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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7127664" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 39</p><p></p><p>Grisk and his kobolds waited in ambush behind the row of barrels that they’d dragged into the center of the Outer Lair. The reptilian creatures—seven of them—held their weapons and focused intently on the entrance tunnel. Only Kuluk had a bow, but several of the others held small spears that they would throw at the first intruder to appear. Once engaged they would all draw their knives and swarm at the enemy from all directions, darting and slicing until all of the enemies were dead.</p><p></p><p>Grisk glanced back at the tunnel that led to the rear cave. The cave where the great Nuruk had lived when he had been chief of the small tribe. At least until Jargo had ripped his head off with his bare hands.</p><p></p><p>Grisk couldn’t help but shudder at the thought. It was the kobold way, <em>yield before strength</em>, but it still rankled to have turned over the leadership of their tribe to a pair of outsiders. Outsiders who still hadn’t made an appearance, though it had been at least fifty pulsebeats since Vurk had gone to warn them of intruders in the complex. They should have been here by now, unless…</p><p></p><p>“Enemies come!” Kuluk hissed. Grisk turned back, lifting his scimitar. The looted weapon was his most prized possession, though the blade was old and pitted. Shadows shifted in the entrance passage, and the kobolds tensed. Grisk let out a sharp whistle to let the ambush force know to be ready. They were kobolds, they would defend their lair with clever cunning, regardless of what their “leaders” chose to do.</p><p></p><p>But before the first foe appeared, a loud shout reverberated through the cavern. It sounded louder than anything Grisk had heard before, louder even than Jargo’s battle cry. The kobolds all flinched back from that sound, but Grisk quickly urged them back up, knowing what was coming.</p><p></p><p>He was right, as he lifted his head to see a dwarf and a human come charging into the room with their weapons raised to attack.</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p>The echoes from Quellan’s shout, augmented by his <em>thaumaturgy</em>, were still ringing in Bredan’s ears as he rushed into the cavern behind Kosk. But the kobolds looked to be even worse off. A bunch of them were gathered behind a row of barrels arranged directly across from the entrance, not far from a firepit built under a natural chimney that allowed just the faintest hint of natural light into the room. Bredan opened his fist and tossed the pebble that Quellan had enchanted with a <em>light</em> spell across the room. It skittered to the front of the barricade, causing the kobolds to flinch back from the bright glow.</p><p></p><p>A spear shot past his head, but it flew well wide and struck the cavern wall behind him. Another kobold was trying to get a bead on Kosk with its bow, but even as it drew the string back it slumped to the ground. Several of the other kobolds fell as well, victims of Glori’s <em>sleep</em> spell.</p><p></p><p>Kosk moved right, coming around the edge of the line of barrels. A kobold darted out to meet him, but had to duck back to avoid getting brained by the dwarf’s staff. A second creature tried to come at him from the side, but Kosk spun into a kick that cracked the kobold in the chest and knocked it sprawling. It managed to crawl away, but was clearly badly hurt.</p><p></p><p>Bredan saw several more of the creatures huddling behind the barrels, including one that had a curved sword almost as big as it was. It was trying to wake up one of its sleeping companions, but on seeing Bredan it let out a squeak and grabbed the sword.</p><p></p><p>Bredan lunged and delivered a solid kick to the barrel. It toppled over, striking the kobold and knocking it back. The smith lifted his sword and prepared to finish it off, but a shout of alarm from Glori spun his head around.</p><p></p><p>The bard had followed them into the room, ready to support the warriors with her lyre in her hands. Quellan had rushed to help Kosk, leaving her alone for the moment. She’d moved to the left not to get in the way of the fighting, but that had brought her closer to a narrow side passage that Bredan hadn’t immediately noticed in the confusion of the fight. But he noticed it now as another five kobolds rushed from that passage and ran toward Glori with knives gleaming bright in the light.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7127664, member: 143"] Chapter 39 Grisk and his kobolds waited in ambush behind the row of barrels that they’d dragged into the center of the Outer Lair. The reptilian creatures—seven of them—held their weapons and focused intently on the entrance tunnel. Only Kuluk had a bow, but several of the others held small spears that they would throw at the first intruder to appear. Once engaged they would all draw their knives and swarm at the enemy from all directions, darting and slicing until all of the enemies were dead. Grisk glanced back at the tunnel that led to the rear cave. The cave where the great Nuruk had lived when he had been chief of the small tribe. At least until Jargo had ripped his head off with his bare hands. Grisk couldn’t help but shudder at the thought. It was the kobold way, [i]yield before strength[/i], but it still rankled to have turned over the leadership of their tribe to a pair of outsiders. Outsiders who still hadn’t made an appearance, though it had been at least fifty pulsebeats since Vurk had gone to warn them of intruders in the complex. They should have been here by now, unless… “Enemies come!” Kuluk hissed. Grisk turned back, lifting his scimitar. The looted weapon was his most prized possession, though the blade was old and pitted. Shadows shifted in the entrance passage, and the kobolds tensed. Grisk let out a sharp whistle to let the ambush force know to be ready. They were kobolds, they would defend their lair with clever cunning, regardless of what their “leaders” chose to do. But before the first foe appeared, a loud shout reverberated through the cavern. It sounded louder than anything Grisk had heard before, louder even than Jargo’s battle cry. The kobolds all flinched back from that sound, but Grisk quickly urged them back up, knowing what was coming. He was right, as he lifted his head to see a dwarf and a human come charging into the room with their weapons raised to attack. * * * The echoes from Quellan’s shout, augmented by his [i]thaumaturgy[/i], were still ringing in Bredan’s ears as he rushed into the cavern behind Kosk. But the kobolds looked to be even worse off. A bunch of them were gathered behind a row of barrels arranged directly across from the entrance, not far from a firepit built under a natural chimney that allowed just the faintest hint of natural light into the room. Bredan opened his fist and tossed the pebble that Quellan had enchanted with a [i]light[/i] spell across the room. It skittered to the front of the barricade, causing the kobolds to flinch back from the bright glow. A spear shot past his head, but it flew well wide and struck the cavern wall behind him. Another kobold was trying to get a bead on Kosk with its bow, but even as it drew the string back it slumped to the ground. Several of the other kobolds fell as well, victims of Glori’s [i]sleep[/i] spell. Kosk moved right, coming around the edge of the line of barrels. A kobold darted out to meet him, but had to duck back to avoid getting brained by the dwarf’s staff. A second creature tried to come at him from the side, but Kosk spun into a kick that cracked the kobold in the chest and knocked it sprawling. It managed to crawl away, but was clearly badly hurt. Bredan saw several more of the creatures huddling behind the barrels, including one that had a curved sword almost as big as it was. It was trying to wake up one of its sleeping companions, but on seeing Bredan it let out a squeak and grabbed the sword. Bredan lunged and delivered a solid kick to the barrel. It toppled over, striking the kobold and knocking it back. The smith lifted his sword and prepared to finish it off, but a shout of alarm from Glori spun his head around. The bard had followed them into the room, ready to support the warriors with her lyre in her hands. Quellan had rushed to help Kosk, leaving her alone for the moment. She’d moved to the left not to get in the way of the fighting, but that had brought her closer to a narrow side passage that Bredan hadn’t immediately noticed in the confusion of the fight. But he noticed it now as another five kobolds rushed from that passage and ran toward Glori with knives gleaming bright in the light. [/QUOTE]
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