Chapter 9: Scarlet Mountain

It was later summer and we were headed east, far to the east. We were not going north into the plains, we were headed all the way to Red Pass and possibly Scarlet mountain. They were having a lot of orcs raiding out of the mountain and the rangers in the Red Pass had sent word. There were eight of us going but Aveline and I were not going to stay.

Scarlet mountain had once been a dwarf city that had fallen. The two month trip had us encountering orcs many times but with eight of us they died quickly each time. The closer we came to Red Pass the more frequently we fought orcs. None of the outlying farms or settlements had people living in them.

People stared when we walked through the snowy fields closest to the fortress blocking the northern pass. The few rangers looked tired and worn as we stopped. We sat and listened as they talked and I looked at Aveline. She smiled, “We are going into the Scarlet mountain.”

The others looked at us as I nodded, “Someone is sending them out and I would bet they are coming all the way through the mountain from the north plains.”

The other rangers looked at each other and I grinned, “Perhaps a few ambushes on those leaving the mountain would help.”

They laughed and began talking as I sat thinking. I could feel the pull on another elf stone, this one blue so it was the Elf’s Mind. It was a couple of hours later and we were eating when a dozen dwarves came in. They looked around before crossing to Aveline and I. We were eating alone in a semi dark corner and I glanced at the dwarves as they walked up.

One cleared his throat, “You are going into the mountain?”

I nodded and he gestured, “We will go with you.”

I looked at Aveline and she smiled and nodded, “Perhaps you would know how to seal the northern door.”

The dwarf nodded, “Aye, all of them.”

I looked at the others, “You take orders from us. No going off on your own.”

They looked at each other before accepting and I nodded, “Return here at first light.”

After they left I looked at Aveline, “Think we could use them to pick off the orcs and reduce the numbers to something manageable?”

She grinned, “Yeah.”

We left our bows in the ranger armory that night and were waiting with light packs in the morning. We met the dwarves outside at the hint of dawn. They were carrying twin axes in their belts with what looked like small repeating crossbows. Scarlet mountain was a week away and I started off by walking into the brush.

We heard orcs and several groups went past but none came close. When Scarlet mountain began to loom over us one of the dwarves led us away from the main doors. We climbed a ridge and then walked out on a narrow ledge. It went around a corner with a sheer drop and then we were walking into a sheltered area like a porch.

I did not see the door until one touched the stone wall and drew a rune. A stone door appeared and I pulled my short swords and nodded for him to open it. The room beyond was empty and I waited as the door was closed and sealed. I let one of the dwarves lead and I followed as another held a small black chemical lantern.

We were going all the way to the north door using side passages. The first group of orcs came an hour after we entered. We heard them before we reached the room they were in. A glance showed a dozen and I nodded before we moved suddenly. I threw a spike that struck an orc in the throat.

Aveline was following me and threw another spike and then it was the dwarves with crossbows. Six filled the door and knelt as the other six stood behind them. By the time I had thrown the second spike all the orcs were down and dying. I pulled a long knife as I walked into the room and made sure the orcs were dead.

I pulled them into another dark room and we left after cleaning our weapons. We killed a dozen groups before the dwarves led us up a level and into a room. We ate dried rations and I slept with Aveline leaning against me. Our first ambush came the next morning. We were moving through a wide hallway when Aveline touched my shoulder, “Someone comes this way.”

I stopped and the dwarves looked around. I pointed to four wide doorways on each side of the hall. We split up and hid in the rooms and waited. There had to be at least fifty orcs in the group and I waited until the leader was between two doorways. I threw a spike and then another and another. Aveline was throwing spikes and the dwarves were firing their crossbows.

After the third spike I pulled my short swords and stepped out only to look around as the last ones fell. I moved through them and made sure they were all dead. We removed bolts and spikes and pulled them into a room before continuing. By the time we were ready to stop and rest we had ambushed two more large groups and another four in rooms.

If we had fought all of the orcs together we would be dead but this way we had a chance. The next morning started with an ambush and then we were peeking down into the huge entrance room for the north door. There were easily a couple of hundred orcs moving around. I watched how they moved and whispered to Aveline, “Watch the south corners.”

She nodded and several minutes later grinned, “We could take them as they go to the bathroom.”

I nodded, “As long as we do it quick and quiet.”

I pointed to one orc in the center of the room, “Look at that one.”

She hissed, “It is wearing star silver armor and carrying an elven sword.”

I glanced at the dwarves before gesturing as I moved back. Six went with Aveline to the west and six went with me to the east. There was a dark hallway beside where the orc were relieving themselves. I waited for one and moved out and behind it. I used my dagger and stabbed up into the back of the neck.

It dropped and I bent to grab it and pull it after me and into the dark hallway. I watched as a dwarf followed another orc a couple of minutes later and he brought an axe down on its head. When he pulled it into the dark hallway he made sure it was dead before stacking it with the first. Six hours later a large party of orcs came in the door.

Half of those in the hall went with them when they left. It was another couple of hours before I touched a dwarf, “I think we can take them now.”

He moved out and across to the far corner as we stalked closer to the orcs. We stopped behind three pillars to wait for Aveline and the other dwarves. Once they we even with us I pulled a couple of spikes and turned to move out from behind the pillar. My first spike caught an orc only a few paces away.

The dwarves began firing and I threw another spike. The orc wearing the armor rushed towards the dwarves and I pulled my short swords as I stepped into the pattern and moved to intercept it. I slid his sword aside when he swung and turned as my right sword stabbed past his face. He shifted and pulled his sword back to swing again.