Grid: I-5
Location: Taurus Stronghold
Formendacil wrote:"Well, let's not worry needlessly," said Adrian. "For all we know, the Archives will be in perfect order."
"Yeah..." said Hans, looking up at the soldiers leaning casually against the castle gate they were guarding. "Yeah..."
The three young friends were in luck. The Bull Knights were indeed very lax about rules, and they were allowed to saunter right in to the Archives, where a freckled kid not even their age was the main caretaker.
"Everic McBaudler," he said, stretching out his hand in welcome. "Can I help you?"
"We're just browsing," said Hans. "Thanks, though."
The three friends began to look through the stacks.
"It's bigger than the Dark Forest one," said Cate.
"Other than the Falcon conquest, the Taurus Stronghold hasn't been overrun," explained Adrian. "And the Falcons tend to be rather fond of records, and paper in general."
"Kind of like Crusaders and dirt," said Hans with a grin.
"Or Classics and overusing already tired jokes," said Adrian.
"It seems to be in pretty good order, too," said Hans, ignoring Adrian's jibe. "Not in book-perfect order, but at least it's neatly shelved, and roughly grouped in order."
"The usual?" said Cate. "Split up and looked for Nathaniel, Wells, and Earl?"
"Dibs on Nathaniel," said Hans.
"Cate?" asked Adrian, gentlemanly, getting more of a reaction out of Hans than his jibe at the Classics had.
"Thanks, Adrian, I'll take Wells."
"Then I get 'Earl'," said Adrian. They split up, and headed off to look through their assigned sections.
Evening was coming on, and the sky was darkening outside before anyone found something.
"Here!" cried Cate. "I've found something about 'the legacy of the Earl of Wells'."
"Naturally, they filed it under 'Wells'," grumbled Adrian, although it was a good-natured grumble.
"What's it say?" asked Hans.
"Here," Cate handed over the parchment.
"August 1784,
While reinforcing the foundations under the southeast tower of Taurus Stronghold, the labourers came across an inscription believed to date to the 1300s, written in what appears to be a Classic LEGOlandian script. I transcribe it here at the Baron's orders:
The bricks of bricks is safely kept,
Hidden not in this forgotten crypt.
Look not to the Bulls to find the gift,
But seek it beneath the Falcon's perch.
The stone bearing this inscription was badly damaged when discovered, and has since been removed, and probably no longer exists.
Albert Bullstrode, Scribe of Baron Barbapple II"
"Pity that block of stone was removed," said Adrian. "It would have been neat to see."
"The important thing is that we need to go to Falconis City next," said Hans. "It was the Falcon capital in the 1300s, right?"
"As long as there have been Falcons, there's been a capital in Falconis City," agreed Adrian, "except for during the odd invasion."
"Guys..." interrupted Cate. "Do you hear anything?"
The boys went silent.
"Not a thing," said Hans, as Adrian shook his head.
"Exactly," said Cate. "What happened to that kid, McBaudler or whatever?"
"Listen!" said Hans. "I hear footsteps in the passage!"
The door to the Archive opened, and a four figures dressed in black, masked, entered the room. They were carrying unsheathed swords.
"Quick!" said Hans. They dashed around a freestanding shelf, before any of the black figures had seen them. But they had been heard. The figures dispersed throughout the room, seeking them methodically.
"Come out, young ones," said the one who must have been their leader. "We know you are here."
Cate looked Hans and Adrian in the eye, and pointed at the shelf in front of them. Nodding, the three of them stood up suddenly, and slammed into the shelves. Top heavy, and destabilized, the shelves careened over, slamming down on top of one of the men, and hitting the next row, causing to fall onto another of the black-robed figures. But before the three friends could applaud themselves, the two remaining black-cloaked men were after them.
Hans and Adrian drew their swords in defence, painfully aware that they barely had an idea of how to use them.
"Run, Cate!" said Hans. "Save yourself!"
"Don't be ridiculous!" said Cate. "They're between me and the door."
"Oh, yeah..." said Hans.
The two black-cloaked men approached them, but even as they drew near, the door of Archive banged open, and a towering, rugged figure stood in the doorway.
"What is megablox is going on here?"
Barbod, King of the Bulls, had been asleep in his bedroom upstairs. Catching sight of his spear in one hand, and battleaxe in the other, the two black-cloaked men jumped out the window.