D&D Tag Along

Chapter 4: The Kobold Cave

A/N: Three days of school canceled in the past week. Got to love Canadian weather. -40 degree weather one day, the next day it rains, the day after has three centimeters of ice covering the roads. Is it just me or is the world's weather going a little crazy? The tsunami in Southeast Asia, floods in California, snow in Nevada, freezing rain in Alberta, and who knows what else is going on out there?

Never mind all of this weather talk. I know that it is very strange to give a Centaur a dog's name. The idea came to me from my D&D group. An elven druid character managed to rescue a newborn Centaur during a fire. Now, she's raising the Centaur and named it Fido. People think up of some pretty weird things.

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"How many do you think there are?" Jillian was asking Gabriel.

The half fiend shrugged her wings. "I spotted only ten, but there has to be more of them inside of their cave."

Gabriel had just returned from a quick flight over the location of the Kobold's lair. Fido had provided us with the location of this hidden base and left. He said that he had to deal with some more important matters elsewhere in the forest. Now, our group was overlooking the entrance to the cave from atop a small cliff opposite the cave. The ten Kobolds were lazily gathered in front of the gaping hole in a small rock pile.

Jillian was busy drawing out a plan for the upcoming battle. She was using her sword to draw the layout of the cave and surrounding area. "Gabriel, Deanna, and I will head to the right side of the entrance. Rurik and Tint will be on the left side. Tagorus, you will stay here. Wait for my signal and shoot an arrow at the Kobolds. Once we see the arrow fired, the rest of us will charge in towards the entrance. Tagorus will join the battle. Rurik, I want you to take Deanna and Tint into the cave while the rest of us finish off the Kobolds above ground. We will join you as soon as we deal with our problem. Any questions?"

The just barely visible sun was all that illuminated us as we shook our heads in response. The sun was glowing a deep shade of red. Wasn't there an old saying, 'red sun in the morning, take warning'? I had a bad feeling about this, but for what reason, I couldn't explain. Maybe it was because I got beaten by these exact same Kobolds two days ago.

The three females had already started off towards their flanking position. Rurik waited patiently for me to snap out of my daydream before hauling me off to the left side of the cave. The dwarf had the ax that I had sold him clutched in his hand. "Ready for your first real fight?" He asked once we got into position.

In response, I pulled out my sword. "As ready as I'll ever be." I lied. Truthfully, I was scared. Somewhere inside that cave was a Kobold with great magical powers. I was just hoping that I wouldn't be the one to run across the magically enhanced reptile.

Rurik seemed to notice that I wasn't fully telling the truth. "Do not worry, kid. Just remember that they will try to kill you. Kill them before they kill you. Nothing else is important."

The dwarven cleric had some logical wisdom behind his words of support. He must have fought beside many rookie combatants in his days. A bird call sounded from somewhere among the trees. Before the sound had ended, an arrow came flying through the trees. The Kobold that the arrow struck didn't stand a chance. Tagorus' shot had caught the Kobold right between the eyes.

Rurik was already heading towards the cave. The Kobolds were in a panic, desperately readying their spears. The scene didn't become any better when Gabriel descended into the center of the group. Heads were smashed in while another arrow felled a Kobold.

Deanna made it to the cave entrance shortly before Rurik and I reached the battle. Ahead of me, Rurik cut down the only Kobold that had realized that the two of us had joined the battle. We had a clear path to the cave. It looked like the other three had the battle well under control. Deanna joined us as we went running past her into the dark cave.

The three of us traveled quite a few meters past the entrance before any torches began to line the walls. For some odd reason, the tunnel was completely empty. Not a single Kobold was in sight. Rurik seemed to be able to read my mind. "Do not let any of the Kobolds trigger the alarm." With his right hand he pointed to a rope that ran long the top of the cave. I could only guess that the rope was connected to some sort of loud device.

About forty meters into the cave, the tunnel branched out into three different directions. Rurik walked a few steps down each of the new tunnels. "The center one leads further underground. I will take that path. You two can each take a separate path. If you run into any trouble trigger that alarm." With those orders the dwarf rushed forward, deeper into the earth.

Deanna considered the two paths with interest. "I hate when the groups splits up. But, this way we can hopefully find the dragon's jewel quicker. I'll take the left path, you take the right."

I nodded my head in understanding, watching as the beautiful blond collected a torch before wandering down the leftmost path. It suddenly began to feel really isolated down here. I swallowed nervously as I began walking down the path that I had been assigned to.

This tunnel was a lot longer than the previous one. I realized that after traveling for approximately two hundred meters. There were only a few torches, each one positioned so that the far extents of the light radius of the torches barely overlapped. I was startled when I ran across a blue light screen that covered the tunnel.

"What's this?" I asked myself as I reached out to touch the strange light. Surprisingly, my hand passed right through the barrier. I pulled my hand back and examined it. There was absolutely nothing wrong with my extremity. "Must not be working properly." I commented as I walked through the blue light screen.

There was only a short bit of tunnel remaining. Beyond what was left of the tunnel was a huge expansive cavern. Huge piles of treasure were piled along either side of the cave. Two lines of torches lined the sides of a long carpet that ran from the tunnel that I was in up to a huge throne. Seated in the throne was a Kobold with a crown on its head. In the center of the crown was a huge glowing red ruby. I had run into the Kobold who held the dragon's jewel.

The first thought that ran through my mind was to run. I turned, ready to run back down the tunnel and get the rest of the group. Instead of a tunnel, a solid rock wall now stood before me. The light screen must have transformed into rock after I passed through it. Behind me, I could hear the Kobold king chuckling at my helpless plight. I turned slowly to face the creature.

The Kobold didn't move from his perch, but I knew that he was examining me. "You are the one that my men overpowered two nights ago. I was hoping that one of the more powerful members of your group would be my challenge. Instead, I get stuck with the weakling."

I gulped nervously as I tried to summon the courage to answer back. "Then it will be a shame when I kick your ass."

Once again the Kobold chuckled. "Foolish child. I know that you are scared. Your thoughts give you away."

He had called my bluff. But how had he known that I was scared? Could he read my mind? If that was the case, I was so screwed. I was about to say something back to the Kobold when he interrupted me. "Yes, I am psychic. Right now you feel frightened. I do not blame you. I would be scared if I was faced with a challenge that I had no chance of beating." The Kobold got up from his throne, regally making his way towards me.

If the jewel had granted him psychic powers, what else could it do? I looked around the room nervously. I spotted a spear among the treasure piles, so I grabbed hold of it and tossed it at the Kobold. The small creature held out his hand and the spear stopped. The weapon hung in mid-air for a few seconds before it began to turn around to face me. With one swift motion of his hand, the spear was sent flying back at me. The spear embedded itself in the rock wall, barely missing me as it went through my legs. "Consider it a warning shot. Do not try anything like that again." The Kobold warned.

The magically empowered Kobold was about halfway down the carpet and kept enclosing on me. He then extended both of his hands towards me. "Magic Missile." He stated.

In response to his orders, a small ball of light appeared in his hands. The ball of light grew larger as the Kobold drew his hands to his sides. The motion reminded me of the Kamehameha wave from the DragonBall series. Stupid me. I'm faced with a deadly situation and the first thing I think of is an anime show. Deanna was right. I am a nerd.

I waited expectantly as the Kobold let his attack gain power. Sure enough, the reptile launched the light ball at me when he brought his hands forward again. I quickly dived to the right, but not quick enough. A searing pain swept through me as I felt the Magic Missile brush against my arm.

The Kobold was laughing as I picked myself up off the ground. My left arm hung limply at my side. A huge chunk of skin had been burned away from my arm. The wound was bleeding profusely, with trickles of the red liquid making trails down my arm, forming a small puddle on the ground where they collected.

"At least you have faster reflexes than I expected. I would be upset if you lasted only one attack." The kobold showed his sharp pointed teeth as he went back to laughing.

I held on to my sword with my right hand, pointing the weapon at the gloating creature. "That's the best you got? Don't make ME laugh." I began to laugh hysterically.

The Kobold was obviously angered. His laughing stopped and he glared evilly at me. He made a motion with his hand and I felt my feet being lifted off the ground. "Oops." He stated as he chucked me against a wall.

I was held up against the wall for a few seconds before I was thrown across the cave and into the opposite wall. My head struck a rock that jutted out of the wall. Everything became a whole bunch fuzzier and a little red as a cut was opened up above my right eye.

"What's this?" The Kobold inquired. His eyes glimmered with greed as he spotted the chain mail that I wore. With one psychic movement, the Kobold stole my armor. I watched helplessly as the chain mail joined a pile of treasure. "No use wrecking a perfectly fine suit of chain mail." The evil creature joked.

Next, the Kobold held me against the ceiling. He was toying with me now, just like a cat with a captured mouse. The smile across his face grew as he tossed additional objects up at me. Treasure chests, pieces of armor, and I think he tossed a golden wagon wheel at me once. One item struck my good arm, causing me to drop the sword I had clenched in my right hand.

I could feel every bone in my body hurt as they strained to remain in one piece. Many had already collapsed under the incredible forces that smashed into my body. Suddenly, the Kobold stopped his barrage of projectiles and began lowering me towards the ground. I collapsed into a nearly unconscious heap right in front of the Kobold.

The tiny reptile began circling around me. Every few steps he would lash out with a ruthless kick. "Get up." He ordered.

I lifted my head off the ground to see the Kobold return to his throne. "He must have gotten bored with playing." I thought to myself as he grabbed hold of a spear that was beside the large chair. I tried to push myself to my knees, but my legs wouldn't respond. The best I managed to do was roll myself onto my back. It took all the energy I had left just to be able to breathe.

The Kobold was now standing above me. "I told you to get up," he stated calmly as he kicked me in the side. In response to his kick I spat out at him. The reptile calmly wiped away the blood that I had spit at him. The next thing I knew, I huge pain erupted in my stomach. I lifted my head and looked down at the spear that was embedded into my gut.

"You have spunk, kid. It is a shame that you chose to join the side of good. Boneheimer could use people like you in his army." The Kobold picked me off the ground, spear included, and tossed me against a wall. "Magic Missile." The creature stated.

So Boneheimer had something to do with the Kobold's attaining this new power. Too bad that I wouldn't be around to pass on the information to the rest of the group. I watched as the ball of light grew to an even larger size than the first Magic Missile. He was really going to kill me.

Suddenly, the room was filled with a loud clanging noise. The Kobold sighed as he made the light ball disappear. "You are lucky. I will deal with your friends before I finish with you. Don't move, if you can." The Kobold grumbled something as he walked towards the tunnel I had used to enter this chamber. The rock disapeared and the Kobold king vanished along the tunnel.

So there I was, pinned up against the wall like a trophy from some hunt. I head was beginning to clear, but my vision was still blurred from the blood that flowed from the wound above my eye. I felt so incredibly weak from all of the vital fluid that I had lost. I tested my limbs, disappointed to learn that I could move only my one arm and my left leg. The other two limbs hung lifelessly and no amount of willpower would convince them to move.

I realized that it was only the spear that was holding off the ground. Maybe if I could pull it out, I could get back on solid ground. I grabbed hold of the spears shaft and pushed away from me. I used my left leg to push off from the wall. Sure enough, after a minute of coaxing, the spear became dislodged. The spear fell harmlessly aside as I fell to the ground.

When I was up on the wall, I had spotted an item that might prove helpful. I pulled myself along the ground towards the pile of treasure where I had spotted the item. The clanging had stopped and I could hear footsteps returning from the tunnel. I crawled up onto the pile of gold and reached out for the item. "How did you get down?" I heard the Kobold king ask as he entered the room.
"Screw you. What did you do to my friends?" I demanded, collapsing on top of the item that interested me.

"Oh… them. I tossed them in my prison. I'll take care of them after I kill you. Magic Missile." The Kobold obviously was lying. He kept looking nervously over his shoulder as he powered up the magical attack. I dragged myself and the item onto the carpet, leaving myself in the wide open for his attack. "Foolish human." The Kobold muttered as he launched his spell.

"Just what I was waiting for." I stated as I lifted up the item that I had found. The Magic Missile struck into the shield and turned back on the Kobold king. A look of horror filled his reptilian eyes as his own magic descended on him. The light ball enveloped his small body, leaving only his head. I had just defeated the Kobold king.

Down the tunnel, I could see the rest of the group coming towards me. I smiled at the sight of them. That was the last thing I remembered as everything turned black.

"He's coming around!" Deanna called out as my eyes began to pry themselves open. I groaned slightly as Deanna helped me into a sitting position. I found myself pushing myself up with my left arm and I looked at the healed limb in amazement. We were seated outside the entrance of the cave and the afternoon sun was bright overhead.

"What happened?" I asked.

Deanna chuckled at my question. "We want to ask you the same thing."

By now the rest of the group had gathered around me. Rurik was giving me a hearty pound on the back, laughing, "That Kobold sure gave you one bad beating. You are lucky that I was there to heal you."

So that explained why my arm was working. The same could be said for my leg. All that remained as evidence from the encounter was quite a few scars. "My equipment?" I asked as I got to my feat with Gabriel's help.

Jillian pointed to the neat little pile nearby. Sure enough, my chain mail shirt and sword were there. Also there was the mirror shield that I had used against the Magic Missile spell. "A little reward for killing their king." The halfling smiled as I examined the reflective surface.

"What about the rest of the treasure in the throne room and the jewel?" I inquired.

Tagorus held up a small chest. "The jewel is inside. We claimed this cave as our new headquarters. Deanna placed a spell on the entrance. Only we can enter that cave from now on."

"So now where do we go?" I asked. The mirror shield now was strapped to my back.

Jillian supplied the answer. "Off to Dondoria. Tint, go get the cart."

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A/N: That solves the Kobold problem. That sure was close for Tint. What happens when the group reaches Dondoria? Find out next chapter. Also, can someone tell me if I spell that DragonBall attack correctly? Thanks.