Arrows fly. The orcs dance nervously on one foot and the other, holding their weapons ready, waiting for the right moment to retreat. The gnolls swing their axes at the dwarves in the front lines but the dwarves hold, fending off all attacks.
A quick glance over his shoulder tells Eber that every one has managed to make it behind the orcs. "All right! Fall back!" Eber practically bellows. As a unit he and the other dwarves work their way back down the trail, falling into place behind the orcs.
Once all the dwarves are in position, Eber calls out to the others, "Let the gnolls start coming to you, then fall back behind us."
Switching to orcish, Eber repeats his instructions for the benefit of the orcs, adding "Just be sure not to fall too far back. Remember we dwarves don't move as fast as you orcs."
"Dracha is dead," Nadia says to no-one in particular. It occurs to her that Penelope might not be aware of that fact yet as she was unconscious when it happened. Maybe nobody knows, except her. Did anybody else hear that terrible sound in their heads, the empty sound where Dracha's voice used to be? Rolf hadn't seen it. Nadia can't remember if Alex and Eber were still in the mines at the time. She might be the only one who knows what Dracha did. She will never forget it.
Well, she can't stand here staring back at that hole in the rockwall any longer. The retreat is on, and she has to stay in step. At least it looks like Pen and Rolf will be okay now. Thanks, in part, to Dracha, she thinks. And a small part of her is pleased to think that he would be proud to know that.
"Farewell," she says very quietly, then moves into position with Pen and the orcs.
The gnolls begin to pursue the fleeing dwarves, running into the line of orcs protecting the retreat. Mereclar leads his howler back out onto the trail. He still has his bow ready. He steadies his mount and takes aim at the dwarven wizard off behind the line of fighters. A hard pull and an accurate shot once more gets through Ebers defenses.
Two other archers take aim at the orcs, Wogh and Tbruul. Both archers make good shots. Wogh and Tbruul are badly wounded now. The arrows are taking their toll and the orcs are in the front lines now. Its too much for them. They turn tail and start running down the trail as fast as they can.
Banmar looks over his shoulder to see that the dwarves are in place. All right he says to the others, fall back. But stay together, dammit! The four remaining orcs pull away from the advancing gnolls in good order. Nadia keeps pace with them.
Rolf is unsure of the situation, but he still hears the sound of fighting, and not from that far off. He figures that the dwarves from Rastor might at some point need some relief, especially if that crazy beast comes out, and he knows he's not yet in shape to do too much. So he grabs another of his potions, and downs it, and then readies himself to move if Alex does.
Alex almost allows himself to breathe a sigh of relief. But we're not quite out of danger yet.
"Hang on, Rolf. We don't want to get too far ahead of the others." Alex nocks another arrow and shoots over the heads of the orcs and dwarfs, hoping to hit one of the guards. Alex continues to have a bad archery day, unfortunately and his arrow comes nowhere near his target. Must be the wind.
Pen shoots at one of the gnolls approaching, then falls back to take the place of an orc that ran away. She tells the remaining orcs, "Keep this retreat in good order and we will all get out of here alive."
A quick glance over his shoulder tells Eber that every one has managed to make it behind the orcs. "All right! Fall back!" Eber practically bellows. As a unit he and the other dwarves work their way back down the trail, falling into place behind the orcs.
Once all the dwarves are in position, Eber calls out to the others, "Let the gnolls start coming to you, then fall back behind us."
Switching to orcish, Eber repeats his instructions for the benefit of the orcs, adding "Just be sure not to fall too far back. Remember we dwarves don't move as fast as you orcs."
"Dracha is dead," Nadia says to no-one in particular. It occurs to her that Penelope might not be aware of that fact yet as she was unconscious when it happened. Maybe nobody knows, except her. Did anybody else hear that terrible sound in their heads, the empty sound where Dracha's voice used to be? Rolf hadn't seen it. Nadia can't remember if Alex and Eber were still in the mines at the time. She might be the only one who knows what Dracha did. She will never forget it.
Well, she can't stand here staring back at that hole in the rockwall any longer. The retreat is on, and she has to stay in step. At least it looks like Pen and Rolf will be okay now. Thanks, in part, to Dracha, she thinks. And a small part of her is pleased to think that he would be proud to know that.
"Farewell," she says very quietly, then moves into position with Pen and the orcs.
The gnolls begin to pursue the fleeing dwarves, running into the line of orcs protecting the retreat. Mereclar leads his howler back out onto the trail. He still has his bow ready. He steadies his mount and takes aim at the dwarven wizard off behind the line of fighters. A hard pull and an accurate shot once more gets through Ebers defenses.
Two other archers take aim at the orcs, Wogh and Tbruul. Both archers make good shots. Wogh and Tbruul are badly wounded now. The arrows are taking their toll and the orcs are in the front lines now. Its too much for them. They turn tail and start running down the trail as fast as they can.
Banmar looks over his shoulder to see that the dwarves are in place. All right he says to the others, fall back. But stay together, dammit! The four remaining orcs pull away from the advancing gnolls in good order. Nadia keeps pace with them.
Rolf is unsure of the situation, but he still hears the sound of fighting, and not from that far off. He figures that the dwarves from Rastor might at some point need some relief, especially if that crazy beast comes out, and he knows he's not yet in shape to do too much. So he grabs another of his potions, and downs it, and then readies himself to move if Alex does.
Alex almost allows himself to breathe a sigh of relief. But we're not quite out of danger yet.
"Hang on, Rolf. We don't want to get too far ahead of the others." Alex nocks another arrow and shoots over the heads of the orcs and dwarfs, hoping to hit one of the guards. Alex continues to have a bad archery day, unfortunately and his arrow comes nowhere near his target. Must be the wind.
Pen shoots at one of the gnolls approaching, then falls back to take the place of an orc that ran away. She tells the remaining orcs, "Keep this retreat in good order and we will all get out of here alive."
