by W.O. Cassity
Chapter Seven: Free Fall
Adam made his way down the cliff’s face after night fell. He was careful to stay concealed within the dancing shadows cast by the campfires. The surface was not as sheer as Talia had initially described to him. It still would have been dangerous for anyone not sure footed to attempt to traverse the rock outcroppings. His goal was to make it halfway and then drop the rest of the way down and safely land and roll.
The goblins celebrated and drank their way into a stupor. Adam felt they had worked up their appetites for the last hour or so as the moon began to make its ascent up from the eastern horizon. This gave Talia time to make the preparations up on the ridgetop, out of harm’s way.
When a few pieces of rock broke away under Adam’s weight to skitter down the face of the cliff, he stopped and remained as still as possible. This plan would only work if he could move about without discovery. It would certainly mean his death, and Donadeir’s too, if he were to make any mistakes.
Halfway down, Adam was standing on a small outcropping roughly six inches wide. He placed his back against the wall and bent his knees until his hands touched the ledge. Turning slowly on his left hand, he allowed his right leg to slip over the edge of the outcropping, and in a quick motion, he turned his body to face the cliff, catching the ledge with his right hand as his left leg was also allowed to dangle freely. He then dropped his body slowly using his arms to hold him as he lowered himself until they were fully extended.
Instinctively, his feet reached for footing, but the cliff face darted inward from this point, with Adam’s body mostly dangling in mid-air. He looked down for the best place to land roughly twelve feet below him and released his hands. As his feet hit the ground, he threw his body forward and launched himself into a loose roll so his legs would not have to absorb the impact. He had timed his drop perfectly, just as another fight had broken out and the goblins selected their side and cheered. The noise the goblins were making had concealed the noise he had made upon landing.
Retrieving the dagger, he had sharpened while Talia and he put together their plan, Adam picked three small rocks up from the ground. He waited for the noise to die down a bit and launched the three rocks in quick succession up to the ridge where Talia was waiting.
On his cue, Talia threw a spear to the ground, point first, so it landed upright with a sharp thud. On the blunt end of the spear, Talia affixed a small stick crossways, as they had previously discussed.
Adam retrieved the spear and moved to where the four spools laid upon their sides next to the large tent which most likely belonged to the goblin leader. Once he began to unwind the rope, he realized it was as he had suspected. It would require at least two spools worth of the vine rope for their plan to have any chance of success. He found the end of the rope on the next spool and securely tied the ends together before unwinding the second roll they would need. He was grateful for all those hours Othelk had stood over him teaching him how to tie various knots for rafting tasks.
He knew Talia waited patiently above on the ridge. This plan was very risky and Talia had no clear way to signal him if the goblins were to come upon them without taking the risk of giving herself away. Adam fastened one end of the rope onto the spear. He would need to step away from the edge of the cliff if he was going to be able to get the rope back up to her. He could only hope he would have enough strength, because Talia was convinced the rope would be too heavy for him to throw it back up to her. She would have preferred their plan had found a way for Adam to climb back up with the rope, but that would have meant he would have been exposed and vulnerable on the cliff face twice in a row. It was simply too much risk, without any guarantee he could scale back up again, even if he tried.
Stepping away from the cliff face unnerved Adam because he felt exposed and it would take a few minutes for Talia to finish her task once he got the rope to her. He was afraid he would be finished and the goblins would be upon him before he even got started, but this is what needed to be done. It was the only way that made sense in spite of the risk. Adam had a strong arm, and he knew he could throw the spear to Talia so she could use the rope’s end. The problem would be the thick limbs from the trees overhead. He had to be sure he didn’t hit any of the outstretched tree limbs. The end of the rope must reach Talia if this plan was going to work.
Realizing he didn’t have enough room, Adam’s heart sank. He could not step far enough out, still be able to remain hidden, and hit his target, all at the same time. He could step quickly into clear sight of the entire camp and then throw the spear, but he would need to be very fast about it. Adam held his breath and moved as swiftly as he could. Feeling exposed in plain sight, he threw the spear with all of his strength into the air. It sailed through the canopy of trees landing exactly where he intended, on the ridge of the cliff’s surface, where Talia awaited. Darting back into the safety of the shadows, he held his breath, waiting for the alarm to sound. None came. A few more seconds passed before he felt the signal, three sharp tugs on the rope. One, two, three. Talia had the rope and everything was going according to plan.
Adam made his way over to where Donadeir was, relieved to hear him still breathing. The way Donadeir was hunched over, indicated he was unconscious when they bound him here. He began to work at the ropes, being careful not to cut any of them until he was able to free Donadeir’s arms.
The chatter amongst the goblins started to lose some of its volume. A clear signal time was running out. Taking the other end of his rope, he secured it tightly to the the bindings between Donadeir’s shoulder blades. As he worked diligently, he noticed the chatter of several goblins coming from the open area outside of the large tent. Adam ensured he was well hidden behind Donadeir, sneaking a peak around his shoulder. He saw three goblins standing not very far away, one of which was actively licking his lips at the sight of dinner securely tied to the pole.
It wouldn’t be long now, Adam knew, and he was worried. His hands worked faster as sweat beaded on his brow. Talia needed time to finish her part of the plan and they were going to be cutting it close with the goblins ready to begin their feast. He slowly began pulling as much rope as he could toward his position next to Donadeir, trying to remove as much slack as possible until the rope felt taut. He jerked the vine rope once, the signal to ask Talia if she was ready. He felt two tugs in response, which was their code for “no”. Things were about to get heated and Adam’s plan didn’t cover any aspect for making more time. He would have to improvise if Talia wasn’t ready soon. The lump of fear in his throat felt like it was ready to choke him.
Adam looked back around Donadeir’s shoulder again. Panic gripped him within as the goblin who was licking his lips grabbed a stick and slowly began walking up to face Donadeir, dragging the stick behind him. Time was up. It was dinner time.
Anxiously, Adam looked around for a bigger weapon. He wouldn’t have much luck fighting off three goblins with one dagger. Even if one of them ran to get reinforcements, the other two would easily overrun him. What he would have given to have his club in hand because he had some luck with it before. Adam flinched as he heard a loud slap against Donadeir’s side. The goblin yelled at Donadeir incomprehensibly, and Adam thought that must be the way goblins say, “Wake up!”
Adam panicked as Donadeir began screaming at the top of his lungs for help. With Donadeir throwing his weight against his bindings, the pole he was tied to swayed slightly under its burden. The goblins cackled gleefully, and the one standing in front of Donadeir began to poke him in his belly.
Adam pulled the rope once more asking if Talia was ready. Quickly, he felt her respond with two more tugs to say no, but at this point, ready or not, they must take action soon.
Adam’s plan almost worked, and would have worked if they had only had a few more minutes. Desperately, he fought against his impulse to run away as well as the impulse to stand and do something. Donadeir’s screams had become shrieks, and Adam realized how dire the situation had become. He p
eered under one of Donadeir’s flailing arms to see what was happening. The way Donadeir was crying out, one would think he was being skewered over and over again, but the little ugly goblin standing before Donadeir continued to poke at him with the end of his blunt stick, smirking the entire time. So this is how goblins play with their food, Adam morbidly thought.
The laughter of the goblins began to grow as more goblins around the camp began to filter their way over to watch Donadeir lose complete control of himself. Time was definitely up, and Adam knew he needed to give Talia more, even if it were only a few seconds. No other thought entered his mind, he just reacted.
The amused goblin’s eyes bulged as Adam charged him. Adam’s response was so swift neither of them knew what was happening when he bore down on the little goblin, tackling it to the ground. Adam could feel all of the air whoosh out of the goblin’s lungs past his ear as they both went crashing to the ground.
Adam tried to pick himself up, but couldn’t find a place where he could securely leverage his arm to prop himself up. His hand was pushing against the goblin’s dark-green, putrid skin. The smell emanating from its gaping, sharp-toothed maw was nauseating. The goblin, desperately attempting to defend itself, tried to push Adam off, but he was still reeling with shock. Adam withdrew his hand quickly when the goblin tried to twist its head to bite him.
Adam could feel the goblin’s stick underneath his left knee. Still more of a reaction than a thought, he knew he needed to get the stick in his hands if he were to have any hope of buying a few more precious seconds. It was then Adam realized he still had his dagger firmly gripped in his right hand. As the goblin continued to try to bite his left hand, Adam struck down with his dagger straight into the goblin’s chest, and its eyes bulged impossibly wider.