by Inlo, Jeff
Unwilling to take any risks with the spider, Ryson burst directly through the front door of the bakery. He didn't like the thought of rushing into an enclosed place, but his choices were limited. He couldn't turn back towards the chasing goblins and shags, so it was either enter the building or head for the rooftops. The thought of additional spiders lying in wait sent him inside.
Once within the building, he was no longer visible to the hook hawks, which was his plan. Without a moment's hesitation, he sped through the serving area and into the back kitchen. There, he stopped. He had no intention of waiting long, but he had to create a moment of confusion for Okyiq and his monsters. He hoped that the unanticipated move would create enough indecision to catch them all by surprise. After taking a few breaths, he intended to bolt to the rear entrance and temporarily head due east before turning back to the north.
Before he could reach the back door, the spider crashed through the wall—not a move he expected. He was not quite trapped, but he immediately recognized the wrong decision would lead to his end. He still had a path to both the front and back doors, but he knew that Okyiq could once again see his position through the multiple eyes of the giant spider. Once he chose a direction, the large goblin could reinforce the streets with several hook hawks at the front or back of the bakery and wait for him to emerge. Okyiq would risk losing additional assets, but he'd have Ryson caught between the spider and a host of hawks, not an enviable position.
Attacking a bloat spider was very much like willingly inviting a very bad dream to invade his consciousness the moment he fell asleep. It wasn't going to be pleasant and the memory would stay with him for some time. If he had any other choice, Ryson would have taken it, but there was nothing to do but fight his way through the opening in the sidewall. To get there, he had to go through the spider.
The giant arachnid skittered deftly upon its eight, high arched legs. It made no aggressive move, appeared content to watch its prey as it shifted slightly side to side. It actually appeared much more interested in the glowing blade of Ryson's sword than on the delver himself.
Hoping to surprise both the spider and Okyiq—who was most certainly watching through the monster's eyes—Ryson darted first to his right and toward the back door. He put his hand out for the door handle, but his fingers never touched the lever.
With one quick flash of movement, he pulled his arm back and leapt at the wall. He used the hard surface as a springboard to propel him back toward the spider. With all the speed he could muster, he dashed directly at the huge arachnid. Just as he came dangerously close to the creature's poisonous fangs, he leapt up over the top half of the creature and on to the topside of its large abdomen. With one more jump, he passed through the hole in the wall and out into the alley.
He quickly noted several hook hawks soaring low near the front and back of the bakery, but the ends of the alley were clear. He raced back to the front of the building and turned once more to the north.
He encountered two more spiders before reaching the north gate, but they had been covering other roads. They were too far out of position to pose any danger, and Ryson was able to sprint past them without difficulty.
Upon reaching the north gate, which was closed and locked, Ryson scampered up the frame and over the edge of the wall. At the very top, he held a commanding view of the countryside before him. He saw the webs the spiders had set across the roads and fields. There was not a single clear passage ahead, but north or east was not his destination, and he leapt down from the wall ready to carry out the last phase of his escape.
The moment he hit the ground, Ryson turned. He remained right at the base of the wall, close enough to the barricade that his shoulder almost grazed it as he ran. He headed west, back toward the forest. He ran with blazing speed. He would not go anywhere near the webs that blocked all passage in the opposing direction. There was no need. All he had to do was reach the trees.
For another brief moment, the hook hawks lost sight of the delver. They had been brought down too low or were too far away from the northern edge of the town to see the ground at the base of the wall. It would only take moments to reposition the beasts, but by then, the delver had made significant progress toward the forest.
When Okyiq finally understood where the delver was ultimately headed, his rage exploded.
"Kill the delver! Shoot him down! Keep firing!"
His orders, delivered both verbally and mentally, sent the goblin horde into an absolute frenzy. The goblins only had a vague idea of the delver's location. They knew he was headed toward Dark Spruce, but Okyiq's commands and messages were laced with burning hostility. The little fiends raced in nearly every direction and started firing at everything and anything that moved.
Three hook hawks that attempted to swoop down upon the delver near the wall were shot out of the air by goblin crossbow fire. The rest were ordered back to higher elevations as Okyiq tried to regain control.
The goblin leader's efforts were spotty at best. He was able to restrain about a third of the horde, but the rest shrieked and screamed with so much aggression they could barely think straight on their own, let alone follow the commands sent on the waves of magical connections.
As Ryson raced past the western borders of Burbon, he came to the most dangerous part of his quest to reach safety. It became necessary to break from the base of the wall and out into the open. He couldn't simply circle the town forever. At some point, he would have to cross the clearing before he could utilize the shelter of any hills or possibly the higher banks of the nearby river. Once he made it to the trees of Dark Spruce, he knew he would be safe, but the clearing around the town was created for the very purpose of placing enemies on open ground.
Okyiq hurriedly sent the goblins he controlled out through Burbon's western gate and placed them in a disorganized line. It was the best he could do given the pandemonium erupting through the horde. He ordered his minions to ready their bows and fire in one wide pattern. He hoped he would get lucky.
Ryson immediately caught sight of the movement at the gate. Just as he did with the spider, he decided to confront the threat directly. He jumped into the center of their ranks, sending several goblins sprawling to the ground. In a burst of pure speed, he raced past them, left them facing the wrong direction. Those that were able to turn and fire were not even close to hitting their target.
Rather than turning due west, Ryson headed toward the river first and crossed the bridge in one final burst of speed. Racing away without looking back, he was soon in Dark Spruce and safely away from Okyiq and his dark army.
Okyiq grumbled with dissatisfaction. He kicked away several goblins as he stormed around in a circle. His anger continued to boil and he almost disregarded a message that Desiv sent him through their magical connection.
"Burbon is yours," Desiv's voice rang in Okyiq's mind. "The captain is dead. Human guards are headed toward Dunop. You have achieved everything we needed you to do,"
"Stupid delver escaped!" the enraged goblin cursed, as he was in no mood for congratulations.
"We expected that," Desiv responded. "The delver was always going to be an annoyance, but now he is filled with grief and anger. In such a state, he will make a mistake, and we will use that error to destroy him."
Chapter 20
Macheve was surprised to find Petiole sitting contentedly on the end of his bed. She expected him to be pacing around the room or looking out the window... or both. Instead, he appeared calm and almost completely lucid. She watched him for long moments before entering his room, deciding it was important to assess his condition.
Petiole noticed the serp hovering just beyond his doorway. For the most part, he ignored her. His mind was fixed upon his great victory. He kept picturing the view from the rooftop in Pinesway, how he stood high above the humans, and more importantly, the dwarves. He remembered every word he said. The words on the parchment were originally not his own, but he had adopted them totally, enshrined them as part of his l
egacy.
He viewed the dwarves as enemies to all races. They had committed grievous crimes, of that there was no debate. Criminals had to be punished, as he tried to do when he ordered the shadow tree seeds dropped upon Dunop. His act was not one of cruelty, but of righteous justice. Yet, he was the one considered a villain, a lawbreaker. The dwarves in their arrogance even imprisoned him, but that was a very long time ago, or so it seemed in the jumbled mind of the old elf.
He considered the humans of Pinesway, the ones he warned with the same indignation he placed upon the dwarves. They needed to understand the depth of their particular circumstances. For their own good, they required a new direction. He would force them to recognize the twisted path they tread and the true character of their chosen friends. They could not hide behind ignorance, and they could not deny their burgeoning relationship with criminals. They had actually allowed the dwarves free passage throughout their town, allowed the criminals to adorn their buildings.
Disgusting!
It didn't matter. It would all come to an end. The logging, the trade with the dwarves; it would all stop. He would see to it. And if the humans failed to recognize their own crimes, they would be punished as well. Any race that chose to align themselves with the underground dwellers was clearly just as guilty.
The old elf snickered as he considered his newfound power. He wasn't just idly dreaming of vengeance. He had the tools to see his convictions through to their proper execution. The serps would take his commands to the elves of Dark Spruce. He was their rightful leader, and by the very traditions that kept an elf camp functioning, those same elves who once turned him over to the dwarves would have to follow his orders. If the humans persisted in logging or trading with the dwarves, he would demand the elf guard act to protect the forest and punish those who broke his new edicts.
If the elves of his camp ignored him, he had other methods available to him. Powerful creatures were placed at his disposal. He had feared the dieruhnes, but that all changed in Pinesway. He no longer viewed them as vicious demons, but as benevolent protectors and dispensers of justice. He would use them against the dwarves, the humans, and even against the elves... if necessary to bring them to heel.
Macheve carefully probed the old elf's mind. She did not wish to antagonize him, but she needed to know the depth of his newfound confidence. The content of his thoughts pleased her, almost to the point where she didn't wish to interrupt his brazen considerations. Time constraints, however, made it necessary.
"Are you ready to make another proclamation?" she asked with a respectful tone as she finally entered the old elf's private room.
Petiole looked up with a wide grin.
"I believe I am," Petiole acknowledged, though he had absolutely no idea of what his next order might be. He believed it would come to him, just as his first decree had arrived to him in the form of a written decree provided by the serp.
"I assume you will be addressing the matter of the dwarves trespassing through Dark Spruce," Macheve offered.
"Of course," Petiole agreed with utterly no comprehension of the serp's intentions.
"And it's about time," Macheve prodded. "The dwarves are running around as if they own the forest. They traipse between Dunop and Pinesway without a thought to elf right or dominion."
"That is true," Petiole nodded his head in agreement. "It is trespassing."
"The dwarves belong underground," the serp continued. "The forest is the home of the elves. That has been the arrangement for as long as elves and dwarves have existed."
"The dwarves have no right to be above ground," the old elf agreed.
"Indeed, they do not. Do you think they would allow elves to run free through their underground cities?"
"Absolutely not! They would call us trespassers even as they trespass in the forest."
"You are correct. They would expect the elves to respect their underground domain, but they do not feel so restrained regarding Dark Spruce Forest. If they can restrict elf access to their cities below ground, they must expect the same limitations regarding the surface of Uton. Placing certain limits on their right of entry into the forest is clearly required. Your judgment is indeed wise."
"Thank you," Petiole responded, though he was not quite certain what his final judgment entailed, just that it would address the dwarves access to Dark Spruce Forest. He wondered what words he would use to proclaim his decision. He did not believe he would have to form them on his own. Everything had become much simpler since he joined with the serps.
Macheve did not disappoint the old elf as she held out yet another parchment.
"Just as last time, I have written down your order. It's all here. You will sign it, and it will be presented to the dwarves immediately."
Petiole took the paper and quickly read through the edict as if each word came from his own mouth. He nodded in approval to thank Macheve for her excellent work in transcription. Just as the serp had suggested, the elf wished to enact the order immediately.
"Am I going back to Pinesway?" he asked with a slight hint of impatience.
"No, this one will be delivered directly to the entrance of Dunop."
Macheve had not intended to be so blunt, but she decided to test the elf's newfound courage. She expected Petiole to recoil in fear at the prospect of returning to his place of imprisonment, and while he displayed clear hesitation, his response was still somewhat startling.
"Will the dieruhnes be accompanying me?"
"Of course," the serp said with a toothy grin. "We will not allow anything to happen to you, but this edict must be conveyed to the dwarves without risk of miscommunication. All of Dunop must be made aware of your expectations."
Petiole appeared to consider the serp's words with great care, as if he was measuring their weight against a reality he could no longer recognize. He contemplated what it would mean for him to return to Dunop. With the dieruhnes beside him, he doubted he would be in any danger of being captured. Surprisingly, he focused more intently on the delivery of his orders and whether or not Dunop even deserved to receive him.
"Is it really necessary that I go to the dwarves?" Petiole finally asked. "Perhaps we should summon a dwarf emissary and deliver the proclamation through less engaged diplomatic measures."
Macheve's surprise grew.
"You wish to summon a representative of Dunop rather than deliver it personally?"
"Why should I inconvenience myself? It is beneath me to deliver a proclamation like some messenger boy. And for me to stand before the entrance of Dunop? I believe that is allowing them too much recognition. They should consider themselves lucky they have my attention at all."
The serp had to stifle a laugh, for she could see the elf was deadly serious. Macheve quickly regained her composure and dealt with Petiole as if she was a wise and trusted advisor of an ancient elf king.
"Your points are well taken, but we must remember that these are dwarves. If we summon an emissary, they may stall before sending one, or ignore us completely. They are a defiant and arrogant lot. We can't expect them to respect your legitimate authority. It would put themselves in a lesser light, and dwarves never admit their own mistakes. They are too cowardly to do so. And we don't want to let them deliberately avoid the issue, do we?"
"Of course not."
"Then it is best if the declaration is delivered as soon as possible."
"Very well, I suppose it is part of my duty."
"That is very understanding of you."
Getting Petiole to accept a journey back to Dunop's entrance in Dark Spruce was only a portion of Macheve's task. She also needed to make the old elf comprehend the methods which she planned to employ.
"In order to make the most of your appearance in Dark Spruce, we want it to be noticed. We also want to ensure the dwarves of Dunop know your declarations are serious. To meet this goal, the edict must be affixed to a place where it is assured to get all of Dunop's attention. We will place it on the body of a dwarf sentry... which
means a dwarf soldier will have to be killed. We can't simply wait around for some fortunate accident. This will require a certain amount of engagement on the part of the dieruhnes. Do you understand?"
Petiole shrugged off the cravenly calculated offense with cold indifference.
"Casualties are a part of war."
"So true, but this is a very... delicate operation. It has to be completed in a certain way. The dieruhnes will ensure your protection, but you must not interfere with them, even if you don't agree with their tactics. You must trust them. Otherwise, they will not be able to protect you. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
"Excellent, then I will have Rivira send you into Dark Spruce this instant."
Macheve, satisfied Petiole would carry out his portion of the scheme, turned her attention to Rivira and the four dieruhnes. She whispered her orders and then directed the sorceress to cast the teleportation spell.
Petiole instantly found himself on the forest floor, in a very thick section of woods. He had been teleported directly into Dark Spruce with the four dieruhnes by his side, and they stood next to him in the heavy brush. His visibility was limited, and the elf considered climbing a tall tree to get a better view until one of the dieruhnes commanded him to stay put. Though he once again thought of himself as the rightful ruler of his elf camp, he did not question the demon's authority, just as he would not have questioned an elf guard regarding his personal security when he was the recognized elder.
In order for the dieruhnes to fulfill their own mission, they needed assistance from the elves who were stationed in the area. The dark creatures had not simply teleported into a section of the forest without advanced knowledge of their surroundings. They were given the exact location of three elf guards in the trees and two dwarf sentries near the tunnel opening to Dunop.
