Elvenshore: 01 - The Dwarves of Elvenshore by Clark Graham

Author:Clark Graham
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-07-20T05:00:00+00:00

Deep into High Mountain

After two days back at High Mountain the King showed up at Sarchise’s door. “How is she doing?” he asked.

“She is resting. The sword did not hit her vitals but pierced the baby. If not for the child, she would be dead right now. She is sad and sleeps a lot, for she has been through much.”

“I did not know that they made it up this far.” said the King. “We have caught some trying to steal food, they did not all retreat, but most did.”

“How were you able to beat them back?”

“When they approached, they did not hesitate but came straight at the wall. We lined the wall, as fast as we could, with archers and filled the ground with their dead. Still they came on. They had ladders and hooks. They would throw a grappling hook over the wall and pull on it till it stuck fast, then they would pull the wall down with it. We learned to cut the ropes as soon as the hook came over the wall, but they still managed to breach the wall twice. I sent warriors to protect the breaches. They did, and very few gremlins entered in that way.

“There were hundreds of ladders that they would use to scale the wall. We pushed them down as fast as they went up, but still they managed to gain the top of the wall. We were holding there also until they caught the towers on fire. When the towers went the gate did also. They flooded in faster than we could stop them, and we were fighting hand to hand in the halls. They even cut through my bodyguard and attacked me. I killed three of them, but they did manage to take a chunk out of my shoulder.

“Then, when we thought all was lost, they retreated. There were but a few of them left and their leader was slightly wounded. That is why we think they retreated. They could have done a lot more damage. As it was, the captain of the guard is dead, and I the King am wounded.”

Sarchise looked puzzled. “If he could have done more damage, why did he retreat? He was winning and he lost a lot of fighters getting through the wall? Maybe he didn’t have to. Where is Barazar?”

“Who?” the king asked.

For two days, patrols searched on the outside of High Mountain in vain for Barazar and the other Minotaur. Knowing that Barazar would never be found unless he wanted to be, Sarchise searched for them, himself. He found them roasting some chickens that they had ‘borrowed’ from a nearby farm.

“Why did you not come in with the army?”

“They shot their bows at us. They look for us now.”

“I sent them to find you to bring you into the great hall. They only shot their bows at you when they thought that you were the enemy.” Sarchise explained.

“We don’t wander into caves and we don’t sleep in holes.” answered Barazar.

“Did you know that the gremlins withdrew in good order?” Sarchise asked.

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