《The Adventures of Hood: Part 1 - The Book of Portals》Chapter 34: Conversations on a ladder #2

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“Seriously, we need to be serious. It could be life and death out there.” Madeleine is trying to reign them in.

“I sort of don’t feel right about fighting with the Kera’Burian troops,” says Hy-Jinx, seemingly ignoring Madeleine.

“I know what you mean. I’m thinking o’ just choking them out if possible, but the Angorkan’s I’m kicking out the windows,” Dozer says, his voice resonating about the stone chamber.

“Hah! Defenestration - that’s what that’s called. I love that word,” remarks Hy-Jinx.

“Consider us suitably chastised my lady,” Helmet says to Madeleine perhaps in an attempt to steer the conversation back to placing her in charge, but perhaps not, as he continues ”Indeed I have not experienced such chagrin since…

Above them, the sound of fighting changes from muffled and removed to distinct and present, with the sound of splintering timber and yells of rage. Clearly, the fighting has spilled over into whatever room lies above their heads. Madeleine closes her one good eye and breathes deeply, trying to calm herself.

“Helmet not now,” Madeleine cuts Helmet off before he can get started. “All of you, listen very carefully. I think we’ve lost any advantage we may have had. Just getting out of this chamber is going to be potentially one of the most dangerous aspects of this evening’s mission.”

“We could just wait it out, I mean what’s the rush?” asks Bembry.

Above them, it sounds as if there is a full scale skirmish occurring. Roars of anger. Thuds of who-knows-what and then the sound of what might be something large and wooden being overturned. Dust and particles suddenly rain down around the column of companions along with small sharp shards of splintered pottery as the sounds of things breaking against walls echos down.

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“I believe, young man,” Helmet says, rather loudly, taking the opportunity to talk once more, “that institutes of culture such as libraries do not have a good record, historically speaking, when combined with the uncivilised. And given that barbarians and flames might conjoin with vast amounts of parchment and paper, the notion of ‘waiting things out’ might not be the wisest decision, if our mission is to obtain a certain book from a certain library.”

All the while that Helmet is talking, Dozer’s face is going into spasms. His nose is twitching, his eyes oscillating between a squint and a wide eyed stare…his mouth opens wide, nose wrinkling, taking in short snorts of inhaled breath…

“Good point.” says Bembry.

“Achhhhhhoooooo!” the largest, deepest achoo possibly ever observed resonates deafeningly throughout the chamber, rattling downward and echoing back in a series of ever so slightly less deafening achoo’s. All turn to Dozer, who pulls his face into a frown and slowly looks skyward in anticipation of what might occur next. ‘Sorry’ he mouths.

All sounds in the room above stop; then the sound of metal boots striking off stone, the whine and squeal of rusty iron, and the bright glare of torch light as the grate above the companions is lifted open. All six companions try to shield their eyes.

“What the!?” a voice from above sounds down.

“Barbarians?”

“Nah, they’re Guild.”

“Easy Clem. Let’s not hastily cause them to fall. Recognise the bucket head?”

“Well, do I bloody rightly! Ain’t he the one that opened up the main gates and let the barbarians in? There’s a bounty on that one. So what’s your suggestion Carlise?”

Helmet clears his voice in embarrassment. “That’s not exactly….”

“Shut it tin man!” Clang. Clem strikes Helmet a resounding blow on the helmet with the pommel of his sword. The whole ladder vibrates along with Helmet as the shock wave travels through his armour. Helmet loses his grip with one of his hands but Dozer steadies him.

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“Well if he’s worth some coin, what about the rest?”

“How many are there?”

“I count four more.”

Hy-Jinx turns to find that Bembry has disappeared. Thinking that he has perhaps fallen, she waits in worried anticipation for any noise of impact, but feeling additional vibrations of the ladder realises that he must have slid silently back into the darkness. Hy-Jinx smiles to herself.

“Well let’s get ‘em out of there. Nice and easy. Any shenanigans and we’ll tip the lot of you head-first back in!”

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