There was a low murmuring in the hall, Minkot waited for silence before he continued.
“As you all know, we are under siege. But this is an enemy we cannot defeat”
The room was silent, everyone trying to process this weird prospect.
“What are we fighting?”
Duma turned to look at the dwarf that had spoken and realised it was Ascubis.
Ascubis was actually a human, one of the only humans to be accepted in dwarven society.
Duma had been in the detachment that was sent to the human settlement Korur when the goblins had razed it, they were in the process of pillaging when the dwarves got there. When they engaged the gobos, humans burst out of the buildings and joined the dwarves in the fight. When the goblins had been sent running most of the humans decided to move to the next town, some stayed to make an effort in rebuilding there homes. But Ascubis had wanted to join the dwarves and asked the platoon commander if he could. Zuglar Morulestil had warned that to have a chance to be accepted he would have to act, talk, work and most importantly drink like a dwarf.
He had come a long way since then, having grown a big bushy beard and now could easily match any dwarf drink for drink.
Minkot looked him in the eyes, which was just about level as he was standing on a raised platform.
“Most of them are elves”
The group laughed but Ascubis arched an eyebrow and asked
“They’re not the ones you’re worried about are they?”
“No”
He said that in a way that was only used to tell someone that the lever was for the magma release and not to irrigate the farm…after they’d pulled it. As the hall fell silent Minkot said in a grim voice.
“There is a tale that a dwarf, an Ingiz ‘Gold Tooth’ Bimotter, who was a trader for the mountain homes.
Ingiz was a devoted worshipper of Kadol Angenshin the Fair Brightness, the deity of metals, minerals and the future.
One day when Ingiz was with a caravan to some place called Boatmurdered he was separated from his caravan. He wandered for days, drinking from muddy puddles and eating vermin to survive.
Kadol looked down and took pity on Ingiz, for his faith had never wavered in his devotion to the god and she saved him, giving him clues of were to go.
As he got in site of the fortress Passagelabors, Kadol told him of an event, an uprising of the elves that could, if left unchecked, wipe out everything that we know.”
Minkot let those words sink in before continuing.
“Sadly that is all we know of his original message, for when he got to the fortress he got smashed out of his mind and forgot most of it.”
There was a general murmuring around the hall, who could blame him? The first thing anyone would have done after spending any time sober would have been get drunk and everyone doubted that they would of done better.
“Anyway the point is that we need to evacuate all civilians out of Sealvision and more importantly get a message to the king, he knows more than what was passed to me by my predecessor.”
“ALL of the civilians?” one of the crowd cried
“How are ten of use supposed to guard that many people?”
Duma turned to see Harper, a dwarf that had also joined the fortress after a goblin attack. The fortress Wheelarrow had fallen under goblin siege and only a few survivors had been saved from that blood bath Harper and his parents being part of the small group
Duma had first met him when he was still a miner and he was a pretty good one as well. But when Sealvision had been attacked by Humans after a misunderstanding about a dead trader all dwarfs with military experience had been called into the military. When the siege was broke Harper had requested to join the military full time.
This had taken sometime as skilled miners were in need but he eventually got his wish.
“The Guard will help you with the civilians and with any nobles that decide that nickel needs to be mandated.”
Every one gave a small laugh; nobles were nobles even if they had people trying to get them to safety.
Duma was not laughing though
“But sir, you don’t have a chance to fight off the elves then, the guards about a third of Sealvision’s fighting force”
“I’m afraid that guard or no guard we don’t stand a chance with this enemy, we are going to hold them back for as long as possible while you take the tunnels. Hopefully that will give you enough time to get away without getting there attention”
Everyone was looking at Minkot, not sure what to say or do. There leader had been fair and selfless, always thinking of the dwarfs that he had under his command before himself, now he had to pay the price.
“Melbilshagog” Minkot called, one of the guards at the door came in and saluted.
“Ready the guard at the tunnels, you now answer to Duma here”
The dwarf saluted to Minkot and then to Duma and left.
“The guard will help escort the civilians to Mirrorcrests then it is up to you to make your own way to the mountain home, God speed”
Minkot fitted his helmet
“Many dwarfs will be sacrificed today so that you can escape, make sure they didn’t die in vain”
BOOM
The whole room seemed to shake and all were thrown to there feet, soot falling from the roof filled the room with dust.
“Damn it! They are already in the fortress. Everyone, get to the tunnels”
The group legged it to the back of the fortress, following a stream of guards shepherding dwarfs to the ancient tunnels that had been the first expedition mine shafts when Sealvision had been settled. When the fortress had got its first mayor, he had ordered that an the shafts be widened and that they be dug to the surface incase a day like today happen.
As the group neared the sealed gates to the mine, Melbilshagog was there ordering guards around and generally trying to hold things together. As the group neared Duma saluted and told the Duma that they had managed to obtain wagons for the elderly, sick and enough supplies to carry them to there destination
“Ok” Duma said and turned to the group
“We better distribute ourselves among the convoy, that way we will be of more use”
Every one nodded in agreement and moved to different parts of the line.
Duma heard the sounds of battle, the fight had already begun.
“Melbilshagog, we are ready to leave” Mel and another guard hauled the doors open and they slowly entered the tunnels, not sure of what was to await them when they emerged, everyone knew they had to go past goblin country to get to Mirrorcrests.
