Rommel cursed as another arrow was deflected away from him, but toward a mage. Fucking friendly fire! Rommel caught the flimsy arrow and snapped it in half. "Waters of the damn Sea! Get ready to retreat to the second wall!" Rommel ordered as the last of their ice traps skewed more than a dozen goblins. Not that it mattered with 200 flooding the tunnel trying to get at them.
"Now!" Lucera screamed, a dozen stone arrows were fired simultaneously. More than thirty goblins were hit but only half were killed. They were like ants just crawling over their dead as the guards speared the ones who got close to the bars or sliced off hands that reached through.
They all fell back to the second wall, then the mages worked together to add several layers of bars. The second group was already half way up. They just had to hold on a few more minutes! "I want water! We'll freeze them in place!" Lucera ordered as she quickly absorbed a mana crystal. The others were doing the same, between each spell trying to replenish even a bit of mana might be the difference between them getting out of here or getting trapped.
Rommel fell behind the mages as they started pouring water out of pouches and two cast water arrow spells on the floor. The goblin blood was already running in rivulets around them, but their bowels loosening as they died was the real kicker. "Here they come!" Rommel called as he shoved forward to keep blocking arrows.
Lucera gritted her teeth as she started chanting, "Keep it simple! Any ice!" Lucera ordered as the first stone gate was being broken through. They could barely see between the bars of the second gate but they could stand close enough so their spells were activated on the other side.
"Waters of the Sea! What are these bastards eating?" Rommel demanded as the goblins smashed through the first gate like a tsunami. They hadn't even seen any shamans or hobgoblins yet they were being overwhelmed.
Lucera didn't wait for the others as she started a frost mist. It wasn't deadly, but it would drop the temperatures making movement much more difficult for the next ten minutes. The closest goblins to the spell were covered in ice so abruptly that when they were shoved against the stone bars fingers and noses broke off.
Lia and Dustin had both decided to freeze the water and blood halting nearly all the goblins in their tracks. That didn't deter the goblins in the back that simply shoved them down, trampling over them to reach the stone gate.
Dustin grimaced as dozens of goblins were trampled into meat patties, yet it barely put a dent in the hoard. Dustin wanted to curse as the frost mist took a few minutes to really show its effects on the new goblins, "We can't keep this up!" Dustin bellowed over the chaos just before he started chanting for a volley of ice arrows.
Rommel glanced back for just a moment, the last of the men were starting their second climb. That meant they still had to get all the way up, unload, come back down, pack up, and hope they were able to carry the rest of the women in a third round. "See if we can make stone pillars!" Rommel called before the last three could start chanting any spells. They nodded in understanding.
Zane and the other's had already sent word to the guards waiting at the entrance to haul ass over and help. Zane was sweating as he and a guard helped pull Noelle up. Well, the two of them were jogging while pulling the silk rope while Noelle practically ran up the tunnel, a third guard was waiting to offer her a hand.
Noelle had enough momentum to leap over the guard landing on all fours as she panted. Her thighs were starting to tingle from the strain, before she could even catch her breath Zane and another guard were leaning her to lay on her side so they could untie the woman from her back. "ha, ha, huff, huff, ha…" Noelle just closed her eyes trying to even her breathing before she went back down.
Zane was able to untie the knots and start half dragging, half pulling the woman further away. He deliberately laid the women under the tree where a familiar eagle was roosting. Even if it wasn't helping, it may be communicating with Young Song.
Noelle rolled onto her back closing her eyes as the others were helped up in a similar fashion. It wasn't even a five minute rest, but the moment she saw Leroy she stood up to make her third, and hopefully final trip.
Leroy had to wait on his hands and knees for someone to remove the pregnant woman on his back before they could work on the girl wriggling on his stomach. She'd kicked a rather important part several times already so he knew his expression was far from pleasant. "Ugh, hurry up!" He groaned at prince Zane as he trembled from the strain. His claws digging into the earth as he took another knee to the groin. Ugh…
Zane wanted to curse, there were so many ropes he didn't know which were which. Fuck it, he drew his dagger and cut them one by one while the second guard was ready to catch the woman. The girl on the other hand was half screaming, half sobbing as she wriggled violently. The moment she was cut free she tried to escape the blanket but Zane lifted her up in a princess carry to the tree line.
Leroy knew it was unbecoming, but he flopped onto his side and just let out an agonized moan… "Ugh… no good deed…" Leroy shakily stood up getting ready to go back down. "As few go back down as needed!" He called with a shaky step and just used the tunnel as a slide. Good thing his son and daughter were already born… otherwise his wife might have something to say.
Noelle was ready to go back up the moment Leroy landed, Tania wasn't far behind. This time all the guards who hadn't carried someone up were going to carry a women with the rest acting as support, or carrying a mage so they could continue to focus on the goblins.
"Highness, go!" Leroy shouted over the goblin screams. Her Highness was clearly torn between helping or getting the women out of here to be out of the way. But the best thing everyone could do was just get out of this hell hole.
Noelle gritted her teeth, logically it was best she left… she tugged on the silk rope and started climbing. None of them would die, but the women weren't the same… priorities Noelle! Noelle almost stumbled on her way up as she was mostly crawling up with one hand on the rope as it dragged her up.
Zane strained to pull Noelle up, 14 left. They were almost done! "Take her to the tree line and make sure everyone is okay as they come up! I want every injury marked for cleansing!" Zane called as he pulled her arm over his shoulder. This way he could force her a little further away before helping her lay on her side so they could cut the woman loose. Noelle needed every breath she could catch.
Rommel was counting down with each woman that went up, 12,11, 10… 2… last 1! Leroy and Dustin strapped were back to back and getting ready to ascend. Rommel shrugged into his own straps but waited for Lucera. Rommel kept slashing at green hands as the mages kept adding stone pillars. They weren't trying to kill anymore, just trying to delay.
Leroy watched as the last guard and woman were climbing, they weren't starting until the last woman was safe. "30 second warning!" Leroy called over the racket.
"They're up! Move your asses!" Zane roared down the tunnel as he helped the last guard and woman move off to the side. Zane couldn't even express his relief… but they weren't out of the woods yet… literally.
Noelle was already grabbing a rope with two other guards. The moment she felt the tug they pulled with all their might as they jogged back. Then to her absolute horror… the eagle gave a cry then flew up… then dove into the tunnel.
Tania almost tripped when she saw the eagle dive, then she slowly looked around as she kept pulling on the rope… where… was lord Rahm? She shared a look with Noelle as Leroy and another guard was pulled up.
Noelle rushed forward to look down… how could she have forgotten about Lord Rahm. More guards were already being pulled up… she could hear Rommel cursing as he started just shoving people up as Lucera was holding the final line.
Rahm had been sitting off to the side, lazily waiting. They were scurrying to and fro… sighs… so much for keeping the prince from getting feathers… oh well. He could do without all the screaming though. Rahm huffed as he used his tail to cover his face.
"Fucking climb! Beast Gods above if it's the last thing I do, I will see this hell hole burned to the ground!" Rommel snarled as he shoved a guard up. They weren't going to last another 60 seconds let alone another 6 minutes. Suddenly something brushed past him, Rommel jerked to see… a golden eagle catch fire… Waters of the Sea.
Rahm jolted as something… something just rippled through the chamber. He jumped up racing to the exit to see a golden eagle flying through all the little green people. It was spiraling down the tunnel as the humans were shouting to move faster as several dead goblins had caught fire.
Rahm watched… it was the same brown eagle from earlier… but different… was it in disguise? Even if the mountain collapsed or the goblins all exploded Rahm would be fine so he sat at the tunnel entrance to watch what this gold eagle was doing.
"Go go go!" Rommel was shoving the men up the ropes as he climbed. Fuck he did not want to look down. He could hear the eagle's echoing cry as it seemed to get farther away, but that meant more goblins were probably on fire.
Zane was pulling people out as fast as possible, men had footprints on their faces from being stepped on, or shoved up. "Move! Grab someone and just keep going!" He roared as they cut themselves free of each other and just started running. Raging rivers where were their horses?!
Rahm swayed his tail as the golden eagle had managed to turn around and was flying right at him… hmm… friend or foe? The eagle folded its wings flying right past him. Rahm turned his head to watch as the eagle mad a sharp 180 turn now flying right at him… claws extended.
Rommel was shoving the last man climbing over the edge as he then pulled himself and Lucera over. He didn't bother to explain as he started ed running with Lucera bouncing around on his back.
Lucera was gripping the ropes in an attempt to stabilize herself as she pulled her legs to her chest so Rommel wouldn't trip over her dangling legs. Three of the mages had cast levitation spells on tarps and placed two women on each and were running for their lives. No doubt the mountain would be collapsing at any moment.
Dustin had freed himself to run while carrying one of the legless women to his chest. If they weren't panicked before, all the women were freaking out from their sudden rush now.
Lamont had three bags strapped to himself as he ran. They just had to get off this section of mountain, then worry about transporting the women more comfortably. His personal knight had one woman over each shoulder as they ran.
Rommel heard the eagle screech; he ran faster than he thought possible with his shorter legs. Who needed to breathe? Not this guy! Just need to run! "Huff, huff, huff."
Lucera hugged her knees to her chest, linking her hands under her knees. Ugh all the shaking was making her head hurt. She glanced up to see the eagle shoot out of the tunnel with Lord Rahm's scruff in its claws.
Rahm couldn't move, its not that he didn't want to move. The moment the golden eagle had touched him he'd pretty much gone limp. Even his ability to use mana was no better than attacking with a limp, soggy noddle… how strange.
Rahm was looking down… all dead little green people. Why bother with the humans if papa bird had a bird like this around??? Surely they could have whisked the humans to safety while this bird killed the green humans… ugh his head hurt. Rahm was so lost in thought that when the bird released him he almost fell on his face.
Lucera watched as the gold faded under the sunlight and the eagle… turned into a normal brown looking pattern. Was that the same one from earlier? Lucera braced herself for… something. But even after several more minutes of running there wasn't even the slightest quiver.
Noelle glanced back, then started to slow down, her lungs were burning. She leaned forward so her hands were resting on her knees as others were slowing down around her, "Did, huff, did he, not set huff, them on fire? Gasp, gasp." She asked as her knees started to tremble.
Rommel groaned as he stopped closer to Zane and Noelle and just fell onto his hands and knees, "I, huff, saw fire, gasp, but, gasp, didn't stick, huff huff, around to see, huff, how much." Cardio, yep, starting tomorrow, work on cardio.
Zane set the woman down so before he collapsed on his rear end, "Re huff, regroup." Everyone started to lower their cargo to the ground as gently as possible, most just lay on the ground.
Rahm trotted up to the group sitting beside the princess, hmm, luckily no one had seen him almost crash onto his face. He would have been forced to eat them… or at least the eye they claimed to have seen him with. Maybe even both eyes if they insisted.
Noelle lay on her back staring at the clouds through the trees. She shifted her gaze to the smiling fox, "Did you know the mountain wouldn't explode?" She asked half pouting. Beast gods above… she'd never pushed herself so hard in her life… running wasn't hard but the climbing and carrying…
Rahm blinked down at her, how was he supposed to know? Who should he ask? If anything they should be asking that inconspicuously common looking eagle that was just circling above.