I jumped out from my hiding place and ran delicately on my
tip toes, trying to be as quiet as I could. The first two hobgoblins
would have been a handful, but when the champion walked into
the glen, I knew it was time to leave.
I had been asked to comb the woods near Hobgoblin Hill to
see what the green faces were up to. The amount of activity on
the paths west of the lake made me anxious. Then I had run into
the two one-horns at a trail intersection.
After a forty-yard dash dodging crunchy leaves on the ground,
I ducked behind a tree to see if I was being followed. No. It
looked like they hadn't noticed me. I slumped down against the
white skin of the old birch.
I knew that last year in the fall there was some attempt by
hobgoblins to perform a ritual which involved sacraficing a Ranger
named Andrik. I was told by Captain George that bringing in some
good information would aid my request to join the Galenese Guard,
so I was in the woods by myself . . . was I being brave or stupid?
The line is so fine sometimes!
"Hur ek 'sna. Ub pay. Tana ho ek rood ebbi!" I heard
a gruff voice say some fifty feet behind me. A pit sank in my
stomach and the blood rushed in my veins. They had seen me.
In a moment I had listed my options: run, fight, negotiate,
try a ruse . . . since I had no ruse ready, I was too slow to
outrun them, I decided to try to negotiate. Maybe they'd let
me get away alive. I stood and stepped out, drawing my axe.
"Greetings, " I began ly, but it was useless; they
were coming fast now, weapons out, the Champion in the lead.
I almost blew it. I was a hair's breadth away from trying
to go toe to toe with them all, when I suddenly remembered my
new trick. I dropped the axe as two-horns closed on me.
"Root!" I said directing the spell at him. He was
locked to the ground so quickly that the warrior behind him ran
into him and fell over. I bluffed, rearing an empty hand back
while I grabbed for the axe, which gave me just enough time.
The rest is boringly predictable . . .
