Macster - The Missing Links

For the third time since they had entered these infernal tunnels, Burly bashed his head on a low-hanging beam and snarled. "Suck an Elf two hundred times!"

Blabberwort privately agreed with him. If not for those ridiculously short and shrimpy Dwarves, she and Burly would not be having this height problem. Bluebell, of course, was having no trouble, but neither she nor Burly really cared what he thought, because clearly they were more important.

"I hate Dwarves," she growled, and then whipped out her sword, pointing it upright. "First one I see, I'll kabob him!" She thrust the blade upwards and grinned.

Burly stopped and crouched, looking around guardedly. "They see a Troll, they'll be on you like a pack of hounds and tear you limb from limb." He gulped.

"Oh, shut up!" Bluebell snapped. "What are we, Trolls or mice?"

For once Bluebell had said something not only smart, but inspiring. Blabberwort brandished her sword and nodded firmly. "We're Trolls! Trolls afraid of nothing..."

Burly looked relieved and growled appreciatively. Pulling out his axe, he slapped Bluebell on the back and then nodded toward the tunnel.

Blabberwort led the way, her fingers tightening on the sword hilt. They had come all this way, climbing those steep and winding mountain trails, only to find themselves in this warren of Dwarf tunnels, but it didn't matter how far they had to go or where the tracks led. They would find that blasted witch.

And then they would kill her.

Creeping stealthily through the maze of tunnels, Blabberwort set down one booted foot after another with infinite care. As they passed from one tunnel to another, searching for the way into the mines and the tracks showing where the witch and her companions had gone, she waved her sword around menacingly into the shadows, ready to stab anything that leaped at her.

Suddenly, a distant noise began, very faint. She cocked her head and listened.

Burly heard it too. "What was that?"

The noise grew closer and louder with every second, and then it abruptly wailed around them, the shriek of a horn blasting through the tunnels. The roof shook and dust and rocks began to tumble downwards.

As one the three Trolls screamed, scattering into the tunnels and trying to hide from the terrifying sound. An alarm meant only one thing--trouble, with a capital, um, well with some capital letter. And none of them wanted to stay around to run into it.

Forgetting completely her vow not to fear the Dwarves, Blabberwort scrambled up a support post, covering her face as she waited for the noise to go away. It was humiliating, but she knew no other Troll would act any better than she would in her place.

If the witch was behind this, she would pay for it.

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