The events of the 15th of Moonstone
"Sir! Don't you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Stravitch asked sullenly. His hand was on the petrified wooden door leading in to Dodik's, and he turned with an effort that looked like it pained him. Fixing Varen with a stare, he worked the piece of ratweed around in his mouth before spitting a streak of blackish saliva into the sand. "What am I listening for."
The damned warning you idiot! Varen wanted to scream. Instead, he took in a deep breath and exhaled, calming himself as best as possible before saying, "The siege bell, sir. Goblins must be marching on our fortress. We need to go get prepared, make sure the troops are up and outside to defend... I told you we shouldn't have left our place in the quarry. Damn that Aryn, for building that bridge across the gap. Has he lost his mind?"
"Siege bell?" Stravitch said, and rolled his eyes. "I don't hear a siege bell. I hear a 'get inside' bell. We're getting inside. Come along, this first round will be on me."
"Oh if only I had the strength to strike you down myself..." Varen spun on his heels, and sprinted towards the fortress, to grab his spear. Stravitch's eyes widened at the audacity of the youth.
"You will be punished for that insolence! C'mon," He nearly clotheslined Rith Budseal as he tried to dash towards the safety of the fortress, scooping the child up in a crushing headlock. "I need someone to drink with, come with me. The first round is on me."
***
Dwarves streamed past Rolland as he stood beside the road. His head was down, concentrating on carefully loading the last of the bolts into his repeating crossbow. In the distance, the squad of goblins marched towards him. Had he been in this fortress earlier, he would have noticed how ill equipped these greenskins were. Metal replaced with simple leather armors in most cases, half the squad beefy with muscles but carrying no weapons.
It didn't matter. Armored, or armed, all goblins died the same: hate on their lips, heads full of bolts.
Rolland lifted his head, glaring at the oncoming hord. "I am Rolland DaysChain, of Monom Ros! Turn aside now, lest your blood stain this sand redder."
They didn't, of course. They only jibbered in their foul tongue, grinning tusk-filled smiles at him. The goblin closet to him stopped smiling, an iron bolt sprouting from his head, blooming blood. More were filled with arrows, shafts sprouting from legs and arms, jutting from goblin bellies. The ones that didn't bleed out, were soon put down.