[https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/868/745/large/raphael-lubke-enviroment-desert-dungeon-entrance1-upload26.jpg?1453984911]
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/z5P2q
New Quest Objective
- Secure the Mines
Grabbing what he needed with an impatient look from Joral, the group quickly set off again, Grey again wondering why no warriors had been sent to guard the area? When they past through the marketplace’s abandoned stalls and tents. The baskets of rotten fruit and vegetables stacked up on carts sitting on the side of the road. The white blocks of stone they walked upon, spattered with blood stains, cracks and the odd rusted sword. The mountain peak which rose up from behind the white wall, coated in a thick layer of forestation that rose high into the clouds. The entrance to the mine cut through the citadel’s walls and into the mountain itself to form another gateway similar to the front gate they had entered through, but one protected by no spells, at least none that he could see.
Guarded by two stone minotaur statues, Grey was faintly reminded of the mausoleums he’d sometimes seen built for the heroes of the old to honor their sacrifice. The torches that hung from the smooth unblemished walls of the mine covered in thick cobwebs and dust.
Halted by the entrance, Joral turned and began handing out torches that he had stored in his backpack. The unranked Honor Blade quickly outlining the situation. “Tordol, Riyul were probably captured by the goblins that live here, so we’ll begin our search with them,” he said.
The young broad shouldered warrior who had still yet to forget Grey’s intervention from earlier, shoving a torch into Grey’s hands with a look of disgust, before Soreen held out her palm in front of her and chanted a spell, causing the torches in their hands to stuttur to life.
Caught off guard by the spell, Grey choked back a gasp of surprise, when she again began to weave her fingers through the air, drawing the light into her hands and cast another spell. The magic she released this time pouring out in a brilliant burst of light that gave birth to a fire hound made of writhing flames that assembled together before their very eyes, the ground it walked upon darkening at it’s touch, and crimson red eyes brimming with keen intelligence.
Unusually large for its kind, Soreen knelt down beside the magical hound, and wrapped her arms around the dog’s thick neck, oblivious to it’s razor sharp fangs and the flames that surrounded it. The female warrior almost dotingly calling out, “Did you miss me, Kadir? I’ve missed you.” The hound letting out an excited growl before pressing it’s head against her, while she rubbed the huge beast’s side.
Grey who was still in shock over the spell, stood there frozen in place, when she released the hound and waved a finger inside. “Come on, boy, I need you to find some goblins for us.” To which the beast responded with an unearthly howl, before sniffing the ground at their feet and moving ahead into the mines, the light from it’s flesh drawing back the shadows.
Joral who had seen Grey gaping in awe, sneered at him as he passed by and muttered, "farm boy." The group trailing after Joral with the hound scouting the darkened passageway. The silent warrior, Grey had come to refer to as No-Name, since he refused to speak much, slowing down to walk beside Grey with a grave expression and stated, “Master Falk, said you were a peerless warrior, but that you knew nothing of light magic. Is that true?”
Grey nodded his head. “Until now, I didn’t even think it was even possible for an Honor Blade to wield magic.”
No-Name let out a grunt in reply, his chiseled hard features almost appearing harder in the torchlight, but instead of saying more, he moved on to catch up with Joral. Soreen who must have read his thoughts, releasing a flicker of a smile across her lips. “Most can’t wield the higher magics like I can, but there are some who are masters of both the blade and light. The First Honor Blade Bay-rayal was said to be able to cast illusions so strong, that they became real. I am surprised your, master, has not taught you this,” she finished with a quirked eyebrow.
Grey was surprised as well, his uncle wasn’t the kind of man to keep secrets from Grey, and yet Cold had withheld this part from him.
Joral who’d been half listening in on their conversation, gave a short derisive bark of laughter, the minotaurs horns raised up high to show his displeasure. “I knew, Master Falk, was wrong to send you with us. You are not even a servant of light, and yet you wish to claim a Soul Blade? You should go back while you can, farm boy, you have no place among us. I’ll not babysit some child that has never spent the time to learn our ways, nor spent the years of training as we have to seize this very moment. You are nothing more than a peasant farmer that pretends to be a warrior. Best you leave now and take those things you call friends with you.”
Fists clenched at his sides, Grey had half a mind to draw his greatsword and show this boy what he could do, but then what point would that prove? Trouncing him now, when they were all surrounded by danger, seemed childish and would only serve to prove Joral’s point that he shouldn’t have been allowed to come with them.
Forcing himself to let it go, Grey watched Joral and No-Name walk side by side, the heavily armoured duo reflecting torchlight from their recently polished armor as they stalked through the narrow, winding corridors. The light brown sandstone walls covered in bits of green lichen, and cobwebs that hung from the corners of the ceiling. This whole place again reminding Grey more of a mausoleum than a mine with it’s smooth interior walls, square blocks of stone that made up the bedrock, and strange runes carved into the small recesses of the mine. Most of them shaped to display a greatsword enveloped by flames, while others showed watching eyes that followed them.
Brought to a grinding halt, the hound’s head lifted up suddenly to sniff the air, then pace back and forth to block the way forward. The huge beast turning to look at Soreen and let out a low growl as it met her eyes. “Kadir, says the way ahead smells of death.”
No-Name letting out a grunt, “Could be a trap.”
Grey who had never come across goblins intelligent enough to do such a thing, studied the plain brown walls, while trying to hide his amazement at Soreen’s new display of talent. The ground ahead, giving no indication of these so called traps, and yet something did not feel right. Tamrel usually quick to prompt him when danger was near, was strangely silent.
Flame light flickering against the walls, he gingerly stepped forward, bent down on one knee, and rolled the torch in his hand across the stone flooring. The sparking flames as it skittered across the square blocks of stone spinning across when suddenly it dropped from sight, the ground opening up beneath it, then snapping back shut to swallow it whole.
Dumbfounded, they all stared at the place where the torch had vanished, before Grey scratched the back of head and stood back up. Guess he should have expected the Honor Blades to set a trap here, but then why hadn’t Falkneer told them about it?
Eyebrows furrowed in worry, he peered up at Soreen and asked, “What other spells can you cast?”
Biting her lips pensively, Sureen rubbed her fingers together. “I can cast mostly illusion magic, and some healing spells if needed, but I’m not as good as Joral.”
Is that what the fire hound was? An illusion? Grey shook his head and turned back to glance at the place where the torch had fallen, then asked, “Can you cast a light spell just above where the torch vanished.”
Soreen smiled and nodded her head, her hands lifting up to drink in the light and releasing a large globe of energy that bobbled up inches away from the surface, it’s shining light pouring into every corner and crevice of the tunnel they were in. The passageway morphing to reveal glowing glyphs on the ground and a message on the wall, reading. “Seek the true path. From darkness comes light, and from light darkness.”
[https://em.wattpad.com/17d3db8d44d75aa9c6caa2f9901913c747260584/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f5255684970704c4c7231534c30673d3d2d3731343034373536372e313562376162623766623234643637623433383036333034303730312e706e67]
“This must be a test for faithful,” proclaimed Joral with a jubilant smile, “we need only pick the right path and follow it to the other side?”
Grey nodded his head in agreement. The message was clear on that point at least. They had to work their way forward using one of the four coloured glyphs that were carved into the blocks of stone, and judging by where the torch had fallen, most would be riddled by traps for those that travelled the wrong way.
Joral clearly excited by the prospect of proving himself. Let out another beam of delight and pointed his finger to the sun glyph. “Seems easy enough. We should choose the path of light obviously.”
Grey however wasn’t so sure, but before he could say anything, Joral started forward.
(Click here if you select the Path of Darkness. First row of tiles.)
Spoiler: Spoiler
Certain it could not be so easy, Grey lunged out to grab hold of his arm before Joral could take another step forward and called out, “Wait!”
He then drew forth his greatsword and stabbed the stone, Joral had been about to step upon, the rune for light switching to that of darkness as it opened up to reveal a pit full of poisonous spikes and rotted flesh from those that had come before them.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Joral who had been inches away from death, uttering a curse under his breath. “By the blighted dark one!”
Greatsword back at his side, Grey walked towards the shadow tile and stabbed his blade once again into the rune. The rune for the path of darkness switching to that of light.
Solid and unyielding, he let out a sigh of relief as he whispered, “From darkness comes light, and from light darkness.” (+ 20 Honor.)
(Click here if you select the Path of Neutrality. Second row of tiles.)
Spoiler: Spoiler
Certain it could not be so easy, Grey lunged out to grab hold of his arm before Joral could take another step forward and called out, “Wait!”
He then drew forth his greatsword and stabbed the stone, Joral had been about to step upon, the rune for light switching to that of darkness as it opened up to reveal a pit full of poisonous spikes and rotted flesh from those that had come before.
Joral who had been inches away from death, uttering a curse under his breath. “By the blighted dark one!”
Greatsword back at his side, Grey walked towards the stone for neutrality and stabbed his blade once again into the rune. The rune for the path of neutrality switching to that of life. Then falling away to expose another pitfall. (- 20 Honor. You will need to select another tile.)
(Click here if you select the Path of Light. Third row of tiles.)
Spoiler: Spoiler
Certain it could not be so easy, Grey lunged out to grab hold of his arm before Joral could take another step forward and called out, “Wait!”
He then drew forth his greatsword and stabbed the stone, Joral had been about to step upon, the rune for light switching to that of darkness as it opened up to reveal a pit full of poisonous spikes and rotted flesh from those that had come before.
Joral who had been inches away from death, uttering a curse under his breath. “By the blighted dark one!” (- 20 Honor. You will need to select another tile.)
(Click here if you select the Path of Life. Fourth row of tiles.)
Spoiler: Spoiler
Certain it could not be so easy, Grey lunged out to grab hold of his arm before Joral could take another step forward and called out, “Wait!”
He then drew forth his greatsword and stabbed the stone, Joral had been about to step upon, the rune for light switching to that of darkness as it opened up to reveal a pit full of poisonous spikes and rotted flesh from those that had come before.
Joral who had been inches away from death, letting out a curse under his breath.
Greatsword back at his side, Grey walked towards the stone for life and stabbed his blade once again into the rune. The rune for the path of life switching to that of neutrality. Then falling away to expose another pitfall. (- 20 Honor. You will need to select another tile.)
Safe across on the other side, Grey let out a heavy sigh of relief, and waited for Soreen to send her fire hound ahead. The phantom dog unquestionably saving their lives, though why Tamrel had still remained silent, made him question if the weapon could only sense danger from beings with harmful intent.
Concerned by that thought, he allowed Joral to take the lead, the young warrior swift to shake off his fear and continue on ahead, whilst Soreen hung back by Grey’s side. The female minotaur clearly terrified over what else awaited them in the tunnels, but too afraid to show it.
It was the same way, Grey had been when his uncle had first taken him out of the village to hunt for the very first time. Sent to track down a hob nest deep within the forest of Minthol, Grey had done his best to hide his fear, but one look at his trembling fingers was enough for Cold Steel to see right through him. However unlike the scolding he'd usually get for not paying close attention to his surroundings, his uncle took him by the shoulders and looked him in the eye. “Remember Grey, fear is your best weapon. It forces you to think before you act, and cautions your every step. Those who try to hide their fear behind a mask will oft charge headlong into danger without them realising it, so it is better that you accept it as a part of you.”
Of course that sentiment would be of little small solace to Sureen now, when they were surrounded by dangers from all sides. Still, he thought he should say something to her, but even as he thought to do so, Joral glanced back with a dark scowl, and urged them to hurry.
Heavy metal boots thudding into the stone, the hound continued to blaze a trail forward through the dark empty corridors, that twisted and turned. Vacant of all life, even to the lowest of insects that enjoyed the darkness and cold, when suddenly the passageway opened up into a wide circular chamber with three tunnels branching out north, west, and east, each of them blocked off by a reinforced steel gate which had a lever right beside on the wall. The area decorated by two great pyramids that stood to either side built with the skulls of goblins. The air here reeking of stale old blood, and the stench of rotten bodies. There was also some type wooden totem with three arms carved out, planted in between the pyramids that pointed to the three doors. Each arm scrawled with strange words upon it. Grey who had been taught a little of the gobren tongue, recognised a few of the words.
“Danger, home, and monster.”
The sound of Grey’s voice turning Joral who spun on his heels to look back at Grey with a mixture of hatred and surprise. “You can read this foul language of theirs?”
“Not much, but enough to help hunt down their resting place. I would say the route to the goblin’s lair would be directly ahead of us,” Grey replied and pointed to the north gate.
Shoulders stiffening at the statement, Jarol stared in the direction of Grey’s finger, the minotaur clearly unnerved by the thought of getting caught in another trap, but as before he seemed to shrug aside his fear, draw his steel longsword, and wave at Grey to lead the way.
Unbothered by the idea that the young minotaur was probably using him to make sure it was not another trap, Grey passed him by and walked towards the lever, his hand reaching out hesitantly, before giving it a firm tug. The steel reinforced gate rising up slowly into the gap above and exposing a massive underground cavern lit up by thousands of torches and campfires that were spread out across rocky uneven hillside that resided to the west of the great cavern. The area littered with hundreds of dark holes in the rocky hillside and surrounded by sharpened wooden palisades. The cavern split in two with a wide river cutting it's way through the center of the cave, while water gushed out from a waterfall at the far end of the cavern. The whole area swarming with goblins and kobolds, that poled their way along the banks of the river in small rafts made of darkwood. The hovels made of mud spreadeagled to either side of the river, and watched over by dozens of eyes that had setup camp on both sides with a few of the greenskins fishing at a small makeshift jetty.
[https://em.wattpad.com/7d5737847def1253071da82e200c7860d65468dd/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6c68485271734c646770686a55413d3d2d3731343034373536372e3135623761623861643966333366396134373832373537383333312e6a7067]
https://rpg.ambient-mixer.com/goblin-s-cave
Heart pumping at the sight, he quickly moved to take cover behind a nearby jagged rock formation. Joral, No-Name, and Soreen swiftly doing the same, while Kadir waited for them out in the chamber alone with a low sad whine, before resting upon its belly with it’s paws tucked beneath it’s chin.
Dumbfounded by what they were seeing, Soreen knelt down beside Grey, her lips quivering and mouth parted, before whispering, “There’s too many. Too many! What do we do now?!”
Joral almost as equally shocked by the horrific scene, shook his head from side to side. “We just, we just need to be quiet, that's all. We just need to be quiet.”
But even Grey had a hard time believing that was even possible. Not only would they would need to strip themselves naked just to avoid making any sound, they would also need to swim across a sizeable stream of water without being spotted by the sentries in the watchtowers and the goblins on the rafts. And then what? Without their gear they would be butchered in a matter of seconds. The combust balls they had with them would barely make a dent in their numbers and most of them would be needed to bring down the tunnels once they were done here.
Head crooked to the side as an odd thought occurred to him, he looked back to Soreen and the others, and asked, “What other illusions can you caste?”
But before any one of them could reply, Grey saw yellow gleaming eyes flash at them from the darkness, followed by a blood curdling cry as a goblin armored in hob skin leapt out from the cover of nearby rocks and raced towards them with spear in hand. Kadir upon the green skin in seconds, tearing out it’s throat and burning it’s flesh black. The goblins by the stream looking up at the sound and picking up their spears.
Too dangerous to hope they could all make it back the way they had come without putting the citadel in danger, Grey roared, “Move! Get to the water!”
The group of warriors staring up at Grey in shock as he shoved and pushed them to their feet, Grey already lumbering towards the large channel of water as the goblins sprinted towards them with angry cries of rage.
Tamrel alive in his hands, Grey directed his steps towards the pier where he saw a raft tied up. The goblins that howled their way towards them, tossing spears, and closing in all around them.
(Roll five dice three times to see how much damage is gained from the spear throws.)
[https://em.wattpad.com/937a37af618063356ae21012822179074309fd58/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4e444e326974396e3739577246673d3d2d3731343034373536372e313539313561316537633866663265393230313630313939333536372e706e67]x 8
Chest drenched red in blood, he watched Kadir streak his way among them, burn them alive and tear them apart, the fire hound a beacon of death as it curled its way around the green skins wreaking havoc with it's flames.
Grey sprinting forward to attack the few defending goblins by the rafts.
[https://em.wattpad.com/937a37af618063356ae21012822179074309fd58/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4e444e326974396e3739577246673d3d2d3731343034373536372e313539313561316537633866663265393230313630313939333536372e706e67]x 5
Their feet pounding across the flimsy wooden planks, before he urged them onto the raft, untied the noose and pushed off across the water. The seething cries of the goblins that howled at them from the shoreline dwindling away as they poled their way quickly down the river, followed by other rafts that tried to give chase. Soreen slapping her hands together to release Kadir who had become encircled by goblins, the fire hound giving one last howl, before vanishing off in a puff of smoke. The exhausted girl, collapsing down onto the raft, while Jarol and Grey thrust their way towards the opposite shoreline, where more cries of rage could be heard from hilltop and surrounding caves.
Fists wet with blood, he turned to look at Joral and in that brief instant as their eyes locked together, they both knew they were doomed.
In the dimness of the cavern, Grey saw torchlights gathering together behind the goblin fortifications, growing in number until with a scraping sound they came up on the other side. The group frantically running forward once more in search of a place to hide when a horn sounded, and the rocks ahead became a writhing mass of tribal warriors with warpaint that stormed out from the palisades and crawled out of the caves. The evil eyed beasts, snarling and shaking their spears as they advanced slowly, when a goblin unlike anything he had ever seen before emerged from among them.
Much larger than it’s nearby brethren, it had a much darker shade of green skin and wore nothing but a loincloth, that displayed a well muscled torso, long dirty black hair, and white tattoos painted across it’s flesh in swirling patterns.
The huge goblin warrior stepping out alone to face them with nothing but it’s bare fists as it boomed, “I am Kradok, chieftain of the Balarock tribe! Why do you attack my people?!”
To be Continued...