Although the backpacks were not made to be submerged, still they were to a degree waterproof, and the clothing inside, though wet in places, was for the most part relatively dry. The bedrolls were not so fortunate, and, at Lord Kian's suggestion, were abandoned along with the drenched garments they had removed. Perry's warm Elven- cloak, however, seemed to shed water as effectively as a duck's back, and he rescued it from his roil. AH ropes and tools were retained, but most of the food had been ruined by the underwater jaunt, and the water logged crue as well as the mian-a tasty, Elven waybread carried by Shannon and Ursor-were discarded. Perry's map and his copy of the Brega Scroll were preserved in their waterproof wrappings. The weapons, armor, and lanterns were no worse for the trip.
Bonn wrung water from his black forked beard and then caught up a lamp and went exploring. An undelved cavern ran down out of the north, swung west over the river, and curved away to the south. As in the last cavern, the river itself issued from one wall, cut across the cavern, and dived back under the other wall. Borin crossed over the water on a ledge along the northwest wall, and soon his lantern light disappeared around the curve to the south; but shortly he returned. 'The way looks open, but this cavern, too, is arduous, with many shelves and slabs and cracks on our path. 1 deem we are walking in channels never before trod by Chakka, paths as old as the Mountains themselves. Yet the southern way should lead us back toward the Brega Path, and we must begin.'
Once more the Squad took up the trek, and as Borin had said, the way was arduous: ledges, splits, ramps, boulders, and ravines stood across their path. Twice they edged along a lengthy narrow path etched on the face of a sheer precipice. At one place they walked under a roaring cataract that leapt from a distant hole in a high wall to fall into a churning black pool far below the wet, slippery path they trod along a narrow stone ledge. But most of all they clambered: up, down, over, and across. Once Borin had to drive rock-nails and tie a rope so that the company could ascend a sheer precipice. Another time they thought that they would have to do just the opposite, sliding down a steep cliff on a rope tied at the top; but Anval lay on his stomach and dangled his lantern over the edge to espy a ledge aslant down the face of the bluff; and they followed this shelf to the cavern floor.
They had struggled for six hours and had gone only five miles when the cavern came to an end at a high wall with great boulders strewn at the base or canted against the end wall. 'Oh, no!' cried Perry, distressed, 'we've come.all this hard way only to find another dead end!'
Dejectedly, the Squad slumped to the cavern floor, weary and bitter. Suddenly, Shannon called, 'Hsst! I hear Spaunen boots.'
The lanterns were shuttered, and Perry drew Bane; the blade was blazing, and quickly the Warrow resheathed it to hide its light. Now they all heard the Spawn, yet where could the foe be? This cavern had no side passages.
Quietly, facing the way they had come, the Squad knelt in readiness, all weapons save Bane in hand, but the comrades could see no enemy. At Perry's side was Anval, who turned his head this way and that, searching for the Squam in the darkness; after a moment he leaned toward the buccan and whispered, 'Look to the end wall.'
Perry turned and saw a dim glimmer of torchlight shining through the base of the wall, faintly backlighting one of the huge slabs leaning against a fold. Perry whispered to the Dwarf, 'I'm going to take a look.' And before Anval could object, Perry was gone, slipping noiselessly toward the great rock.
Behind the stone was a cleft, blocked completely except for a small opening at the base. The torchlight came glimmering through that crack. It was a way out! But the hole was barely large enough for the Warrow to crawl through. Cautiously, he poked his head and shoulders into the opening. The crevice curved away, and from around the bend came the far-off flicker of burning brands and the faint sound of maggot-folk. The buccan wriggled through and into the cleft, where he could stand. Beyond the turns, the slot widened and issued put into a huge, delved chamber. Remembering the words that Delk had said back at the pine grove outside Dawn-Gate, Perry shielded his tilted, jewel-like eyes with his hand and, standing behind a rock outjutting, he peered through the cracks between his fingers and cautiously looked around the corner and toward the firelight in the chamber.
In the center of the floor, sprawled all about, was a Hlok-led band of Rucks, nearly one hundred strong. By the light of their torches, Perry looked at the features of the chamber: It was nearly circular. From one end he could hear the sound of running water, and he saw a natural stone arch crossing a wide stream, His heart leapt for joy, for once again he knew where he was: this was the Bottom Chamber, a watering spot on the Brega Path. Dusk-Door was yet fifteen miles away, Rucks and a huge slab barred the route, and there were only twenty hours remaining til Durek was to try the words of opening, but Perry again felt hope, for he was no longer lost.
As Perry watched, he saw one of the Rucks slink secretively away from the others and come straight toward the cleft and the Warrow. Perry drew back. What could ike Ruck be coming this way for? Did my eyes catch the light in spite of looking through the cracks of my fingers? Then Perry saw that his right sleeve was unbuttoned- perhaps had never been buttoned from the time he had changed out of the wet shirt back at the underground river. And the cuff had fallen away from his wrist as he'd held his hand over his eyes, and the firelight had reflected on his silveron armor; the Ruck was coming to claim for himself what he believed to be a long-lost gem gleaming in the dark. Perry scurried back along the cleft and popped through the opening and into the other cavem.
'What did you see?' whispered Anval from the darkness beside the great slab.
'There's a Ruck coming this way,' hissed Perry, 'and a lot more are sprawled in the chamber on the other side of this barrier.'
Ursor's great hand drew the Warrow into the darkness along the wall. 'Fear not,' breathed the Baeran, 'I'll handle the Rutch.'
Perry could hear the Ruck scuffling down the cleft, cursing and muttering. It reached the end and stopped. Then the Warrow heard the Ruck drop to its hands and knees; the faint glow of torchfire reflected from the stone was blotted out as, grunting and swearing, the Ruck started squeezing through the opening. The cave was too black to see what happened next, but Perry heard a choked-off intake of breath and the thrashing of limbs and a scuffling sound that was quickly repressed. Then there came a snap! and all was quiet. 'It's done,' Ursor hissed, and Perry was glad that he had not seen what had just occurred.
In the darkness the Warrow gathered the Squad together. 'The Brega Path is just beyond the end wall,' he said quietly. 'We are at the Bottom Chamber, fifteen miles from Dusk-Door. There is a Rucken company barring the way; but even if the Rucks weren't there, the way into the Chamber is blocked with that great slab of stone, and unless we get rid of it, I am the only one here small enough to get through the hole.'
'Perhaps we can topple the stone,' conjectured Anval. 'But the crash wiU bring all the Grg rushing.'
'Then let us decoy them,' said Shannon. 'After all, that is one of my purposes for being here: to draw off the Rupt if there is no other choice. Here is what I propose: We locate three places nearby to hide. Then we topple the stone. When it fails, Perry, Anval, and Borin get to the hiding places while Lord Kian, Ursor, and I hie back the way we came, lanterns brightly lit, drawing the Spaunen behind. As soon as the way is clear, you three will make for the Door while we three will escape underwater.'
'But there are maggot-folk back that way, too,' protested Perry. 'You'll just be running from one Spawn force to another. Why don't we simply wait for this Ruck company to move on?'
'The Wrg back at the underground river are likely gone by now,' responded Ursor, 'and we know not when this company will move. No, Shannon is right: we must draw them off.'
'But Perry speaks true too,' countered Borin. 'If the Squam move soon, there is no need to take this risk.'
'These are my thoughts,' announced Anval: 'Borin and I can do but a limited amount at the Door without the guidance of a Gatemaster. If the trouble is simple, we may be able to set it aright. If not, then we could work for weeks and stil! not succeed. Hence, 1 deem it will matter little if we get there with ten hours to work, or with but one. With that in mind, let us set the toppling ropes on the slab now and get everything in readiness. Then we wait. If the Grg have not moved in good time-say, four hours-then we go ahead with Silverieaf's plan; on the other hand, if they do move on, we can all proceed to the Dusken Door together,'
'That plan, though well thought, may just lose us four hours,' pointed out Shannon.
'Aye. But it may also save us from dividing our strength,' retorted Borin.
The Squad fell silent while Lord Kian weighed the alternatives. Finally he chose: 'Set the lines, seek out the hiding places; as soon as all is ready, we topple the stone; we shall not wait. Our mission now is for Perry to deliver Anval and Bonn to the Door as quickly as possible; we must not delay any longer, for the time may be
