Scout Captain Marcos didn't like the mission, he didn't like the source or the location, but he was here now and he would be damned if he wouldn't get it done. Lord Reginald had commanded that the Dungeon be confirmed and then secured from any breaks. Marcos knew that the blasted Well had to be in this Dungeon, because that is how his life had always been. If it was dark, dangerous, and likely the worst possible place. Then that is where the goal was, and it was the single most frustrating thing this week. Didn't make the top 10 of the month though, the lowest on that list was he future mother-in-law flirting with him. A shudder passed through Marcos as he entered the oddly still clearing, and he wasn't sure if it was the creepy ring of standing stones, or the memory of that creature.
"Captain, the cave should only be a minute or two that way," A young man in the rough leathers of the scouts said, pointing towards a few short hills off the the side.
"Very good, Ragast and I will double check the stones," Marcos replied and gestured towards a lanky woman in similar leathers. Out of the leathers the young man, Edgar, and Ragast could have been twins, but they were just cousins. Brown hair with similar blonde streaks, amber colored eyes, and the same angular face. Ragast nodded to him and approached as the rest of the dozen men and women headed towards the cave where they would make a base.
"Hopefully, not an excuse to tumble in the grass Captain?" Ragast said when she got close enough, a hint of a smile in both tone and face causing Marcos to flush but his voice was steady.
"That tumble was because of an errant branch, and it is more just to be through." Marcos was quite proud of his neutral face until she laugh with a snort, then he laughed back. That had been a bit touch and go back then, and no one was really sure about what they did. Hard for rumors when you manage to bring back a boar for dinner.
"Well I will keep an eye out for errant branches." Ragast said, though her tone shifted slightly, "This place is dangerous Marcos, I don't think we should have come here without Mages or without more forces." Marcos sighed back at her as they approached the stones.
"You won't hear me arguing that fact either, but the Lord has limited forces and that attack from the rebel forces..." He trailed off as he felt something heavy fall upon him as he entered the central ring of stones. The pedestals had odd things on them that seemed too fresh to be anything but recent, and the air felt like an angry god was staring at them. It was times like this that Marcos wished he could see mana like a Mage. They would have been able to see if something was wrong from a distance, and take action like leveling the place with fireballs.
"Ragast run!" He shouted as he pushed backward into a flip. His acrobatics took him past Ragast in a blink, but there was no sign of something happening. Not even after he cleared the whole series of stones and looked back to see Ragast doing the same series of tumbles and flips. Just as he thought it was just an aura of fear or something the ground shook, and he heard the cries of a few scouts heading his way. Turning slightly he caught brown shapes coming from where the hill and cave were supposed to be. Ragast rolled to his back and stood up in a combat stance to give both eyes and defense should something be coming.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"Ours, three of them, the hill on the far left seems to be collapsed." Her tone flat and professional, Marcos tapped his leather armor where metal plates had been sewn in creating a series of sounds. The Scouts had various methods of shorthand communication for situations like this. With footing unsteady and land quakes it was best to use distinct sounds rather than visual gestures. A responding set of clinks came a moment later, and Marcos felt a little better. All of his people were heading this way, but the wagons were not, but people were more important than supplies or slaves at this point. Another shake and the loud sound of cracking earth filled the air, and not the sound of dirt or rock sifting as it sometimes did. This was the sound of rock breaking apart, like when walls were broken down by spell or siege. Suddenly a spire of blue-gray pierced the sky from the center of the standing stones. followed by others in a ring around the center. They looked like spear points and the large columns of green stone that followed them just added to the look.
"What in the Realms is this," Marcos said, slowly shifting his feet backwards. It was too hard to hear much from the deafening sounds of tearing rock and rising stone, and the world seemed determined to shake apart. He knew all of his people were slowly backing up though, no one could just watch this without both awe and fear. A gods be damned castle was rising from the ground, and there was only one thing that could be the source of this.
"The Dungeon, and it's too powerful to just have us here, we would only be a wet towel on a bonfire..." Ragast must have heard his words because she looked over at him in surprise. Not much ever stopped him from doing his job. He had seen a lot in his years, but a dungeon build and then rising a castle from the earth was something like watching a Mage start casting a fireball. You just knew you had to run.
"Retreat to the Holding, report to Lord Reginald about this. The Dungeon has arisen and the Mana Well is here!" He shouted, instantly hurting his throat with the effort, before he grabbed Ragast's hand and ran. A few were transfixed as the rough walls and towers of stone rose. Seemingly carved from living rock the entrance to the Dungeon was a green stone castle, roughly shaped with no smooth edges. Like an old stone dagger the walls were topped with jagged edges, but there were a few places were different colored rock gave contrast. Then the rough walls grew foot long spikes, and those watching began to turn, but too late to escape the rain of stone spears. Men and women screamed and dragged themselves into the cover of the forest, which provided little protection from the constant storm. Then it ended, and from within the castle a pair of smooth, black doors opened. Then a horde of green ants the size of the fleeing people burst forth to give chase.
"Leave none alive" Were my words to my guardians.