Teaming Up

The people of Westmark continue their battle against the golems.

37.

Teaming Up

 

 

Just outside the Ducal Keep, a fierce battle was being fought between another group of snow golems and citizens led by Pectros.   The golems here had what looked like a thick coating of ice over their snowy forms which acted as a rather effective type of armor.   Their animators had also driven a series of long sharp spikes up and down their arms that made their limbs look like long white spiked clubs stuck into sides of the golems.

“We may be in trouble”, Pectros told Neal as the two of them fought to down one of the creatures while avoiding his spikes each time that he swung his arms.

All around them laid wounded and bleeding guardsmen and citizens, and both men realized at about the same time that they were the only men standing against three of the snow golems.

“Captain, I think you might be right.  But we can’t leave all these wounded people here.”

They slowly backed up as the snow golem swung his spiked arms at them.   He missed, but pushed the two of them back toward where the other golems were awaiting them.  

As they were herded toward the other golems, they heard running footsteps and Brolen’s son, Luke, accompanied by Leah Flydros, both wearing suits of chainmail far too large, joined them.

“What are you doing?”  Pectros asked nervously, “Get somewhere safe.”

“There aren’t many safe places left”, Luke responded, as he handled a spiked morning star.   Leah carried a shield and held a wicked looking morning star as well.

“Where’d you get those weapons?”  The Captain of the Guard asked, moving the children backwards as he kept his eyes on the advancing snow golem.  

“Freila” Leah replied, “She’s coming right now.”

Behind them, huffing and puffing as she almost swam in the snow, which reached to her waist, came the lady dwarf, encased in plate mail and carrying a two-handed mace.

“Freila, get these children out of here!”   Pectros growled to the lady, but before she could respond, several snow golems chose that moment to attack.

All of them ducked as the Golem in front of them swung his spiked arm across them.   From behind, a second Golem swung his spiked arm close to the ground, knocking Neal and Freila from their feet.

Pectros reached to pull the two children behind him, but both children instead rushed forward with their morning stars and attacked the golem’s legs.

The golem raised an arm to slam down on them, but Pectros was engaged suddenly by the third golem, and he watched out of the corner of his eye, as the blow came down.   Before it struck, though, there came a flash of red from behind him, and jets of fire shot forth and crashed into the snow golem.   The animated beast fell backwards a step or two; injured, giving both children time to scurry backwards.  

 

Pectros quickly glanced behind him to see who had cast the spell and was surprised to find Rori already in the process of casting another one.   His surprise caused him to miss deflecting a swipe by the golem and he found himself flat on his back, his helm knocked off and damaged from spikes.

Rolling to his side, Pectros dodged the foot of the golem as he tried to crush him.   Yet before he could get to his feet, a blue bolt of energy hit the golem in his chest, knocking him back a step.   The Captain saw his chance and swung again at the golem’s legs knocking the creature off balance and crashing to the ground.  

Pectros began pummeling the golem, and Neal and Freila joined him, much to the Captain’s relief.  

“Where are the children?”   Pectros asked as the Golem’s enchantment faded and he crumbled.

The three of them glanced up and were stunned to see one of the other two golems facing off against the two kids.

They raced to aid them, but the children were actually doing very well against the snow golem.   They had separated, coming at the golem from two sides and waiting until he swung at one of them before the other one chopped at his leg.   As Pectros, Neal and Freila advanced on the golem, Rori was running to help them from another direction.

But the other golem intercepted the Sorceress as she came to the children’s aid.   Fortunately the girl saw the creature coming and dodged backwards at each of his swings.   Pectros saw the attack and for a moment froze in confusion over what to do.   The children were armed and armored, holding their own against the golem, with Neal and Freila on their way to assist them.   Rori had no weapon and probably would not be able to cast any spell quickly enough to help her.   He made his decision, turning suddenly and charging the golem that had the Sorceress cornered against the city wall.  

 

Pectros purposely crashed into the back of the legs of the golem, using his shield as a battering ram.   His assault made the golem fall backwards, over him, and the Captain of the Ducal Guard was up in a moment, bringing his sword down on the golem’s right arm before he swung it again.   The creature turned and clubbed him with his left arm, but Pectros had his shield up over his head and absorbed the impact.   He slammed his shield into the icy shell that encased the golem, but it only succeeded in chipping off a piece of the creature.  

Again the golem clubbed Pectros with his left arm, driving spikes deep into his shield, but he was determined to destroy the animated beast and kept hacking at the ice.  

He felt someone grab his arm and looked over to see Rori pulling him back.   Unsure why she was doing this, he retreated out of the range of the Golem’s arm, and immediately the creature began struggling to get to his feet.  

“Rori, what-“He began to ask, but then he noticed a large pottery urn in her other hand.   Before he could say anything else, the girl flung the urn at the golem, and the vessel shattered on contact with the icy shell covering him, coating him with a dark substance.   She said a single word and a tiny flame sprouted from the tip of her finger.

 

She flicked her finger and the flame flipped off and landed on the oily substance coating the golem.   There was a whoosh sound and immediately the golem was on fire.   The animated figure didn’t even seem to notice, but continued to stand up, as the shell coating him melted away, along with much of the snow beneath.   He took three steps forward, raising his spike covered arms to attack them, but then just crumbled into a pile of snow and ice.  

“Lamp oil” she explained to the Captain of the Guard as they turned and hurried over to assist the others.  

 

But there was no need, for Neal, Freila and the two children had managed to avoid injuries and chop off one of the golem’s arms.   He swung the other arm wildly, but they stayed out of range, and Neal kept moving in and hacking at the leg on the opposite side from the remaining arm of the beast.   By the time Rori and Pectros arrived on the scene, the golem was on his back with the four pounding away at his remaining arm, then, as they arrived to join them, attacked his ice encased torso, until he too dissolved.

“Good job,” Pectros told the group as they stood catching their breath, “Three down, hundreds left.”

They all nodded, resting a moment before hurrying through the snow to assist elsewhere.