I got a bit sidetracked, update took longer than expected. Might go off to bed now. If I don't respond soon, my power probably went out. That, or I was attacked by rabid spider monkeys.
As soon as the formations were out of sight, Rigoth and Lor sped out of the cavern back down the corridor. The pair made it back to the central stairway and half stumbled, half hopped down the many flights. When they reached the trade level, they ran back to the depot, hitched the mules to the wagon, and hopped in. Rigoth motioned towards a dwarf who was lounging by their depot and he nodded and took up a position near the entrance. As Lor jumped in the back, the hound let out a yelp.
“Sorry Idar,” Lor said. “I didn’t mean to hit your tail.”
“Idar?” asked Rigoth. “You couldn’t think of a better name than Dog?”
Lor shrugged and said “I didn’t name him, he came with the name. Some humans thought they were being ethnic.”
“Ethnic?” Rigoth asked.
“Dwarven,” replied Lor.
Rigoth nodded as they approached the gate. The gates were already open as the fortress’ ground forces were moving through. Squads of speardwarves followed by squads of axedwarves marched through, the sunlight glinting off of their weapons. An entire company of marksdwarves was blocking the wagon’s advance and Rigoth shouted profanity and insults until the company made room enough for them to move through.
A marksdwarf who was missing a few teeth and more than one finger asked as they rattled by; “Ya goin’ ta’ see th’ battle then?”
Rigoth nodded and asked “How many o’ the bastards are there.?”
“Roundabout twenty squads. Seven on dogs, three flying,” the marksdwarf replied.
Rigoth nodded again as they passed the last of the marksdwarves and the wagon followed the road for a while before turning off and coming to rest atop a hill. The pair had a clear view of the battlefield to be and they could see the smoke of the siege camps miles away. The fortress’ aerial division was already returning from their flight and back towards the fortress. The squads of eagles and riders perched themselves on the cliffs above the main gate as they waited for the ground forces to move out. Rigoth and Lor unhitched the mules and let them graze on the hillside. Slowly, groups of civilians were joining them on the hills overlooking the battlefield and they were setting up tents and makeshift stalls.
“’S great entertainment fer the whole fortress,” Rigoth said. “Like a carnival of sorts only bloodier. Well, only slightly bloodier than some o’ the carnivals we have round here.”
Lor nodded as he watched the merchants set up stalls with various dwarven foods and novelty items. Things like small toy soldiers or goblin skull totems. Other wagons were climbing up the hillside that were loaded with dwarves who had paid for shuttling service to the battlefield. The civilians let out a cheer as the regiments took up position on the battlefield and a few soldiers were stepping out of formation to encourage the crowd. As more dwarves were getting settled, a sound was heard by all. It started as a low rumble but gradually became louder as time went on. Soon it was echoing off of the mountainside and onto the hills below. It was the goblin war horns. Massive instruments made from the bones of elephants. The crowd burst out into a roar as the eagles swooped off of their perches and flew out to meet the squads of quickly approaching goblins mounted on giant bats. The battle was about to begin.
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Topic: Zafalduthnur (Airguard) (Read 7103 times)