Robe

Chapter 29

It felt like there were a lot of brutes in the Common now. The thundering of the amassing group shook the bin in which they hid (and Shah knew he'd be feeling the vibration of the stampede a lot more than either of them, for reasons that were not yet clear). There were other sounds, too: shouts in the distance, battle-cries in the language of the Hep discernible above the angry grunts of the Gol'ur-Klem, among the not-infrequent roars of pain. It sounded like the brutes were getting their butts kicked.

Shah wondered if he should draw the attention of the Gol'ur-Klem. Then bang bang, holy dang, anyone see where my Klem legs went, man. It wasn't fair, when he thought about. They couldn't kill him (or could they?), so he had the supreme advantage. Besides, the brutes were just following orders. Too many of them together, and his weapon would make a very large, very 'organic' mess. It wasn't the right thing to do.

Their leaders, though, the Klem-Core ... Shah thought of what the Custodian had told Sonic: 'They hold sway over their charge.' Maybe the invasion and the fighting would end once enough of those things had been culled. But, if Sonic was right, they had the Custodian and the Robe of God already... and if that was what they were after, why had the fighting continued? Were the Gol'ur-Klem out to slaughter everyone just for the sake of it? Teach the town a 'permanent' lesson? Who would be left to 'learn' if there was nobody left alive?

His mind kept running: they likely have the Robe of God in their possession, but they are not leaving because... because... because why? Maybe the Gol'ur-Klem, and whoever was directing them, wanted to know about the 'outsiders'? Did that make sense? Now that Shah thought about it, yes. Yes, it did make sense. The Gol'ur-Klem would want to know about, and likely do something to, the 'magi' who had arrived, especially the girl who had brought such fear and trepidation to the mighty (and mightily-mustachioed) Custodian. Sonic had seen the man go over to the enemy in his last moment with her, so – thus and therefore, ladies and gentlemen – the old Gol'ur-Klem dang-well knew about her and Rusty. Perhaps even before she'd even made a 'Slamming' impression on them. Which meant the Gol'ur-Klem would probably want Rusty too.

It was time for Shah to stop, pardon the pun, clutching at straw, and take a peek out of the bin. He stood up, his head just below the lip of the container. Above, the moving shadows of the giants flitted through the smoky air. There did not seem to be much order in their progression, and it occurred to Shah that the Gol'ur-Klem weren't necessarily coming for them anymore (if, indeed, they were coming for them in the first place). Combined with the battle-shouts of approaching Hepsguard, it was more likely the brutes were fleeing rather than pursuing. Even the direction of the vibration had changed. It had gone past the bin, the large group that shook the ground earlier were neither stopping nor looking for the tiny humans that had wounded a Klem-Core. That's a good turn of events, Shah thought, then crouched back down. "I think they are retreat– "

A thump nearby, the bin rocked. Dresden started at this. Shah could see the boy's face under his helmet was completely white.

"Or not," Shah said in a much lower voice. He gripped the Rig tightly. "I will need a better look."

"Outsider," Tayra whispered. "If we are found, there will be trouble! I have no weapon!"

Shah was impressed by the captain's will to fight. She hadn't even entertained the fact that she was still stunned by her 'soft' landing. "We will find you a weapon, captain," he whispered back.

Tayra nodded, and Shah reckoned they would be alright, after all.

Unless they were all killed. Then they wouldn't be alright. Perhaps taking another peek at a large group of club-thumping giants wasn't such a hot idea. Too bad, Shah thought, and stood on tip-toes again to look over the front edge of the bin, not sure what to expect.