[Vfw-times] MK Winter assault part 21a

[COkane8116 at aol.com]

**

Natalie lay on the fifth floor ledge for just a moment, in case anyone could 
see her.  Then, doing her best to act like an injured bird, she hobbled 
around to the opposite side of the tower and waited, wings folded tightly 
around her as she made herself as small against the cold wind as she could.

**

"We are in armory!" whispered Desuka as Blake dropped to the ground beside 
him.  Now we find stone..."

"Not yet." said Blake.  "I have to find something else, first."

"What?"

"Trust me!"

Desuka left Blake to whatever it was she was doing and peeked out beneath the 
door.  Two small creatures, wrinkly and gray and vaguely humanoid, stood 
before the door.  Though they seemed dizzyingly tall, Desuka figured that 
they were about two feet high each.  As he watched, the little gray things 
sent bolts of energy from their fingers toward the door.  The tiny valet 
cringed instinctively.  However, the energy was absorbed harmlessly by the 
door.

"You lazy grugs!" shouted a gruff lutin.  "Why haven't you opened the door 
yet?"

The wrinkled midgets turned and shouted back.  "We thrown every spell we got 
at this here door!  It ain't gonna budge!"

Desuka brought his head in and turned to Blake.  "They are trying to break in 
using magic.  They do not know that the tower has antimagic."

"Actually, the antimagic part stops two levels down." the little woman 
replied.

"How you..."

"I'm a Strander.  We notice these things.  Normally, the antimagic part of 
the tower stops right at the ledge on the fifth level.  Right now, it seems, 
the magic and the antimagic are swimming all over the walls and floors like a 
bottle of oil and water someone shook up."

'Would they not cancel each other out if they met?"

"That's usually the way it works.  I don't know what's... AHA!  Here it is!

"What?"

"An antimagical ward, specifically designed for transformation spells.  I 
used one of these when I first came here to hold off the curse for a little 
while.  Didn't work very long, of course.  Come on over here."

Desuka was hesitant.  "I am told that antimagic is lethal to one not 
acclimated."

"That's chemical.  This is a ward.  You'll be fine.  Now get over here!"

Desuka obeyed.  Blake dragged a necklace with a magical symbol out of a box 
and placed it on the floor between them.  Both touched the ward.  Both were 
instantly large again.  Both got a splitting headache when their scalps 
collided.

Ignoring the pain, Desuka probed the walls, finally managing to find a stone 
that was just a little bit loose.  Taking a sword, he chipped away some of 
the mortar around it.  Once he had enough space, he stuck the sword through.

Out on the ledge, Natalie saw the dark form of a sword blade cut into the air 
over her head.  That was the signal.  Down through the blizzard she swept, 
finding her way to the river and into the cave.  "They made it!" she called.  
"They're in the armory!"

"Excellent." said Oren.  "Stay and warm up for a second, then go back and
help them take out the stones from the wall."

"Got it."

"LEO!" bellowed the otter.

"Yes, Sir!"

"Find me a good sized rock, about ten pounds.  Jagged, not smooth."

"A rock, Sir?"

"That's right, a rock!  Now!"

"Aye, sir."

**

12/25 around 4am
The mother looked down at her daughter, whose eyes started to water at the 
absence of the man she had loved since she had first met him at the keep.

"Shush Carolinn," she whispered, "It's okay, just keep quiet."

Above, the wooden floorboards creaked under the steps of many bodies, smaller 
than any man.  The light flickered through the cracks, as they reached the 
covered trap door.
She prayed into her daughter's ear, a crooning sound that, for some reason, 
calmed the girl-child into a doze.  All the while, the cellar grew a touch 
lighter, as the carpet was drawn away from the entrance, and the handle 
pulled.

She turned away, looking away from the light, shutting her eyes tight, trying 
to block the light out, or lack thereof, whispering into her baby's ear as 
the trapdoor thumped against the floor, followed by nearly half a dozen 
thumps that followed, surely the bad men coming down the stairs.

Then, all was quiet.  She felt nothing, just an oppressive silence.  She 
stopped chanting her prayer, her ears straining as she opens an eye, to find 
the flickering darkness as before… only the flickering firelight didn't shine 
through some of the cracks as they once did, as objects on the ceiling of the 
cellar above them block out the lamplight.
She hears a soft squeaking sound as the nails in the planks protest soft 
footsteps quietly, as the dropped trapdoor opens all the way. The mother 
flinches, as the light beams down into the cellar, illuminating the area 
around them as a figure peaks down.

  A soft, deep, hope-bringing voice wafted down the stairs to her ears, "It's 
all right ma'am.  I'm here to help you.  I'll take you to safety."

  She looked up at the hooded figure, a metallic silver muzzle just catching 
a glint of firelight, as golden talons shine gloriously, hand open to help.

***

  The wife ran into her husband's arms, sobbing in relief in unison w/ her 
spouse as the cloaked stranger went to a load of supplies sitting in the 
corner.  In addition to the reunited three, 30 people stood milling around 
the large cellar, located in the rubble of the outer town of Metamor.
    The mother looked around, and saw a familiar face of an old opossum, 
making her way to her.
    "Hello, Michelle.  Are you all right?" the marsupial asked.
    "Ms. Tanner.  Oh, it's so good to see you," Michelle replied, "I almost 
wasn't?  Who is-"
    The stranger interrupted, and at the first intake of his breath, a 
not-even silent hush fell over the room, it just went did calm.  He spoke in 
a hushed tone, his voice capturing the attention of everyone.
    "Get your sleep, in six hours we leave.  It's not safe to stay, or to 
leave after that.  I'll be gone for two hours, seeing what food will be 
needed.  People who have been here awhile, teach your spouses, children, 
loved ones, friends, and even strangers what I have told you.  Get what sleep 
you can in three hours, then pack up the food, wood, clothing and shelter you 
can.  The trip south will be unrelenting."
    Before anyone could raise a question, the cloaked man had disappeared 
into the blizzard outside, without a sound, even without leaving a stir of 
air when the door had opened, the precious heat safe locked to the confines 
of the room.  Nevertheless, a chill fell over the crowd, as Michelle looked 
around at the assembled crowd of men, women, (both human and with animal 
characteristics), and children.  A large number of them were children, 
whether their ages were in their first decade or past their tenth birthday 
was unknown to her… but parents held them all, surrogate and natural alike.
    "Honey," said Darrel, her husband, holding up his fingers in a sweeping 
motion, "this means run as fast as you can…."

***

"Whose rooms are these?" Jerome asked after retrieving the lanterns.

"This one belongs to Hector, one of my fellow rats.  I wonder where he could 
be." Charles rubbed his chin with one paw, stroking the short fur there.

Zagrosek opened the other four doors along the hallway, and grimaced. "Is 
this where the rest live?  They are all empty too."

Charles nodded and then cast his eyes back to the Lutins. "They don't have 
any blood stains on their clothes.  Well, any old ones, so I don't think 
these four have seen any combat yet.  I imagine that my friends are probably 
somewhere else at the moment.  Saulius is in the Cathedral, that much I know. 
 The other four, I'm not so sure about."

Jerome nudged one of the Lutin's with his foot, and then grimaced. "Well, 
where do they usually go on feast-days?"

The rat shook his head. "Nowhere, they are almost always spending their time 
in these rooms." He then stopped and peered back in at the carvings laid out 
neatly in Hector's room. "Wait, I think I might know where they are.  They 
might not be there, but it is the only place that I can think of.  Follow me, 
it is not much farther."

The other three Sondeckis fell into line behind the rat, eyes ever wary for 
more of the short, green-skinned invaders, and ears ever vigilant lest some 
untoward noise reach them. Yet, aside from the occasional drip of water upon 
stone, no sound did reach them while deep within the cellars of the Keep.  
Their footfalls sometimes tracked through passageways replete with dust, and 
at others, across mildew and pools of stagnant water.  Even so, Charles knew 
that he must have been right, for he could smell his fellow rodents ahead of 
him as they neared that ancient and forgotten portion of the cellars.

The door was as he remembered it when Goldmark had shown it to him over two 
months ago.  Old and musty, the oak creaked and groaned within its stresses.  
The dust at its base was disturbed by many rat-shaped tracks, some 
significantly larger than the others.  From beyond the door, they could hear 
soft voices whispering back and forth.

Charles smiled and looked to his fellow Sondeckis. "Give me a moment, I need 
to get them out." He pulled off his cloak, while both Zagrosek and Jerome 
stared at him oddly.  Their eyes grew even wider as the rat began to shrink, 
the humanoid features falling away to be replace by the more natural shape of 
the rodent.  Ere long, their friend was nothing more than a six inch long 
brown rat, nose atwitter as he pawed up into the air at them before 
scampering beneath the door frame.

The four rats were on the other side of the door in the wine cellar as he had 
expected.  They were sitting around a small table with an old candle lit atop 
it, drinking from mugs that had not been used in several centuries.  Of 
course, they were each bereft of clothes, as they preferred to keep the door 
locked to everyone else so that they alone might share in this delightful 
discovery.  However, as they had already imbibed a rather tidy quantity of 
the wines, they did not notice Matthias had scurried beneath the door until 
he'd grown back to his usual four-foot size.

"Charles!" Elliot cried, his light-furred face brightening, the splotch of 
red across his shoulder gleaming scarlet in the candlelight. "What are you 
doing here?  I thought you were going to be in the Chapel with Lady Kimberly 
and Sir Saulius?"

"I was," Charles added, stepping over to his fellow rodents, eyeing each of 
them quickly. "But something terrible has happened.  Nasoj is invading the 
Keep again."

As one, they shot up, eyes wide with sudden fright. "What?" Hector shouted. 
"How can that be?"

"I don't know exactly, but I thin he is using the storm to cover his attack.  
In any event, I need your help.  Nobody knows the cellars quite like you four 
do."

Goldmark piped up, for once in his morphic form, standing as tall as he 
could. "As good as anybody can know a building that constantly changes." He 
then set down his mug, and crossed his arms. "Are you saying Nasoj's troops 
are in the castle itself?"

Charles nodded, wishing that he did not have to. "We ran across a small group 
of them outside your rooms.  They were trying to steal your things, but we 
stopped them."

Julian snorted, his red eyes glowering slightly. "They can have it, there's 
nothing there of value." Hector shot his fellow rat a sharp glare, ears and 
whiskers backing.

Matthias considered the morose white rat for a moment before looking back at 
the others. "I need to know if there is a way out of Metamor in the direction 
of Glen Avery."

Goldmark blinked. "Is our situation that hopeless that you are giving up 
already?"

"No!" Charles shook his head emphatically. "That is not why I want to go 
there at all.  My student, Garigan, comes form Glen Avery, and has told me in 
no uncertain terms, that he is going there to see if his people need help.  I 
am accompanying him, because it is too dangerous a trek for him to make on 
his own.  I need your help in getting out of the Keep though, because it 
would be suicide to try leaving overland."

The other four rats looked at each other for a moment, their eyes meeting, 
speaking silent words that years of voluntary confinement in the cellars had 
given them.  Charles was usually quite adept at understanding those glances 
as well, but this time, he was not sure if they were discussing possible 
routes, or attempting to ascertain if the Long Scout was completely sane.  
Finally, Hector turned back to the other rat and nodded. "There might just be 
a way.  When are you planning on leaving?"

"Immediately, or at least as soon as you four can be ready."

Julian snorted at that, casting his eyes about the stacks of wine bottles.  
Elliot however, leaned further forward, his paw reaching out to clutch 
protectively at his mug. "It's well past dusk already.  You'll never make it 
through the tunnels if you don't get some rest."

Though he did not wish to admit it, the moment that Charles thought about 
sleep, he realised that he was very tired.  Having done battle with Wessex, 
the Shrieker, and a couple groups of Lutins had worn him almost completely 
out.  He'd only been able to stay on his feet from the pure excitement 
coursing through his veins.  Idly, he wondered about Jerome and Krenek, both 
of whom had to trudge through the snow that morning to reach the Keep.  They 
were probably worse off in fact.

Grimacing finally, he nodded to Elliot. "You're right about that I'm afraid.  
A little rest would do us some good.  Is there any place nearby where we can 
all fit together easily that the Lutins aren't likely to find?"

"Here!" Elliot gestured about the room. "With the door as rusted as it is, as 
long as we keep quiet, no Lutins passing by would think that anybody would be 
in here."

Charles thought for a moment.  He wondered if the red stained rat's unvoiced 
reasons didn't have something to do with the fact that the wine here was well 
aged.  Yet he didn't sound drunk, nor had any of the others.

"The only problem is, two of my party are humans.  They can't fit underneath 
the door like we can."

Elliot's face fell slightly at that, and he looked back to the other three, 
hoping to find some defence for his idea.  Hector rubbed his chin 
thoughtfully, his short paws digging through his brown fur, while his large 
teeth grated together.  Goldmark harrumphed and stared at the door, as if 
surveying a lovely a girl.  Julian however, was scanning with some other 
intent in mind.

The albino rat's voice, when he did speak, was curious, missing the usual 
apathy that Charles was accustomed to. "What if the door were unlocked from 
the inside?  Do you think it would show?"

Charles had to shrug. "I suppose that might work.  But the lock is rusted, 
and we don't have a key.  How do you intend to open it?"

Julian drew his paws across each other, scratching at the claw on one of his 
thumbs.  The Sondeckis noticed that the albino's thumb claw was longer than 
the rest, and rather narrow.  Even so, as he scratched at it, he shaved it 
more, narrowing it further. Then, after a moment of quiet examination, he 
nodded in satisfaction. Crossing to the door, he pressed his face to the 
lock, feeling inside of it with his whiskers.  He shivered slightly, his long 
white tail twitching unconsciously.

Leaning back, Julian looked to the others. "I think I can open this.  Give me 
a moment." He then pressed that narrowed claw into the lock, gently fidgeting 
it about, careful not to break the nail.  Charles peered in wonder at the rat 
who so far as he knew had never demonstrated any discernible talents.  And 
now here he was, picking the lock with his own thumb claw!  Yet, Charles knew 
it to be hopeless, as it was surely rusted solid.

"What happened to your tail?" Goldmark asked suddenly, pointing at the 
slightly puffy section in the middle.

Charles gave him a pained expression even as he peered at his singed 
appendage. "It was burned slightly in a fight earlier today.  It should be 
fine, I doubt it will even leave a mark in another two weeks." He then 
studied his fellow rats. "You have heard nothing this evening?"

"No, not a thing," Elliot confirmed. "We've just been in here drinking and 
enjoying each others' company for the last few hours.  Not a soul has come 
down this way until you and your friends arrived."

Charles nodded then, and glanced back at Julian who was still fiddling with 
the lock. "Making any progress?" He kept his tone hopeful, though he knew 
that it was not likely to open.

"A little, give me another minute, and I think I will have this open." Julian 
replied, bending his head even lower of the rusted lock.  Charles blinked 
once, surprised at his fellow rodent's certainty.

His face bunching up in curiosity, he finally asked. "When did you learn how 
to pick locks?"

Julian gave a non-committal shrug of one shoulder and continued at his work, 
calling out to them in a soft voice. "My Father used to lock me in my room 
for long stretches of time.  I hated being confined like that so taught 
myself a few tricks." Suddenly, the door began to heave, and he gripped the 
handle and pulled inwards. "There!"

Zagrosek peered in, his human face almost alien in a room full of morphic 
rats.  And it was then, and only then, that Charles, or any of his fellow 
rodents, gave any thought to their nakedness.  The black-clad Sondeckis did 
not appear to notice their sudden modesty though, as his eyes stayed mostly 
upon their no-longer human faces, and not their other prominent features. "Is 
everything all right?"

Charles nodded, waving to the black pile at the base of the door. "Could you 
hand me my clothes?"

"Oh," Zagrosek blinked, as if he had not been expecting such a question.  He 
reached down and picked up the garments, handing them to the rat. "Of course, 
here they are."

End part 21a
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