The tunnel was slightly better lit than the main temple chamber, with the addition of torches lit periodically in the near distance. Although the rough stone passageway was wide enough for the cyclops to pass down freely, the rounded ceiling was a little low, causing the top half of the wizard's hat to grind against it.
[I'm at least thankful I can't feel pain. Or smell how bad it is, or feel the cold.]
Grugg could still hear the nerves in the wizard's voice, but kept that point to himself. Didn't want to alert the yeti of their presence just yet. He would be expected, but it wouldn't do him any favors to give them a further advantage in time to prepare.
Shuffling as quietly as he was able, the passageway curved slightly back and forth, unevenly carved into the mountain as the walls ahead blocked sight of what lay further in. The yeti's murmured barking back and forth grew louder as he progressed. Gradually, with the sweat beginning to run down his back, despite the low temperature of the underground, a couple of minutes of slowly making his way down the chill corridor passed before he could see something ahead of him.
As he approached, he could now see the walls widened up into a roughly circular chamber with a slightly domed ceiling. A singular lit torch hung from the middle of the ceiling as a makeshift chandelier, casting long dancing shadows amongst the room's few other features. Beneath the flickering light, a large pile of refuse lay; broken scraps of wood, bones, matted hair, and other most likely disgusting things Grugg couldn't pick out from this distance. Not much chance of treasure in there. More importantly, four yeti were attempting to have a hushed conversation around this mound of debris.
"No, YOU tell Hakran about the one-eye," the tallest one growled at one of the others.
"Boss will get so mad, not doing it," the yeti hissed back, shaking his head animatedly.
"If he arrives and Hak' doesn't know, it will be even worse for us."
[I wonder why they haven't noticed us yet; we are kind of blocking the tunnel here.]
The wizard was correct; Grugg was taking up the majority of the doorway into the larger cave. He could only assume that the lighting was in his favor, and they were too preoccupied with arguing over who gets to be the shot messenger to pay attention to him. It would only be a matter of time before his luck ran out - a plan needed to be concocted.
[As you can understand them, I will leave the next step up to you - but try to restrain yourself, pick up details from the surroundings, what the yeti say and how they act.]
Grugg nodded very slowly to not catch any attention. Time to play smart. Rushing headlong into danger worked the first time, and it was something he was very good at, but it might not be the best option every time. Especially in the lair of the enemy where they may have advantages he could easily blunder into. The cyclops cast a critical eye around the room whilst the yeti continued to bicker.
From where he stood, he could see two other exits to the chamber; one to the right and one to the left. The left one had a ragged cloth covering the doorway. The right one was open, and if he focused, he could pick out noise from that direction - some kind of clanging or repeated strikes of hard materials. Perhaps they were clunkin' each other to save Thud the trouble. Fighting would be fun, but he was looking for the magic trinket. If it were him, he would most likely want to hide any found treasures - so the covered doorway would be more likely to be the correct route. He felt pretty pleased with himself that he had come to this conclusion without any bloodshed.
That still left the problem of the four yeti in front of him, though. Every fiber of his being yearned just to rush ahead and clobber them, but he held his feet in place with pure willpower. Gritting his teeth, he scowled at the yeti and waited for a better opportunity to develop, his electric-blue eye wide for any hint of an advantageous moment. Thud would also have to be patient.
"Look here!" the larger yeti had raised his voice now, "You drew shorter stick, so you go tell."
The grumbling of the yeti on the left with a slightly hunched back threw his arms up, signaling he had finally given up and accepted his lot. Without any further acknowledgement, he huffed and went off in the direction of the covered doorway, the rough fabric flopping back into place behind him.
"Just so we aren't next on Boss' bad side - Rakna, come get more fighters with me. Juba can stay here as a lookout." The large yeti pointed towards the doorway where Grugg stood. As one, the three yeti turned to look in his direction.
[Rats! We are found out!]
Grugg leaped forward as the group of yeti raised their spears in panic. As much as he had surprised them, in this closed area, he was not able to traverse as unhindered as he did on the surface - now taking care not to bang his head against any of the rough jutting stone above him. One of the smaller yeti went to call out, turning his head towards the open doorway. The metal cap of Thud screeched across the rock floor, creating sparks as the low swing slammed the yeti in the legs, buckling him. The furred humanoid still managed a yelp as he tumbled to the floor, but it cut off the cry for help just in time.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
The swing had left Grugg open on his left side, and the closest yeti wasted no time in lunging with the jagged spear he was holding. It narrowly sliced at the side of the cyclops as he turned to avoid being skewered, warm blood running down his cold skin from the cut. He grunted and grabbed the extended spear with his free hand, yanking it towards himself and putting the yeti off his footing. Grugg brought his head down with a dull crack against the face of the yeti, blood spraying out from the now broken nose over his face and the wizard hat.
[This is simply nauseating from my perspective.]
Yeti number three came in with a slash, his spear a long curved blade made of sharpened rock, attempting to cut at the arm restraining the weapon of the broken-nosed. Thud moved in the way to block the swipe, the stone blade ringing sharply against the metal on the end of the club like a blacksmith striking an anvil.
Despite the broken nose, the bloodied yeti did not let go of his spear and instead tried to wrestle it back free from the cyclops' grasp. That was a huge task, though; even with both hands the hairy beast could not wrench it away. With blood streaming down his face, he pulled with all his strength, digging his feet into the floor to try to gain leverage. Grugg let go, sending the overexerting yeti sprawling backwards onto the floor.
The third yeti swung again, this time running the blade flat along Thud after the strike was blocked. The sharpened rock cut into Gruggs hand, and he dropped Thud to the ground, the poor club clanging in pain as the cyclops growled in anger. He leaped towards the yeti and grabbed it by the neck, quickly lifting it off the floor to strike it's head against the rough stone ceiling. Once, twice, three times until the yeti dropped the spear, arms going limp. Grugg dropped the body to the floor and glared at the remaining yeti, his one blue eye burning with electric energy.
This last yeti scrambled to their feet and attempted to dash in the direction of the doorway to find some less-pulped friends. Grugg grabbed Thud from the floor and launched it, like a missile, straight towards the fleeing yeti. From this distance away, it was a hard shot to miss, and he was rewarded with a satisfying deep chime as the club struck the yeti square in the back of the head, causing him to topple forward and face-plant the wall beside the doorway. Other than the sound of shattered teeth falling from the face of the now-deposed assailant, the room grew silent.
[That went about as well as it could have, I suppose.]
Grugg kneeled down to the yeti he had first kneecapped, the fallen foe hoping to fade into the ground and not invoke further ire from the unrelenting cyclops.
"This is becoming habit." Grugg growled to himself at first, before addressing the yeti. "Tell me where magic moon orb is, and I won't feed you your own leg." The yellow eyes of the yeti darted around, hoping for an escape; he certainly believed the cyclops was both capable and willing to enact that threat.
[Ask him if he knows where the artefact is-]
"Already did. Also gave him threat, yeti meat taste terrible."
[Ok, that should help, actually; you did do a number on-]
"Who are y-you talking to?" the yeti piped up, slightly bewildered despite his state of peril, at the large cyclops talking a different language out loud when no one was there.
[Did he tell you where it is?]
"Oh, not talking. Grugg casting spell on you," The grin on Grugg's face widened immensely as he wiggled his stubby fingers at the prone yeti. "Makes you tell only truth, otherwise..." he drew his finger across his throat. It seemed to do the trick as the eyes of the yeti grew wider and started to water.
"No-no please, no magic," he stammered, trying to recoil away from Grugg.
"Not yet, am investigating." Grugg relayed to the wizard, whilst the yeti whimpered in fear at the further 'spell-casting'.
[Looks like you are doing a good job.]
The best part of having a new friend was definitely all the praise and encouragement they would give you. Grugg's broad, devious grin turned into a more satisfied one of being proud of himself. However, the yeti didn't read it that way and managed to turn a whiter shade of gray. Grugg should be a good be a friend in return too; he put his sizeable, bloody hand on the leg of the yeti.
"Thanks, Hat, you have been a good help too."
The yeti just about leaped out of his skin and yelped in panic as the words started flowing out of his mouth like a broken dam. "S-stop, stop! The orb you s-speak of is part of the staff t-the boss has! He is down that passageway" he lifted a shaking finger to point towards the open doorway.
Grugg took his hand off the yeti and leaned closer forward, his eye staring deep into the weird goat-like eyes, his looming figure casting a shadow over the recoiling creature.
"Lying to me?" It was almost a statement more than a question, a challenge to say how dare you; do you value your life so little that you would risk telling me a mistruth despite the clear warnings that I would end you in ways you do not comprehend? However, despite never having seen a book in hiss life, the yeti could certainly read between the lines.
"Noooo n-no! Sorry, just mis-s-spoke, accident! Boss is that w-way." The even more shaky hand now pointed towards the covered door.
Grugg sat back up away from the yeti, contented that his intuition had been correct. A boss that caused fear in his tribe would often shut them away from the group, thinking of themselves in higher standing or for maintaining secrecy. He lifted the rock he had clasped in his hand and looked down at the yeti. On the one hand, he did say that the spell would kill the yeti; on the other hand, he had no rock. He paused briefly for some introspection.
"Dirty yeti, you have been cursed for lying. You must leave this place and run far away. If Grugg sees you again, Grugg will snap you in half. This way." Grugg mimed a line going from the top of the yetis head straight down his torso. "Nod if understood."
The yeti nodded and scrambled his feet, not needing to be told twice to save his own skin. He hobbled as fast as his injured leg allowed him out through the doorway to the temple entrance, not daring to look back or make a sound as he did.
[That seemed to go well, and you didn't need to kill him?]
"Got good information." Grugg grinned and pointed Thud towards the covered door. "Magic thingy this way."
[Well done, Grugg! You're getting the hang of being an investigator.]
Grugg strode off towards the doorway, his face a wide smile, determined to find more criminals to threaten.