"Come on, let us up there!" Amante said angrily.
"Absolutely not. Not while that elite crossbowman is there."
"We took one of those guys out before."
"Yes, but
he was on his own and it still took ten of you. How are you going to hit one
specific goblin in the middle of a huge horde of lashers and cave crawlers? It's suicide. At least let Taup Caudata soften them up a bit first."
"Taup! Try and hit the bowman!"
"He just used that axeman as a shield!" Endok said indignantly. "
Scumbag."
The goblins had realized now that they were trapped. Atu pulled his cave crawlers further back, out of range of the catapult. The general spoke to his hammer squad in a quick, urgent tone, too low to be clearly overheard.
Summer"The elves want to leave, Mr Madushkubuk," trigg said.
"Well, tell them they're welcome to, but they'll have to walk out through about fifty pissed off goblins."
"Can we at least clear those two hammermen out of the gatehouse?" said Amante.
"I don't see a problem with--wait." I snapped my fingers. "The cage traps! If we can get that bowman into a cage... All right. Get in there and get rid of them."
"Coast's clear," Amante called. "Send in the mechanics!"
It was noisy up top, what with the screams of injured goblins outside the walls, and an occasional BANG or splash from a misaimed rock.
A group of lashers came over to investigate the small phyllite structure that fired rocks with deadly force. Cursing, Taup Caudata retreated underground. Amante led the Seas of Silver up on the walls (well away from the goblin crossbowman) and drove them off with a few well placed bolts.
Taup Caudata popped up again hauling another lump of rock.
12th HematiteThe bowman had spotted the marksdwarves up on the walls. He slotted an arrow into his crossbow and raised it with practised ease.
For the third time in her life, Bembul fell screaming with an arrow in her chest.
"Down off the wall!" Amante shouted. "Everyone down!" There was a scramble.
"
Now do you believe me about the bowman?" I said. "Nobody else goes up on the walls while he's there. That's an
order."
With the marksdwarves unable to provide cover for the pillbox, Taup Caudata was forced to retreat below for good. Bessie fell silent.
7th Malachite"Please," the elf said, nearly in tears, "we
must go. You don't understand. It is vitally important."
"Well, what do you want me to do, open the gate and let you out? There's a dozen hammergoblins on cave crawlers right outside--you'll be torn to pieces."
"We could dig a tunnel under the river..." said Rovod the miner, thoughtfully.
"Are you crazy?"
"No, seriously. The goblins are all on this side, and there's no bridges. The eastern half of the jungle is clear of hostiles. Of course, the elves will be going closer to Todosta if they head east, but that's their lookout. They'd get a head start at least."
The elf looked at me with anguished hope.
"Oh, what the hell," I said. "Do it, Rovod. But we'd better make damned sure we block it up again straight afterwards."
The elves were hurrying over even before the tunnel was finished, coaxing their reluctant horses around mounds of dirt that we hadn't had the time to clear away.
I wondered what their wretched hurry was. But we had their bird, so who cared...
23rd MalachiteThe gate house had sprouted nine more cage traps.
"Nearly ready," billybobfred said. "Just waiting for the last cage to be brought up."
"Call everyone underground then," I said. "And let's see if they bite."
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Topic: Ubenudil, Soaplanterns - Soapmaker's Guild Fort (Read 57029 times)