Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Three - Granite Springs Calls For Aid

Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Three - Granite Springs Calls For Aid

Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty-Three - Granite Springs Calls For Aid

The dam hadnt had time to change since Id last seen it. I guess even the hard-working mole people could only do so much in a few hours. The same guard was standing at the top of the wall, and he squinted at me as I came closer.

Hello! I called up. Its Broccoli Bunch! I have a letter for the general!

The mole person blinked a few times. Hello again, he said. Give us a moment then.

I was quite happy to wait. While I could wick off the sweat with my Cleaning magic, that didnt change how warm I was feeling, or even how burny my muscles were. It was nice to stand still and let things settle.

Actually, getting rid of all my sweat was probably a bad idea. Sweat was meant to help cool a person off, and I was feeling very warm. Something to keep in mind when I didnt need to be presentable in front of an important general person.

The drawbridge gate lowered, and the same guard mole I saw above waddled out to come closer. Are you alone, miss? he asked.

Yup, I said. Its just me.

Ah, I see. Wonderful. The general is a little preoccupied right now, but you may enter. The general will be with you shortly.

I grinned as wide and happy as I could. Thank you! I said as I followed the mole person guard back in. A few workers spun a wheel around once we were within the fort, and the gate rose with a clatter of chains. So, do I need to wait somewhere in particular? I asked.

The guard mole reached up and scratched at his wide neck with his clawed hands. I dont know. Just around here, I suppose.

Oh, okay. Can I stay with you then?

He shrugged. I dont mind. Ive never talked to a bun before. He stared. You are a bun?

Yup! Though I started off as a plain old human. I nodded. So, whats your name? I cant keep on calling you the guard mole in my head.

He chuckled, a raspy sort of sound. Im Diggo, of the Undervalley clan. So, you were a human first? Is that how it works for all buns?

Hmm? No, most buns are born as buns. At least, I think so. There would need to be a lot of people turning into buns, otherwise.

Thats interesting, I guess, Diggo said. We dont have any buns in town. Id have heard of them.

Is it mostly mole people then? I asked.

The mole guard nodded. Yup. For the most part just normal folk. A few sylph too. Strange ones at that, but nice enough. I know some villages have a human or two as well, but none near here.

Thats neat, I said. I guess it can be harder for some people to adapt to living underground. I know Id have a hard time. I need some space to move around in.

Really? I find being out here in the open stressful. Look at all that sky. You cant know whats going to come swooping out of it.

I glanced up at the clear blue sky, bright and inviting, with a cheerful sun dancing above. Sure, I guess, I said. I wasnt going to argue against his fears.

Captain Bunch, a familiar voice called out. I shifted, a smile coming up as I saw General Holey walking my way with a couple of guards at his back. Youve come alone?

I thought Id seen something similar in Deepmarsh, in some farmers field, but Id almost entirely forgotten about them. What are those? I asked the general when he didnt look so occupied.

Never seen a burden beetle? Theyre docile enough, though convincing them to stay in the open air requires some training. We use them to pull carts underground.

Are they smart?

No smarter than a sylphs horse, the general said. Less, even.

The burden beetles had strange barding that required two mole people to put on. They were brought to one side of the fort where carts with big wheels and posts in their middle were hitched to them, four beetles to each cart.

The gate was lowered again, and the carts, some four in all, were led out of the fort by drivers sitting right behind the beetles. Come on, captain, General Holey said. Were taking the lead cart.

I nodded and followed after the general. A few others followed after him too, staff and people who I figured were officers. We climbed aboard the cart and basically stood at the back. There werent any seats, just some poles coming out of the middle to hold onto.

A group of soldiers ran up behind us and fitted some spears into little holes on the side of the cart, each one at an angle from the middle so that the cart had a dozen spikes sticking out of it above our heads.

What are those for? I asked.

It makes it harder for any flying creature to swoop down and grab someone off of the cart, the general explained.

Oh, I said. That was a rather terrifying answer. Does that happen a lot?

There are a few predators that like to target us, he explained. The sylph are targeted as well, but they have better eyes than we do, and can generally see a threat coming in time to react. We have to adapt to things differently when were on the surface.

I nodded, then leaned to the side to see the other carts behind us. Soldiers were clinging onto them, maybe a dozen well-armed and armoured mole people on each. They had little swords by their hips and, of course, their long spears sticking out above their cart. All of them wore the same heavy plate armour, big breastplates and metal bands around their legs. They were pretty noisy, especially when they moved their heads to look around.

They had neat chainmail hoods on, with wide-brimmed metal hats above those. The only differences I could see in their armour were some that had a crest on their helmet to make room for feathers, and a few that had cloth robes on.

Are the ones with skirts girls? I asked the general.

He stared at me for a moment, then looked back to the carts I was eyeing. No? The half-robes are traditional garb worn by mages. Cant you tell a male from a female?

I... not really, no, I said. Whats the difference between a boy mole person and a girl mole person... wait, are you?

Im male, the general said. He didnt sound amused, but something about the way his whiskers twitched said he was. The men will be broader in the chest, and a little taller besides.

Oh, I said. I guess that helped, though with the armour it would be hard to tell them apart.

Probably best to just ask if I wasnt sure. It was better than sticking my foot in my mouth, even if I had the flexibility to manage that.

Alright! General Holey called out. Lets go kill an amphiptere!

The soldiers cheered, and we were off.

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