Corey's Axiomatic Anarchy continues. Landon, Solis, and Gritgut plan their escape, and the two are awed by the plans of the barbarian master tactician.
"Me'z smash, me bash him, an him, den clock boy, den free!"
The tone of Solis' voice seemed almost to hum, its essence reassuring and somehow strong for the tiredness of the speaker. Landon felt compelled to be truthful to the loresinger, who he only knew by reputation. Yet, the lumillon had preserved his life, so he had no qualm when he spoke. "I am a sorcerer and I have focused in the schools of evocation, illusion and divination, as I hope to veil my flaws, expose the truth, and eliminate evil. Those three fields of magic have proven to do those tasks well."
"Ahh...a paradox: to veil the thing you hope to expose. Interesting how the principle skews when a higher goal is involved?"
A tense silence fell over the group as Landon pondered the loresinger's rebuff. Gritgut shook his coarse mane of hair and mumbled to himself. "Deez guys talks too much..."
"Indeed, we do, sadly." Solis admitted to the surprise of the oltreggan. "We'll have to continue our debate later, Landon. As you were saying, you like to conceal and destroy; now, Penance plans to use you, Gritgut, as he does the troll, only you won't survive the axing."
Gritgut snorted his contempt. "Me'z no scared of 'em. Jus give me my ship an e'll be'z broke quick."
"I wish it were so easy, my large friend, but you'll be chained to the floor. Unless you could raise the platform against the bucket-o-gears, you will be left only with your teeth as weapons."
"Den me'z chew 'em!"
Landon placed a hand on the oltreggan's mammoth knee. "No need. I'll find a way to cloak the anchor - assuming we can get free and to the weapons - but those Glabrezu will tear any soul apart who tries to flee. Plus, I doubt anyone could teleport from the arena."
Solid nodded. "Then it is through the roof. I can get there, how will you get up?"
Everyone sat still, trying to ponder the remaining issue. Even Gritgut appeared to be thinking over the matter as he ran a finger through the mud, muttering, "Me'z smash, me bash him, an him, den clock boy, den free!" However, when Landon slipped a glance at the drawings, he only saw a tall stick figure breaking smaller ones in half, so much for the budding tactician.
Landon finally turned back to Solis. "If you loose my bonds, I'll slip out and we can quickly disarm the guards. Lead me to an area where I can discreetly enter the arena and I'll wait for the platform to lower. Meanwhile, you switch Gritgut's chains, and once the platform lowers open the portcullis.
When Penance attempts to execute you, Gritgut, you can surprise him, but not until you are in the open and see a flare. I'll fly up to the platform and enable you to follow me to the opening."
Once we are together, we will shut the portcullis and escape through the tunnels, leaving the inevitable cursing his own resourcefulness."
Gritgut smiled a yellow and spiky grin once he understood his job was to smack the kolyarut. "Me'z smash, den FREE!!!" His shout reverberated through the halls, drawing the attention of the hobgoblin guard who started down their way.
Solis collected his satchel and stood, eying the oltreggan crossly for a moment. He turned back to the mage and said, "A cunning plan, Landon. I hope it proves fruitful and survivable for us all...now, I must go before Garzhin grows even more suspicious - and breathe not another word!" He glared at Gritgut to ensure the massive barbarian understood his meaning.
"Me'z no blab."
"Good. See you in the tunnels then, my friend."
Solis stepped out of the cell, deftly locking the door and handing the key back to the guard. Garzhin studied the prisoners, snorted, and turned back down the hall. "Come'un ye glow'worm." Solis winked at the others and complied. He could hear the whimper of a kobold, whom appeared to be the victim of filth fever.
The lumillon hoped the two were up to the plan. He longed for the freedom of the open trail, and Gritgut's master had promised a tale from beyond the realm of time unlike anything he'd heard before.
