{"id":73,"date":"2018-11-06T11:59:00","date_gmt":"2018-11-06T11:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/141.148.246.190\/index.php\/05-3\/the-giants-gamble-pt-3\/"},"modified":"2022-04-19T17:31:12","modified_gmt":"2022-04-19T17:31:12","slug":"the-giants-gamble-pt-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/index.php\/2018\/11\/06\/the-giants-gamble-pt-3\/","title":{"rendered":"The Giant’s Gamble Pt.3"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chapter Three: Game Ogre<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Opal and Roon sat atop the guard\u2019s tower, overlooking the empty town of Nightstone as the day passed into late afternoon. Eventually, their companions awakened, bruised and bandaged and asking questions about what happened to the orcs.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThey\u2019re all dead,\u201d Roon said quietly, looking out to the forest where smoke no longer billowed. Whatever fire had been amongst the trees had now dissipated. \u201cElves came and finished them off, but they didn\u2019t stick around long enough to care if we survived.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI don\u2019t get it,\u201d Thia shook her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cCome on, we need to get moving,\u201d Kilian told them, packing his things. \u201cWe need to find the villagers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon crossed his arms unhappily. \u201cI don\u2019t want anything to do with Xolkien and his band of blind followers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe need to save the town,\u201d Kilian insisted. \u201cThese people are innocent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cMaybe they\u2019re better off somewhere else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe don\u2019t know that,\u201d his friend sighed. \u201cCome on, Roon. Everyone?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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They all eventually agreed, and took to the road, leaving the town of Nightstone behind them. Opal took the lead, following a set of human tracks. \u201cThese must be the villagers!\u201d She exclaimed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cHow many are there?\u201d Thia asked the genasi, who shrugged.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI think, thirty or fourty, maybe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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The rest of them were not confident trackers, so they had no choice but to follow the eccentric, strange looking girl with the skip in her step. The tracks took them North, and they had been walking for less than an hour when Opal stopped them and pointed to a large hill at least fifty feet from the road. \u201cLook! A cave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cHm, yes, a dark hole. We should definitely go in there,\u201d Roon said sarcastically. He had been in a foul mood all morning. Being belittled by cult leaders and elves and beaten up by orcs was not what he considered a good couple of days. I never should have left that boat,<\/em> he thought bitterly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThat sounds nice,\u201d Evelyn said in her quiet voice. \u201cI like the dark.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cEvelyn, I wasn\u2019t being serious,\u201d Roon said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThe tracks lead there,\u201d Opal told them, and with a sigh Roon realized she was right.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThe villagers must have fled here after the attack to find shelter.\u201d Kilian scratched his chin. \u201cWe should go in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe can\u2019t just walk in,\u201d Thia said. \u201cI\u2019ll go investigate. I have keen eyes in the dark, unlike humans.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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When no one argued, the elf woman jogged through the knee-high grass and slowed when she approached the cave entrance. Then, they watched as she crept through and disappeared. Not a moment later, they heard a shout. \u201cIntruders!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat did she do?<\/em>\u201d Roon cursed and they all looked at each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

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They started running, and a second after they saw Thia dart from the cave and come toward them. \u201cOgres!\u201d She shouted. Roon pulled out his bow and Evelyn drew her rapiers against her skin, drawing blood and flames. Opal loaded her crossbow and they all waited.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cDo we run or do we fight?\u201d Kilian asked as a massive, very naked and mud-covered ogre came charging out after Thia, heavy club raised in one hand. A second one appeared behind him, this one female and dressed in armour. She heaved a javelin into the air and Thia ducked out of the way just in time.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kilian held his hands in front of him and a swirling ball appeared there, writhing and chaotic and filled with darkness and streaks of lightning. He tightened it between his fingers, then released it in a frenzied burst of sound. The spell shot from his hands and burst against the naked ogre, stopping him momentarily in his tracks. Suddenly, a group of goblins emerged from the cave, screaming and brandishing weapons. \u201cRun!\u201d Kilian suggested, then turned and bolted.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Thia continued to run, catching up to them, and the goblins shot arrows. Two missed, but the third hit her in the back. She stumbled but continued running. Roon had turned to run, but at seeing this, he notched an arrow to his shortbow and shot at the naked ogre, who was gaining on Thia now that she had been hit.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The ogre pulled up his club, and the arrow stuck in the wood. Then, with a huge backhanded swing, he cracked the club against the Elf\u2019s head, and she dropped. The goblins immediately ran up and started dragging her body back to the cave.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Bolts, arrows and spells shot from each side in this sudden battle as everyone ceased running and began fighting. Evelyn ran to the biggest foe and began striking the muddied ogre, slashing her tiny blades over every bit of flesh she could reach. The ogre roared and swung out in a frenzied rage. Kilian created a large ball of fire in his hands and split it in two, sending them at each of the ogres. \u201cWe can\u2019t win this fight!\u201d He shouted to Roon, who knew he was right. They were already down one fighter, and the ogres were much stronger than any of them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon created a duplicate illusion of himself standing over Thia, and a couple of the goblins screeched and backed off. The duplicate reached down and placed a healing hand over the elf\u2019s chest, and she immediately awakened and sat up, but the goblins reacted immediately. An arrow took Thia in the chest, and with a grunt she fell back again. If she could just get out of there, she\u2019d be fine!<\/em> Roon thought desperately, and his duplicate set to healing her again. Roon himself shot another arrow at the goblins, striking one down.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThis was a mistake! We did not mean to interrupt your bathing!\u201d Kilian shouted, but the ogres ignored his attempt at distraction. He shot another blast of chaotic energy at them. <\/span><\/p>\n

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This time, Thia made it to her feet and ran. As she ran past, she shot three glowing missiles at the muddy ogre, who was covered in streaks of blood from Evelyn\u2019s persistent cuts. The missiles shot, one, two, three, all three hitting. The ogre swayed for a moment in confusion, then dropped heavily to his knees. With a swift kick to the head, Evelyn knocked the ogre the rest of the way to the ground. \u201cGame ogre,\u201d she smiled.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cGreat pun!\u201d Roon said appreciatively. \u201cNow, kill the other one!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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The second ogre cried out at seeing her mate dead and charged with her javelin at the tiny, pale form of Evelyn. Opal and Roon continued shooting, darting from the goblins, who were continuously trying to push forward, and at the ogre when they had a clear shot.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A jab of the ogre\u2019s javelin hit Evelyn, drawing blood at her side, and with a furious shriek the girl emitted a blast of hellish noise, which split into a roar of fire. The ogre covered her eyes from the flames and jabbed again, and Evelyn countered.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cLight em\u2019 up, Kilian!\u201d Roon shouted, and Kilian threw a twin firebolt. One hit the ogre\u2019s arm and another blasted a goblin off its feet. The goblins were close, now. A goblin arrow grazed Roon\u2019s leg and Opal caught one in the ribs. In one moment, three goblins shot their arrows, all aiming at the tallest among them: Thia. All hit, and she fell down for the third time in the fight. Then, Kilian shot a final blast of lightning at the goblins, and two exploded into ash while a third froze instantly, encased in ice. Roon\u2019s illusion appeared again next to Thia and cast a sparing spell to keep her from bleeding out. \u201cJust rest, Thia,\u201d the illusion said, patting her hair. \u201cIt\u2019s better if you stay down for this one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kilian focused his energy on taking out the goblins with Roon, but Opal drew a flaming blade and ran into the fight next to Evelyn, both of them taking turns at blows with the ogre.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Just as Roon started to think the tide was changing in their favour, he heard a cry from Opal and turned to see Evelyn stabbed through with the ogre\u2019s javelin. The ogre wrenched it from her and cast the small girl to the ground, then swung around at Opal with renewed vigour. \u201cTake them to Boss Hark!\u201d The ogre screamed at the goblins, and they began scrabbling forward to obey.<\/span><\/p>\n

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With a sigh, Roon\u2019s duplicate ran over to Evelyn\u2019s unconscious form and began casting another healing spell. Then, Opal took her flaming sword and, with incredible strength, sliced the blade clean up through the ogre\u2019s body, splitting it in two. The two halves fell in opposite directions, and Opal flashed a smile to her companions.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cRun for your lives unless you too wish to die!\u201d Kilian shouted to the goblins, who ignored him. \u201cFine,\u201d the storm sorcerer shot a ball of fire, killing one instantly. Two more remained and continued running at them. Evelyn stood, now healed by Roon\u2019s illusion, and drew her blades to run back into the fight. That girl had a death wish. Having presumably seen something in the girl\u2019s eyes, one of the two goblins turned on its heels and ran for the cave. The second, noticing its companion abandoning the fight, slowed just in time for Roon to shoot it down with an arrow. Opal released the last shot, taking out the fleeing goblin with a crossbow bolt to the spine.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThat went about as expected,\u201d Kilian muttered to Roon, who nodded in agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe need to get that wizard some armour,\u201d the gnome said, pointing to Thia\u2019s unconscious body. \u201cOh, right,\u201d he snapped his fingers and his duplicate disappeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Opal stepped up to Thia and healed her to consciousness. \u201cWhat\u2019d I miss?\u201d She grumbled, rubbing her chest where the arrow wound was being knit back together.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cBasically everything,\u201d Roon smiled. \u201cYou should try to stop being such a target.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cNo kidding,\u201d she sighed, standing with Kilian\u2019s help. \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWell, I hate to say it, but now we definitely have to go in there,\u201d the sorcerer announced.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWait a moment,\u201d Roon said, and with a wave of his hands three globes of light appeared and floated into the chests of Evelyn, Opal and Thia, dissolving.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat was that?\u201d Evelyn asked quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIt should help keep you healthy for now. But,\u201d Roon raised a finger, \u201ctry to stay out of fights. I can only heal you so many times before my magic is exhausted.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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They all nodded in agreement, and the companions snuck forward to the cave entrance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The main cave was roundish in nature and had seven separate tunnels leading in all directions. On the left was a massive mud pool bubbling and steaming. \u201cThat explains why the ogre was naked and filthy,\u201d Roon grinned and Evelyn grimaced at the very vivid memory.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhich do we choose?\u201d Opal asked. \u201cThere are tracks everywhere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon reached into his pocket and pulled out dice. \u201cA die, one to six. We\u2019ll roll it and try that one first.\u201d He assigned numbers to each of the tunnel entrances. \u201cLet\u2019s let luck decide.\u201d He tossed the die up into the air and it clattered to the ground, two black dots facing up. \u201cTwo it is,\u201d he said, taking the die and striding to the second tunnel. \u201cReady?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Seeing no better option, they all pushed their way into the dark tunnel.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cStop! Who goes there?\u201d A goblin voice demanded from out of the darkness.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s your mum, you\u2014butthead!\u201d Roon cried out in his best imitation of a goblin voice. At the same moment, Kilian shot three dancing globes of light forward to make the room visible. Several goblins stood in what looked to be a mess hall, and along the walls crawled several oversized rats skittering through littered garbage and gnawing on abandoned food scraps.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon gave Kilian a sidelong glance, \u201ckill them?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cKill them,\u201d Kilian confirmed as the goblins rushed them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The sorcerer swept his hand around and a whip of lightning appeared, shooting forward and wrapping around a goblin torso. With a flick of his arm, the goblin was pulled forward, electric currents running through its body and leaving it with scorch marks. At the same moment, Thia took out her blade and cast a songlike spell over it. Then, she cast flames through the room in a torrential pillar that instantly killed a group of rats running through the room, along with a few of the goblins. She retreated in the tunnel as Roon stepped under her and shot his bow. Opal stood over Roon and cast a shard of ice into the room, which exploded in a blast of shattering cold. Evelyn took the opportunity to jump around Kilian, who was casting another spell, and ran at a goblin, cutting open its throat. A few of the giant rats started crawling at Evelyn\u2019s legs, and she swung her rapiers around, trying to ward them off. More rats quickly reached her, and she fell to the ground under the weight of them, thrashing. Kilian ran to her and released a wave of thunder, shaking debris and knocking everyone, including Roon, off their feet. The swarm of rats slammed against the walls and remained unmoving on the ground. Rocks rained down on Roon\u2019s head, and he felt a gash appear on his forehead, crimson spilling into his vision. He mopped away the blood and made his way through the rubble and into the room. Kilian stood with a glowing blue shield around his person, and a few goblin arrows ricocheted off him. Opal shot her crossbow bolts from her place in the tunnel, but Thia stayed back. Probably best,<\/em> Roon thought. She had been in enough near-death experiences this week.<\/span><\/p>\n

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An armoured goblin, slightly larger than the rest, ran at Kilian with a scimitar. Kilian\u2019s shield faltered as the sorcerer pushed through it and attacked the goblin with a dagger, which slid off his thick armour. Roon turned to an adjacent room as a tiny goblin ran from it brandishing a rusted sword and screaming. Before he could reach to grab it, it dashed around him and jumped on the back of the larger goblin, stabbing and hacking. The larger goblin shook the smaller one off and it fell to the ground, then stood for another assault. What the\u2014?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Kilian took the fight away from Evelyn\u2019s unconscious body, and Thia used that moment to sprint from the hallway and drag Evelyn from the fight. She pulled out strips of cloth and began bandaging the girl\u2019s wounds, and Opal put a friendly hand on Thia\u2019s and cast a healing spell over the girl.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon wasn\u2019t paying attention to this, however. He was looking for a way to jump in and help Kilian, but the wound on this head was making it difficult to stand. The world seemed to shift in his vision and black spots speckled the room in front of him. The larger goblin, frustrated by the attacks from both Kilian and the other goblin, screamed and ran Kilian through with his blade. Kilian looked down for a moment at the spotted blade, blinking slowly. The goblin tore the blade free, and Kilian fell back, a spot of blood quickly growing at his abdomen.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cTraitor!\u201d The larger goblin cried, turning his attacks solely to this smaller goblin.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon crawled to Kilian and cast a sparing spell on him. Thanks again, Baravar. I\u2019m not sure where I\u2019d be\u2026 <\/em>Roon thought as he repaired the wound.<\/span><\/p>\n

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He sensed a familiar, smug coming from outside of himself, yet present in his mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Evelyn jumped up, now healed by Opal, and did what she always did when seeing a fight: she brandished her swords and ran into the thick of it. She cut down the smaller goblin with an easy thrust of her rapier, killing it instantly, then turned and attacked the larger one. Thia stood and began casting rays of frost at the goblin, and Opal followed suit with more shots from her crossbow.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cStop!\u201d Roon cried. The larger goblin was the only one still alive. \u201cStop attacking, or we\u2019ll kill you like we killed everyone else!\u201d The goblin ignored him, striking at Evelyn over and over again. Evelyn ducked under his blows with a slightly crazed half-smile on her young face.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon ran in to cast a spell, but the goblin slashed, and he just managed to raise his shield in time. Suddenly, a crossbow bolt flew and hit Evelyn in the neck. Both goblin and girl stopped for a moment, shocked, and Evelyn fell to the ground. Roon turned and saw Opal standing there with her crossbow, hand over her mouth. \u201cI missed,\u201d she squeaked, then shook herself and loaded another bolt with shaking hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Thia hit the goblin\u2019s armour with a spell, and blue frost began to grow up the front of it. The goblin snarled, whipping around to see the wizard standing there, and at that moment, Opal shot another bolt. It hit the goblin straight in the adam\u2019s apple. It gargled for a moment, blood spilling up between its jagged teeth, then collapsed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon immediately ran to Evelyn and put a hand to the girl\u2019s forehead. A purplish light spilled from his fingertips and trickled across her temples. That would keep her from bleeding out, but she and Kilian needed a breather. They all did.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWait, I hear crying,\u201d Thia said, and was drawn out of the room and through an adjacent door.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon turned to follow her and noticed, for the first time, a half-eaten human corpse in the room. It was a grisly scene and explained much of the smell. Roon closed his eyes to the sight and ran after Thia. \u201cWatch these two!\u201d He whispered back to Opal, then ran ahead.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The room they entered was small and dark, but both elf and gnome were well-used to dim light and saw the shape of a woman curled up on the ground, weeping.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cUm, hello?\u201d Thia said gently, kneeling down in front of the woman and touching a hand lightly to her shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The woman jumped back and shuddered, her weeping renewed tenfold.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s alright, don\u2019t worry,\u201d Thia whispered calmly. \u201cWe\u2019re here to get you out. What\u2019s your name?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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The woman sniffled, sitting up slowly and trying to look around in the darkness. \u201cDaphne,\u201d she managed to get out between shaking sobs.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cDaphne,\u201d Thia repeated. \u201cTell us, are you from Nightstone?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cY-yes,\u201d the woman nodded, wiping her nose on her sleeve. \u201cI-I\u2019m the l-lady in waiting f-for Lady Nandar.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cLike a prostitute?\u201d Roon asked, unsure. Thia cast him a scathing look behind her shoulder. \u201cWhat?\u201d He asked defensively.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cA lady in waiting is a handmaiden,\u201d the elf said as though it were obvious.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roon shrugged at the term. \u201cNot what I\u2019ve heard it used for,\u201d he said casually.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIs Lady Nandar okay? Did you find her?\u201d The woman asked, her voice quivering but her tears, for the moment, paused.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cUhh\u2026\u201d Roon looked around, feeling awkward. \u201cLady Nandar was in Nightstone. She\u2014she didn\u2019t make it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cD-Dead?\u201d The woman\u2019s sobs renewed. Roon started to back out of the room. \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have run away!\u201d She wailed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Thia tried to speak more with her, but they could get nothing else from the woman. They stepped out to speak with Opal, shaking their heads. \u201cThere\u2019s a woman from Nightstone in there,\u201d Thia explained, \u201cbut she\u2019s inconsolable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cSo, we still know nothing,\u201d Roon sighed in defeat.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cGive her some time,\u201d Thia said. \u201cHer grief is fresh, but wait for these two to wake up, and perhaps she will be willing to talk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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They carried Evelyn and dragged Kilian into the room with the woman and they checked their wounds, taking care to sterilize and bandage them until they could be fully healed. Roon\u2019s hands shook with exhaustion, his magic nearly spent. He was still learning. Some day, he would be able to use magic without discretion. That\u2019s partly why he\u2019d went to the School of Illusion. But, for now, he was frustratingly weak.<\/span><\/p>\n

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It took a couple of hours for them to rest and recuperate before Kilian announced that they could not dally in the caverns for much longer. He went first to speak with Daphne. They were able to glean from her hysterical sobbing that the villagers used these caverns as a hideout during attacks, but it had been overrun by goblins and ogres. The villagers were imprisoned somewhere, but Daphne could not say where exactly, since she had been dragged into this room under a blindfold with her friend Darthag. She had sat there and listened to them eat Darthag alive. That was the corpse Roon had seen in the other room. Kilian helped the woman to her feet and promised that they would save the villagers, then led her to the back entrance they had found. \u201cStay hidden here,\u201d Kilian advised. \u201cIf someone comes through the tunnel, run outside. If there is anyone outside coming in, either hide in the stream, or press yourself behind these rocks. Stay hidden and stay quiet. We will come back for you, I promise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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The woman nodded fearfully, and they left her, returning to the main cavern to try at another tunnel.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cKilian,\u201d Roon said, grabbing the human by the arm and pulling him behind the rest of the group as they walked. \u201cThis is a game.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kilian looked at him, confused.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cDon\u2019t you see it? It\u2019s a metaphor\u2026 you know, this is a gamble, but all the odds are against us, and we\u2019re certain to lose.\u201d Roon shook his head slowly. \u201cWe will not survive if we continue on this way, and I am much too young\u2014and handsome\u2014to die.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kilian shook his head as well. \u201cWe can\u2019t leave the people of Nightstone behind.\u201d He said it as a fact.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cAlright, friend,\u201d Roon sighed, \u201cI\u2019ll trust you on this. Just\u2014don\u2019t get yourself killed. I can\u2019t trust the rest of them won\u2019t try.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kilian slapped a hand on his back and gave him a reassuring grin, and they continued on with the rest of their companions.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The next tunnel they tried was filled with bats, which Roon accidentally disturbed by kicking a rock. They came flying up in a frenzied swarm. Roon and his companions rushed out, fearful that the noise would draw the attentions of any other enemies in the area, then found another tunnel.<\/span><\/p>\n

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This tunnel had a short chasm through it, which they intellectualized would not have been used to herd the villagers. Firstly, Daphne would have remembered having to leap across something. Secondly, there were probably children and elderly people in the group of villagers as well. But, then they smelled smoke, so they leaped the narrow gorge and continued through the tunnel for another ten minutes before reaching yet another back entrance. There were trees, and they saw a large pile of orc bodies burning slowly. They walked forward to examine the tracks.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWho do you think did this?\u201d Roon asked aloud.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhoever did it, it must have been the reason why orcs fled to Nightstone. They were trying to escape this slaughter.\u201d Thia said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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There was the sound of hooves from amongst the trees, drawing swiftly nearer. \u201cHide!\u201d Kilian whispered, and everyone shot back into the tunnel, waiting.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A minute later, a group of horsemen approached.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cElves!\u201d Thia said quietly, then stepped out of the tunnel to speak with the lead rider. \u201cHello, fellow elves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWho goes there?\u201d The elf demanded. The speaker was a tall, regal-looking elf dressed in grays and browns and mounted atop a white mare. His nose seemed to be so well-used to pointing upwards that Roon didn\u2019t doubt the elf spent most of his time checking it in the mirror to see that it was clean.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI am Thia,\u201d she said, dropping her hood and showing her distinctly pointed ears. \u201cTell me, what is your name?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cRond,\u201d the man said discourteously, not budging from his seat in the saddle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat are you doing out here, Rond?\u201d Thia asked kindly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThis forest is our home,\u201d he said lightly, \u201cand we were clearing out the scum.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Thia nodded, casting a glance back at the pile of orc corpses. \u201cYes, I see that. It was very well done, indeed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cYou need to go,\u201d the elf said, casting a scathing look at her. \u201cYou\u2019re not welcome here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cExcuse me,\u201d Thia said, her chest swelling, \u201cbut what\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe recognize you from Nightstone. We fought the orcs there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI am not from Nightstone,\u201d she said, crossing her arms defensively. \u201cWe merely stumbled upon the town while chasing down some gia\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI said leave,\u201d he interrupted her. His mare snorted and pawed the ground impatiently. \u201cWe don\u2019t want the people of Nightstone anywhere near our forest. That\u2019s why we killed the Lord of Nightstone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cElvish pricks,\u201d Kilian whispered under his breath to Roon and the others.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAs I said,\u201d Thia said slowly, \u201cI am not from Nightstone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cLeave,\u201d the elf said, wrenching the reigns of his mare around, \u201cbefore we kill you.\u201d With that, he and his fellow elves kicked their horses and loped off.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Thia huffed, \u201cthat was exasperating and useless.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAgreed,\u201d Roon said. \u201cI\u2019ve never met elves quite as terrible as these ones.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe elves may not be our friends,\u201d Kilian said, \u201cbut the people of Nightstone are. We need to keep looking.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

Again, they returned to the central cavern and selected another tunnel. Roon had given up on rolling the dice, since that led them to a near-death-experience the first time around.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cPerhaps we should cover ourselves in mud,\u201d Evelyn suggested in her soft-spoken voice. \u201cYou know, to cover our scent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI like that idea,\u201d Roon agreed, \u201cmostly because I love a good soak.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Thia began delicately splashing the mud over her arms and face. Evelyn quickly dropped her blades on the ground and dipped into the mud, sinking under until even her hair was gone, then resurfacing and flecking mud from her eyes with a grin. Roon shrugged, dropping his pack and weapons, then climbed up on the ledge and jumped in, balling himself up and creating a huge splash that covered everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

They wandered for a while before they strolled into a room to find three goblins hiding in a corner and cowering. \u201cEnough games. Enough tunnels. Enough of this blasted place<\/em>,\u201d Roon said, stomping up to the cowering goblins and grabbing the middle one by the collar. \u201cWhat\u2019s your problem?\u201d He demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The goblin whimpered in response.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhy are you scared?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The goblin looked to the others, but they said nothing. \u201cWe\u2014we heard you killing the others,\u201d it said, trembling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cRight,\u201d Roon nodded, and turned to see Evelyn standing with rapiers aflame and Kilian holding his crossbow aloft. Thia was drawing her blade and Opal was looking around them curiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI would say, why don\u2019t we solve this without violence, but who am I kidding?\u201d Kilian said. \u201cTell us, where are the human prisoners?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The goblin shook its head, whimpering. \u201cDon\u2019t know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Kilian studied its face for a moment, then sighed. \u201cI think it\u2019s telling the truth,” he said, lowering his crossbow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAlright,\u201d Roon nodded. \u201cI don\u2019t like your face, get out of here.\u201d He shoved the goblin away, and they all went skittering past. Evelyn casually flicked her blade as the last one ran past and cut of its head. Roon couldn\u2019t blame her, to be honest, and he usually wasn\u2019t one inclined to violence. They were getting nothing and nowhere in this maze.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cGreat, so we still have no information,\u201d Thia sighed. \u201cNow what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThere\u2019s only one tunnel left. Tunnel number seven,\u201d Roon laughed to himself. \u201cThis is what I get for rolling a six-sided die in a seven-sided situation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

The final room stretched from a long hallway into a room where large stalagmites created a wall separating two dissecting tunnels. On the ground lay two broken scimitars, the metal on them corroded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cLeft,\u201d Kilian suggested, and they crept through and found a light up ahead.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAnother<\/em> back door,\u201d Roon said in surprise as the outside world came into view. \u201cThis seems like a difficult place to hold.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cLet\u2019s try the other passage,\u201d Thia whispered, and they returned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to be pretty mad if the prisoners are in the very last place we looked,\u201d Roon grumbled to himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cLet\u2019s hope we do find them,\u201d Kilian said, \u201cor we have bigger problems to worry about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

They crossed the stalagmites and took the other tunnel, which quickly opened up into a tall room with a shallow pool of water at the end and surrounded by green patches of moss with mushrooms growing everywhere. Roon immediately went to the pool and waded in, washing the itchy mud from his skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not here,\u201d Kilian looked around in disappointment. \u201cDid we miss something?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat if they moved them out of here already?\u201d Thia wondered aloud. \u201cWait! I hear something. Everyone quiet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Roon slowly pushed out of the water to stand dripping at the shore. He strained his ears and, sure enough, there was a gross slurping sound echoing into the room from the tunnel. Roon drew up his shield. We\u2019re trapped in here<\/em>, he thought, searching the cavern walls for another escape.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The slurping sound grew louder, and Opal cried out and shot a dagger of ice into the darkness. They heard it hit something and explode, and there was a shriek.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

A slithering black mass appeared from the tunnel, its shape undefined and constantly stretching and bulging as it moved. The moment it appeared, Thia shot a ray of frost, which it absorbed. Roon cast a sacred flame into the air, swirling it in the air and lobbing it at the monster. The flames hit, and the form bubbled and hissed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cUse fire!\u201d Thia shouted. \u201cNot ice!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Evelyn danced around the shape and started cutting at it with her flaming rapiers. When she pulled them from its gooey flesh, the metal was corroded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cEveryone, step back!\u201d Kilian yelled, and they did so as he summoned a massive ball of chaotic energy in his hands. He let it grow and grow until, with a sudden slam <\/em>of noise, he threw out his hands and the ball shot forward.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

It sunk deep into the creature, rumbling, then exploded<\/em>. Black slime flew in all directions as half of the creature was immediately destroyed. The remaining half of the creature stretched up, shuddering, and shot out at Evelyn, who dove and rolled from the attack. Opal ran at it with her sword afire and cut a sizable chunk from its side.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Thia stayed back and shot arrows into the creature, and Roon continued to shoot blasts of sacred flames. The creature was barely hanging on when Evelyn ran at it again, jumping into the attack with both rapiers and slicing it in half again. The ooze creature fell in two halves and did not stir. It seemed it could only survive with so many pieces missing before it died.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWell done!\u201d Kilian praised Evelyn with a tired smile, wiping his brow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThat was amazing, Kilian!\u201d Roon said admiringly as he went poking around the mushrooms. He recognized them as poisonous mushrooms and picked a handful, wrapping them up and slipping them into his pack.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cShould we keep going?\u201d Opal asked, sheathing her blade.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Kilian nodded. \u201cThough I\u2019m not sure where we have left to go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe let some of those goblins go,\u201d Evelyn said, pulling back her white blonde hair that was covered in dried mud. \u201cWe could find them and ask them again. They may have been lying before.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Kilian nodded, and they carefully exited the cavern and made their way back to the main one. They returned to the first tunnel on the left and found the cowering goblins, along with a few they hadn\u2019t seen before further into the room, hidden amongst piles of garbage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Thia stepped in first, holding the tip of her dagger to a goblin\u2019s throat. They all whimpered and looked terrified. \u201cTell us, truthfully this time. Where are the villagers of Nightstone?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI-In the prison!\u201d The one she held at knife-point squeaked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cYes, but where is the prison?\u201d The elf demanded. \u201cDon\u2019t play games with us, we\u2019re not in the mood.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIn the\u2014the bat cave!\u201d Another one said, huddling up to the one in Thia\u2019s grasp.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Thia dropped the dagger and looked at Roon. \u201cI thought you looked in there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI did,\u201d Roon insisted, pointing at the cuts on his face left by the swarm of bats that had come flying up at him. \u201cYou saw the bats yourselves. There was nothing in that room except a hole in the floor where all the bats were.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cPerhaps we should jump into the hole?\u201d Evelyn suggested, a small smile playing on her lips.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThat could be fun,\u201d Roon nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhere is Boss Hark?\u201d Kilian asked the goblins, towering over them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIn his room\u2014down the tunnel, on the left!\u201d Another goblin offered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAh, I think we might\u2019ve killed him without realizing it,\u201d Thia said, scratching her chest where she\u2019d taken an arrow earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThat was the big goblin,\u201d Evelyn said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cOh, good. One less thing to worry about,\u201d Roon said, then paused. \u201cSo, I think this is it. We\u2019ve pretty much killed all the baddies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cNot quite,\u201d Evelyn said sweetly, then drew her rapiers and with a single, swift movement, stabbed two of the goblins through the throats. Opal reacted quickly and shot another with a crossbow bolt through the eyes. With a frustrated wave of his hand, Roon shot his sacred flame, killing one instantly. The others screamed and cowered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cEnough,\u201d Kilian said, putting out his hands to his companions, then looked at the goblins and, in a severe voice said, \u201cleave this place and never return.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

With that, the group of goblins scrambled for the exit and disappeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t have killed them. They weren\u2019t armed.\u201d The sorcerer said sternly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Roon nodded. \u201cYou\u2019re right. I\u2019m just\u2014frustrated. We all are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI hate goblins,\u201d Opal said , suddenly serious. \u201cThey are abominations to nature.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cRight, that too,\u201d Roon said. \u201cTo the bat cave!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

With that, they returned for what seemed like the millionth time to the main cavern and slowly, quietly looked into the room where the bats were.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\u201cSend some lights in,\u201d Roon suggested in a whisper, and Kilian shot three globule lights into the darkness to hover. The bats remained unstirring in the hole in the centre of the room, unbothered by the dancing lights.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat do we want to do?\u201d Roon asked them all.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI want to take a look in that hole,\u201d Kilian said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cSo, we need to wake up those bats and get them out of the way.\u201d Roon shook his hand and shot firecrackers into the air above the hole. They shot, spewed and crackled loudly. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The bats erupted into the air, squeaking and flapping their wings, creating a swirling tornado of blackness. The firecrackers dissipated but the bats continued to swirl around feverishly. Kilian shot a gust of wind to try and move them away, but it did very little.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI\u2019m going!\u201d the sorcerer shouted, covering his head and running in, shooting one of his lights down into the hole.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

With the light, Roon could see that there were ledges high along the walls and he noticed through the swirling mass of bats there were ladders crawling up each of them. How did he not notice that before?<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Everyone but Roon ran for the centre of the room, and Roon pressed himself against the wall of the cave and shimmied his way to the first ledge. The bats were thick in the air and soon Roon disappeared behind them, the noise deafening. Then, he began to climb.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

Roon crested the first ledge and came face to face with a wide eyed, grungy looking dwarf with thick, tousled red hair. \u201cOh, hello,\u201d Roon said, looking up and around. His voice was mostly drowned out by the noise of the frenzied bats.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

At least thirty villagers stared back at him looking utterly confounded. \u201cAh, are you all the people from Nightstone, then?\u201d The dwarf nodded slowly. \u201cWell great!\u201d Roon smiled at them. \u201cWe\u2019re here to rescue you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The villagers looked out at the swarming bats, which mostly avoided flying into the cubby with them, and looked back at the tiny gnome.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cRight, I\u2019ll call my friends over.\u201d Roon shot fireworks into the air to try and catch his companion\u2019s attentions, hoping that they hadn\u2019t all jumped into the bat hole. He couldn\u2019t see them through all the wings and assumed they could not see him back. \u201cI guess we\u2019ll wait until these bats quiet down, then shimmy down as quietly as we can and get out of here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The bats took a few more minutes before realizing there was no immediate danger and settled down. Once the air had cleared up, Roon could see his companions back at the entrance to the room, slightly bloodied and looking around for him. He quietly waved both arms at them, drawing Thia\u2019s attention. She pointed at him silently, and he gestured that he\u2019d found the prisoners. Then, Roon turned to the villagers and whispered. \u201cAlright, we\u2019ve killed slime monsters, goblins and a couple of ogres. All that\u2019s left are these bats. So, I\u2019m going to ask all of you to climb down as quietly as you can. What\u2019s your name?\u201d Roon asked the dwarf, who seemed to be in charge.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cM\u2019name\u2019s Morack.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cMorack,\u201d Roon smiled, \u201cnice to meet you. What\u2019s your job in Nightstone?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI own the inn,\u201d the dwarf whispered back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cExcellent. Morack, you\u2019re clearly in charge of these folk, so I\u2019m going to get you to help me bring them down.\u201d Morack nodded and took to the responsibility easily enough. He climbed down and Roon remained up top, helping down the children first.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The villagers crept along the edge of the room and out to Roon\u2019s companions, who led them into the main cavern near the entrance. Finally, when everyone was down, Roon descended the ladder and found Kilian in the main entrance. \u201cSee anything cool down that hole?\u201d Roon asked with a smirk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The sorcerer raised an eyebrow and said slowly, \u201cno.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAdmit it,\u201d Roon grinned at his friend as they exited the caves, Thia, Opal and Evelyn herding out the people of Nightstone, \u201cI found them, I\u2019m the best!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Kilian patted Roon condescendingly on the head. \u201cWell done, little friend. It seems you did something right.\u201d Roon stuck out his tongue at him. \u201cOh, Daphne!\u201d Kilian said, then ran off to find the crying woman and bring her out of the cave. He <\/span>returned a few minutes later.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The villagers squinted as they stepped out into the early morning air. The smell of freedom was short-lived as Roon remembered the people that now ruled in Nightstone.<\/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<\/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<\/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<\/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":"

Chapter 3 of the adventures of a strange party of people as their journey takes them across Faerun, following the story from Dungeons & Dragons, the Storm King’s Thunder.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":659,"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-73","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\/Giant_s-Gamble-Blog-Photos3.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.3<\/a><\/blockquote>