But, horribly, he knew he couldn't stop to interfere with the apparent sacrifice in progress. Several good arguments flooded his mind to support what he'd already decided, but he was still sick to his stomach. Mission first, he told himself. It's no good unless we escape with evidence.

The man came to the base of the steps, calling out for help and making Vonn wince. Behind him came a hooded Kobold, and a burly Human man with a sword. And shuffling along behind them were two leathery, shriveled husks that had been Human. A ripple in the air connected them to the hooded one like leashes.

From behind, that first group had come up toward the stairs to greet them. "Good," said a dimly lit Kobold from that direction, waving to the newcomers. "Come. Careful now; the beasts are active tonight."

Vonn's claws dug into his palms as the parade passed by, deeper into the dungeon, toward the altar room. He had a shot at the backs of any of them. But his gun couldn't kill a man in one hit unless the System was feeling unusually biased. He let them pass. Finally Kura poked out from cover and led him on, her eyes narrow and her tail twitching. They headed up the stairs toward freedom.

Another damn skeleton soon got in their way. Kura leaned back and delivered a spring-loaded kangaroo kick that sent it flying, then ran along without trying to finish it off. Vonn agreed.

Then they were back outside to the warm summer night. Kura crouched, looked around, caught her breath, and swore. "Our only chance to stop the killing is to get back."

Vonn nodded, panting. Green light tinged his vision, the System's way of noting low Fatigue. They started walking east while instinct told him to run like a man's life was on the line. Even with his slightly enchanted boots, meant to channel the amazing hiking powers of a Human, he couldn't run several miles right now. Kura was pacing herself too but struggling.

They paused for breath somewhere down in the grassland beyond the slopes of the mining area. Vonn said, "I once saw a Kobold necromancer here, Baron Kolm's man. It sounded like the first one we saw just now. I don't think their prisoner there is the special target we talked about, but who?"

"There'd been talk of 'bandit' attacks in Baron Kolm's turf. People disappearing. And the miners had been shut out of certain areas, told not to stick their snouts in the Baron's personal business."

"Then I think it's not a crime for me to say, that Kolm's going to pay for this."

"If we get back."

Vonn asked, "What was that symbol?"

She hissed. "A slander against the Dragons." In this kingdom the Kobold people officially followed the state religion of the Triad gods. But their real beliefs -- some of them -- were no secret.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

They hiked faster now. They'd passed the airplane wreck without seeing it. Vonn had left a unique collection of machinery there. An engine, along with wings and struts and rods that he'd cobbled into a barely functional flying machine. There was no time for more salvage work, though.

Vonn and Kura crested a hill. Below, they made out a signal lantern on a pole. Vonn pointed it out, then took out his normal, bright magicite shards to wave for attention. His arms trembled. His friends were down there, mostly keeping hidden in the dark. Somewhere nearby was an invisible magic wall placed by Kolm's people to detect intruders.

Vonn's sister Tazo was first on the scene, barely held back by a staff in the hands of a spellcaster who could see where the invisible ward was. "By the gods, what happened?" Her golden eyes shined in the dark and all her rust-red fur stood on end.

Vonn refrained from stepping forward. "The plane crashed. We need the Baron, now."

Hoofsteps thudded on the grass and two Centaurs approached. Father and son, lightly armored but geared for war. The grizzled Baron Bogstep wasted no time. "Talk."

Kura saluted. "Sir! There's folk sacrifice happening in the dungeon. And we passed a prisoner being led down there. We found these." She waved a tainted magicite piece. Vonn pulled his own gem out of his pockets, too.

Bogstep's son, Brightstep, reared up as though wanting to drive a spear down through the things. His eyes were wide, his usually pristine mane pressed under an iron helmet. "I've read about this!" But he turned to a Kobold who was hobbling up to join them, and pointed him to the gems.

The lizard-man reacted nearly the same, but quit hissing and cursing after a moment. "My lords, murder now fuels that dungeon. I want a better look at those shards before I testify in court, but the young scouts seem correct."

"Are they dangerous to hold?" asked Vonn, who'd been imagining horrible things involving certain "cursed" heavy metals from Earth.

"I believe not."

Brightstep scuffed one forehoof against the grass, his long ears laying back as he took in the seriousness of the situation. "Well, Father? We have proof now."

Vonn spoke up. "We didn't stop to rescue the man being taken inside, or anyone else already trapped. They're in danger right now."

The Baron nodded, then gave quiet orders to several men. He retreated to make final preparations. The geomancy expert with the staff was busy trying to corral all the people who wanted to approach.

But there was space for an owl woman, Selen Moonlit, to press closer as a flash of off-white feathers. She waved one winglike arm with talon fingers on the end. "You said the plane's down?"

"The engine exploded. Your enchanted parachute bracelets saved us."

"Oh God, I'm sorry. I bet it was the extra oil."

Vonn's father nudged her aside, telling her, "It's not your fault. Vonn, you all right?" The taller member of the Vulin race had the same coat of red and white fur as Vonn, marred by a scar on one cheek from his bandit days. He'd come here wearing his old cutlass.

"Yeah, Dad. But somebody else over there isn't."

"Once we're ready to cross this magic line, you take Selen and your sister home and rouse the militia."

Vonn bristled. "What? We have to --"

"Absolutely not." Dad noticed the Baron trotting closer, and said, "My lord, please tell him."

"Didn't hear you. I hope you told the boy 'get your butt back home'. I need him later. Miss... Selen, stick with him. Kura, where'd you go? Ah, good. You up for making some arrests?"

The Kobold drooped. "Honestly, sir --"

"That's a no, then. Escort the civvies home and rest. You earned it."