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Lazybones's Keep on the Shadowfell/Thunderspire Labyrinth
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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 4445558" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 22</p><p></p><p></p><p>Mara ran, favoring her left side. A few paces ahead of her, Elevaren moved with considerably more grace, although a long trail of blood ran down his cheek as he glanced back at her. <em>Well, he’s not wearing forty pounds of blasted metal</em>, she thought. </p><p></p><p>She didn’t need to look back to know that the kobolds were right behind them. They’d held back for a while back at the stream, taking cover behind the trees on the far bank, sniping at them with thrown javelins. That strategy hadn’t worked so well for them, as Mara and Elevaren’s position had given them excellent cover, and they’d killed several of the kobolds. Most had fallen to Elevaren’s magic, although Mara had caught two with javelins that she’d recovered and returned to their owners, point-first. </p><p></p><p>But the kobolds had eventually run out of javelins, or maybe they’d just been waiting for the reinforcements that came surging out of the forest. A dragonshield had joined them, leading the charge that had split around the embankment and crossed the stream to either side of their position, obviously intent on closing their flanks and swarming them from behind. They must have found out that there were only two of them defending, as the kobolds pressed their attack even when Elevaren blasted one with his <em>eyebite</em> power, and Mara threw a javelin <em>through</em> another, sending it down in a bloody heap. But the kobolds responded, Mara taking a hard hit to her side from the slinger still on the far bank, while Elevaren took the gash to his face from a javelin that would have taken his eye had it been a few inches higher. </p><p></p><p>Now they were falling back, the kobold horde raging behind them. They’d identified a second position on their approach, a holdout they could get to quickly, and Mara urged Elevaren on ahead as she saw it through the trees. The kobolds continued to close the distance behind them. There was no way the pair could hope to outrun them, not with Mara weighed down by her armor. </p><p></p><p>The holdout was a huge, majestic tree, its bole split down the middle by some ancient tragedy, likely a bolt of lightning. The split had turned the upper part of the tree into a giant forking “V”, but its lower half remained solid and hale, its roots protruding out to form deep earthen niches that ran into the depths of the tree’s base. The side that faced them was deep, inviting, the flanking root-ramparts like arms ready to enfold them. They could stand there, one good defender able to hold off superior numbers without getting overwhelmed. </p><p></p><p>At least that was the theory. </p><p></p><p>Another lead bullet caught Mara hard on the calf as she ran, and she staggered and nearly fell as she cried out, her face tight with pain. Elevaren started to turn back toward her, but she yelled for him to get into position, into the protected niche in the hollow. It was a one-way trip, or at least it would have been for anyone other than the eladrin. </p><p></p><p>Mara made it to the niche as Elevaren hexed a kobold skirmisher that had gotten ahead of the others, and tried to catch the fleeing fighter from behind. The kobold, affected by the <em>eyebite</em>, wisely drew back to clear its head and wait for help. Mara, settling into the position in the tree’s base, spun and took up a defensive stance. </p><p></p><p>“If I go down, teleport to the far side of the tree, and keep on running,” Mara said, her jaw clenched as she fought through the pain that she was obviously in. </p><p></p><p>“I won’t abandon you,” Elevaren began, but Mara cut him off. “If I go down, then you’ll only join me if you stay!” she growled. </p><p></p><p>The kobolds arrived. Once they saw that they had their prey run to ground, their approach became almost casual. They formed a broad half-circle behind the dragonshield. Mara tensed and readied her sword, but they stopped a good twenty paces off. </p><p></p><p>“If they decide to hang back, this could get ugly for us,” Mara whispered. The kobolds had a lot of javelins left, and the slinger had already proven his accuracy. </p><p></p><p>Elevaren raised his voice, and spoke to them in Draconic. “Bastard hatchlings of the dragon!” he cried. “I would challenge you to die in glorious battle, but I know to whom I speak! Lower your tails and creep back into your dens where you belong, and you may yet live this day! For all know that ‘kobold’ is the name of the coward, not even worthy of being called ‘slave’, bits of mere dung that cling to the claws of the mighty lords of the dragon race!” </p><p></p><p>A roar went through the kobolds, building into a wash of fury. </p><p></p><p>“What did you say to them?” Mara asked him.</p><p></p><p>“Just tried to provoke them a bit,” the warlock said. </p><p></p><p>“I’d say it worked!” Mara said, as the dragonshield lifted his sword and shouted something, and the kobolds came forward in a wave.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 4445558, member: 143"] Chapter 22 Mara ran, favoring her left side. A few paces ahead of her, Elevaren moved with considerably more grace, although a long trail of blood ran down his cheek as he glanced back at her. [i]Well, he’s not wearing forty pounds of blasted metal[/i], she thought. She didn’t need to look back to know that the kobolds were right behind them. They’d held back for a while back at the stream, taking cover behind the trees on the far bank, sniping at them with thrown javelins. That strategy hadn’t worked so well for them, as Mara and Elevaren’s position had given them excellent cover, and they’d killed several of the kobolds. Most had fallen to Elevaren’s magic, although Mara had caught two with javelins that she’d recovered and returned to their owners, point-first. But the kobolds had eventually run out of javelins, or maybe they’d just been waiting for the reinforcements that came surging out of the forest. A dragonshield had joined them, leading the charge that had split around the embankment and crossed the stream to either side of their position, obviously intent on closing their flanks and swarming them from behind. They must have found out that there were only two of them defending, as the kobolds pressed their attack even when Elevaren blasted one with his [i]eyebite[/i] power, and Mara threw a javelin [i]through[/i] another, sending it down in a bloody heap. But the kobolds responded, Mara taking a hard hit to her side from the slinger still on the far bank, while Elevaren took the gash to his face from a javelin that would have taken his eye had it been a few inches higher. Now they were falling back, the kobold horde raging behind them. They’d identified a second position on their approach, a holdout they could get to quickly, and Mara urged Elevaren on ahead as she saw it through the trees. The kobolds continued to close the distance behind them. There was no way the pair could hope to outrun them, not with Mara weighed down by her armor. The holdout was a huge, majestic tree, its bole split down the middle by some ancient tragedy, likely a bolt of lightning. The split had turned the upper part of the tree into a giant forking “V”, but its lower half remained solid and hale, its roots protruding out to form deep earthen niches that ran into the depths of the tree’s base. The side that faced them was deep, inviting, the flanking root-ramparts like arms ready to enfold them. They could stand there, one good defender able to hold off superior numbers without getting overwhelmed. At least that was the theory. Another lead bullet caught Mara hard on the calf as she ran, and she staggered and nearly fell as she cried out, her face tight with pain. Elevaren started to turn back toward her, but she yelled for him to get into position, into the protected niche in the hollow. It was a one-way trip, or at least it would have been for anyone other than the eladrin. Mara made it to the niche as Elevaren hexed a kobold skirmisher that had gotten ahead of the others, and tried to catch the fleeing fighter from behind. The kobold, affected by the [i]eyebite[/i], wisely drew back to clear its head and wait for help. Mara, settling into the position in the tree’s base, spun and took up a defensive stance. “If I go down, teleport to the far side of the tree, and keep on running,” Mara said, her jaw clenched as she fought through the pain that she was obviously in. “I won’t abandon you,” Elevaren began, but Mara cut him off. “If I go down, then you’ll only join me if you stay!” she growled. The kobolds arrived. Once they saw that they had their prey run to ground, their approach became almost casual. They formed a broad half-circle behind the dragonshield. Mara tensed and readied her sword, but they stopped a good twenty paces off. “If they decide to hang back, this could get ugly for us,” Mara whispered. The kobolds had a lot of javelins left, and the slinger had already proven his accuracy. Elevaren raised his voice, and spoke to them in Draconic. “Bastard hatchlings of the dragon!” he cried. “I would challenge you to die in glorious battle, but I know to whom I speak! Lower your tails and creep back into your dens where you belong, and you may yet live this day! For all know that ‘kobold’ is the name of the coward, not even worthy of being called ‘slave’, bits of mere dung that cling to the claws of the mighty lords of the dragon race!” A roar went through the kobolds, building into a wash of fury. “What did you say to them?” Mara asked him. “Just tried to provoke them a bit,” the warlock said. “I’d say it worked!” Mara said, as the dragonshield lifted his sword and shouted something, and the kobolds came forward in a wave. [/QUOTE]
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