SHAYMUS, NULROK, AND RAINE
“Move that beam over there. Good, now we can begin lifting,” Raine shouted. She was talking to Priestess, who translated her words for the Dragonspawn.
For the past three days, Raine and Shaymus had traveled through the collapsed tunnels of Doomsphire. Climbed to the top of Elenroak’s massive trapped frame and discovered how the rocks could be moved safely. The two had hoped, at least.
Shaymus had scampered back down from the pile above Elenroak. Her footsteps didn’t disturb any of the rocks. She moved as if she was the wind. Glad she is on our side, Raine thought to herself. She recalled the numerous adventurers who fell to Shaymus’s sneak attacks.
“It looks good,” Shaymus hissed.
“You think it will work?” Asked Nulrok.
“No, that was why I came back down. I am surprised at how fast those lizards can build,” the pale-eyed goblin said quietly.
Raine rolled her eyes at Shaymus. She was pretty confident that this would work. She turned to Priestess, standing next to her, and gave the final order for the row of muscular Dragonpsawns to pull the rope. Priestess made a series of clicks and hisses. There was a rumbling acknowledgment from the row of creatures, and they began pulling.
The rope ran through a metal pulley that was raised dozens of meters in the air and spiked into the rock ceiling. The rope was raising a massive wooden beam that acted as a lever. The lever was to nudge a sizable boulder to slide out of place. This would cause a cascade of enormous rocks to fall that should result in unburying Elenroak’s left shoulder and arm. Many beams were constructed in place to prevent a cave-in because when the boulders fell free, nothing would be left to hold the rest of the Doompshire from collapsing. Raine hoped the beams would hold. She turned to the mage.
“Can you ready your ice magic?” She asked.
“Yes, and like I told you earlier, I can hold it for maybe 15 minutes at the most. It depends on how many rocks come loose. There is a possibility that the spell will fail, and we all die,” Nulrok answered. The mage was gritting his teeth and scratching his spikey white hair.
“The beams will hold. What I can’t count for is the direction some of the boulders will shift and fall. I’ll need you to place your ice spell there,” Raine said and pointed.
“Can you manipulate your magic to divert the rocks to fall in this direction?” She asked and motioned to where she wanted.
“I will do my best,” answered Nulrok. He tilted his head with a shrug. The mage gripped his staff to show that he was ready.
Raine nodded. The row of Dragonspawns pulled. Their strong hind legs dug into the ground, kicking up dust. Their scaled, muscular bodies were taut as they heaved. The rope slowly moved through the pulley. The massive timber wedged under an equally massive boulder strained and raised. Rocks kicked loose and tumbled down. It started with pebbles, then increased in size to boulders. The larger rocks threatened to tumble down and crush the Dragonspawn and even smash some of the crudely constructed scaffolding used to act as support beams. Nulrok summoned up a thick wall of ice that created a slide that diverted the rocks. The mage gritted his teeth as he poured energy to reinforce the ice walls to make them stronger so that they could withstand the onslaught of heavy stones.
The rocks made a rumbling sound that sounded like the crackling of thunder. The large boulder on top of the lever finally moved. It thudded and rolled slowly at first as it was awkwardly shaped. Then gravity and the steep cliff took control. The massive rock rolled with unstoppable force. Once it broke free, it caused an avalanche to tumble loose. The cacophony was deafening. The rocks that deviated off of Raine’s projected course were stopped by Nulrok’s ice magic. Bits of his magic broke free to dissipate back into the ether, but the ice wall held. The mage continued to reinforce it. Sweat dribbled down his temples.
Raine’s eyes went wide with a newfound respect for her colleague. Just weeks earlier, he was only able to create a few walls of ice that a human was able to leap over. Now, he was creating menacing towers that could withstand tons of rock slamming into them. Like a wave, the rocks slid off, and Elenorak’s left arm and shoulder were free. The dragon planted both of her freed upper limbs on the ground and made to rise.
“Elenorak! Don’t do that!” Raine commanded.
The dragon turned its massive head slowly toward the braided hair goblin. Her slitted eyes narrowed, and her lips curled to show massive fangs that were longer than Raine’s legs. Raine crossed her arms before her chest.
“If you try to free yourself now, you risk causing another collapse and bringing the rest of Doomsphire on all of us,” Raine said, jutting her chin forward in defiance to the much larger being.
Elenorak slowly lowered herself back down. Nulrok was amazed that the enormous creature was able to move at all. It was trapped for nearly a year under tons of rock, yet her body was undamaged and unweakened. Truly an awesome being of power, the dragon was.
BOOGER, TASSARION, AND GILREG
The orc, the dark elf, and the goblin warrior were outside in a rubble-strewn courtyard. The three were circling each other in a sparring match. Tassarion and Gilreg were both facing the menacing orc prince. Tassarion pivoted toward the orc’s right, buckler and scimitar held before him. Gilreg circled to the orc’s left. His large shield and axe were readied. Booger leveled the broad blade of his polearm in front of him, and he gave them a tusked-filled grin.
“For years, I have fought off adventurers. You two think you are clever trying to flank me. It won’t work,” the orc prince boomed.
With a roll of his eyes and a scowl, Tassarion lunged in. The elf held the buckler in front of him and reached forward with a downward slice of his sword. Booger responded by knocking aside the elf’s curved blade. Gilreg waited for when the orc was focused on the elf. He then made his move. The goblin warrior charged with his shield raised before him and his axe held up, readied to swing. But Gilreg underestimated the large orc’s speed. Booger could whip his heavy blade back around to strike soundly against the goblin’s shield and knock the warrior back.
Tassarion persisted, and he continued forward. His movements were smooth as he pushed his buckler up against the pole of the orc’s weapon and effectively pinned the spear against Booger’s chest. The elf’s lips sneered as he prepared to bring the edge of his blade against the orc’s throat to win their bout. The sneer was replaced with shock as the orc pivoted his hips and shifted the butt end of his spear to sweep Tassarion’s lunging leg. The dark elf had negated Booger’s ability to extend his arms, but the spear was still a lever, and the orc was able to use it by twisting his hips. Tassarion’s leg went up, and the elf fell on their back.
Demonstrating incredible awareness from experience fighting multiple opponents at once, Booger quickly stepped out of Gilreg’s attack range and placed his spear between them. The orc jabbed the spearpoint against the goblin’s shield as Tassarion scrambled back up to their feet. Booger swung his spear at the dark elf, forcing them to block with their buckler and fall back down to the ground from the impact.
This time, Gilreg was able to close the distance and connect with the orc. The goblin punched their shield’s edge into Booger’s chest. The orc stumbled and pivoted to shrug off the goblin’s attack. Gilreg’s shield was raised as his axe went low and hooked the back of the orc’s foot. The goblin warrior tripped the orc to the ground. Booger kicked up with their powerful legs, but Gilreg leaped and somersaulted over them. Gilreg was about to win the bout by placing his axe on the orc’s forehead, but he was interrupted by Nulrok.
“We are ready to depart,” the mage said.
“Let’s call it a draw,” Booger stated.
“What? No way, we won!” Cried Tassarion.
“How? No killing blow landed, and I was just about to get back up.”
“Incredible! Gilreg had you dead to rights,” the dark elf said.
Booger looked to Gilreg, and the goblin was reluctant to take sides. He shrugged without saying a word and followed Nulrok back into Doomsphire. Grumbling and scowling, the dark elf followed. Booger laid a moment on his back, looking up at the blue sky. The orc rose, leaning on his spear to stand up. Dusting off the sand and dirt, the orc followed his companions.
Elenorak was even more intimidating now that she was less trapped. Both her arms and shoulders were free, and the start of her massive wings were starting to be visible. The dragon was looking at the party as they entered and snorted loudly through nostrils that were each the size of Gilreg’s head. She blew hot air into the faces of the party. Raine and Shaymus joined the others before the mighty Elenorak.
“Put on your armor,” Gilreg ordered. He hoped the Dungeon was not as hot as the Scorched Plains.
Everyone opened their backpacks to begin pulling out their gear. After several moments, longer for Booger, the group was fully armored and prepared to enter the Dungeon. Gilreg nodded to Raine.
“We are ready,” she said to the dragon.
At first, it appeared that Elenorak would not honor their agreement. The dragon studied the group for a long moment. Gilreg was beginning to panic. Elenorak lowered slowly, their massive head to the ground. It rested on her right paw. With her left paw, she opened the purple portal.
“Thank you!” Raine said, and Elenorak merely glanced away. Gilreg hurried the chieftain’s daughter and the others through the portal.
THE DUNGEON
The party found themselves teleported under a tall archway. The stone was bluish-purple, and it was smooth on either side. The arch rose many meters above them, and it opened into a massive chamber. There was an ample open space before them that led to steps. The steps, about a hundred of them, climbed upwards to a pair of dark metal doors. On either side of the doors were large braziers, each nearly doubled the size of the orc prince. From the braziers were large blue flames that appeared to be magical in nature, and they were powerful enough to illuminate the entire chamber with a flickering bluish light. The party had entered a war zone.
“I thought the demons only fight adventurers?” Nulrok asked.
Dozens of winged creatures swooped from the high ceilings with terrifying howls from their canine-shaped heads. They had leathery red skin and black bat-like wings. They were human-sized and shaped with sinewy limbs that ended with wicked claws. The creatures were fighting against giant monstrosities that walked on six insect-like legs and with red, chitinous armored bodies. The horrors roughly resembled scorpions with two massive pincers, but that was where the similarity ended. Instead of a tail with a stinger, they had three writhing tentacles that ended with fearsome spikes. The front of their bodies was a wide mouth face with eerily intelligent black eyes. Their mouths looked to be grinning and showed rows of needle-like teeth.
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
“Apparently not,” Booger said with a whistle. The orc nervously gripped his spear.
“Is this Haven?” Gilreg asked, and the orc prince shook his head.
“This is the Dungeon. Haven would be behind us,” Raine said and motioned over her shoulder.
A solid wall of stone was under the same archway they stood in. Gilreg rubbed his hands on the stone. It was cool to the touch. They were sealed inside this room. Locked in the warzone. The warrior noticed two other doors in the chamber far to their left and right. The left was where the flying creatures came from. The right was where the giant lumbering scorpion monsters entered.
“Have you seen these creatures before?” Gilreg asked Booger. The orc was the only one to have met with the demons.
The orc’s eyes were wide, and he just shook his head. He rubbed his face with a meaty hand. He looked down at the goblin warrior.
“Haven was just like a town. A ruined town like the one the one I came from. Like the one we just left at the Scorched Plains. Many inhabitants were orcs, a few dark elves, an occasional minotaur, and an ogre. I saw Dragonspawn, too. The Envoys were like, like the wing creatures but less mean looking. Nice people, you know! Not this. Not this. I never saw these things,” Booger said. He was motioning with his hands before him wildly.
Just then, a scorpion demon snatched a flying creature with its tentacle tails. The barbs stabbed into the flesh and dragged the squirming prey down, where it was torn apart by the pincers. The eerie wide mouth gnawed on the gory bits. The monstrosity turned its black eyes on the party, dropping the winged creature’s halves to the ground, where they squelched.
“Hmm, a different type of meat. The likes I have not feasted on in ages. Come to me, my food. Come to me,” it said in a dark, hissing voice. The creature’s lips moved and operated like a person’s lips, which was extremely terrifying to watch.
The scorpion demon shambled over toward the group, and its tail tentacles launched out with their deadly spikes. Gilreg was the first to snap out of their terror. The goblin warrior rushed forward and deflected the first tentacle with his shield. He rotated slightly and chopped the spike off with his axe. The warrior swung his shield back to knock the second tentacle off course and raised his shield where the third tentacle’s spike thudded into it.
“Snap out of it and fight!” He roared at his companions. As one, they moved into action.
The tentacle where Gilreg had cut off the spike had squirted a dark ooze. In seconds, a new spike formed as the creature’s wound healed. The three tentacles launched out again as the scorpion monstrosity shambled to close the distance. One spike struck Nulrok in the chest. The mage’s dark pupilless eyes went wide in shock as the tentacle pierced his armor. The mage fell to their knees as the demonic poison coursed through their body.
“Not again,” Nulrok mumbled and collapsed.
A spike thudded harmlessly against Booger’s armor, and the third tentacle was deflected by Tassarion’s buckler. The dark elf sliced the spike off, and the tentacle returned to the demon, squirting its dark blood. A new spike reformed. Shaymus crouched behind Gilreg and watched the demon with her pale, calculating eyes. When she felt the creature’s attention was distracted as Raine’s arrows thudded into it, the demon-touched goblin darted out and away from the scorpion monster. She circled around to its flank while its attention and tentacles were focused on the rest of the group.
Seeing his friend fall to the floor, Gilreg roared in rage and hurled his axe at the eerie-lipped face. An armored claw blocked the axe and knocked it aside. Its second pincer lashed out and was batted down by Booger’s heavy-bladed spear. Raine continued to fire arrows, and one struck the creature’s eye. It gave out a high-pitched screech, and it retreated a few steps. It frantically tried to remove the arrow. The tentacles launched out again, this time targeting the archer, but all three were intercepted by Gilreg’s shield. Tassarion moved in. The demon snatched the dark elf’s bucker in a claw and yanked it away. The base of the claw was exposed long enough for Tassarion to slice at it with his scimitar. Dark ichor squirted out as the claw went limp. The creature was prepared to launch out with its tentacles, but Shaymus had snuck behind it. The pale-eyed goblin sliced with both of her blades, removing the tentacles at the base. Massive amounts of blood squirted out. The scorpion demon tried to crush Shaymus by rapidly backing into her, but she tumbled away to safety.
Gilreg’s shield bashed the remaining claw aside as Booger stepped up, swinging the heavy blade of his polearm up and down.
“DIE!” The orc prince roared as he smashed the demon scorpion’s wide-lipped face. The monster crumbled forward, its legs curling inwards. It spasmed and then stopped moving.
Booger hit it repeatedly, removing grotesque chunks of its body and spraying the area with dark ichor. Shaymus was stabbing and cutting from the other side. A sharp tooth grin on her face as it was covered with the demon’s blood.
“Uh, that is enough, I think,” Gilreg said, a little disturbed by his companions’ violent behavior.
“I will need to study the creature’s poison in order to come up with an antidote,” Tassarion said as Raine helped Nulork weakly to his feet.
“Where do we go?” Gilreg wondered. The battle was still raging around the chamber. For the moment, no attention was on them.
A smaller winged demon floated down toward them. It was nearly the size of Shaymus, with grey skin and a small set of horns above its face. It had pale white eyes and a pointed nose.
“Thank the Hells that you are here!” It exclaimed.
“Who are you?” Snarled Shaymus, but before the creature could answer. Booger stepped forward.
“That’s an Envoy,” the orc prince said.
GILREG (WARRIOR)
Stats:
Toughness
Exceptional (6)
Speed
Above average (4)*
Mind
Average (1)
Combat Skills:
Defense
Adept (10)
Resistance
Proficient (5)
Melee combat
Adept (10)*
Thrown weapons
Proficient (5)
Skills:
Singing, Diplomacy, Leadership, Stealth 2
Talents:
Two Weapon Fighting, 1H swords 1, 1H axes 2, Shields 2
Gear:
Low quality Hand axe, good quality hand axe x2, Good quality Scimitar, Chainmail Shirt, (torso, Limbs), Round Shield, Steel Cap (Head)
SHAYMUS (ROGUE)
Stats:
Toughness
Average (2)
Speed
Superb (8)*
Mind
Average (1)
Combat Skills:
Defense
Skilled (9)*
Resistance
Proficient (5)
Melee Combat
Skilled (9)
Skills:
Stealth level 3, Mechanical 2, Trapmaking,
Talents:
Discern Vitals 2, 1H Swords 2, Demon Blood Ancestry 2
Gear:
Good quality daggers x3, Good quality Padded armor (torso, Limbs), Good quality Shadow Blade, Steel helmet (head)
NULROK (WIZARD)
Stats:
Toughness
Average (1)
Speed
Average (2)
Mind
Superb (8)*
Combat Skills:
Defense
Novice(4)
Resistance
Proficient (6)*
Magic
Adept (10)
Skills:
Stealth 1, History, Botany
Talents:
Ice Magic 2, Fire Magic 2, Necromancy 2, Life Magic 2
Gear:
Good quality Padded armor (torso, Limbs), fire focus wand
RAINE (EXPLORER)
Stats:
Toughness
Above Average (3)
Speed
Above Average (4)*
Mind
Above Average (4)
Combat Skills:
Defense
Proficient (5)
Resistance
Proficient (6)
Melee Combat
Skilled (8)
Archery
Skilled (8)
Skills:
Mechanical 2, Trapmaking 2, Awareness 2, History, Stealth 2, First Aid, Tracking, Survival Lore, Poisons
Talents:
Bows 3, 2H swords 1
Gear:
Elven Compound Bow ,Defending Longsword, Chainmail Shirt (torso, Limbs), steel helmet (head)
BOOGERASHIKTI (ORC PRINCE, SUB BOSS)
Stats:
Toughness
Superb (8)
Speed
Average (3)*
Mind
Average (1)
Combat Skills:
Defense
Skilled (8)*
Resistance
Proficient (4)
Melee combat
Adept (10)
Skills:
Diplomacy, Leadership, Stealth 1
Talents:
Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, Poleaxes 3
Gear:
Full plate Templar armor (Torso, head, limbs), PoleAxe (Ole Linda), Javelins x3
TASSARION (WARLOCK)
Stats:
Toughness
Average (2)
Speed
Exceptional (6)*
Mind
Above Average (3)
Combat Skills:
Defense
Skilled (9)
Resistance
Proficient (6)
Melee Combat
Skilled (7)*
Magery
Novice (1)
Skills:
Stealth level 2, Botany, Arcana, Curse Breaking, Poisons 2
Talents:
1H Swords 2, Shields 2
Gear:
Good quality Leather armor (torso, Limbs), Good quality scimitar, Good quality Buckler