The Guardian Chronicles: Book 03 - The Dark Tide (13 page)

“Let us be on our way then…I am sure King Dagnolir would like to repay our timely intervention.  I get the feeling that our rest will be short lived…the people of Carrick are being attacked in the tunnels below as we speak” Nariko said with a fierce look.  While he put on a confident front, he was greatly concerned with the well-coordinated assault on the mountain fortress. 
We did not give the goblins and trolls credit for their ability to work together in such an efficient manner.

The battle under the mountain was much more arduous than the goblins and rock trolls had anticipated.  While the number of casualties down below was significantly less than what General Yuki had experienced up above, the lack of any progress was driving the trolls, in particular, to their breaking point.  They still remembered the fiery deaths of their comrades at the beginning of their misfortune.  The massive brutes had taken out their frustrations on their smaller counterparts when it became clear that they could not make any sustainable push against the stubborn dwarves.  One of the most significant blockades was their own dead.  There were so many bodies blocking the only entry way into the bowels of the fortified city that they could not make any head way.  They had spent a considerable amount of time unceremoniously throwing their dead or dying into the abyss they had finally crossed weeks earlier.

“Commander Toan…what news from above?”
asked Commander Jabari impatiently.  He was growing weary with the lack of success and was hoping that Lord Trahern and Commander Vahe were having better luck.

“I am afraid that the news from above is not good at all.  They have had a major setback due to the arrival of those furry beasts from the north”
explained Toan resignedly.  He too was overly tired from this whole bloodied affair that was filled with nothing but disappointment.

“Vragen dűn lienzen!”
swore Jabari in exasperation.  He slammed his massive fist into the cave wall next to him.  A large chunk of rock broke off and fell onto an unsuspecting goblin.  The poor soldier was instantly crushed.  None of the rock trolls took notice of the goblin’s fate.  They all agreed with their comrade’s assessment.

“Too true…however, that is not even half of it.  That wicked dwarf who can turn into a lienzen was with those fluffy bears.  He used his war hammer to crack the ice our comrades were positioned on”
explained Toan dejectedly. 
“Our troops slid all the way down to the bottom of the mountain.  In addition to this wretched news, they are being hit by another blizzard.”
  His face was as animated as a troll could get which looked really painful.  It was clear that they did not have many facial expressions and that it took considerable effort to change between them.

“Well, at least they will have a chance to recuperate down below”
Jabari replied thoughtfully.  He had never felt so dejected or tired.  He yearned for something to go their way for once.  He lifted his leg and brought it down on the chunk from the cave wall.  The rock was ground into powder and the goblin was nothing more than a smear on the ground.

The two massive rock troll leaders stood stoically as the goblin soldiers around them muttered mutinously to each other.  They could not tell what the massive brutes were doing because they were communicating with their minds.  All the little soldiers could tell was that their commanders were not happy.  The biggest clue was one of their fellow soldiers being crushed to death by Jabari.  The goblins were at their limit because of the treatment at the hands of their supposed allies.  They were being killed by both sides of this conflict.

“Looks like the big dumb brutes are not happy again” said one little goblin archer.  He spat on the wall next to him in disgust.  His gesture was appreciated by every goblin that was able to see what was going on.

“Not surprised…they are always mad about something” replied a goblin captain.  He sneered at the motionless brutes that had been standing there for almost an hour with no indication as to what they were planning.  He was voicing what everyone else was thinking.  There were definitely serious issues developing between the trolls and goblins.  The rock trolls did not care that the goblins were unhappy with the treatment they received at their hands.  The goblins were done with the senseless killing of their own by the brutes who were supposed to be on the same side.

“I think we should start making our way back to Sheldon…this is not worth it” interjected another.  The soldier was trying to build on the expressed distrust.  The war effort was not benefiting them and they were beginning to wonder why they should continue the fight.  They feared the fallen guardian who ultimately led their cause and it was only this fact that would likely keep them in line.

“Or maybe you weak freaks will go to the front line!”
Commander Jabari said irritably to the three dissenters.  He turned ominously toward the trio and glared down at them.  He had been listening to their entire exchange.  That was one of the advantages of the rock trolls’ lack of expression, you never knew if they were paying attention to you or not.

“Whatever ye wish commander” replied the goblin captain acidly.  He looked at his two fellow complainers with a slight roll of his eyes.

“I am glad you are so willing”
snapped Commander Toan viciously.  With a speed that belied their size, the three rock trolls reached down and grabbed the three shrieking goblins.  They flailed and kicked wildly in an attempt to free themselves from the iron grip of the trolls.

“Take’em to the front”
laughed Jabari silently.  The ground shook as the three massive trolls moved to the front lines with the latest volunteers.

The three trolls marched slowly towards the littered opening to the underground entrance to Dagnolir’s fortress.  They stopped by some caskets of oil and dipped the frantic goblins bodily before setting them ablaze.  Once they were on fire, they hurled them with extreme velocity at the dwarves who were attempting to seal the entrance.  The limp bodies exploded violently against the partial wall that had been constructed.  The barrier gave way as burnt body parts flew every which way.

“I really did not think that would work”
laughed Commander Jabari wickedly.  He was actually so overcome by the hilarity of the moment that he slapped his knee as he doubled over.  The ground shook as he continued to laugh.  It felt good to laugh a little.  He did not care at all for goblins, so he decided he would use them however he saw fit.

“Let’s get back to business…we need to take advantage of this lucky turn of events.  Send in our troops.  Ask the archers to provide as much cover as they can”
ordered Commander Toan sharply.  He did not have any sense of humor, so he only saw an opportunity when the fiery goblins knocked over the stone barrier.

“Charge!” bellowed Commander Jabari in deep voice that echoed off of the blackened tunnel walls.  The shout reverberated all the way into the bowels of Dagnolir.  While it sounded impressive, it was countered by the snippets of laughter still emanating from the commander.

A mass of twenty rock trolls rushed at the reeling dwarves before they could regain their footing.  Several hundred goblin archers quickly scaled the walls to get a better angle for their covering fire.  As the trolls were running by the barrels of oil that had been placed near the tunnel opening, each of them picked up a few as they passed.  The massive brutes started hurling these wooden caskets into the open floor inside the fortress.  The goblins caught on quickly and began lighting their arrow tips with fire.  The soldiers on the floor passed these burning projectiles to the archers on the walls.  Within a few moments the air was full of fiery darts.

The bottom of Dagnolir’s fortress burst into flames as the fire arrows hit the oil.  Several dwarves were unable to avoid being burned alive.  All of those who had been working on the barrier were killed in the gruesome attack.  The dwarven archers were distracted by the extreme carnage below them which resulted in the significant oversight of the rock trolls entering the castle unnoticed.  The trolls took full advantage of this by grabbing the burning dead and throwing them at the inattentive archers.  Several beards caught fire as their kin hit them bodily.  Some fell from their hiding places to the burning floor below.

“Send these fowl dogs to depths of the underworld!” barked Captain Agnar.  The air was full once more with oil…this time it came from the dwarves up above.  Most of the trolls were drenched in the black liquid and were unable to avoid the fiery darts of the powerful dwarven archers.

Booming roars echoed from the ensuing chaos below.  Thirteen rock trolls fell dead from this retaliatory attack.  Moments later cauldrons of icy water were poured onto the burning floor.  Smoke filled the air along with thick billows of steam.  No one could see anything as the atmosphere continued to be polluted with vaporized water and black smoke from the oil.  Unseen by the rock trolls were several dozen dwarven foot soldiers rushing onto this deadly battlefield.  They were wielding double edged battle axes and massive war hammers as they surprised the giant intruders.  The stout attackers went for the legs in an effort to bring down the large monsters before they knew what was happening below them.  If their initial attack was not successful, they would likely be crushed to death amidst the din.

Commander Jabari roared his frustration at the effective counter attack.  In his anger he began grabbing chunks of the tunnel wall; some frightened goblin archers were inadvertently smashed in the process, and throwing these pieces of bloodied stone at the dwarven soldiers who were wreaking havoc on his vulnerable troops.  The first rock hit two dwarves so hard that their helmets were driven all the way down to their shoulders.  Their heads were completely gone at the moment of impact.  They seemed to fall soundlessly to the ground as the tumult around them was all that could be heard.

The blackened floor began to change colors as dwarven blood was smeared savagely across the scorched basin.  As more trolls joined the fray, more dwarves rushed to the defense of their comrades.  Commander Jabari was continuing his frantic, unintentional widening of the entrance into the base of Dagnolir.  Commander Toan ran toward the battle with two long swords the length of a small tree.  As he entered the opening, he was hit with a barrage of arrows.  Only three pierced his extensive armor and they did not hit anything vital.  With a suddenness that surprised everyone, including the other rock trolls, Toan jump up to the first level above the ground floor without breaking his stride.  He was on the archers before they could retrieve their axes or hammers.

“Kill stunties!” roared the clearly enraged rock troll commander.  He swung his long and deadly swords with great precision.  Several heads were sent flying every which direction.  Blood filled the air as the massive troll brutally attacked the dwarves.

“How dare you desecrate our home with your filth…I swear to you that I will be the last thing you ever see in what remains of your pitiful life!” roared a deep gruff voice from the midst of the dwarven archers.  The lethality of the threat was profound; however, it would not be taken seriously.

Toan laughed as he watched a small, black haired dwarf rushed at him.  The infinitesimal time it took the troll to laugh, the stout attacker had hurled two silver throwing axes at Toan’s shoulders.  The simultaneous hits knocked back the giant warrior enough to unbalance him and distract him from the real threat.  With an upswing of his silver war axe, Mason Bardomli split the vile monster from his nether region all the way up to his chest.  Black blood and guts spilled out on the floor in gushes.  All the dwarves around the scene backed away from the rock troll fearing the damage the dying brute would do to them.

A deafening roar silenced the hot battle as Commander Toan writhed in pain.  Mason walked slowly to the side of the dying troll’s head.  With both of his calloused hands he grabbed Toan’s head and forced his eyes open.  Tears were streaming down the rock like skin as they stared at one another.  The aged dwarf forced his way past the troll’s mental barriers and searched quickly for any useful information.  He then released his psychic hold before addressing the helpless beast that lay before him.

“Commander Toan Aruwurd…I promised you that I would be the last thing you saw in this world and I like to believe that I am as good as my word” began Mason darkly.  He muttered some dwarvish spells under his breath and then with force beyond his natural strength, he smashed the rock troll’s head in.  It looked like he had merely smashed a cantaloupe.

Several of the dwarven archers rushed to the now still body of the late Commander Toan and hoisted him up on the ledge.  As they dowsed the lifeless body with flammable liquid, Mason retrieved his silver throwing axes along with his massive war axe.  He nodded his approval to light the beast’s body.  Once the flames burst into existence, they unceremoniously shoved Toan over the edge.  Commander Jabari’s stunned silence evaporated as he began to swear ancient blood oaths to the keeper of the underworld.

“Commander Jabari Ihana…leave this place before I do you too!” ordered Mason boldly.  He winked to the dwarves around him as he waited for the proper response from the dangerous leader of the forces under the mountain.

“You…die…I…kill…now” stuttered Jabari in an absolute rage.  He grabbed for a huge chunk of rock to hurl at the defiant dwarf.  As he pulled ferociously at the wall without realizing how unstable the entry was now.  His excessive usage of wall fragments had caused the tunnel to visibly shake in its weakened state.  With a final tug at the rock he had selected, the arch gave way completely.  Dust filled the killing field as the archway collapsed.  Everyone close to the collapsed entry coughed roughly as the air filled with stone particulates.