Aelith sat high on the cliff face, a stark wind biting at her exposed skin and pulling at her long dark cloak that seemed to blend in with the mountain's harsh face. Her hood was pulled up and she toyed absently with the whip secured at her side.
From above, a rock clattered past and she reflexively flattened herself against the cliff face, merging with the sturdy rock. Without any other warning, a figure dropped onto the narrow ledge from above, bumping into Aelith.
Recognition dawned and Aelith's arm snaked out, grabbing the person and pulling them back from the edge.
"Morgul's blade, Aelith!" exclaimed the stranger. "Are you trying to kill me?" Aelith laughed as the figure pushed back their hood and shook out their long, wavy blonde hair.
"Not today Avice," Aelith laughed slightly as Avice glowered, though to anyone who didn't know her, it would have been hard to see due to the black mask covering half her face.
Suddenly, another dark clad (but much shorter) figure dropped in. Avice tensed for a moment, then relaxed.
"Runa," she greeted. An delicate face peered out at her from beneath the hood, a mischievous grin floating behind her eyes.
"You should really cover your hair Avice, its too noticeable." Rolling her eyes, Avice complied as Runa turned to Aelith and reported.
"The East entrance is cleared, which is strange, it's usually guarded at this time of day…" Aelith frowned,
"You're sure?" Runa cocked an eyebrow, saying wryly,
"We've been watching these entrance for the past thirteen days, I'm pretty sure we have their system figured out. Something's up." Here, Avice cut in, nodding,
"The North gate is unguarded too, and it's always guarded." Aelith frowned,
"What could be drawing the goblins away?" Avice and Runa shrugged. Suddenly, yet another figure joined them from above. Standing, slightly taller than the others, she greeted them all quickly and Aelith wasted no time in asking,
"Well Nienna, what did you find?" She shrugged,
"Nothing the West gate is completely deserted." Aelith groaned,
"Something is definitely up…"
"Well," said Nienna, "we'll just have to wait for-" Interrupting her, another person joined them, this one not so subtly.
"Nora," scolded Aelith, "we've talked about this. Noise attracts attention and we are trying to be stealthy." The short girl grinned and shrugged jauntily, pushing back her pointed hat.
"Wizards don't do stealthy." Runa giggled and Avice frowned. "But that's not the point," she went on, "you absolutely had to hear what I saw as soon as possible!" Aelith and Avice perked up, asking simultaneously,
"What?!" Nora grinned, enjoying the sudden attention,
"Well, I was on watch at the South gate last night when the oddest thing happened?"
"If you're talking about the giant's 'disagreement' Nora, that isn't news, it was hard to miss-"
"No, no, no!" Nora interrupted Avice. "I had visitors!"
"You had… visitors?" repeated Avice skeptically. Nora nodded her head.
"Well the giant's were going at it out there and suddenly, BAM, a bunch of dwarves come in!" This piece of news caught the others off guard.
"Dwarves?" asked Aelith and Nora nodded her head impatiently.
"Yes dwarves, are you deaf?" Aelith glared at her. "They just trooped right in and set up camp!"
"Did they see you?" asked Nienna worriedly, but Nora scoffed,
"Psh, no! I was practicing my camouflage spell!" Avice looked at her,
"And I take it it worked?..." Nora nodded proudly.
"When don't my spells work?" Runa opened her mouth, but Nora hurried on, "Anyway! The moment they settled in, the goblins came in and dragged 'em off, all thirteen of them!"
"That's where the goblins are!" exclaimed Runa.
"They're distracted," agree Avice. "Now's our chance to strike at the very heart of the goblin's kingdom!"
"Don't be stupid!" Nora laughed. "Kingdoms aren't like people Avice! They don't have inner organs! Duh!" The other four turned and looked at her.
"It was a figure of speech…" said Avice.
"Oh!" said Nora, pausing to think before asking. "How do we strike at the kingdom's heart then?"
"Well," said Runa, "all the entrances are unguarded…" Aelith nodded,
"And since it's mysterious and dwarven prisoners that were captured, there is one particular goblin who'll be holding council to sentence them…"
Nora's eyes widened in realization and Runa grinned,
"The goblin king!"
