SELENIA 34TH, 2587 — AFTERNOON — SANDORON
Sandoron leaned against the wall staring mouth agape at his grandfather. "You... What?" He looked to his grandmother "Called? Me? They want me?" he almost shouted before his she placed a finger over his lips.
"This is not the time to discuss this. Everyone here is here to protect you and the people in that town." She gestured toward the city. The first thing we have to do is get you somewhere safe so we can deal with this. She shot a look at Gramps
Grams paused to let another barrage of cannon fire go off before continuing. "Gramps can you get him out of here?"
"I could only make it a couple of miles and still make it back here to help. And you'll need me for the hob goblin. It's best he stays with us a little as I like it. It would be more dangerous to leave him out there alone." Gramps replied shaking his head sadly.
"What about -" Grams started. "No." Sandoron broke in. "I don't know what this is all about but you can't leave me out of it again. I won't leave all of our friends to fight a battle I'm somehow a part of. And I want to do my part protecting this town. They've done so much for us without them we'd not have anywhere to sell what we grow or buy the things we can't."
His grandparents shared a look. "You will stay with your grandfather. Glued to his side. Is that understood?" Grams finally relented. "This will be dangerous and we have to know you are safe. You are the most important thing to us. We can move find another farm and town. We can't replace you." The last she almost whispered.
Gramps nodded. "I can build a new city. I can't build a new you."
"What?" Sandoron started to ask his grandfather before another round of cannon fire cut him off.
Wumph. Dust flew and part of the trench they were hiding in collapsed. There was a shout from Alaphon "They've figured out how to aim down! This hole won't be safe for much longer. Aelene, Vern, can you do something about their cannoneers?"
"Yes" "Probably", they spoke up together.
Grams leapt from the trench and disappeared into the darkness of the nearby forest. Vern was more subdued, poking his head up before scurrying into the woods.
"What about us?" he asked.
Gramps looked at his Sandoron "We prepare. And we wait. Alaphon why don't you have one of the kids pass out rations." he said before turning to look at the trench wall nearest the city. "enots fo edam eb" he said before he ran his hand along the length of the trench. In moments the wall began to turn grey hardening like stone. "This will last for an hour and should help keep the trench from falling on us."
About twenty minutes after the his grandmother and Vern had set off Alaphon shuddered. "It's not wise to say such things at times like this, but I feel as if something has crossed my grave. I do not like these tidings. We might be in for more than we anticipate. Everyone make sure you eat your fill but do not stuff yourselves. We may have a serious fight on our hands. My divination hasn't worked in a long time but I am sure there is something powerful with ill intent thinking on us in this moment."
It had been an odd hour, they ate hardtack and jam while they waited for news and the walls had begun to fade back to the red clay and gravel of the road's soil. All the while they listened as cannons went off behind them. Every once in a while there was a pause and shouts. Finally, there was a massive explosion just as Vern dropped back into the trench beside his father.
----------------------------------------
SELENIA 34TH, 2587 - AN HOUR EARLIER - VERN
As he scurried out of the trench behind Aelene he couldn't help but wonder how he'd gotten into this situation. He was to be part of an action with one of the Called from his father's old party. This woman he grew up hearing stories about who led him to becoming the man he was today. And now he gets to fight at her side?
He blushed, realizing he was letting his emotions run wild. Now is the time for action. He slipped into the shadows when he heard her voice again. "When you feel it just say 'I accept' and we will be able to communicate."
Suddenly there was a coldness than ran up his spine and into his head. "I Accept." he said without hesitation.
"Very good, we'll make a rogue out of you yet boy. This is one of my skills shadow mind. It gives me a measure of control of another's mind it's much easier if they are willing. I'll only use it communicate for now." He didn't take time to fully decipher that deeply concerning message only nodding and replying aloud "Right, so what now?"
"First, we don't speak aloud just think and I will hear. Next, we find a way in. Kasner has maintained several bolt holes in case the town came under siege however we do not know if they have been compromised. I will try to take one, you should look for another path to entry. Try the aqueduct and sewers if those and the bolt holes are all guarded we may have to make a new way in." she said into his mind.
"Right, aqueduct. If I remember right the elder gnome dug an underground canal through the forest from the river. I will head to the river and see if I can find the entrance." he replied silently.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
He took off to the northeast toward the river. Watching for any signs that might reveal the aqueduct.
It took about 10 minutes before he reached the river kneeling on a branch of a tree overlooking the river. "They've got men in boats all over the river, I can see the entrance but there's no way to get in unseen without a diversion. Should try some smoke or set a fire?" he thought to himself.
"No, they will be expecting an attack if they're watching the entrance visibly thee are certainly other protections you can't see. This was not a random riot. There is a hob goblin in command and he have contact with entities not from this plane. There is no telling what else is around. Head further downstream see if they considered the sewers." he nearly fell from the when he got a response to his internal monologue.
"Hells, this is going to take some getting used to." he thought. This time the only response was a seriously disturbing cackle in his mind.
He had only made it a few dozen feet when he heard Aelene's voice again, "Ok, come to the south I've found a bolt-hole that was - a grunt - not defended. We can go in this way." there was suddenly an image in his mind of a map with a big red X on it south of his location. "Ok, that is creepy." he mumbled. "Useful, not creeepy" he heard followed by more cackling.
He decided not to think to himself or mumble any more until this was over. Maybe never at this rate.
It was only another 10 minutes before he found Aelene standing over the bodies of three men who seemed to be unconscious. "I thought you said this was undefended?" he asked.
Aelene shrugged "The others were all warded and had mages at them with detection magic. This one's obviously a trap but we can't let them have all the fun can we?" she asked gesturing toward the road and the trench that was still being bombarded by cannon fire.
"She's just as insane as father always said." he thought. Suddenly, Aelene bent over cackling wildly. "Oh, I will enjoy tormenting him for that." She winked.
Vern shuddered, afraid to even consider what he had unwittingly gotten his father into.
"Let's move. We will need to deal with these cannons quickly. Can you keep up boy?"
He nodded, sprinting behind her down the dimly lit tunnel.
----------------------------------------
SELENIA 34TH, 2587 - LATER - SANDORON
Vern leaned against the trench huffing. "Dad... Your stories... You weren't wrong."
Alaphon mumbled "I hope I didn't scar another son." Louder, he continued "Well did you accomplish your goals? And where's Aelene?"
Vern nodded, "Yes, we accomplished all of our goals. In fact that last blast was the entire city's powder store."
Gramps shuddered, paling. "That was an expensive explosion."
"We tried knocking a couple of the cannoneers unconscious but they just wouldn't stay that way. It was like they had some sort of magical regeneration. Since we couldn't quietly take out the cannons themselves Aelene sent me off and told me she'd take care of the powder so at least they'd only have a few more shots. She took off toward the gate tower," Vern gestured toward the conspicuously missing tower. "That was the last I saw of her, I took off back down the bolt-hole we came in and apparently ducked in here just in time."
Grams suddenly appeared next to Gramps holding her arm which was bleeding and hanging at a strange angle.
Sandoron lunged toward his grandmother. "Are you ok? What can we do?" he started taking off his shirt. "Here wrap that."
She took the shirt and wrapped her arm before looking at Alaphon "You know stunts like that were easier to deal with when you had your power to heal."
Sandoron shook his head "One of these days. You will have to explain this all to me. No more lies, no more half truths. You adventured together?"
Alaphon started to say something and cut himself off, rubbing his still bandaged hand. Grams shot him a grateful look before saying "When the time is right and not a moment before."
Sandoron looked away, venturing a peek at the gate now that the cannons had fallen silent. "Now what do we do?" The gate was a mess, the tower next to it having fallen and crushing the left side. There were no men visible any longer, but he was sure there were many still inside the walls.
"Now, we get a reconnaissance report from our scouts." Gramps chuckled.
Vern began, "They have the river patrolled, at least the aqueduct is guarded. They didn't look like normal townsfolk. Though I saw no one patrolling the forests."
"Several of the bolt-holes were well guarded, they left a couple open as obvious ploys but did not trap them well enough." She dropped some wires and other devices on the ground next to them. "I used their own explosives to set off the cannon powder. It was quite effective and I didn't even have to use one of your baubles." She nodded at Gramps
"Inside, we encountered minimal resistance. The gates and walls are patrolled. There seemed to be very little on the streets. It's most likely they've subdued the militia and routed the populace to the city center. We probably shouldn't go in the same way we did before they'll have noticed their unconscious compatriots and most likely applied similar mages to at least one in each tunnel as they had on the cannoneers."
Gramps grimaced, "We may have to take down a wall and go in quite loud. I have... measures... in place to cause minimal destruction in two of the walls I doubt they'd find. I've always worried something like this could happen; though I never expected it to be for this reason."
Alaphon nodded, "That may be the best we can do. We can split, I'll lead a party to one wall and you can lead them to the other. I can draw just enough magic to activate an enchantment still. Aelene it would probably be best if you got inside first, think you can make it over the walls unseen?"
"Definitely."
"Well, that does it. We will make a go for the town in an hour to give Aelene and Vern time to rest. We will need to make it to the carts and get our bigger toys. Vern can you provide smoke?"
Vern didn't answer instead reaching into his vest and pulling out two canisters. He lobbed them both over his shoulder calling out "Smoke."
Alaphon gestured toward several of his older children. "You know what's important. Bring as much as you can carry."
Sandoron leapt up, "I'll help them carry more," he was out of the trench before anyone could think to stop him.
Aelene shouted "Fool boy I said GLUED!"