The Hill Giant Chief - Nosnra's Saga - Part 127

Power erupted from the bars, a coil of blue light that faded as Ivo's spell took hold. An invisible wave that could only be detected by its effects on the places it touched washed across the room. The floor of the chamber, its tiles showing no damage unlike the corridor which had been scratched and gouged, bubbled like a cauldron of broth atop a roaring fire. A framework of silver lines woven between the squares of tile began to snap; one whipped back and scored the metal bars others slashed against the walls.

The spell passed on till it touched the doors. Each changed; they became a swirling mist bound within the stone frames as if they were kept from the entrance room by a sheet of glass that could not be seen. The metal door covered in rust became a brick-red smoke, the stone door was a cloud of grey and where the wooden door had been was now a swirl of brown. The axe head lodged in the wooden door clanged to the ground as the wood turned into mist. Ivo's spell had reached its outermost limits and disappeared.

"There now," said Ivo, "that should take care of that."

Harold had peeked from around the ranger's leg as the spell passed through the room. His eyebrows raised at the spectacular effects and he gave a quiet whistle at the results. "Is the magic gone?"

"I'll check, wait where you are while I do," Ivo warned. The gnome spoke quietly, the words of power were secret to his kind, and with a gesture of his hand a shimmer of bluish light shone from the metal bars, glowed from the snapped silver wire, the walls, the ceiling and burned bright from the mist filled doors.

"Ivo it's still there," exclaimed Harold.

"No, no, there is a residue of enchantment," the old gnome looked closely at one spot then another within the room, "the magic which trapped the bars is fading as is that which formed the trigger across the floor. Those doors have had their true form revealed, but their power is such that my poor magic could not dispel them."

 "The bars are safe then?" asked Harold.

"Of magic traps," Ivo told him, "I believe yes."

"Good," Harold stepped forward, "I'll check for traps of a more natural kind, needles, levers, gears, and such, you stay back."

Ivo chuckled but obeyed. The gnome moved back beside the ranger and kept a watch on the actions of the thief.

"Look for traps?" asked Little Rat. "Move bars?"

"You go back with them," Harold told him, the young orc surprised him, he hadn't heard Little Rat's approach.

"No," Little Rat said firmly. "You show me, I learn."

"If you are going to stay then you can help me up these bars," said Harold. "Cup your hands, give me a lift up." he showed the orc what he meant, lacing his fingers together and miming how he wanted Little Rat to help.

"Heavy..." grunted Little Rat.

"Hah!" Harold snorted. "And after starving for days now! I'm empty inside. Light as a feather!" Harold moved near to the frame of the door using the stone of the wall to help him climb further up the metal bars. He'd found no sign of traps at the base or along the sides and when he reached the top there was only an open space above where the bars had been hidden before falling into place. "It looks clear." Harold said after climbing back down.

"Harald, see if you can lift it. I think it just slides back up."

"Now I wish we'd brought Ghibelline along," the ranger said. The big man bent and braced himself, then strained at the iron bars. Inch by inch he raised them, they moved smoothly but their weight was very great.

"We need to brace them," said Ivo.

"Harald, hold them, I have to climb your back," the thief called out. Harold grabbed the ranger's belt and scrambled up till he was balanced on a broad shoulder.

"Watch my arm," said Harald. "And hurry, I can't hold this long."