Legends from The Warlock's Chair - Book One - Ravengaard

Chapter Thirty-one - Eldon and Holt's Return

In the bedroom, Danielle stifled a cry and fell back in horror.

Seconds later the door crashed off its hinges and the Goblyn commander stood in its splintered frame. He sniffed and surveyed the room with cold yellow eyes.

George reacted first, sending a blast of freezing cold air from Frostfire that caught the Goblyn full in the face, ice crystals ripped at his skin almost blinding him. Jessica sent a  scalding wall of heat washing over him. He staggered and bellowed in pain as skin not protected by armour, blistered and bubbled. Before he could right himself, Danielle hit him with several wind arrows sending him tumbling backwards. The Goblyn chieftain roared and fought against the assault, managing to bring up his battle-axe to deflect the attack. He pushed forward again, blindly swinging his axe with one hand while trying to wipe away the shards of ice that had formed over his eyes. He fired the crossbow strapped to his wrist in the direction of the doorway, causing the children to duck into cover as the bolt thudded into the door-frame.

George sent another blast of the cold white fire at a couple of Goblyns trying to sneak around the walls. Frost formed over their bodies, they screeched, trying to retreat, but the cold froze the blood in their veins and they collapsed to the floor.

With most of his Goblyn pack killed and the remainder fighting a losing battle against the Gnomes. Danielle hoped Quikspit would now turn and flee. Instead, he prowled the outer room, seemingly reluctant to set foot in the doorway once again.

'This has gone on long enough,' he yelled. 'The Witch is finished. You have no way out. Give me the relics and you can go. No more needs to be said of this.'

Danielle shook her head and looked at George and Jessica. 'He's frightened,' she whispered.

'If you want them so bad,' Jessica called out. 'Come in and get them.'

Quikspit screamed in fury and fired more crossbow bolts into the room.

'I hope you are not causing my friends any trouble?' inquired a deep rumbling voice.

The children let out a sigh of collective relief, it was Eldon.

From the shelter of the room, the children watched the adversaries circle each other looking for an advantage. Although larger than a normal Goblyn, Quikspit was still a good meter shorter than Eldon. But what he lacked in height, he made up for in strength and cunning. Rolling sideways he kicked out, vicious hooves slashing at Eldon's legs. The Giant skipped backwards, but in the confined space of the small room, he tripped over a chair and crashed to the floor. Quikspit was on his feet once more. Axe in hand and mad with pain, he leapt at Eldon. The Giant threw himself to one side as the axe blade thudded down with such force it embedded itself into the wooden floor inches from where his head had been. Eldon scrambled to his feet just as Quikspit wrenched the axe free. He swung again in a move meant to disembowel the Giant. But this time, Eldon was ready, he parried the swing with his broadsword and landed a punch on the Goblyns horned head. It lurched sideways, stumbling across the room. They circled, seeking an opening.

In the confusion caused by the Gnome attack, Rhun Maelgwn had slipped away. He cursed himself for allowing the Giant to take him by surprise. Yet another who had escaped death in the caves. What did it take to be rid of them all? Maelgwn managed to conceal himself in a small woodshed attached to the side of the cottage. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he managed to pull the arrow free and sealed the wound with magic, staunching the flow of blood until he could obtain proper treatment. 

Things were not going well, the Giant and the Gnomes had appeared and prevented him from carrying out his mission. He still needed to locate and destroy the jewels known as the Arcs of Heaven, and that meant getting back into the cottage.