Dawn of the Valiant (The Valerious Chronicles: Book One)

by Julian Saheed

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  Torrlan swept through the shadows followed closely by Skiddle and the three other Scorpions. The compound was teeming with alert enemy soldiers. But this did not bother him. Steelfist's Scorpions had all mastered their stealth and he was confident that the men behind him moved with near the same grace that he did. They jumped up onto a low roof and made their way across the tops of the buildings, heading for the one Torrlan had marked before. He paused on the edge of a two story building and bent low down to the thatched roof. Skiddle came up next to him and looked out to the next building. It was unlike the rest, with three large stories made of fine brick. The other buildings in the fort were thrown together out of poorly quarried stone and built with little creativity in mind. A fine light flickered through one of the windows on the top level and Torrlan knew that this was where his Captain was being held.

  "The roof is too far to leap. We will have to go in from the bottom," whispered Skiddle.

  Torrlan nodded and they slipped slowly down the side of the building, catching themselves on regular footholds to slow their decent. They waited in the shadow of the edifice as two guards passed in between the buildings, then moved on with expert speed.

  Torrlan waved his hand to Skiddle and the thief nodded, continuing on to the back entrance of the building. Coming up to a darkened door, Skiddle placed his head against the cold wood and listened. He could make out the quiet crackling of a fire and heard what he believed to be three men breathing heavily. Skiddle turned to the soldiers following him and gave his orders with a series of silent gestures. They nodded and moved up to the door.

  The door swung open, sending a gust of wind through the room. The three fat cooks jumped out of their seats at the sight of the four intruders. Skiddle moved forward grabbing a pot from the table to his left that was laden with scraps of food. The other three Scorpions followed his example and armed themselves with items from the bench. The cook nearest to the fire screamed out for help and rushed to the door leading further into the building. But before he reached the exit, Skiddle had leapt over a narrow bench, landing on the heavy man's back and sending him flying to the floor. With a quick flick of the pot the cook fell into a deep sleep.

  Skiddle was quickly followed into the next room by the other Scorpions, who had silenced the two remaining cooks, and was forced to hastily duck as a gloved fist struck out for his head. The angry guard yelled out an alarm, causing four more guards to enter the small foyer that they had stormed into.

  Skiddle rolled under the man's attacks and came up behind him, knocking him to the ground with an accurate strike. The remaining Scorpions charged into the fray and wrestled with the new enemies, whilst Skiddle leapt into the middle of the room.

  To his right rose a wide staircase, lined with a colourful carpet that led to the next level. The room contained three other doors and Skiddle could hear more footsteps heading their way from the front of the building. He glanced quickly at his comrades, who were locked together in a violent scuffle with the enraged guards, and decided to make a run for it. He bolted for the staircase and was halfway up before more guards entered the foyer. Skiddle felt slightly ashamed at leaving his comrades alone, but pushed these thoughts aside to focus. He had to find the Captain.

  The staircase split left and right and Skiddle followed it left and up another floor where he came to a large oaken door. Some guards were already making their way up the stairs in pursuit, their shouts echoing up to the third level. He walked through the doorway and turned right down the corridor. The room that he was looking for was before him at the end of this passage, but what was waiting for him there was not exactly what he had hoped for.

  The door was wide open and Skiddle could see the flickering candlelight from within. But in the entrance stood a man almost three times larger than the small Scorpion, holding in his mammoth hands a gigantic club.

  "Good gods!" muttered Skiddle under his breath.

  The noise of the pursuing guards rose up to meet the unnerving laugh of this giant in Skiddle's way. He looked at the pot in his small hand, then at the cudgel in his opponent's tight grip and swallowed through a large lump in his throat. In a corridor this small there was nothing that he could do against such sheer enormity. Then with an almighty roar the man charged at Skiddle.

  "Great Skiye!" screamed the former thief, as he leapt backwards to avoid the savage swing. The man's club crashed into the wall leaving a gaping hole. Skiddle watched him raise it again and saw his life ending. Suddenly the man's club dropped and he fell to the floor in a crashing heap. Torrlan was standing behind the fallen giant with a broken vase in his hand.

  "How'd you take him down with a simple vase?" said Skiddle in shock.

  Torrlan shrugged his shoulders, yet curled his lips into a smirk.

  "No need to gloat," said Skiddle with a narrow look.

  Torrlan then lifted the vase. Skiddle ducked as its broken shell came flying towards him and he heard it smash. He turned around to see a fallen guard who had received an unexpected strike to his head from the remnants of a once a flamboyant vase.

  Skiddle and Torrlan entered the room. Torrlan slammed the door shut and jammed a heavy chair in front of it. The room, filled with fine pieces of furniture, was clearly the residence of someone of importance. The stone fire place was filled with glowing embers and the walls were lined with the stuffed heads of many hunts, the prizes of a skilled huntsman.

  The window that they had spotted from outside was open and at its base lay an unconscious guard. "Well I see you had no trouble getting in," remarked Skiddle.

  Torrlan headed away from the door with another shrug of his shoulders. He then moved toward a short table that was covered in half finished dispatches and pushed it away from the wall. Skiddle joined him and together they pushed against the back wall. A low grinding filled the air and slowly the wall pushed inwards leaving a square hole in the seemingly solid stone. They stopped pushing after they had made enough space to fit through the opening and stopped as the door to the room burst inwards. Torrlan slipped into the opening leaving Skiddle to deal with the guards. Skiddle raised his eyes to the sky as he wondered what he had done to deserve this.

  The first guard slammed into him, forcing the air from his lungs. As he struggled to regain his breath, the next guard sent a heavy punch into his chest. Skiddle managed to free himself and jumped into the middle of the room. He raised his hand blocking an attacker's strike and swung back sending the guard reeling against the wall.

  The remaining guards encircled him and Skiddle prepared himself for the beating of a lifetime, but once again luck turned his way. From the corridor came the three scorpions, battered and bruised, and from the hidden alcove came Torrlan followed by their Captain, who wore a mask of unblemished anger. The fight that ensued was one of utter frustration as the Scorpions worked relentlessly to silence the guards. After they had managed to destroy almost every item in the room, Thibalt turned to his men.

  "What in the planes took you all so long?" yelled Thibalt. "They could have killed me by now!"

  The Scorpions stared at their Captain in amazement. None of them could believe that he was scolding them for what they had just gone through.

  "Where are the others?" he demanded in a harsh voice.

  "Estallion is with 'em," Skiddle replied, deciding it best not to mention that not everyone had been rescued yet.

  "Well at least someone with half a brain is still around then," remarked Thibalt. "Now how are we getting out of here?"

  Torrlan moved to the window and began tapping his fingers on the frame. Thibalt and Skiddle let out meaningful sighs and moved to their exit.