Dennis McKiernan - The Brega path

"We have walked nearly sixteen miles in the caverns," declared Delk, "fourteen on the Brega Path and two to bypass the fallen stone at the Hall of the Gravenarch." Anval and Bonn nodded their agreement, for the distances and directions were emblazoned in their Dwarf memories.

"Though I am not certain," rumbled Ursor, "I think the day outside has fled, and the Moon rides the eventide. It is my guess that it is now near the mid of night."

"It is two hours beyond midnight, and the Moon sinks low in the west," corrected Shannon with a certainty the others did not doubt, for though days, weeks, months, and even years seem to mean little to Elves, and they appear to note only the seasons, still they know at any moment where stand the Sun, Moon, and stars.

"Well, no wonder I'm hungry and tired," sighed Perry.

"So are we all," agreed Lord Kian. "Perry is right. Here we will eat, drink, and rest. We stand the same order of watch as before. Bane shall be our silent sentinel."

Perry hungrily consumed three crue bicuits and drank a s/nall amount of water; on their next long march they should reach the "safe" stream that flowed through the Bottom Chamber, seventeen miles to the west, but til they did, water was to be conserved. The Warrow then plumped his pack into a pillow and, settling back, fell instantly into slumber. Bane, leaning against a block of stone, softly glinted, whispering of far-off enemies.

Four hours later, Ursor awakened Perry for his turn at guard. Again, to stay awake, the Warrow slowly paced back and forth in the dim light cast by the barely cracked Dwarf-lantern. He watched Bane, but it changed not. Finally, his tour over, he went to rouse Shannon Silverleaf.

The Elf sat quietly with his back against a wall, and his tilted eyes glittered in the lantern light, for the sleep of Elves is strange and wholly different from that of Dwarf, Man, or Warrow-if indeed Elves sleep a genuine sleep at all. It is said that in their Lands twilight rules, and the days pass not, and slumber never visits. Legend would have it that some mortals have become ensnared in this timeless existence. Yet these legends of Lands where time's hands stand still, these legends would seem to fly in the face of the Elves* "knowing" where stand the Sun, Moon, and stars. On the other hand, many would say that Elves' "power" over time proves that they live in twilight and sleep not. Still, it is recorded in The Raven Book that Lord Gildor said that though Elves could go for many days without true slumber, even they must sleep at last.

But when Perry approached the resting Elf, Silverleaf stood ere the Warrow came nigh and indicated to the buccan that he should sleep.

In all, the company had rested for some eight hours when Delk finally roused the others. They ate a quick meal and sipped water, and then they struck out once more. Perry continued to carry Bane unsheathed, and still the faint blue flame spoke only of distant danger.

The farther west they went the less finished the passageway became. Now they occasionally came upon splits and fissures in the floor; most could be stepped over, but at times Perry had to spring across, though none of the others did, being taller than the wee buccan. At one point they passed a broad tunnel merging from the right. Its worn floor bespoke heavy travel throughout the ages, yet whether it was smoothed by Rucken feet or by the Dwarves before, they could not telU The timeworn track continued on in the passage the Seven followed, and once again their speed was considerable.

They had gone this way for a time when Perry noted that Bane's jewel was beginning to glitter more strongly; but whether the danger was before them, or overtaking from behind, or coming from the side, they knew not. "Ahead lies the Round Chamber," announced Perry. "It has many entrances and exits to hide us. It is not far. Let us make for it."

Swiftly they strode forward at a pace set by the Warrow^. Bane's flame continued to grow. Finally they came to the gallery Perry had spoken of: it was another huge room, as most of the chambers in Kraggen-cor seemed to be; this one was circular, and there were many portals along its perimeter, some delved, some natural clefts. The chamber was empty, but Bane's blade-jewel now glittered brightly. "We know not which way the danger comes," said Kian, "but chances are it will issue from one of the delved ways and leave by another. Let us choose one of these unworked cracks to slip into to remain undetected. Perry, be prepared to sheath Bane's blue light."

The Seven found a natural fissure with undisturbed dust carpeting its level floor; they slipped into the cleft and waited

with lanterns tightly hooded. Bane's glow grew to a cobalt flame that ran along the bitter edge, and Perry sheathed the blade. The Squad could see torchlight bobbing up the south passage they had just come from: the danger had been overtaking them from behind. A large company of Rucks jog-trotted out of the tunnel and into the great, round room. They loped to the center of the huge chamber. A command was snarled by the Hlok leader, and the company halted. Another contmand, and the Rucks broke from their ragged ranks and flopped to the stone floor. They were staying.

Lord Kian drew back from the cleft entrance and turned to the companions he could now dimly see by reflected torchlight. Before Kian could speak softly, Bonn stepped out of the darkness at the back of the split and motioned Kian to him. "This crack is a dead end," the Dwarf whispered. "We cannot get out."

They watched the Rucks for six taut yet somehow dreary-hours. During that time the maggot-folk had quarreled, cursed, and snarled; several fights had broken out among them, only to be stopped by the raging Hlok lashing the squabbling Rucks and anyone nearby with a great, cracking whip. The maggot-folk had gluttonously eaten a grisly meal of some unknown flesh: hunkered down, slobbering and drooling, and throwing splintered bones into the darkness beyond the torchlight after cracking them open and tonguing out the marrow. At last, however, the Spawn had finished their gruesome repast and then had resumed quarreling and cursing, casting lots, shoving one another, bickering.

"This is awful," whispered Perry to Lord Kian. "We have got to get out of here. We've lost too many hours as it is, and we must be on our way. Can't we slip through the shadows and out the far north door?"

Lord Kian, sitting on the floor with his back to the wall, grimly shook his head. "Look closely," he breathed, "they are athwart al! our paths, both to the west and around the chamber to the east and north. We have no choice buj to wait them out."

Another hour went by; then mere was a great hubbub in the chamber as a second Hlok-Ied, torch-bearing company of Rucks loped through one of the west portals and into the vast

room, halting aflank the first band. "Where've you been, Plooshgnak, you slime?" snarled the first H!6k, cracking his whip. "We've been stuck here waiting for your snot-wart hides too long. I ought to run some maggot holes into your stinking guts with a hot iron."

"Aw, shut your snag trap, Boshlub," snarled the Hlok leader of the second band. "We're not the last: Gushmot's not here, blast his pus-rot teeth."

The two Hloks were cursing each other and arguing violently when, moments later, a third company of Rucks galloped into the chamber. The Hlok leader of this band seemed enraged with the other two quarreling Hloks. "Ngash batang l amp;kiQh glog graktal doosh spturrskrank azg!'' he howled in the foul, harsh Sluk tongue. "Gnar skrikef" At mention of Gnar's name, Plooshgnak kicked a seated Ruck, and Boshlub cracked his whip onto the back of another and snarled orders. The first two Ruck companies fell into ragged ranks, jostling' and elbowing and grumbling. With a crack of Boshlub's lash, all the Rucks loped out through the northeast corridor. And the Round Chamber was left in dark silence. '