“I’m fine,” Richard said as he tried to sit up, more embarrassed than hurt.
He would’ve fallen back, but the elf priestess wrapped an arm around him and held him steady.
Derander said some words of gibberish as he pointed at Richard.
The priestess said several sharp words in return.
Derander said a few sharp words of his own.
Mia released her hold on Richard, stood to face the male elf, and slammed the butt of her staff on the hard ground.
The blue gem at the top of the staff blazed bright enough for Richard to make out Derander’s face. His lips were pressed tight as if preventing words from escaping. Spinning on his heels, the elf headed for his bedroll.
Freestrod said a few words to the priestess while gesturing at Richard. The mage’s tone wasn’t harsh, but Richard had no trouble telling the elf was not happy. After the priestess said a few words in a much gentler tone than she’d used on Derander, the old mage nodded and headed for his sleeping gear.
Once the two males were wrapped back in their blankets, Mia turned to the now standing Richard. She asked a question and pointed back toward the area of the camp where Tracer and the others were sleeping.
“I think she is saying you do not have to pull guard,” said Nickelo. “That is just an educated guess.”
Richard shook his head and pointed at Amir. “Naw. I’ll stick with the big guy here. I’ll pull my share of duty.”
Although he knew the elf didn’t speak his language, she seemed to understand his meaning. After nodding, she turned to Amir and said a few final words of gibberish. The big man nodded in return and motioned for Richard to follow. Before long they were on the outskirts of the perimeter, relieving two elf guards.
Amir took up a position next to two man-sized boulders and faced outward with his hammer and shield at the ready.
Richard sat down with his back to one of the other boulders and crossed his legs. He drew his short sword and laid it across his lap.
Turning his head, Amir snarled a word of gibberish and pointed at a spot next to him.
“Naw, that’s all right,” Richard said. “It’s not like I can see in the dark. I can guard just as well from here as I can from over there.”
Amir snorted in apparent disgust and resumed facing outward.
Richard could almost feel the anger coming from Amir, but the big man didn’t push the issue.
“I do not think he likes you very much,” said Nickelo. “I vaguely remember reading a book once about how to make friends and influence enemies. If I ever find it in my databanks, I will let you read it sometime.”
“You do that,” Richard replied. Although he couldn’t remember pulling guard before, he had a feeling he’d done it more times than he could shake a phase rod at.
“Did you just think the words ‘phase rod?’” asked Nickelo. “That information was not accessible in my databanks until you thought it. I find that interesting. I will send you what’s there.”
An image of a glowing rod with miniature red lightning bolts running up and down its length flashed in Richard’s mind.
“That looks familiar,” Richard said. “Maybe my memory’s coming back.”
“Maybe,” replied Nickelo, sounding unconvinced. “I would not hold my breath on it though.”
“You don’t breathe,” Richard pointed out. “I do.”
“You are correct, Wizard Scout. I do not breathe and you do. Try not to be jealous. No one is perfect.”
Richard continued to banter with his battle computer to pass the time. It was just as well. Amir said nary a word for the next hour, and even if he had, Richard wouldn’t have been able to understand him. For the most part, the big man just stood there staring down the valley floor in the direction of the desert.
“You know,” Richard told his battle computer, “that big guy baffles me. Besides me, he’s the only non-elf in our party. He looks like a large human, but his life form reading on my passive scan is screwy as all get out. I don’t think he’s what he seems.”
“I calculate you are correct, Wizard Scout. In fact, I think he has had a spell cast on him to make him into what he is. I also calculate he has had another spell cast on him to hide the first spell. Based upon his bone structure and the density of his muscle mass, I calculate he’s closer to a—”
Something past the valley entrance flashed on Richard’s passive scan. “What was that, Nick?”
“Uh, I do not know, Wizard Scout. The disturbance on your passive scan was too faint to gather adequate data. Try drawing Power from one of your reserves and send a scan out in that area. I know you have not been able to do an active scan before, but maybe if you try drawing Power like you did when you modified the food’s DNA, you can get an active scan to work.”
Richard tried his best, but nothing happened. The two reserves of Power remained disconnected, and the small amount of residual Power he’d been able to draw through the ring while cooking was not near enough for an active scan. With only his self-heal reserve fully available, he tried drawing Power from it. Nothing happened.
“I’m not having any luck,” he told his battle computer.
Something at the edge of his passive scan flashed again. This time it came from the eastern side of the valley, high up on the ridge. Another flash appeared on the opposite side of the valley before disappearing.
Rising to his feet, Richard looked toward the eastern ridgeline. All he saw was the blackness of night. He wasn’t surprised. The top of the ridge was a good two hundred meters high, and he could barely make out the form of Amir only a half-dozen steps away.
Amir must’ve noticed Richard’s movement because he turned around and mumbled some gibberish.
Richard shrugged his shoulders knowing the musclebound soldier could see in the dark. “I’m not sure,” he said half whispering the answer to what he assumed was the man’s question. He pointed down the valley with his sword and then up at both sides of the ridges bordering their camp. “I sensed something out there. I’m not sure what.”
Amir turned and stared at the valley’s entrance for several seconds before looking up at the ridges overlooking both sides of their camp.
“What do you think those flashes were?” Richard asked his battle computer.
“I told you before that I have insufficient data to correlate an answer. I deal in facts. You are the one that is good at making guesses. What do you think they were?”
Richard tried forcing his passive scan to reach out farther, but all he got for his efforts was a splitting headache. He gave up and settled for what his passive scan could tell him. “Besides Amir and me, I sense eighty life forms in and around our camp. Thirty-one of them are the elves, and the rest are the horses. I also sense some smaller life forms nearby. I’m guessing those are snakes, rabbits, and whatnot.” He concentrated on where he’d sensed the flash down the valley floor. The area seemed devoid of life. “You know, Nick, there are bound to be rodents or snakes down there, but I’m not picking them up with my passive scan. It’s almost as if something’s hiding them.”
“You mean like a shield?” asked Nickelo. “My databanks contain information on stealth shields. In fact, you have been keeping one around yourself ever since we appeared in the desert. I think it’s another one of your innate abilities.”
“Really?” Richard said. “You didn’t mention that before.”
“I calculate there are lots of things I do not mention to you, Wizard Scout. Do you really want to go into that now? The point I am trying to make is that perhaps something down the valley is casting a stealth shield that is hiding the life forms.”
Richard concentrated on the areas of his passive scan where he’d sensed the flashes on top of the ridges. Those two spots were also strangely devoid of life. Growing increasingly worried, he checked his passive scan for other areas that were missing any signs of life. There were several located around the camp. One such area was less than thirty meters in front of Amir. As
Richard watched, the area of non-life moved five meters closer.
A chill ran down Richard’s spine as he realized what was happening.
“Ambush!” Richard shouted.
Then all hell broke loose.
Chapter 19 – Crendemor
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Lord Crendemor monitored the progress of the ogre’s forces from his position on the eastern ridge. The heavily muscled ogre commander stood next to him snarling orders to an orc shaman half the ogre’s size. Crendemor sensed the shaman forwarding the ogre’s commands to other shaman’s located in units stationed on the opposite ridge and valley floor.
“Commander Greasegot,” Lord Crendemor said, attempting to keep his voice pleasant. “The combination stealth and invisibility spell I taught your orc shamans to cast on you and your troops are keeping all of you hidden from the elves’ detection spells. It also prevents the elves’ guards from physically seeing you. The spells do not prevent noise. Your voice might carry down to the valley and alert the elves before all of your units are in position.”
The ogre turned away from the shaman and pointed a spiked mace at Crendemor. “I do not need a dark elf to tell me how to kill elves. The shaman’s spells worked when we practiced our ambush on that caravan of humans. The spells will work just as well on these elves. We will feast on elf flesh before this night is done.”
Balling his right fist so tight his fingernails drew blood from his ungloved palm, Crendemor resisted the urge to draw his sword and be done with the foolish ogre. No, he thought. I need them to help capture the giant. The tracker component of the invisibility and stealth shield spell I taught Greasegot’s shamans allows me to sense their every movement. The ambush is almost perfect. The orcs only need a few more seconds. Once the giant is in my possession, Greasegot can go to hell for all I care. Until then, I need him.
Making a final sweep with his tracker spell, Crendemor noted the position of the thousand troops moving up the valley floor. Two score of the orcs most skilled scouts were only a few paces from the unsuspecting elf guards. He sensed five hundred of the orcs’ archers and spearmen in defensive positions along the eastern and western ridges. Only the northern path up the valley floor to the plain beyond was clear of the ogre’s troops.
Crendemor smiled. The trap was nearly complete.
After mentally reciting a short calming mantra, Crendemor relaxed his right hand. “Yes, friend Greasegot. You shall have all the elf flesh you desire, but only if you do not allow your troops to start their bloodbath too early. The giant must be captured unharmed. Your troops must drive the elves up the valley, to the plain above where the majority of your troops await them. The elves will be trapped against the river, unable to escape. Once the elves have their backs to the water, we can take our time locating the giant. Then your shamans can cast a containment spell on him. After that, you can kill the rest. We only need the giant.”
Greasegot snorted, spraying mucus at Crendemor’s feet. “Do you think my scouts are blind? I have told you before there are no giants with the elves. My scouts have seen a couple of humans, and that is all. The others are all elves.”
The calming mantra wore off, and Crendemor balled his fists against. “As I have explained, the elves have cast powerful enchantments on all of their soldiers to make it difficult to scan them. The giant is there. He is no doubt in disguise from some polymorph spell or other. Once you have the elves cornered on the plain with their backs to the river, I will be able to cast the discernment spell the Dalinfaust taught me. Then we will know which one in the elves’ party is the giant. After that, your troops can kill to their hearts’ content.”
“Do not try to frighten me by throwing around your master’s name,” snarled Greasegot. “I agreed to assist you in exchange for helping me defeat my rivals and gaining control of the orcs. Once I have destroyed these elves and captured the Staff of the Lady of the Tree, I will use it to control all of Slyvrastra. The staff will give me the power to stop the rumblings of the mountains. All ogres, orcs, and goblins will recognize me as their leader. I will destroy every elf and human in this land. The other races I do not kill will be my slaves.”
“Yes,” said Crendemor. “So you have told me often enough. In the meantime, please remind your troops not to kill anyone until the elves have been driven up to the plain.”
Greasegot glared at Crendemor before baring his square teeth in a devious smile. He turned to the shaman. “Tell my commanders to take up their final positions.” He glanced back at Crendemor and laughed before looking back at the shaman. “Tell them to kill everyone. Tell them to feast on elf flesh. Tell them to do it now.”
Un-balling his fist, Crendemor drew Power from his reserve in preparation for casting a spell to do away with the bothersome ogre once and for all. Consequences be damned, he thought. Before he could say the first word of his incantation, a shout came from the valley below. Crendemor recognized the shout as intergalactic standard. Why would anyone be using that language here and now? he wondered. He shoved the thought aside. The meaning of the word was what was important, not who had shouted it.
“You fool,” Crendemor said as he spun to look at the valley below. “Your troops have been discovered. If the giant is killed, I swear you will be the first to join him in death.”
Chapter 20 – Ambush
______________________
The human shouted a word of gibberish.
Amir didn’t need to translate the word to know its meaning. The concern in his voice told him all he needed to know. He raised his shield, getting it into position just in time to deflect two spears coming directly at his chest.
Hundreds of voices shouting in unison shattered the stillness of the valley as orcs, ogres, goblins, and a splattering of trolls suddenly appeared across the valley floor. Units of armored orcs stretched out all the way to the valley entrance.
Amir didn’t so much worry about the distant orcs as he did the three-dozen-plus orcs charging his way and casting spears as they came. He dodged to the left and swung his hammer into the head of the nearest orc. The orc’s helmet cracked open along with the creature’s head. Amir had a moment’s reflection that he’d never killed anyone before. The thought was gone as quick as it came. He was too busy trying to keep a second orc from sticking a spear in his throat. Amir slammed his shield into the second orc’s chest and caught a third one in the side of its head with a backswing of his hammer.
Concentrations of energy coming from the two ridgelines registered on Amir’s senses as his seeker ability detected lines of magic streaking toward the main body of elves. Balls of magic exploded into a hail of fireballs and lightning blasts against an invisible shield above the elf camp. Amir sensed the frequencies of Derander, Freestrod, and Mia in the defensive shield. Other streaks of magic with the same elves’ frequencies shot out from the camp, into the ranks of the charging orcs and goblins. The three massive fireballs slowed the charge of the orcs farther down the valley but did little to stop the onslaught of those already close to the camp’s perimeter.
Two more orcs came running at Amir. He kicked one in the chest, knocking her into a group of smaller goblins. Both orc and goblins went down in a mix of flailing arms and legs. A hard swing with Glory’s hammer broke the second orc’s shield in half. He thrust the hammer’s head directly into the orc’s mouth. Blood and needle-sharp teeth sprayed in all directions.
A shout of gibberish from behind Amir was followed by a dagger streaking through the air past his left ear. The blade drove deep into the eye of an ogre that had appeared out of nowhere. From the big creature’s position, Amir figured the ogre had been on the verge of thrusting a spear into his neck. The ogre dropped his spear and staggered backwards as he raised both hands to grab at the handle of the dagger protruding from his eye. Amir thrust out his hammer, pounding the dagger deep into the ogre’s brain as if he were driving a peg into a wooden plank.
“Guards! Get back to camp,” came the shout of Sergeant Tho
rnbriar over the bedlam of the charging orcs and goblins.
Amir didn’t have to be told twice. He took a wild swing with his hammer at three goblins and missed, but the blow was close enough to cause the goblins to dodge out of the way. Spinning on his heels, he turned to tell the human to escape. The man was knee deep in bloody orc and goblin bodies.
As Amir drew close, the human seemed to understand they needed to withdraw. Despite the situation, Amir gave a tense smile. Apparently, hundreds of screaming orcs running in our direction speaks louder than any words I might say.
The human turned and ran in the direction of their camp. Amir looped Glory’s shield across his back to give him some protection and followed. As soon as they entered the camp proper, Amir noticed two teams of elves mounting their horses. Two other teams were on foot, flanking the figures of Lord Derander, Master Freestrod, and High Priestess Mia. Amir sensed the two mages feeding Power into the high priestess.
As soon as Mia saw him enter the camp with the human, she shouted a word Amir heard but quickly forgot. Energy flowed into her staff. The blue gem at the top of the staff blazed in a light strong enough to illuminate half the valley. The high priestess slammed the butt of the Lady’s staff onto the ground. Shockwaves of magic spread outward, knocking down the nearest orcs and goblins. The magic consolidated into a barrier to the east, south, and west sides of the camp. The wall of magic burst into flames, roaring high into the air.
The mounted form of Sergeant Thornbriar rode up next to Amir. “Get the human on his horse. Do not waste time on saddle or gear. The way north is clear up the mountain, but the monks do not know for how long. They are making a recon of the trail now.”
The sergeant only had to make it part way through his speech before Amir began dragging the human toward his horse. Tracer, Minsk, Grapeon, and Skylark came running up at the same time and jumped onto their mounts barebacked. Amir literally threw the human onto his horse before slapping the normally gentle steed on her rump. The half-crazed horse bolted for the north end of camp with the human grabbing for her mane in an attempt to hang on. Minsk, Grapeon, and Skylark kicked their heels into their horses’ flanks and galloped after the human.
Wizard Gigantic (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 9) Page 19
