Of golden eye

And a certain rage

The Bright Lord bides his enmity

A snarling beast

With knives for teeth

Is birthed in the womb of the city….

The dust of the fallen drifts through the air, dancing with the crackling sparks from the torch-lined walls. The party's footsteps echo with a resounding clang, disturbing the silence that envelops them. At the front of the group, Tomi's canid ears listen intently for the faintest sound of slithering.

"We're close! It should be just another left up here!" Tomi announces.

True to his word, Tomi brings the quartet to a halt at the entrance of a massive chamber. He turns to face his companions, placing a finger to his lips, urging them to maintain silence. Inside the room, a sight both mesmerizing and terrifying unfolds before them. Countless leathery eggs, each no higher than the waist, encircle a colossal ophidian creature. The snake, coiled around a motionless figure of Thullivan, squeezes with a merciless grip. With each passing moment, the constriction tightens, accompanied by bone-chilling cracks, thuds, and crunches as Thullivan's fragile frame succumbs to the relentless pressure.

Gesturing quickly to the group, Tomi silently urges them to tread carefully toward the exit on the other side of the chamber. The four warriors inch forward, their backs pressed against the cold stone wall, their eyes fixated on the serpent and their doomed comrade. Slowly, stealthily, they traverse the chamber, their presence shrouded in shadows. Meanwhile, the snake coils itself further around Thullivan, revealing a shocking revelation—a young woman's face emerges from its serpentine form.

"What. The. Fuck," Keagan utters in sheer disbelief.

Startled by Keagan's exclamation, the creature emits a shrill scream, spraying a viscous, translucent fluid over the eggs surrounding it. The eggs tremble violently, cracks forming along their leathery surfaces, as hundreds of snakes burst forth from their confinements. Amidst the chaos, the group's attention turns to the snake's matriarch. Her scaly underbelly unfurls like mandibles, revealing gaunt arms that extend and point accusingly at the intruders. Simultaneously, the reptilian offspring hiss and spray the same noxious liquid, dousing Dullus, who stands at the rear of the group.

Covered in the unknown fluid, Dulles chuckles nervously. "Surely we can handle a bunch of baby snakes, right?"

But his laughter quickly gives way to a scream of agony as the corrosive substance eats through his armor, sizzling against his flesh. It mercilessly devours his skin and bone, leaving him writhing in excruciating pain.

"Run!" Tomi's voice echoes urgently through the chamber as he, Keagan, and Delphius make a swift escape, leaving behind the cacophonous slithering and Dullus's anguished cries. Seeking refuge in a fourth chamber, Keagan readies his warhammer, smashing it against the archway, causing a cascade of stone that seals off their pursuers.

Finally finding a moment of respite, Keagan's frustration boils over as he lashes out at Tomi. "Well, that's just great. Over half of our party is dead, we lost our map, and the Catacombs of Kandendra are a breeding ground for half-woman, half-snake monstrosities. Anything else you forget to mention to us, boss?"

Tomi hangs his head in shame, unable to answer his companion's inquiry. Instead, Delphius speaks up, breaking the tense silence. "They're called the Nazgar..."

Keagan's hushed voice seethes with anger as he responds, "What did you just say to me, outsider?"

"The 'creatures' you're referring to, they're called the Nazgar. They're an entirely female race native to Yujingo, so I'm just as confused as you are as to why they're lurking in Kandendra's underbelly."

"Forget where the damn things are from. We're stuck down here with them now, and we're still no closer to finding this damn relic."

Tomi interjects, trying to inject a glimmer of hope into their dire situation. He gestures towards another archway at the end of the room, opening up to a descending staircase. "Not quite, Keagan."

Keagan's looks towards the staircase with an exasperated gaze. "Finally, the fucking stairs. Let's get this over with already..."

With Delphius and Tomi in tow, Keagan leads the way down the stairs. As they reach the end, he lets out yet another exclamation of disbelief.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!"

Delphius takes his place beside Keagan and is greeted by the sight of a gargantuan stone antechamber. In the center of the room, the Greatwyrm, colossal and coiled upon itself, rests.

"Well..." Tomi chuckles as he walks into the room, "I didn't say it didn't exist."

Both Delphius and Keagan shoot daggers at Tomi, who nervously gives a half-smile in response. "You mean to tell me that this colossus has been living under the territory completely unknown to the general populace?" Delphius questions.

Tomi sighs. "I'd imagine the reason why the Prince had to hire outsiders was because the populace did know. The Legend of the Greatwyrm is ingrained deep into Kandendran folklore. I'm not exactly shocked that there's a crumb of truth behind it."

Confusion etches itself onto Delphius's face. "I don't think I fully understand. Why retrieve the spear now? What's the Prince's angle?"

A sudden realization dawns upon Keagan, interrupting their conversation. "Wait... You don't think—"

"I believe that may sadly be the case, my friend," Tomi replies, placing a solemn hand on Keagans lower back.

Delphius's frustration spills over. "What? What is it?"

"That puffed-up prince has us on a Lords-damned bug hunt..." Keagan retorts

“A bug hunt?”

"Do try and keep up, sweet Delphius,” Tomi interjects. “The prince didn’t send us here for the spear. He, or more likely his advisors, sent us here to deal with the vermin. Undoubtedly, this must be what’s causing all of the tremors in the area. "

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He gestures towards the slumbering Greatwyrm.

The name of Delphius’s Lady escapes in a bitter mutter. "Maelaezel..."

"That bastard thinks we're pest control! This was never about a lost relic, Tomi. You led us straight to our deaths!" Keagan exclaims as his frustration reaches its peak.

Tomi urgently hushes Keagan, his eyes darting towards the massive creature. "Shhhhh! Keep your voice down. Lest you want to be the first person to deal with that thing when it wakes up."

Keagan's face darkens. A hint of mania swirls within his black pupils. "No. I've had just about enough of this."

Without hesitation, Keagan pushes Tomi out of the way, a cocktail of madness and fury driving him toward the gargantuan foe.

"Bastard's lost his mind," Tomi mutters, watching his companion sidle up to certain doom.

Keagan firmly unlatches his warhammer, and brings it crashing down against the dusty stone floor. The impact resonates sending a metallic ring reverberating through the air.

"Hey, ugly!" Keagan's voice booms with defiance. "Apparently, the Prince in his wisdom has sent us merry band of bandits, to be your judge and jury."

Another thunderous crash echoes as Keagan strikes the ground once more.

"And I, for one, have had enough of being a pawn for one day!"

Once more, the hammer strikes the still trembling floor, creating a shower of sparks that dance and scatter in every direction.

"So why don't you wake your scaly ass up so we can get this over with?" Keagan challenges.

With a final resounding strike, the warhammer rings sharply against the crumbling columns of the dungeon. Debris and rubble rain down from the ceiling as the Greatwyrm begins to uncoil itself, its massive form dwarfing Keagan. The creature's blood-red eyes lock onto his, staring deep into his soul.

Keagan, caught in a stupor, turns back toward Tomi and Delphius, his arms triumphantly outstretched.

"Alright, boys! It's time to get to—"

Before he can finish his sentence, the wyrm lunges at Keagan with lightning speed, severing his legs from his torso in a fraction of a second. The detached legs take a few shaky steps forward before toppling over, leaving a trail of crimson essence splattered across the cold stone.

The Greatwyrm, now fully awakened, looks down at the remaining offenders and unleashes a vociferous hiss.

Tomi, facing the dire situation, turns to Delphius in resignation.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm out of here."

Delphius, taken aback by Tomi's words, protests, "Excuse me?"

"Yep. My party is dead, and the job was a scam, so I think I'll be taking my leave now."

"You're not going anywhere, Kytsune," Delphius asserts, grabbing Tomi by the wrist.

Tomi, unfazed, gives a sly smile, tapping Delphius lightly on the nose.

"On the contrary," Tomi whispers. In an instant, he disappears into a puff of smoke, leaving Delphius standing there in shock and disbelief.

Frantically scanning his surroundings, Delphius searches for his misplaced companion while the charging Greatwyrm looms before him, its fangs bared in a menacing display. Despite the imminent danger, Delphius remains oddly unfazed, muttering to himself in frustration.

"I cannot believe she set me up just to kill this thing!" Delphius exclaims.

The Greatwyrm's jaws crash into Delphius, who instinctively grasps onto a slick tooth, holding the beast at bay with ease while he continues his ramblings.

"And now Tomi! Who clearly knows more than he's letting on, just up and leaves me in this dank cellar, nary a care in the world!"

The snake writhes violently, attempting to free itself from Delphius's grasp. Venom drips from its fangs, singeing Delphius's bare hand.

"And you!" Delphius finally turns his head to face the basilisk, his expression resolute. His grip tightens, crushing the fang and causing blood and calcium fragments to splinter through the air.

"I've had just about enough of you..." Delphius declares, his voice filled with determination.

The Greatwyrm recoils, hissing in defiance and releasing a deluge of venom that coats the chamber. Delphius winds up, preparing to strike. His fist connects with the Greatwyrm in silence, but the resulting impact erupts into a deafening boom, shaking the very earth to its core. The creature crashes through several stone pillars that support the chamber, skidding across the ground for several hundred feet.

Struggling to rise, the wounded Greatwyrm wearily raises its head, assuming a defensive posture. Its bruised and bloody underbelly begins to open up, revealing the emaciated remains of a man who should have long since perished. Within the murky and viscous membrane of the leviathan, Delphius spots the gleam of steel. The spear, an opulent armament of shimmering silver, lies trapped in the clutches of the would-be corpse.

Locked in a final confrontation, Delphius and the Greatwyrm stare each other down. With a sudden burst of speed, Delphius appears before the towering serpent in an instant. His hands grasp the lower jaw of the snake and he pulls with immense force, snapping the skin and ripping its underbelly in twain, peeling the man away from the monstrosity, leaving nothing but the agonized writhing of a wretched aberration.

As the serpent finally lies dormant, the foul stench of death permeates the dungeon, emanating not from the beast itself, but from the decay that continues to plague its meager existence mere feet from Delphius. A rusted royal crest of Kandendra dangles from the decrepit neck of the cadaver, scraping against the cold stone floor as the dying monarch claws desperately at the ground. Each breath becomes a laborious wheeze, expelling dust, phlegm, and the last vestiges of life within the fallen ruler.

Casting aside the blood and filth from his hands, Delphius approaches the dying old man, whose rapidly deteriorating body reaches out, desperate to reclaim his spear. Just as the frail fingertips are about to brush the handle, Delphius snatches the weapon and inspects it, noticing the delicate Illus incantations woven into the curved blade. Feeling a light patter on his greaves, Delphius looks down in disgust at the pitiful heap of death scrabbling at his feet. Revulsion fills him as he lifts his boot high, bringing it down with crushing force upon the withered old man's skull. Blood, dust, and brain matter mingle in a grotesque mess beneath Delphius's boot.

"Long live the king..." Delphius mutters with a mix of sarcasm, contempt, and a hint of malicious satisfaction.

Stowing his newfound lance, Delphius surveys the room, his gaze eventually falling upon a small hollowed-out circular hole in the farthest end of the chamber. A deep sigh escapes his lips as he prepares to press onward into the dank burrow.

In the enchanting courtyard of the marble castle, vibrant with an array of lilies and primula, Maelaezel gracefully tends to the delicate flowers. Delphius, disheveled and weary, enters the serene space, his hands gripping lazily around the gleaming spear. With labored steps, he traverses the field of white and gold, his feet grating against the polished cobblestone. As he approaches, his mistress, consumed in concern over a patch of wilting white tulips, finally senses his presence and turns her gaze towards him.

"Ah, good. You're back just in time for our morning drills," Maelaezel remarks with authority. Rising from her garden, she brushes off the earth from her intricately crafted warkilt.

Delphius, weariness etched across his face, pleads with the maiden. "Maelaezel, please. It took me three arduous days to make my way back from Dendra’s coast after my escape from that damnable labyrinth. I believe I have earned a respite."

Maelaezel's stern expression remains unyielding as she responds, her eyes locking with Delphius'. "You will rest when I deem it necessary. Now, prepare yourself."

With a flicker of her hands, specks of radiant light coalesce, forming a majestic swordstaff in Maelaezel's grasp. Delphius, reluctantly acknowledging the impending training session, readies his newly acquired spear. Though an eagerness to test its power flickers in his eyes, a scowl betrays his true feelings.

Taking a powerful swing, Maelaezel aims at her ward, and Delphius moves swiftly to intercept the blade with the uppermost section of his shaft. As the clash occurs, a fragile hum emanates from Delphius's weapon, and the intricate incantations etched upon its blade begin to radiate a brilliant white light. Manetic essence weaves through the air, swirling around the spear and its wielder, seemingly drawing energy from the very earth itself.

Delphius skillfully parries Maelaezel's swordstaff, knocking her off balance. Seizing the opportunity, he launches a decisive strike from above, his intent to bring the conflict to a swift conclusion. Maelaezel swiftly raises her swordstaff in a stalwart defense, bracing herself for the impending impact.

With a resounding ring, the Spear of the Greatwyrm connects with its target. In that moment, the spear emits a sharp sound and a blinding radiance before promptly disintegrating in Delphius's grasp.