CHAPTER 22

They traveled as the crow flies with Fluffy keeping up as best he could. When day approached they had traversed most of the distance to Tramadore, but the gargoyles needed to rest. Only Ruth had the ability to stay awake, so they settled on a steep ridge made from the same mountain range that wrapped around Tramadore. The steep climb and distance from the road would keep any curious travelers from finding them.

Before the sun arose Sampson took his daughter aside. "Is your life-debt paid?" he asked his daughter.

Ruth shook her head. "Only part of it. I still owe Pat my life." She clasped his hands in hers and smiled into his eyes. "But you know things have changed, Papa. These people are true and kind, and are in need of our help whenever and however we can offer it. Even if I fulfill my life-debt I will still offer myself as their companion and friend."

Sampson gave her a sad smile and squeezed her hands. "I knew you would leave me one day because you are too kind, but I'm glad it's for a cause worthy of our family."

Ruth wrapped him in a strong hug, and she sniffled. "Thank you, Papa."

He pulled her away and looked her over. Behind her the light of the sun peaked over the horizon. "Be sure to take care of yourself. We will come when we can."

"I will, Papa," she promised. His hands that grasped her own turned to stone, and soon all of him was a statue. She stood on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "If I don't see you again, know that I will always be with you," she whispered. She slipped her hands out of his and turned, but gave him one final glance over her shoulder. "Goodbye, Papa."

With the gargoyles asleep, the remaining five adventurers and Fluffy stood at the edge of the ridge. Far off they could see the plains in front of Tramadore, and the hoof prints along the road left by Hawkins and the Galaron army. The encampment was some ten miles off close to the rock that stood out in the plain. The city itself lay quiet and unassuming against the great mountain, and Ned and Canto stood side by side assessing the situation.

"What say you, old friend?" Ned asked the dwarf.

Canto squinted his eyes. "Ah say we have a few miles to reach the encampment, but as for enemies Ah haven't any idea what to think."

"We saw the army. They are some ten thousand strong," Ned told him.

The dwarf shook his head in dismay. "Then unless ta men of Tramadore are made of tougher stuff than Galaron we haven't much chance."

"Ready to quit?" the old castor teased his friend.

Canto straightened and glared at Ned. He pulled his ax from his back and tapped it in one hand. "A dwarf never runs from a challenge, no matter how impossible. The men of Galaron and Tramadore will have use of my ax in this battle whether they want it or not."

Ned chuckled and glanced at the youngsters; they were pale and quiet. "What will you do, Captain Pat?" he asked the girl.

Pat sighed and leaned over one knee to get a better view of the plains. "I can't say without a closer look, so what are we waiting for?" She didn't wait for a reply, but slid down the mountain to the Tramadore road. The others followed and they didn't stop until they reached the encampment at midday. A guard stopped them at the outskirts, and Pat glared at the men. "Let me pass, by order of your captain," she demanded.

The men glanced uneasily at one another until a voice spoke up. "Stand down, men. She is your captain." The voice belonged to Hawkins, and with him was Captain Spalding of Tramadore. Hawkins glared at the young girl and her group. "What are you doing here, Lady Lamikan?" he questioned her.

Pat straightened and put her hand on the hilt of her sword. "I have come to lead my army. Will you order back able soldiers when you face such odds?" she countered.

Hawkins pursed his lips, but shook his head. "No, we can't spare anyone, even an old dwarf." He looked over to Ned and Fred. "But I fear even the power of a hundred castors wouldn't win us this fight."

"What are we up against?" she asked him.

Hawkins led them to his tent where they left Fluffy outside, and he directed them to a table where sat a map of Tramadore. "They have the high ground and more men, if you can call them that. We have calvary and a few bowmen. Even if we were to get past the undead warriors, the town itself is defended by those guards loyal to Sturgeon."

"How many of Tramadore's men do you have?" Ned wondered.

Captain Spalding stepped forward. "Less than a thousand made it out of the city and onto the plains. There are few of us without injuries, but most can fight."

"And what is the estimate of their army?" Pat questioned.

Spalding shook his head. "At fewest, twelve thousand, but we can't be sure of even that number. The undead came from the castle and their numbers never ceased until we retreated out into the plains. Then they retreated back into the city and the traitors barred the gates. We didn't have word from anyone on the inside until Percy came to us with that assassin at his side."

"And I am still at your side," a voice called from the tent flap. Everyone turned to see Percy flanked by Deadly Sins. He stepped inside and smiled at the group. "We have ourselves a commendable group here. A battle-hardened dwarf, a swordswoman, two castors, two fine captains, and a gargoyle transformed into a girl." Ruth bowed her head. During the day she couldn't transform without falling into stone, but she would be sure to keep herself useful even in her human form. "This gives us a better chance at retaking the city."

"Not while your father holds the whole city as a hostage," Spalding countered. His eyes narrowed as he looked at young man. "Unless you happen to have the same blood thirst as your father."

"If I did I wouldn't be here among you, and from your faces I can see there doesn't seem to be any other choice but to storm the city," Percy countered.

None from the group protested his assessment. Fred furrowed his brow and thought about their previous stay at the city. His eyes lit up and he tugged on Ned's sleeve. The old man turned to him with raised eyebrows. "What about the cavern?" Fred whispered to him.

Percy overheard the question. "The cavern is known by my father, and he will have placed guards and other manner of traps along the entire route. He may have even lined the entire tunnel way with mines. It would be a suicide mission to attempt infiltration, and besides that we don't have the key."

"Then that would be the best route of attack, at least for a small force," Ned spoke up. "As for the key-" He dug into his cloak and pulled out the gate key Tramadore had given him. "That will not be a problem."

"What are you thinking?" Hawkins asked Ned.

The old castor furrowed his brow, and glanced to Spalding. "You said the undead army retreated. Has it been seen since?"

"Not at all," he replied.

"Then that may give us hope. By Percy's own account his father keeps the army in a ring on his hand," Ned told them.

Hawkins frowned. "I don't follow you."

Ned tapped his finger over the castle on the map. "A small group of, say, six people would infiltrate the castle through the tunnel, free Tramadore and lead Sturgeon out through the tunnel."

"And how would that help us?" Hawkins asked him.

"It would direct his attention away from the city while the army attacked the front," Spalding guessed in an excited voice. "They would take the city and cut Sturgeon off from reentering the castle."

"Precisely," Ned replied.

"I can see a million ways this plan will fail," Hawkins countered. "What if Sturgeon releases his army on ours? We would be overwhelmed in minutes. If he does swallow the bait and follow you into the tunnel what's to keep him from unleashing his army and retaking the city?"

"I have a plan for that," a soft, quiet voice spoke up. Deadly Sins stepped forward and his piercing eyes glanced over the group. "I will see to it that he doesn't leave the cavern alive."

Spalding glared at Sins. "How can we trust a murderer-for-hire, particularly since you worked for Sturgeon before?" he countered.

Sins narrowed his eyes. "He lost my favor when he attacked the city. I will not work for a man so laden with the deaths of innocents."

"Even an assassin has principle?" Spalding mockingly asked him.

Ned stepped between the men and held out his arms. "Enough, gentlemen. Our enemies are in the castle." Spalding turned away in disgust, but Ned caught Sins' eyes. "Can you ensure this way will destroy the army, if nothing else?"

"Can the dead be destroyed?" Ruth wondered.

Ned nodded. "Yes, by removing their heads, crushing their bones or both."

Sins bowed his head. "I can guarantee they will be destroyed with those method, and will take care to clear the way for whoever passes through the tunnel." He didn't wait for a reply, but swept out of the tent.

Percy sighed and shrugged. "He's always so impatient when he's on a job."

"Can you guarantee his loyalty, Sir Percy?" Pat asked him.

The young man cringed. "I'm afraid not entirely, but he must truly hate my father to betray an employer. I've never heard of him doing anything like this before."

Ned clapped his hands together and looked around at the people. "Well, we seem to have ourselves a shaky plan. How soon can the men be ready?"

Spalding and Hawkins glanced at one another. "My men are ready now," Hawkins replied.

"And those who are not wounded can fight this minute," Spalding told him.

"Good, have them ready at sunset," Ned commanded.

The two men blinked, and Spalding stepped forward. "Ready at sunset? That's several hours from now."

"Yes, and in case this goes badly we'll need all the help we can get fending off the army. That includes the clan of gargoyles who accompanied us as far as the ridge," Ned explained to them.

Hawkins stiffened, but Spalding was interested. "Gargoyles? They still exist?"

Ned nodded. "Yes, and they have been kind enough to offer their services in return for sanctuary in Tramadore, but we must have night for their help."

"What about the other soldiers? We have many more humans than monsters, and they need light," Hawkins angrily countered.

Pat stepped forward. "They will take care of the fighting before the sun, and the gargoyles will give us the advantage in the dark," she firmly replied. "If you wish to make a complaint against our allies, I suggest you do so after the battle. If we are all dead then you will have saved your breath, and if we're still alive it may well be because of those same monsters."

Hawkins scowled, but bowed his head. The action caused a reflection of an item on his breast, and Ned raised an eyebrow. "An interesting trinket you have there, Captain Hawkins," he commented as he nodded at the hairpin. "A family heirloom?"

"What? Oh, no, just a favor," he replied. "If you will excuse me I will prepare the men."

Hawkins left and Spalding smiled at the group. "I am very glad to see you all on our side. We may have hope in this battle." He bowed and went to prepare his own men.

When they'd left Pat slumped down into a chair and leaned forward. She rung her hands together and shook her head. "Hawkins is right, this is madness. There are a million ways we could fail and doom both Galaron and Tramadore to Sturgeon's rule."

Ned walked over and put a hand on her shoulder; he smiled down on the young girl. "With such adventurers at our disposal I can't see how we will lose."

Pat wryly looked up at him, and her eyes flickered over to Fred. "Well, if someone performs an earthquake I can see how we would all be doomed."

Fred's shoulders slumped, and Ruth patted him on the back. Ned chuckled. "Yes, well, I'm sure there won't be any need of his magic. Our role is a simple rescue mission-"

"-and getting Sturgeon to follow us," Pat added. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. "You do realize that means he could release the army on us."

Ned sheepishly grinned. "There is that possibility. We'll have to be sure to ask Hawkins for his fastest horses."