The Demon's Chamber

by Brian Spielbauer

  Fiji looked at Arlow. “We will help you, but all of your weapons must stay on the boats, and for now we will guard you. Do not make me regret this decision.”

  Arlow dropped to a knee, and with a quivering lip at this miracle for his people. He replied slowly and with great appreciation, “My people thank you, and we will repay you as we can. We are forever indebted and in our service.”

  The dwarves quickly went back to shore and soon there were many dwarf boats ferrying the people to shore. There were also boats that were used to get the men’s horses to shore, which proved to be far more difficult. The hospitality of the dwarves was far reaching as they invited the refugees into their homes, giving them medicine and food that was needed. The dwarf soldiers busied themselves with building new huts for the men and trying to find as much food as they could. In all, there were twenty boats with a total of two thousand men, women, and children on board still alive. Many had already died. Whatever the battle, and how it occurred, the results were devastating. The men were indeed forever grateful for the help from the dwarves, help that saved their people.

  As the days passed it became clear that there was nothing to fear from the human people. They were too beat up to fight, and it was not their intentions anyway. As the men and women became healthy they too joined the dwarves in the building of huts and gathering of food. The children soon were playing with the dwarf children on the shores of the sea.

  Arlow told the dwarf kings of the great battle in which only one fifth of their boats were saved. The rest now lay still at the bottom of the Iceberg Sea, along with over ten thousand men, women, and children. While it would take a long time, someday they would take back their lands and gain revenge on those that drove them out.

  Telon’s attention shifted back to his burning desire, to help his brother.

  “It is time for us to leave,” Telon announced to Fiji and Arlow. Arlow had been informed of the situation with Telon and Tegan, so he knew that this time was coming soon. “We are departing this evening.”

  “You will not be going alone. When I called you answered, you have not asked and do not need to. Five hundred of our number will go with you,” Fiji said. “I will also be in touch with your city, for when we are called again we will send all we have.”

  “I will take your generous offer. I fear that the time is coming soon when all of our forces will be needed, no matter how much I hope they won’t be,” Telon answered.

  “The time that arises happens when it will, hope and preparation can neither prevent it nor make it happen. If that was so, we would not be here now. Do your best in every time as you can, and hope history can be a good judge of your works. I wish you the best, young King Telon. You have proven both unselfish and merciful to our people,” Arlow said, shaking Telon’s hand.

  Telon then left to make his army ready. Within an hour, all their tents were down and his troops were ready to depart. The five hundred dwarves of the Flau Strand were also ready to go. They were under the direction of Treeg, Fiji’s eldest son.

  As they were ready to depart and the soldiers took up their files, King Arlow road up on his steed and said, “My people have decided you should not go without what we can send. Three hundred of our most able men have volunteered to ride with you. I send no general with them, for they wish to march under your banner and will follow any order you give them. It is our thanks for all you have done for us, our wives, and our children. We no longer are a homeless wandering people, we consider ourselves people living proudly under both the banners of The Flau Strand and of Tunder Bin!”

  The families of the soldiers came up and lined the road that led back to Tunder Bin. It was indeed a tribute to the hospitality shown the people by the dwarves at their time of utmost need. A true bond had been formed in a short time between the two groups, and it would never be broken.

  Chapter 17: The Runaway

  Lizzy’s heart raced as the log began to slow and eventually came to a stop, leaving her sunken in a sea of silence. She stood, her legs shaking as much from the nervousness of her getaway as from the ride itself. Lizzy grabbed Jedrek’s things and was thankful that despite the crazy ride, he was still sleeping. She hoped Jedrek would never have any memories of this day.

  Lizzy checked the tunnel in both directions, looking for any signs she was being followed. Lizzy set Jedrek softly down and went back to the hollowed log and pulled it out of the slot where it rode, hoping to hide her escape. She then leaned it next to several other logs sitting off to the side.

  Lizzy was amazed out how light it was, but as she let go of it the log fell into the next one with a thud. The sound echoed up and down the hall, sounding her presence. She would double her efforts to be as quiet as possible.

  Lizzy picked up Jedrek and slid into a side passage, then climbed up several flights of stairs. They were draped with cobwebs, having been abandoned for many years. The feel of the webs against her skin would normally have been too much for her to bare, but Lizzy set her mind and jaw, knowing she had to plow through this test for Jedrek’s sake. It was exactly what she pictured goblin holes to be like, and she prayed she would not see any of those vile creatures here.

  Milan promised her the log ride and this tunnel would provide safe passage to the far southeast corner of the mountain. The passage would take her through the heart of the goblin infested region, but Milan believed it was an ancient tunnel the dwarves made for emergencies only. It did not attach to the rest of the tunnels of the old dwarf city, and should be free of the filthy beasts. Lizzy only needed to get through this last stretch of tunnel, which would be followed by another log ride through a short passage. If Milan was right, that ride would deliver her to the edge of the mountain and to her escape.

  Her legs quickly began to tire, the strain of the day taking its toll on Lizzy. The stench in the musty cave got worse the farther she went, which she took as a poor sign. The only thought keeping her going was to try and get to the next log and get out of the mountain as quickly as possible, and most importantly unnoticed. The sound ahead stopped her quickly, the hair on her neck stood up as the ruffled voices of a few goblins echoed in the tunnel. She quickly stepped to the side of the stairs, hoping the wall would provide her cover.

  Lizzy cautiously stepped up higher, slowly reaching the top of the stairs. She peeked around the corner and saw two goblins standing next to the only log there. It was no doubt the one she needed for her get away.

  “I ain’t seen this’n tunnel befer!” the shorter of the short fat goblins slurred.

  “Me nither,” spouted the taller, “but I’m-a-guessin’ this log’s meant for somtin! It a’sure looks cleanter dan da rest of dem we sawed!”

  “Should we’z wait, maybe sees who comes fer it? Or shoulda weez get back to der city and lets ‘em know?” the shorter one asked.

  Before the taller one could reply, the muffled sound of Jedrek’s crying began to fill the empty passage. The goblins immediately tried to locate the sound, but the echo of the empty passage made it difficult.

  Lizzy’s fear gripped and wrung her into a frozen state. She had no idea whether to run away, or try desperately to get past the goblins to the log. The goblins drew their swords and hunted the sound as it, slowly locating the origin of the cry.

  Try as she might Lizzy could not get Jedrek to quiet, as it was feeding time again. Lizzy knelt by the wall and tried to comfort him, ready to meet her fate. She looked up and saw the two goblins drooling smiles as they peered over the steps at the girl and baby.

  “Well, we’z gonna be heroes after we’in bring da queen and baby back!” the taller goblin laughed, the thoughts of the honor and a great feast flowing through his decrepit mind. An honor, he decided, which would be far better not shared.

  “Get her!” the taller one ordered. The smaller one took a step forward, raising his sword to detain the captors. The taller one took his opportunity, and raised his own sword. He brought it down on his unsuspecting companion, catching his friend
between his shoulder and neck. The shorter one screamed in terror, falling toward Lizzy. Its sword just missed Jedrek, thanks to Lizzy sliding down another step.

  “Der’z only’t gonna beez onet ‘ero t’day!” the greedy goblin snarled in delight.

  Lizzy screamed in surprise, holding Jedrek closer. “Leave us alone!” she yelled, her voice filling the hall and surrounding tunnels.

  “You’re comin wit me, get ya up here’n start a-walkin!” the lone goblin commanded.

  Lizzy followed his orders, having no other choice. She tentatively walked up the steps, briskly passing the goblin laying there, carefully avoiding him and his wriggling arm.

  “Ged-up ‘ere!” the larger goblin barked again, stepping down to grab her. But just as he did, his not quite dead partner reached up and grabbed his lower leg with his still useful arm. The larger goblin released Lizzy to drive his sword into the one-armed blob.

  Lizzy quickly kicked the distracted larger goblin, who lost his balance and rolled several steps down before gathering himself. His scream of rage filled the cavern with another sound and echoed down the tunnels. It was soon answered by many more goblins that must have also been searching the tunnels for Lizzy and Jedrek.

  Lizzy ran to the log as fast as she could, Jedrek’s cries now also filling the dusty cavern. It was as if he could sense the danger they were in. Lizzy saw the light from the torches of the approaching goblins up the passage. They were closing in fast.

  Her breath was running short as she reached the log, just as she set Jedrek in an arrow whizzed by her head and buried itself into a wooden support above her. Lizzy wasted no time, jumping into the log too. Arrows were flying all round her, burying themselves into the log. The constant plinks of arrows sounded like sleet pounding off the rocks during the spring storms. She needed to release the brake on the outside of the log, but was too afraid to reach out and give the goblins a target if she showed herself.

  Lizzy waited for a break in the arrows, which finally came. She looked up to see a goblin standing just above her, with his sword drawn. The hideous face of the goblin had cracked sores all around both sides of its wide mouth, which was not as full of teeth as it should have been. Moles and warts covered its skin, and several grubs were feeding off its face. Its hair was like that of an old broom that needed tossed, only far less in number. The goblin’s disgustingly obese body sagged everywhere, with Lizzy now knowing exactly what the foul smell in the tunnels came from. Its skin, not nearly covered enough, appeared to be smeared with grease of some kind.

  “Well, looks like we’ins have our’in prize after all! A perty dwarf maiden, flee’in da fight wit ‘er li’l baby. Da queen I’ld’a guess!” the same grand dreams of honor floated through his mind.

  Lizzy, a dwarf maiden, but still a dwarf, was not unarmed. She pulled from under her thick, flowing skirt a small cross-bow. It was easily hidden, easy to carry, but very deadly.

  “No, that is not I!” she stated with an air of defiance. She could not have been more scared, and she hoped that somehow Telon would show up to save her.

  The goblin reached down and grabbed the back of her dress, trying to pull her up. She could hear the others approaching. She needed to act quickly if she was to escape.

  Lizzy mustered all the courage in her, and just as the goblin began to lift her out of the log, she raised the cross-bow to his mid-section. Lizzy fired the arrow deep into goblin’s stomach. He released his hold on her without a sound. His body went limp and fell backward onto the others. Lizzy dropped back into her seat, releasing the brake just as another goblin arrived. She was gone in a second with the sound of the screeching goblins left behind her. A reign of frantic arrows smacked the walls, as they were guided by frantic and feeble aim.

  Lizzy knew this was only the beginning and she would need to get some quick distance away from the mountain when the log stopped. The goblins would be hot on her trail, if they weren’t already waiting for her at the bottom.

  While the ride was not long, it did allow her time to feed Jedrek. The hum of the ride quickly put him back to sleep, which also brought Lizzy comfort. The ride eventually ended as the log slowed and halted. It was pitch dark as she tried to get out. Her concern began to grow again as she did not know what to do or where to go from here. Milan told her there would be a map at the bottom, and help along the way. So far, she had neither. Lizzy failed to take Milan’s talk about with the attack seriously, so she did not pay attention nearly good enough. There was no noise in the tunnels, so she just sat there in the silence and dark, holding the future king.

  Lizzy woke to a sound of a light tapping and whispering, and she realized she had fallen asleep! How could she have let this happen? At first, she was frightened and angry, frightened at being caught by the goblins and angry at herself for letting Milan down. Then she realized the whisper was her name, someone was looking for her.

  She set Jedrek down in his bag, and stumbled in the dark toward the sound. After rounding a corner, she could make out the faint glow of light outside. She waited there, trying to see what was calling her name before she answered.

  A dwarf boy entered the dark. He was very young, and was just beginning to grow a beard. He had his axe in one hand, and rock hammer in the next.

  “Lizzy, are you in there? I am here to save you ma’am,” the boy whispered softly. He knew he better find Lizzy, or his father and grandfather would have his hide. He begged to take the mission so he could prove himself. ‘I am going in!’ he thought to himself as he set to start a torch.

  “Stop! The goblins will see you,” Lizzy insisted as she stepped out of the dark. Seeing the boy did not raise her hopes. “They sent you to help me, where are there others?” She stepped past him looking outside for the men who would take her to safety.

  “Ma’am, you need no one else!” the boy explained confidently. “I am Skyler, son of Tyler, son of Dorn, brother of Dorir, King of the Ring Mountains. Fear not, for I am here to take you to safety!” Skyler spoke with the utmost surety, hoping to make Lizzy less worried. His words did not have the intended affect.

  “Wait here,” Lizzy quipped, failing to hide her disappointment in the ‘help’ Milan had talked about. She went back inside the cave, and came out with Jedrek and his things. “I am carrying the future King of Tunder Bin, and we are being pursued by hundreds of goblins. They sent you to me?”

  Skyler did not notice her concern. “Ma’am, I am here to save you,” he stated matter-of-factly, “and as I have already said, you need not fear.”

  “Quit calling me ma’am,” Lizzy replied. “My name is Lizzy!”

  “Well then, Lizzy… many pardons. But please fear not,” he repeated.

  “Fear not? You must be joking. I can’t believe this is happening to me!” Lizzy began to cry as Jedrek stirred. Skyler noticed Lizzy’s real meaning and her lack of confidence. She collapsed to the ground, her head in her hands.

  Skyler reached down, and grabbing her arm to get her attention, he said, “Lizzy, I may be little, but I am mighty. I will get you where you need to go safely, all it requires is that you do as I say. The goblins are already out looking for you. Luckily, they are not aware of this entrance to the old city, but we need to go.”

  “How can we make it alone?” Lizzy pondered to Skyler hopelessly.

  “Alone? Perhaps I have misspoken, but I can assure you we are not alone! My men, why they are as mighty as I! They await us in the forest. Alone? Only a fool would attempt a mission this important alone, and I am no fool.”

  Lizzy was not sure if she could fully put her trust in this young lad, but his last words erased her fears for the moment. Besides, someone must have thought he was up for this challenge. With no better option, she succumbed and went with Skyler. The timber was very thick, and it soon became hard to see as the sun went down over the mountains, dusk infiltrating the last remanence of day.

  Lizzy had a very difficult time keeping up with the young lad, who weaved through the woods silently
and quickly, just as the forest animals scurry silently through the trees. He was like a squirrel, darting through the foliage, leaving no trail behind.

  Several times Skyler would stop and wait impatiently for Lizzy. He was very confident in himself, for despite his age this was not the first time he had been in a predicament like this.

  Lizzy was looking around every tree for the warriors Skyler talked about, but they had not appeared. As they came up to a small stream, he cupped both of his hands over whistled like the birds she heard tweeting in the trees. She was amazed when several other whistles answered him from across the stream. Was he actually talking with the birds?

  Soon, several other small dwarf boys stepped out from the growing shadows, and one of them throwing a rope to Skyler. Lizzy’s heart sank again, the ‘warriors’ sent to save the future king of all Lemuria were boys.

  Skyler tied the rope around his waist, and whispered to Lizzy, “Let’s go, we need to get across the stream. The goblins are getting close.”

  Lizzy heard nothing as she looked to the trees around her, but took Skyler’s hand as they waded into the quick flowing stream. The cold water grabbed her attention, which was already at a high level. Lizzy doubted the need for the rope, as the first two steps the water only went to her knees. Both of their next steps dropped them neck deep into the stream, and Lizzy struggled to keep her and Jedrek’s head above water. She let out a quick scream as the freezing water rushed over her. Skyler quickly covered her mouth. Jedrek was startled at the cold water as well. He was about to scream.

  “Shhhh! They are very close!” Skyler said, as he took Jedrek from her and handed him to one of the boys who had stepped in to help. The boy quickly rushed Jedrek into the trees and away from the river before his cries filled the darkness.