Dennis McKiernan - The Brega path

"But there are maggot-folk back that way, too," protested Perry. "You'll just be running from one Spawn force to another. Why don't we simply wait for this Ruck company to move on?"

"The Wrg back at the underground river are likely gone by now," responded Ursor, "and we know not when this company will move. No, Shannon is right: we must draw them off."

"But Perry speaks true too," countered Borin. "If the Squam move soon, there is no need to take this risk."

"These are my thoughts," announced Anval: "Borin and I can do but a limited amount at the Door without the guidance of a Gatemaster. If the trouble is simple, we may be able to set it aright. If not, then we could work for weeks and stil! not succeed. Hence, 1 deem it will matter little if we get there with ten hours to work, or with but one. With that in mind, let us set the toppling ropes on the slab now and get everything in readiness. Then we wait. If the Grg have not moved in good time-say, four hours-then we go ahead with Silverieaf's plan; on the other hand, if they do move on, we can all proceed to the Dusken Door together,"

"That plan, though well thought, may just lose us four hours," pointed out Shannon.

"Aye. But it may also save us from dividing our strength," retorted Borin.

The Squad fell silent while Lord Kian weighed the alternatives. Finally he chose: "Set the lines, seek out the hiding places; as soon as all is ready, we topple the stone; we shall not wait. Our mission now is for Perry to deliver Anval and Bonn to the Door as quickly as possible; we must not delay any longer, for the time may be needed for other tasks, as yet unseen, between here and Dusk-Door."

Quietly the Squad set about to carry out Shannon's plan. The hole was covered with Perry's cloak, and lanterns were dimly unhooded. Ursor cast the dead Ruck into one of the wide cracks in the floor as the rest of die Squad searched for and located three places to take cover: one on a ledge high on the west wall, the other two behind boulders along the east wall. And Perry, Anval, and Borin made sure that they could quickly get concealed in their selected hiding places: Borin on the ledge, Anval and Perry behind the boulders. Then a trio of toppling ropes were tied to the great slab up high, Borin clambering to do it. That done, the lanterns were hooded, and Perry made one more trip through the hole and down the cleft, this time with his sleeve well buttoned. When he returned he reported that the maggot-folk showed no sign of moving on.

"Then we must delay no longer," declared Lord Kian, and he turned to Anvai and Borin. "We have come far together, and it saddens me that we are to be sundered. Yet the mission is our first concern and makes this separation necessary. In my heart I believe we will meet again."

Then Lord Kian knelt on one knee before Perry and placed a hand on each of the buccan's shoulders. "Friend Waerling, though we have known one another but a brief time, I value your friendship. Take care and guide well." He embraced the Warrow and men stood.

Shannon and Ursor in turn said a simple "Fare you well" to the Dwarves and the Warrow. Perry was too overburdened with emotion to say anything, and Anvai and Borin managed to say only, "Shok Chdkka amonu."

Lord Kian stepped forward and took up one of the toppling lines, and so did they all: Borin assumed a stance behind Kian on that line; Ursor, and behind him Shannon, took up the second tine; and Anval with Perry grasped the third and last line, At Kian's quiet command, they all hauled back; the

ropes grew taut as the Squad pulled, yet the stone yielded not. Again Kian gave the command, and all put forth maximum effort: grips tightened, arms knotted, backs straightened, and legs strained; still the rock remained stubborn and did not move. "Enough," panted Kian, and released his grip.

Dejectedly, Perry dropped his end of the rope and sat down with the others, rubbing his forearms. "Now what do we do?" asked the Warrow.

Borin glanced at the top of the slab. "When I fastened the lines," he recalled, "I saw a notch high up behind the rock. I deem a Chak could climb into it and use his legs to lever the stone. Anval, you are strongest. Climb to the cleft, brace between the rock and the wall, and give it enough more of a push with us pulling to o'erbalance it."

No sooner did Borin speak than Anval swarmed up the slab and into the notch. He then placed his feet on the rock and braced his back against the stone wall. The rest of the Squad took up the ropes: Borin, Kian, and Ursor on the three separate lines, Shannon behind Kian, and Perry behind Borin.

At Kian's soft command, again they pulled: Perry leaned into the rope with all his might, straining to his uttermost limits. Borin's great shoulders knotted, the muscles becoming iron hard as he hauled on the rope. Kian and Shannon threw all their weight and strength into their line, their arms rigid and their legs trembling with the effort. Giant Ursor had braced his feet against a fissure in the floor, and his body leaned almost level, his mighty thews drawing down hard on his rope.

But it was Anval who proved to be the key: He summoned all of his power into pushing against the slab; perspiration beaded his brow; ligaments and tendons and blood vessels stood out in bold relief on his arms, neck, and forehead; his teeth ground together; and his face distorted with effort. His fingers clawed into their hold on the stone of the notch, and his arm muscles knotted. His back and shoulders braced hard against the wall, and his thigh muscles trembled with the strain. He emitted a low moan as the stress became nearly unbearable, and then slowly, slowly his legs began to straighten as the massive slab inched away from the cleft.

Ursor's great legs, too, began to uncoil as the slab gradually stood upright, and the Baeran's mighty back straight102

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ened. Perry's foot slipped, and he fell to one knee, but he quickly recovered and threw his strength back into the struggle. Bonn, Kian, and Shannon felt the rock pulling away from the wail and strained mightily to haul with all their strength for just a moment longer.

And then the rock passed over center to fall to the cavern floor with a thunderous CRACK!

And the black fissure into the Bottom Chamber stood open before the Squad, lighted by a lantern at this end and by far-off burning brands at the other.

Momentarily the Squad slumped back, drained of al! energy. Then Kian struggled upright. "Quickly!" he gasped, "we must act now."

As Perry retrieved his cloak, Anval dropped down from the cleft, and he and the Warrow limped to the crannies behind the boulders while Bonn wearily scaled up to the high ledge. Kian, Shannon, and Ursor, their strength returning, unhooded three lanterns and fled back down the cavern. A shout came from the chamber, and the slap of running Rucken boots could be heard. Perry scuttled behind his boulder. He could see through a crack between rocks. Torchlight shuttered down the notch, and a large Hlok-led band of Rucks burst through the mouth of the cleft and into the cave. From far off Perry heard Shannon Silverleaf call, "Hai, Rucha!" and two arrows whined into the enemy, felling two Rucks. Then two more arrows hissed through the air to thud into another pair.

The Rucks quailed back, but the Hlok snarled, "Ptang glush! Sklurr!" and cracked the thongs of a cat-of-tails. Most of the Rucks leapt forward in pursuit, but the Hlok shouted more orders, and ten of the maggot-folk stayed behind while the leader sprang after the others, torches pursuing lanterns. Soon the sound of the chase was remote, and the notch-warding Rucks fell to squabbling among themselves.

Perry was dismayed. This is awful, he thought. They've left behind a rear guard, to the ruin of our plan, Now we can't get through. Oh, why did this have to happen? Hey! that's a fair question. Why would a rear guard be left behind? Are they waiting for something? If so, what?