Abased - The Exiled Warrior

Chapter 18.2 - Language

They had been trotting through the corridors for a long five minutes and were pleased that they had not met any dargu hunting them.

Moments earlier they had followed Bouk's advice and extinguished their small torch. The sound of dargu talking reverberated down the hallway in front of them.

"We really have to go through three or four guard rooms?" Alam whispered.

"Bouk says the safest way is to skirt along the outside passages. He says we'll meet much less resistance than the faster, more direct route," Tajar whispered back.

"He said all that?" Alam asked.

"Not exactly," Tajar admitted. "I added some words, but that's the gist of it."

"I'm not convinced we can trust him."

"No. He's a dargu after all, and dargu are scum. But we're going to have to follow him for now. None of the dreams I had as the dragon involved these outer passages."

"Bouk," Alam whispered to the dargu, confident that Tajar would translate, "how many guards in each guard room?"

"Shu," Bouk replied after Tajar had translated. He held up four fingers. He then launched into a much longer string of sentences.

"He says each guard room has a noisemaker in it. We'll have to stop them using that first, otherwise other guards will come. I didn't understand what he meant by a 'noisemaker'."

"We can take four dargu no problem," said Alam. "But doing it quietly? I'm not so sure. So here's what I think we do: I'll rush in and make sure the noisemaker isn't used. They'll be looking at me, you pick off any on the outside of the group, or who are trying to flee, with your bow."

"I like it," Tajar nodded. "Vague and clear at the same time."

"I wish we had rope to tie up and gag our little friend so he doesn't cause trouble." Alam turned to the dargu. "Bouk, when we attack you are to stand with your hands on your head in front of Tajar. He will kill you if you make noise or try to flee."

The creature nodded in comprehension once Tajar had translated.

"I don't like having to leave Clarisai here unattended, but there isn't an alternative," Alam glanced down to where she lay on the floor, very faintly outlined by the dim yellow light from the guardroom around the corner.

"She'll be fine," Tajar patted Alam on the shoulder.

"Unless a troop of dargu are silently coming up the corridor behind us."

They both looked over their shoulders and into the pitch black of the corridor they had come from. They could not see or hear anything but it did not take much imagination to picture a group of the short creatures sneaking up on them.

"That's a good point," Tajar said. "Let's go and make it quick."

Alam pumped his arms to get the blood flowing and let the fury build inside as Chief Urlock had taught him. Next to him he heard, rather than saw, Tajar fit an arrow to the sting and pull it back.

"I hate this," Alam muttered to himself as he set off down the corridor as quietly as his armour covered lanky frame allowed. He could not hear Tajar or Bouk behind him, but trusted their stealth more than his own.

He stopped at the corner of the passage and let out a long breath. Once he turned the corner there was no turning back, they would see him and death for someone was inevitable.

The dargu voices were close. Close enough to distinguish different voices.

"I really hate this," he muttered again under his breath.