Chain of Bargains dm-5

by Jeff Inlo

  The goblin's hands and feet remained tied. It could not take hold of any surrounding branches to secure its position. Losing its balance on the thin limb, it tottered to one side and almost plunged to the ground through numerous branches that would have shattered its bones.

  Holli reached out and held the monster in place. Her stare bore into the creature as she made certain it understood its position.

  "A fall from this height will kill you, but not instantly."

  She then let go and the goblin began to tremble as it slowly lurched to one side. It could not right itself and shrieked for help. Holli took hold of the creature again and turned it to make sure it faced her directly.

  "Where does it all go-the silver and diamonds you are stealing-where?"

  The goblin understood the circumstances of the interrogation and the consequences if it failed to answer.

  "All over," the monster hissed.

  "Names."

  "Don't know," the goblin offered in a muffled cry.

  "Nonsense. You know something."

  "Some to captain right here," the goblin offered.

  "I already knew that. Who else?"

  "Don't know names, just places."

  "Tell me."

  The goblin listed several nearby towns and cities. The number was somewhat surprising, but not the name of the last city.

  "And Ashlan," was the final name on the goblin's oral list.

  "What is it for?"

  "Don't understand."

  "What are you paying for?"

  "Everything. Weapons, food, access."

  "Access to what?"

  "Everything."

  "You already said that."

  "We get into towns. We take farms. We go into stores. We get everywhere."

  "What are you after?"

  The goblin believed it had been cooperative enough based on the circumstances. It decided it was time to risk a negotiation.

  "If I tell, will you release me?"

  "I will release you if you do not tell me." Holli then nodded to the ground far below.

  The goblin remained determined to bargain.

  "No! Will you free me?"

  "No, I will just make sure you reach the ground safely. I will promise nothing beyond that."

  The goblin sneered, but then it smiled, a sick and twisted smile. It even broke into a laugh.

  "We are after it all! All the towns, all the farms, all the stores. We will get it all, we just have to wait."

  None of the goblin's admission was a surprise, except for the last.

  "Why wait? Why not just take it? Why not attack?"

  "Easier," the goblin snickered.

  "Why is it easier?"

  "Don't have to die to get it."

  Holli couldn't argue. It was easier, and the goblin part of the puzzle began to fit into place. They were offered the farms and the towns of the valleys, and they were intent on taking it all. There were, however, certain rules they had to follow. Some of the creatures were required to steal precious minerals from dwarf mines, but beyond that, they simply needed to stay out of trouble. They had to control their devious nature and avoid stealing, fighting, and killing. In return, they were allowed to enter cities and given farmland. The influx of goblins into the region probably started as a slow trickle, but eventually it formed a flood throughout the valleys. As some of the humans chose to flee, more of the monsters filled into the void.

  Normally, such a situation could not hold for long. The goblins themselves would have run amok-growing instability would have turned to pure chaos-but the conniving little monsters were persuaded to curtail, even bury their devious desires. Instead of battling with the humans and suffering casualties, they permeated the valleys like a never ending drizzle of light mist that eventually saturated the entire area.

  A more sinister plot remained hidden in the weeds of the goblin infiltration. Certainly, funds in the form of precious metals and diamonds stolen from a dwarf mine were being utilized to assist the plot. A captain of the guard could be purchased with such wealth, as could a town council, but what of the regional steward? Holli decided to invoke his name and observe the response.

  "What do you know of Prilgrat?"

  "Some stupid human. Doesn't live here."

  "Are you sending silver, diamonds or anything else to him?"

  "Don't know names."

  "But you've heard of Prilgrat."

  "Heard of many, but don't know names of humans that get money, only places where it goes."

  "But Prilgrat is important. What is his part in all this?"

  "Don't know, don't care. Stupid human."

  Holli didn't think the creature was lying. It insulted the steward with casual disregard. If Prilgrat held direct sway over the goblin's superiors, it would have shown greater respect. She knew, however, that someone had to be directing the goblin activity.

  "You have made a bargain with someone. Who?"

  "Don't know. They don't tell me."

  Holli also had to accept that as the truth. A goblin forced to mine was probably very low in the pecking order, but even a peon would know the ultimate goal. The lowliest foot soldier knows the final planned objective. They might not know how the war would be won, but they are aware of what enemy had to be defeated. Holli quickly focused on what she saw as the inevitable.

  "Eventually you are all going to rise up, are you not? You have no intention of living with the humans. You are going to kill them all."

  The goblin smiled again, a wider more wicked smile. It made no attempt to argue. The truth was clear.

  Holli looked back toward Huntston. The horde might have remained in the warehouse, but that fortune would not last, not for the people within the town. One day the goblins would rush from the mine and break through every door and window of that warehouse in the distance. They would charge across every street, break down the door to every home and every shop. They would pour into every corner of the town.

  They would fight, and the savagery that they had buried would bubble to the surface in rapturous glee. The soldiers would not have a shred of hope. The guard captain's head would end up on the end of a spike and placed upon the roof of the town jail. The soldiers that guarded the bridge would probably be drowned in the rivers and left to be eaten by the fish.

  The killing would not end with the town guard. Goblins wouldn't differentiate between soldiers and civilians. Men, women and children… all would be slaughtered. Huntston would become a nightmare… and it wouldn't be alone.

  "I know all I need from you," Holli informed the goblin, punctuated with disgust.

  "You won't let me fall now," the goblin stated confidently, knowing that the elf would hold true to her word. It could probably jump on purpose and it knew the elf would endeavor to save it. What it could not be sure of was its ultimate fortune. "Will you release me?"

  Holli made her decision on that matter painfully clear.

  "No. I never made that bargain. You are going with us to Sterling."

  The goblin hissed and spit, but then grew quiet as if it accepted its fate. Perhaps it was not sure what waited for it in the dwarf caves.

  Holli carried the still bound goblin roughly down the tree and left it leaning against the trunk. She nodded for Ryson to follow her out of earshot of the creature, but before leaving it behind, she spelled out obvious details.

  "You could try to hop away, but you will not get far. Even if you were untied, you could not outrun either of us. Best not to anger me further."

  She then walked away from the monster, deeper into the forest, and advised Ryson of her plans.

  "As I said, we are going to Sterling. We have no idea of how far that dwarf mine travels out to the west. It probably connects with some underground dwarf passage that leads directly to Sterling. They need to be warned of this activity. They will not be pleased to hear that goblins have infiltrated their mines, even if the shaft has been abandoned. I also hope they can assist us in other matters."

&nb
sp; "Such as?" Ryson asked.

  "The goblins are taking treasure from dwarf mines. That is wealth that can be traced, not easily, but it is possible, especially with the assistance of dwarves."

  "And where do you hope it leads us?"

  "To an answer for the larger question. I now understand the goblin threat, but that is a small part in a much more diabolical scheme. Goblins are not cunning enough for this kind of plot. This has been planned for some time and executed with efficiency and skill. It smells more of a serp than a throng of even the most intelligent goblins."

  "We haven't heard anything about serps."

  "No we have not, but we know Prilgrat is linked to all of this, and I believe he is far craftier than most serps."

  "Why would a regional steward want to see goblins take over the valleys?" Ryson asked. "It would knock him out of power. They wouldn't leave him in charge and he would know that."

  "That remains the question at hand, but we are getting closer to an answer, and reaching Sterling will bring us closer still."

  Chapter 19

  Sy Fenden waited for Sergeant Klusac at Burbon's western gate. He couldn't help but smile as he reviewed the empty space along the wall. No more tents, no more campfires, no more tired and hungry refugees offering themselves up as targets for goblins, shags, and river rogues. There was only the empty fields that reached out to the hills, the river, and Dark Spruce Forest in the distance.

  Almost all the refugees had accepted the invitation to rebuild Pinesway. Only a meager few wished to remain, but with so many moving out to repopulate the abandoned town under the watchful eyes of the dwarves of Dunop, there was plenty of room within Burbon to handle such small numbers. Most were put up in rooms at inns. Others were welcomed to stay with residents willing to share their homes. Sy guessed these reluctant stragglers might become permanent citizens, as long as they understood the need for control in such a dangerous part of Uton, or perhaps they would return to the east once the problem in the Great Valleys was solved.

  Sy turned about and looked down the cleared streets of his town. Order had been restored and it pleased him to see Burbon returned to a manageable state. The tangled masses were gone, and he could feel the relief of nearly every individual who walked by.

  Tensions had been high, he couldn't deny it, but he gave a great deal of credit to Burbon's citizens. They showed monumental patience during a trying time. They adjusted to the crowd, dealt with the mayhem. Most importantly, they accepted his word that they would eventually find structure in their lives again. They had faith in him, and he had not let them down.

  Despite the calm and quiet, Burbon's captain also remained cautious. Just because the refugees moved on from the wall didn't mean he could relax. While Enin was as good as his word-as Sy always knew he would be-and sent administrators from Connel to manage the Pinesway solution, Sy wished to remain informed of the progress. Pinesway was too close to ignore, and if the plan disintegrated into a disaster, the refugees would simply return to Burbon's wall.

  He sent an initial patrol along with the refugees to Pinesway, both to assist the dwarves in guarding against raids and to monitor the progress of the migration. He didn't like to be caught off guard, especially if a small amount of preparation and planning could avoid a surprise. He sent out a second detachment not long after he anticipated the refugees reached Pinesway. He wanted to relieve the first patrol and recall them for an update. A tower guard had just reported sighting the returning guard.

  Sergeant Klusac rode in with twelve other soldiers, all on horseback. When Klusac saw the captain of the guard, he dismounted and moved to Sy to make his report. He didn't salute, as the captain didn't require such formalities, but he did wait to be addressed by his superior officer.

  "What's the status in Pinesway?" Sy asked quickly.

  Sergeant Klusac didn't quite smile, but the tone of his voice revealed his own satisfaction.

  "It went much smoother than anticipated. No raids during the journey and everyone was accounted for upon reaching Pinesway. The dwarves have already started several construction projects and informed the administrators of which buildings to avoid until they can reinforce some questionable walls. The town center has been established for the administrators as an information post, and they are setting up secure supply stations for food and water. Supply routes with Connel have already been established."

  "Initial difficulties?"

  "Two. The first is lack of organization among the refugees. They don't really know where to go. Some have just moved into abandoned houses without checking with administrators. Others are just setting up tents in the center of town. Should be smoothed out in a few days."

  "The second?"

  "Sporadic conflict with some brigands that don't wish to accept the new law in town. Dwarves have done a decent job in clearing out some of the troublemakers, but they haven't had a lot of time to secure the entire area. There's quite a few bandits still hiding in abandoned buildings. I don't expect too many problems. Dwarves are quite capable in making them understand that any argument isn't going to be heard. These outlaws aren't going to like it, but I tell you, the dwarves like order almost as much as we do."

  "Anything else?"

  "I took the liberty of establishing a command post for our soldiers. I know you're not just going to wash your hands of this. You sending relief so quickly after we reached Pinesway was proof of that. It's to the west of the town center, closer to the forest. That's where most of the activity is going to happen, especially when the refugees get settled and start logging."

  "Excellent. What's your overall assessment… and don't try to paint a rosy picture for me."

  "Not my style," the sergeant admitted, "but the truth is this might work out better than we planned. Right now there's room for them all with plenty to spare. The dwarves can build like you wouldn't believe. None of the refugees are complaining about the conditions. Connel already has food shipments ready, so they're being fed and there's an ample supply. Water also isn't a problem with several wells in working condition and the Fuge River right at the town border."

  "So basic needs are met."

  "Easily. And they're all better off than they were here. It's better for us, too. No one at the walls and the streets are clear again. I like that."

  "So do I," Sy admitted. "What are the challenges?'

  "There's always the worry of safety. Like I said, bandits in the town aren't going to make things easier, and dark creatures in the forest are always a potential problem. The dwarves are handling security, but they seem more interested in doing construction than intervening in scuffles between humans. They won't let things get out of hand, but they seem to enjoy seeing a fight or two. I doubt goblins or even a river rogue would attack with so many dwarves around, but we have to accept that the threat is there."

  "Maybe our guards can help with that."

  "That's why I set up the command post."

  "What else?"

  Sergeant Klusac's attitude remained positive, even as he considered the challenges faced by those that decided to make Pinesway a temporary, if not permanent, home.

  "Nothing out of the ordinary. There's going to be some rough spots. Refugees are going to argue over who gets what house and so forth, but it shouldn't be too bad once they're reminded that any house is better than a tent out near the woods. The town has to be cleaned up. Dwarves will build, but they're not going to tidy up the place. With that and the logging, there's plenty of work to keep everyone busy, but there will always be a slacker or two. That's nothing new and every town deals with that."

  "Is that it?"

  The optimism finally left the sergeant's voice as he offered the one concern that could not be removed. His true worry centered on the problem as a whole, and it offered challenges beyond Pinesway.

  "The only thing that bothers me is the refugees keep coming. I've got guards patrolling the fields to the east of Burbon's wall. They're directing newcomers to Pinesway. They haven't
stopped coming. You know that. You issued the order."

  "I know," Sy offered with a clear burden shaping his expression. It seemed he would have to hold to his worries. He wanted to keep Burbon safe and to keep his promise to its people, but the nagging issue of the valleys just wouldn't go away.

  The sergeant continued with complete honesty, the same basic truth he gave his captain when they spoke previously of the problem.

  "Don't get me wrong. It's a good plan. You did more than just buy time. You created an opportunity to rebuild Pinesway and moved the refugees out of immediate harm, but it's not the final solution. There's space in Pinesway-a great deal of space-but if they don't stop leaving the valleys, even Pinesway will reach its limit. We might be right back where we started."

  It was the truth. The stream of refugees hadn't stopped. It hadn't even let up. Sy couldn't argue that point, but he also knew he wasn't alone. Enin was aware of the problem as well, and the wizard had sent two of the most capable individuals Sy had ever known to deal with the issue. The captain of the guard would never grab at false hope, but he had faith in Ryson and Holli.

  "We're going to be alright," Sy said with a certainty that was born from that faith. "We just have to give it some more time."

  #

  Jure sat in a wooden chair by Heteera's bed. He watched her carefully. He suffered from near painful boredom, but he would not leave her side. He could not talk to her; she would not respond. He wouldn't allow anyone else in the room; it was simply too dangerous. He couldn't even practice the most minor spell; her unpredictable condition made any such attempt foolish at best. He simply sat, or paced, and then sat again, all the while hoping for signs that the sorceress might break from her self-induced trance.

  He closely monitored the magic that he could sense around Heteera. Only a small trickle of energy flowed into her, but deep within, he knew she held an ocean of power. Despite his deft control over magic, the sheer enormity of the energy was frightening. So much had been sealed within her that she was more like an enchanted entity than a living being.

  He thought of Ingar's Sphere, the talisman that once held nearly every pulse of magic in Uton. He couldn't imagine how such a vessel could have consumed so much power, but perhaps that is why it was such a threat to the land. He heard that Ryson's sword had split the sphere open in a great battle with the ghost of Ingar, but he knew that it was Ryson's soul that triumphed over Ingar, not the delver's enchanted weapon.