Hallic told the king. “Some are lightly armed and armored, scouts I suppose, and the rest are larger and wearing plate armor. They could be formidable. And there might be more of them in reserve. We couldn't see what surprises they might have waiting in the other tunnels that lead into that cave.”
“I understand. Thank you all,” Shandon told the trio. “That was well done. Now you'd best stand back. What comes next will be work for warriors.”
Hallic led Mel and Annia back into the cellar to join the other rogues. All of them watched as the king and Commander Brokk quickly organized the troops.
“We'll have them at a disadvantage if we stop them as they climb out of the pit in front of the tunnel,” Shandon told the commander. “Your archers could slow them down considerably before they even gain a foothold.”
“I agree, my lord,” Brokk replied. “I'll get them set immediately.”
It only took a minute to settle the row of archers in front of the lines of the warriors. They set arrows to their bows and waited for orders.
Sounds could now be heard coming up the tunnel. The stomp of heavy feet, the call of many coarse voices and a high-pitched chittering all blended together as the goblins advanced toward the waiting dwarves.
Shandon slipped his heavy hammer off of his back, while Jergen and Pieter both drew their weapons, Jergen settling his shield firmly on to his left arm.
“Just like old times, eh?” he murmured to Pieter.
“Aye,” Pieter agreed with the ghost of a smile. “Almost.”
Odella remained near the king, quietly watching over him. She said nothing, but her lips were moving constantly as she prepared spells for the fight to come.
Just then, the sounds from the tunnel faded. Everyone seemed to be holding their collective breaths and some of the warriors looked at each other in confusion.
“What?” one of them said.
An explosion of rock and dirt erupted from the pit. Shards of jagged stone shot in all directions, and many of the dwarves cried out in pain.
Hallic and the other rogues dropped to the ground and covered their faces as their training kicked in.
Shandon spun around and put his body between Odella and the projectiles. Several projectiles slammed into his back, but he just grunted at the impact and stood immobile as the shards shattered against his armor.
Jergen and Pieter simply ducked their heads and waited. As old campaigners, neither of them was rattled by much of anything, not even unexpected explosions.
Dust hung heavily in the air and Hallic's wisp of light and the torches carried by some of the warriors glowed dimly as if a fog had rolled through the cellar. Many of the troops were coughing and squinting as they looked around in confusion. Commander Brokk began snapping orders, trying to get them settled down again.
And at that moment a wave of small squealing bodies boiled out of the tunnel and leaped into the cellar. The goblins had arrived.
The small, skinny creatures swarmed like rats as they attacked the dwarves armed with swords and daggers. Fortunately the archers had held their positions after the explosion and they began firing into the mass of attackers before the goblins could reach the waiting troops.
The leading goblins collapsed and the others behind them hesitated for a moment, staring at their fallen comrades with surprise.
“Warriors, attack!” Brokk bellowed as he strode forward with his sword drawn.
His troops followed him with a roar, the front rank raising their shields as they stepped past the archers. The goblins slammed into the warriors and were pushed back as the troops swung their weapons and cut them down. The small creatures squealed and panicked and tried to retreat back into the tunnel, but Brokk and his warriors quickened their advance and rolled over the attackers before they could get away.
Some of the goblins desperately leaped over the heads of the advancing line of troops, trying to get behind them, but the second row of warriors were ready for them and killed them before they could strike. It was a slaughter.
“Seems to be going well,” Mel commented to her father as the rogues stayed back and observed the battle.
Hallic watched the fighting, his expression grave.
“Those things are just a distraction,” he replied grimly. “The large armored beasts that we saw are the real threat, along with any magic-users that might have survived our attack. At least one of them must have lived and set off that explosion.”
“Good point. Should we get involved?”
“Let's wait and see,” Hallic said, with a quick glance at Annia and the other rogues who were listening closely to him. “If we are needed, we will do our part. But Brokk and his troops seem to be doing just fine at the moment.”
A few of the rat-like goblins finally managed to scurry back into the tunnel and Commander Brokk quickly stopped his warriors from following them.
“That was just the first wave,” he told them after he had ordered them back to their original positions. “Don't get ahead of yourselves. Keep your weapons ready and wait.”
“He's very good, isn't he?” Jergen murmured to the king.
Shandon and the others had stayed out of the way of the troops and allowed them to do their jobs. Now he nodded at Jergen's comment.
“He is indeed,” the king agreed. “Reminds me of some of my captains back when I was young and still learning the ropes. He's unflappable, a good trait to have in a leader.”
“Which reminds me of someone else I know,” Pieter said as he gave Shandon a sly wink.
The king chuckled.
“Aye, maybe I am, now. But back then? Oh, I was so eager to fight. Some of my superiors had to be a little stern with me, as I recall. It was a good lesson to learn; patience.”
Once the troops had settled back into their lines, the archers stepped in front of them again and readied their weapons. The floor was littered with dozens of dead goblins, their twisted faces staring blankly at the ceiling. The ground was splashed with blood and a sour stench from the bodies filled the air.
“Disgusting creatures,” Shandon said with revulsion. “Fitting servants for the dark gods, I suppose.”
Both Jergen and Pieter nodded silently as they waited for the next attack. The king looked over his shoulder at Odella.
“Are you all right?” he asked her.
“I am well, my lord,” she replied with a smile. “Thank you for shielding me from those flying rocks.”
“Not at all. I was just returning the favor. You are my bodyguard, after all. Now we're even.”
Both of them laughed briefly at his comment and then they turned their attention back to the pit.
A few minutes passed and the tension among the waiting troops began to rise. Commander Brokk walked up and down the lines, his calm presence settling down the younger warriors. Shandon watched him with an approving smile.
“He knows his business,” he told Jergen and Pieter. “I'll give him that.”
“Aye,” Jergen replied.
Pieter was watching the pit and the mouth of the tunnel leading into darkness. Hallic's wisp of light still hung over the opening and Pieter was staring at the ominous gap with narrowed eyes.
“What is it?” the king as
ked him. “What are you thinking, Pieter?”
The older dwarf glanced at Shandon.
“This hesitation isn't like goblins, from what I've read,” he replied quietly. “They are not usually disciplined enough to hold back from a fight. So what is going on? Are they afraid? Highly unlikely.”
“What is your guess?” Shandon asked.
“My guess? Hmph. My guess is that one or more of their mages survived Hallic's attack and is restraining them. They want us to come to them, to give them the advantage.”
Jergen listened with a scowl.
“Well, if that's what they want, let's give it to them!” he exclaimed. “All of this waiting around is bad for the troops. Gives them time to think the worst. Better to attack and get it over with, I say.”
“Spoken like a true veteran,” the king told him with a smile. “But sticking your head in a dragon's mouth is a good way to get it bitten off. No, we need another option.”
“If I may, my lord?” Odella said hesitantly.
Shandon looked at her in surprise.
“Yes?” he replied. “You have an idea?”
She put a hand into a pocket in her robe and pulled out a small mirror.
“I could try using a Magic Mirror spell, to take a look down that tunnel,” she offered. “I have recovered enough of my strength to attempt it. If there are any mages in there, they will probably sense me and block my spell almost immediately, but we might be able to get a quick look before they do.”
“Ah, an excellent idea,” the king said with a quick smile. “Go ahead and try, if you wish. Anything to help us decide our next move would be welcome. I'm sure that Hallic and his rogues would volunteer to scout it out again, but I don't want to risk their lives a second time.”
“I agree, my lord. I will make the attempt.”
Odella began chanting and Shandon, Jergen and Pieter moved around to stand behind her, staring at the small mirror.
A moment later it began to glow in the dim light of the cellar and the surface rippled before quickly coming into focus, showing the tunnel entrance.
As the others watched with keen interest, Odella muttered a command and the mirror's image zoomed down into the tunnel and quickly advanced along it. The spell pierced the darkness and allowed those watching to see the tunnel clearly.
“Amazing,” Pieter said softly.
A moment later, the tunnel opened up and they could see the cave beyond that Hallic had mentioned earlier. It was empty.
“What in the Seven Hells?” Jergen exclaimed, leaning forward. “Where did they go?”
The image panned slowly as Odella looked around the cave. There were several tunnels leading off of the cavern, some of them smaller than the others. The largest opening was centered on the far wall and seemed to slope down and away from the cave.
“It goes deeper?” Shandon said in surprise. “But wouldn't those damned goblins have tunneled into that cave from above? Why go even deeper?”
“Perhaps that is where that magma wyrm came from?” Odella mused. “I assume that their magic-users controlled it somehow, even if I have no idea how that was done. They might have summoned it from the depths.”
Shandon shook his head.
“That tunnel is far too big. The wyrm was large, yes, but that opening looks to be at least ten feet high or more. Much too large a hole for that monster to have dug out.”
Commander Brokk noticed the king and the others huddled around Odella and he walked over to join them. Hallic was also curious about what was going on and he hurried over as well.
“What's happening?” he asked Shandon.
“Odella is using her magic to explore the cave at the end of the tunnel,” the king replied as he glanced at Brokk and Hallic. “It seems that our enemies have disappeared.”
“What?” the commander exclaimed. “Disappeared? But why? And to where?”
“That is what we are trying to find out.”
“Can you sense any hostile magic?” Hallic asked Odella.
She shook her head as she held the mirror in one hand and gestured with the other to control the spell.
“No, but that does not mean that there isn't any. From this distance, I doubt that I could detect any dark magics.”
“Can you direct your spell into that large tunnel?” Shandon asked her. “It seems like the most obvious path for the goblins to have taken.”
“As you wish, my lord.”
The group watched as the mirror's view advanced across the cave and approached the gaping mouth of the tunnel. As it entered the opening, the tunnel sloped sharply downward and its walls became unnaturally smooth.
“That wasn't dug out by hand,” Jergen observed. “The rock is fused and smoothed out. Are you sure that the wyrm we faced didn't create it?”
“Not possible,” Shandon stated firmly. “Look how large it is. Maybe the goblin mages used their powers to cut through the rock?”
“Perhaps, my lord,” Odella said as she stayed focused on the mirror. “With enough power, such a thing could be done. But why go deeper? What were they looking for? And where have they gone?”
Hallic stepped away from the group and rejoined Mel and Annia and the other rogues.
“What's happening?” his daughter asked him.
“Odella is scouting out the cave where we saw the goblins,” he replied as he frowned in thought. “They're all gone.”
“Gone?” Annia gasped. “Gone where?”
“That's what I want to know. Do me a favor, would you? Send one of your people up to the streets and see what is happening outside. We are blind down here.”
“You think that they are trying to do an end run around us?” Mel asked him, wide-eyed.
“Possibly. Most common goblins are stupid, but their leaders are not. Our forces are all down here, so who is watching over the city? We are too vulnerable right now, so let's make sure that this isn't just a feint to distract us from whatever their real goal is.”
Annia nodded and looked around at her rogues.
“Ellin,” she said with a smile as the young woman caught her eye. “Are you up for another run?”
“Always, Master,” the rogue replied eagerly.
“Good. Head outside and see if anything is happening, would you? If it's quiet, do a quick scout around the quarter and then come back to us. And be careful; we don't know where those damned goblins have gone.”
“Right away, Master,” Ellin told her.
She turned and ran toward the stairs.
Hallic and Mel watched her go, both of them smiling at her enthusiasm.
“Good call, Guildmaster,” Annia said. “I'm not happy that the street are empty of defenders while we are all gathered down here.”
“Neither am I,” Hallic agreed. “I've got a bad feeling about this whole situation. Let's hope that we're both just overreacting.”
Chapter 32
“I've gone as far as I can go, my lord. The thickness of the rock is blocking my spell.”
Shandon looked at Odella in surprise.
“That can happen?” he asked her as she lowered her mirror with an irritated sigh.
“It can, my lord, if the stone is dense and deep enough. Certain minerals can stifle magical energies and I'm guessing that they are present in that deep tunnel. I'm sorry, but I cannot go any farther.”
“Don't apologize. You did your best.”
The king looked around at the waiting troops and shook his head.
“This is foolishness. We are wasting our time down here while the streets above are undefended. Commander Brokk!”
The commander strode over and saluted.
“My lord?”
“Let's get out of this cellar. We'll leave a small contingent of guards at the entrance to the manor, just in case the goblins return through this tunnel, but I want the troops out of here and patrolling the streets.”
“Yes, my lord. At once.”
Brokk saluted again and returned to his warriors. He beg
an sending them back to the stairs in small squads, while the rest held their positions to guard their retreat.
“Hallic,” Shandon called out. “We are leaving. You and your people can head out. I will meet you above.”
The rogue nodded in acknowledgment and looked at Mel and Annia.
“I'm guessing that Ellin will be disappointed that her time has been wasted,” he said with a grin. “But I'm relieved that we are leaving this place. Go ahead and take your people up top, Annia. Mel and I will be along shortly.”
“Yes, Guildmaster.”
She looked around at the rogues.
“Let's move out, people,” she told them.
Hallic watched them leave as the troops continued to head up the stairs by squads.
“Well, this turned out to be a waste of time, didn't it?” Mel observed wryly.
“No, not really,” her father replied thoughtfully. “We learned a lot about the enemy, Shandon's troops killed some goblins and you managed to take out some of their mages. I'd call that productive.”
“Was it?” Mel replied skeptically. “Then where is Cindra? Where is Corbin? And where are those damned goblins now? I feel like something is closing in around us, and I don't like it. What if this was all just a feint and we've been played for fools?”
Her father stared at her.
“Do you think that the goblins are that clever? Really?”
“No, but Cindra might be.”
Hallic frowned as he watched the last of the troops head to the stairwell. The only people left in the cellar were himself and Mel and the king and his group.
“Hallic? Time to go.”
The rogue looked over at Shandon, who was staring at him curiously as he motioned toward the stairs at the other end of the cellar.
“Yes, my lord,” he replied loudly. “Let's go, Mel.”
Up on the streets again, everyone appeared to be more relaxed, including the troops. Commander Brokk organized them into disciplined rows and waited for the king's orders.
Annia had already found Ellin and had sent her back to the guild house by the time that Hallic and Mel reached her. And her rogues had dispersed into the shadows like ghosts.
The Dwarven Rebellion Page 41