Tales of the Wolf: Book 01 - The Coming of the Wolf by A. E. McCullough Read Free Book Online Page A

lowest part of the tower. Hawkeye was already there with five backpacks.
    Khlekluëllin asked, “What now?”
    Rjurik nodded toward the barbarian.
    Hawkeye took a moment to study the three elves. Each of them was wounded but bandaged and mobile. Finally he said, “The chase is on. The Highlanders who attacked your party are led by a rogue warlord named Blackfang. He and his pack have been raiding the Highlands for the last few seasons. Now, it seems he has made an alliance with the gnomes and goblins of the region.”
    With a nod toward Tatianna he continued, “After he escaped our battle at the Shrine, I tracked him to an ancient fortress south of here that used to be in ruins. It has been rebuilt. Gnomes and goblins walked the battlements. This can only mean one thing, war. Blackfang must be planning to conquer the Highlands. We cannot let that happen.”
    “What do you mean, we?” Mortharona asked. “That has nothing to do with us. That is a barbarian problem, not an elf problem.”
    Without anger, Hawkeye continued. “No, it is the problem of all free people. Why did he attack your company? Why did he chase Tatianna, yet not kill her? And once the Highlands fall, do you think he will be content with just these lands? Why not the dwarven nation of Darkmoor or your homeland, the Elfholm? Neither kingdom is that far away and within easy striking distance of his fortress.”
    The elves were silent as they consider his words. The pounding on the front gate echoed through the old keep.
    Finally Khlekluëllin asked, “You said the chase is on, what do you mean by that?”
    Hawkeye and Rjurik moved aside the stone cover that blocked off an old well.
    “The gate and Rjurik’s traps will only keep the gnomes at bay for a short time. Additionally, there is a patrol of goblins north of here that will arrive shortly as reinforcements. We cannot hold this tower. We face a superior numbered foe with limited options; you three are injured, one old dwarf and I are not enough to hold them off for long. So we must flee.”
    Tatianna asked, “What did you have in mind?”
    “First rule of survival, always have a way out,” Rjurik said. He pointed at the hole in the ground. “This well is dry. At the bottom is a tunnel that leads north a bit before coming out in an old iron mine. I have some supplies hidden there.”
    “What if the goblins have found the mine and your supplies?” asked Tatianna.
    Rjurik chuckled. “I don’t think so, Grimclaw makes that mine his lair.”
    “Who is Grimclaw?” asks Mortharona.
    “The biggest and meanest grizzly bear in the region,” Rjurik said. “Goblins would be smart to avoid him.”
    “And we plan on taking a back door into his lair, how smart can we be?” asked Khlekluëllin.
    “Ol’ Grimclaw and I have an understanding. Trust me. From there we must follow Hawkeye’s advice. He knows the Highlands better than anyone alive.”
    Boom!
    The walls of the old tower shook with the crashing of the gate. Dust filled the room, as the sound of heavy boots echo through the tower.
    Hawkeye said, “Now…quickly, down the well!”
    Without argument, the three elves followed Rjurik down the hidden ladder along the wall of the well with Hawkeye taking up the rear. Reaching the bottom, Rjurik opened an old chest and pulled forth an unlit torch. Lighting it with flint and steel, he passed it back to Hawkeye before pulling two more from the chest which he passed to the twins. Lighting the torches, the small party could hear the echo of boots from above. The fear of discovery began to creep up their spine.
    Rjurik pushed the empty chest aside to reveal a small passageway cut into the side of the well. Without waiting, Rjurik crawled through the opening. One by one, the party followed and found themselves in a small smoothly cut passageway that was only about four foot by four foot and disappeared into the darkness. Only the flickering light from the three torches kept the oppressive darkness of