when Shayleigh sprang up, planting one foot on die cheek of its turned face, another on its ribs as she ran right down the falling creature's side.
There seemed to be no method to the dwarven rush, no aim above the general chaos. Then Pikel spotted the serving area, a long counter running along the back wall
"Oooo!" the green-bearded dwarf squeaked, his stubby finger pointing the way.
One of the three servers lifted a crossbow, but Shay-leigh's arrow took him down. A second lifted a wooden tray before him like a shield, but Ivan's axe cleaved it in two and cleaved the man's face in two as well. The third man's shield, an iron pot, seemed more formidable, but Pikel's club hit it head on, and the pot snapped back to hit the man head-on.
The three friends were over the counter in a flash, Shayleigh spinning about and setting her bow into frantic motion, for many enemies were now in pursuit She scored hit after hit, but there seemed no way that she could possibly stop the closing horde.
Ivan and Pikel leaped atop the counter to either side of her, armed with stacks of metal plates. The dwarves opened up a barrage of flying metal. Dishes whizzed through the air, spinning and swerving, battering the approaching enemies.
Battering them and holding them up long enough for Shayleigh to methodically cut them down.
"Hee hee nee," chuckled Pikel, and he hopped down from the counter and grabbed up a pot of thick green soup. Over it went, splashing and spilling, setting up the obstacle of a slippery floor for those enemies that came too near.
The dwarf also scooped up a huge ladle of boiling water before he climbed back atop the counter.
An arrow skipped right past Ivan's ear, knocking into the wall behind the dwarf. Shayleigh, intent on the largest approaching monster, another ogre, noted the archer to the side, crouched beside an overturned table.
"Yerself takes the bowmen!" Ivan cried. "Me and me brother!! take on them fools that come close!"
The reasoning seemed sound, and the etf maiden forced herself to hold her nerve, forced herself to ignore the closest threats and trust in her companions. She swerved her bow to the side, saw the bowman's hip foolishly hanging out from the barrier while he reloaded, and promptly stuck an arrow into him.
The approaching ogre carried four arrows in its chest but still stubbornly came on, right for Pikel and the helpless Shayleigh.
The dwarf's eyes widened in feigned fear, and Pikel seemed to cower, causing Shayleigh to cry out Pikel came up straight at the last moment, though, whipping out the ladle, splashing the surprised ogre's eyes and face with boiling water.
Predictably, the ogre lurched, throwing its arms up over its burned eyes. The shift cost the beast its already tentative balance in the green soup, and it skidded in to slam its knees against the sturdy stone counter. Down low, trying to recover its balance and its sight, the ogre felt a burning flash, a club-inspired explosion that caved in the top of its head.
Pikel laid his brain-stained club aside and took up more plates, sent them spinning off at enemies who were suddenly more interested in getting out of harm's way than in getting to the intruders.
"None better at kitchen fighting than a Bouldershoul-der," Ivan remarked, and, looking at the chaos and carnage, Shayieigh wasn't about to disagree.
But the elf knew that more than the initial fury would be needed to win this battle. Dozens of enemies remained, for more had come into the room, overturning tables before them, getting down under cover. She saw another archer peek up over the top rim of a table to the side, saw his bow come up.
Shayleigh was the quicker on the draw, and the better shot. While the man's arrow flew harmlessly high and wide, Shayleigh's got him between the eyes. The elf s satisfaction was short-lived as she realized that she had only five arrows remaining, and exhausted, too, was Ivan and Plkel's supply of metal plates.
*****
Cadderly kneeled above what was left of his prisoner, the man's torn head and shoulders. Black shadows of guilt assaulted the young priest*s sensibilities, hovering images judging him, telling him that this helpless man's death was his fault.
Danica was beside the young priest, urging him to his feet.
Cadderly pulled his arm free and stared hard at the gruesome sight He thought of going into the realm of spirits, to find the dead man and...
And what? Cadderly realized. Might