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into one of the wide cracks in the floor as the rest of die Squad searched for
and located three places to take cover: one on a ledge high on the west wall,
the other two behind boulders along the east wall. And Perry, Anval, and Borin
made sure that they could quickly get concealed in their selected hiding
places: Borin on the ledge, Anval and Perry behind the boulders. Then a trio
of toppling ropes were tied to the great slab up high, Borin clambering to do
it. That done, the lanterns were hooded, and Perry made one more trip through
the hole and down the cleft, this time with his sleeve well buttoned. When he
returned he reported that the maggot-folk showed no sign of moving on.
"Then we must delay no longer," declared Lord Kian, and he turned to Anvai and
Borin. "We have come far together, and it saddens me that we are to be
sundered. Yet the mission is our first concern and makes this separation
necessary. In my heart I believe we will meet again."
Then Lord Kian knelt on one knee before Perry and placed a hand on each of the
buccan's shoulders. "Friend Waerling, though we have known one another but a
brief time, I value your friendship. Take care and guide well." He embraced
the Warrow and men stood.
Shannon and Ursor in turn said a simple "Fare you well" to the Dwarves and the
Warrow. Perry was too overburdened with emotion to say anything, and Anvai and
Borin managed to say only, "Shok Chdkka amonu."
Lord Kian stepped forward and took up one of the toppling lines, and so did
they all: Borin assumed a stance behind Kian on that line; Ursor, and behind
him Shannon, took up the second tine; and Anval with Perry grasped the third
and last line, At Kian's quiet command, they all hauled back; the
ropes grew taut as the Squad pulled, yet the stone yielded not. Again Kian
gave the command, and all put forth maximum effort: grips tightened, arms
knotted, backs straightened, and legs strained; still the rock remained
stubborn and did not move. "Enough," panted Kian, and released his grip.
Dejectedly, Perry dropped his end of the rope and sat down with the others,
rubbing his forearms. "Now what do we do?" asked the Warrow.
Borin glanced at the top of the slab. "When I fastened the lines," he
recalled, "I saw a notch high up behind the rock. I deem a Chak could climb
into it and use his legs to lever the stone. Anval, you are strongest. Climb
to the cleft, brace between the rock and the wall, and give it enough more of
a push with us pulling to o'erbalance it."
No sooner did Borin speak than Anval swarmed up the slab and into the notch.
He then placed his feet on the rock and braced his back against the stone
wall. The rest of the Squad took up the ropes: Borin, Kian, and Ursor on the
three separate lines, Shannon behind Kian, and Perry behind Borin.
At Kian's soft command, again they pulled: Perry leaned into the rope with all
his might, straining to his uttermost limits. Borin's great shoulders knotted,
the muscles becoming iron hard as he hauled on the rope. Kian and Shannon
threw all their weight and strength into their line, their arms rigid and
their legs trembling with the effort. Giant Ursor had braced his feet against
a fissure in the floor, and his body leaned almost level, his mighty thews
drawing down hard on his rope.
But it was Anval who proved to be the key: He summoned all of his power into
pushing against the slab; perspiration beaded his brow; ligaments and tendons
and blood vessels stood out in bold relief on his arms, neck, and forehead;
his teeth ground together; and his face distorted with effort. His fingers
clawed into their hold on the stone of the notch, and his arm muscles knotted.
His back and shoulders braced hard against the wall, and his thigh muscles
trembled with the strain. He emitted a low moan as the stress became nearly
unbearable, and then slowly, slowly his legs began to straighten as the
massive slab inched away from the cleft.
Ursor's great legs, too, began to uncoil as the slab gradually stood upright,
and the Baeran's mighty back straight-
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ened. Perry's foot slipped, and he fell to one knee, but he quickly recovered
and threw his strength back into the struggle. Bonn, Kian, and Shannon felt
the rock pulling away from the wail and strained mightily to haul with all
their strength for just a moment longer.
And then the rock passed over center to fall to the cavern floor with a
thunderous CRACK!
And the black fissure into the Bottom Chamber stood open before the Squad,
lighted by a lantern at this end and by far-off burning brands at the other.
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