Downfall

Rikali sliced at the dwarves on her side, who slightly outnumbered the Legion of Steel Knights. She guessed there were more than a dozen in the group facing her and Dhamon, and she wasn't going to look over her shoulder to see how many more there were. One of her attackers was an especially good swordsman, and she couldn't quite manage to upset the rhythm of his swings nor wrest the blade from his grasp. "Mai, more're comin' fast. I hear them! Knights all a' clangin'! I don't want to die in this town! Do somethin', Mai!"

The big man finally mumbled an acknowledgment, then let out a keening cry that sounded like a chorus of angry gulls. He swung his great sword in an arc over his head, the metal fairly singing and catching the moonlight. The light skittered along the blade and a shower of sparks-like swarming fireflies-leapt into the crowd, catching hold of the dwarves' garments. Maldred ran forward into the mass of startled dwarves. U

On Dhamon's side, the dwarves also retreated. But the Knights, though momentarily stu

Rikali spotted more dwarves emerging from their homes, most toting weapons of some kind-even makeshift ones, torches, a few crossbows-and these latter especially worried her. There would be too many now for Maldred to chase or to scare. Or to fight.

Dhamon saw Rig and Fiona ru

Rikali and Dhamon ignored all of them, capitalizing on the momentarily stu

As Maldred stopped and threw open the stable door, Fetch darted inside. The big man gestured at Rikali and Dhamon. Hurry, he mouthed. Behind the pair, a half-dozen Knights were ru

In the middle of the dwarves could be seen Rig and Fiona. The Solamnic Knight's eyes were fiery, and she was resolutely threading her way through to the front of the angry crowd.

"Inside!" Maldred urged, ducking as a quarrel whizzed over his head.

A heartbeat later he followed Rikali and Dhamon into the stable and slammed the door shut, throwing the bar across it. Maldred motioned for Dhamon to do the same with a side door that was barely discernible in the dark, cavernous interior.

"Oh, this is great!" Rikali jeered. "You've trapped us, Mai! Like rats, we are. And it stinks in here. Pigs, I see there's a Solamnic Knight in town on top of the dozen or so Legion of Steel Knights who aren't laid up in the hospital! That's all we need. A shining-in-armor Solamnic Knight!"

"She's an old friend of mine," Dhamon said as he brushed by.

"Friend?" Rikali put her hands on her narrow hips. "You have bad taste, lover. Least you used to. No one needs a Knight for a friend. They're trouble-at least for the likes of us."

"Quit complaining," Fetch said. He was huffing and wheezing, rolling a barrel to prop against the door. "Give me a hand."

"Oh, that'll work, wee man," Rikali said wryly.

"No. Fetch has the right idea," Dhamon said. He gestured to the center of the stable, where they could see the outline of a big wagon.

Maldred patted Rikali's shoulder as he rushed by and grabbed the front beam of the wagon. The muscles in his arms bunched, the veins on his neck stood out like ropes as he began to pull. The horses started whi

Fetch scampered up into the wagon bed, tugging free a half-dozen canvas sacks. "Coins from the bakery, which was my idea to rob," he said as much to himself as to Dhamon. "Coins from the weaponsmith's. Spoons and candlesticks from an old manor. Stuck it all in here, Mai and me. Thought we were go

Outside, the dwarves pounded on the doors, frightening the horses further. That was nothing compared to the tremor that suddenly shook the building. Someone outside shouted "Earthquake!" Another cried "Sorcery!" Finally the ground stopped trembling.

Fiona's voice cut above the din, shouting to be heard. "Dhamon Grimwulf! Come out at once!"

Rikali braced her back against the doors and gritted her teeth as blows continued to rain against the entrance. "Hurry, fellows," she urged. "This stable is sturdy ‘ole dwarven construction. But it ain't go

Then the ground trembled again.

"Is there another way in?" came the cry from outside.

"The hayloft!" came an answer. "An' the side door!"

"I've got an axe! Let me up front! I'll chop the door down."

"That's my stable! Don't ruin it! Talk ‘em into coming out!"

"Boost me up. Human! Boost me up!"

"Find a ladder!"

"Thieves! They stole from the wounded Knights! Kill them!"

"Hurry, Mai!"

"Yeah, hurry!" Fetch added.

Dhamon and Maldred braced the wagon against the door and locked the brake in place just as an axe-head started breaking through the wood. They heard scrabbling against the wall outside, as if someone were trying to climb the wall. They heard the strangled cry of a dwarf. Then a thump.

"Try again. Boost me this time!" It was a human's voice, though not Rig's or Fiona's. Probably one of the Legion of Steel Knights.

"Where's the ladder?"

"Forget the ladder." It was Rig's voice, laced with anger. "Move aside. I'll open your damn door."

"My stable!"

"Not going to hold them for long," Dhamon observed.

"Really?" Rikali said in feigned surprise. "Have you a next move, Dhamon? Mai? I'd rather not die in this dungheap."

"Dhamon Grimwulf! Come out! This is Fiona!"

"The planks! Pry the planks free!"

"Damnable thieves!"

Dhamon dashed to the side door and began sliding crates and barrels in front of the door, anchoring the mass with pitchforks he thrust into the ground. There was pounding on this door, too.

Maldred retreated to the back of the stable, ignoring the jittery horses, Rikali's complaints, and Fetch's apologies. He splayed his fingers wide over the wood and felt the coarse grain.

"It's hard to see in here," Fetch grumbled. "For Mai and Dhamon especially." He jumped when an axe blade smashed through a plank. "I'll get us some light."

Dhamon joined Maldred, dragging the sacks that had been in the wagon. "I'll saddle some horses." He had noted a dozen full-sized steeds, two exceptionally large. If the Legion of Steel Knights had other horses, as Dhamon suspected they did, they were likely kept at a camp outside of town. The rest of the stalls contained ponies, stocky ones ideal for dwarves. He hurried at his work, selecting the two largest and leading them to the back of the stable.

Maldred closed his eyes and started humming, a low sound that came from somewhere deep in his throat and that fluctuated in pitch and tempo like a complex piece of music. His fingers fluttered up and down the planks. His fingertips lingered on the nails that held the wood together, and as he continued humming, the nails grew warm and faintly glowed.