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Author Topic: Red Lights Cavern is Barricaded!  (Read 812 times)

RollinsCat

Re: Red Lights Cavern is Barricaded!
« Reply #20 on: April 27, 2010, 01:23:59 pm »
Bella's sound was beautiful in the strong morning sun, carrying over Hlint's bucholic green spaces in a soft wind of notes.  A few folks strolled past to listen; a farmer stopped walking his ox long enough for one song.  Red Coat kept playing after they moved on.  Waiting.

They came, right after morning chores as he'd anticipated.  First a blonde girl of perhaps nine or ten, carrying a favored doll with her although a dawning shame in the way she held it hinted she'd be putting it on a shelf soon enough.  She sat in the still damp grass near him and listened quietly; another girl joined, this one darker and younger, maybe seven.  Then two boys nearing their first change of life, impatiently leading a girl who could not be more than five and had to shuffle fast to keep up with them.  The girls all sat together and listened while the boys listened in between punches and jokes.  Red Coat opened himself to the Heartsong and felt their simple joy, so precious to him; his music lightened and the children's smiles were all the reward he could ask.  

The small group didn't grow after three songs' time so he laid his violin carefully in her case and looked at them, wrapping his arms around his knees and smiling.

"Mister, you play pretty."  Plainly put from the girl with the doll.  Red Coat's smile warmed and he gave her a courtly nod.

"Thank you, Milady.  Her name is Bella."  He stroked the violin.  "I know you all have midday chores soon enough.  Perhaps you'd like a story before?"

The children nodded; the little one clapped, her enthusiasm spilling into a "Yay! Yay!"  He kept listening to the Heartsong, filling a reservoir in his heart with that sound for some future dark time.

"Then I'll tell you a cautionary tale of the hills that hold the goblins."  The children immediately scrunched up their faces, the two older boys rolling their eyes and letting out explosive sighs.  Red Coat held out his hands in mock surrender.  "I know, I know - you've heard it all from your parents.  But hear one more, if it keeps you out of that place.  Because I KNOW" -- He raised his voice and eyed the boys, especially the shorter but more muscular of the two, who was clearly the leader - "That you dare each other to go there.  I know that on long summer days, when your parents are busy and you're bored of hide and seek, bored of watching the girls play when you think they're not looking" - The muscular boy blushed fiercely, and Red Coat grinned at his score - "I know that you creep out of the gates, beyond the fields, through the tall grass, over the hills, past the campfire in the woods where all the armored people drink and talk, and across the road to the little hill, and then you see who can get closest.  And I'd be willing to bet you run away with goblin arrows chasing your backsides."

Again he eyed the leader but it was the taller, thinner boy who flushed.  "Then let me warn you.  Yes, you've watched adventurers march over the ridge to challenge the Red Light goblins.  And yes, you've seen them come out again, whole.  But you will not come out whole, my young friends, and neither did we - nearly - the other day."

He settled back, their attention on him now.  One deep breath to set the modulation of his voice, and he continued.  "This was only a week ago, so I'm not dredging up ancient history to scare you with.  I was riding down the road on Sonata" - He pointed to his white mare, grazing by the bank - "And found a group of adventurers telling stories by the fire.  Perhaps someday you'll tell stories there too."  He grinned at them and the children smiled back.  "We sat for some time trading news and tales; I'm sure you've hidden in the woods and listened."  It was the ten year old girl that blushed this time, hiding it by fussing with her dress.

"We sat for some time, enjoying the fire.  I was talking to Valanca, a red-headed elf maid, when suddenly the grasses grew three times normal height and grabbed at our ankles!"  He pranced in the grass as he did when the spell had tried to wrap him in place, while the children laughed.  "Well - this could not stand.  Valanca, who is an archer and painter of Ilsare, myself, Sehky, another elf archer, Feawen - she's an elf and fights with her fists and feet - and Shadowleaf, an elven ranger -- we all went to see who disturbed our genial and pacifistic relaxation."

He remained standing, leaning forward and talking them into his memory.  As he spoke his voice rose and fell with the actions, his body tilted and turned in concert and his hands sketched the story.  "We walked to the little hill and saw four goblin scouts on the ridge.  Four!  There are not usually that many - but usual doesn't apply to the Red Lights, not anymore.  We charged the hill to take them out before they could sound the alarm, and they put up a messy fight.  But we stopped their hue and cry and crept foward again, our eyes and ears open.

We moved down into the valley - and by the way, they've built it that way for a reason.  It's a funnel; whoever holds the high ridges can fire down with little risk.  Like shooting fish in a barrel.  Remember that the next time you feel daring."  The faces of the two boys fell thoughtful and they looked at each other.

"Then up over the second ridge that overhangs their cave, silent as we could manage.  In the distance where the hills rise again was their scout camp, and we barely had time to notice it before two more goblins charged!  They had armor, bows, and swords of quality much better than you expect.  The fighting was fierce but brief, and we slid forward to see the scout camp packed with little green figures.  Some were milling about, some were listening in our direction, and some were already turning to fight us.  Valanca bellowed loud enough to stun them and we rushed in to take advantage of their disorientation.  Their shaman was casting, and there were two of their elite guards that you normally see down with their Chieftain as well.  Leaf, Sehky and Valanca plugged them with arrows from behind, Feawen ran forward to engage and I used my Muse's Sting to knock them back."  He patted the red metal rapier on his left hip, a fiery glow seeping from the slender scabbard.

"After that we knew we had to look in the cave.  So down again, sliding, sliding over the grassy knolls until we reached the bottom where that wide cave mouth yawns.  The tattered flag marking it as a dangerous spot waved gaily as if to say 'Welcome to the Red Lights; A Nice Place to Die!'  And we slipped inside the first chamber to see what might be brewing."  All five of the children had fallen silent, listening.

"Inside there were two goblin guards.  The guards threw that same grass-spell that brought us investigating, for it's a well-known goblin trick, but we danced out of it" -- Again, he pranced -- "and dispatched them as swiftly and silently as we could.  Some of us rushed forward and some stopped to listen; we could hear a lot of guttural voices in the larger chamber beyond."  He stretched a hand to his ear, exaggerating to demonstrate.  

"Many, many voices.  In a flash they were upon us, ten or more although I was whirling with my blade and didn't stop to count.  Most dropped to arrows and Feawen, but one..." He lowered his voice, making it deeper.  "One did not."

"This goblin charged me, only me, and seemed intent on making bard-ka-bobs out of my tender flesh.  I struck, sure my fire and metal would hold it back at least, but no.  No, not this one.  Whatever magic it had protected it completely and it did not fall, did not bleed, did not even scratch.  It chased me all around the room and as funny as that may sound it gets frightening quickly when you realize you can't hurt the thing.  No arrow would penetrate, no blade, and Feawen's punches had no effect."  His tone became serious and he looked at each child's face one after the other.

"That invincible goblin ran to a thick wooden door to the lower passages.  After discussion Feawen hugged the walls, keeping to the shadows and moving as silently as only a trained and experienced elven monk can, and she went to see what might await us while the rest of us held the upper room.  And sure enough, they had an ambush waiting had we snuck farther down.  We decided to return here and warn the town, rather than charge forward in a show of mighty bravery."  He paused and again looked at each child, a touch of ruefulness to his smile the only indication of what he'd left out of the story -- his own desire to rush forward and see the lower levels for himself.

"Bravery isn't only standing and fighting.  It's knowing when to fight another day, and when not to fight at all.  Or when to stay away entirely."  He made the last statement pointedly to the boys.  "Keep that in mind, and know that they have more than just swords and stinky breath to assault you with."

As he sat again, the children jumped in with questions and he answered as honestly as he could.  They begged for another song; well, the girls did.  The boys played cool but he knew they wanted to hear.  He tucked Bella under his chin, playing for them a song about a trip to Bear Island on Alindor that he hadn't sung in years.  It wasn't until hours after that occurred to him singing of high adventure might not have made the point he intended, especially after his story.

One by one the children were called away to chores as the noon sun burned overhead.  Red Coat stood, packing Bella away.  He was thirsty and the Wild Surge was open...he had gold in his pockets.  An ale would wash the dust from his throat.  He had taken two steps toward the old wooden inn when Sonata started whinnying and snorting.  He turned to see a black kitten playing keep-away around her large hooves.  He diverted to them before the kitten got hurt or his horse got more upset, luring the cat away with some meat from his pack and soothing the ruffled mare's temper with stroking and quiet song.  A glance at the sky and he took his silver heart and clef necklace in his right hand, singing a prayer.  "Alright, my Muse.  Point taken.  Grape juice."  After a few swigs he secured his packs and swung up onto Sonata's muscular back, turning her toward Fort Llast and singing loudly a made-up a song as they left.

On the road to Fort Llast to see my baby
On the road to Fort Llast today...
When I see my girl all's right with the world
When I see my baby it's okay


On the road to Fort Llast and I'm singing in the rain
On the road to Fort Llast today...
The weather's washing over and my heart is full of clover
When I see my baby it's okay


On the road to Fort Llast riding my White Lady
On the road to Fort Llast today...
 

 

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