Against the Giants

8

Shortly after, Nemis indicated the north way was mostlyclear, but three handlers and at least a dozen dire wolves now occupied the east hallway. Fortunately, they hadn’t gone into the entry.

“A wolf’s keen nose would immediately find that guard’sbody,” Nemis said. “They seem more interested in the wrestlers, however-thehandlers do, at least.”

Vlandar merely nodded and moved out ahead, gesturing for his company to stay close and alert. He stopped halfway up the west wall of the hall near its end. It was fairly dark here, though light from the kitchens flooded the opposite wall. Two creatures scurried past, unaware of the company lurking in the lower hall. They were half Lhors’ height and looked more like dogs orlizards than people. Empty platters dangled from the creatures’ hands, and theyseemed utterly cowed.

“Kobolds,” Rowan breathed against his ear. “Cowardly, unlessthey can attack in great numbers. We are safe from them.”

Lhors gave her a brief, abashed smile of thanks. He jumped as someone in the kitchen screeched. He couldn’t understand the words, but the hateand fury behind them was all too evident.

Lhors started as someone brushed his arm. Malowan wrapped an arm around the youth’s shoulders. “Be easy,” he said quietly. “Vlandar wouldnever put you into battle unprepared. Remember the bargain you and he made. You serve as eyes to guard our backs, and in return, we protect you.” He gripped theboy’s shoulder and moved past him, Agya right on his heels. She glanced atLhors, fighting knives clutched in both hands and her face expressionless. She didn’t look afraid.

Remember what she is, Lhors told himself. She stole and fought simply to stay alive. She knows how to be brave. Your father taught you to hunt animals, not kill men or monsters. He remembered how Rowan had guarded in that other hall and turned sideways to set his back against the wall so that he could keep up with the others while keeping an eye on the way they’d come.

Vlandar’s hand shot up in warning as he and Rowan backed awayfrom the opening. Lhors could suddenly hear drunken laughter ahead and to his right, as if a door had opened. A weeping young giantess ran past, scrubbing bits of meat and steaming juices from her face.

I thought the giants were done feasting, Lhors thought. The door banged closed, and the sound lessened. Malowan looked at Vlandar, who shrugged and led them back the other way.

“This won’t do, Vlandar,” the paladin whispered, once Nemishad muttered a spell he claimed would build a wall of silence around them. “There are still giants in the feast hall, and the kitchen is full of all kindsof creatures. The longer we wait here…” He paused significantly.

Vlandar sighed and nodded. “I know. I had hoped to get in,grab that map, and get out unnoticed, but if it isn’t possible…”

“I’m ready for a fight,” Khlened said, “and I’ve battled direwolves before. They’re not immortal.”

“If your concern is for Lhors and Agya-” the paladin began.

“No,” Vlandar cut him off. “I would not have brought them ifthey were a hindrance, Mal. But we know these giants take orders from elsewhere. You and I assumed that before we got here. If we attack and are all killed, we’ve accomplished nothing.” Vlandar was still for a moment, his gaze distant.“All right. We’ll take the other passage, kill whatever gets in our way, getinto that room, and get the map. Then we leave as quickly as we can.”

Nemis dissolved the spell as Vlandar got to his feet and waved Lhors to join him. Maera was already listening by the door. As Vlandar caught up to her, she indicated the chamber beyond with her eyes and shook her head. Lhors hoped she meant that no one was in there.

It was still quiet in the entry, though they could hear someone bellowing beyond the double doors. As Malowan and Khlened hauled the west door closed behind them, the east one opened. Three whining wolves on chains lunged into the chamber, half-dragging a gray-haired giant clad only in filthy breeches and boots. He hauled the beasts back on their haunches and snarled, “Gezhk!”

But the wolves had seen them, and now the giant did too. He hefted a spiked club. His mouth twisted into an evil grin, and he let go the chains.

Vlandar thrust Lhors behind him. “Guard Nemis while he spellsfor us!” He and Malowan set themselves shoulder to shoulder, swords raised.

Stepping to the side, Rowan shot three arrows into the lead wolf. The creature snarled in pain and fury but stopped its advance to nip at the arrows biting into its side.

Maera took down the second with a spear through the throat. The third, its fur hackled, ran around Vlandar and the paladin and leaped straight for Lhors. The youth went to one knee and gripped his spear with two hands, thrusting sharply up and out as the brute slammed into him. The spearpoint plunged deep, but the sheer force of the impact ripped the shaft from the youth’s hands. The wounded creature’s massive paws pinned his shoulders asLhors fought to get his arms across his throat. The beast lunged, jaws wide, but in that instant Rowan knocked the wolf off him, and Maera jammed a spear into its eye. Lhors rolled away as the wolf scratched and beat the floor in its death throes.

Khlened and Vlandar were fighting the wolves’ keeper, who wasalready bleeding from a deep gash above his left knee. The giant brought his club around in a blur toward the barbarian, but Khlened ducked, the spikes missing his scalp by a space no larger than his knuckle. Before the giant could swing it the other way, Khlened darted forward and slammed his sword into the giant’s belly, angling up for the heart. The blade was ripped from his hands asthe giant dropped his own weapon, fell to his knees, and gripped the blade in a futile attempt to limp away. Vlandar hauled Khlened back.

In the instant that the two humans were out of the way, Malowan threw a long dagger. The blade buried itself to the hilt in the giant’sthroat. The guard fell, still alive but unable to cry out and too wounded to fight. He beat the floor with his fists, desperately fighting for air. Lhors winced at the sound of bones shattering. After a few seconds, the giant stopped.

“Fast and quiet-how I like ’em,” Khlened said. His face wassmeared with blood, but he was grinning.

“Not quiet enough, I’m afraid,” Nemis said. “We should leavehere immediately.”

Rowan handed Lhors his spear that she had retrieved from the wolf’s corpse. “Bravely done,” she told him quietly.

“I didn’t kill it,” he said. He clutched the spear and hopedshe couldn’t see how his hands trembled.

“You distracted it. That was just as valuable. It gave me a clean shot.” Shepatted his arm and went to help her sister.

Malowan looked at the mess and shook his head. “There’s toomuch blood here. Anyone who comes in here will know there’s been a fight, evenif we hide them.”

“Leave them,” Vlandar panted. “There’s no time. Someone wassure to have heard the fight. Nemis, search for others nearby. Rowan, you and Maera make sure we left nothing-not even a broken arrow. Khlened, stay close tothose main doors in case someone comes from outside.”

Nemis came over from the east door. “The wrestlers are stillat it, but there’s no one in that corridor.”

“Good,” Vlandar said. “Let’s go.”

They could clearly hear drunken laughter beyond the north door, but there was less of it. Lhors thought the voices were more slurred-as ifthe revelers were half asleep or passed out. If anyone in there had heard the fight, there was no indication of it.

Nemis eased into the open, then nodded and moved aside so the rangers could move across the corridor. Maera went on into near darkness while Rowan turned and beckoned. Lhors looked to his left. The passage was very dark-barely enough light for them to see. That might be good, he decided. Giantswould have trouble seeing them.

Moving as quickly and quietly as they could, the partymanaged to make their way to the giants’ council chamber. Luckily, no one was inthe room. There was no fire in the hearth, only two torches burning steadily near the head of a long table.

Nemis crossed to the map, ran his hands over it as if he was checking for spells, then yanked it from the wall, rolled it tightly, and stuffed it into his pack. Malowan was back at the woodpile beyond the leather curtain while the rest of the party waited just outside.

Nemis approached them and shook his head. He drew aside the curtain and whispered, “Nothing there. I can tell. Below, however-” He grippedthe paladins arm and dragged him back into the council room. “Someone is downthere-at least ten-and they are coming this way.” His lips moved silently andhis eyes glazed over as he worked some spell. After a moment, he continued, “Seven giants-I think a cloud giant or something else truly huge, and there arehobgoblin guards.”

“This is no fight for us, then,” Vlandar said. “We have themap. Let’s go back the way we came. Quickly and quietly!”

He sent the rangers out first, put Lhors ahead of him, and set Khlened and the paladin to bring up the rear. Their luck was not holding well. Even Lhors could see into the south corridor from the end of this one. The wrestlers had moved out into the hallway and were battering each other before a crowd of other young giants. They might be drunk, the youth thought, but they seemed alert for all that.

“No good,” Vlandar said. “There are too many of them, and allthat noise may rouse others. Nemis, we’ll have to go through the feasting halland out the main doors. Can you put a sleep spell on anyone still in there?”

The mage eyed the distant drinkers and shook his head. “Notfrom here. Get me closer to the entrance, and I can.”

Lhors held his breath as he followed the mage, Vlandar right on his heels. Rowan had gone ahead, arrow ready to fire, while Maera brought up the rear so she could keep an eye on their backs.

Once they reached the entry, Vlandar drew Lhors with him against the wall where it was fairly dark, but Nemis went on. There were three giants awake that they could see, two waiting while the third shook a keg, threw it aside with an oath, and caught up another. The mage’s sleep spell caught himjust then, and he slumped to the floor. The empty keg rolled away from him, and the other two giants fell across the table an instant later.

Nemis stood very still for a long moment, then beckoned urgently as he strode across the vast chamber toward another broad corridor that went south. Near the entrance, he froze, then slowly backed away.

“What?” Vlandar demanded as he came up.

“I just used a reveal spell. There are guards on the otherside of those doors, giants and more hobgoblins-or worse, norkers.”

“Norkers,” Vlandar muttered. “Hobgoblins are dangerous enoughfighters, but norkers are vicious-worse than a pack of dire wolves.” An echoingyell brought him around, and Rowan came running.

“Let’s get out of here. Those young ones are coming thisway!”

“Too late,” Maera said as she hefted a spear. Someone wasbellowing back the way they’d come. “They’ve seen us!”

“West door!” Vlandar ordered, “There’s another way out upthere.”

Maera and her sister ran for the doors, then took up positions next to them. Khlened was right on their heels. He dragged at the door and nearly fell when it opened more easily than he’d expected. Vlandar sentMalowan in first. Agya as usual stuck close to him, and Khlened followed. There was kitchen noise, but not as much, Lhors thought. He went next, followed by Nemis, who was already working some kind of spell. Vlandar and the rangers joined them, and the warrior dragged the door shut as the rest of them moved up the hall far enough that they wouldn’t be immediately seen by anyone in thekitchen.

Lhors caught a glimpse of two of the little lizardlike creatures-kobolds, he remembered-who were facing an enormous fireplace in thewest wall, stacking greasy bowls and platters on a table. Someone else in the room was screaming at them, but Lhors didn’t take the time to investigate.

Vlandar drew them farther up the hall and whispered, “Theydidn’t see us. One of their elders was cursing them for interrupting his sleep,and they were arguing with him. Let’s go.”

Just then, a bald hill giant came out of the kitchen, yawning and stretching. His eye lit on the party, and he ducked back the way he’d come,yelling a warning. Khlened and Malowan ran after him, the rest following. Vlandar tapped Lhors on the shoulder as they ran. “Stay with me. Rowan, you andMaera keep an eye on the way we just came!”

The smells in the kitchen were dreadful. Three spits hung empty over a fading fire in the back wall. The two kobolds stared at the bald giant fearfully as he snagged one of the spits and brandished it like a sword. They backed against the near wall, obviously afraid that the giant was about to strike them. Then they saw the armed humans and fled, scurrying past the giant and around the corner. The giant ignored them. With a grin that bared rotting teeth, he bellowed in Giantish. Half a dozen tall, gangly brutes poured into the chamber from the north, bearing kitchen knives and a few long pikes for weapons.

“Ogres,” Vlandar told Lhors. “They’re stupid but dangerous,and they eat people. Stay close!”

Rowan came up beside them, arrow drawn. “Mal, stay back!”

The paladin nodded to indicate he’d heard, but there was notime. The ogres were upon them. Malowan slashed at the first that came near him, then ran past the brute, leaving him for someone else to finish.

Lhors launched one of his spears at the lead ogre. It quivered in the creature’s gut for an instant before Maera’s own spear broughthim down. Rowan killed two more while Khlened fought another.

The ogres must be stupid, Lhors thought. They seemed to have no plan other than to rush in and kill. When the last one fell with Vlandar’s spear in its belly, Khlened brought his sword down two-handed acrossthe back of its neck. Malowan threw himself at the giant, who stood dumbfounded that the party had dealt with the slaves so quickly.

The fat giant never had a chance, even with his longer reach. Malowan gave him first thrust, leaped aside, and then swung his blade with both hands. It sliced through the creatures pants, cutting deeply into his leg just below the knee. Malowan came back around, this time stabbing deeply into the side of the brutes leg and severing at least one tendon. The giant went down heavily on his side, the spit clattering free. Before the giant could react, Malowan drove his blade deep into the brute’s eye, killing him.

In the momentary silence, Rowan hissed a warning. “Someonecoming!”

A leather and sheep-skin-clad giant came wandering into sight from the south passage, yawning cavernously. He blinked, enormous hands kneading the small of his back as he turned toward the kitchen.

Vlandar gestured urgently for his people to retreat past the fireplace, but it was too late. The monster blinked at the dead ogres, bristling with spears and long-shafted arrows, then at the fallen giant. He looked uncomprehendingly straight at Lhors, then his eyes flashed and he drew a single-edged axe.

“Deke n’thull?” he demanded. It sounded to Lhors morelike spitting than words.

Malowan stepped forward, blades at the ready, and countered, “Emrischgu’vrugnikh, zhegna!”

Lhors stared as the two slowly paced toward each other. “Whatdid they say?” he asked Vlandar, but Vlandar was already moving to Malowan’sside and gesturing for Khlened to get behind the creature.

Agya growled. “Means, ‘Your fate, dead and damned one!’”

The youth gave her a look of disbelief.

She shrugged. “’Tis the only Giantish I know, and that’cause I asked what he’d say if he went against any of ’em.” She sighed heavily.“Get ’imself killed, saying bits like that.”

Nemis stood nearby, speaking to himself, and the doorway briefly glowed a faint blue. “Good,” the mage said. “There won’t be anyone elseto hear this. Maybe.”

The giant threw himself at Vlandar. Malowan stabbed at the back of the creature’s knee, but the blade hit something-armor, Lhorsassumed-and the paladin nearly fell. Agya took a step forward then stopped.

“Get ’im killed, girl, you go to help,” she mumbled under herbreath.

Malowan recovered his balance and tried again, lower this time, and Vlandar slashed up at the same time. Both blows connected, spraying blood over the combatants. The giant abandoned his axe and pulled a dagger nearly the size of the paladin’s sword. Malowan parried as Khlened got behindthe massive brute and cut low. The armor didn’t reach his ankles. Thebarbarian’s sword cut deep through the tendon, the giant went down. Giving himno chance to recover, Vlandar stabbed him through the throat.

Lhors grabbed Agya’s arm and hauled her back nearly to theentry as blood sprayed everywhere, coating the stack of platters and hissing into the fire. Malowan, who’d managed to avoid the arc of blood by some fastfootwork, leaned against the fireplace stones, gasping for air. Agya pulled free and ran to Malowan.

“Not hurt, are you?” she demanded.

He shook his head, too winded to speak.

She glared up at him. “Lucky you’re not dead,” she snapped,turning on her heel, and stalking back over to Lhors.

“All right,” Vlandar announced quietly. “Mal, catch yourbreath. Rowan, can you see anyone else out there? What happened to those young ones who spied us? Khlened, you and Maera go where those kobolds went and the ogres came from. See what’s there.”

“Quietly,” Maera warned the barbarian.

“Huh,” he growled as he wiped his sword and hands on the deadgiant’s sheepskin vest. “Like we were just now?”

“I’ve blocked the sound,” Nemis said impatiently.

Khlened cast up his eyes but followed Maera. The two were back in a matter of moments.

“There’s a bigger room-empty now-and an alcove, two doors.One smells like it might be a pantry. The other doesn’t close tight. It comesout on that hallway. No one’s in sight, including those kobolds.”

“If they went for help-” Khlened began.

“They’d be back by now,” Malowan said flatly. He stillsounded short of breath and was shaking his hands out.

“Can we go before more come?” Agya asked.

Vlandar got everyone into the large room north of the kitchen. It was empty except for a cold fireplace and a large table. He and Khlened shifted the one door, and Vlandar went in. He returned at once. “As Ithought. There is a pantry, but the second set of stairs is just beyond the cabbages.”

The other door was ajar enough for Rowan or Maera to slip through, but Vlandar looked at Nemis, then Malowan.

“It’s dark out there and quiet for the moment. According tothe map that Mal found, we aren’t far from the back way out. We’ll need to gothrough the barracks to reach it, though. That means more wolves.”

“We can manage wolves,” Rowan said steadily, “but not a company of ogres orhobgoblins.”

“We have the map and the scroll Mal found,” Vlandar said. “Weshould go now before the guards in the entry decide to come looking for us.”

“I will not leave,” Khlened said flatly. “We have foundlittle treasure, and this is a giants’ holding. There must be somethingto make the journey thus far worthwhile.”

“You,” Vlandar said, “will follow orders. I will not remindyou again who is captain, Khlened. You would not last long in this place alone!”

The barbarian glared at him. After a moment, he nodded. “Sorry, sir,” he said, though he didn’t sound it. “Forgot myself. I swore anoath to you, I won’t shame my kind by breaking it.”

“Fair enough,” Vlandar said. “Let us go.”

He and Malowan dragged at the door, making enough room for the larger of them to get through, but he was back at once. He and the paladin leaned into the heavy slab of wood, forcing it shut. “Those wretched youths haveone of the doors to the great hall wide and they are still arguing about where we went. They’ll see us if we move out, but they’ll likely discover the mess inthe kitchen any moment.”

Nemis took the warrior’s place against the door, a sleekstone in his hand. “Market charm,” he murmured. “I haven’t many more revealspells memorized. This should work almost as well, though. There’s somethingelse-a party of creatures, I think-coming this way from the south. They’removing fast.”

Malowan spoke under his breath, and his eyes went wide. “Norkers-a pack of them. I fear the search is on, Vlandar.”

“We cannot battle a hoard of norkers,” Rowan said.

“Aye,” Malowan agreed. “We leave-now or never.”

Vlandar backed away from the hall door and grabbed hold of the other. “Down,” he ordered.

“No, not yet,” Malowan said. “Only if they come looking forus here. Get that door partway open now. Nemis, be ready with that beneath notice spell of yours. We can wait here, let them think we went on up the hall seeking a way out. Once they’ve passed, we’ll have a chance at the entry.”

“Better than cutting ourselves off,” Khlened agreed softly.

“Shhh,” Maera hissed, then went silent herself as they heardsomeone shouting nearby. The voices of several giants came from the hallway, and they were growing louder. They were speaking a heavily accented Common as they approached, but Lhors could pick out a few words here and there.

“Quick!” Vlandar hissed. “In the pantry!”

Everyone edged into the smelly pantry, and Vlandar eased the door shut, leaving it open just enough to see out. Lhors, standing just behind Vlandar, could see over the warrior’s shoulder.

Several heavy-footed brutes stormed into the large room. All of them were armed and looked determined to shed blood. The giants looked around, but none seemed to see anything.

Lhors clamped his jaw tight and refused to breathe.

“Door to the hall is open!” the lead giant bellowed. “You,you, you”-he pointed as he spoke-“go after! Check pens and warn keeper to guarddoor! You”-he motioned to the last giant-“come with me!”

“They’re searching the room,” Vlandar hissed. “Nemis, quick!Use your beneath notice spell.”

Lhors heard the mage whisper a brief incantation. With all of the noise they were making, surely they hadn’t heard Vlandar. Please, Lhorsprayed, please don’t let them have heard him! Everyone in the party was tired.Even fresh, there was no way they could defeat so many giants. Trapped in the pantry as they were, they would have the advantage of surprise for only an instant before the slaughter would begin.

Three of the giants ambled off as their chief shook the door latch. “Locked. Guard killers not be this way. You and you, go into slave pensand look for outsiders hiding! You and you, go search sword rooms! Rest come with me!”

The giants stormed out. Soon, the sound of their footsteps faded.

“It worked,” Vlandar sighed. “They overlooked the pantry.Praise all the gods at once.”

“What next?” Malowan asked. “I can’t tolerate this stenchmuch longer.”

“The large room is empty,” Nemis offered.

“Move out, then,” Vlandar said. “Rowan, you lead. Nemis stayclose to her. Into the hall and start for the entry. Most of that party went the other way, so we should be safe for the moment. The door through the barracks is barred against us. It’s the main way or none.”

They made it safely past the doors, but partway into the south passage, Rowan backed against the wall, dragging Nemis over with her.

“Guards coming!” Rowan hissed.

Vlandar pulled Lhors close. He touched Malowan’s arm then anddrew a hand across his throat.

The paladin nodded and tightened his grip on his sword.