As time passed in unknowable hours, Ren began to feel rejuvenated from his time experimenting with magic. The odd energy, or perhaps anti energy, as it felt so strange from his three energies, was also refilled and ready to be used again. With the goblin folk’s “civilization” so close, no creatures of oddities of the caverns had crept up on him as he hoped. The prospect of testing out these powers on some vile monster of the abyss was in fact quite appealing.
Within the long span where he was alone and draped in his cloak of shadow, he had a long time to think. Should I just run from these insane little men? Would it be better to lead them to their deaths as a mercy to their pitiful existence? What horrific God could these creatures have worshiped to corrupt them into such things and sink them deep into the Underdark? Perhaps it was best to let them fawn over me; to reap the rewards they can drop at my feet. Maybe that makes me a selfish bastard, maybe I deserve these abominations for what I have become.
Within his long moments of self-atonement and criticism, a figure began to approach him from the darkness beyond. The darkness around their shape seemed less so. His eldritch eyes showed him the faint outline of a person and their silhouette approached.
The dark figure bowed as they neared, in a whisper that barely echoed forth as she spoke. “They name you Alkyri, we remember him in truth as they cannot. Marked by him and twisted they don’t understand he has found the truest of deaths. We, those of his kin, not of his church, know the truth of things. I wish to only ask that you do not let them eradicate the last of us.”
Ren stood rigid as another human was bowed in the darkness several paces away. Watching her approach, she was so frail and starved he could not tell that her figure on approach was that of a woman’s. The revelation had shocked him.
Her body was terribly thin to the point where Ren questioned how she could still be alive. Long, dark, and unkempt black hair hung around a pale colorless face. Her eyes were a nearly translucent blue that took Ren aback at the odd color. Her face was small and showcased her body’s terrible state.
A small field of mana delicately swirled around her moving as it encountered objects. It was a bubble that constantly came out from her before retracting when it encountered objects surrounding her from all sides. Ren nearly commented on the odd aura around her before sensing its purpose. All around her was a field of mana that allowed her to sense the world around her even when completely blinded by utter darkness.
Ren activated eldritch eyes alongside analysis.
Human Lvl. 9
For the horrific shape she was in, she was quite strong regardless. A life living within such a place left no room for the weak.
Ren spoke after long moments of staring at the woman before him. “I know they are twisted things.” He stepped forwards and kneeled down to whisper softly. “I am no God come again, I have heard of those of you lost inside the Underdark, humans who do not belong.”
“They have spoken of us to you?” Her voice came louder, shock evident in her expression, a small fungal lobe of light appeared in her hand and illuminated as she looked into Ren’s black eyes.
“Yes, they seek to destroy you and burn the world above. I believe that so long down here has caused them to not comprehend the powers of those above. Even the master cleric of the monastery above far exceeds the power to destroy all of them.”
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“Yes, they have grown corrupted, and their minds have become something evil. I cannot express even the smallest portion of my gratitude to hear you are not betrothed to the idea of being the false God of such creatures.”
“I can’t lie, the idea of getting powerful while being worshiped by evil little men does sound pretty easy. I may not have been the best man I could have been, but I can be better than the man who would make that choice.”
“My people know how to escape the Underdark, the path is long and gruesome. We possess none strong enough to lead the charge. When you are ready to escape this place, we will be at your back. Just know it will be your strength that will guide the journey.” She described the path to him, using her mana she created a small map of fungal tendrils and mushrooms that sprouted from the stone after she cast odd magics. Slowly putting to memory, the path Ren nodded along as she showed him the dangers on the way to their hiding spot.
“I will come to you and your people soon; I will rest and gather my strength and basic supplies without gaining the suspicion of the Marked ones. When that is done I will find you.”
“That is more than I could ever ask for, we have long awaited finally leaving the depths of this dark place. Things far beyond the evil of goblins and insects dwell within the darkness down here. For ages this place has been cursed and what has spawned is beyond vile. Please be careful as will we.” She gave him a small smile and nodded before fading into the darkness as her small fungal lamp burned away.
Ren headed into the blackness between himself and the shaman’s residence where he had awoken. He felt the power dwelling within him, his ascension had taken a toll on him, yet he felt more alive than ever before. The drive within him to escape the fate given to him only burned stronger as he saw his own burning flame mirrored within the eyes of the pale woman.
Nearing the shaman’s dilapidated hut, he smelled the rot of the goblin’s “civilization.” He tried to ignore the smell of feces openly dumped on the streets mixed with the smells of fungal gardens that dwelled across every inch of the place. Discarded and rotten food melded with the disgusting scent of it all.
He arrived at the entrance to the dwelling. Peering inside the shaman worked at the corpse of another goblin. It was obvious at first sight. The creature was butchering one of his own, readying the corpse of a recently dead goblinoid creature.
Ren tried to hold in his disgust and yet the putrid scent of the opened creature tore at his gag reflex. He stepped back from the hut and tried to breathe the less putrid air outside.
“My Lord! There is something I must present to you, tonight there shall be a feast in your honor.”
“If that is what shall be feasted on, then I shall pass.” Ren covered his nose to avoid the acrid smell of rot permeating the area.
“No, no! For the Lord Alkyri, only the best, this flesh will be for the lesser shaman who shall come to celebrate!” The shaman smiled.
“There are others such as you? Where from, I have seen no others but yourself in this area with souls not crumbling at their edges.” Ren glanced into the face of the goblin shaman.
“My Lord, I must say, I have neglected much in the tale of our people. We are not all there is down here. Many hundreds of us dwell within the stone, hide, chitin and bone homes of this section. This is only one of eleven sections where we live. The Underdark is crawling with us.” His smile widened as he spoke, excitement creeping up within him. As he finished speaking he grabbed the blade he had been butchering his kin with and tossed it up, catching it and slamming it back down into the chest of his dissection project.
“So, how many will be coming for this celebration tonight?”
“Ten more high shamans, in addition, from the largest of our clans will be the bearer of your crown.”
“My crown? What do you mean, a literal crown?” Ren was taken aback imagining a crown made of mushrooms and rotten filth that the highest of goblin craftsmanship could only afford to make for his honor.
“Lord Alkyri, take your rest from your training. Tonight, your fire shall truly burn above all others, and forever onwards be known for the death it shall bring.” A rotten giggle came from the Marked Shaman, the hideous thing.