For Whom the Bell Trolls: Hands of the Highmage, Book 1

by D. H. Aire

  “Our brother isn’t—” Ani’ya gasped.

  Nessa moved to shout “No” as a brigand’s blade pressed against her tongue.

  “Wh… at?”

  “Our brother didn’t come with us!” Ani’ya cried.

  He pressed a claw to her jugular. “Do… not… lie!”

  “He didn’t!” Ani’ya shouted.

  Yel’ane rasped, “She’s telling you the truth…”

  Lowering his cowl, the girls screamed at the sheer sight of his twisted and pointy eared visage.

  The goblin before Yel’ane turned, demanding, “See… s…ign… of… boy?”

  “No, My Lord,” the brigand leader answered, trembling.

  The goblin leaned close as he licked Yel’ane blood from a claw and whispered in her left ear, “You… have… spirit… I… will… enjoy… every… bite.”

  #

  Greth and Lawson worked their way around the brigand’s fortress and climbed the west facing stone walls with ease, aided in large part by Greth’s height. Dropping within Greth followed the goblin scent, much of it old, but the fresh scent was wafting on the breeze from the main building.

  He gestured in the dark, which to Lawson’s was still clear as day. They climbed the walls of the building and edged toward the thatched roof as the screaming began. Brushing aside some of the thatch, Greth peered into the fire lit room and saw the goblins dinner being set out.

  The poor creatures never noticed him or moments late Lawson peering down at them as the goblins came to the table. Lawson grimaced, glancing at Greth, who nodded, drawing his broadsword from his back-strapped sheath as he rose and muttered, “Not too late to change your mind.”

  “I’ll be, uh, right behind you.”

  Greth grinned, then jumped upon the thatch, the roof giving way instantly beneath him.

  #

  Nessa could not watch as the goblins took their places at the ghastly table as the brigands surrounded them and ordered them to remain silent. Wiping her eyes, Vi’ya glanced up just as some gave out a horrendous roar and dropped from the ceiling, crying, “Prect!”

  The goblins looked up stunned even as the gigantic figure’s sword clove the shorter one’s neck from his shoulders, spraying blood across Ani’ya, Nessa, and a half dozen gaping brigands, as his head sailed across the room to knock the brigand leader to the floor.

  The other goblin tried to thrust the table before him out of his way, but their rescuer’s bulk weighed it back into place as he landed. The goblin drew a sickly green glowing dagger and the discolored metal broadsword, the largest Vi’ya had ever seen, swung back and struck it.

  There was an explosion, which sent the goblin reeling backward as foul smoke billowed.

  A second shorter figure dropped from the ceiling as several of the brigands rallied to the attack.

  Nessa tripped the woman closest to her as she turned to aid her fellows. The woman rose and slapped her, knocking her backward, then the woman raised her dagger to stab her and…

  A brigand’s body was thrown across the room and knocked the woman right off her feet.

  The giant’s broadsword clove through the mist at the ducking goblin, who shouted in a tongue Nessa recognized not at all. The brigand leader shook herself and thrust the goblin’s head away from her in disgust, shouting, “Kill them!”

  Chapter 9 – Brigand’s Hall

  Lawson stood, not with a sword in his hand, but a long thin pipe, which he raised it to his lips, pointed at the women, apparently, ordering the other women to attack them. He blew.

  A small dart struck her chest. Her eyes rolled up and down she went. He chose another target just as Greth and the remaining goblin came out of the smoke and knocked the table powerfully enough that he almost swallowed the chemically coated dart as he fell to the floor.

  The table was knocked again, just missing hitting him in the head as he rolled; the two restrained girls dangled beside him. Eyes wide, they stared at him. “Hi,” he said, hoping they understood him.

  “Uh, um, hi,” Yel’ane replied, uncertain. “Could you cut us down, please?”

  “Without eating us,” Ani’ya half-joked.

  Lawson frowned, canting his head, trying to understand as women screamed. He peered back over the table as a woman crept up behind Greth, who faced the glaring goblin. Raising the blowgun, he spat another dart. The brigand crumpled as the remaining women fled from the room.

  Greth charged the goblin, who muttered another curse. He parried the curse with his broadsword, which struck the dark metal and recoiled. The blade smoked where it impacted and dissipated.

  The goblin chuckled, “You are far from home, Troll.”

  “As are you,” he replied in the goblin’s tongue.

  Lawson ducked back down, drew his dagger, and cut the girls free, trying his best not to look too closely at them.

  As Yel’ane fell free she heard Nessa shout, “Girls, over there, to cover!”

  “We can’t!” yelled back Lan’lein as they cringed back against the wall.

  The goblin edged closer to the girls and said, “They look delicious do they not?”

  “They look like babies to me.”

  “Well, troll babies do taste wonderful.”

  Greth smiled thinly, holding his sword at the ready, “I suppose to a Goblin mage that’s true.”

  “That sword of the becursed metal will not spare you my wrath forever.” He glanced at the terrified girls. “It certainly will not save them. Unless, you put it aside, that is.”

  Greth glanced at the girls off to his right as Lawson looked over the table’s edge as did the older girl who had been served as an offering. Lawson frowned, ducked back, likely searching for his blowgun, which was not lethal enough with the drugged darts he carried to be of real use against something the size of a goblin.

  Ani’ya whispered to Yel’ane, “What’s he doing?”

  “I don’t know,” she muttered as the rather tall ugly looking man rummaged through the bag he had worn over his shoulder.

  He suddenly smiled, which was a less than pleasant expression to behold, drew out a small bag with a drawstring. Opening it, he poured into his hand what looked to be a glass marble half filled with a metallic powder. Looking up, he gestured them to duck lower, then listened carefully before hefting the pipe, priming it with the glass ball.

  #

  The goblin mage gestured at Nessa, “I think I will curse this one first. Should I stop her heart or, perhaps, make her bleed to death?”

  Greth grimaced, but did not lower his sword.

  “Do you think I joke?”

  “No, Goblin, but I am no fool to believe you would spare anyone here, either.”

  “Then hear my curse…”

  That was when Lawson rose up from behind the table, blowgun raised and spat. The goblin’s mouth opened wide taking a breath before uttering a word. The glass ball shot into his mouth. With a gasp, he nearly choked and bit down. The metal powder filled his mouth. He spat some out as Greth charged, swinging out with his broadsword.

  The goblin mage cast his curse at Greth instead. That’s when his mouth exploded and he dropped dead. The girls screamed, cringing back.

  “See, I can kill a goblin with this,” Lawson said, standing tall.

  Greth glanced about, “I stand corrected.”

  #

  Ani’ya peered over the overturned table as Nessa shouted at the girls to look away and stop their cries. “He killed the goblin…” She turned and stared at Lawson as he bent to examine Yel’ane’s bloody scratches as she looked back uncertainly at her odd rescuer.

  Ani’ya sudden raced to Lawson and hugged him, “Thank you! Thank you!”

  Eyes wide, Lawson did not know what else to down except pick her up and allow her to try to strangle him with that hug. “It… good,” he managed to say.

  “It good?” Greth echoed, struggling with the unusual sounds. “Where have you learned to speak Human?”

  “We speak Human,”
Lawson replied, “they speak what they think Human is.”

  “Well, I’m sure the Old Council Elders will be happy to know you agree we are human rather than, well, trolls, like the goblins call us.”

  “Of course, we’re human, Greth. We’re just… a bit taller than our ancestors who came to this world were.”

  “Speaking of short people, what exactly are we supposed to do with this lot? We can’t leave them here… I’d rather any other goblins dine on the locals, who deserve their fate…”

  Lawson did his best to disentangle the little girl and hand her to the lightly bleeding girl, who was trying to pull the torn sections of her shift closer. “First, we get them something more appropriate for travel to wear; then let’s get as far away from here as possible.”

  “Works for me,” Greth replied, realizing all the girls were now staring at them. “How long until the drug wears off these ladies here?”

  “Based on their size and what I judge to be their weight…” Lawson answered, “an hour, perhaps two.”

  “Then we should use it to our advantage. I do not fancy the idea of walking from here with harriers at our back.”

  Lawson nodded.

  Greth walked over to the unconscious brigand leader and tossed her over his shoulder as the girls gaped in concern. He sighed, “Tell them to grab what food they can and anything else at hand?”

  “I don’t have words enough for that,” Lawson admitted.

  “I was afraid of that.”

  Nessa frowned as the trolls stood there, making no move to harm them, but clearing considering some action. One she intended would include them. She began giving the girls orders.

  Yel’ane winced, “I hope you know what you’re doing, Nessa.”

  “Me, too,” she replied.

  “Good, I think they understand that part at least,” Lawson replied.

  #

  Yel’ane stared as the shorter troll examined her scrapes and put ointment that he pulled from his satchel on her bloody scratches. “Uh, thank you,” she offered, realizing his touch was both gentle and softer than she expected.

  He frowned, seeming to struggle with her words and chose to merely nod back.

  Nessa edged closer, offering her and Ani’ya one of the blankets they had found in the room to wrap herself in.

  The far taller troll stood on the other side of the doorway holding the unconscious brigand in his arms and making some kind of demands in the goblin tongue. Someone apparently understood enough of it that their clothing, even Nessa’s bow and empty quiver were returned. He barred the hall door soon thereafter, laying his sleeping prisoner down beside her two companions, then without a word he climbed to the rafter and slipped back out through the hole in the ceiling.

  “Where’s he going?” Nessa asked.

  The short troll gestured that all was well, but the concerned look in his eyes, hinted that he knew it might not be.

  Nessa called over at Yel’ane as the girls ate bread and vegetables, having no desire to eat any of the roast meat, though, it was clearly that of a goat. “I hope they’ve a plan that doesn’t include our walking across the Badlands.”

  Nessa handed Yel’ane some bread as she came over, while the shorter troll checked on the two other unconscious targets of his blowgun.

  “Uh, Nessa,” she half whispered, “where do you think they plan to take us?”

  “Let’s hope it is not back to Catha,” Nessa whispered back.

  “Then you think…”

  Nessa nodded, “This definitely wasn’t a training exercise…”

  “Father…”

  “He wouldn’t have sent us away like this unless things were very bad.”

  “Bad enough that the goblins were interested?”

  Nessa nodded.

  “But the Sisters will surely send someone to look for us.”

  “Not any time soon. Getting all the other girls out of the Badlands has to be her priority,” Nessa said, seeing their far too many charges standing around their belongings. “Girls, come here behind the table and change into your clothes!”

  #

  After Greth returned with Lawson’s large bag, he found the girls all dressed and wearing what appeared to be stout shoes. “Lawson, happy now?”

  “Mother won’t be. I’m missing a call to her.”

  “Not safe here.”

  “Oh, I know that.”

  Greth unbarred the door, shouting in goblin, “We are coming out now with your women!”

  They were soon walking out into the ramshackle courtyard, the girls marching wide-eyed behind them. Greth set down the brigand leader unceremoniously as he eyed the saddled horses he had demanded, which had skins of water tied to them.

  Lawson helped the two older girls mount and set two of the little girls in front of them and another behind. On the other two mounts, he set the tallest of the younger ones in groups of three, holding the reins to each.

  The brigands glared warily at them as the tall troll said a word that made the short one jog forward, pulling the two horses after him. Yel’ane and Nessa spurred theirs forward happy to be crossing the gate into the night. The starlight was just bright enough that they could follow the troll led horses before them southward.

  Moments later the taller troll was pacing them.

  Vi’ya said to Yel’ane, “Uh, where are they taking us?”

  “In the right direction for now, at least,” she replied as the other girls yawned. “Hold tight and close your eyes,” she said, wishing she could do the same, but fearing to.

  Interlude

  Surrounded by the book, she frowned, looking at the fading page before her. “It can’t be.”

  Words appeared: Would you like to try another book?

  “What?”

  The words faded and reappeared: Would you like to try another book?

  “Uh, you can hear me?”

  The words faded and… Of course not. This is just a magic book.

  She shook her head, then saw: However, I can see you sitting there debating, and I’ve become very good at reading lips.

  “You wrote this? About… But why?”

  It is a good place for you to start. After all, you think you know so much all ready. Some of which may even be true. Many other things still have to change, but that’s getting ahead of ourselves.

  She frowned, “I think I, uh, need to get back, now.”

  You’ve plenty of time yet. At least here and now.

  She swallowed, looked around, poised to close the book

  Well, I can’t stop you, it read. Go, if that’s what you want.

  “Um, they don’t know that Sire Ryff’s been murdered, do they?”

  Hmm, well, no, no way for them to. It’s not part of their story.

  “What? They don’t learn what happened?”

  That’s in another book, one you can read another day.

  “But… but that’s unfair! It should be in this one!”

  I did not say it was not, only that is not part of their story. After all, this is not precisely the tale of the Secondson, it’s… well, never mind, you are right. You should just close the book and, perhaps, come back in a week or two.

  “A week or two!” she squeaked, turning the page.

  Chapter 10 – Badlands and Crescent Lands

  Greth left them to check as to whether they were being pursued. He returned and signed that scouts were following, and worse, there was sign of trouble from the east as well. Nodding, Lawson kept leading the way through the night as Greth raced off ahead to the south and west.

  Lawson wondered how much longer it would be safe to follow the animal trail through the brush and between the hillside. The girls were mostly asleep, leaving him to be wary lest one or all the girls on the horses fell from their mounts.

  The older pair struggled to stay awake, apparently from similar fears. And, perhaps, fear of me and Greth, he thought. Oh, how Mother was going to rail at his taking such a chance… and keeping Greth by his
side, no less.

  #

  Casber rode the unicorn out of the mountains and into the lowland Crescent Lands. They stayed clear of the roads and signs of habitation day and night as they headed south and west. The following night, he suddenly twitched, not noting the crystal jewel of his elvin-wrought necklace suddenly shine.

  :Now on Emergency Frequency. Come in Assistant Engineer.:

  Abruptly the unicorn stopped, raising its head as if scenting something. Its horn became visible and glowed as she turned her head, eyes wide.

  :Assistant Engineer, acknowledge.:

  Casber’s face suddenly went blank as the jewel he wore glowed. :Unknown point source, responding to emergency transmission, over.:

  :Identify?:

  :Casber du Winome.:

  :Provide identification code.:

  The jewel provided a string of numbers and symbols.

  :You have identified yourself as Captain of Engineers, George Bradley.:

  The jewel around his neck hesitated for a fraction of a second as the unicorn craned her neck to look back at Casber. :We are his assistant engineer… Mother.:

  The jewel began flashing as data uploaded, then a download squealed back. Casber winced, eyes closed as if asleep in a bad dream. He soon swayed atop the unicorn’s back.

  :Acknowledged. Questor, out.:

  Yawning, Casber startled awake, “Hey, why are we stopped?”

  The mare trembled, eyes wide ‘Fate… It apparently calls. I should be taking you to the Empire…’

  His jewel flared momentarily red. Casber blinked, bemused.

  ‘However, the pull of fate is apparently quite strong. Hold tight!’

  The crystal went quiescent.

  Clinging to the unicorn’s mane, Casber feared he might fall off as the unicorn raced southward through the night, the Barrier Mountains always to the left and growing taller, as the Second Moon occluded the no longer twinkling star that had caught the unicorn’s gaze for a time as they once more arrowed closer to the edge of the rising heights the southern mountain clans called home.

  #