{"id":161,"date":"2019-07-14T11:59:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-14T11:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/141.148.246.190\/index.php\/single-post\/the-giants-gamble-pt-20\/"},"modified":"2022-05-19T14:13:37","modified_gmt":"2022-05-19T13:13:37","slug":"the-giants-gamble-pt-20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/index.php\/2019\/07\/14\/the-giants-gamble-pt-20\/","title":{"rendered":"The Giant’s Gamble Pt. 20"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chapter 20: A Feast with Hairy Folk<\/span><\/h3>\n
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They brought the airship as near to the town of Yak Folk as they dared, leaving Marteen and his men, and Hiccup with his squirrel, waiting onboard with one of their sending stones. \u201cWe\u2019ll call you if we run into any trouble,\u201d Thia promised, pressing the stone into Marteen\u2019s palm. \u201cHopefully, we won\u2019t need to use it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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They took the rope ladder down, then made the short trek into the centre of town. As they passed, the streets were rather quiet. Roon spotted a tall, hair-covered figure dart between two buildings and disappear. They were all alert as they approached the largest circular building in the town. It was constructed of wood, with a thatched roof and a large set of doors. <\/span><\/p>\n

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From the large doors burst out a tall, hairy humanoid creature with horns and, indeed, the face of a yak. He grinned widely, showing large flat teeth, and welcomed them. \u201cWelcome! Welcome! What can we do for you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kilian cleared his throat, and Roon took the opportunity to look around. He felt immediately suspicious of the quietness of the town, and he sensed the rest of his companions did as well. From the building, two female yaks flanked the chief holding staffs that looked mysteriously magical. Roon squinted at them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThank you,\u201d the sailor said, giving a slight bow, \u201cwho do we have the honour of addressing?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cChief Karthakia,\u201d the yak person said, puffing out his chest importantly. \u201cPlease, come feast with us. It\u2019s not often we get visitors.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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There was something about the cheeriness of the chief that Roon did not like. Kilian, it seemed, felt the same. When he spoke, it was with some hesitation. \u201cWe are here to resupply. Then we will be on our way. We don\u2019t wish to be a bother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cNonsense,\u201d the chief waved a hooved hand. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cDo you get any unsavoury creatures in the area?\u201d Thia asked, peering up at the looming mountain.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cAh, there\u2019s a chimera in the caverns, but it\u2019s not too much of a bother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cOh, we took care of that!\u201d Opal assured him. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The chief feigned surprise that wasn\u2019t fully convincing. \u201cDid you, now? Well, I\u2019m sure something else will perch in its roost eventually.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cDo you have tunnels in the area?\u201d Roon asked, rubbing his bearded chin.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe do,\u201d the chief nodded, watching them with careful dark eyes. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cAny giants in these parts?\u201d Thia asked. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThe odd one,\u201d Karthakia said vaguely, and the two female yaks nodded along. He looked at them, then. \u201cAh yes, these are my wives. I forgot to introduce them! Why not come inside and share a feast with us? We can discuss all matters once we\u2019ve sat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Dropping all pretense, Thia said, \u201cDo you know of a place called the Iron Slag mines?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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The chief gave another easy smile. \u201cIt\u2019s quite easy to get to from here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cCould you show us where it is?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI would love to show you where it is,\u201d he said immediately. \u201cBut first, we feast!\u201d He clapped his hooved hands together and the wives opened the doors to the large hut. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Hesitantly, they stepped into the dimly lit building lined with large tables. They saw the rest of the town, a mass of yak folk, inside. They all sat quietly, as though they\u2019d been listening very carefully to the conversation outside. \u201cSit, sit!\u201d Karthakia said, gesturing for an open space along the benches. The benches themselves were the same height as Roon.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The tables were currently empty but for some mugs and pitchers, but the chief called for a stew to be made. Some female yaks set about immediately stoking a fire and getting the cauldron set. Flint was nodding appreciatively, but Roon tugged on his arm and shook his head. The dwarf frowned down at him. \u201cDon\u2019t trust them.\u201d Roon whispered. \u201cNot until I\u2019ve had the tressym check the food.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Flint raised an eyebrow at Beatrice, who was trotting just behind them. She looked back and meowed, then began preening her wings. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cShe can detect poison,\u201d Roon clarified meaningfully. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cYou\u2019re a very suspicious fellow,\u201d the dwarf said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019ve reason to be,\u201d he told him.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Flint nodded and they all took their seats, helping Roon up into his.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The steaming bowls of stew were placed before them, and Roon placed Beatrice on his lap for her to sniff the bowl. The cat hissed as soon as the smell touched her nose, then jumped off his lap abruptly. \u201cWell, there you have it,\u201d Roon muttered. \u201cOpal,\u201d he nudged the genasi, who sat next to him, \u201cyou\u2019ve got that spell that\u2019ll help you talk to animals, right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cOh, yes,\u201d Opal beamed. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cCan you talk to Beatrice?\u201d Roon asked under his breath, eyeing the winged cat, who was now pacing the floor. \u201cConfirm with her that the food is poison.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Opal\u2019s eyes widened, but she nodded and turned to the cat. They had a low, purring conversation. \u201cThere\u2019s something in it,\u201d she confirmed. \u201cOh, and by the way, Beatrice is a boy. She\u2014sorry\u2014he<\/em> wanted you to know. His name is Archibald.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cHear that?\u201d Roon hissed to the others. \u201cIt\u2019s poisoned.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Evelyn arched her eyebrows, then grabbed a wooden spoon and dug in, devouring the meal. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cEvelyn<\/em>,\u201d Flint whispered, drawing the attention of a few nearby yak folk, who turned in their direction. Flint cleared his throat and sat a little straighter, raising his spoon as though thoroughly interested in its design.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know,\u201d Kilian said doubtfully, taking a spoonful and pressing it to the tip of his tongue. \u201cIt tastes alright to me. What makes you say the cat can detect poison?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cBecause,\u201d Roon hissed in exasperation, \u201cI put research into the things I have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThey\u2019re going to notice if we don\u2019t eat,\u201d Thia pointed out.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Opal nodded and reached into her pocket, handing out small, reddish berries to each of them. \u201cEat these. They should protect us from even the smell.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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All except Evelyn ate the berries, and Roon felt a comforting warmth spread through his chest. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cSomething wrong with the food?\u201d The chief asked in a booming voice, standing just behind them. Roon jumped nearly out of his seat in surprise. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Evelyn, whose face was smeared with food, looked up and shook her head. Kilian leaned in and took a bite. \u201cNot at all,\u201d the sailor assured him with a greasy grin.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cGood.\u201d The chief said. \u201cGood. Eat up! After our meals, it is tradition to pass along the pipe and partake in the healing smoke.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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As he said this, Roon noticed a very large wooden pipe was being passed along the tables. A yak person would suck in the smoke deeply, exhaling curling wisps of smoke through their large, cow-like nostrils. When the pipe was passed to Flint, he shrugged, and took a small puff. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cBigger than that!\u201d The chief insisted, and his wives nodded encouragingly. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Flint took a large puff this time, coughing as the cloud of smoke surrounded him. He passed it off to Kilian, who also smoked. Roon leaned back, shaking his head. Thia, he noticed, only pretended to smoke. With a wisp of illusory magic, she made it seem as though she had. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The pipe continued around their side of the table, and Roon\u2019s hands were anxious balls of sweat in his lap. Before it came to his and Opal\u2019s side, they needed to find an excuse to leave.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cEvelyn?\u201d Kilian whispered, shaking the girl. She had slumped onto the table\u2019s large surface, snoring softly. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cSeems your friend has fallen asleep! Ha!\u201d Another yak male said, clapping Kilian roughly on the back. \u201cThat shows the meal is good!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cMust be,\u201d Kilian muttered, brow furrowing. Roon noticed beads of sweat, and the man was paling.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI don\u2019t feel so good,\u201d Flint moaned, clenching his eyes shut. \u201cI feel\u2026 dizzy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon, Thia and Opal stood up immediately, on high alert. \u201cWhat did you do?\u201d Thia demanded, turning on the chief accusatorily. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Just then, Kilian tried to stand as well but wavered, then collapsed to the ground. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon jumped onto the table and ran to Evelyn, pressing a hand to her back. She was under a deep, unnatural sleep. \u201cI knew it,\u201d he cursed. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Thia drew her sword, and suddenly the yak chief was standing there, menacingly tall and holding a flaming sword to Thia\u2019s chest. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t do that, if I were you,\u201d Karthakia growled. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon quickly cast a spell over Evelyn, trying to draw the sleeping draught from her body.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Flint threw up his hands as the yak folk surrounded them. Some, Roon saw, had run for the doors of the hut and escaped outside. They knew bloodshed was coming. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Flint\u2019s spell hit two and threw them back, and they shook their heads in confusion as they got up. The rest drew their swords and approached them cautiously. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cSubmit!\u201d Karthakia commanded. \u201cOr be slain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe don\u2019t submit,\u201d Thia said simply, taking a few steps back toward her companions. \u201cStay around me!\u201d She shouted to her friends, then with a burst of roaring hot fire, a wall erupted around them, the flames licking all the way to the ceiling of the hut. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon grabbed Evelyn and tried shaking her awake, and the girl got up groggily. She stood abruptly when she saw the flames. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe need to move toward the door!\u201d Thia said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cKilian!\u201d Roon shouted, running to his unconscious friend. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cMarteen!\u201d Opal shouted, holding the sending stone to her mouth. The stone began to glow with a dim blue light. \u201cWe\u2019re under attack! Inside the large hut! Follow the smoke. Bring back up!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Thia shot lightning through the flames, but none of them could guess if the arching bolts hit anyone. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019ll burn alive if we stay in here much longer!\u201d Flint shouted.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Opal suddenly shrank into a small black beetle and flew up to the top of the roaring wall. Somehow, the flames did not burn them, but Roon suspected anyone outside of their sphere would feel the burning path they wrought. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cKILIAN!\u201d Roon shouted again, shaking the man. Kilian blinked and held his stomach, then turned over and wretched. \u201cGet up!\u201d Roon yelled. \u201cWe need to get out of here! We\u2019re surrounded!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kilian nodded slowly and got laboriously to his feet, then threw out a bolt of lightning through the flames.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Thia looked back at them, seeing everyone on their feet, then nodded and sang into her blade. The sword glowed white as the elf took a breath and strode through the flames. There was a clang of steel on the other side. <\/span><\/p>\n

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GONG, GONG, GONG.<\/em> Something rang loudly through the village.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The wall of fire dropped, and they all saw the interior of the massive hut in flames. \u201cGET OUTSIDE!\u201d Thia screamed and ran for the door, dodging a blade. The last few yak people were already escaping through the door now and were turning to bar it shut. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Thick black smoke filled their lungs as they ran. The chief stood at the doorway, yelling at them to shut the door. Kilian angrily threw a bolt of lightning at the chief, hitting him squarely in the broad chest and throwing him back away from the door. The sailor was only a few steps behind Thia as he escaped through the door, which then slammed shut. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Wheezing from the smoke, Roon forced his tiny legs to push him forward. He\u2019d lost track of Opal in her beetle form, but hoped she\u2019d gotten out. It was he, Flint and Evelyn trapped inside. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cCan you break it down?\u201d Roon asked hopelessly as Evelyn slammed her fists against the door. They could hear the struggle outside, and Roon was sure Thia and Kilian were being overrun. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Flint drew out his large axe and began hacking at the door. Evelyn took a few running steps back, then heaved her entire body against the door. The wood splintered, and the door flew open, sending Evelyn and Flint spilling outside. Smoke obscured Roon\u2019s vision as he stumbled out of the door, narrowly missing a falling beam of blackened wood, smoldering at the edges. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Opal landed, buzzing, onto Roon\u2019s shoulder, then hopped off and turned back to her genasi form. She too was breathing heavily. \u201cCouldn\u2019t. See. Anything.\u201d She said, grabbing her chest and coughing. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The smoke cleared for a moment, and Roon saw his companions had pushed back from the burning hut and were in melee with at least a dozen yak people. As he stumbled forward, he noticed the wives of Chief Karthakia were waving their staves and muttering a simultaneous incantation. \u201cNO!\u201d He shouted, and his giant middle finger appeared in the air and slammed into the two of them, sending them sprawling. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Kilian kicked down a yak man, clearing head from hairy body just as Thia\u2019s sword slid into the chest of another. Kilian spun toward the chief and shouted, eyes burning with rage. \u201cDrop your weapons, or we\u2019ll burn your women and children!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The chief bellowed angrily but made no move to lower his flaming sword. Kilian\u2019s hands opened, shooting two twin lightning bolts into the chief\u2019s chest. The sailor stumbled when the spell was complete, still weakened from whatever was in the pipe. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Flint\u2019s hands moved through the air and strange whispers ran around their enemies, forcing them to try and slap away the incessant noises. One\u2019s ears began to bleed profusely, and it fell to its knees screaming in agony before collapsing to the dirt. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Evelyn moved through them with her blades, nearly a ghost herself as she sliced knees and necks alike. Thia\u2019s hands burst with tiny green missiles that arched at their enemies and never missed. A dark thunder cloud grew over Opal\u2019s head and she moved lightning over them, the bolts hitting bodies and dropping them. Roon touched Kilian\u2019s arm and sent healing through him as his spiritual middle finger moved through the crowd and kept the yak folk from them. Finally, they heard the cries of Marteen and Hiccup as they ran through the village with half a dozen men, weapons drawn. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The remaining yak folk drew crossbows and turned on them, and the airship appeared through the smoke, hovering overhead. Harpoons flew from the deck and one struck a yak woman in the chest. She dropped her crossbow and went limp as she hanged from the attached rope. Hiccup shot a massive explosion of fire, burning two more alive. Kilian grabbed Flint by the arm and shouted, \u201csteady on!\u201d Then stepped forward with the dwarf, and the two of them disappeared, reappearing only moments later atop the deck of the airship.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cBurn the village!\u201d Kilian shouted. \u201cKeep only one alive!\u201d Then, he shot a bolt of fire down at one of the yaks. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Flint drew out his crossbow and shot his bolts into the fray. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Opal turned on the spot and transformed into a massive vulture, then sprung up and grasped onto Thia\u2019s cloak with her talons, flying up toward the ship. Roon emulated her, casting the polymorph spell over his body. He felt the transformation as his limbs stretched and changed, then he leaped into the air on large wings, swooped at Evelyn, and dropped the girl onto the deck of the ship. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Hiccup yelled at Marteen and his men, and as they all ran back to the ladders hanging from the ship, the goblin turned his staff at the last of the yaks and an incredible explosion wracked the centre of the village. Chief Karthakia, his unconscious sorceress wives, and all the rest of the yak warriors, turned to ash. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThere!\u201d Opal cried as she reformed into her normal figure. \u201cThere are slaves in cages below! Look! Near the fire!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sure enough, near the roaring hut was a collapsed stable, and inside were cages filled with tiny, naked, humanoid figures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/main><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The companions travel to a town of Yak Folk in search of the Iron Slag mines leading to Duke Zolto, and hopefully the magic conch that will show them King Hecaton’s court. They encounter difficulty on their path, and must avoid fire to get to their destination.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":787,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[18,19,17,14,15,16,23,20],"series":[],"class_list":["post-161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-giants-gamble-dungeons-and-dragons-series","tag-campaign","tag-cult-of-the-dragon","tag-dnd","tag-dungeons-and-dragons","tag-fantasy","tag-series","tag-the-giants-gamble","tag-wizards-of-the-coast"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Giants-Gamble-Blog-Photos10-copy-11.png","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"amazon":{"key":"amazon","url":"https:\/\/music.amazon.ca\/podcasts\/09c34bbc-b359-49af-a286-31830ed5634c\/short-stories","label":"Amazon","class":"amazon","icon":"amazon.png"},"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/short-stories\/id1621456328","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_play":{"key":"google_play","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.google.com\/feed\/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbGV4aXN2ZWVuZW5kYWFsLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qvc2hvcnQtc3Rvcmllcw","label":"Google Play","class":"google_play","icon":"google-play.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.google.com\/feed\/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbGV4aXN2ZWVuZW5kYWFsLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qvc2hvcnQtc3Rvcmllcw","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0lcQCRs52MfYlKs35lVX4K","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"itunes":{"key":"itunes","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/short-stories\/id1621456328","label":"iTunes","class":"itunes","icon":"itunes.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/feed\/podcast\/default-podcast","embedCode":"

The Giant’s Gamble Pt. 20<\/a><\/blockquote>