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.The big half-ore glanced in the direction of the beam and then swept her shovel through the kobolds as though she were sweeping dust out the door.The creatures squealed as they went rolling down the tunnel."See it!" shouted Zuzzara."Come on, Procampur," Ivy said, dropping the kobold spear that she still clutched and grabbing Sanval's shiny steel-clad shoulder.She shoved him in front of her, almost ramming his nose into the side of the tunnel as she swung him around."Time to run!""Your friend—" Sanval sounded a little muffled as he tried to keep his face out of the dirt wall in front of him."Can take care of herself," interrupted Ivy."Follow the dwarf and stop fighting the kobolds.Zuzzara will get them!"Falling farther behind her fleeing friends, the half-ore continued bowling kobolds into their kin using her shovel.The kobolds retreated, a bit intimidated by the tall, screaming half-ore woman with pointed teeth who was swinging an iron-headed shovel.Zuzzara waded right into the group of kobolds.Now she swung the shovel like a scythe, a long, low sweeping motion that mowed through them.The little brown creatures ricocheted off the shovel's flat end, bouncing head over tail onto their fellows.Thunk, whack, thunk.The shovel rang against their scaly hides and horned heads.The kobolds leader—a little taller and greener than the rest of the crew—barked something high and sharp that sounded like Draconic commands, and hisguards lowered their spears and tried to overrun Zuzzara.Most of the spear points simply bounced off her thigh guards and her wide leather belt with its big brass buckle.She was far too tall for the kobolds to reach any vulnerable points."Come on," said Ivy, still propelling the rest of the group in front of her."Run!"Once again, Sanval swung around Ivy, obviously intent on backtracking down the tunnel to join Zuzzara.Ivy grabbed him by his sword arm, disregarding the danger of being skewered by his blade, and pulled him completely around by shifting her weight and digging her feet in."We must help her.What are you doing?" yelled the captain."No.Keep going," Ivy shouted the order, and the tone got through to him.He blinked in confusion at her."She'll bring the ceiling down.She knows what she's doing.Run, you idiot hero, run!"Zuzzara flipped another kobold off the end of her shovel and plunged the blade straight up, catching it against the timber holding up that section of the ceiling.The half-ore bulged her muscles as she levered the shovel against the cracked beam.One brass button pinged off her waistcoat, and the kobold leader screamed as he caught it squarely in the eye.The crack widened, and dirt rained down upon the squeaking kobolds.They raced away from the terrible giant who had wreaked such destruction upon them.With a loud splintering sound, the beam split in two.The beam's loose end bounced upon the head of the kobold's leader, cracking his skull.Zuzzara spun around and raced back to her group, scooping up Sanval and Ivy as she ran.She tucked one under each arm, as if they were small children.Her shovel crashed against Ivy's knees as she tightened her grip around Ivy's waist.Ivyhoped that her armor would hold and tried not to think about breathing."Let's go," Zuzzara cried.With a crash, the rest of the ceiling collapsed, sending clouds of dirt through the tunnel.Coughing, choking, and with streaming eyes, the group stumbled out into a large, hollow space.Zuzzara gently set Sanval and Ivy down."Thank you, Zuzzara," said Ivy, once she had spat some of the dust out of her throat.The gentleman from Procampur lowered his head in a quick bow toward the half-ore."I also thank you, Lady Zuzzara, but I am sorry that I was not allowed to aid in your defense.""Sanval, there was no need to play the hero.Zuzzara can take care of herself.Take care of the rest of us too," Ivy said, once she had figured out that he was courteously criticizing her order to retreat."But the thought was sweet," said Zuzzara, smiling wide enough to show off her long white canines."Maybe we all need a short rest," Ivy said and sat down on the ground with her legs straight out in front of her, her hands on knees, and her back bent.She tried not to gasp too loudly as she endeavored to catch her breath.Sanval stood beside her, but from somewhere under his armor, he had retrieved a cloth and, to no one's surprise, began polishing his sword
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