Vannerbehn's Luck Pt. 04

We had to step over two bodies before we caught up to her, where she was stabbing and shoulder-bashing a third opponent.

Then we ran out of people to fight. Kima found an empty room, and another. Up the stairs? Or around the corner?

That was when we heard Aressine call.

We found her, and Taliesine, back near the main entrance.

- "They came out the side doors, to cut us off. They're behind us, in the courtyard." said the blonde. "Two - maybe three - with muskets. And two very large brutes."

- "The half-ogres?" asked Kima.

- "I believe so." said the wizard. "Molun must be with them."

- "Any on the balcony?" asked Fhaernala.

- "Possibly." said Taliesine.

- "Probably." said Kima. But she deferred to the black-haired spellcaster.

- "I can shield two people." she said. "One to either side of the door. Your appearance should draw them out, Kelsen. Once that happens - be prepared to duck."

- "I'll warn you." said Kima. "On three?"

- "Let me reload."

When I was ready, she showed me a finger, then a second, and a third. Kima darted out the open doorway, and then stepped to her right. I followed, and darted to the left.

There were three musketeers in the yard. As luck would have it, two of the bastards fired at me. One missed, slamming into the woodwork above my head. The second bullet hit me. It was like a hammer blow to the chest.

Miraculously, though, it didn't penetrate my shirt. I felt the impact - and the sudden sharp pain. But I heard - and I swear this is true - I heard the plink sound as the flattened bullet fell onto the paving stone at my feet.

I don't know what happened to Kima, because the elf came through the door, and stepped in front of me. She loosed an arrow at some target on the second storey.

That's when I saw Molun. He was directing his musket-men to reload. To either side of him were as pair of the biggest, ugliest brutes I'd ever seen. Half-ogres. I don't know what the other half was, but it might have been rhinoceros.

Taliesine began to speak.

- "Duck!" screamed Kima.

I felt a wave of heat, and a whoosh of forced air.

Mother of all! Taliesine was stone-cold crazy. She used a lightning bolt spell - in the middle of a city built largely of wood!

Amazingly, the lightning struck one of the half-ogres - and then leapt to Molun. From him, it crackled and snapped out the second half-ogre. One of the brutes was knocked down. The second was badly singed. Kima raced towards the big bastard, and cut his arm off. That left the half-ogre disarmed ... weaponless.

Molun was on fire. His clothing was, at any rate. I ran up to within four feet of him, and shot him in the chest. Then I drew my second pistol, and put a bullet in his head. It might have been overkill, but I stabbed him with my rapier, for good measure.

The remainder of his henchmen fled, or fell to Fhaernala's arrows. The downed half-ogre was dispatched.

Aressine had been wounded by a bullet; Pamna healed her. Kima went back inside, to look for Molun's hoard - if there was one. I went in, too, to look for my friends.

I found Molun's storeroom, in the basement. Several chests, brimming with gold coins.

Kima found Malena, and Sinker. They were dead, their throats cut. The bodies were laid out on the floor of an empty room, that might have been a wine cellar. Next to them lay a third corpse which none of us recognized.

They had all been tortured, before being killed.

*****