Silent Shadows

Telani walked softly back through the shadows to the rest of the group. Pointing, she positioned each of the members along the sides of the hall, back in the alcoves where statues had once stood. Taking up the closest position she rested her hands on her basket-hilted rapier and matching narrow-bladed short sword. Silently they waited as the tromp of booted feet came closer. Soon the voices of the hobgoblins could be heard over the sounds of marching feet. There were twenty approaching but there was no point in telling the rest of the party that they would be out numbered three to one. With sufficient surprise they would remove a third of that number in the first strike, and before the hobgoblins could recover from that shock, they could take down possibly half that number again, leaving only ten to face them on more even footing. Comparing the steps they took to the number of steps it had taken her to return she knew they would be in the ruined statue hall soon enough. Gromff, a hulking but amazingly intelligent half-orc warrior, stood in the alcove at the far end of the hall. He would lead the strike against the hobgoblins as soon as the leader reached his position. Bailinda, a dwarven cleric, stood opposite him. She wielded her dwarven great axe like a paladin swinging a holy avenger. Next was the half-elf druid, Drester. He was new to the party and his motives were still a bit unclear but he had pulled his weight thus far. Next in line was the demure and defiant halfling, Jillian, or Mouse. She was both a warrior and sorceress. For her small size she had a big mouth and even bigger voice. Directly across from Telani was Malask. He stood even taller than Gromff topping out at near seven feet in height and weighed over 300lbs., yet he was utterly devoted to Jillian. He was a warrior true to heart, and though not the brightest color in the rainbow, he was steadfast and could be trusted to hold the line at any cost. Taking one last glance along the hall, and seeing there was nothing more that could be done, Telani backed into her alcove and stilled her movement.
The hobgoblin force marched swiftly down the hall in unison, looking neither left nor right as they passed the first of the alcoves, secure in their ignorance of their home having been invaded by would-be adventures. As the first couple reached Gromff’s position he stepped out, great sword in hand, making a swift crosscut on that front pair. The one farthest from him stepped back avoiding his swing, unknowingly stepping right into Bailinda's two-handed overhead swing that cleft him from shoulder to buttock along the spine and sent him sprawling on the ground to never rise again. Not leaving it at one swing, Bailinda turned her body and pulled the dwarven grate axe along behind herself setting it into a sideways spin head over haft and started a chant as it spun away from her nearly severing the trunk of another hobgoblin at the hip. Jillian darted out from her hiding place, bright blue magic missiles flying from her outstretched hand as she yanked her short sword free of its sheath on her back and charged into the fray, knowing this would draw Malask out from his alcove to protect her. Roaring, the giant human kicked aside the nearest hobgoblin and smashed his shield into the second, sending it sprawling on the rubble-littered floor. He swung the great sword he wielded in one hand like a bastard sword across, cleaving two hobgoblin heads from their shoulders. Drester stepped out of his position his buckler strapped to his arm and his scimitar in hand. Looking over the scene he tucked his scimitar under his left hand and swiftly uttered a spell. From the cracks in the stone, roots and vines sprouted up, entangling the remaining hobgoblins’ legs and feet. Telani silently slipped out of her hidden corner and stepped up behind the nearest of the hobgoblins. It raised its weapon to fend off a blow from Malask and she took the opening to slip the slender-bladed short sword into the opening of his armor under his left arm. With a surprised look over his shoulder the hobgoblin slumped to the ground sliding off the sword that had pierced its heart.
Telani spun around and ducked under yet another swing from the massive sword that Malask wielded. It quickly became a mass melee and before long all the hobgoblins were lying on the ground. Jillian was holding a bandage wadded up against Malask’s side while Drester called upon the healing powers of nature to mend the wound. Gromff had been struck in the chest by a spear but the weapon’s shaft had snapped as the hobgoblin struck and so the steel point of the weapon had not penetrated too deeply past his armor. The battle had taken only seconds but the score of dead hobgoblins lay sprawled along the hallway like so much discarded firewood. Watching her companions for a moment Telani turned and slipped into the shadows and headed back down the hallway in the direction from whence the hobgoblins had come. Slowing her pace as she made a few more strides away from the area where the party was gathered, she checked the few side halls in the ruined keep before advancing down the main hallway towards the Grand Hall.
Withdrawing back to the spot where every one was gathered she stopped and looked over the scene once more.
"Ok, follow me quickly, the way is clear." she said to the party and waited until they were all on their feet before turning away and heading down the main hall. Ducking down the second hallway crossing, she turned into the first room on the left and after everyone had entered, softly closed the door behind her.