CHAPTER TWENTY ONE – The Battle of Keyes' Pass
It wasn't long before the Zhents marched right into the pass. They'd split the hobgoblins into two large groups, one trotting ahead of the main party by a few hundred yards, and another behind it. The Zhent soldiers also marched in a similar pattern though in a far more organized manner. A single Officer, mounted, rode amongst each group of Zhent soldiers. At the center of the formation was the supply wagon, driven by a single Zhent, and several other mounted figures.
It was easy enough to pick out Zandt, astride his massive draft horse. The distinctive robes were enough to name the Priest of Cyric. Another Officer, probably his Lieutenant, rode at Zandt's right hand. The two leaned close from their saddles, discussing something. Drezid rode at the forefront of that small group, the others giving him a bit of space. If the expression on his face was anything to judge by, he was furious about something.
Dovrayne lay under the low hanging boughs of a blue spruce, using the shadows the thick covering of needles provided to allow his ring to make him all but invisible to the passing Zhents. The rest of his group waited a short distance behind him, in a small fold, out of sight of the Zhents. When the last of the Zhentish rear guard was well and truly past, they would file out and block the back end of the pass, effectively cutting off a retreat.
Kyera watched from her perch on the Western ledge. It wouldn't be much longer before the hobgoblins at the front of the formation would begin disappearing into the pit that a'Launiira's illusion was keeping them from seeing. Her job would be to put Drezid, and hopefully the rest of the Zhent Commanders on their heels immediately. She began running the chants for a Fireball spell through her mind.
On the opposite ledge, a'Launiira was preparing something similar. She knew that Kyera would be targeting the mage, Drezid, so she planned something else. She'd drop her Fireball on the big man, Zandt. It would hurt him, and the Officer with him, and with any luck, if she placed it well, it might just set their supply wagon ablaze.
Toranes and his small group had agreed. Their first two arrows, each, would be targeted at Drezid. After that, each would pick his own targets. If it seemed called for, Galarid & Tharkunn would cross the land bridge they'd left over the pit, and engage the enemy in close combat, while Toranes and Lars continued to fire arrows, before eventually joining them.
Suddenly, the first half dozen hobgoblins disappeared from sight, all but one dropping into the pit. The last one had the good fortune to have been lined up with the land bridge, but the bad fortune of being dimwitted enough to turn and run toward his nearest companion, who'd screamed as the ground seemed to drop out from under his feet, promptly joining said friend in the pit, some fifteen feet deep. Another three of the creatures trotted themselves into the trap before one caught on. That was very nearly half of the front vanguard.
As Toranes had ordered, everyone waited, for just a second, allowing Sylvie and Sallas to take the first shots, in honor of the fallen Simo. A pair of arrows streaked, one from either ridge, Sylvie's striking the mage in his right shoulder, Sallas' in his left thigh.
A pair of tiny balls of fire flew right behind the arrows, each expanding as it fell toward the Zhents. Kyera's spell dropped right on Drezid. As the fire reached him, a burst of what appeared to be some sort of blackish-blue energy sprang up around him. When the flames dissipated, he seemed almost unharmed. His mount, screamed, and bucked once before falling over dead. The Doomscribe, Kael, though Kyera did not know that was his name, was caught at the edge of the blast, and was thrown from his horse as the creature reared and then raced forward, into the back of the Zhent soldiers ahead.
a'Launiira's spell dropped between Zandt and his Lieutenant. Both, dropped off their mounts quickly as the beasts started to fall. Neither enjoyed the immense blast of heat, and both were well singed, but alive. The blast did catch the side of the wagon, and the wood did catch, but the soldier driving was too far away to be burned, and he did a fine job of controlling the pair of horses who formed the wagon team, preventing them from charging in a panic.
Toranes and his crew launched several shafts in the direction of Drezid, who was just getting up from the ground. Several of the shafts hit, causing him to stumble back.
At the rear, Dovrayne and his group charged out to block the road. As the rest set up to use their crossbows and advance, Gloridel put a single shaft through the throat of the Officer among the Zhents to the rear, toppling him from his horse, while Dovrayne, Reldrin and Cedryl lined up their shots.
Myrian called out a word in magic, "Laninok", and three small balls of pure magical energy, a swirling miasma of crimson red and pure white, raced down from the hillside, striking Zandt in the chest, one of them twisting right around the Lieutenant to hit the bigger man.
It was about as fine a start as the Party could have hoped for. They'd hurt the most powerful amongst their enemies, badly, they'd whittled down the numbers some, and the other side was in near total confusion.
For their part, the Zhents did what they could to restore order. Zandt bellowed for his Officer to the rear to charge the group moving to block the retreat corridor, only to realize that the man was down. He ordered the Lieutenant to take command of the rear guard and break a way out for them. He began moving forward, to take command of the fore guard.
Drezid, blood pouring from five separate arrow wounds, began chanting and gesticulating. When he'd finished, a bolt of lightning shot from his hands, blasting through the tree Kyera had ducked behind for cover. Though tree took most of the brunt, but she was knocked from her feet by the blast, the front of her dress scorched, the skin if her chest and shoulder blackened.
Kael stumbled to his feet, his head throbbing from the impact with the ground when his damned horse had thrown him. He tried to gather himself, to call upon the Dark Sun, Cyric, for a spell to punish those who would dare to strike at him, but a pair of arrows, one each from Sylvie and Sallas, struck, one in his chest, the other in his back. He stumbled to a knee, the words of his prayer dying in the back of his throat. He knew he didn't have long to live.
The Zhent Officer to the front kept his head. He ordered his men to draw their bows. One of every two carried a short bow and a quiver with a dozen arrows or so. He directed the men to the front to form a shield wall, protecting his archers from the damned enemy archers to the front. The archers he split into three groups, one to pin the enemy archers ahead, and one to fire upon the enemies on the hilltops to either side.
The hobgoblins at the rear, glad to have someone to attack, began charging the Party at the back end of the pass. There was some ground to cover, so the crossbowmen would likely get off two or three bolts apiece. Gloridel would be able to manage a bit more.
Reldrin, Dovrayne and Cedryl each took careful aim at a hobgoblin as the beasts charged. Bolts flew true, each one knocking down one of the creatures. Two of them rose again, continuing forward, but at a much slower pace. Several arrows from Gloridel dropped another, who did not rise again.
Toranes and his group continued firing, though they'd switched targets. Drezid had ducked behind his dead horse, making shots at him difficult. Toranes managed to punch an arrow through Zandt's armor, but a second glanced off. Tharkunn fired twice more into the enemy at the fore as they set their shield wall, both arrows finding a Zhent. Galarid fired a single shot into shield of a Zhent, and began moving toward the land bridge. Too Soon, Toranes thought, but the man had already reached it, dropping his bow. Lars moved to the boulder that Galarid had been using as cover, taking the man's spot. His arrow buried itself into the shoulder of the Officer.
Atop the ridge, Kaylin ducked away from an incoming arrow, reaching Kyera. She knelt over her friend and whispered a prayer that Lathander would grant her the ability to Heal her. The angry red and black tear in the flesh of Kyera's chest and shoulder began to knit, closing perhaps halfway, leaving the other woman looking much improved. She sat up, peering over the edge. "Laninok", she cried out, pointing straight at Drezid, as he hunkered down behind his horse. Five tiny balls of magic, just like a'Launiira's except that these were a blend of purple and blue, leapt from her hand, spinning and weaving on an unerring course toward the Zhent mage, each of the five striking him in a small explosion of magic. He cried out in pain and frustration. Having bought herself a brief moment, Kyera scrambled away from the blackened and split tree, dragging Kaylin with her.
The Zhents to the rear, their Officer fallen, hesitated. Some went for their bows, others argued over what they should do. The arrival of the Lieutenant, at a dead run, ended that. He ordered them to charge, pointing out in a shout, "Even the idiot hobgoblins knew that much!" The men did as they were commanded.
Gunthar and Viktor raised their shields and drew their swords. Halion stood with them, his claymore ready. They waited patiently. Their companions with crossbows managed to get another bolt nocked and raised them again, letting loose another volley. Gloridel never stopped firing, arrows streaming from the trees in what seemed to be a river. Gunthar marveled that the elf could hit anything firing so quickly. He couldn't possibly be taking time to aim, yet each arrow drew more hobgoblin blood. By the time the second crossbow volley had ended, the nineteen creatures who'd begun to charge were down to eleven, and two of them were wounded. The problem would be the twenty men now charging behind them.
The Zhent wagon driver was a quick thinker. He jumped into the wagon bed and upended a water barrel over the flames a'Launiira's Fireball had ignited, killing them. As he moved to retrieve his bow from the wagon seat, a stone from Tolmen's sling cracked the side of his head. It didn't drop him, but he wobbled, and lost his balance, falling awkwardly from the wagon, his shoulder impacting the ground with a sickening crunch. His eyes rolled up into his head, and he passed out.
Galarid charged across the land bridge, which was still invisible to the other side. He was met by a trio of hobgoblins, who moved to block his way at an order from Zandt. He blocked a stab from a hobgoblin blade with his main-gauche, dancing away from another and slicing open an artery in the leg of the third creature with his rapier.
Tharkunn, unwilling to leave Galarid to fight alone, fired another arrow narrowly missing the foreward Officer, then dropped his own bow and sprinted halfway across the land bridge.
Toranes and Lars continued firing arrows, mostly at Zandt, who was becoming furious at the stinging wounds. He ordered his archers to stop firing up the hillsides. They were having little effect anyways firing at elevated targets. He ordered them all to fire on Galarid, and the hobgoblins with him. They did as ordered. Several of the shots missed, two of the creatures were hit, and three arrows hit Galarid, causing the man to stumble.
Down in the pit, most of the hobgoblins had been hurt, a broken bone here, a cracked head there. A trio were relatively okay, and they were intrepid. They'd climbed upon one another's backs until one had been able to reach the upper lip. He was scrambling his way up, onto the land bridge, and he'd almost managed to pull himself out when Tharkunn, on his way by to aid Galarid, kicked him in the face, knocking him back in. All three tumbled back down. Tharkunn continued across, his sword coming free of the scabbard. He arrived just in time. Galarid, now riddled with arrows, stumbled, and the lone remaining hobgoblin howled in glee, raising a short sword to finish him, only to have in intercepted, and knocked aside by Tharkunn's blade on the way down. The remaining few hobgoblins on this side of the formation charged them. Zandt pulled the great sword off his back and began striding toward this second man as well, a half dozen of the swordsmen following.
Having finished a second volley, the crossbowmen set their crossbows down, each one drawing his weapon, be it sword, or axe, or hammer, and readied their shields. They formed a line across the pass with Gunthar and Viktor at the center, Reldrin and Cedryl to the left, Halion and Dovrayne to the right.
Drezid, sensing that he needed to do something soon, or he would die, began casting again. A dense layer of fog seemed to rise up out of the ground surrounding himself, Kael and the wagon, hiding them from view. He crawled toward the wounded priest, remembering where he had been, though he couldn't see him. "Kael," he croaked in his whispery voice, hoping the man could hear him over the din of the soldiers shouting.
"Here," came the weak reply. He crawled toward him, drawing a small glass vial from a pouch at his belt. He needed Kael alive. He used his teeth to pull the cork sealing the vial free and spit it aside.
"Drink this," he said, tilting the vial against the man's lips.
Kael could feel the power of the magic surging through him. The potion was a strong one. He was by no means fully Healed, but he no longer lay at the very edge of death's door either. He began chanting, calling upon Cyric to Heal Drezid. He too could see that they were in desperate straights.
Kyera had been ready to cast again, when the fog had appeared. She could no longer see Drezid. Rather than waste a spell, she readjusted and began to chant. The ground behind the archers at the fore began to rumble, pushing upward and forming into a creature of pure earth. Several of the archers dropped their bows and drew swords. The creature swung a huge fist of rock and lifted one completely off the ground. He landed several feet away with a sickening thud.
Galarid knew the moment he was hit it was bad. The arrow had slipped between his ribs and punctured his lung. He couldn't breathe, sinking to his knees. He thanked the Gods that the Zhents had been indiscriminant in their fire, knocking down two of the hobgoblins facing him as well. The third, however, loomed over him, about to end his life, and there was nothing he could do about it. The blade began to fall, in slow motion. He tried to look up, to the hillside, perhaps to see a'Launiira one last time. He couldn't. And then, Tharkunn's sword knocked aside that final blow. Galarid fell to his back. He could taste his own bile and blood in the back of his throat.
From her perch atop the hillside, a'Launiira saw Galarid fall, saw Tharkunn save him, only to watch him fall back. She knew there was no way she could reach him in time. A primal scream tore its way free from her throat. She lashed out, sending another spell into the midst of the hobgoblins charging Tharkunn and Galarid. "Tarathan Ovayl!" It was Glitterdust, not a powerful offensive spell, by any means, but several of the crestures stopped, or stumbled and fell, rendered blind by the effect. Only a single hobgoblin continued on.
Kael, having done what he could to Heal Drezid, had stumbled his way to the wagon and climbed aboard. While standing on it, the upper half of his body was above the fog. He heard a'Launiira's scream, and smiled to himself when she stepped into plain view, casting her spell at the hobgoblins. He began chanting himself. A stone whizzed past his ear, but the distraction was not enough to hinder him.
A column of purplish-black flames appeared directly above a'Launiira, striking down, enveloping her. She screamed again, as the flames licked at her from all sides, the burning sensation accompanied by a foulness she'd never felt before. Mercifully, she passed out and her body slid halfway down the hillside.
Kaylin pointed to a'Launiira, drawing Kyera's attention. The half-elven woman nodded and began rooting in her pouch for a component.
At the other end of the pass, Gloridel switched his focus from the approaching hobgoblins, trusting that his companions could handle them, to the men coming up fast behind. His arrows continued to fly fast and true, but they were soon going to be in short supply.
The wave of hobgoblins crashed and broke upon the shields of the Party. They were no match for the trained knights, the skilled mercenaries, the large Halion, and the dwarf, Reldrin. They fought, but died quickly. The men behind them would prove far tougher.
Toranes could see that a few more arrows were not going to be enough. He dropped his bow and drew his sword, summoning a spell to mind. "Cuthen'mere" he called out and a doorway of darkness opened before him. As he stepped through, it disappeared and another, just like it, opened between Tharkunn and the approaching Zandt. He finished his step through this second doorway, Redlan coming up to face the giant of a man.
Lars could see how it was going now. Taking two last shots at the approaching soldiers, he took the time to sling his bow on his back before drawing his own sword and stepping out from behind his boulder.
The spell of Healing that Kael had used on him left Drezid stronger, more able to focus, but nowhere near as well as he had hoped. He needed to escape if he was to find the Treasure of Wong Tze. Unfortunately, he knew no Translocation magics. He began casting a spell that would allow him to fly.
Myrian had very little magic left. Seeing Kael's terrifying spell drop a'Launiira, she cast the most powerful spell remaining to her, "Melfitus", conjuring an arrow of acid that flew straight at the Doomscribe, striking him in the neck. He let out a terrible scream and tumbled forward, off the side of the wagon, disappearing once again into the mist.
Gunthar pulled his blade from the chest of a hobgoblin and readied himself. The Zhents were upon them. Twenty men, and the two remaining hobgoblins, twenty-two in all, against six they were. They'd faced worse odds before, but these men were no simple minded orcs. Each was a soldier, trained with his weapons, wearing armor, and carrying shields of their own. The Lieutenant was a solid commander, and a skilled warrior in his own right. Reldrin was the first to fall, after taking the legs, both of them, from the knees down, of one of the Zhents. He used his shield to block a thrust from another, only to have a third man's sword open a gash across his throat. The axe fell from his numbed fingers and he toppled back. Cedryl was the next to fall, having been cut off from the others when Redlrin fell, he was surrounded by five men. Three of them fell before a sword entered his back and his knees buckled. The others fought on.
Sylvie and Sallas were slowly eating away at the archers and soldiers remaining in a clump at the fore of the enemy formation. Several of those archers disregarded their orders to concentrate to the front and fired back at the elves, whose advantage in height and cover made them very difficult to hit.
Kyera finished casting her spell upon Kyera, allowing the other woman to fly, and she immediately took to the air, streaking across the pass toward a'Launiira. She was nearly halfway across when Drezid burst upward, out of the mist, flying himself. He'd prepared a nasty surprise fpor anyone close enough, but was surprised himself at just how close a'Launiira was. He couldn't hit her with his Fireball, or he'd burn himself as well. Kaylin dodged one way, and he the other, the gap between them separating. He came to hovering stop and began to cast at her. It was his undoing.
Seeing such a ripe, and important target, Sallas, Sylvie, and even Gloridel took their chance. Each fired a pair of arrows into him, causing his spell to fail. A third arrow from Gloridel was enough to cause his eyes to flutter closed, the pain and loss of blood leaving him unconscious. He began to slowly drift downward, disappearing back into the mist.
Seeing Toranes appear in front of him, Zandt charged, swinging his massive blade in a wide arc. Toranes blocked it, turning it aside, but he nearly had his own weapon torn from his hand as a result. Both men adjusted, regaining their balance.
Tharkunn finished the first hobgoblin, and made short work of the second, only to be faced with five more men. They approached carefully, spreading out around him in a semi-circle. He did the only thing he could to even the odds, turning and sprinting back onto the land bridge before spinning back to face them It was narrow enough that only two would be able to reach him at a time. Three followed, two in front, and one behind, ready to step in if one of the others should fall. He realized that the illusion had faded, and the Zhents could now see the pit clearly.
Of the other two Zhents, one began creeping up behind Toranes as he tried to keep Zandt at bay, and the last moved to Galarid. The man was clearly dying, but not fast enough for the Zhent, who jabbed his sword down into the fallen man's chest, ending what little life he had remaining to him.
Kaylin reached a'Launiira, landing as smoothly as she could at the spot where the woman had stopped sliding down the generally steep hillside. She was still breathing, but barely. Kaylin did not hesitate, immediately beginning to once more call upon Lathander, this time for the most powerful Healing prayer she knew. She laid her hand, gently upon drow woman's chest, letting the curative magic flow from herself into her friend. A"launiira's eyes fluttered open briefly, only to drift closed again.
A small shower of pebbles from above startled Kaylin, sending her hand to the small mace at her belt until she realized that it was Tolmen. He was slowly descending the hillside, his sure feet slipping on occasion, but not much. He had a coil of rope he'd tied to a tree above and was using to descend.
The Elemental Kyera had summoned fought well, dispatching seven of the Zhents before falling to their massed swords and axes. Only two of the men remained, and they slipped into the mist, which had started to fade, but was not gone yet.
Tharkunn ended the life of one of the first two men to reach him quickly, but the third stepped up, and the one who'd finished Galarid was fast approaching. He wanted to end things quickly, and rush to Toranes' aid. It did not appear that things were going well for his old friend. Suddenly, Lars was at his side. The man was not his equal as a swordsman, but he was no longer fighting so defensively outnumbered two to one. One on one, he slashed and stabbed, and toppled his opponent into the pit, which opened an opportunity for the last man to step up.
Gunthar finished the man in front of him, shouldering into him with his shield and knocking him off balance, then slashing across his ribs. He knocked another man aside and swung at the Lieutenant.
Dovrayne had dropped two men. He was facing three others, but most were hesitant to approach too close. The flaming warhammer was giving them pause. He was thankful for that. He was tiring, and soon he'd slip up if he didn't end things fast.
Halion had taken several wounds. Fortunately, he'd given near as good as he'd gotten. Better, in fact. Two dead Zhents lay at his feet. Another was crawling away.
Viktor swatted aside a half-hearted thrust from the lone Zhent still facing him. He smiled. The tide was about to turn. Unfortunately, he didn't see the Zhent who'd snuck around behind him. That soldier raised his sword, ready to end the life of the knight, and three arrows, one after another sped from the trees to the side. The first hit his chest on the right side, the second lodged under his collarbone on the right, and the third went straight through his left eye. His last arrows spent, Gloridel dropped his bow and drew his long-bladed dagger, preparing to jump into the fight.
Toranes knew that he was outmatched. He every bit as good a swordsman as Zandt, but the man's size and strength gave him a huge advantage. If he could just hold on,… The thought had no sooner crossed his mind when a gauntleted fist hit the side of his head as he ducked under a sweep of that massive blade. Redlan slipped from his grasp as he sprawled in the dirt.
Tharkunn and Lars worked well together, and soon they'd dropped another of the men blocking their path. The last, stepped back dropping his sword and asking for quarter. "Watch him," Tharkunn growled as he sped off. He rushed to get between Toranes and Zandt, having seen his friend go down.
Kyera saw Tharkunn step in against Zandt and realized that the greater danger lay to the other end of the pass. She called to mind another Magic Missile spell and let five more magical bolts fly, dodging to and fro, before striking one of the men facing Dovrayne from behind. The man's hammer finished the job.
Between them, Kaylin and Tolmen managed to rig a rope harness, ensuring a'Launiira would not fall any farther down the hillside. Neither was strong enough, alone, to pull her back up. Gunthar dropped another of the men before him, only to realize that only three Zhents still stood, and they had all dropped swords and asked for quarter.
Tharkunn parried a blow from Zandt, stumbling to the side as he did. Gods, but the man was strong! He knew he'd not recover in time, but suddenly the man arched his back, and cried out in pain. Lars was there, his sword imbedded deep in the man's side.
Toranes, now recovering from that blow to the head, sat up and called out a few words of magic "Turun Dohrahn", and a bar of fire, shot from his hands, impacting with Zandt's chest. The man cried out again.
Tharkunn, seeing his chance,slipped to the side and hammered at the man with his sword, once, twice, a third time, driving him back until his back foot had nowhere to come down, and he toppled into the pit. He landed directly on top of one of the hobgoblins, impaling himself on its spear, ending his own life, and its life too, his weight and the weight of his armor crushing it.
It was over. The battle had been won, but like most every battle, the price of victory had been paid, in blood.