Ru Emerson - Keep on the Borderlands

Jerdren stared at her, astonished.

“Dead heroes don’t kill anyone,” she reminded him. “Smartheroes back off and go find another cave to play in.”

Jerdren let his head fall back, and he laughed heartily. “Gods, but you have a tongue on you, woman! Don’t look at me like that, Brother.She’s right, and I’m smart enough to see it.” He folded the map and put it awayas he got to his feet. “If everyone’s ready,” he added, “we’d better move out.

They hadn’t gone far when Willow, who was ahead, stopped andheld up a hand for silence. “I hear something overhead,” he said softly. “Adroning noise.”

“Stirge,” Jerdren said flatly. “Stay close, all of you, andkeep your eyes open. If one lands on you-”

He spun around as Flerys yelped. An insect as long as her upper body was clinging to Eddis’ back, its long proboscis feeling along theside of her face as she swore under her breath and furiously swatted at it.

“Hold still, I’ll get it,” Blorys said, but Eddis spun aroundand slammed into the nearest tree, squashing the thing between her and the trunk. Green muck and blood splattered. The swordswoman staggered away, nose wrinkling at the foul odor and the mess. M’Baddah was at her side then, rubbingbriskly at her neck, armor, and leather cap with the cloth that held his spare bowstrings.

“Get moving, now!” Jerdren ordered. “There’s never just oneof those things.”

Eddis nodded, dragged out her own bowstring cloth, and mopped at her face as they started out again.

They heard the deep, whining buzz several times but saw no more of the bloodsuckers. Once within the ravine, they moved north, staying fairly close to the rock wall, moving warily but quickly now, crossing the few open places at a near run.

When the ledge at their right hand began to curve south, Jerdren called a halt so they could get their breath back and study the lay of the land. The trees were very thick here, the air musty and humid. From the little he could see, he thought they might be near the inner curve of the ravine. Good as anywhere for a start. A few moments later, they went on.

The rock face rose steep and crumbly here, but there were plenty of handholds, and Blorys found a way up they could all negotiate. In the thick dust, Jerdren could make out footprints. Lots of them, and very big. A few paces on, Willow found a rough trail that worked its way up the ledge.

The trees came together again, leaving them in a twilightlike gloom. The cave that came into sight among the trees was even darker. There were signs on both sides of the entry, written in several languages, including Common.

“Safety to humanoids,” Eddis read in a low voice. “Welcome!”Her lips twisted. “Someone has a sense of humor.”

“Hope it’s not more hobgoblins,” Jerdren murmured. “Man couldget bored, fighting them twice in a row.”

He sent M’Baddah and Mead on ahead, holding back the rest ofthe party until they could check the opening.

Silence, broken only by the echoing kruk! of a raven, somewhere off to the south. The scouts returned quickly.

“I sense large beings, evil ones,” the mage said, “and thepassage smells like wet dogs.”

Jerdren nodded grimly. “Our luck’s holding,” he said quietly.“We’ve got bugbears in there. Watch for traps. They’ll have ’em all over theplace. Remember-they’re big and fast but not very bright.”

There was no door on the cavern entry and no guards, though they could hear harsh laughter coming from their left. The passage ended almost at once, joining another that went off right and left. Distant torchlight faintly illuminated the right passage, and Jerdren could make out a room the other direction by the flickering light of a fire. Low voices came from that direction.

The air in this tunnel was cool and unpleasantly moist. It still smelled like wet dog, but he could also make out the savory odor of roasting meat.

“Left,” Jerdren said quietly and stepped back to let M’Baddahand Willow take the lead as he drew his sword.

The passage was quiet and empty. Just short of the room, they passed a flight of stairs going up into gloom on their right. M’Baddah stoppedjust short of the light, and Jerdren came up behind him. It’s a guard room, hethought. Cots, blankets… and guards.

Two cots piled with filthy looking furs and cushions had been shoved against the far wall, a massive bronze gong suspended from the ceiling between them. Three bugbears, dad in leather armor, sat around a brazier mid-room, keeping a close eye on long spits of meat. Some guards, Jerdren thought.

He beckoned Mead close and murmured against his ear, “Makesure none of ’em get to that gong.”

The mage nodded.

Eddis set an arrow to her bowstring and glanced at Jerdren, nodded once, and moved quietly into the room, back against the wall, M’Baddahright on her heels. Jerdren tapped two of the Keep archers to watch the stairs and the passage behind them. Blorys sheathed his sword and drew a pair of throwing knives.

The three bugbears turned slowly as someone’s foot scrapedacross the stone floor. Only just aware they’ve been invaded? Jerdren wondered.They didn’t seem too concerned about it. One bared its teeth in what might havebeen a smile, scooped up the nearest skewer, and bit into the meat, then slowly got to its feet, holding it out to Eddis. The other two followed his lead.

“Don’t trust that, you men,” Eddis warned and leaped aside asone lunged, trying to pin her to the wall. She let go her bowstring, but the arrow merely sliced along the bugbear’s neck. Bleeding but barely damaged, helunged at her again.

Off to Jerdren’s right, someone yelled in pain, and one ofthe bugbears snarled triumphantly. Jerdren slashed at the bugbear after Eddis, fell back as the brute swiped at him with the skewer. Eddis’ second arrow clovedeep into the bugbear’s arm, but didn’t slow the creature at all. One of theKeep men jammed his spear between flaps of leathers and yelped as the wood was torn from his grasp.

“Get back, Jers!” Eddis yelled, and he realized he wasbetween her and the bugbear. The end of the spear barely missed his head as he ducked and got out of the way, coming up behind the creature and throwing himself on its back. The bugbear swung partway round to deal with this new threat, flailing wildly with the skewer. Chunks of meat went flying, and hot grease burned the back of Jerdren’s hand.

Eddis came around the brute, caught hold of the spear, and shoved with all her strength. Jerdren was slammed into the wall, the breath knocked out of him, but the bugbear slowly sagged at the knees and went over. Eddis ran her sword into its eye, to make sure of it, then came around and hauled her co-captain to his feet.

“What were you doing?” she demanded.

He grinned and forced air into battered lungs. “You said gethis back, right?”

A quick glance assured him that the other two bugbears were engaged and that neither was anywhere near that gong. “Come on,” he added. “Thisis taking too long and making too much noise.”

The second bugbear went down moments later, but three of the Keep men were bloody, and one wasn’t moving. The third bugbear began to backaway, then turned and ran for the gong. Jerdren threw himself after, but Mead grabbed his arm.

“Wait,” he said. The bugbear caught hold of the heavy dubused as a striker, but couldn’t seem to lift it. “Enfeeblement,” the mage said.

“Hah! Well done!” Jerdren pelted across the floor, sword upand out. The bugbear turned and slapped him backhand, throwing him into the wall where he sat, dazed and blinking. He watched the creature go down under the attack of four spearmen and M’Baddah, who finished it off with his sword.