DREAM SCENE: Taglio floats on a gondola in the clouds, while naked nymphs flit about bringing him fine wines and massaging his feet:
The gondola lazily strolls along and Taglio hums a few bars of his favorite bavan. Then gradually the nymphs change one by one, becoming vicious imps with barbed daggers. They stab at his feet bringing him violently to his senses.
As he does so Tag rocks the gondola from side to side and it rolls throwing him into an icy lake. The freezing waters threaten to engulf him. He chokes on the water, his lungs burning and fights for breath. END Scene.
The gigantic goblin looks at Asif, Dakath, and Amibar as Rhune rises up to join them, seeing that this is the last opponent. The great creature, with the glow from it's chain mail dimming, barks at them, "Surrender now, humans!" He gestures toward Taglio, Forte, and Kyo, "Will not kill you. Can even save you friends. You drop weapons now, all live." The group can see one bead of sweat coming down his brow and he appears to be wheezing just a bit, but nonetheless, they realize he is a mighty opponent.
Asif stares back at the Goblin, green goblin blood dripping from his glowing red scimitars.
"SURRENDER???, Oh most worthy and wise enemy, we bask in your greatness. (Asif gives a mock bow) . If Aten gives me enough light to see, I would say that I have totally misread the outcome of this battle... Most stupid foreigner am I. (Asif laughs) You are one and we are?? One, two, three four, five?? (Asif counts upon his fingers).... Some of us a bit sore maybe, but as I see it all your friends are dead.....Come now efendi, how about we be generous to you and agree that this is an honorable draw."
Gritting her teeth and drawing her longsword, "We will not surrender, but if you can save them then do so or die," Rhune utters as she advances toward him clearly not willing to surrender to this foul creature. Watching him intently as she does so ready for anything.
The great goblin ponders his situation for a moment, clearly taking the threat of the Arab seriously. He also looks about, perhaps attempting to discern the location of Ullar. Finally, he looks intently at Asif, ignoring Rhune, "You take you men, I take my." He gestures toward the two fellows sleeping from Amibar's spell.
Off in the distance, the group sees that the wolf has stopped running, wheeled about, and is now heading back toward you. The goblin chief has not noticed it yet.
Keeping her eyes on the Goblin but still making note of the returning wolf.... "That would be good. But the others will have to decide that," Rhune replies
Asif eyes move not away from those of the giant goblin.
"You are indeed most sensible and wise chief of goblin kind. An honorable draw shall ensure that both you and I can take pleasure in the rising of Aten (Asif points to the sun) tomorrow morning. Now I suggest you put your dog upon a leash, take your friends and return to your home. Then praise be to Aten, I can do the same. Our paths of fate do not necessarily need to meet again."
The tall goblin looks somewhat confused at Asif's verbiage, "You go then, and we go?" He turns to notice his great white wolf returning, uninjured, which greatly evens the odds here. However, he appears to be a humanoid of his word, gathering up his sleeping comrades and draping them over the wolf. Looking back at the group with a blank expression, he departs, heading once again to the north, leaving his other two followers to rot in the sun. He looks back often. After some minutes, Asif sees that in the distance, the two other tall goblins have regained consciousness, and they begin walking along. All three often turn and look back toward you.
Looking about at their injured comrades, Taglio lies in a heap, barely alive, while Forte looks somewhat less than that. Kyo may be alive or not, as it is impossible to tell in his icy coating, and Ullar remains completely vanished.
Those remaining, Dakath, Asif, Amibar, and Rhune, are relatively healthy, but ponder their options from this point.
Dakath waits until the Goblin is out of earshot "I seemed to of spent most of that battle blundering around like a novice," he shakes his head before collecting the dagger(s) he threw, as he knelt down he paused and looked to the others. "Wasn't the Goblin chief supposed to have Stephen? I don't recall seeing him."
" I think the chief we talked to back at the lair said the big chief was going AFTER Stephen," answers Amibar wearily, as he tries to catch his breath and calm his nerves.
Rhune quickly puts her sword down, "Someone see to Kyo...See if you can get him thawed. I will see to Forte and if someone can see to Taglio, please," she calls out quickly dropping back down to Forte to try and do something to help him.
Within a few moments, you all have seen to Taglio and Forte. Both are terribly injured, and surely cannot survive any type of pace. You think that you might be able to hoist them onto their horses and carry them along at a snail's pace like dead weight, but even that might poise a threat. Kyo on the other hand seems to have slipped into some kind of coma. He does not show the slightest signs of visible life, though you can detect a very faint heartbeat and tiny gasps of air come through his nostrils. Having no experience with this type of thing, it is impossible to know what danger moving him might pose.
It takes quite a long time to get Forte up onto his horse, even though the creature is quite obliging, as he is a massively heavy man, and Asif's forte is not strength, but speed. Without Ullar, who still has not reappeared, it takes the exhaustive efforts of all involved, with a steep bow by Esqueleto, to get the huge fellow up. Moving Tag up proves almost as difficult, as the group has quite exhausted itself with Forte. Moving Kyo onto his horse proves nearly impossible. Through some amazing feat of will, finally it is done.
By the time the incapacitated members are on their horses, Amibar is huffing and puffing in exhaustion. Realizing he can be no great help in getting the wounded up, due to his small stature and weak build, he nevertheless did his utmost, mostly running around, waving his hands and trying to lend a hand where possible.
While the others are checking the injured Dakath searches the bodies of the fallen.
The two tallish goblinoids together carry 28 English gold, which Dakath puts in his pouch absently. Besides that, they have nothing of value.
Tag is vaguely aware of pain, but his thoughts drift through a haze of past glories and thoughts of death. It is as if he lies on the precipice. That moment when balance gives way, yet all things stand still. Neither holding his grip on life, neither falling wholly unto death. What fate awaits the sinner who has not yet had enough time to sin except in thought?
NOR dread nor hope attend A dying animal; A man awaits his end Dreading and hoping all; Many times he died, Many times rose again. A great man in his pride Confronting murderous men Casts derision upon Supersession of breath; He knows death to the bone --Man has created death.
(Yeats)