126 Mission Impossible (1/2)

Having two great generals in the same spot in a situation just waiting for a match to be lit was potentially explosive, but strangely enough, Garm actually backed down. He didn't even hesitate when he turned his back to me and walked away.

Garm was already by the steps leading up to his fortress when he glanced back at me and said, \”By the way, you failed so your request is denied.\”

\”Wh-what?!\” I asked flabbergasted. That was clearly not the case. \”I blocked your attack!\”

\”You blocked one attack,\” he said, turning back around and climbing up the steps while his forces gave way to let him through. \”Not enough to satisfy me.\”

\”You said to block your attack, as in singular!\” I countered, taking a step forward.

\”Go back to your tower, boy, you're not welcome here,\” he said, still climbing up the steps.

\”And what about me?\” Grimthorn's booming voice echoed across the courtyard. \”Surely, you won't deny me a sip of your vaunted wine casks?\”

\”I don't have any hospitality to give you either, Brom,\” Garm answered. He'd reached his doors, but before he went through it he said, \”Go back to central and tell my nephew all is well. Garm has no need for babysitters.\”

Garm shut the door behind him in a loud thud, signaling the audience was over. His soldiers, following their master's lead began to return to their training, while the few that hung around us were clearly in a rush to get us off the premises.

It must have sucked for them that they couldn't do that as Grimthorn had just patted me in the shoulder and praised me for the earlier duel.

\”I saw the moment you took his blow, lad,\” Grimthorn said, punching my shoulder heavily as he did and causing me to get pushed sideways a step. \”That was quite the skill you've shown… gave old Garm a second guess at what to expect.\”

Grimthorn glanced over at my companions and gave them an approving nod.

\”Well, if you're traveling with this bunch, I expect the praise I've been hearing about you isn't underserved,\” he guffawed, not at all caring that the satyr commander and his fellows were eyeing us with that look waiters give guests who've overstayed their welcome.

Grimthorn reached up and tackled my shoulder with one of his stout arms and then squeezed my head down toward him.

\”Follow my lead, lad,\” he whispered. \”Best we get out of here before Garm decides he has more men than either of us brought.\”

Grimthorn led me away in that awkward position—more like dragged me away—while waving off our satyr guides with a single raising of his bushy eyebrow.

\”We'll find our way fine, thanks,\” Grimthorn said.

Without stopping, he led me past the portcullis and out onto the drawbridge where we were met by what must have been a hundred dwarven warriors.

\”See that, lad,\” he whispered. \”That's what it looks like when you're regarded as a living symbol of the state's martial prowess. I hear you want to be one someday?\”

Even with my five hundred soldiers, I couldn't bring out that level of authority that Grimthorn nonchalantly threw my way. You could tell that all his soldiers were devoted to fighting for this single dwarf to their very last breath.

\”You'll have some competition, I think,\” he said, pointing toward the young dwarf officer waiting in front of his troops. \”This is Dain Hammerhand, my recently promoted five-hundred man commander.\”

Dain Hammerhand was a name I'd heard before, back when Al Sheridan and Verania Folkor had visited Hoodwink Tower. It was the name of another one of my would-be rivals.

The dwarf in question was stout like all other male dwarves, but looked younger than the ones I was used to seeing, with curly red hair even brighter than mine and a matching braided beard that reached past his chest. He wore a dwarven chain mail shirt like Varda did and resting in his hand was a double-sided ax with a strange red glow to its shadowblade edge.

\”Lead the way, Dain lad,\” Grimthorn ordered as he finally released me from his lock. \”Let's get out of this spirit-forsaken city before we discuss business.\”

He turned his gaze briefly back at me and winked. \”I brought a friendly she-elf along, fresh from her travels abroad.\”

\”Is she… alone?\” I asked.

\”Not likely. I left her with an army, laddie,\” he said jovially.

The first time I saw Great General Grimthorn was during the council meeting where all the generals seemed to be posturing and measuring each other's, well, swords. So I wasn't completely prepared to meet this laughing less tense version of the dwarf who'd stared Darah down a few times.

I glanced over at Luca and the rest who'd followed behind us and saw my brother shrug back at me as if to say, \”At least we're getting out of this place and not imprisoned in some dark dungeon.\”

Of course, I shrugged back at him. And although I was seriously disappointed about not accomplishing what I came here for, even though I knew it was a longshot, I counted my lucky stars that Garm really hadn't held me and my friends captive.

With Garm's soldiers marching ahead of us and clearing the main streets of bystanders, we managed to quickly make it out of the city in double the time it took going in.

Outside, we were greeted by my Foolhardies which had been surrounded by what must have been about five thousand of Garm's personal soldiers. A mostly dwarven regiment bolstered by trolls, salamanders, and cat-like creatures I'd never encountered before.

I managed to spare them a passing glance, the strategist in me keeping check on my surroundings, while my eyes searched for her. There, she was sitting on Starlight at the front of our soldiers, and there was no human girl at her side.