Book 4: Chapter 7: Master of Traps

Book 4: Chapter 7: Master of Traps

The skeletons approached the ruins of the keep, hoisting her palanquin over the brush and rubble. Frank warned them that something else might be living inside and urged them to be careful. He walked ahead of the group to draw out any potential danger as they wound their way down the path.

Not exactly a five-star hotel, Heather remarked as they skeletons carried her closer. The main entrance was a stone arch that once held a wooden gate. The doors were long gone, but the passage was unusually clear of rubble and foliage. The inner courtyard looked to have once held a stable, a sizeable wooden building, a stone fort, and a long narrow building along one wall. All of it was in ruins, the wooden building a pile of charred timbers, and the stone ones full of holes. Not a bit of glass remained in any window, and vines were already crawling inside.

Well, its a ruin, Quinny said as they arrived in the central yard that was also surprisingly clear.

The fort still has a roof, I think, Frank said as he looked over the three-story square tower that comprised the keeps main building.

Are we sure its safe? Breanne worried as they moved into the courtyard.

Heather looked around and didn't see anything that looked dangerous. The yard itself was once a flat area of polished stones. Trees grew in between the stones, and the walls were lined with rubble. The center yard was still clear, almost maintained as if somebody wanted to keep it that way.

Breanne stepped around a tree stump and let out a cry of alarm. She fell over and was suddenly dragged across the yard to the large keep building. Heather and the others watched in amazement as Breanne was hoisted up the wall by a rope while a bundle of rocks came down the other way.

Frank ran after her and got only a dozen steps when the ground below him gave way, and he vanished down a dark shaft. Quinny, who was following stopped just in time and backed away as a crossbow bolt, struck her leg.

Its an ambush! Quinny cried and raised her shield as a second bolt flew from a dark window.

Heather was down in a moment and quickly gathered her skeletons and bone knight to lead a charge across the yard. She passed the pit Frank had fallen into and pressed on to get closer to the tower. The shooters were inside, and she hoped her skeletons could quickly overwhelm them. Just outside the doorway, she stumbled on a tripwire. A rumbling sound filled the air as stones tumbling over the roof's lip.

She shrieked and scrambled for the open the door as the falling debris pummeled her skeletons. Just inside, she tripped on a second cord, and a log attached to the ceiling swung down. Her shield went up, but the impact was strong enough to throw her out the door, tumbling her into the yard.

There was a thunk as the bone knight hovered over, raising its shield to protect her. She lifted her head and fell into her pulsing heal certain some of her ribs were broken. From this vantage point, she saw Breanne go ghostly and slip from the noose around her leg, passing through the wall into the keep. Quinny arrived at her side with her shield raised as more crossbow bolts rained down on them.

There must be twenty people in there, Quinny said. They have fired that many bolts or more already.

This whole place is a death trap, Heather groaned as the pain melted away. She felt a tap at her shoulder to find Webster at her side. She quickly snatched him up and carried him back to the cart with her bone knight, shielding her the whole way.

Put that down! She ordered the skeletons and then reached in to grab an empty backpack. Hide in here, she said to Webster and put him in before shouldering the pack and turning back around. Umtha, hide back here, were going to deal with these fools.

Careful, Umtha said. Enemy clever.

Hmm, Heather replied. Lets find out how clever they are.

There was a sudden flash inside the building, and for a moment they could see a figure in one of them. Then the air filled with a banshee wail followed by explosions of light and smoke.

Breanne must be attacking them, Quinny said when the bolts stopped. We should help her.

We need to get Frank out of that hole, Heather urged before calling up her plant armor. He is good at leading the charge and absorbing the damage.

Im pretty tanky, Quinny said with a pale smile. Besides, he should be out in a minute.

Heather wasn't sure why Quinny was so calm but then the doorway to the tower filled with smoke and fire as a being in dark gray and black burst out. He was roughly a meter and a half tall with a black scarf over his face. He wore goggles of some kind and had bandoliers of vials and metal devices crossing his chest. On his back was an unusual sort of harness that held an array of strange items. He yanked a stick that ended in a dozen small tubes from that harness and turned to the doorway. The air filled with smoke as the tubes fired like little cannons, spraying the doorway with metal spikes.

What on earth? Heather remarked as Breanne came out of the wall beside him instead of the door.

Cheating! the gray man squeaked and threw something at his feet. He was engulfed in a cloud of smoke, obscuring him from sight. Breanne wailed again, using her concussive force to sweep the cloud, catching him as he dived behind a log. She raced to where he had gone only to frown in disapproval.

Did you get him? Heather called.

No, there is a small door that was hiding a shaft in the ground. This whole place is probably riddled with tunnels, Breanne barked.

How many more are there inside? Quinny asked.

None, this annoyance is the only one.

Only one? Quinny said. Then who is shooting all the crossbows?

He is! Breanne shouted. There are five preloaded crossbows propped against the wall next to every window, and every door is barred, barricaded, and trapped. Be careful with him; he has bombs and devices that can hurt even me.

The ground shook, and they heard a muffled explosion as smoke began to rise from the open shaft. A moment later, a hidden hatch burst open across the yard, and the gray figure jumped out as two clawed hands tore through the ground after him.

You noobs are no fun! the man cried and ran for the narrow guardhouse along the wall.

Heather's bone knight and remaining skeletons ran after him, but he chucked a bottle over his head as he ran and coated the ground in a black liquid. Her bone knight slipped first, followed by all the skeletons as they collected in a pile. Frank tore out of the earth, looking extremely angry as he turned to see the man run into the building.

Frank! Heather cried and ran to his side. How did you get there?

I can dig very fast, and there was a tunnel to follow already.

Heather was relieved he was back but looked at his side to see him bristling with metal pins. Are you alright?

That rogue pelted me with darts, Frank replied. He throws them like you see in movies.

Oh, pull those out and let me heal you, Heather fussed as she helped him get them out and then used her heal.

That pest has gone back into hiding, Breanne growled. I bet that building is as full of traps as the other one.

You can pass through them, though, Heather said.

Breanne turned to look at her and pointed to her side where a burned line traced over her spectral skin.

He managed to hurt your ghost form? Heather asked in alarm.

I am not immune to magic or magic weapons, Breanne replied. Those devices he is throwing act like magic attacks.

Heather finished with Frank and turned to Breanne, then dealt with the bolt in Quinny. She started to feel rather tired from all the spell casting when another crossbow bolt fired from a narrow window.

We either deal with that pest or go someplace else, Breanne remarked.

I vote we deal with him, Quinny said. I know how to manage the traps.

How? Frank asked.

We use cannon fodder to set off the traps, Quinny said with a smile. She moaned and made a clawing motion with her hands, calling on her summon zombie ability. The ground began to churn as zombies crawled out, answering her call with moans of their own. She ordered them through the door and waited behind the cover of her shield. The others took cover behind a nearby pile of rocks and waited to see what happened next.

They watched as the zombies entered the doorway, and a spiked arm swung around, impaling two of them. The remaining three continued inside and out of view. There was a flash of light, and through a narrow window, they saw a burning zombie stumble by.

Wow, Heather remarked. This place is awful.

He must have had a long time to get this ready, Frank suggested.

Is that a player? Heather asked a loud thump echoed from inside.

I think so, Breanne said. Some kind of rogue class.

It's an engineer class, Frank said. He uses gadgets for all his effects. He must have been building them and using them to fortify and trap this place for days. There was a second crashing noise inside, and an arrow fired from a window slit as they ducked behind a rock.

Youre going to have to do better than zombies, a voice shouted from inside.

Heather dared to peek over the rock at the building. It was a single story tall, with no roof to speak of and several large holes in the wall. She considered sending in her zombies but thought that would be a waste. Since the trap in the door was sprung, she felt confident they could at least get inside. All skeletons on me, Zombies protect Umtha and the palanquin.

What are you doing? Frank asked.

I am going in. I want to talk to this nuisance.

What if there are more traps?

I will use the skeletons to find them, Heather replied and stepped out of cover with the bone knight standing in front, shielding her. Quinny walked beside her as Frank and Breanne followed. The doorway looked dark and ominous, made more terrifying by the impaled zombies hanging inside it. Heather sent four skeletons in first then followed quickly with her bone knight.

The sun was in its evening position, casing long rays through the windows and holes in the outer wall. Motes of dust and wisps of smoke floated in the rays of light. The floor was strewn with rubble from the collapsed roof, buying the rotting remains of beds. There was a relatively clear path on the right wall that led down the length of the building, almost seemingly swept free of the rubble.

The kind that didn't want to fight you in the first place, Heather remarked. Now, if you agree to stop attacking us, I will spare you and heal your wounds.

You can heal? he stammered.

Do you agree or not? Heather demanded, pressing the point of her scythe to remind him.

Fine, you noobs can camp here, he groaned.

What is a noob? Heather asked.

Its a term for new players who dont know what they are doing, Frank said.

Heather frowned and tightened her grip on the scythe as the goblin threw up his hands.

Ok, Im sorry, you can stay the night. I promise I wont attack you or do anything to harm you.

Good enough, Heather remarked and took the weapon away to begin healing.

Her spell pulsed a dozen times as the goblin lay still on the ground. Eventually, he sat up and looked around with a sigh. You guys are really going to try and get the queens kingdom heart back?

Thats one of our goals, Heather said. The other is a personal one with the goblins.

You do know you're going up against a high-level wizard and a master rogue? he goblin asked as he stood up and tested his arms.

So we were told, Heather replied with a sigh. But, I have a knack for overcoming challenges.

Fair enough. You took care of the iron golem and drove me out of my fortress, so maybe you got something, but the wizard has a lot more golems.

How do you know that? Frank asked.

The goblin dusted himself off, and they could see he wore a belt ringed with metal balls and strange items. He reached up and pulled his goggles to the top of his head before pulling down his face mask. His skin was an olive green with a light stipes along his face. He had the characteristic larger nose of the goblins and pointed ears that stood straight out. They could just make out a mane of black hair under the hood as he looked around.

I'm Legeis, he said with a slight bow. Goblin war engineer.

I knew he was an engineering class of some kind, Frank said as Heather rolled her eyes.

Why would you be scouting it out? Heather asked.

Golems, Legeis said. He's making a lot more than he should be able to. He must have some magical item that allows him to animate more, and I want to know how.

What good would that do you? Frank asked. Can your class make golems?

Legeis made a toothy smile. No, but I have an even better plan. I want to make a battle suite.

A what? Heather asked.

A battle suit, he replied. Havent you ever played MMOs?

Heather sighed and shook her head. No, I am not a gamer, she answered dryly.

Then why are you in here?

Heather looked at the others, and Frank shrugged. He already knows your a necromancer, why bother keeping the rest.

Besides, he's a monster player, so he's on our side, Quinny said.

Heather nodded and turned back, not sure whose side he was on, if any. I'm chosen. I didn't want to be here; they picked me and dragged me in.

Your chosen? Legeis said as he rubbed his chin. So, what are your other classes?

Flower singer and recluse, Heather replied. I didn't pick the necromancer either. I was tricked into playing it. She saw the narrowed expression as he tried to puzzle her words out. She went ahead and explained her arrival and how Moon used her naivety to trick her, and some of the events afterward.

Ah, that's why you have bees and the druid armor, he said with a nod. But, you have enemies like that, and you stayed where you are? You guys aren't very smart.

Heather growled and put her hands on hips as she argued back. I don't want my friends to have to give up all they have built.

Seems like that choice will be taken away from you sooner or later, Legeis said. But hey, that's your choice to make not mine. Me, I am trying to build a battle suite like you see goblins piloting in some MMO's. I trapped that iron golem, so I could study how it works, but too much of it is magic and not mechanical. What I need to know is how he is making them so I can modify the process.

How will that help you make a battle suit? Quinny sked.

I will build the body and animate it like a golem, but the head will be a sort of cockpit that I sit in and steer from. I just need to know how he brings them to life, so I can copy it and use it on a more mechanical body.

And then what? Heather asked?

What do you mean and then what? Then I have an ogre-sized robot body that can punch through walls and carry a bunch of bombs and gadgets. I will cover the things with cannons and bomb-throwers and turn it into a walking arsenal. I will be unstoppable.

Heather nodded as Umtha walked up and stepped around the side.

Goblins no fight Hathlisora! she shouted and pointed at him.

Who? he said with a confused look.

Heather smiled and let out a gentle sigh. She means me. My name is Heather, but the goblins call me Hathlisora.

Why? Legeis asked with confusion.

She Hathlisora! Umtha insisted. She friend and protector of goblins.

Is this an NPC thing? he asked.

That is exactly what it is, Breanne said with a shake of her head. And it's part of why we're traveling the swamp to the goblin village. They are waiting for somebody named Hathlisora to come to rescue them, and they say Heather is her.

Hmm, Legeis said as she looked at Umtha. I have been to that village a hundred times and never heard them use that name before.

It's apparently some kind of secret, Heather said and then filled him in on how she came to be called that name. He asked detailed questions and then challenged her belief that she wasn't Hathlisora. He pointed out that she did indeed fit all the criteria Umtha was looking for. She had to argue that she had only been in the world for a short time, and Hathlisora was long dead already. He shrugged and asked to see the crown, but she hesitated to hand over something so important to somebody she just met. After some negotiating, he explained he just wanted to study it for a minute, saying he might be able to learn something about it. Any chance to learn about the crown was worth taking in her opinion, so she handed it over. He made a slight 'hmm' while turning it in his hands as he studied it with his goggles and an eyepiece he placed over one lens.

This is a work of pure magic, he said as he turned it over. Its crafted from the ground up as a magical item.

How is that different from any other magic item? Frank asked.

Most people build an item first, then enchant it to make it magical, Legeis answered. Very few items are crafted of pure magic shaped into a solid form. Whoever made this was very powerful and knew exactly what they were doing, he added as he handed it back.

But you can't tell us any more? Heather asked.

He shrugged. It was made to do a specific thing. I couldn't tell you what. If it was a manufactured item, I might be able to tell you something about how it was made.

They spent the rest of the night around a fire Legeis lit by tossing something he pulled from a pouch on a pile of sticks. It resembled a red jellybean, but he called it a firestone, and it instantly started to burn once he released it.

He told them about the swamps ahead and the dangers of some of the monsters. There were three paths north, but all of them went to the same place, the question was how you wanted to get there. Two paths went around the rim of the mesa, skirting the rocky hills with the swamp to one side. These routes were the longest and would take more than a day to travel, but they were usually the safest. The last path went nearly straight through the swamp and would get them to their destination in just under a day. The shorter path was more dangerous, but it came out at the goblin village along the base of the mountain. The golems almost exclusively used the outer ring to travel because they were heavy and sank in the swamp's mud. Some rare golems were made of wood that did walk the swamps, but they quickly rotted and fell apart.

Heather asked him where the wizard was, and Legeis was all too happy to tell them. He laired in a cave up on a cliff face. The wizard could fly or teleport to reach it. Everybody else was going to have to climb. There were two other caves on the cliff face, one at ground level and another halfway up, but he never saw the wizard use these.

Frank asked how he had been able to operate in the swamp unnoticed so long, and Legeis shrugged. I'm a goblin; he doesn't see us as a threat, so he ignores what we're doing. He went on to explain he had only explored the lower cave so far, and only a hundred feet in. It was the lair of some strange monsters that resembled giant wolves with razored claws and spines down their back. He was pretty sure there was a way up inside the cave, but he couldn't get past the monsters inside.

She listened intently and wondered if he was right, and there was a way in through the lower cave. Surely a cave on the cliff face was secure, but the rogue didn't have magic to get himself in. They spoke for hours after the sun moved to its night position, and the stars hung high over the swamp. Legeis made a deal with them offering to help them recover the stone if they, in turn, helped him discover how the wizard was making the golems. Heather readily agreed, seeing no reason not to, and they settled in for the night.

Her dreams were peaceful for change as she walked through a garden made of high hedges blooming with roses. Ahead of her was a stone platform and on it a pedestal with a glass dome on top. She approached the dome with the sweet scent of roses in her nose, but just as she took a step into the clearing, a loud hum filled the air, and a green light shone from above.

I'm sorry, a man's voice said. I just wanted you to stay, but you chose to stand against me.

Heather saw the garden fade into blackness, leaving her only the strange hum.