Edging behind the cascading sheet of falling water we are almost across, and due to unkind fate, the way forward narrows considerably due to an outcrop. I blame the extra-terrestrial operator, he or she didn’t line up the next gigantic scoop of soil flush with the previous one. I doubt I can slip by and there isn’t room for me to back up, yet. For now, I must resort to heavy lifting and then I can backtrack and swim across the pond, not that I desired more witnesses to that unique skill. As each Ten Spears approach, I lean back into the cliff and lift them around my body and back onto the ledge we are currently following. The archers, Uda and Keja are on their way, and I lift the first of the spear carriers around me. Before my eyes, a body plummets into the lake. A moment to check, I can’t spy Keja only others peering into the gap between the wall of water and the cliff face. I hand off my bow and quiver and dive off the ledge after her. To her credit, she doesn’t scream, deciding to die quietly instead of placing us all in danger.

While I am confident, I finish underwater nearby to her dive point, not until I surface, and hear her thrashing can I be certain I can save her. She tries to drown me when desperate to cling onto anything for survival until I wrap her arms within my spear arm while my feet and free arm tread water.

“Calm, now,” I growl.

She blinks and coughs up water. “Uda … she did something …” Keja gasps for breath. “Not a push, my next step false somehow.”

“Calm. Climb onto my back and wrap your arms around my neck.”

“Yes, Lord.”

I hand off my spear to the now relaxed goblin and kick off into a swimming stroke. Without a point of reference, shortly after the waterfall pummels us and I swim through the turbulence in haste before Keja can choke me. Once through, I believe the water flow pushes us further into the pond. The current will carry us East towards the pond overflow, so I take a guess and swim what I think is South. To my relief, I eventually swim in shallows. Climbing to my feet I wade ashore, Keja clinging to my back, the cloak of shadow and night dropping us into utter darkness. Keja shivers. I swing her around and wrap my arms around her.

“I assume Uda will try to take command of your Ten Spears?”

“This is the first time she betrays like this. I am not sure what she will do as previously she helped when asked, didn’t hesitate to place herself in danger, she volunteered to set her spear against a charge for the last boar.” I sense the disbelief in her voice while her body shivers.

I hold her head to my chest. “She and four other Blood Suns auditioned to be bodyguards to the Head Hob, they were the only ones on the Farm to do so and well, something seemed off about them. Now one is within reach of the Head Hob and some Blood Suns would probably want the Hob who ordered their culling at their mercy.”

I feel her body struggle. “Lord, not that I don’t appreciate your warmth, we could set a small fire.”

“I can’t take the chance, I am certain Uda has told your Ten Spears to hold a position village side of the waterfall, while she looks for us. Hoping not to find us, as all drown in water or at best exhaust themselves while trying to make shore and if they do, lay helpless to recover. She would be able to silently end any such survivors.”

“She would slay a Hob?” The incredibility of the deed, plain in her voice.

“I believe she means to slay the Head Hob. What is one more? Silence now, your ears are better than mine, please forgive me my one vulnerability. Listen.”

---

After a long while, her hand grabs my arm. I shift her to one side off my lap and onto the clay along the shore. A sucking sound is creeping towards us. Footfalls lifting out of clay mud I realise. At any other time, this would be funny. I heft my spear, my eyes searching lakeside for a shift in the darkness, the feeble light from the village behind providing meagre contrast.

“Crappy mud.”

Her words and what I think is a shape outline are enough and I cast my spear with all my strength. A wet thud sounds. The loudness shocks me and I look about in the dark to try and detect any reaction to the noise. Useless of course. It is my turn to creep out on the clay mud, except I decide to slide around on my bottom heading in the direction of my throw. At the water’s edge, I locate a body. I haul the body across my legs until across my thighs and then digging my heels in, I slide away from the water’s edge. After some false direction and whispering, I join Keja, and we both sleep as we are.

---

The false dawn wakes me before Keja, and I nudge her awake. Uda lays still across my thighs, my upright spear marking her body. I retrieve the spear and hand it off to Keja. I shift Uda’s body off my lap. We spent the night near an old stump, one side missing, which Uda’s body fits into perfectly. My throw, a short six paces. The lake water lapping the shore ten paces away.

We skirt the lakeshore avoiding the mud, keeping low and moving as silently as possible towards the cliff face. Somewhere along the way, I hope to meet up with the rest of Keja’s Ten Spears. Across the slight rise from lakeshore to village ground proper are the warehouses. Between the warehouses and the cliff face is open ground, the working area for the potters to tend the kilns built into the base of the cliff. The open ground runs for a distance ending at the first steps of the winding stair to climb the cliff face. Fortuitously, we find her Ten Spears huddled on the lakeshore rise opposite the warehouses.

“What have you observed?” I ask the first Ten Spears on watch.

“Strange goblins. Not of a tribe from this valley. They are in the furthest warehouse and are gradually breaking down the wall facing the cliff, working throughout the night under torch light, and only now slowing.”

They lay in wait for the Smith Hob, the only explanation. Preparing an ambush. I am now certain a similar ambush along the river ford waits for me. Local knowledge, even if somewhat obvious confirmed by their spy no doubt.

“Have you seen any occupy the warehouses nearer to us?”

The one I talk to shakes the shoulder of another, who wakes blurry-eyed springing alert upon seeing me.

“At dusk did the strange goblins occupy any of the warehouses close to us?”

“I don’t think so, although with the heavy shadow I can’t be certain,” says sleepy.

The watch guard shrugs. I look to Keja.

“Who is your best sneak?”

She taps sleepy who looks anything but sharp and sneaky. I raise an eyebrow.

“Tell him what you want, he will get there alright,” she says.

I slide along until I am adjacent, and my presence can intimidate. “The warehouses have few windows, what they do have are high and narrow, hence why the goblins near the stairs are battering down the wall facing the stairs. Slide along the face of each warehouse and as you near the door listen for noise inside. We need to make sure when we follow you a swarm of goblins don’t suddenly rush out of any of the warehouses behind us and attack.”

“Yes, Lord.”

He loses his grimace and skirts back along the shoreline until he faces the northern wall of the nearest warehouse, the cottages, in darkness all night to the East face South, their gardens face us. I see his ploy, there is no way any of the strange goblins can see him from their warehouse or anyone patrolling the pathway fronting the cottages. Even then, he drops, and belly crawls the entire distance, pausing to listen and scan his surroundings. Once at the warehouse he flattens himself against the wall and edges along until the north-western corner of the first warehouse and peers around. This warehouse is set back from the rest, a single warehouse ending a row of back-to-back double warehouses. He skirts along and upon reaching the door, listens. Trying to open the door and it doesn’t budge. He continues along to where the current warehouse wall butts up against the side of the next warehouse. He hurries along to the north-western corner of the first back-to-back warehouse and peers around. The next three warehouses are flush sharing the same frontage as the warehouse the strange goblins are knocking down.

His back flat to the wall he steps along while observing the work of the strange goblins in the distance. Halting before each warehouse door he listens and then checks the door. He does this three times and stands in the door recess of the last warehouse, the next warehouse contains the strange goblins still toiling away. He waves us to him.

“Send two spearmen and an archer and once they join your sneak send the second team.” I string my bow and nock an arrow, holding a line of sight on the rubble pile in front of the last warehouse. Once the wall is low enough, I assume the strange goblins will wait undercover for the Smith Hob to be carried down the winding stairs. He arrived pre-dawn last summons, rotating his chair bearers, I suspect the first few worn out at the beginning of the journey and sent back. Given he hasn’t arrived yet, perhaps he camped at the top of the cliff this summons and will descend after breaking his fast with the full morning light upon the stairs. I realise the breaking down of the warehouse wall is required for gaining an angle on the walkway, the cover a convenience at best.

The wait is over, a spear wielder, Keja and I, are the last of us. We belly crawl to the first warehouse. As we reach the wall, I sweep my arm across and place Keja behind me. I hurry along the frontage of the first flush warehouse, aware my bulk would be easily spotted, although I am more certain they push the warehouse wall out to allow them to position their archers within and gain a murderous aim upon the winding stairs. I reach the door sinking into the door recess. A vertical copper tongue pokes out from the door jamb, matching a similar horizontal tongue poking out of the wooden door. Where they meet, the door tongue fits through a slot cut in the door jamb tongue. A copper loop threads through a hole in the door tongue. This prevents the door tongue from sliding out, in effect locking the door. Bracing my back against one door jamb and my feet on the opposite door jamb, I heave away at the loop until straight like the two limbs of a horseshoe. I remove the loop and push the door open. Beyond the swing of the door is a mountain of pots of different sizes. The undoing of the loop requires a Hob’s strength, so in effect preventing goblins from stealing – odd protection from clay pots?

“Keja, roll them out and forward, they can provide cover because at some stage will we need to flank them to obtain a line of sight. Just from this warehouse, I assume goblins ears will pick up on the noise if any closer,” I whisper.

She nods. The pottery is large and requires two goblins to shift out. They position them upside down so the flat side can hold a smaller pot on top and thereby provide a gap to release arrows through.

Observing the struggle I add, “Call back the other teams and the sneak Keja, we will make our defence here. With those you call back, ask them to build a similar wall of pots behind us, but a solid wall and we will post a watch to alert us of any outflanking.”

“Yes, Lord.” She slides along to the next warehouse and taps them to return, and then signals the sneak to return.

Our walls are set, the three Ten Spears archers are ready, and a Spear carrier watches our rear. Still, no sign of the strange goblins, although their destruction is now complete. I estimate reinforcements from the Farm should have left at dawn. I wonder if Vuzsia and her Ten Spears met this Ten Spears spear wielder on the road or not. Although perhaps the cook will provide her with enough warning to avoid any ambush.

I line up four large pots at the end of our “wall”. “Keja I am going to stick my neck out and see if I can pick a few off. As I do have a couple of Spear carriers extend our wall with the pots here.”

She calls over two and they are ready to lift a pot.

“Tell your Ten Spears to prepare …” I wait for her to tap each and at her nod, I shift right, arrow nocked.

As I shift enough the two spear carriers move a pot into place and run back for the next. I am three pots wide of our original wall and find a target and release. The goblin slams back into the warehouse wall behind him. Goblins begin boiling out of the warehouse.

“Head and limbs,” I shout as I see my target struggle to his feet after an arrow to the chest. Five goblins fall under my archery before they reach me, and I draw my axe. My inner Hob rages, finally blood. The Ten Spears archers fall back to snipe while the Spear carriers stab over the wall. We are severely outnumbered. Yet I hold the flank due to my sheer threat of death.

“Duck, Lord.”

I don’t think, just do. A full volley of arrows flies over me. I glance up, a goblin directs a troop of archers. I didn’t hold the flank due to my threat of death, they withdrew to provide a clear line of sight from within the dark shadows of the warehouse. The attackers’ tactics changing to hold their side of the pottery wall and give up flanking. My eyes adjust for the warehouse shadow, and I observe their archers aim high towards the cliff face.

I call the three archers to me as I pick up my bow. I release into the troop of archers, yet they ignore me. When the first Copper Village body falls from the winding stair with a splattering thump, I realise I am too late. A bellow, Hob loud, follows several more of his goblins falling. His scream announces his fall from on high ending in the biggest splat of all and I am helpless. The goblin leader and his troop spill out of the warehouse and dash around the far wall of their warehouse and out of sight. Those few left at the wall make a run for it, we chase after them and they suffer more casualties, yet this doesn’t seem to make a difference. Several of the Ten Spears carry light wounds as do I for our troubles.

I am Hob why didn’t they hunt me after ambushing the Smith Hob? Are they working according to a plan? Can Hobs only be slain from ambush?

“Ransack their bodies for their chest armour at least. One ransacking, one looking out and then turn about,” I order and wave the sneak to me. While waiting I observe my archers claim quivers of arrows and gawk at the bronze tipped arrows. These will help penetrate their armour.

“Peer around the corner and tell me what you see, push out one of the dead first.”

He nods. I survey the dead and plunge my spear into their necks to be certain. A couple of targets scream, probably unconscious until their final moment, although this also ensures no goblins play possum. I scan the winding stairs and the few goblins still upon the path are frozen with fear, backs against the cliff. I wave them down, although I doubt, they will move towards danger. I sigh, they are more likely to retreat up the stairs and away from danger if they move at all.

The corpse which took the first look is an arrow filled pin cushion.

“What did you get to see?”

“They sit upon the new village wall, where complete. We are fortunate that the wall isn’t finished, the lowest section nearer the cliff face which prevents them from raining arrows down upon us here. Although I don’t know if they occupy the cottages across the path from us.”

“With me,” I command.

I start fetching large pots from the warehouse the strange goblins occupied and start building another wall from the corner of the warehouse to extend out in front of the cottages. Keja picks up on my need and starts ordering pairs now in new armour to assist. I tap each of my helpers and repeatedly point to the warehouse. I wave to others still out in the open, including Keja. Once all are undercover in the warehouse, I cup my ears and point up.

Keja mouths, ‘On the roof’.

That is why they waited. Their leader goblin can’t be underestimated, although his presence confirms the Hobs from the valley aren’t in the Head Village, if present, they must be lying in ambush for me.

I start shifting pots from the back to the front, half of the Ten Spears assist the other half, stand guard. When I reach the back wall, there are no windows as I suspect. Another warehouse backs onto this one and is presumably locked. Before I continue the sunlight shining through the high narrow windows begs to be spied through. Creating a platform of pots, we heave up a corpse and stick his head up first, then second and finally third along the length of the window. My sneak takes a quick look first from one corner then the other.

“They seem happy waiting,” he reports.

From each open corner of the now wall-less side of the warehouse, another pair report nothing unusual.

I strike the back wall of the warehouse with my axe and discover the wall is solid clay, not brick. I quickly dig my way through, the clay wall too soft. Only sun-dried? Rubbing a chunk between my fingers I reduce the clay to powder. The clay is pure, with no dried vine, or the like to strengthen. I soon create a viewing hole and weak sunlight from the high windows in the adjacent warehouse reveals more pots and many more cobwebs. Enlarging the hole, the Ten Spears begin removing the pots to make a path towards the door in the opposite wall, while my sneak takes the chance to view out of the new set of high windows.

From memory, on the other side of the warehouse door is another pathway, haphazard cottages on the opposite side. Then one more pathway over is the Head Hob’s cottage, always impressive unless his walls of clay are also as brittle as the warehouse walls. This also explains how the strange goblins were able to break down a whole warehouse wall overnight.

At the warehouse wall beside the door, I dig through the door jamb and free the tongue of copper. The Ten Spears witnessing my unlocking technique wave to me and point up.

“Bodies are dropping, and others are scrambling across the roof,” whispers Keja.

I tap one of the Spear carriers. “Place a large pot in front of the unlocked door and stand watch until I return.”

I wave to the remainder in the warehouse, and we charge back into the other warehouse in time to see the strange goblins running by being picked off by the two archers we have on watch there as well as being harried by other arrows chasing them. I and our third archer join them. Not many of the fleeing escape and we practice feathering the wounded with our bronze tipped arrows.

“Are you enjoying yourself, Lord?”

I recognise her taunting voice.

“Milga Stone Blood, did you cause them fright somehow?”

Milga slides over the edge of the Warehouse roof, holding on for her life, her face in view. “Well?” she asks.

I grip her legs and lower the pregnant goblin to the ground. As she lands her eyes glance up. There is another. I lower Koria Keen Eye also. She mumbles thanks and shuffles behind Milga while searching to be anywhere else, yet the battle is over and shade from the cliff due the sinking sun heralds’ dusk and then eventually night.

“Duzsia volunteered us to clear the warehouse rooves, Lord, while the rest, including the Ten Spears, hunted the other goblins trying to outflank your position. What should have been easy, complicated by their armour requiring accurate archery to find weak spots …”

Following Milga’s eyes, I notice Koria avoiding even looking at me, let alone my eyes.

Duzsia growls, “Koria make yourself useful, stab the dead in the eye, ransack their bodies and stack them over there with the rest.” Duzsia points to a row of large pots. My original wall.

Luda is already toiling away. Half the Ten Spears keep a watch towards the pond side of the warehouses, the other half follow behind Duzsia as she approaches me, with a wide smile.

“A small diversion Lord from our Quest, apparently you require some aid?”

Her belly leads, making her stride appear awkward and yet she seems more than content.

“Well met Duzsia the Relentless. How did you end up here?”

“Zeb sent a messenger carrying a torch through the night reaching us while we were breaking camp at dawn. Heading directly here and while observing, trying to determine the situation and your whereabouts we spotted several strange goblins up to no good.” She smirks. “I reasoned only Lord Hob would attract such attention so waiting for their backs to face us, we ambushed them.”

I chuckle while briefly hugging her. “Well done, what else has Zeb arranged?”

“A militia of sorts – everyone else who can wield a weapon will travel along the wooden road and then cross the South River ford and approach the Head Village from the South to avoid their ambush.”

I nod, glad my warning reached Zeb. “What of Vuzsia?”

Duzsia glances about. “I thought she would have caught up with you and the Ten Spears with you, also the ones who went with her.”

I shake my head and put on a wide smile to allay any concerns. “She will pop up when we need her most. With the fading light, I am going to see if I can reach the Head Hob. Stay and guard the warehouses to make sure none can ambush me from behind.”

Turning away a hand grasps my forearm. “Lord Hob, alone?”

“I will have a Ten Spears I found and given your condition, there is no need to place you and the Questors in further danger.”

Her eyes lose their joyful light. She knows my words are final, risk versus danger none of them can skulk about the paths and cottages of the village in their condition. They will only just manage with the brambles and their quest.

“Kor! Take Kor,” she offers.

“No, he will be needed as will your Ten Spears if the warehouses suffer a direct attack and hand to hand fighting occurs. Keep your Questers together and protect my behind.” I end with a chortle, which doesn’t play well with her.

“You are Lord Hob, and I swore to obey you. Be careful though, our child deserves a father.”

Before I can offer any assurance, she turns about and begins to organise the Questers, a shrugging Milga in tow.

“We are ready Lord Hob,” says Keja.

Including Keja, there are three groups consisting of an archer and two spear wielders. I nod and jog inside the warehouse to the door of the far warehouse. The door is now guarded by a Quester Ten Spear I assume.

I roll the large, fired clay pot out of the doorway. Hand on the door, I turn to Keja. “You and two spear wielders follow immediately. The other two groups will follow when they believe it safe.” I must trust in the shade cast by the cliff face because of the setting Western sun. To check before running out is to give a warning while this foolhardy dash may achieve complete surprise.

Pulling the door open inwards, I sprint to the cottage on the other side of the path aiming for its’ closed door. Crashing through the door, three goblins pile in after me. Keja and another climb off me, while the third remains, an arrow neatly bisecting his head, ear to ear. Bronze arrow point poking out one side, feathering proud on the other.

“They got lucky, Lord.”

I nod at Keja. The other goblin looks out the back of the cottage. The goblin disregard for death and the dead a simple acceptance without emotion. I could have easily been a dictator or despot and I wonder to this day should that have been the better path? The spirit capture mumbo jumbo ceremony led me to recruit a loyal cadre, treat them well and by demonstration ease the rest of the goblins into trusting me. Although for all that Jotor still plotted against me, so I guess nothing is perfect but in the main, I didn't suffer any direct assassination attempts.

“Lord there is a garden, soft churned soil we may make the distance …”

I get his meaning; my heavy feet will sink. Instead, I attack the northern wall of the cottage with my axe, a supporting timber, one end embedded in the sun-baked bricks which form the support and the other which supports cross beams and thatching. Arrows begin piercing the thatching, although they strike high. We are in one cottage of a row, there is another along the path, which shadows ours and protects us from any archers upon the new wall.

I am through, and a narrow sward of land separates our cottage from the next cottage along, which is further again away from the wall. Chopping down another support, we are again through the collapsed thatch. Another cottage and then the village path turns, and we can scoot over the path diving across gaps between the cottages. At the end of the “block” of cottages, I face a doorless side of the Head Hob’s manor. His is the only clay structure, like the warehouses and otherwise dominates the village centre. There are no cottages nearby of course. To run out and hope one of the side walls, which aren’t in my line of sight, by chance has his front door embedded in it, a high risk. One of those two sides, which faces the wall would mean suffering arrows.

“Keja, I am going to dash across the path and take cover behind the manor wall facing away from the wall. You and him.” I point to the spear wielder. “Aren’t to follow. You must ensure no enemy follows behind me. If others of your Ten Spears join you, all the better.”

Her open hands rise to protest. “Lord?”

“I need to attack, ensuring none can attack me from behind … you understand?”

Resigned to her duty, she nods. “Yes, Lord.”

The arrows flash by when I am halfway across. With safety an agonising half a body length away pain erupts within my upper thigh, and I leap instead of stepping into cover behind the Head Hob’s manor. After a brief assessment, I snap off the feathered end of the arrow shaft, holding back a scream of pain. Taking a deep breath, I pull the arrow shaft through allowing the wound to weep blood. Bandage next I tell myself through the agony and tear off a piece of cloth from my shirt to wrap my leg, leather pants still on, as a precaution. Tying off the makeshift bandage I am relieved my artery remains intact. The pain shortly after ebbs away to nothing, a welcome benefit of my nanorobots.

Climbing to my feet I position myself further along the wall, there is no door this side. I chose a position slightly offset from the centre. Depending upon the wall, the centre could be the location of the dividing wall across the three sections which make up the manor. If I am luckier, I could be on the other side of the Head Hob’s bedroom, which would mean the front door faces the wall and the archers perched upon it. The enemy knows where I am and therefore, I must double my efforts, another reason for not peeking around the far corner of this wall to confirm the location of the door – they would have archers waiting. After a time, I expect spear carriers. This is the time difference I have available to me.

I strike the cured clay wall with my axe and a large chunk falls away. I smile while striking again and again.