Against the Giants

“Just tell me where you’re hurt and I can manage.”

“Two places,” Khlened mumbled, eyes fixed on his hands. Hiscolor was still high. “One on th’ left shoulder under all that broken wicker.It’s more a bruise than a cut, I think, but it stings bad. I think a small bonein my right forearm is broke. Something grinds in there when I move it.”

“Don’t move it then,” the paladin replied, exasperated, “andhold still!”

He laid hands on the barbarian’s shoulder, and the manflinched away from him with a hiss of pain.

“Don’t dig into m’ flesh like that, then,” Khlened snarled,but he set his jaw and closed his eyes.

Malowan ran two fingers lightly over the soft leather under-armor.

“Bruise and possibly a cut, is it?” he inquiredsarcastically.

“No bruise?” Khlened gritted between his teeth.

Malowan snorted. “Oh, no. Try one the size of my palm and acut as long as my fingers! You’re lucky to be alive, friend. Another knuckle’sworth down and you’d have bled to death in moments.” Light suddenly puddledaround the paladin’s fingertips. “Lucky for you, I’ve the strength for this now.Another time I might be out cold with my own injuries.”

Khlened caught his breath, then let it out in a relieved sigh. Malowan now cupped his hands around the forearm, not quite touching it. “Before you ask, the bone is broken but not all the way through. You punchedsomeone up there with your fist or that sword, didn’t you?”

“P’raps. I don’t remember.” Khlened flexed his fingerscautiously as the paladin sat back.

“Easiest way for a fighter to break a bone like this is toslam his arm or leg too hard into something even harder. Next time you might have to heal on your own!”

“As I have from childhood, paladin,” the barbarian replied.“And men from my country don’t pull back from battle for fear o’ bruisin’themselves.” He glanced at Nemis, who was again prowling the room. “We’ve beenhere too long. Th’ giants could be sneaking-”

Malowan shook his head. “I would know if they were so close.Nemis, reassure our northern friend. No one nearby?”

“No one,” the mage said readily. He closed the book on hishand, marking his spot. “This seems to be a hundred paces or so from any life atall, unless you count a stray rat or a few spiders. There are large and unpleasant creatures some distance away to the west, and some sort of beasts eastward. The latter are moving about, but the others seem to be caged and in a fury because of it. I can tell there are giants and others above us on the main floor. The stairs came down so well that they are having difficulty getting the first stones moved. Among the giants, there is uncertainty and a little fear as well.”

“Fear?” Lhors asked in surprise.

“Fear,” Nemis agreed. “Look at us. Smaller than they, fewerthan they, and yet we have challenged them in their very halls.” His sardonicsmile faded. “And we have killed some of them and some of their servants.”

“’Tis fine,” Khlened grumbled, “but what next? I still seeno way from this place. Do we simply sit here until they come to take us?”

“No,” Vlandar said. He was lacing his mail shirt close to hisbody. “There are two ways out of this chamber, besides the one Nemis destroyed.Agya and Nemis found them while the rest of us were resting. But you are right We dare not stay here much longer. We have much to accomplish yet.”

“I agree,” the barbarian said. He scowled at the ruinedwicker. “All the fighting we’ve done so far and for what? One skinny purse. Mostof the coin we’ve found so far-and it wasn’t much-went to those hulking giantlasses.”

Vlandar sighed. “If we win through with the information theking seeks, he’ll see us rewarded handsomely. Particularly if we spend so muchtime doing his work that we’ve spared none seeking out treasure.”

The barbarian snorted in obvious disbelief.

“I agree,” Vlandar continued. “He might not take yourword for such a thing, but I have served him and his father before him. He knows I would not lie-not over a trifling matter like coin.”

This silenced Khlened.

Vlandar looked around the room and got to his feet. “Allright, people. You know I wanted to get in, get that map and any other useful information, then quietly leave. Well, at least we have the map. Mal, have you and Nemis examined it?”

The paladin shook his head. “I wanted you awake so we couldgo over it together. I would also like to compare it with the scroll-”

“Scroll?” Maera demanded. “What scroll?”

Malowan stirred. “There was no time to share the informationbefore. Also, I wanted to be certain of its contents.”

Nemis’ lips twitched. “You did not trust me, youmean. I cannot blame you-”

“Save that,” Vlandar broke in briskly. “Maera, I chose tokeep that matter to myself. Now I intend to share it. That is my right as commander, is it not?”

She nodded and settled back against the wall.

“From now on, our main goal is to escape this place. Bestwould be a forgotten doorway to the surface, but I doubt we will find one. There may be ways guarded by spells or beasts, and even if we do make our way back to the surface, we may have a long journey back to our horses.”

“There may be other ways to leave, Vlandar,” Malowan saidmildly. “Ever since I first heard Lhors’ tale, I thought these giants must havea spell or some magic device to get them from here to Keoland. Upper Haven is many days’ journey from here, even for giants. I find it odd that they have notbeen seen more often. The land is not that underpopulated.”

“True,” Vlandar said. “And we may find such devices or magicitems on this level. I have led enough raids against bandits and robbers to know that those who have a permanent hiding place keep their most valuable things apart-often in a secret space beneath the chief’s personal quarters.”

“I agree,” Malowan said. “I still believe the scroll cases Ifound in that woodpile were temporarily hidden-set where they would not be seenby everyone, but near enough that they could be retrieved quickly. Once the orders written there are carried out, I believe the scroll would be put with previous orders in a locked chamber close by. Perhaps down the nearby stairs?”

Vlandar nodded. “I agree with you, Mal. I hope to findanother way into that passage from down here. The two staircases cannot be very far apart. We shall see. So far, Nosnra and his crew seem not to have warned any guards down here where we are and what we have done.”

“How do you know that?” Lhors asked.

“Because there is no company of giants breaking in either ofthe doors, and… Nemis?”

The mage murmured a spell-probably the reveal danger one thatLhors knew he used often. Nemis shook his head no.

Vlandar went on. “We are alone. Nemis would sense anyonenearby. Either this level is largely deserted, which I doubt, or no one down here knows what happened up there, which I also doubt. If there are dungeons and housing for slaves and such down here, as I think likely, the giants are involved in their normal routines. Still, we dare not stay here much longer. We have all rested some. All of you, eat something and drink a little. Nemis, I think it’s time to explain.”

“As you choose,” the mage said and set his book aside with afaint sigh.

“Me first, then you,” Vlandar replied.

Nemis merely nodded.

Lhors thought he looked resigned, but it was hard to tell. The mage’s face didn’t reveal much.

Vlandar went on, “The scroll Mal found is written inGiantish. The scroll Mal found gives us written proof that these giants were ordered to attack villages. We do not know why, but we do know who. I can assure you that if we come away with nothing but this one scroll, we will have accomplished part of our task. When we find a way out, I may choose to divide our force and send some of you to take that scroll back to Cryllor. The Lord Mebree’s sorcerers can easily transport it to wherever the king presentlyis.”

“But if our boats and the horses are already gone…?”Maera asked.

A muted grumbling rippled through the party.

“They will not be,” Malowan replied. “I left the mate thischarm.”-he fished a little device from his belt. “At