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Windhammer, Copyright Wayne Densley 2008 All Rights Reserved
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155
 With the sounds of pursuit gathering in the Mess Hall you hasten along this new passage. It is only short and leads roughly westward. After some 20 metres the corridor turns sharply to the north, and once again you find you must climb a steep staircase that ascends high into the interior of the mountain. The steps disappear into the dark ahead and their surprisingly uneven cut makes it difficult to climb quickly.
As you ascend you notice the rough nature of the stairway and wonder as to why it should be so. You are a curious man and even though you have every reason to hasten you take the time to look more carefully at the rock about you. This is not how Dwarvendim build in stone and you are sure that this stairway is a part of the original fortress. It takes only a short time to determine why the stairs are in such poor condition.
At some time in the construction of the stairway the Dwarvendim engineers had struck a vein of soft rock, easy to delve but unstable, and no doubt unsuitable for the purpose. To counter this the engineers had reinforced the surfaces of the ascending hall by lining it with thick slabs of a much harder stone. For some purpose that you cannot fathom the Hordim have stripped this hard stone from the stairway, leaving the softer rock to erode and fall away. For whatever reason the stairs are now worn, the steps uneven and degraded, and as you struggle upwards your ascent is all the harder for it.
The way forward is a fatiguing climb that quickly takes its toll upon you, one that leaves you aching to find a place to hide and rest. Breathing heavily you search what you can of the dark stairway, but do not find any recess or fissure where you might conceal yourself. Looking back down the flight of stairs your plight becomes more urgent as you hear the distinct sounds of heavily armoured soldiers running up the stairs below. In the cold air you listen carefully and you cannot doubt that both Jotun and Hresh warriors are after you. You drop the idea of resting and instead harden your resolve to climb the stairs all the faster.
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This book, and its associated books and other documents in the Chronicles of Arborell series are the intellectual property of the author, Wayne F Densley, and all rights are reserved by him. Windhammer is best viewed at 1024 x 768 resolution. Any questions regarding the Chronicles of Arborell can be answered by emailing the author at densleyw@shoal.net.au
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Windhammer, Copyright Wayne Densley 2008 All Rights Reserved
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