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[Lazybones]

Chapter 15


“Maybe those kobold bandits we fought were stragglers,” Mara said. “I examined the shields that the dragonshields were carrying, and they were old, worn. I’d heard that there was a band following a dragon in an old keep near Fallcrest that was taken out by a group of adventurers a few months back. It’s possible that these were survivors from that group.”

They were making their way back toward Winterhaven, making decent time as the afternoon sun started down on its path toward the western horizon. They were taking a more direct route this time, knowing that they’d hit the King’s Road regardless of whether their course shifted slightly from their destination. Elevaren remained back with Douven Staul, listening to the exchange between Jaron and Mara.

“I don’t think so,” the halfling said. “From what the priestess of Avendra said, Jayse was escorting a pretty strong group that included a wizard, a cleric, and a dragonborn paladin. They would have been able to handle a group twice the size of the one that attacked us.”

“So you think there’s a lair nearby?” Mara asked.

“I’m just saying that there might be more to this than we can see. Kobolds aren’t typically this aggressive. Sure, they might raid a farmstead if they think they can get away with it, but attacking armed bands of adventurers?”

“They might have a leader putting some spine into them,” Elevaren pointed out. Jaron turned and nodded at the eladrin, but then started looking around.

“Wait, where’s Beetle?”

* * * * *

Beetle was enjoying their journey. The halfling, having never left Fairhollow before, was finding the world outside to be a wondrous and diverse place. There were new sights, sounds, and smells around almost every corner. Sure, there were some bad folks that had to be put down, and the town had been a little confusing, but overall the changes had been welcome ones for the diminutive halfling.

He didn’t even notice that he’d wandered off until he looked up and saw the kobold watching him, not ten feet away.

It was a skirmisher, clad in light armor with a short stabbing spear clutched in its right hand. It blinked at him.

Beetle blinked back. Then the halfling drew out his dagger, yelled at the top of his lungs, and charged at the kobold, which turned and darted away.

The kobold was fast, but Beetle kept pace, even as their path traveled through some dense brush and into a small forest. They’d only been running for about thirty seconds when the kobold led him into a small clearing ringed by ancient trees. It sprang over a small mound of scattered leaves and twigs, and darted behind a fallen log.

Beetle was only a few steps behind it. He triggered the snare in the pile of leaves and fell onto his face. He moved like an eel, slicing through the leather cords tangled in his legs with a single stroke of his dagger, and was back on his feet within three seconds.

In that time, three kobold dragonshields had emerged from behind the trees to face him. The skirmisher was still there was well, too, taunting him with a draconic laugh from behind the log.

Beetle lifted his dagger, stepped forward into a menacing stance, and then turned to run.

He found himself facing another kobold that had emerged to block the path he’d taken into the clearing. This creature, though it barely came up to his chin, radiated menace. It was clad in hides that were streaked with ochre and decorated with odd totems, and it wore an animal skull as a helmet.

Beetle recovered quickly, and started to dive past the unnatural creature. But before he could win clear, it opened its jaws wide, and sprayed a fog of acid into the halfling’s face.

Beetle staggered back, crying as the acid seared his face and burned in his eyes. He sensed something behind him and lashed out with his dagger, only to carve empty air. He never even saw the kobold that slammed the hilt of its sword into the back of his skull, and he was only semiconscious as the dragonshields ruthlessly bound him with thick leather cords.

By the time they picked him up, he was no longer aware of anything.