It has started raining.
It always seemed to rain here. It seemed since we'd crossed the border the rain hadn't let up for more than a few minutes at any point. The caravan rolled along the muddy path, occasionally getting it's wheels stuck in the deep muck. We didn't complain. The other soldiers and I, we would just put our shoulders beneath the wagon and lift, pushing until the wheels came free and we could get moving again.
The summer was quickly fading, the warm breeze from our homeland, The Mountainhome, extinguished and replaced by a frigid chill that even the stoutest of ales had trouble keeping away. We still did not complain. The other soldiers and I, clad head to toe in iron and adorned with heavy warhammers and axes, gave not a single protest to the unhospitable terrain as we marched. The civilians rode quietly in their wagons, somber at the conditions around them.
"Wagonmaster. How long til we're there? Me feet's achin' and I ain't had a brew for atleast an hour,'' one of the men from inside the caravan called.
''A few days now.'' he replied. It's what he always said. I kept my head up and my eyes ahead. It wouldn't do for the civilians to see a soldier lose heart.
I adjusted the weight on my backpack and trudged along, hoping to soon see the glorious halls of our new home. I smiled despite myself, and jogged ahead a bit to another soldier ahead of me.
''Catten. What did you say the name of the Fortress was?" I asked.
''Onolalmosh, Stukos.''
''Mountaingleam...'' I grinned again, then nudged Catten in the arm, ''Sounds a hell of a lost better than the Mountainhomes do. Probably with fewer goblins.''
Catten gave me a harsh glance, the annoyance obvious on his face, even behind the thick bush of red beard.
''Mind your tongue, Stukos. It is tragedy that so many have perished in.''
I nodded my apology. It was true. The Mountainhome was in sad shape, especially with the near continuous goblin raids. Their own caravan used to have three times as many dwarves in it, and the ones with them now were the only survivors. I nodded again, and padded my axe handle on my belt.
''Well, hopefully our new home won't have much need o' folks like you or I, hm?'' I offered
Catten nodded, and smiled slightly, before resuming his gaze ahead, ''I hope yer right, Stormgears. I hope yer right.''
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Winter has come on the calendar.
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Stukos Stormgears trudged through the blanket of snow. The white powder came up to his waist, but even ice couldn't stop a determined dwarf. The carts, however, were another story. When the snowfall first came, it did so in the form of a blizzard, and had all but buried the wagons in it's fury. They hadn't lost any lives, however... Stukos assumed that, from what they've been through, this group was just too hard to fall to frozen water. They had to be close now, having put more than three hundred miles between them and their home.
Stukos raised his head, about ready to call for a break when a snow-laden form came barreling towards them form the front. Immediately, Stukos' axe was out and ready, but quickly lowered once Catten was close enough to be recognized.
''We're here! Mountaingleam is just around the next bend in the path. It'll cross a bridge and split north and east, we take the path east and she's a straight shot.'' he grinned.
''Excellent.'' said the wagonmaster, who still lead them despite losing their wagons. Relief was obvious on the faces of the seventeen dwarves attended.
The group picked up the pace, their weariness forgotten in the wake of new vigor. The distance melted, and soon the dwarves all found themselves in a jog. The bend came and went, as did the bridge. It wasn't very long, perhaps thirty feet. The water below, however, was fast and probably extremely cold. They crossed the bridge and set upon the eastern path. Soon, they saw the dirt path give way to cobbled stone, and statues that lined the road on either side. They weren't the towering monoliths that Stukos had wanted, but they were a welcomed sight nonetheless. The dwarves slowed down, not wanting to seem too eager, when they came to the end of the path.
Before them was a large hole. It wasn't the intimidating halls that he expected, but this bothered Stukos little. Catten turned to face the group.
''Alright get yourselves moving. We're almost out of this me-'' he was cut short as he stumbled backwards, the group confused with the thump sound they'd heard. Catten regained his composure, and coughed, blood soaking the front of his beard. Then Stukos noticed the feathered shaft of an arrow sticking from his friend's throat.
''Catten!'' he called as the dwarf fell backwards, choking on his own blood. Another arrow whistled in from the left, hitting one of the civlians in the shoulder. Stukos brought his shield to bear, blue eyes searching for whatever was attacking them. Another arrow, then another came whistling in, missing their marks but causing immediate panic. A third slammed into Stukos' shield, finally knocking him out of his daze.
''Everyone inside! On the double! Soldiers cover the retreat!'' He called, like he'd been trained in the Mountainhomes. The civilianz bolted for the cave, and the three remaining soldiers and Stukos fell in form behind them, shields at the ready. Arrows thudded into the iron wall repeatedly as they backed away. Suddenly, forms erupted from the snowbanks. Goblins clad in various pieces of iron equipent, weilding various weapons from silver hammers to whips, cruelly tipped with copper blades.
''Full retreat, move it!'' Stukos growled out, and first the outer two dwarves turned and ran, then Stukos and the remaining dwarf. His iron boots slammed into the rocky floor of the cave loudly as he went, the goblins hot on their tails. The dwarf beside him... Dodak, Stukos thought, jolted forwards as a bolt caught him from behind, getting him in the left shoulder.
''Dodak, get up, we have to move!'' Stukos pleaded, halting his run. Dodak answered with a slug to the jaw, and pointing towards the cave.
''Won't make it. Get yer gone! I'll keep 'em busy, aye!'' He turned and stood, his shield arm limp and useless. Stukos stared a moment, then nodded and ran. The goblins were quick to overwhelm the injured dwarf, bringing him down quickly in a torrent of blades and spears.
Stukos couldn't watch, for the time cost would get him killed. The cave was getting darker now, and quieter, and only two sounds echoed in his ears. The sound of his own heartbeat, and the clatter of weapons and armor of the goblins behind him. The cave took a sharp right, and he skidded along the floor to make it. This hallway was lit, with torches lining either side. At the end was a short wooden bridge and pair of plain wooden doors. He shook his head and pumped his arms for speed as he ran, hoping against hope that the doors were unlocked.
A thrown spear glanced off his right shoulder, clattering against the floor infront of him. He jumped over it and lowered his shoulder, ready to tackle the doors and bull rush his way within. Just as his feet hit the bridge, the doors opened, and the suprised dwarf could not stop. He stumbled within, heard the doors slam behind him, and ran face first into a brick wall. Dazed, he stumbled backwards, but shook the stars from his vision and glanced around.
He was in a small room, barely enough room for him and the surviving two soldiers, and two other dwarves clad in steel by the doors. Beside one was a pair of stone levers.
''Glad you could make it laddy. Was wonderin' if we'd be givin' you a bath too.'' one of the soldiers chuckled.
Curious, Stukos tilted his head, his black beard swaying slightly. The soldier motioned him over and pointed to a small window constructed by the door, which the other soldier had been looking out of. Stukos moved over and heard a click as the first soldier pulled one of the levers.
The goblins had made it to the bridge, one with a large silver mace stepping towards the wooden doors, barking orders. It seemed annoyed that it's partners didn't simply rip the doors off their hinges, and raised the mace to break open the barrier. The bridge beneath them, however, had no intentions of letting him finish. It rose suddenly and swiftly, revealing a stone reinforcement on the bottom as it slammed shut, crushing the three goblins upon it against the doors and their frames, which from the sound were also reinforced. The remaining goblins, too many for Stukos to count, roared in anger and began hurling weapons at the raised bridge. The soldier smiled and flipped the second lever. Stukos could only stare as one of the constructed walls of the hallway retracted upwards, and a wall of molten rock splashed downwards, collapsing upon the goblins. They screamed and shreiked, anything flammable bursting into flames, and metals turning to slag as the goblins died. Stukos moved away from the window, then back to the first soldier, his face a mask of astonishment.
''Clever trap.'' Stukos mused.
''Dwarven Engineering.'' the soldier grinned, ''Welcome to Mountaingleam.''
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Topic: Stormgear Legacy (Read 445 times)