Steven Burke - The Dark Tide

“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.