Against the Giants

14

Vlandar led the way back toward the main east-west passage,but as they neared it, Malowan drew him back.

“You were wounded back there.”

“And you healed that,” the warrior replied.

The paladin shook his head. “You and I both know you don’tget over the shock of such a blow right away, even healed. Be a sensible leader and delegate.”

Vlandar sighed faintly but nodded agreement.

“Nemis,” the paladin added, “if you have a spell of heavysleep that you can use from here, put it on those two.” He indicated the torturechamber with a nod of his head.

“Get me to the end of this passage, and I can,” the magereplied softly.

“Maera and I will look first,” Rowan said, “to be certainnothing is waiting for us.”

Malowan laid a hand on her shoulder before she could leave.

“Nothing is,” he said. “I searched.”

Agya came up to join him, but he sent her back with Lhors and Maera. When she was about to argue, a finger against his lips and a stern look silenced her.

“You are not here as a fighter,” Malowan said, the wordsbarely reaching Lhors.

“And a good ward don’t argue with ’er protector,” Agya mumbled under herbreath. “Yessir.”

The girl turned away, her lips twisted in frustration.

Malowan gestured for Bleryn to join him-probably learningwhere things were, Lhors thought. He couldn’t hear any of that, but the dwarfseemed to be glancing at him-or maybe Agya or Rowan who were also close by-as hetalked. The youth leaned against the rough stone wall, then settled on his heels to wait.

Vlandar came over to crouch next to Lhors. His hand was dark with dried blood, but as he caught the younger man’s troubled look, he pulled acloth and his water bottle out and scrubbed the mess away.

“It wasn’t half as bad as it looked,” the warrior assuredhim, “and it’s completely healed now. I’m fine.”

Yes, Lhors thought, this time. He had precious few people left in the world whom he could call friends, and he didn’t want to lose any ofthem.

“We’re just waiting for Nemis to deal with those giants yousaw sleeping earlier,” said Vlandar.

“But aren’t they already asleep?” Lhors asked.

“A sleep spell will keep them asleep until someone comes towaken them. With no doors on that chamber they may not wake for hours. With a little luck, we will be able to get to where Khlened’s friend the dwarf knowsthe way into another passage.”

“You think we’ll find a way out from there?” Lhors asked. Tohimself he said, maybe we will never find a way out. Maybe there is no way out except back up through a hoard of giants and others who are waiting to kill us all. Not a good thought, especially in this gloomy passage.

Vlandar shrugged and smiled. “Their chief must come down heresometimes. He wouldn’t do that if he couldn’t get out, would he? Even hillgiants aren’t stupid enough to build only one way out of a place.”

Lhors looked up as Nemis came back to join them. The mage closed his eyes briefly and made a pillow of his hands, his mouth sagging open, pantomiming sleep. Vlandar got to his feet and held out a hand to help the youth to his feet. Lhors felt a little less worried. They might not be strong as giants or as big, but they had a company with experience and skills.

Malowan beckoned everyone close. “The two giants in thatchamber won’t waken now unless someone shakes or kicks them. But remember thereare other guards about. We must go quickly and quietly, but Bleryn has just told me something.” He eyed the rangers.

“It’s the ears,” the dwarf rumbled. “When giants first tookme, they brung me down some stairs and into th’ cells ’cross the main roomyonder. They kept us separate, but I could see others when they was took out. Your ears reminded me there’s an elf down here.”

Maera shook her head. “An elf? Malowan, we can’t-”

“I know we cannot ignore such a prisoner,” the paladin brokein, “but there are barracks near the cells. We must be quick and quiet.”

“Fine,” Maera said evenly. “Get us there, and we will.”

Malowan merely nodded, gestured for Khlened to bring up the rear, and took the dwarf with him as he led the way into the east-west hall.

They eased into the long passage and waited against the south wall while Agya flitted across to listen at the end of the north passage. Vlandar and Lhors watched that way. Malowan and the others kept a close eye on the east passage. The girl shook her head and gestured, None close, then glanced into the torture chamber and quickly away. But as she looked down the hall the way they were about to go, she clapped both hands over her mouth and froze. Lhors heard Rowan draw a startled breath. The hair on his neck stood up, and it was an effort to turn and see what frightened them so.

A hideous hill giant and a long-armed hairy brute shambling on all fours came out of the north passage to the main chamber. The keeper and his ape.

The keeper was a crook-backed creature. When he turned to glare through the open barracks door, Lhors could see that one of the giant’seye sockets was empty and a portion of his nose was missing. A thinning shock of filthy hair stuck straight up from his head like rotting corn stalks in a winter field. The one ear Lhors could see was torn and bleeding. Light glinted on a grubby rag of a jerkin that exposed more than it hid of a chain-mail shirt. He snarled something, baring a few misshapen teeth, perhaps calling for the guards who should be in that chamber.

Lhors glanced back. Agya hadn’t moved. The giant seemedpreoccupied with the missing bugbear guard, but the ape rose to its hind feet, head moving as if testing the air. Maybe it smelled fresh blood, Lhors thought.

The party hadn’t been seen yet, but they soon would be, Lhorsknew. If they moved, that ape would be aware of them. Possibly it could smell them from where it was; the distance wasn’t that great, but enough light pouredinto the passage from the torture chamber that the guard and his ape would see them as soon as they turned this way.

The ape tugged at its chain. It knew where those guards were. Lhors was certain of it. The guard snarled what might have been a name or a curse, then dragged the ape back and cuffed it. The creature fell back, but still sniffed the air suspiciously.

The giant turned to look down the long end of the passage. At first, he stared at them blankly. When his one eye took in what it saw, he hauled a two-edged battle-axe from his belt and yanked hard on the ape’s chain,dragging the creature off its feet and sending it sprawling. The beast opened its mouth to scream, but he yanked on the chain again.

Agya shrieked-a faint little cry that Lhors barely heard-butthe ape was suddenly aware of them as well. It rolled onto all fours and bared its teeth, snarling.

“That’s done it,” Rowan muttered. She ran across the hall tograb the girl and haul her back to the relative safety of the company. Nemis began mumbling under his breath as Rowan drew the girl close and began talking to her in a low voice. “It won’t get you, child. We will keep it away from you.”Agya nodded and drew a steadying breath as Malowan, Khlened, and the dwarf pelted down the hall straight at the two monsters. The keeper stared at them, then smiled unpleasantly and freed the ape.

The beast shambled toward them on all fours. It looked awkward but moved at astonishing speed. Malowan brought up his sword to slash at it. Khlened and Bleryn braced, back to back, the barbarian with his morning star and the dwarf with a massive axe in one hand and a thick-shafted pike in the other.

Lhors drew a spear, but both enemies were out of range. He’dnever get enough arc to his throw.

“Clear the center!” Rowan shouted. “Arrow, mid-hall!”

“You two, hug that wall!” Malowan gestured with his sword forthe pair of fighters to go south. He leaped for the north wall just as the ranger’s arrows zinged between them. Two hit the ape. It yammered in pain, thenswiped the shafts free. An instant later, Maera ran forward and threw a javelin deep into the creature’s shoulder.

The ape charged once more, eyes red with hate and pain, its mouth wide and foamy slaver dripping from horrid fangs.

“Lhors, you and Agya behind me!” Rowan said as she steadiedanother arrow on her string.

“Watch that giant!” Malowan ordered Khlened as he turnedback.

“We’ve got it!” Vlandar said. “Stay there!” He drew Lhorswith him, putting Rowan and Maera behind a second line of defense. Agya came behind them close to Nemis.

Lhors clutched a boar spear with two hands. He could hear the brute panting, slowing now and looking surprised at the number of them-ordeciding which of them to kill first. He could hear Nemis behind him, talking in chant that meant a spell. The stones seemed to shift slightly beneath his feet. Khlened shouted a wordless warning as the giant came toward them, swinging his axe. Lhors saw Bleryn and Khlened jump back as the weapon bit into the stone floor, then brought his attention back to the ape.

“Bleryn!” the paladin shouted. “Does the creature speakCommon?”

“Not as I know, why?” the dwarf responded.

“Good!” Malowan shouted back. “You two get as far along hisblind side as you can. He can’t judge distance with only one eye!”

“He’s got enough reach, ’e don’t need to see so good!”the barbarian gritted.

Rowan shot another arrow, and Maera threw one of her spears. The ape yelled and plucked both free, then backed away from them-perhaps to fleeor in response to whatever his keeper was shouting.

Lhors glanced at Malowan, who had his back against the wall so he could keep an eye on both giant and ape.

Khlened was now mid-passage, swinging the morning star furiously over his head. He suddenly released it, staggering back into the south wall as the spiked ball slammed into the giant’s chest and stuck there. Themonster wailed much like the ape had and pawed at the weapon to no effect. Blood stained the mail-but not enough of it to cause him lasting damage.

“Damn all! Most of it was took by ’is mail!” Khlened shookout his numbed arm.

The dwarf snarled and ran forward, pike back and ready to strike.

“Get his other eye!” Khlened called out. The giant left offtrying to pull the morning star free and swatted at the pike. More by luck or skill than good vision, he succeeded. The point bounced off the wall, and Bleryn went down. Khlened ran to help him up, and Malowan came after. The ape snarled low in its throat, then to Lhors’ astonishment, seemed to freeze in place.

“He will not come after us now.” Nemis’ voice reached Lhors.A moment later, the mage came around him, his hands moving. “Mal, Khlened! Downflat, all three of you! I’ve spelled the brute! The jailer is now his monster!”

“Are ye mad?” Khlened demanded. He’d hauled Bleryn out of thegiant’s reach and had drawn another blade.

Malowan slashed at the giant, who was trying to free the morning star with one hand and swiping at the paladin with the other. The man’sblade slammed into the giant’s leg, bounced off bone or hidden armor, and flewbehind him to hit the north wall. The creature clamped his teeth together and gripped the spiked ball with both hands.

Malowan backed away to scoop up his blade. “I know what he’sdone, Khlened! Both of you, over here, now!”

The barbarian swore but grabbed Bleryn and hauled him over as the paladin threw himself flat. Lhors stared as the ape suddenly came to life and shook itself. Khlened dragged the dwarf down under him moments before the ape thundered past them. The giant stared dumbfounded as the ape threw itself on him. Both went down.

Before Malowan could get back to his feet, the rangers darted past him, weapons ready to take on the survivor. When Lhors would have followed, Vlandar held him back.

“There may be guards back that way,” he said. “Watch forthem.”

“There are, but they heard nothing,” Nemis said. “I blockedthe corridor on all ends with a spell of silence before I bespelled that ape.”

“Watch anyway,” Vlandar ordered the youth. “The rangers andMal have matters in hand up there.”

Lhors glanced that way briefly as the giant grappled with his ape. The creature was much smaller, but it seemed far stronger. With a final, hellish shriek, the giant went limp and blood poured over the stone floor. The ape rose high on his legs, beating his lest, hissing and grinning before he crouched to feed. The youth turned away again and bit his lower lip.

“He won’t notice us,” Nemis reassured them. “That spell willhold him as long as-”

Maera snorted. “What? Until he runs out of meat? I’m notleaving that thing alive, mage.”

“Nor I,” Rowan said grimly.

“Kill it now,” Vlandar ordered.

Lhors stole a glance at him, then down the hall-carefully notlooking at the ape. Rowan approached the creature cautiously, bow fully drawn. She took careful aim and launched an arrow deep into the creature’s back, thenbacked quickly away, dragging Maera with her. The creature spun to search for the source of the arrow, and Khlened brought his sword down across the ape’sneck.

“Good,” Vlandar said.

Lhors looked, but all he could see now was the motionless ape sprawled across the body of its master.

Malowan stole down the hall to peer up into the north passage that led back to the destroyed stairs. Agya came up behind Lhors and swore under her breath as the paladin vanished that way, but he was back almost at once, signing that the passage and the vast chamber beyond were quiet.

In a few heartbeats, the party was moving again. Fires still burned high in the torture chamber. Lhors thought he could hear snoring but nothing else. He wondered if the dwarves had made it beyond the rock wall.

No one emerged from the prison hallway. If there were prisoners and guards that way, they wouldn’t come out unless it was time for achange of guard or if a prisoner was being moved.

“No one outside this corridor can hear anything,” Nemis said.

“But someone might come out and see us,” said Vlandar. “Weneed to go. The giants were digging down through that stairwell when we left, and that was some time ago.”

He sent Agya ahead to join Malowan and Bleryn, put Khlened and Nemis at the rear, and stayed in the middle between the rangers and Lhors.

“Sir,” Lhors asked as they skirted the dead giant and hisfallen ape, “are we just leaving them? Is that wise?”

“Rowan took her arrows, and Khlened has that oversizedmorning star back. We shouldn’t waste the time moving them, even though thisseems to be an hour when not much moves around down here. We don’t need anotherfight just now. But look at them, lad. Wouldn’t it seem to you that the twofought, the ape killed his master, then died of his own wounds? Keep things simple, when you can.”

They made it up the broad passage and into the open roomwithout seeing or hearing anything. Once up against the south wall of the chamber, Lhors could hear someone quarreling on the other side-but at adistance, as if another closed door or another wall was between him and the fighters.

Malowan laid his hands lightly on the wall, then whispered, “Bugbears. None near. Many asleep.”

The door to the cells was slightly ajar. Light leaked around it and through a narrow peephole. None of the party were tall enough to see anything but the ceiling through it. Maera whispered something to Khlened, who knelt and made a cup of his hands for her foot then hoisted her up. She gazed through the slit for some moments, then leaped lightly down.

One guard, she signed. Four, maybe five cells. Someprisoners, one human for certain.

Guard where? Malowan signed.

Close, the ranger replied, then gestured for silence.

Lhors suddenly heard the bugbear stomping toward the outer door, muttering under his breath. Malowan signed for the rangers to move to the hinge-side of the door and for Khlened and Bleryn to take up position on the other side. He braced himself directly in front of it, sword in one hand and a long poniard in the other.

Silence again, broken this time by someone inside giggling in a pain-thinned voice. The guard had begun to draw the door open, and Lhors could make out a bugbear’s shadow on the wall. The creature turned away to snarlsomething. Malowan nodded once sharply, then ran forward, half-turned, and slammed his foot into the heavy door. The splintered wood swung into the bugbear, sending him flailing for balance down a short passage. He caught himself on the thick bars of a cell, swung back and felt for his morning star. Too late. Malowan was on him, sword point under his hairy chin. The rangers stood between the guard and his weapon, and Khlened and Bleryn now held the north wall. The dwarf snapped something that sounded like an order, but Lhors couldn’t understand a word of it. It sounded more like the bugbear’s language,all spitting and snarling. Whatever he said, it took the fight out of the guard.

“What’d you say?” Agya demanded.

The dwarf shrugged and grinned broadly.

“Told him that ol’ One Eye’s gone and ’is ape’s dead. Toldhim the wizard there”-he pointed at Nemis-“controls th’ other ape and hebe its lunch.” The dwarf chuckled. “Not too happy ’bout being et, is he?”

The bugbear was sliding slowly down the bars, huddling in on himself.

Malowan sighed. “I cannot kill the brute like this!”

“I can,” Bleryn said, all trace of humor gone. His eyesglinted, and he said something else in the other language.

The bugbear whimpered and curled up like a bug.

“No,” the paladin said firmly. “You and Khlened guard it. Dootherwise and you’ll answer to me.”

“Lhors, Agya,” Vlandar added, “find fetters for him.”

“Unnecessary,” Nemis said and spoke under his breath.

The bugbear went limp.

“He’s asleep, paladin,” said the mage. “Find your prisoners.I will keep watch to make sure we are not surprised.”

Malowan found a bunch of keys hanging from the wall and opened the first cell. The mad giggle began again, weaker this time, though the door was now open.

“Get me a light,” the paladin said. “I can see nothing.”

Agya clambered onto the guard’s bench to pull a torch fromits niche and held it up for him. Her eyes fixed on something inside and she gasped.

Malowan took the torch from her and gave her a little shove. “Don’t look. Just go.”

Lhors froze where he stood. He could clearly make out a wraith of a man who rocked back and forth on a filthy bench. Black, gaping holes gazed where his eyes had once been. One arm ended in a bloody stump, and both his feet were missing.

Gods, how could anyone do that? Lhors thought. How can he still be alive? Lhors suddenly couldn’t remember how to breathe, and he scarcelyfelt Vlandar’s hands on his shoulders, turning him away from the opening.

Behind him, the laughter faded. He could hear pained, harsh breathing, then Malowan’s voice. The paladin sounded as if he were weeping. “Icannot heal you. If I could, I could not restore your wit or cleanse the horrors from your mind. I can only release you and let Holy Rao restore your spirit to grace and peace.”

There was the faint sound of metal against metal. Malowan had drawn a blade.

“You will feel no pain,” the paladin rasped. “I swear it.”

The paladin drew a shuddering breath, and Lhors turned back just as Malowan plunged his dagger into one of the wretch’s empty eye sockets.

Lhors swallowed past a tight throat.

Malowan turned away, knife hanging loose, tears spilling over his eyes. The paladin fought for control, then drew a deep breath and turned back, blotting his eyes. “Dread Heironeous,” he said huskily, “see into my heartand show me the way to cleanse this blood from my hands, for you know me, and you know that I acted out of pity and gave him what mercy I could.” He turnedthen and left the cell, gently closing the door behind him.

Agya was very pale. She took the dagger from his fingers and shoved it back into its sheath. Malowan gave her a watery smile.

The rangers were already at the next cell and had it open. A tall man emerged, and Lhors blinked. He had very dark, bronzed skin, and hair as black as coal. He smiled, revealing very white teeth. “Dare a man hope this is arescue? Not much I wouldn’t do for that.” He looked around at the company. “Mustbe a tale here, so many warriors in old Nosnra’s cellars.”

“There is,” Vlandar said, “and if we get back out of Nosnra’scellars, you’ll hear it. I’m Vlandar out of western Keoland.”

“I am Gerikh,” the man said with a slight bow, “from Istivinon the Davish River, and unfortunately, no swordsman.”

“We won’t leave you here,” Vlandar assured him.

“Good. I’ve been here with two others since maybe amoon-phase ago. We were working on a bridge near Flen. I’m an engineer. Giantsset upon our party. By the time we got here, I was the only one alive.”

Malowan was already at the next cell, hands resting on the lock. “I’ve found your elf,” he announced.

Rowan bounded over, peeked in the cell, and immediately set to work on the lock with her dagger. After several moments of mumbled cursing, she drew back in frustration. “Damn all dwarven steel! Bleryn, can you get thislock open?”

Taking Khlened’s thick sword, the dwarf walked over to thecell, and with one sharp crack from the sword’s pommel, the lock fell tothe floor.

“Trouble’s with yer method,” the dwarf said with a crookedsmile, “not our ‘damned dwarven steel’.”

Maera went in as her sister got the door open. Rowan set her jaw, then followed.

The paladin and the rangers were back out moments later, a tall, slender fellow held up between them. A grayish rag encrusted with old blood hid one eye, but Maera tugged it loose, and Lhors saw with relief that it had covered a nasty scrape. He’d imagined much worse.

The rangers got the fellow over to the guard’s bench and lethim down. Rowan shoved his long, filthy hair back He seemed only half-conscious. She tugged at one of his pointed ears and quietly said, “We have come to rescueyou.”

No response. She said something in another language. His eyes opened warily, and he looked at her and then at Maera for some moments, then replied in what might have been the same language.

“He’s Florimund, a half-elf” Maera said as Rowan continued talking to him.“He remembers very little. Woods and giants, and then pain. Rowan, we need toget him out of here.”

“I agree,” Rowan replied. She and Maera got Florimund to hisfeet and brought him up by the door where Nemis was keeping watch.

Malowan came away from the last cell, its door unopened. “It’s a trap. Leave it be.” Then he too left the room.

“We have what we came for,” Vlandar said. “Let us go beforethe guard changes. This is no place for us.”

The paladin drew his sword. “Nemis, same sleep spell on thisguard?”

“He won’t waken on his own,” the mage said.

“Good. We’ll shove him in that cell and lock him in.” Malowanwaited while Khlened and Bleryn moved the unconscious guard, then turned the key in the door and tossed the ring in the other cell.

“Mal, you stay back with Agya,” Vlandar said. “Bleryn, staywith me. Which way?”

Bleryn pointed back in the general direction of the fallen staircase. “The treasure room’s through there.”

“Small room off by itself?” the engineer asked. “I know it.They had me working on the locks not long ago. Couple of the guards were talking about the things supposed to be inside.”

“Let’s get there first,” said Vlandar.

Nemis gestured that the main chamber was clear. Some moments later, Lhors found himself back in the small chamber where they’d slept earlier.The torches were guttering. Once Khlened and Bleryn lowered the door, it felt almost safe here, but he could still hear the distant thud of workers above them.

“We can’t stay long,” Vlandar said. “Bleryn or Gerikh, do youknow of any guards nearby?”

“At least one guard, a giant,” the engineer said, “assigned to guard thetreasure room. But I overheard the prison guards saying that Nosnra had caught him pilfering and had him torn apart. I don’t know if he’s been replaced.”

“Heard about ’im,” Bleryn said. “Figured between that and allthe guards on us when we repaired the traps, there must be wealth in there.”

“It isn’t so much wealth, I heard,” Gerikh said. “That chiefof theirs comes down now and again, and he comes back with a scroll-orders, oneof ’em said his captain told him. And sometimes he comes down here after thoseorders come, and he goes in-but he isn’t in there. Way their captain got it fromhis boss, the chief has some magic thing that takes him to other giants, and he has to go when they say.”

“We’ll go now,” Vlandar said.

Maera, who was blotting Florimund’s face with a wet cloth,looked up, her mouth set.

Vlandar saw her look and said, “Tell our companion we willtend his wounds properly once we’re free of this place.”

Rowan whispered something to her sister. Maera nodded, but she still looked angry.

Agya had the panel moved away from another wheel that, when turned, revealed a chamber nearly the size of the main one, but more dimly lit. Vlandar put Bleryn and Gerikh with him to help guide the way. The rest came close behind, Nemis last.

A wild howling and shrieking suddenly shattered the silence. Agya jumped closer to Malowan, and Lhors tightened his grip on his boar spear. Everyone turned frantically, but they could see nothing in the dim light.

Silence once again.

Lhors could just hear Bleryn whisper. “Manticores. They’repenned.” They moved out, hugging the wall, and stopped short of the entry to apassage heading east. In the silence, they could hear giants’ voices, but theysounded distant.

The dwarf pointed. “Stairs back that way down a side passage.Chief comes that way, I think.”

Malowan asked softly. “Nemis, what are they saying?”

The mage leaned against the wall. “Nosnra is there, andsomeone else wants to put down another ladder. Nosnra says no, his sub-chief has already been killed in the stair’s collapse, and they will break through to therubble on the other stairs by middle night. The other argues that is too long.”He listened a few moments more. “They don’t know where we are, and it seems ourassumption was correct. Some orc workers revolted and have killed two giants.”

“Where are the orcs now?” Khlened asked. “Are they stillroamin’ down ’ere?”

“They did not say,” the mage replied, “though I would surmisethat the orcs have been dealt with, since Nosnra’s main concern seems to be withus.”

Vlandar said, “We need light. I cannot see a thing downthere!”

Nemis fished a small object from his belt and threw it down the passage. A bail of light rose from the floor partway down the short passage, illuminating walls of finely dressed stone. A dark opening yawned to their right. Lhors thought the distant voices were that way.

“Straight,” Bleryn said. “Main trap’s just beyond the door. Ican point it out.”

“We can manage a trap,” Nemis said mildly.

Once Gerikh located the lever to shift the door, it required him, Khlened, and Vlandar to move it. Lhors tried not to listen to the angry voices echoing from above. Gerikh went through first, closely followed by Khlened and Bleryn. Agya jumped as something heavy and metal squawked in protest at being moved. Something else rumbled briefly, then all was silent.

“It’s fine,” Malowan assured her quietly. “Nemis has thesound blocked for us again. Let’s go.”

He put his ward and Lhors ahead of him. Nemis came last, the ball of light following him like a pet firefly. Once the chamber was sealed, Vlandar beckoned everyone close. “Mal, you and Nemis will know what we want fromhere. Find it quickly. We haven’t much time. The rest of you look around.Khlened, remember there are things we need more than gold. Lhors, help Rowan. Look for scrolls, written messages, maps. None of us except Mal and Nemis are to open anything-there will likely be traps.”

Lhors eyed the jumble resignedly. He could see one large chest, a metal box close by, some smaller chests, and a pile of wooden rubble against the opposite wall. Another wall,vas thick with a dampish looking yellow growth that smelled like moldy bread.

Maera had braced Florimund in a corner. She, Rowan, and Lhors waited until Nemis used a reveal spell on the chests and boxes. Agya came behind him with her lock picks, but Bleryn had already broken the lock on the iron box with his knife. There were coins-more than Lhors could ever have imagined in oneplace. The thief gasped, then grinned broadly and plunged both hands into the pile.

“Treasure,” Rowan said. “Remember you may have to carrywhatever you take here for some time.”

“Thought we were going back to th’ river,” Agya said as shelooked up from the chest.

“That depends on what we find here to get us out of here,”Malowan said. He’d come quietly up behind her. “Take a purse’s worth of coin.You’ve have earned it.” He turned to one of the rangers. “Rowan, look there.”

Lhors turned as he heard the ranger gasp. He was almost afraid to look. The smelly yellow stuff had vanished, revealing swords, spears and other weapons. Rowan crossed the chamber and took down a quiver of long arrows. She drew one. The fletching-feathers shimmered.

“These will do nicely,” she said admiringly. “Besides, I haveonly two of my own arrows left.”

“Magic arrows?” Lhors asked as the ranger fastened the quiverto her shoulder.

“They are from the Valley of the Mage,” Maera said as shecame up. “Is this safe, Rowan?”

“They are not evil, as some tales say,” Rowan replied. “Touchthat spear, and tell me what you feel.”

Maera eyed her mistrustfully but laid a hand on the shaft. She smiled then, took the weapon down and ran loving hands over the shaft.

“They were made for good and will serve you well,” Malowansaid as he came over. He turned back just as Agya reached for one of the swords. “Do not-”

But he was too late. The girl wrapped her hand around a hilt then cried out in pain. Malowan pulled her away from it and cupped the hand gently. Blisters covered her palm and ran up her thumb and fingers. “Easy,child.” He murmured under his breath and ran gentle fingers across the back ofher hand and, when it relaxed, across her palm and fingers. Agya eyed it fearfully, then in wide-eyed astonishment. There was no sign of injury.

“Touch nothing else unless I tell you it is safe,” thepaladin warned her, then took both swords down. Agya stared up at him, and he smiled. “For me, these are safe. I will take one. Nemis?”

“I am not pure enough to wield the thing,” the mage said fromacross the chamber, “even if I could use one-or needed it. Mal, come here. Youbrought that red powder, didn’t you?”

The paladin settled one sword against his back, reluctantly put the other back on the wall, and fished a tiny box from a pouch at his belt. He handed it to the mage, who sprinkled some of it over the shattered wood that might have been a barrel at one time. There was a faint explosion and a bloom of ruddy smoke that cleared to reveal a solidly built cask. Another pinch of the red powder, and this too burst open.

Agya came around Malowan to peer at the contents with them. “Just a map!” she said dismissively.

Nemis had the thing spread across his knees. Lhors could not make out any of the writing on the hardened sheet of skin, but Nemis and Malowan seemed to be making sense of it.

The mage held up a black oblong box. “This was under the mapVlandar, and the map is a plan of the frost giants’ hold-Nosnra’s guide, fromwhat is written here. And here”-he pointed-“are instructions for the device thattakes him to the Rift.”

“Rift?” Agya asked warily. “Frost giants?”

“The Rift is a place of ice and cold, such as frost giantslike” the paladin explained. “I doubt we will care for it, but Nemis”-thepaladin glanced over his shoulder and lowered his voice-“will the drow bethere?”

“I doubt it,” Nemis said quietly. “Those I knew prefer heatto cold, and they would not trust Nosnra with anything that took him straight to them. They may travel to the Rift to meet with him, or he may go beyond the Rift.”

“We’ll learn when we get there,” Malowan said as he openedthe oblong box.

Lhors hoped the man felt as confident as he sounded. Lhors merely felt ready to be done with fighting and headed back home.

But you have no home anymore, the back of his mindwhispered. Lhors pushed the thought away. It was true enough, but that was a matter to deal with once he was far away from giants and bugbears and orcs.

The box held a chain, a hide scroll, and another black chain that reflected the dim light. Nemis took the black chain. “Don’t touch it, Mal,”he warned as he unfurled it. “You won’t like it.” He looked down to read fromthe scroll again. “Instructions for the chain, from ‘the Jarl, Chief of theRift.’ He addresses Nosnra as if the brute were his slave.” He glanced up. “Mal,you’re monitoring them up there?”

“As best I can,” the paladin said. “There are no giants inthe passage out there, no one nearby except those manticores.”

“That won’t last much longer,” Vlandar said. “I fear our timeis almost gone. Tell me how this chain works.”

Nemis read down the scroll, set it aside to scrub his hands vigorously on his pants, then spread the chain out across the floor. It was longer than it had looked in the chest.

“I won’t loop it properly until we are ready,” the mage said.

Vlandar got everyone together. “We’re leaving here soon, bythe magic in that chain. We have no choice at this point. It is this or fight our way out against impossible odds. It will be very cold where we’re going, sowhatever warm things you have in your packs, put them on now. And be ready to fight. There may well be guards where we emerge, frost giants. Khlened, you said you’ve fought them before.”

The barbarian’s eyes narrowed, and he grinned fiercely. “Aye.Tough brutes, and far more cunning than these hill giants, but they bleed same as you’n me.”

“Pardon me, Vlandar,” Lhors spoke up hesitantly, “but how canwe be sure that this chain won’t drop us into a frost giant’s cook pot or in themiddle of a dragon’s nest?”

Vlandar looked grim, but before he could answer, Nemis jumped in. “It is a possibility. I won’t deny it. But things of this nature are seldomthat precise. Nosnra is a thickheaded brute, but even he would want to travel safely, and the frost giants wouldn’t want others dropping in at any time. Thatwould be dangerous should the device fall into the wrong hands.”

“Like ours, y’mean,” Bleryn said.

“Precisely.” The mage smiled. “In all likelihood, we willemerge some distance from the frost giants’ hold, well out of any ‘danger zone’.”

“True enough,” the paladin conceded, “but Lhors does have apoint. Wherever we emerge, it will likely be watched. You don’t leave a magicdoor to your stronghold and not guard it.”

Vlandar sighed. “All you say is true, but the point remains: we have no choice. We can’t swim out of here on the river. One set of stairs iscollapsed and being cleared by who knows how many giants, and the other exits are surely heavily guarded. It’s this way or no way, but I advise everyone to gowith weapons at the ready.”

Everyone nodded reluctantly. Not one of them seemed pleased.

Lhors watched as the mage felt the links, then picked three in a row and drew the outer two together, touching the new join with his fingers. When he let it go, the two stayed together and the third locked between them. He twisted the chain into a double loop, then squatted to hold the upper off the lower.

“Half of you stand in one loop, half in the other,” Nemisinstructed.

Vlandar divided them into two groups. Khlened, Bleryn, the rangers, and their injured comrade composed one. Nemis, Malowan, Agya, Lhors, and Gerikh made up the other. Everyone who had a weapon held it ready. Nemis looked them over, then glanced behind him.

Lhors could suddenly hear giants-many of them. The mage gotto his feet and dropped the chain. It hit the floor with a muted clank.

The treasure room flared a brilliant blue-white and vanished. Lhors clutched Vlandar’s arm, scared and dizzy both, but the sensation of beingnowhere was gone as quickly as it had come. In its place came snow, ice, and a hellish wind that cut through every layer they wore.

Khlened spat. His moustache was already stiff with ice.

“Frost giants,” he snarled. “I hate frost giants.”