I DO NOT own Dragonlance or any of the characters read in this Fict with the exception of Farren Timechaser, Theogaroth Half-Elven, Amethyst Nightshade, Ryun Nightshade and Aeram Silverleaf.

Sorry to all my faithful readers (if any of you are still out there) but my first year of Collage has taken up a huge amount of my time but since i hate when other authors leave unfinished work for YEARS on the sight I thought I'd throw a chapter at you to keep you entertained! Hope you like it!


Chapter 12: Betrayal


The night passed without incident.

I woke to a barrage of questions from Ryun "Hey are you awake yet, do you know where my sister went? What about the elf? Is this a Wizards staff? Are you a Wizard?"

I gave a small sigh and pushed myself upwards "I'm awake, no, no, sort of and no." I answered calmly before stretching and waking Theo and Fizban. "Wake up both of you, the Elf and Kinder-kin are gone."

"Gone?" Theo was awake in an instant "I knew we couldn't trust him." The half-centaur grumbled rising from the kneeling position he slept in.

Fizban rose more slowly his hat and robes completely askew, the grey bearded man nearly fell over straightening them. Ryun giggled at this but was silenced by a single look from Theogaroth.

"Let's not jump to conclusions Theo; you never know they could be gathering breakfast." Something pulled inside my chest; though I wished to think better of my new companions I knew there was little chance that they were gathering breakfast.

Theo gave me a skeptical look as Ryun pestered Fizban, I shot him a glare and moved passed unconsciously willing my staff into my grasp as opened the brush-door over the caves entrance and peered out.

I came face to face with a hobgoblin unfortunately his reflexes were quicker than mine.

The brainless goblin leader was momentarily as shocked as I was but Fewmaster Toede hadn't gotten to where he was through hesitation. The (incredibly) smelly creature latched his thick slimy fingers around my neck and pulled me from the cave in one swift motion.

I heard my companions call out my name but they were the least of my concerns, in a flurry of movement I wrestled free of Toede's grip and called out placing my full trust in Solinari as I cried, "Shirak!"

A short but not very intense light sputtered through the clearing at that very moment Theogaroth thundered through with a great bellowing roar not realizing of course that we were completely surrounded.

I have to admit he was very intimidating, with a large war club in one hand and a spear (that swiftly skewered an unfortunate goblin who was too slow to move) Theo was a sight that made me wish I had a camera.

Emerging behind him Fizban was endearingly trying to protect Ryun and keep the too curious youth from darting out into the fray.

The distraction of my companions was all I needed to break free of Toede's grasp; the cowardly hobgoblin staggered back amongst his troops shrieking "Get them! Get them!"

I brought my staff smoothly out in front of me while dropping into a defensive crouch and observed our predicament. There were about fifty goblins in the clearing; Cerus was bound with strong chains to a tree. The valiant steed's eyes and nostrils were wide with panic.

Theogaroth was surrounded by about thirty goblins that poked and prodded him with spears. The centaur kicked at those behind him with powerful legs as he brought the club down killing a goblin with a single blow.

The rest of the goblins were advancing on Fizban, Ryun and myself, I looked at Fizban knowing he wouldn't break his cover but also knowing he had a further un-captured role to play. "Get Ryun out of here if you can." I told him with a piercing glance.

He didn't respond by Ryun cried out "Look out!"

I whirled swinging my staff in a violent arc; it connected with a goblin short sword that would have slashed my shoulder open. I pushed the rank smelling creature away and struck out at its upturned nose with the base of my left hand.

There was a hideous crunch and the goblin crumpled but another was upon me I cracked it over the head with a one handed blow of my staff.

A bolt of lightning whirled out of the cave mouth incinerating five goblins near Theo, Fizban cried out in delight "I remembered!"

I vaulted into the fray whirling my staff in a circle at goblin head height, it connected once, twice and the third time it was deflected by a shield. I was already reacting flipping the staff in my hand so the pointed metal shod end faced my attackers I thrust the staff through the shield and into flesh.

The goblin fell and I willed my staff to my hands again, the blood made the shaft slick but not unusable. For a moment bile rose in my mouth, the life blood of another living being was on my hands –literally – for the first time I realized I had taken lives without thought or consequence.

I choked down the bile and revulsion at my own actions, how many had I killed since I came here? Sure it was all self defense but it didn't make the thought any easier. With Sturm and the others it had seemed so natural, and we had been so rushed to escape that I hadn't thought about it.

Before now I hadn't actually been bloodied by my actions, after all martial arts kills cleanly.

The realization made me hesitate at that was all they needed; one of the goblins bashed the inside of my knees with his shield depriving me of my balance. The others piled on me odd little clawed hands scratching as they bore me to the ground.

I cried out but fell silent as a sword was pointed at my throat and my hands were bound roughly behind my back. From my position on the ground I saw Theogaroth; his breathing was coming in harsh breaths, blood from small cuts and a small blade that was wedged in his left bicep trickled down his sweaty form.

Our eyes met I can only imagine how terrified I looked as Toede spoke, "Move and the girl dies, it would be a shame she's such a pretty thing too." His voice was a snarl as he looked back at me using one hand to hold the blade fast to my throat and the other to hold my chin fast tilting my head up to face him.

I fought back the revulsion at the creature and spat in his eye. He howled and back handed me hard across the face, Ryun was close to tears as he cried out "Farren!"

The world spun and stars danced in my eyes at the strength of the blow but I looked back defiantly. Theogaroth froze and hesitated before dropping his weapons "Don't!" I felt tears leak through my own eyes as they bore down on him like vicious little spiders.

They tied his arms behind his back and his back legs together one of the goblins wrenched the knife from his arm. Theo winced but didn't cry out as the bleeding resumed, the goblin that had removed the knife stood on his back and brought the hilt of the blade down on the back of his head.

Theogaroth crumpled and they bound his legs together I watched tears flowing freely down my face. My gaze darted to Fizban our eyes met in total clarity his held an apology, and mine an understanding. There was too much at stake for him to be captured now, and too much for him to show his full strength and free us.

I tore my gaze from his, just because I understood didn't mean that I had to like it.

"Now you old man," Toede grinned hideously as the remainder of his troops, around twenty goblins some injured others not, turned towards Fizban and Ryun.

"Leave us alone you – you big ugly smelly slime-brain, swamp breathed, mud sucking, lizard licking, dung smelling son of a two faced gully dwarf!" Ryun yelled at the top of his lungs he was upset and near tears – this was no longer a fun adventure to the boy.

His Kender innocence would be tested in the coming moments.

The goblins shrieked and charged forward, Ryun stuck out his tongue but fled over to Fizban. The wizard held the boy close and called out a string of magic, there was a flash, bang and smoke flowed out of the cave's entrance.

The goblins hesitated, until Ryun's coughing voice called out "Fizban?" He came tumbling out of the smoke coughing "He's gone!"

The goblins rushed forward to attack the unarmed Kender, "Leave him be, he's just a boy!" Toede grinned at me enjoying my tears and frantic plea's "Please let him go."

"Why would I?" The Fewmaster leered before me and I looked away speaking in a whisper.

"Because I can tell you about the bearer of the blue crystal staff."

Toede grinned his yellow teeth shining in the morning light "Leave him; we have no need of a Kender whelp."

I looked away from Toede in disgust; I was disgusted with myself more than the repulsive creature before me. What had I become that I would kill without thought and betray the only friends I had in this world, the only hope for this world?