Skiddle came to with a scream. His head was throbbing terribly and as he tried to focus on his surroundings his vision remained heavily clouded. The first thing he noticed was that his hands and feet were bound. He felt something move behind him and managed to turn enough to see the massive form of Irrol tied up next to him. Skiddle let out a rather unsavoury curse causing Irrol to jump with a fright.
"That was hardly necessary," said the big man.
"If they managed to capture and tie you up, what chance do we have of gettin out of here?" he replied in a dissatisfied voice.
"I don't even remember what happened," said Irrol, shifting on the cold stone floor to face his captive companion.
"That doesn' surprise me. They would've had to pound you pretty heavily to get on those restraints," commented Skiddle, his vision finally returning to its normal sharpness. He studied the room, remarking, "We're in a prison of some sort."
"Well I'm glad that you're here to figure these things out," said Irrol sarcastically. "Who knows what would have happened to me?"
"Hold your fat tongue!" shot back Skiddle. "Now get me outta these bindings."
Irrol tensed his arms and snapped his own rope shackles with minimal effort. Skiddle gawked at Irrol's strength, but said nothing of it. Irrol then made quick work of the former thief's bindings and Skiddle rushed to the door. Within seconds it was open.
"How do you do that?" asked Irrol.
Skiddle slipped the pin in his palm back into his shoe and shrugged his shoulders. "Natural talent, I guess," he answered, causing Irrol to frown. "Now let's see if we can't get out of here."
"Wait a minute," said Irrol, grabbing Skiddle by the hood of his tunic. "We need to figure out what happened. All I remember was patrolling the highway to Rustown with the rest of the Scorpions."
Skiddle paused for a moment, trying to recall how they had gotten here. They had indeed been on the highway moving towards Rustown. The entire squad had been there. Then something had happened. "Masked attackers!" he muttered louder than he had intended.
Irrol threw Skiddle back into the room and raised his fists defensively. "Where?" he shouted.
"Keep your voice down you oaf," replied Skiddle. The small man suddenly felt a pang of guilt about his constant harassment of the large warrior. Had there been attackers outside of the corridor, Irrol would have risked his own life to save the smart mouthed thief. No one had ever done anything to help, let alone protect him. "What I meant to say, is we were attacked by masked assassins. If I can remember correctly. There was a flash, real white, and it took my vision. And a strange smell. I...I can't recall anymore."
"I can't remember a thing," returned Irrol, scratching his head. He was startled by a noise from outside and turned to find Robeld Horty and seven more of the Scorpions standing in the doorway. Several of them wore cuts and bruises on their faces. "Well, well," said the old man with a grin.
"Where are we?" asked Skiddle.
"Who knows," replied Robeld. "We need to see how many others there are here and then try and find a way out. Our cells were not far from here."
"Let's move quickly before anyone realises what's happening," said Irrol. The others agreed and they rushed down the corridor. Skiddle moved at the front, his keen eyes and ears scanning for any unexpected surprises. They passed an endless amount of dank empty cells until coming to another locked one.
Skiddle worked quickly to open the door, whilst the others kept watch in the corridor.
"These walls look as though they have only been put in recently," remarked Robeld. "In fact I would say, by the look of everything I have seen so far, that this place is recently constructed."
The rest of the group, having no great knowledge of workmanship accepted the old trackers conclusion. Skiddle waited for the expected click and opened the door.
Estallion swung around inside the cell and let out a puff. "About time!" he called angrily. "What took you so long? I have been cooped up in here for hours with nothing for company but a mute."
Torrlan stepped out of the shadows with a sour look on his face and moved up to Irrol. The big man placed his hand on Torrlan's shoulder.
"Where is everyone else?" demanded Estallion.
"We do not know," answered Robeld honestly.
"Well then get off your behinds and let's find the Captain," ordered Estallion, moving into the corridor.
"We haven't run into any guards so far," remarked Irrol.
"Speak for yourself," interrupted Robeld. "We fought off two before we got to you."
"You make it sound like that's a bad thing, Irrol," commented Estallion. "In my experience there is nothing better than a place that has no, or few guards. Whichever that may be."
"We're running on somewhat of a tight schedule," pointed out Skiddle.
Estallion cast a raised eyebrow at the thief and signalled for them to move. The group continued on and managed to free eight more Scorpions that were locked up in similar cells throughout the long passage. They stopped when the corridor branched of in two directions. "Which way Robeld?" asked Estallion.
"Left," he replied. "The way is more worn down."
They broke left and after a while the corridor began to rise up. Skiddle brought the company to a slower pace, hearing voices up ahead. He dropped low to the ground and signalled for Torrlan to join him. The mute weaved his way forward and, together with the skinny pickpocket, crept silently up the corridor.
A few moments later a shrill whistle, faint, yet just noticeable, sounded from ahead and Estallion urged the group onwards. They rounded a bend that opened into a small room. It was bare, but for the small table covered in cards and empty mugs.
Estallion looked at the two prone guards on the floor and nodded his approval to Skiddle and Torrlan. Skiddle raised his hand and pointed three fingers to the door that stood at the end of the room. Estallion nodded and motioned for Irrol to come up.
The big man moved to the door and the rest of the group lined up behind him. In one great swing Irrol broke down the door and rushed through. Before the three guards in the next room could word their surprise, they were out cold. The rest of the Scorpions moved in and scoped out the room. A rickety ladder rose at each side, leading up to a small manhole, and a large iron bound door stood directly opposite them. Without any orders two of the younger Scorpions, Ergal and Paeter, moved up the ladders and returned with smiles on their faces.
"Sentries?" asked Estallion.
The two soldiers nodded.
"How many?"
"None now," replied Paeter with a chuckle.
Skiddle headed for the door and placed his head against it. "This leads outside," he whispered.
The group moved to the sides of the room and Skiddle opened the door a fraction. He peered through and motioned for Torrlan to pass through. The mute slid through the small opening and disappeared into the night air outside. The group waited patiently until he finally returned. Torrlan faced Estallion and made a quick movement with his hands.
Estallion now knew enough of Torrlan's signals to understand. "Can you get to the Captain?"
Torrlan nodded and pointed at Skiddle and three other Scorpions.
"And what are we to do?" asked Robeld.
Torrlan made another flash of movements with his slender hands then escaped back out through the door. Skiddle and the three other Scorpions followed him without so much as a word.
"Is he so sure of himself?" asked Robeld in a slightly grumpy voice. "What if he fails?"
"Then at least we will make it out of here," answered Estallion.
The group opened the door once more and stepped into the open. They were in the midst of a great fort, built into the side of a mountain. In front of them lay the many structures that made up the inside of the complex. They had just exited from the rock of the mountain itself. Robeld made a quick study of the vast wall that encircled them and let out a curse. There were at least forty soldiers patrolling the top of the wall and he spotted at least fifty more moving abo
ut the compound in the gloom of the night.
Estallion, realising it would not be long until they were spotted in the shadow of the mountain, bolted left, behind a thin building that was built into the rock. It was similar to the one that they had just left. "I suspect that we will find the rest of the group in here," he said, keeping his voice as low as possible.
Robeld turned and peered out across the small open square that was the centre of the fort. The dark clouds overhead did little to aid the old man's sight, but he managed to make out a large wagon filled with sacks of what appeared to be grain. He let out a sigh.
"What is wrong with you?" demanded Estallion.
"I know exactly what you're about to have me do and I think little of it," replied Robeld resentfully.
Estallion let out a cheerful giggle. "Am I truly that transparent?"
"You'd be surprised," cut in Irrol. "I'm no scholar, but even I can see what's coming."
"Excellent! Then I will go and get the others whilst you and Robeld wait for my signal."
"Very well," replied Robeld sourly.
Estallion motioned to the other Scorpions and they followed him into the building.
Irrol moved up closer to Robeld. "I sure hope he knows what he is doing."
"Oh, I am sure he knows exactly what he is doing," said Robeld with a thick frown on his face. He was getting to old for this.
Dawn of the Valiant (The Valerious Chronicles: Book One) Page 117
