Send a spelling or grammar correction to: Tracy Johnson
This site sponsored by Agenda Games LLC
Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
"All done in there?" Harald asked as Telenstil left Nosnra's
armory.
"Yes, the map has been sent." Telenstil looked toward the chimney
and saw a pair of legs descending. Talberth floated down, the last two
packs in his arms.
"The fire is still burning up there, lots of smoke, the giants are
running around the yard trying to put it out." Talberth chuckled.
"Fun for you, not so much fun for them." Harald said.
"I hope it stays that way." said Talberth.
"Me too." the ranger agreed.
"We had best grab these packs and join the others." Telenstil
picked up his own. The ranger slung his heavy pack across his shoulder and
carried two on either arm. The wizards struggled with the load, two
packs each was as much as they could carry with any ease. All three
brushed past the dangling hide of the manticore and headed for the stairs.
* * *
"You are right, Harold," Ivo said to the halfing. "This being
carried down the stairs is undignified."
"These big folk start thinking you're a bit of baggage." Harold
told the gnome. " A habit I don't want them to fall into on a regular
basis."
"Harold," Gytha had come back to the stairs while Henri and the
mercenary pair went on ahead. "Henri had his hirelings tell me, to tell
you, that there is something wrong about the wall."
"What wall?" Harold asked. He'd checked that corridor and found
nothing but the trap that sprang the iron bars.
"You had best go see. Ivo and I will come along as well, I do not
care for those three." Gytha gave a nod toward the pholtite and the
scouts.
* * *
"That rope should make them think we've escaped." said Talberth
as they lowered themselves down the stairs.
"Maybe." said Harald. "But they'll search down here as well."
"When the fire is out it will not take them long to knock down
that iron door." said Telenstil. "But I do not believe that these stairs
lead nowhere."
"Maybe we would have been better off escaping and coming back."
Talberth said morosely.
"Do not be so glum." Telenstil told the downcast mage. "It would
be worse if we were caught out in the fields or along some hillside. This
will be for the best, and I have some idea of what lies below."
"Your mapmaker?" asked Talberth.
"Yes." Telenstil admitted to the failings of his source of
information. "My mapmaker proved to be turned about, but it was he who
first spoke of that map, and that alone is worth all our efforts."
"Is that map worth our lives?" Talberth did not wait for an answer
but hopped down the final stairs and looked about the empty passage.
"Where have they gotten to?"
Harald dropped the last of the packs and pointed down the hall.
"That arch and those bars are at the end down there."
"Well they can carry their own packs from here." said Talberth.
The hall was long and dark, though a glowing square of light could be seen
where Harald pointed at its far northern end. "If this is all there is
then these giants will make short work of us here."
"This corridor does not seem to offer much in the way of hiding
places." said Telenstil. "Come then, lets find the others and a better
place."
"To die." said Talberth,
"To hide." Telenstil replied. "Perhaps to fight. Dying is not
among my plans."
* * *
(To Be Continued)