“And you don’t feel this could be a trap?”
Anneleigh asked him.
“Possible, but like I said, what choice do
we have?”
Anneleigh gathered her courage and entered
Overwatch Keep, careful to keep out of the eye-line of the Aelfwar. She made her way slowly to the cave described
by Tivan, the small but decorative opening at the base of the castle itself.
It smelled just as musty and decomposed as
Gutter’s cave. The smell automatically
tightened her muscles and quickened her heart rate. She had only just survived her encounter with
Gutter and her body seemed to associate this particular smell with death. “Just as well,” Anneleigh thought, “This will
not be the last time I will be faced with goblins, or enemies who smell so disgusting.”
She crouched at the end of the ramp for a
few moments to observe the goblin. He looked similar to Gutter. Though where Gutter’s cave was full of magic
and offerings, Tongue Chewer’s was littered with explosives, and weapons.
As she watched him, he began to arrange the
explosives into sloppy stacks and dangerous piles. Anneleigh’s thoughts slipped into
paranoia. “What if he sets off the
explosives before I can escape? What if
the vibrations close the cave opening?
What if the cave falls in on itself?”
Anneleigh took a few deep breaths to steady
herself. “I am not here to become a casualty
in this goblin’s suicide mission. She
stood up and immediately his attention was drawn to her.
“Who are you? Has Hylas discovered our plot?”
“No.”
Anneleigh stalled, now wanting to hear more. “I’m not Aelfwar.”
“Then you are from Sanctum, here to end
Maelforge’s activities at this keep.”
“No.”
Anneleigh repeated. “I have never
been to Sanctum, and I am not from the Aelfwar.
The guards captured me as I tried to collect Elven Artifacts and relics
for Cailin Imora. They pushed me down
into your cave and sealed up the entrance.”
Tongue Chewer looked alarmed for a moment, and
then must have remembered his mission.
“If they have sealed this cave, then they
have sealed their fate. Tell me, elf, if
you do not serve the Vigil, and you do not serve Greenscale and Hylas, who do
you serve?”
Anneleigh thought for a moment. It would be best if she could say Maelforge,
but that is a very improbable claim and this goblins seems smarter than
Gutter.
“I serve no one. I am a truly free Elf. You seem intelligent,” she flattered him, “so
you will understand when I tell you I have turned away; even from Tavril, after
she joined the Vigil.”
Tongue Chewer was quiet for a moment, then
put down his axe and gathered another bundle of explosives.
“Turn to Maelforge then, elf, because it is
his plan that will cause your death. “
He turned away from her and resumed
stacking the explosives near the cave walls.
Anneleigh watched in silence as he worked. Finally, when his attention was focused entirely
on the final preparations, she took up his axe and severed his head with one
clean blow before his torch reached the fuse.
Anneleigh dropped the axe and extinguished all
but one of the torches flames, leaving the cave in near darkness. She sunk to the ground in exhaustion. “Tavril forgive me. Please understand my words in the context in
which they were said, not as their single meaning stands.” Slowly she felt her heart beat slow and her
mind calm.
When she felt ready to proceed with the
plan, Anneleigh took up the goblin head and returned to the surface. Holding her prize out to one side, she walked
along the paths of the Keep to the upper levels. The Aelfwar she passed looked at her with
astonishment, but did not attempt to bar her entry. As Tivan expected, her prize proved her
worth.
She arrived at Vigoth Phar’s post without interruption.
“I would like to speak with Hylas.”
“One goblin head? In battle, our squires decapitated these
vermin until the forest runs red with goblin blood. This is nothing; a trifle. Yet, your ambition is worth some regard, I
suppose. Rarely does anyone make it past
our defenses.”
Anneleigh grew nervous at these words. “The Aelfwar had let me pass with the
head. They had accepted my kill. Yet Phar scoffs and dismisses it. Were the others more fearful, did they have a
lower threshold for entry, or were they ordered to allow my passage?”
“As you say. I wish to speak with Prince Hylas.”
“Very well.
An Honor Guard will take you to him.
Stray from him, and die as a spy.”
The Honor Guard appeared at her shoulder
and hurried her along pathways, up and down towers, stairways and ramps, and along
alleys. Off in the distance, Anneleigh
could see the clear blue of the ocean and the towering basilica of Sanctum. When they passed this view for a second time,
Anneleigh began to suspect the Guard was leading her in circles in an effort to
disorient her.
Finally, once Anneleigh presumed her guard
believed her lost in the maze of the keep, he lead her up a winding stairway
into one of the shorter towers.
“Prince Hylas, your grace, you have a
guest.” The guard spoke from the ramp, and
then quickly backed away.
Prince Hylas remained silent. Anneleigh felt uncomfortable in his
presence. He was tall, even for a High
Elf, and towered over her. She knew his
height from her past visions but standing in the presence of the wispy vision
quest had not made her fully appreciate the aura emanated from him. He
could easily pick her up and throw her over the rampart if he chose.
Without turning to face her, he spoke.
“What brings you here, High Elf?”
Anneleigh was shocked and frightened.
“We know you seek to protect the forest.”
She began slowly.
“I do not deny it. This is not news. It is the duty of all Elves to protect
Silverwood.”
“The Wanton are no longer a threat here?” Anneleigh continued.
“Are you really that naive?”
“I killed the goblin Gutter and removed the
token of Maelforge that tied the goblins to this place. I killed the Goblin Tongue Chewer, who was
tasked with destroying this keep.” She tossed the goblin head to his feet. “The Quicksilver College Professors believe
this is enough to drive them away.”
“I know what you have done. I have heard of your antics in the Mirror of
Ages and the Palisade. Do not attempt to
deny your actions.”
Anneleigh was puzzled. Nothing she has done in the past few days
could be seen as an act against Silverwood.
As if reading her thoughts, Prince Hylas continued.
“If you attempt to stop the Aelfwar protection,
you invite Silverwood’s destruction.”
“No.. No, but we...we...”
“Stop stuttering. While you, and Shyla and all of the others
stand and wait for your vigil to protect your home, I have taken actions to
ensure its safety. Greenscale has
promised me Kongeegon. With his help, no
Wanton will dare trespass into Silverwood.”
“Kongeegon?” Anneleigh asked.
Price Hylas continues without
answering. “Do you have a death
wish? Get out of here, and stop trying
my patience.”
Anneleigh turned and fled down the stairs
of the tower, coming to rest only when she reached the bottom, not wanting to
provoke him further. The journey out of
the Keep took almost as long as the journey into it. Though Anneleigh was not repeating the
twisting path she was lead on, her return was slowed by her lack of
protection. Eventually she found her way
to back to the base of Overwatch Keep.
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