the walls of an encampment. The princes slept together; while the commanders took turns staying awake, to manage the patrols.
Around two in the morning, the princes were awakened by Hemlot. He led them to the edge of the encampment where they saw a group of seven Minotaur tied hand and foot and sat upon the ground. T hey were covered in blood, I t was not all the red Minotaur blood, it was mixed with the green blood of gremlins.
Hemlot addressed his warrior. “Tell them what happened.”
The dwarf felt nervous at having the princes there but began his story. “We heard them coming through the forest and hid between the trees, when they were close to us we were able to take them by surprise and capture them. They had been running for a long time so they were very tired and didn’t put up much resistance.”
Cazz kneeled down and looked at them. “What are you running from?”
The largest one, who had dried gree n blood on his horn, said, “We are from the city of Tarina, when the city fell we fled through a secret passage that the elves had built many years ago. Still, we ran into a patrol of gremlins and had to fight our way through. There were twenty of us when we left the city. We have run from them but they keep gaining on us and we have to fight them off just to run again. They are not far behind.”
Cazz asked. “Did the city fall? How many of your people survived the fight? Do you have an army still out there?”
We are the only ones left. The city was surrounded and nobody else made it out the elf door before the city was overrun.”
“How far back are they?” Cazz asked.
“We are only about an hour in front of them.”
Cazz stood up, with alarm in his eyes. “We must prepare, we cannot outrun them.”
“I agree,” said Caspin, then talking to the patrol. “Put the Minotaur with Barazar and then wake the men. We only have an hour to get ready. I will put Sarchise in the middle, while I will take the left and Cazz will be on the right. An army of high dwarves will reinforce the center, and the other army will be held in reserve. Get your men up, the battle is upon us.”
Sleepy dwarves scrambled out of their bedrolls and were formed into ranks. The brush in front of the formations was cleaned out so that the archers would have a field of fire. Caspin sent runners to High Mountain to warn of the approaching gremlin army. He sent warriors forward so that they could warn the main body when the enemy was nearing. The ranks were formed in a matter of twenty minutes and all that there was to do was wait.
Barazar and the other Minotaur struggled at their bonds. Sarchise went back to see what the commotion was. “Let us fight!” screamed Barazar. Sarchise hesitated for a moment then got out a knife and cut their bonds.
“I don’t suppose it matter s anymore, we could all be very dead soon. There are extra weapons in that wagon over there. I will put you in with the reserve.” Sarchise told them and then went back to his men.
After standing in formation an hour and a half the first gremlins appeared out of the forest. There were only about thirty of the green tinted creatures. Their mouths were upturned in grins, exposing their fangs. They came forward quickly, supposing that there were only a few Minotaur to deal with. The dwarves let them come holding still in the darkness. Only the moon was giving light to the early morning encounter. When the gremlins were well within range, the archers let loose a volley. The gremlins screeched as arrows hit their marks and those left standing, retreated back into the woods.
A few of the dwarves rushed forward to finish off the wounded, and then rejoined their ranks. “There will be no more of that do you hear me?” Sarchise yelled. We do not break ranks for any reason!”
Over an hour later another group of a hundred approached the dwarf lines. They were not bold like the first group, but crept cautiously
Around two in the morning, the princes were awakened by Hemlot. He led them to the edge of the encampment where they saw a group of seven Minotaur tied hand and foot and sat upon the ground. T hey were covered in blood, I t was not all the red Minotaur blood, it was mixed with the green blood of gremlins.
Hemlot addressed his warrior. “Tell them what happened.”
The dwarf felt nervous at having the princes there but began his story. “We heard them coming through the forest and hid between the trees, when they were close to us we were able to take them by surprise and capture them. They had been running for a long time so they were very tired and didn’t put up much resistance.”
Cazz kneeled down and looked at them. “What are you running from?”
The largest one, who had dried gree n blood on his horn, said, “We are from the city of Tarina, when the city fell we fled through a secret passage that the elves had built many years ago. Still, we ran into a patrol of gremlins and had to fight our way through. There were twenty of us when we left the city. We have run from them but they keep gaining on us and we have to fight them off just to run again. They are not far behind.”
Cazz asked. “Did the city fall? How many of your people survived the fight? Do you have an army still out there?”
We are the only ones left. The city was surrounded and nobody else made it out the elf door before the city was overrun.”
“How far back are they?” Cazz asked.
“We are only about an hour in front of them.”
Cazz stood up, with alarm in his eyes. “We must prepare, we cannot outrun them.”
“I agree,” said Caspin, then talking to the patrol. “Put the Minotaur with Barazar and then wake the men. We only have an hour to get ready. I will put Sarchise in the middle, while I will take the left and Cazz will be on the right. An army of high dwarves will reinforce the center, and the other army will be held in reserve. Get your men up, the battle is upon us.”
Sleepy dwarves scrambled out of their bedrolls and were formed into ranks. The brush in front of the formations was cleaned out so that the archers would have a field of fire. Caspin sent runners to High Mountain to warn of the approaching gremlin army. He sent warriors forward so that they could warn the main body when the enemy was nearing. The ranks were formed in a matter of twenty minutes and all that there was to do was wait.
Barazar and the other Minotaur struggled at their bonds. Sarchise went back to see what the commotion was. “Let us fight!” screamed Barazar. Sarchise hesitated for a moment then got out a knife and cut their bonds.
“I don’t suppose it matter s anymore, we could all be very dead soon. There are extra weapons in that wagon over there. I will put you in with the reserve.” Sarchise told them and then went back to his men.
After standing in formation an hour and a half the first gremlins appeared out of the forest. There were only about thirty of the green tinted creatures. Their mouths were upturned in grins, exposing their fangs. They came forward quickly, supposing that there were only a few Minotaur to deal with. The dwarves let them come holding still in the darkness. Only the moon was giving light to the early morning encounter. When the gremlins were well within range, the archers let loose a volley. The gremlins screeched as arrows hit their marks and those left standing, retreated back into the woods.
A few of the dwarves rushed forward to finish off the wounded, and then rejoined their ranks. “There will be no more of that do you hear me?” Sarchise yelled. We do not break ranks for any reason!”
Over an hour later another group of a hundred approached the dwarf lines. They were not bold like the first group, but crept cautiously
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