A Dark Escape
They sat there in the darkness for a few seconds.
"Well, that now?" Asked Avariel.
"I suppose we should make our way to the river. Its down a tunnel." Said Eon.
"Oh, ok, where is this tunnel? All I see is darkness!" yelled Grissle.
"It is this way." Said Fingarel
"Thank goodness we are in the company of elves, I wanted infravision too, but it is more that just taking their eyes!" Said Grissle
"I will lead the way with Eon by my side to tell me which way to go. Sullendesslar and Ivan Orc Basher bring up the rear.
"Ivan Orc Basher? I assume that is you?" said Harrison to the barbarian.
"Yes, it is. A pleasure to finally know your name, Sullendesslar." Said Ivan as they walked along.
After a few steps, Ivan stumbled over a large rock and fell to the ground, dropping one of his hammers on Harrison's foot.
"Shit! AH! That really hurt!" yelled Harrison.
"I am sorry! You are supposed to warn me about that kind of thing!"
"Warn you? Why didn't you just step over it?"
"I didn't see it, you are the one with the infravision!"
Harrison knelt down and picked up the hammer.
"Besides, that just makes up for you dropping it on my head."
"Well, we weren't clobbered by those orcs. How long is this tunnel anyways?"
"There have only been a few that have actually made it out the other end. Those that have say that it is close to a league." Said Eon
"A league?" asked Harrison
"A mile. Maybe less." Replied Fingarel
"Yes, I'm afraid that there are also a few pits and assorted beasties down here." Said the old man
"Don't let my uncle scare you, Sullendesslar, Those are just old tales that keep little kids from coming down here and getting lost." Said Avariel
"Besides, you should be afraid of the thief guild that controls the sewers of the city. I heard that if they catch you down here they tie you up and feed you to the rats." Said Grissle
"True, there are thieves down here but most of them like to avoid fighting. They mostly stick to thieving." Said Ivan "Besides, Ivan can fend off a few simple thieves."
The group walked on in darkness for what seemed like hours, until they reached a small lighted area. As they got closer, the saw several bodies lying about on the ground. Fingarel told Avariel, Eon, and Grissle to stay behind with Ivan to guard them while Harrison and Fingarel scouted ahead. Harrison and Fingarel slowly crept forward, ears open and swords drawn. They came to the clearing to see a doorway to the right. The doorway was blocked by crates and barrels with orcs lying dead a few feet away. It was apparent that there was a force of men trying to hold the door, thought they did not see any one left alive. Harrison walked to the blocked door and put his hand on a barrel as if to move it. Suddenly, a figure stepped out of the shadows.
"You had better not do that!" Yelled a loud voice
Harrison and Fingarel spun around to see a young man standing before them holding a bow with an arrow fitted and drawn back. The bow was wavering as if its holder lacked the strength to keep it steady.
"If you move those barrels, that door will be visible to the outside. Outside are orcs looking for people to kill and eat." Said the voice
"Peace be with you good sir, for we are on your side and are not going to reveal our position."
"Elves? Here? Are you trying to escape too?"
"Yes, were are with another elf, a gnome and two men. What has occurred here?" Asked Fingarel
Just then, the man loosened the arrow and fell to his knees. With his arms at his side, Harrison saw the broken arrow in the right side of his chest. Fingarel ran and caught him and left him down softly.
"Eon! Come quick!" yelled Harrison
Harrison ran and knelt down next to the man. There was not much blood but the man seemed close to death. Out of his mouth came hard spoken words.
"There was a group of men who came down here for an escape. The orcs saw them go through the door. The men killed all the orcs that saw and dragged their bodies in here and covered up the entrance. I was wounded so I decided to stay behind to make sure that it stays covered."
Through the passage came Eon, Avariel, Grissle and Ivan. Eon walked up and looked at the man.
"I'm afraid there is not much I can do. The damage done here is far too great to heal."
"Don't bother good sir, I am lung shot. Soon I will be free of my troubles here. As for you, I recommend that you head off down that direction, the party of men left only a few minutes ago. If you hurry, you can catch them. But please, each breath I take is more painful than the last. I would like to depart from this dark hole."
Harrison looked to Fingarel. He looked back and nodded. Fingarel stood up.
"Please, let us be off." Said Fingarel
"But wait, you can't just can't kill him!" yelled Avariel
"My dear, it is the humane thing to do. Come, come, and let us leave this place." Said the old man
Ivan picked up a sword and knelt down and handed it to the man.
"You have fought valiantly and you die with honor good knight." Said Ivan
Ivan stood up and walked out after Avariel and Eon. It was just Harrison and the man now. There was silence as Harrison raised his sword.
"Please, I would like a clean death, a soldier's death. Help me to my knees."
Harrison helped the man to his knees. Again he raised his sword and the man started in prayer.
"Heavenly father, please give me the strength to leave this world and find my wife and child where ever they may be..."
Harrison paused. He looked at the sword in his hand. He thrust his blade downward. Harrison felt it pass through the leather, into the soft flesh underneath. Harrison felt that he had struck the heart. He pulled out the sword and the man left out his last breath and fell to the ground. Harrison knelt down and cleaned his blade and ran after the others.
They sat there in the darkness for a few seconds.
"Well, that now?" Asked Avariel.
"I suppose we should make our way to the river. Its down a tunnel." Said Eon.
"Oh, ok, where is this tunnel? All I see is darkness!" yelled Grissle.
"It is this way." Said Fingarel
"Thank goodness we are in the company of elves, I wanted infravision too, but it is more that just taking their eyes!" Said Grissle
"I will lead the way with Eon by my side to tell me which way to go. Sullendesslar and Ivan Orc Basher bring up the rear.
"Ivan Orc Basher? I assume that is you?" said Harrison to the barbarian.
"Yes, it is. A pleasure to finally know your name, Sullendesslar." Said Ivan as they walked along.
After a few steps, Ivan stumbled over a large rock and fell to the ground, dropping one of his hammers on Harrison's foot.
"Shit! AH! That really hurt!" yelled Harrison.
"I am sorry! You are supposed to warn me about that kind of thing!"
"Warn you? Why didn't you just step over it?"
"I didn't see it, you are the one with the infravision!"
Harrison knelt down and picked up the hammer.
"Besides, that just makes up for you dropping it on my head."
"Well, we weren't clobbered by those orcs. How long is this tunnel anyways?"
"There have only been a few that have actually made it out the other end. Those that have say that it is close to a league." Said Eon
"A league?" asked Harrison
"A mile. Maybe less." Replied Fingarel
"Yes, I'm afraid that there are also a few pits and assorted beasties down here." Said the old man
"Don't let my uncle scare you, Sullendesslar, Those are just old tales that keep little kids from coming down here and getting lost." Said Avariel
"Besides, you should be afraid of the thief guild that controls the sewers of the city. I heard that if they catch you down here they tie you up and feed you to the rats." Said Grissle
"True, there are thieves down here but most of them like to avoid fighting. They mostly stick to thieving." Said Ivan "Besides, Ivan can fend off a few simple thieves."
The group walked on in darkness for what seemed like hours, until they reached a small lighted area. As they got closer, the saw several bodies lying about on the ground. Fingarel told Avariel, Eon, and Grissle to stay behind with Ivan to guard them while Harrison and Fingarel scouted ahead. Harrison and Fingarel slowly crept forward, ears open and swords drawn. They came to the clearing to see a doorway to the right. The doorway was blocked by crates and barrels with orcs lying dead a few feet away. It was apparent that there was a force of men trying to hold the door, thought they did not see any one left alive. Harrison walked to the blocked door and put his hand on a barrel as if to move it. Suddenly, a figure stepped out of the shadows.
"You had better not do that!" Yelled a loud voice
Harrison and Fingarel spun around to see a young man standing before them holding a bow with an arrow fitted and drawn back. The bow was wavering as if its holder lacked the strength to keep it steady.
"If you move those barrels, that door will be visible to the outside. Outside are orcs looking for people to kill and eat." Said the voice
"Peace be with you good sir, for we are on your side and are not going to reveal our position."
"Elves? Here? Are you trying to escape too?"
"Yes, were are with another elf, a gnome and two men. What has occurred here?" Asked Fingarel
Just then, the man loosened the arrow and fell to his knees. With his arms at his side, Harrison saw the broken arrow in the right side of his chest. Fingarel ran and caught him and left him down softly.
"Eon! Come quick!" yelled Harrison
Harrison ran and knelt down next to the man. There was not much blood but the man seemed close to death. Out of his mouth came hard spoken words.
"There was a group of men who came down here for an escape. The orcs saw them go through the door. The men killed all the orcs that saw and dragged their bodies in here and covered up the entrance. I was wounded so I decided to stay behind to make sure that it stays covered."
Through the passage came Eon, Avariel, Grissle and Ivan. Eon walked up and looked at the man.
"I'm afraid there is not much I can do. The damage done here is far too great to heal."
"Don't bother good sir, I am lung shot. Soon I will be free of my troubles here. As for you, I recommend that you head off down that direction, the party of men left only a few minutes ago. If you hurry, you can catch them. But please, each breath I take is more painful than the last. I would like to depart from this dark hole."
Harrison looked to Fingarel. He looked back and nodded. Fingarel stood up.
"Please, let us be off." Said Fingarel
"But wait, you can't just can't kill him!" yelled Avariel
"My dear, it is the humane thing to do. Come, come, and let us leave this place." Said the old man
Ivan picked up a sword and knelt down and handed it to the man.
"You have fought valiantly and you die with honor good knight." Said Ivan
Ivan stood up and walked out after Avariel and Eon. It was just Harrison and the man now. There was silence as Harrison raised his sword.
"Please, I would like a clean death, a soldier's death. Help me to my knees."
Harrison helped the man to his knees. Again he raised his sword and the man started in prayer.
"Heavenly father, please give me the strength to leave this world and find my wife and child where ever they may be..."
Harrison paused. He looked at the sword in his hand. He thrust his blade downward. Harrison felt it pass through the leather, into the soft flesh underneath. Harrison felt that he had struck the heart. He pulled out the sword and the man left out his last breath and fell to the ground. Harrison knelt down and cleaned his blade and ran after the others.