Farewell, My Darlings
4th Malachite 267, Mid Summer
Tlifursnin slowly stalked his way through the reeds, always with an eye on the road. It seemed to just disappear into the mouth of a tower which stuck out of the marsh like some forgotten pillar. Could this really have been the place those merchants spoke about, with extensive underground roads filled to the ceilings with intricately crafted treasures, a single one of which could feed a man for a year? It almost didn’t matter at this point; he wasted his last coin getting the ranger to show him in the direction. Pricey, but most people acted like they didn’t know the place existed. Or maybe it was kept secret for some reason. Regardless, he had no money to bring home, and he had to have something, anything. He just could not look at the hungry eyes of his brood again.
A heavy hand fell on the kobold’s shoulder.
“Whereddya think ye goin’, eh?”
Discovery! Panic! Death! The kobold’s blade flew out from between rags and at the assailant. He was no fighter, but maybe his captor will be intimidated anyway.
“Oy, ow! Watch were ye swing that abut, put my eye utt y’will!”
No good! The gigantic, muscular creature saw through the ruse! He was done for! His only hope lay in his feet. A toss of the knife, perhaps distraction? Or desperation? Tlifusnin fled, splashing through the puddles, no longer concerned about making any noise, his only thought being the hope to see his brood again.
“Eh! I thut ye wanted ta fight!”
The monster leaped at him, and they rolled through the mud.
It was on top of him, grabbing him, kicking him, and he could hear the barks of more on their way. He was done for, there would be n….
“What’s that ya got there, Cambrian?”
“Dunno, but think I broke it.”
Cambrian stood back, looked at the gore that had once been a kobold, and then to Zahrkon and Teledahn.
“Hey, wanna fight?”
