Chapter 31 Chapter 27 The Bell of Destiny

Bremen was engulfed in flames in the early morning. As waves of monsters cross the Morioka River, the residents of this unwalled town know how to fight and hang on.They made a token resistance at the ferry and shot some arrows at the lead goblin!Just to slow down the enemy, so that even the lumbering slow boats can leave the port to safety in the Lake of Dürden.Then these archers also ran to the pier and fled after the people from the same town.The goblins came into town and they found the place completely abandoned.They watched angrily as the ship sailed eastward to join Targos and Tamarin's fleet.Bremen was too far from the main road to be of any use to Akar Kessell, so unlike Tamaran, which was turned into a barracks, the town was immediately in flames.

On the lake the latest homeless refugees from Kessell's persecution watched helplessly as their homes were burned to ashes. On the walls of Bryn Shander, Cassius and Regis were looking on. "He made another mistake," Cassios told the halfling. "What's wrong?" "Kessell cornered Targos, Tamaran, Kekkoni, Cadineva," Cassios explained. "They have nowhere to go now and their only hope lies in victory." "But that hope is unlikely to come true," Regis commented. "You've seen the power of that tower. Kessell's army could destroy us all without it! Like he said, he has every advantage." "Maybe," Cassius admitted. "The wizard believed he was invincible, and that was close to the truth. But that was his mistake, my friend. Even the tameest animal will stand up bravely when cornered, because it There is nothing left to lose. A poor man is scarier than a rich man because he cares less about his own life. When the first winds of winter blow, a man homeless and helpless on the tundra is sure to be hard to deal with enemy!"

"Don't be afraid, my little friend," Cassius went on. "In our meeting this morning, we will find a way to exploit the wizard's weakness." Regis nodded, unable to argue with the speaker's simple logic, nor did he want to spoil his optimism.As he scanned the hordes of goblins and half-orcs surrounding the city, the halfling still felt hopeless. He looked north, and the smoke and dust in Dwarf Valley had finally settled.Bruno's Rock no longer exists, it and some other cliffs have collapsed when the dwarves closed the cave. "Open a door for me, Bruenor," Regis said absently. "Please let me in."

   Meanwhile, Bruenor and his people were discussing the possibility of opening a door in the tunnel.But not to let others in.Not long after their overwhelming victory over the ogres and goblins outside the mines, these bearded warriors found it impossible to sit still while orcs and goblins were destroying the world around them.They were eager to deal a second blow to Kessell.In their underground hideout, they had no way of knowing if Bryn Shander was still holding on, or if Kessell's army had swept Ten-Towns, but they heard someone above the southern end of their great complex of tunnels. The sound of encampment.

Bruenor was the one who suggested the second strike, mainly because he was angry at the loss of his closest non-dwarven friends.Soon after the goblins who had escaped the collapse of the tunnel were dealt with, the clan leader from Mithril Hall gathered all his people. "Send some men to the farthest end of the tunnel," he ordered. "Find out where those dogs sleep." That night the sound of monsters marching across the fields around Bryn Shander far to the south became evident.The industrious dwarves immediately set out to mend the long-unused tunnel in that direction.When they got below the army, they dug ten vertical pits upward, stopping only a little above the ground.

A peculiar light returned to their eyes: the light that a dwarf only shone when he knew he was about to chop off a few goblin heads.Bruno's complex and treacherous plan has little risk but endless potential.In five minutes, their new exit will be complete.A minute after that, their whole army could crawl among Kessell's sleeping army.    What Cassius called the Interim Council meeting was really more like a Bryn Shander speaker gathering to announce his plan for revenge.But none of the leaders who came made the slightest protest, not even Glenn Sather, the only other speaker present.Cassius had studied all aspects of the invading goblin army and wizards down to the trivial point.The speaker gave a rough outline of the entire disposition of the enemy force, detailing the most likely clashes between goblins and orcs, and his estimate of how long it would take for these internal struggles to effectively weaken the enemy force.

However, everyone present agreed that the foundation of the siege was in the hands of the Magic Crystal Tower.The awe-inspiring power of this crystalline structure can scare even the most divisive half-orcs into obedience without question.As Cassius sees it, the limits of power are the real problem. "Why is Kessell so insisting on our immediate surrender?" the spokesman reasoned. "He could actually let us sit under the pressure of the siege for a few days and soften our resistance." The others agreed with Cassius, but no one answered him. "Perhaps Kessell's hold on the army isn't as strong as we've been led to believe," Cassios himself suggested. "Maybe the wizard is afraid that if time drags on, his army will disintegrate."

"Maybe," replied Glen Suther of East Exile. "It's also possible that Acar Kessell is well aware of his own strength, and that we have no choice but to obey. Are you confusing his confidence with worry?" Cassius paused for a moment to think about this question. "Good question." He finally spoke. "But it's not important to our plan." Glenn Suther and several others looked up at the spokesperson curiously. "We have to assume it's the latter, that he's concerned rather than confident," Cassios explained. "If the wizards are truly in complete control of the combined armies, then nothing we have planned will fail. So our actions must be based on the assumption that Kessell's anxiety is motivated by fear."

He continued: "I don't think the wizard is a good strategist. He resorted to mass destruction because he assumed it would scare us into submission, when in fact it only strengthened the resolve of many to fight to the last. We Several towns have been at odds with each other for so long that a wise raider master would surely take advantage, but these towns are united by Kessell's willful neglect of detail and brutality." Cassius knew from the attentive eyes that he had support from every corner.He's trying to accomplish two things in this meeting; convince others to join the gamble he's about to reveal, and give them a modicum of hope by offering a vision.

"Our guys are all there," he said, waving his hand out flat. "On Lake Duerden and Lake Dinesha, the fleet has gathered, waiting for some signal of support from Bryn Shander. The people of Mead Town and Dougan's Hole on the South Lake are the same, they Armed and well aware that if we fail there will be nothing left for the survivors!" He leaned forward on the table!Take turns looking at everyone sitting in front of you before jumping to conclusions. "No more homes. No more hope for our wives. No more hope for our children. We have nowhere to go." Cassius continued to encourage everyone around him, and soon gained the support of Glenn Sasser, who had already guessed Cassius' motivational motivation and saw the value in doing so.Cassius looked for the most suitable time.When most of the leaders turned the frown of despair into a determination to survive, he proposed a bold plan.

"Kessell wants us to send an envoy," he said. "Then we'll send." "You or I should be the most viable options," Glenn Suther interjected. "Who is better?" A weird smile appeared on Cassius' face. "Neither is good," he replied. "If we're really going to accept Kessell's choice, it should be one of us. But we have other options." He turned his gaze directly to Regis.The halfling began to squirm uncomfortably, probably guessing what the speaker was thinking. "There is a man among us who has earned a legendary reputation through his powers of persuasion. Perhaps his charm will buy us some precious time when we face the wizard." Regis felt very uncomfortable.He often thought that one day the ruby ​​pendant would lead him into trouble too deep to climb out. A few people looked at Regis now, visibly interested in what Cassius' proposal might accomplish.The tales of the Halfling's charm and persuasiveness, and the accusations Kemp had made against him in council a few weeks earlier, had been told a thousand times over, to every one in town, and every A storyteller adds embellishments to emphasize his own importance in the story.While Regis doesn't like the secret of losing his powers (people don't look him in the eye anymore) he does like being famous to some degree.It never occurred to him that so many people watching him could have bad side effects. "Let this halfling, ex-speaker of Lonewood, represent us to the palace of Akar Kessell," Cassius said to the almost unanimous consent. "Maybe our little friend can convince the wizard that his evil ways are wrong!" "You're mistaken!" Regis protested. "Those are just rumors..." "Humility," interrupted Cassius, "is a virtue, good halfling. Everyone here admires your honesty of self-doubt, and your ability to use your talents in the face of doubt. Use it against Kessell!" Regis closed his eyes and didn't answer, he knew that whether he agreed or rejected, the proposal would definitely pass. Indeed, there was not even a single vote against it.These cornered people are more than willing to grab any sliver of hope. Cassius quickly concluded the meeting, because he believed that all other matters, such as the problem of refugee flows and food storage, were not as important as this one at the moment.If Regis failed, all the rest of the inconvenience was nothing. Regis remained silent.He came to this meeting just to give some support to the speaker friends.When he sat down at the table, he had no intention of actually participating in the discussion, let alone being the focus of the defense plan. The meeting was then declared dissolved.Cassius and Glenn Suther gave each other a knowing wink and said it was a success, because everyone left in the room felt a little more optimistic. When Regis was about to go out like the others, Cassius kept him.The Bryn Shander spokesperson closed the door after everyone else walked out, hoping to make a brief statement about the protagonist of the first phase of his plan. "You should have told me first!" Regis complained to the spokesman as soon as the door closed. "I should have the right to decide whether to participate in this matter!" Cassius' face was serious as he turned to the halfling. "What choice do we have?" he asked. "That way at least people get a little hope." "You overestimate me," Regis protested. "Maybe you underestimate yourself," Cassius said.Although the halfling knew that Cassius would not withdraw the plan, the speaker's confidence conveyed a spirit of consideration for others, which comforted Regis. "For both of us' sake, let's pray that the latter is true," Cassius continued, walking to his chair by the table. "But I really believe it is. I have faith in you, even if you don't. I remember you in Parliament five years ago, but it's a feat of persuasion, Regis of Lonewood Si, what's more important is that they were able to keep it a secret for so long!" Regis blushed as he acknowledged the argument. "If you can handle a man as stubborn as Kemp of Targos, you should find Akar Kessell easy!" "I agree with you that Kessell is weaker than average on the inside," Regis said. "But wizards have a way of finding out tricks like wizards do. And you forget there are demons. I wouldn't dare cheat on something like that!" "Let's hope you don't have to confront that guy," Cassios agreed, visibly shaking. "But I think you must go to the tower and convince the wizards to look. If we can't hold out until there is a commotion in them, then we are dead. Believe me, I am your friend, if I have another choice, I will never let you take such a big risk." The spokesperson's original optimistic expression has long since turned into a helpless expression of pain.His concern touched Regis, like a hungry man crying for food. Regis was also forced to acknowledge the line of the plan and that there was nothing else to do, beyond his feelings about the underwhelming spokesman.Kessell didn't give them much time to regroup after the first attack.In razed Targos, the wizard had shown that he was capable of destroying Bryn Shander as well, and the halfling had no doubt that Kessell would act on his heinous threat. So Regis accepted his role, and it was their only option.A halfling is hardly motivated to act, but once he has made up his mind to do something, he tries to do it as well as he can. "First," he began, "I must tell you a secret that you must never tell. I do have the help of magic." A gleam of hope returned to Cassius' eyes.He leaned forward, eager to hear more, but Regis held out his hand to silence him. "But you know," the halfling explained, "that I don't have the power to change other people's minds, as the rumors say. I can't ask Kessell to give up his evil plans completely, just as I can only persuade Kemp kept the peace in Tamarin." He stood up from the cushioned chair, hands clasped behind his back.Cassius looked at him, wondering what he was about to do, why he was acknowledging and then denying his power. “Sometimes, however, I have a way of making people see things from a different perspective,” admits Regis. "Just like the incident you often bring up, at that time I convinced Kemp that he had to take more suitable means to fulfill his own desire." He went on: "So Cassios, tell me one more time what you know about the wizard and his army. Let's see if we can figure out a way to make Cassell suspicious of what he's relying on!" The halfling's eloquence startled the speaker.Even if he hadn't looked Regis in the eye, he could see that although the rumors he had previously thought were exaggerations, there was a good deal of truth in them. "We know from the messenger that Kemp has commanded the surviving armies of the four towns on Lake Dulden," Cassius explained, "and the same goes for Jessin Brandt and Shammon on Lake Dinesha, Combined with the fleet on Hongshui Lake, this will be a powerful team!" He added: "Kemp has vowed vengeance, and I doubt anyone among the refugees is still thinking about surrendering or fleeing." "Where could they go?" Regis murmured.He looked at Cassius with pity in his eyes, and he had no words of comfort.Cassius had shown confidence and hope in front of the rest of the council, but he couldn't look at Regis now and make false promises. Glenn Suther suddenly rushed back into the room. "The wizard has returned to the fields!" he cried. "He wants us to send an envoy, and the lights on the tower are starting to shine again!" The three rushed out of the building, Cassius speaking as much as he could. Regis told him to be quiet. "I'm ready," he announced to Cassius. "I don't know if your outrageous plan has any chance of success, but I swear to you right now that I'm going to do my best." Then they reached the city gate. "It's got to work," Cassius said, patting Regis on the shoulder. "We have no other hope." He turned to leave, but Regis had one more question he needed an answer to. "What if I find that I can't hold Kessell with my strength?" he asked seriously. "What will I do if the plan fails?" Cassius looked at the thousands of women and children huddled in the public square. "In case of failure," he began slowly, "if Kessell cannot be persuaded not to use the tower's power against Bryn Shander," he paused again, as if unwilling to hear what he was about to say right away. . "Then you surrender at my personal order." Cassius turned and walked towards the city wall to watch the dangerous meeting.Regis didn't hesitate at all, for he knew that in the midst of this dire crisis, just stopping for a moment would make him change his mind and hide in a dark hole somewhere in the city.Before he had a chance to think again, he passed through the gates and descended the hill boldly in the direction of Akar Kessell. Kessell reappeared between the mirrors held by the two trolls, arms crossed, one foot pacing impatiently.The wicked scowl on his face gave Regis the impression that Kessell would beat Regis himself to death in an uncontrollable rage before he reached the bottom of the hill.But the halfling had to stare at Kessell to continue.The disgusting trolls disgusted him more than anything he had ever encountered, and it took all his willpower to get anywhere near them.Even at the gates, he could smell a disgusting smell of corruption. But anyway, he went to the mirror and faced the evil wizard. Kessell watched the envoy for a while.He hadn't expected a halfling to represent the city at all, and wondered why Cassius didn't come by himself for such an important meeting. "Are you here as an official of Bryn Shander and a representative of all the people living in the city?" Regis nodded. "I am Regis of Lonewood," he replied. "I am a friend of Cassios and a former member of the Ten-Towns Council. I have been appointed to speak for all the townspeople." Kessell's eyes narrowed in anticipation of victory. "Are you bringing news of unconditional surrender?" Regis faltered uneasily, moving deliberately to allow the ruby ​​pendant on his chest to work. "I wish to speak with you in private, powerful wizard, so that we can discuss the terms of surrender." Kessell's eyes widened.He glared at Cassius on the wall. "I said unconditional surrender!" he screamed.Behind him, the light of the magic crystal tower has begun to swirl and shine. "Now show me the result of stupid arrogance!" "Wait!" Regis argued, jumping up and down to win back the wizard's attention. "Before deciding, there are some things you must know!" Kessell didn't pay attention to the halfling's movements, but the ruby ​​pendant caught his eye immediately.Even though the distance between the real body and the reflected image gave him protection, he was still fascinated by the gem. When Regis noticed that the wizard's eyes were fixed on the gem without blinking, he couldn't help laughing, but he only smiled a little. "I have some information that you are sure to find valuable," the halfling said quietly. Kessell gestured for him to continue. "Not here," Regis whispered. "Too many curious ears here. Not all goblins will be happy to hear what I have to say!" Kessell considered the halfling's words.He sensed that for some reason he couldn't figure out, he was very curious. "Very well, halfling," he agreed. "I want to hear what you have to say." Suddenly a bright light flashed, and after a puff of smoke, the wizard disappeared. Regis turned his head to look at the people on the city wall, and nodded. Relying on a telepathic command from the tower, the troll turned the mirror to look at Regis.It was the same flash and smoke, and then Regis was gone. On the ramparts, Cassios returned the nod to the halfling, though Regis was gone.The speaker breathed easier because of Regis' last look at him, and the fact that Bryn Shander was still there as the sun set.If his guess based on the timing of the wizard's actions was correct, then the magic crystal tower should be mostly powered by sunlight. His plan seemed to save everyone at least one extra night.    Even through his dim eyes, Drizzt recognized the black figure guarding him.The dark elf hit his head when he was kicked off the hilt, and his loyal companion, Guan Haifa, kept watch over him during his unconsciousness, even though the leopard himself was badly wounded in the fight against Errtu. hit. Drizzt rolled over and sat up, trying to make sense of what was around him.At first he thought it was morning, but then he realized that the dim sunlight was coming from the west.He'd wasted the best part of his day, completely exhausted because the cutlass had drained him of his energy during the battle with the demon. Guan Haifa looked even more haggard.One of the leopard's shoulders had slumped limply from hitting the stone wall, and Errtu had scratched a deep gash on its front foot. However, what was more serious than the wound was that the magical beast was exhausted to the extreme.It has stayed in the material plane for too long, and it has exceeded ordinary limits.The passage from its own connection to here is completely maintained by its magical energy, and every minute it stays here, some power will be drawn away. Drizzt stroked its neck tenderly.He knew the sacrifices Guenhwyfa had made for himself, and he also hoped that he could satisfy the leopard's needs and send it back to his own world. But he can't.If the leopard returns to its own realm, it will take hours for it to regain its strength and reconnect with the world.And he needs this leopard now. "Just one more click," he begged.The trusty monster lay quietly beside it, without any sign of protest.Drizzt looked at it with loving eyes, then stroked its neck again.How he wanted to let the leopard go back! But he couldn't. According to what Errtu told him, the existence of the material plane cannot see the entrance of the magic crystal tower. Drizzt needed the leopard's eyes.