by Joe Jackson
“Close enough. It’s not a watchtower, though. More like an old keep. Fairly good size, pretty easy to defend, but we are dealing with gnolls – no offense,” Starlenia said, and Kas’Yari bit down whatever he was about to say. “It’s just that your people are a bit like mine; we’re not built to live in cities and stone fortresses. Your people were made to range the forests, just like my people range the hills and meadows of my home. Defending a castle doesn’t come naturally to a gnoll, any more than Galadon would probably know about snare-hunting or foraging.”
“Hey now, leave me out of your insulting comparisons,” the paladin grunted.
The gnoll gave Starlenia an appreciative nod before he smirked over Galadon’s reaction. “What are you thinking?”
“Misdirection and infiltration,” she answered. “If you can hit them hard enough to draw them out of their keep – I doubt they like fighting from up on the walls, probably feels too cowardly to them – we may be able to slip inside and at least lock them out. I imagine a keep full of women and children–”
“Would be even more dangerous than being outside with the men,” Kas’Yari said with a shake of his hyena-like head. “You don’t want to threaten gnoll women with pups…”
“I wasn’t suggesting we threaten them. Just that we get inside, maybe let Max talk to them, and see what the real issue is that’s making them declare war on everyone.”
“That would still be risky. Our primary goal should be to rescue Prince Roltek.”
“Of course,” Max said. “But simply rescuing the prince and any other hostages will not put an end to the fighting. Though I suspect this is just one of many battlefields, yes?”
Kas’Yari nodded and scratched at his muzzle. “There’s fighting everywhere. There’s something forcing our people to fight, either for it or against each other, or both. Our people are fleeing to the southlands in droves, but I have yet to get anywhere near the source of the problem. I’ve heard whispers of some troll king, while others talk of a demon. It’s hard to know what to look for, or even where to begin.”
“So how do we get into the keep, exactly?” Galadon asked. “My people could provide siege equipment, but that’s not how we want to go about things, is it?”
“A combination of things,” Delkantar put in. “Yiilu may be able to beseech the forest itself to aid us. Kas’Yari and his people can provide an armed diversion. And then Starlenia and I can find the weakest point of entry, letting you and Max try to gain us entrance.”
“You want us to just walk up and kick in the door?”
“The door of the escape route, if there is one,” the ranger confirmed.
“Count me in,” Starlenia said.
Kas’Yari sighed. “Let me talk to my men. It’ll take a large-scale, concentrated attack to get them to come to our position as you’re suggesting.”
“Go ahead,” Delkantar said, nodding toward the other gnolls. Once Kas’Yari walked off and began talking to them, the frontiersman glanced at each of his friends. “You know what I’m afraid is going to happen?”
Leighandra did know, because it was the same suspicion that’d been growing in her since they started listening to Kas’Yari. “There’s a demon in that fort,” she whispered.
“What?” Galadon blurted.
“As I said before, I never got all the details, but Karian Vanador defeated a vampire at Fort Sabbath not so long ago,” Delkantar explained. “And the way I heard it, there was a demon of some kind involved. I’m not sure if it was serilian, or one of the underworld breeds, but those were the tales circulating Chandler’s Grove when I got back. I can’t say I know terribly much about demons, but one of the few things I’ve been told and come to believe is that they very rarely work alone.”
“So, you think it may be a demon of some kind behind all these troubles?” Max asked.
The ranger shrugged. “Maybe not all of them, but you know how an avalanche works? Starts small, grows bigger the farther it comes down. But it only takes a little bit at the start to bring everything crashing down.”
“An interesting analogy,” Yiilu said. “I will beseech the Earth Mother for her power; I should have a good idea of what effect I may cause by the morning. In considering the stronger noses of our enemies and the weaker eyes of our friends, however, I suggest we go through with this under daylight, contrary to what logic might dictate.”
“See to it then, please,” Galadon said with a nod. “Do any of you know much about demons, of any kind?”
“Just that one killed my father,” Max said quietly. “And I will be all too pleased to return the favor.”
“There is a fair bit of lore I could share with you,” Leighandra said. “I’ll stick to the basics, though, that we are not overwhelmed when we don’t even know what type we would be facing. Let us join our gnoll companions in preparing an evening meal, and I’ll share what I know by song and by tale, and Max and his brother-in-law can translate it for our allies.”
The companions were invited to take seats near the center circle for dinner. Leighandra was still getting used to the smell of the gnolls and their camp, but it wasn’t as bad as she’d expected. Once they had all shared dinner, she sat on a barrel in the center of the camp near the fire and plucked at her miniature harp in preparation to recite her bardic tales. There was little need for the music in this case, but music was in her soul, and it helped to focus her thoughts.
Soon enough, she began to spin short tales and anecdotes about the different types of demons she knew about. The ones Leighandra feared the most were the shadow demons. And it was apparent she wasn’t the only one, as the translation of her tales sent shivers down the spines of even the staunchest, furriest gnolls.
What saved the night from becoming filled with restless sleep and nightmares, though, was Delkantar.
“Karian Vanador killed a shadow demon just a couple of months ago, and if she could do it with the power of the gods, so can we,” he declared. “I’ve got to say, between Galadon – a former king and hero of the Apocalypse – and Auremax – the son of another – I feel like we’ll be ready for whatever we find.”
There wasn’t a resounding agreement, but there were bobbing heads all about the group.
When they prepared to retire for the night, Leighandra was hardly surprised to find every head bowed in prayer to the friends’ various deities. The chronicler, in turn, sent a prayer of her own to her patron, Belgrin the Wanderer.
Show us the path, my lord…
Chapter VI – Divergent Paths
Leighandra followed close behind Delkantar, feeling exposed for having little armor, and yet thankful that her clothing allowed her to sneak along. Just as the friends had hoped, Starlenia found a hidden exit from the keep. Based on the layout of the structure and the ability of enemies to surround it, the Okonashai woman had been certain it would have an emergency escape. Her instincts, as it turned out, had been accurate: though the secreted gate she found was well away from the keep, there was no other explanation for its existence.
The chronicler had learned many things in the last day. She learned that Delkantar, as one of the Ghosts of Liam, had apparently been in more than his share of scraps with serilian demons, and knew the types by sight and what to expect from them. Then there was the fact that Starlenia had somehow become an expert in camouflage while working as a vintner, another tale that she deflected with a shrug. There was an interesting story behind Max’s relationship with Kas’Yari that was just begging to be drawn from one or both of them, and the more she saw the two of them together, the more desperate she became to learn. And, not as usefully, there was the fact that gnolls cared very little for modesty…
She pursed her lips as that last thought crossed her mind, and she chuckled under her breath. It’s possible they were just used to being in a camp with only men, she thought. Or maybe it was specifically because there were women in the camp for a change? Either way, I suppose it’s unfair to compare them to Max.
T
hey were a different breed, that was for certain, but they were brave and hearty fighters. Somewhere to the northwest, Kas’Yari was leading his gnolls to strike a powerful and persistent blow against the keep’s defenders. No one had contradicted Starlenia’s appraisal of the defenders’ reaction, so they went forward with her plan. Now, they were nearly to the escape route which, if luck remained on their side, would allow them to break in.
Starlenia paused and crouched down, and Delkantar took up a similar position several paces away. Leighandra did her best to blend in, hoping the dirt, twigs, and leaves Starlenia had applied to the half-elf’s face would work as intended. The chronicler took stock of the woods around them, and was pleased that even Max and Galadon weren’t easy to spot. The two knights weren’t as stealthy as their companions with their armor, but they took their time, and so far as Leighandra could tell, they attracted little attention.
“We’re almost there,” Starlenia said with a gesture toward a short, rocky rise. “I suppose I should’ve warned you beforehand, but this isn’t going to smell very pleasant.”
“What do you mean?” Delkantar asked. “They use the escape tunnels as a cesspit?”
Starlenia was about to respond, but then straightened out. “Now that you mention it, no. The smell’s wrong, from what I’ve experienced in the last twelve hours. And if it’s not gnoll crap I smelled…”
“The hostages,” Delkantar hissed. “This changes everything! We must make freeing them our priority, and then we can see if the tunnels lead into the keep or if there is a failsafe in place to keep outsiders from doing exactly this.”
Leighandra turned and beckoned to Max and Galadon. They came up tentatively and knelt beside the others. “We think the hostages are being held in the escape tunnels.”
“What makes you believe that?” Max queried, glancing over his shoulder as Vo’rii crept up on their position.
“At first, I thought they were using it as their privy, but after being around gnolls last night, I’m pretty sure it’s not gnolls I smelled. Definitely humans and rir,” Starlenia answered without looking at them.
“And I thought Max and Vo’rii had the sensitive noses,” Galadon muttered.
“Woman knows her shit,” Delkantar chuckled.
The rogue gave him a dubious look. She started to say something but then bit back whatever it was. “Just trust me. The good news is that this hidden exit was built so that it put the keep’s residents on the path to Dira Ch’Tori if they had to make use of it. The bad news is we don’t know what condition the prisoners are going to be in. If we have to escort them all the way back to Dira Ch’Tori, there’s a good chance we’re going to get run down and killed.”
“I may be able to mask their movements,” came Yiilu’s voice, though she was all but invisible, blended into the forest around her with nature’s blessing.
“If you can duplicate whatever you’ve done for yourself, I’ve no doubt it’ll work,” Galadon said. “How well hidden is this door?”
Starlenia shrugged. “Not very; just enough to keep casual observers from finding it. From what I saw, it shouldn’t be too difficult for you three to break it down if you have to.”
Galadon turned and gestured. “Yiilu, set up position just southeast of us. Delkantar and Leighandra will lead the prisoners to you. Starlenia will scout ahead beyond wherever the prisoners are being held. Max and I will stand guard and meet any armed resistance.”
The druid moved off on her way, only the occasional odd bending of the light giving up her camouflaged position. Vo’rii followed with her, and Leighandra smirked, wondering if it was the druidess’ scent that let the wolf follow along. The chronicler slunk along behind the two scouts, and Starlenia led them down a narrow gulley to a rocky overhang. There, sheltered from prying eyes that weren’t specifically looking for it, was a reinforced wooden door.
“No handle on the outside; makes sense,” Delkantar commented. “Might be able to use a heavier sword to pry it open.”
Galadon made a face at the ranger and set his pack down. He pulled up a crowbar from within, jammed it into the space between door and rocky frame, and began to pry it open.
“What the heck is a paladin doing with a crowbar?” Starlenia blurted.
“Always be prepared,” the knight replied with no trace of humor. The edge of the door began to crack and give way, and soon the portal opened. “After you… oh, sweet gods above.”
Leighandra had to put her hand over her nose, but it hardly helped. She pulled her tunic up and over it instead, but the stench was overpowering. It wasn’t simply waste, but the smell of death and rot. Now she wondered if any of the hostages would even still be alive, and if so, how sick they might be on account of being trapped in filth and decay. She watched Max’s ears angle back, and Leighandra thanked the Earth Mother that her nose wasn’t as sensitive as his.
“This does not bode well,” the paladin commented quietly.
“Stay here, let me go take a look before we all go in and get sick,” Starlenia said. She pulled her shirt up over her nose and waded into the dark, stopping only long enough to take a lantern off a wall peg inside and light it. “Well, that’s convenient.”
Leighandra backed away from the door as her stomach grew turbulent. It was probably a mistake; it would mean she’d have to get accustomed to the stench again if they went through to the keep. Nevertheless, she stood where the breeze kept the air somewhat fresh, and tried not to think too much about the possibility that all the hostages were dead. It would be terrible enough if Prince Roltek was slain, but if there were a multitude of dead travelers from other cities, it could exacerbate things even further.
“This is bad,” Starlenia said as she returned to the door.
“Are the prisoners all dead?” Galadon asked.
“Well… yes and no.”
Max started to put his hand to the end of his snout, but then he snorted and strode into the darkness, drawing his sword.
“Leighandra, we’re going to need lights,” Delkantar said.
The chronicler swallowed, which turned out to not be such a good idea. She took as deep a breath as she could of clean air and steeled herself, calling upon her arcane song. She followed Max into the darkness and cast forth her power, lighting up the area significantly in the enclosed space. The first few breaths she had to take were awful, but she used her tunic to filter it as much as she could. Fortunately, she figured she could depend on her companions to see to any combat if she found herself unable to help.
The scene before them was far worse than the smell. The wounded prisoners had been left to die in the darkness. The rankness of the area said that death had taken some time to come. Leighandra had no idea why the prisoners hadn’t simply left via the door, but finding the truth of that would take time, something they didn’t have. There were shambling corpses mulling about in the tunnels, covered in blood and filth, their bodies covered in old, festering wounds and necrotic flesh. They turned toward the newcomers when the light revealed them.
Max walked forward with purpose, cutting down the first of the zombies without even breaking stride. His sword clanged against the side of the tunnel with a little shower of sparks, and he grimaced, stepping back to inspect the blade. With a nod toward Galadon, he and the human knight flattened themselves against the wall to let Delkantar and Starlenia by. With their shorter weapons, they would be better suited to clearing the path in such tight quarters, at least until the path widened or they reached the keep proper.
The ranger and rogue worked well in tandem, even with limited space. A dozen zombies fell to their blades before the tunnel was clear, and the group pushed forward. There was still some distance before they reached the walls of the keep. The tunnel could open into a basement of some sort, or it might lead to a dead drop that was inaccessible from below. If that turned out to be the case, they’d have no choice but to storm the gate or find some way to fly into the keep.
“Oh, no,” Starlenia rasped, rushing
forward beyond the edge of the light. She brought up the lantern again, and held it aloft so the others could see what she saw. “Max, is this your friend, Prince Roltek or whatever his name is?”
Max moved forward but didn’t even squat down. “No, that is a female,” he said, closing his eyes. “We must get to the keep, and quickly!”
Starlenia blinked and looked back and forth between the dead gnoll and her luranar friend. “Female? Good grief, she’s massive!”
“Yes, gnoll females are typically larger than their males,” Max confirmed, but he gestured for them to continue.
Delkantar and Starlenia ran onward, and Leighandra focused her light to follow them and keep their way well-lit. She paused only long enough to take a look at the gnoll corpse. The gnoll’s lower left leg was broken, and she’d suffered dozens of bites and clawings, apparently from the undead shambling through the area.
Why didn’t she rise with the others? Leighandra wondered. Did she die after the last burst of necromantic power? Or is there another reason? Questions for another time…
She dashed to catch up to the rest of the party. Her friends moved with purpose and speed, and the farther they went, the thinner the number of zombies and waste and, consequently, the smell. Leighandra drew her saber once she got her breathing and queasy stomach under control. She was in the rear, but once they reached the keep, they could be beset from both – or all – sides.
When they caught up to Starlenia and Delkantar at the end, the two were staring up a sheer wall face. “Well, we’ve got good news and bad news,” Starlenia said. “The bad news is there’s about a fifteen foot drop from the level above. The good news is, we have a paladin who carries a crowbar, and this wall doesn’t seem particularly hard. Let’s see if we can chip out some hand- and foot-holds and get up there.”
Galadon pulled the crowbar forth but let the lighter-armored Delkantar get started on the mining. The drop was of brickwork, not carved through the stone like the majority of the tunnel, and Starlenia’s instincts proved good. The crowbar ripped into the face of the brick wall with ease, and they chipped just far enough in to establish climbing aids without compromising the structure. As soon as there were enough handholds to start climbing, Delkantar began the ascent.