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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
The thief had found a latch and pulled up the barrels tight sealed
lid. It had hinges down the center and the top opened up, split down the
middle, opening in a semi-circle. Inside was a roll of hide, Harold
reached down and bent back an edge, he saw the same markings he had seen
before upon the map which Telenstil had transported with his magic to the
land below.
"So what is this, another map." The mage asked amused. "Do these
giants keep all their plans in duplicate."
"I don't know about that, but this has the same spidery scrawling
on it." said Harold.
* * *
Above their heads the alarm kept sounding. Giants fought the fire
which blazed and spread throughout the hall. The roof was damp and sent
black choking smoke out into the sky. Nosnra would not be pleased, his
sleeping chamber was afire, his trophy hall blackened by smoke and licked
by flame. The iron door, magicked into place by Telenstil, glowed red,
the wooden frame blackened and charred. Suddenly the crack of splitting
wood resounded, the lintel parted, the burnt wood revealed its untouched
heart, but too little was left to keep the iron valve in place. It swayed
back and picked up speed then slammed against the floor with a boom heard
throughout the hall. Flooring shattered revealing the stone beneath,
and a cloud of smoke lit orange by the flames came rushing in. No one
would notice the missing map, within minutes the chiefs private meeting
hall was covered in flames. The great chimney acted as the flue and
the table, chairs and many tapestries burned for moments and then were
gone, like a lantern wick.
Out across the fields and still far off, Nosnra came walking home,
his warriors still weak and dazed, even the wolves were silent and
withdrawn.
* * *
"What was that!" several voices said at once.
"Sounds like the giants have breached that door." said Talberth.
he had been waiting for the sound.
"Then they could be down here at any time." cried Harold.
"Don't worry," Ivo called to him, loud enough for everyone to
hear. "I can mask us all from their sight."
"What if they find us as they found the cave." Talberth said.
"Then we will fight, and they will die." the ranger told him.
He had come up after shuting the hidden door. "But we'd best get those
packs we left behind by the stairs."
"Too late for that." Talberth looked around the room, at its empty
floor and doorless walls. "We're trapped."
"Nonsense." Telenstil spoke up. "Talberth you are too worried.
The giants have not found us yet, but those packs might ne a help to us,
remember, they are all that we have left from our supplies."
"I remember." said Gytha. " I'll go, how about you Harald?"
"Telenstil, looks like I have nothing else to do here, and I can
carry half."
"Good." said Telenstil. "Edouard, Derue, please go along as well."
The scouts looked first toward their master Henri who gave to them
a nod before they followed the ranger and cleric out into the hall.
* * *
(To Be Continued)