by J P Nelson
Feila was firm, but understanding, “Brie, we cannot wait.”
She paused for him to acknowledge, although with angst, they were both professionals and had dealt with such many times, “I know … this is why I got out of this kind of business.”
Feila called out, “We’ve halfway completed our mission, let’s get …” she noticed JéPahn still in his dazed, mentally searching expression, “… JéPahn, what’s wrong?”
He opened his eyes and was short of breath. Grasping her forearm he said, “There are more, Feila, many more.”
“Trolls?”
“Yes.”
Albri asked, “How many is many more.”
JéPahn partially closed one eye, slowly shook his head and replied in a grave tone, “Hundreds? Maybe a thousand, even a couple thousand …”
Jha’Ley declared with urgency, “We need to get to the castle walls. The ships will not be able to sail fast enough. We can---”
“No …” that was Albri. Jha’Ley looked to him, but it was Feila who continued, “… what we need, commodore, is surely to board ship … and make deep water.”
Fhascully interjected, “Trolls … in all known varieties … it is a recorded theory they do not like water. They are,” he was searching his memory, “they are physiologically too dense to stay above the surface, regardless of how hard they may try to swim.”
Jha’Ley’s eyes opened wide as he looked to Toagun, “Now that would have been good to know.”
Toagun innocently shrugged his shoulders as Albri said, “Very good Professor Fhascully,” as Feila was amending her orders to the group, “Let’s get out of here, now!”
Skirret looked at her, “Feila, what of our dead, do we leave their bodies for food?”
She looked sternly at him, “Skirret …”
He saw the look in her eyes, closed his own in angry resignation and said, “Gordi gave me the slam. I get it … I don’t like it, but I get it …”
“We will discuss it later.” To the rest she ordered, “Double-time men; let’s catch the others before these trolls regroup, maybe get ahead of us. There’s an army out there.”
JéPahn was astounded at how energetic the woman was. She wasn’t even sweating hard, none of the blood on her was her own and as they moved at a trot, she was giving him instructions as if they were sitting around a relaxed campfire sipping tea.
She told him, “Contact Rahno and tell him …” then it was, “Tell Gordi this …” and again, “Very well, tell Rahno …”
JéPahn had never had to do so many things at one time with his mentahk skill, while also being physical. And the commodore, he was something else, too. While on the run he got the skinny from Albri and the cob, the cob was having a tough time, then he came abreast of JéPahn and Feila and had his own message to send, “Tell Rahno Ervis has the con and get those ships moving …”
Through JéPahn, a coordinated movement was put into action with Rahno and Ervis in charge on their end. Knowing the Ubank had that metal unicorn in place, and the river passage was not wide enough for two ships, Ervis assembled a crew including Sailing Master Rufus to get her underway.
S’Getti was remanded to Ervis’s cabin by order of Jha’Ley due to the nature of his wounds … even if he was technically healed … and Anu took command of the ship. Under cover of the wall and top of the boathouse, the Qua’Korr was loaded with all castle wounded and many of the Balder Ballistae. Then she was to cast off.
Clarise was to come up next, to be loaded with the remaining bows and hold as long as possible for the prisoners to board ship. At any minute they expected an attack from the Uordak Trolls, so once the Ubank cast off, use of the outside passageways was not an option.
Telroy and crew were already at work on sails of the Clarise. The wounded Lieutenant Dalton was at con with Ensign Lebracio backing him up.
The gate was open as castle defenders shouted encouragement to the men running down the old village road. Many of the prisoners were injured and in no shape for the six mile run. Feila’s team had long since caught up and many were assisting the wounded. Dessi was still carrying his man and Guen was still leading the way. Seedle was spent and haggard, but still trudging one foot at a time.
Rahno had lines of men ready along the peninsula to give cover, the walls lined with marksmen. The sight of reinforcements added to the enthusiasm of the escapees.
Just as the men reached the bridge, shouts of warning arose as a trebuchet launched a flaming missile along the woodland road. The mass hit an ogre with full force as three pair of flying trolls flanked around him, each carrying a troll warrior. Was that all the fliers there was left? Even so, six was plenty trouble enough. Behind them came what must be the remains of the troll force.
Down below, the Qua’Korr was under full sail and headed into the river. At the boathouse, the last of the broken down Balders had been loaded onto the Clarise, supplies were being tossed aboard like an assembly line, kegs of water wheeled up ramp on hand-trucks as fast as they could move under Dalton’s direction.
A second and third trebuchet let loose their flaming missiles, as with barking shouts of fury the trolls charged. The fliers seemed to be targeting the top of the gatehouse. It required no great deductive reasoning to realize if the gate were left open, it would avail the trolls a wonderful opportunity to storm the castle. Therefore, keeping the men from closing the gate was of utmost importance.
Guen stopped in his tracks and took aim with crossbow, and shot one down to crash into the peninsula; but not before the warrior troll jumped clear. Toagun had taken bolts from a comrade and made two shots. One missed as the troll banked clear, but the other one caused the flier to fly off trajectory and land on the ice … both flier and warrior sliding into the open water cleared by Lesli. Seedle fired his rod, but missed. Or rather, the blast did not go far enough. It was then he deduced the maximum weapon range was about sixty-five rods … good to know.
The marksmen on the wall managed to get two more fliers and one of the warriors, but the breech was made … three troll warriors were now on top of the gatehouse and two fliers were still in play.
Battle was now in full effect as the castle defenders were attempting to support incoming prisoners, prevent the full force of the trolls from entering the gate, evacuate the walls and get the men through the tunnels and to the Clarise.
The fliers managed to bring two more trolls to the gatehouse top and going down for more. A sixth troll was delivered to the top, but Seedle managed to catch a flier with his blast. As the other flier deposited a seventh troll, Klaus caught him in the chest with a heavy arrow from his composite bow. The troll left his flier as if he had been clothes-lined.
With all men now in, Jha’Ley was yelling and waving his hands, “Abandon the walls … let them go … make the ship!”
Dessi gave his man to a sailor and had his sword in play … Rahno stood beside Dessi and covered his side … Jha’Ley and Albri were back-to-back … Caroll brandished his shield as if it were part of his arm … Fhascully jumped to and leaped off of Caroll’s shield directly onto a nine-foot-troll … Feila was out front calling the shots.
Ju’Balii had turned seventeen years old during this endeavor. This was his first serious engagement, but his mother had not been easy on him. He knew the score, he had wielded his blade in combat, but not anywhere close to this scale. Cut and bruised, he had held up well … until a troll blade knocked his own sword from hand and moved to slice his neck.
The blow did not come, however, as he was abruptly knocked aside when Skirret slammed into him with shoulder to ward the blow. Ju’Balii was close to the tall red-head, had known him since Ju’Balii was very small. Skirret was in an awkward position and the troll’s blow spun him around and sword from hand, setting him up for a strike Ju’Balii heard but did not see. He started to grab his friend, but Skirret smiled at him, shook his head, then turned to embrace the troll, confounding its next strike. The troll’s eyes showed surprise as the man thrust hi
m several times with his dagger.
With a scream of rage, Ju’Balii grabbed Skirret’s sword and began swinging in berserker fury.
There seemed to be no end of the trolls in sight. The men were being overwhelmed as they were pressed back. If only they could get clear to the tunnels … then there was a flash of grey light on the wall, and another close to the main keep’s wall where the entrance was, which was behind many of the defenders. Now in their presence was a more hideous version of the trolls, but twelve feet tall, dressed in bear-hide and bear-skull headdress and holding a staff … not one, but two of them.
The one on the wall began a barking, guttural incantation as the one on the ground raise a palm out to the group. Seedle quickly aimed his rod and blasted, but the purple flash dissipated in a waving ripple effect only inches from the shaman’s body.
Seedle exclaimed, “Oh shite!”
Only an instant later Fhascully landed on him with one of those vaulting assaults. His silver sword actually penetrating the magical shield a bit, causing another of those water-like ripples, but the tip stopped just a hair short of scratching the enemy hide and the man rebounded ten feet through the air.
The troll was opening his mouth, snarling words with a sinister grin when JéPahn, sporting a bloody scalp and equally bloody broadsword, thrust his left hand toward the troll reaching as if inside the troll’s chest. Locking into intense concentration, the man slowly squeezed his fingers as if trying to crush an apple.
Shaman troll’s eyes showed alarm as he raised up on toes and clutched his chest. The muscles of JéPahn’s hand corded, his veins bulging as his face contorted with his own wrath as his fingers trembled to close around the unseen mark. Fingertips touched as the troll collapsed and began to convulse.
In response to the shaman on the wall’s incantations, close to Fhascully the ground began to swirl as a ghastly creature took form, a creature which seemed to be part rotting wood and part troll. It grew before the man and eyes opened to reveal sockets of blood red fire.
Close by Albri yelled, “Beware … an elemental is among us!”
Fhascully gave no hesitation as he attacked while the creature was still forming. His one sword hacked chips of wood, but his silver blade cleaved tree-like limbs with every swing. Yet the limbs kept growing, reaching for him with wooden stake-like fingers.
Caroll, Klaus, Toagun and Seedle joined in concentrated battle with the magical foe, the five moving in and out, ducking and diving with rhythmic teamwork as the shaman maintained a chanting vigilance. In two more locations the ground began to swirl … then a shriek and trumpeting scream ripped the air, as suddenly the visage of a huge golden dragon bellowing gold and blue gouts of fire caught everyone’s attention.
The dragon had to be every inch of seventy feet long from snout to tip of tail … but what was even more visually arresting was the female figure riding behind the neck … a female figure which favored the Itahro Elf Warriors of old.
Every troll went into a panic including the shaman on the wall. The elemental returned to the ground and the two growing manifestations ceased. Many of the men were also horrified. But Feila saw something, then she called out, “Albri … fahldorus niusami… Everybody, quickly, fall back! To the ship!”
Albri was watching as the dragon dove for the gatehouse, the trolls up there all jumping over the side in different directions. Then the shaman recovered and began to bark orders. Albri saw a man’s form hurdle over the top of the wall, touch down at center of the main ward, roll to his feet and turn his attention to the gate top.
Albri yelled, “Gordi!”
There was no response as Albri began to run to him, but Gordi aimed a hand at him, hurling Albri into and through the door and on top of several retreating men.
The shaman aimed an effect at Gordi, but he beat the troll to it as it was knocked backward and over the wall via unseen force. Gordi focused on the gate house and his memory of the mechanism, suddenly the metal bars dropped, catching several trolls under the spikes. Then the great doors closed.
Many trolls were within the walls as Gordi began to growl and whip his staff in an ever faster moving figure-8 spin. Dessi, Feila, Jha’Ley and Caroll were at the door and saw the exchange.
The shaman had not been knocked all the way over the wall and had hung on by its claws. It hit Gordi with a bolt of energy that knocked him off center, as several twelve-foot-tall trolls ran right out of the rock walls. One grabbed Gordi and threw him into the air, another hit him like a game-ball knocking him in another direction, a third caught him by the staff and whirled, throwing him as if a discus, separating him from the staff which was now humming with power.
Gordi hit the wall with a thud and fell to the ground, then rolled over onto his face. Feebly he moved in an attempt to rise. Two Uordak Trolls hurried to grab him, apparently to rip him to pieces, when the one with his staff bellowed in victorious tone. He grabbed the staff with both hands and raised it above his head and brought it down over his knee.
Seeing the movement, Gordi changed his mind and frantically dropped back to the ground and covered his head. Feila grabbed the nearest man to her and pulled him behind the keep wall yelling, “DOW-W-WN-N-N!”
When the staff reached the troll’s knee and broke, it sounded like a sonic boom as rivulets of force rolled out in four stages of wave … into the rock walls … vibrating the ground … smashing everything standing into the walls of the inner ward … causing the staff-breaker to be scattered in pieces-parts all about the ward.
The shaman on the wall fell to the ground, his own staff breaking, and a black-winged eagle flew to the two trolls now laying on top off Gordi, dropping down and shaping into Tammin. Quickly, the Alterer waved a hand over the trolls, one of which seemed to be twitching its arms and legs. The trolls slowly floated a few inches and he pushed them aside as he called out, “He yet preaths …”
Jha’Ley looked quickly for the dragon, curious that he did not see it, and sprinted across the ward with Dessi and Caroll right behind him. Feila brought up the rear exclaiming, “We have to move fast, these things regenerate …”
Cautiously and expectantly, she was looking for Uordak’s which might be healing. Yes, there … and there … and another one …”
The shaman troll was rising and shaking it off, giving a mean eye to the humans within the ward as he began to raise his voice with a fresh incantation. But then he was distracted with a flash of indigo light at other side of the ward.
Mahrufael assessed the situation within a fraction of a second. The Alterer aimed a hand to the shaman, who had renewed his incantation in earnest … and the troll became perplexed when no sound came from his voice, or from his sudden kicking of the ground.
He looked at Tammin with a blood lust as Mahrufael spun about, then opened his arm as if throwing an eating plate, and a circlet of multi-colored energy rushed to hit the shaman in the chest. A long moment of wonderment crossed the trolls face, followed by his falling in two cauterized pieces.
Four Uordaks were now up and healing with alarming speed. All of this happening as the four were reaching Gordi.
Tremors were within the rock walls as Feila looked about and said, “Boys … this is really bad.”
The four trolls were coming their way, but the elf was yelling, “Make to run … I will cover---”
Feila did not hear the rest. Mahrufael was in a wide dueling stance, but he was not holding blades. In his right hand he had four rubies, of which he sounded words and they flew to the four trolls, entering their bodies. They stopped, contorting in pain as smoke began to seep from their skin, then they erupted into flames.
Mahrufael began an incantation, waving his arms as if a maestro conducting an orchestra … and a black gas began to emerge from within the rock walls. It started at one side of the keep door and circled the entire ward leaving only the keep door clear. He continued the movements and incantation as the gas roiled. Uordaks began literally falling through the walls screaming, the
ir bodies hissing and burning with a flameless fire … it was an acid smoke.
Tammin attempted to complement Mahrufael’s effect. He raised his hands and caused a gust of wind to circle the rescue group in an effort to keep gases away from them. It wasn’t weather affecting wind, but it was enough. Mahrufael noticed and increased his intensity. Now they just needed to keep trolls from stumbling into their personal vortex.
Dessi was concerned how to move a man who sustained the kind of battering they saw, but Feila grabbed an arm and said, “Trust me, he’s had worse. Com’mon Gordi, move your legs!”
Gordi mumbled, “I’m comin’ home Elizabeth …”
With Feila on one side and Jha’Ley on the other, both had blades in hand as Dessi and Caroll ran interference toward the keep door.
Gordi’s feet were half dragging as he groaned, “Ar-r-rgh-h-h … hellfire … my ribs are busted … I’m too old for this shit …”
As they weaved between two smoking staggering trolls, Feila countered, “You’re complaining like an old man!”
Dessi kept looking to the sky, “Where is that dragon?”
Tammin replied, “It go vere it come from.”
Gordi said, “My gut’s ripped in half … I’m bleedin’ inside … kiss me please, I’m dyin’ …”
Feila was intense, “You’re just hungry, damn it … we’re almost there … move!”
Dessi did not know Gordi, but he quickly picked up on Feila’s tone and added, “Come on Gordi, no one wants to kiss the blood in your mouth, we have apple brandy waiting for you but you have to move your lazy ass.”
Both of Gordi’s feet drug as he fought to get his legs working, “Ag-g-g-gh-h!”
As they got Gordi through the door, Dessi yelled to Mahrufael, “We are clear! Get out of there!”
The elf wasted no time and backed up to join the six, keeping his effect up as long as he could. Pulling a flat, four ounce metal vial from his pouch, he tossed it to Caroll and said, “Give him this, all of it.” A quick glance to Tammin and he asked, “These big ones cannot go through wood, as far as I know, and the tunnels are too small for them. We can slow the others down if …” he motioned to the vast amount of rotten timber within the old keep, then pointed to the doorway, “… my effect will only last a few moments more.”