“No problems inside?” Kang asked. “No holy force tried to prevent you from entering?”
“No, sir.” Slith grinned, showing a row of sharp teeth. “The rumors we heard must be true. Paladine’s long gone. No one else is inside either, at least that I could see.”
“Fulkth will check the place out. I’ll make the temple my headquarters. Let’s go.”
Kang and his small security detail of five baaz draco-nians raced to the temple. Support Squadron had already entered the gateway of the temple grounds. He could hear Fulkth shouting commands to search the buildings, secure the windows and the doors. Kang had reached the gate when one of his guards called his attention behind them. A runner was coming toward him, using his wings to hop and glide, letting the wind help carry him across the plain.
The runner skidded to a halt.
“Sir, Squadron Master Gloth reports that the goblins broke through his first line, but that he repelled the break and now the goblins have retreated three hundred yards. He thinks its only temporary, though, and wants to know if you want him to pull back to the temple, sir.”
Kang looked at Slith. “What do you think?”
Slith shrugged. “They’ve got to pull back sometime, sir. Might as well be now.”
“How’s it looking up there?” Kang asked the runner.
“We’ve lost four or five of ours, but one was Kelemek, the bozak, and when he went, he took nearly twenty goblins with him.”
“Hate to lose him, all the same.”
Another one of us gone, Kang thought. Our numbers grow fewer every day. Maybe we should have stayed in the valley. .
“Sir?” Slith was regarding his commander in concern.
The runner flapped his wings and did a little dance to keep warm.
Kang blinked, rubbed the stinging snow from his eyes. “If First Squadron pulls back, it’ll put all the pressure on Second Squadron. That can’t be helped. Churz, go back and tell Gloth to retreat to the temple, then go to Yethik and tell him to do the same. The length of time it takes you to move between one and the other will cause a delay between the two. Keep the squadrons moving back in echelon.”
Yethik was new to the command of Second Squadron. He had taken command only two days before when a goblin arrow had pierced Irlihk’s eye, killing him instantly. They had lost nearly thirty draconians since setting out from Mount Celebundin. There were just over two hundred left in the regiment.
The runner nodded, repeated the orders to ensure he got them right. Kang slapped him on the back and sent him off.
One of the baaz in the Security Detail pitched forward on his face. Slith rolled him over. There was an arrow in his back, lodged beneath his wings, a patch which the armor couldn’t cover. Even as they watched, the body started to turn to stone.
Slith ran inside the temple. Kang left the baaz where he lay and entered the gates to the temple grounds. The rest of the baaz guards trooped in behind him. Inside it was eerily quiet. The wall kept out the wind. Maybe it would also keep out the goblins.
“Slith, make sure Support Squadron’s ready to handle the defense. Oh, and get fires going. We’re going to need heat. You four, fix me a post up on the second level where I can see the fighting. I want some torches brought up. Have Dremon report to me once you’re set up.”
The lead baaz saluted but hesitated before carrying out his orders. He looked back out to the body of his comrade. Snow was starting to pile up around it
“Yes, I know,” Kang said, answering the unspoken question. “If we win this battle, we’ll go back and retrieve him and bury him properly. Same with the rest of our dead, those that remain intact. If we lose, it won’t make much difference where he lies, will it?”
“No, sir. Sorry, sir.”
“Don’t apologize, Rog. We care for our own,” Kang replied. “No shame in that. Only credit. Now, off you go.”
The four baaz moved off to do their commander’s bidding.
Kang climbed the stairs, entered what had apparently been a living quarters for some of the clerics who served the temple. The room was small and exceptionally clean but completely bare. Only the bunks built into the walls remained.
Kang opened the shutters, looked out the window. The wind howled at him, but he could see First Squadron drawing near the temple grounds. Second Squadron was five hundred yards back. Neither was being pursued. He closed the shutters, sat down on one of the bunks.
A mistake. He would lie down, stretch out, take a nap. Just a short nap. He hadn’t slept much in these past few days. He hadn’t slept much in the past few months, or so it seemed. A nap wouldn’t hurt anything. He’d done everything he could, the matter was out of his hands, Slith could deal with. . with. .
“Sir! Support Squadron reporting, sir!” A draconian materialized in front of Kang, saluted.
Kang sighed and opened his eyes. He wearily returned the salute.
Dremon, another sivak draconian, had been promoted to Chief Supply Officer when Yethik had taken command of Second Squadron. Dremon was the best reconnaissance soldier in the regiment, meaning that he was the best assassin, but he had broken his shoulder during one of the last raids at Celebundin and had never healed properly. He couldn’t do the stealth work required of a reconnaissance soldier, but Kang had found other uses for him. He had put Dremon in charge of security for the young draconian females.
“How are the babies?” Kang asked.
Dremon shook his head. “There’s something wrong, sir.”
“What, damn it?” Kang was on his feet. Fear shriveled his heart.
“I don’t know, sir.” Dremon looked helpless. “I don’t know anything about kids. The only kid I ever saw was a little human and, well, sir, I killed it. That was on that raid on-”
“Never mind about the damn raid!” Kang thundered. “What about the babies?”
“They’re listless and they won’t eat. We tried to give them some of the raw meat we’ve been feeding them but they just turn their heads away.”
“Are they warm enough?”
“Yes, sir. We’ve got them tied up snug as a bug in the sacks. They’re fretful, sir. All they do is whimper and cry.”
“Are they sick?” Kang was sick himself, sick with worry.
“I don’t know, sir. I really think you should come-
“Sir!” One of Support Squadron entered the room. “Subcommander Slim said to tell you that the temple is not abandoned, as we first thought. We’ve found six humans, sir. Females. They were hiding in the cellar. They call themselves Sisters of Paladine, sir. The subcomman-der wants to know what to do with them.”
Kang groaned. Just one damn problem on top of another. Clerics of Paladine! All he needed. He hoped to the gods that weren’t anymore that they had lost their magical holy powers, just as he had lost his. If not. .
“Did they attack?” he asked grimly.
“They tried, sir.” The draconian grinned. “One of them-a real old and wrinkled-up one-shouted out the name of her cursed god and waved some sort of medallion at us. Nothing happened. The subcommander took the medallion away and told her to sit down and shut up. Her screeching was giving him a headache.”
“Where are they?”
“Still in the cellar, sir.”
“Sir!” Another soldier entered the room. “First and Second Squadron are inside the temple grounds, sir.”
“What about the enemy?”
“Taking up positions outside the temple, sir. Looks as if they’re preparing to attack.”
“Man the walls. I know goblins. Their first attack will come too fast, before they’re organized. Should be no trouble holding them off the first time. The second time’ll be more difficult. Officers report to me in ten minutes.”
“Yes, sir.” The runner dashed off.
“The female humans, sir?” said the soldier.
“The babies, sir?” said Dremon.
Kang put his hand to his forehead. Females and babies? Females and babies. .
“Females and babies!” he cried, triumphant. “That’s it! Don’t you get it?”
The two soldiers shook their heads.
“Females adore babies,” Kang explained. “It’s. . it’s born into them. Instinct.” He strode rapidly across the room. The soldiers ran along behind.
“Even draconian babies, sir?” Dremon asked, dubious.
“All babies,” Kang said firmly. “Baby lions, baby wolf cubs. Baby birds. Baby dragons. According to the bards, females-particularly human females-are always taking in baby animals and raising them. They can’t help themselves.”
“I hope the bards are right, sir!” Dremon said fervently.
So do I, Kang said to himself. So do I. All he said aloud was, “Bring the babies down to the cellar.”
After a hasty meeting with his officers, he left them to their work and hurried through the main temple building. It was empty except for an altar with the image of the god carved in marble. The god was portrayed as a platinum dragon, fearsome, wise, and benevolent. At least that’s how it must have appeared in the not-too-distant past. Now the statue of the dragon looked forlorn and slightly foolish. Or maybe bewildered, baffled. Kang gazed at it, experienced a moment of empathy. He knew how the beast felt. He himself was forlorn, bewildered, baffled. So much had happened in such a little space of time, so much had changed.
Kang patted the statue on the snout as he went by, not so much out of bravado, although the gesture would show his men that he wasn’t afraid of it, as out of a feeling of brotherhood. They’d both been abandoned, he and the statue.
The soldiers led him through the temple proper to a large outbuilding located behind the main building. Here were more living quarters and an enormous kitchen. Behind the kitchen, a large double door built into the ground stood open. They could hear voices coming from below the ground level. Kang clomped down the cellar stairs. The cellar was warm and dry and filled with food smells. The smells were ghosts, however. The cellar was, for the most part, empty. A single sack of flour remained, along with some wizened apples, a sack of potatoes.
By the sunlight streaming down through the cellar door, Kang could see Slith standing in the center of the room. He held no weapons, did not look particularly threatening. Six human females were gathered at the far end of the subterranean chamber, as far from Slith as they could manage. One of the human females, the eldest-a tall, stringy female with hair the color of Kang’s sword and a face so sharp it put his blade to shame-stood glaring defiantly at the draconian. The other females had gathered behind the elderly woman, whom Kang took to be their leader. She shifted her glare to Kang when he entered.
The females wore robes that had once been white but were now covered with dust from the cellar. Each wore around her neck a silver medallion, with the exception of the leader. Kang saw that Slith held her medallion in his hand.
Kang was nonplussed. He’d never had much dealing with human females before. He didn’t find them all that attractive, as did some of his kind. The only female he’d ever really come to know had been a Knight of Takhisis, a soldier, like himself. He had been able to talk to her. He had no idea what to say to a female cleric.
Technically the females were his prisoners, but he needed their help, and he would not gain that help by reminding them of the fact. Nor would he be likely to gain their aid by threats and coercion. He may not know human females, but he could size up a fellow officer, and he could tell by the old female’s proud and upright stance, her fearless gaze and defiant air, that this was not a commander who would be easily intimidated.
Outside he could hear his officers ordering their men to take up positions along the wall. That gave him an idea.
Kang marched forward. Removing his helmet, he held it under his arm and stood to attention.
“I am Commander Kang, ma’am, of the First Dragonarmy Field Engineers. What is your name and rank, ma’am?”
“What does it matter to you, Fiend?” the elderly woman said. “Kill us, and get it over with!”
“We have no intention of killing you, ma’am,” Kang returned. “Your name and rank, ma’am.”
The woman hesitated, then said grudgingly, “I am Hana, one of the blessed sisters of Paladine. I am head of our order. What’s left of our order,” she muttered.
“Sister Hana,” said Kang with a brief bow, “you and the rest of the females may consider yourselves as being under our protection.”
“As being your prisoners is what you mean!” countered Sister Hana.
“No, ma’am,” said Kang, and he turned slowly and deliberately to face sideways, leaving a clear path to the cellar door. “You and the others are free to go, if you choose to do so.”
The females appeared startled, distrustful.
“This is some kind of trick!” said Sister Hana.
“No, ma’am.” Kang gestured. “Slith, the rest of you troops, stand aside.”
Slith and the others shuffled sideways.
“I should warn you, ma’am,” Kang continued, just as the females were starting to make a hesitant move, “that a large goblin army has this temple surrounded. It is possible that you and the rest might be able to slip through their lines and escape. You should know that goblins don’t kill their prisoners. They enslave them.”
One of the younger females gasped.
“Quiet, Sister Marsel!” the older female snapped. “I knew it!” She glared at Kang. “It is a trick. You let us go and then your allies capture us!”
“You are wrong, ma’am,” Kang said quietly. “You have only to go outside and look to see that the goblins are not our allies. They are attacking us. We are outnumbered. We came here to use this temple to defend ourselves.”
The sounds of battle could be heard clearly. Above the clamor of arms and the harsh shouts and cries of the dra-conians sounded a long, thin, high-pitched, spine-tingling wail. The elderly woman paled and, for the first time, her defiance wilted slightly.
“A goblin battle cry, ma’am,” said Slith, standing at attention. “I take it you’ve heard that before.”
“I was in the War of the Lance,” Sister Hana said, more to herself than to them.
“As were we, ma’am,” said Kang, adding politely, “on opposite sides, I believe.”
She cast him a grim and dour glance. “The side of evil!”
“No, ma’am,” said Kang. “It was you who were on the side of evil.”
She drew herself up straight. “I fought in the name of Paladine!”
“And we fought in the name of our goddess. It all depends on your vantage point, doesn’t it, ma’am?” Kang said. The yelling outside had increased, so had the clash of steel against steel. “I would enjoy discussing the issue with you further someday, ma’am. Now does not appear to be the time, however.”
“Sir!” called Dremon from outside.
“Come down!” Kang yelled.
Dremon and the other members of Support Squadron came clattering down the stairs, their claws scraping on the wood, their weapons clanging and banging. The woman put out her arms, crowded the young women further back against the wall.
“Don’t be afraid, ma’am,” Kang said quickly, casting Dremon a rebuking glance that brought him and the rest of the men up straight and stiff. “These are some more of my troops. We carry with us a valuable treasure, ma’am. The greatest gift to come to our race. I ordered my men to bring the treasure down here, where it would be safe from harm during the ensuing battle.”
Carefully, gently, Dremon and the other draconians took the knapsacks from their backs. They placed the sacks on the cellar floor and lifted the fur-lined flaps that covered the babies. Bright eyes blinked in the light, snouts twitched. Small mouths opened in yawns and whines. Kang’s heart twisted. A week ago the babies would have squawked and squeaked and complained. Now they looked drowsy, listless, as Dremon had said.
“Oh, aren’t they cute!” Sister Marsel cooed.
“The sweet little things,” said another.
K
ang cast Dremon a triumphant glance.
“Are they baby dragons?” asked Sister Marsel.
“Spawns of evil is what they are!” Sister Hana snarled. “Those are baby draconians!”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Kang.
“But I didn’t think draconians could have babies,” said Sister Marsel. She looked at Kang and blushed. “Because. . because there are no female draconians.”
“That’s true, ma’am,” said Kang, his voice softening.
“Then how. .?” Sister Marsel didn’t seem to quite know where this sentence was going.
“The babies were given to us in payment. Our queen sent us-”
“Tricked us,” Slith said beneath his breath.
Kang shrugged. “Perhaps she had a right. She was desperate. To make a long story short, we fought Chaos’s monsters in the caves of Thorbardin and defeated them. Then we found the babies. We saved them from death.
We paid for their recovery with our blood. This is the greatest treasure we have ever been given. You see, ma’am, these children are female draconians. Once our race was doomed. Now, we will survive.”
“Paladine prevent it!” Sister Hana cried.
“I don’t think he has much say in the matter anymore,” said Kang gravely. “Our queen left us here on our own and, from what we’ve heard, you’ve been abandoned by your god, as well.”
“Our god is with us!” Sister Hana retorted.
“I don’t think so, ma’am,” said Slith. He tossed her medallion into the air like a gambler tosses a coin, causing it to spin and flip. He caught it with a quick, overhand snap. “If your god were around, would he let me do that to his medal?”
“That will do, Slith!” said Kang in a rebuking tone. “It is not our place to mock the faithful. Give the sister back her medallion and apologize to her for mistreating it.”
Slith stole a glance at his superior to determine if he were truly serious. Seeing not the hint of smile, Slith sidled over to the sister and held out the medallion.
“Sorry, ma’am,” he said, “for any disrespect.”
The sister, white-faced, snatched the medallion from Slith and closed her fist over it tightly.
Heroes And Fools totfa-2 Page 36