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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
Harold wrapped the scented handkerchief of Ivo's around his face
like some bandit from the northlands, still the garbage chutes smell
worked its way past the residue of herbs and made the small thief clench
his face, soured by the stench.
The chute was long and the magic ascent not as quick as Harold
would have liked, but it ended without warnining, though not too soon. A
wooden board sealed off the opening, far too heavy for the small halfling
to budge.
"Just great." muttered Harold. "This wasn't on your map
Telenstil. What to do, what to do."
The thief had several magic spikes and used them to sink the line
secure into the chutes wall. He gave the rope a tug and waited for some
help to climb up.
Edouard felt the line become taught and then the tugs. "He's at
the top." he told the rest.
"Good." said Telenstil."Edouard, please, you and your brother,
go up next, then begin to draw the rest of us up."
The scout said nothing but grabbed the rope and pulled himself up,
without any help, hand over hand he climed into the dark and stinking
chute. Derue held the rope and watched his brother disappear up into the
gaping hole.
The walls were slick, Edouard's feet slipped off when he tried to
brace hs leg, he had to use just the strength of arms and shoulders to
raise himself. He cursed silently and felt the burn of muscles as
he climbed. Finally he reached out and found the spikes set in the wall.
"Thief!" he hissed. "Thief, where are you?"
"Right here." a small quiet voice whispered from nearby.
"What is this, where is the opening?" Edouard whispered back.
"Above your head." Harold's voice said. "There's a wooden board,
or lid or something, but I can't lift it."
Edouard reached out and felt the rough wooden lid, he pushed it
with one hand but could not exert much strength, it did not budge.
"Wait, I'll put a spike near your feet." said Harold.
"Do it quick." Edouard told the thief. "And put it so that I can
use my back against this board."
Harold did not like the scouts commanding tone, but their
position at the top of the shaft was awkward and he could not move the
board without the mercenaries help. He set another magic spike in the wall
to act as a footstep for the scout, then pushed off to get safely out of
the mans way.
With his shoulder against the board and his foot pushing against
the spike, Edouard slowly moved the board aside, it scraped loudly across
the lid of stone, and a dim light came rushing in that chased away the
dark.
Edouard put his head above the rim and looked out across the room,
all he could see were table legs, huge wooden chests and dirty sacks.
"Get down." said Harold. "Let me look around first, they may spot
you."
"Bah." said Edouard. "No one is around." He pulled himself up and
out onto the cold stone floor. A pair of orcs came rushing by and stood
frozen with shock staring at the human who had just jumped from the
garbage chute.
"Oh damn." Edouard cursed and drew his sword.
"What's going on?" Harold heard the mercenary curse but did not
see the orcs from where he sat on the wooden lid.
* * *
(To Be Continued)