Perhaps, they considered that there will be a bear or two, or even a pack of wolves. However, the Tumbleton siblings were now burdened beyond belief.
When they entered the cave, they were greeted with the pungent smell of rotten flesh, and that was honestly something the Tumbleton siblings were used to, since their uncle, Craig Tumbleton often loved to tan leather when he was around.
Once they entered the cave, they found several discarded belongings that would have belonged to people from all walks of life. Pouches filled with coins probably carried by merchants or bandits, short swords carried by adventurers or even upturned baskets of clothing and even rotting food.
“Kunivia, bring your torch closer,” Kessler said, bending down as he stopped his sister from walking forward. Kunivia, decked in black leather that complimented her hair, was also holding a crossbow in her hand and a torch in the other, lowered the torch to where her brother was looking at.
The torch illuminated Kessler’s black chainmail, as he sat down his round shield and longsword, to examine the tripwire.
“Traps.” Kunivia sniffed and Kessler nodded. Following the wire, Kessler raised his head and saw a large rock with spikes impaled on them.
“Avalan said that the cave has been explored before right?” Kessler asked, standing up and picking up his equipment before sidestepping the trap. The crossbow-wielding Kunivia nodded. This meant that someone had decided to set up shop here.
The cave had a lack of spiders as well, nor any other insect that would have crawled and moved. In fact, it seemed that this place was devoid of any insects.
“Crossbow loaded?” Kessler asked and Kunivia nodded and they advanced into the cave. Soon, they came to what seemed like a cave wall that has been smashed into.
“Look, a pickaxe,” Kunivia whispered, pointing at the pickaxe leaning against the side of the cave.
“You won’t be needing the torch.”
Kunivia and Kessler gripped their weapons and swallowed their saliva as the voice echoed down the cave.
“Come, come. Guests shouldn’t be made to wait.” The voice echoed once again, a pleasant male voice as if that of a man in his 20s. The two looked behind, only to see that the path they had come in from had vanished.
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“Now now, you have come so far, it is only polite to at least have tea.” The voice sounded once again.
“You, stand behind me,” Kessler said, raising his shield a little as the siblings walked forward through the darkness that seemed an eternity. The sound of silence stretched on as well, where the only sounds the siblings could hear their own breathing and footsteps.
After what seemed like an eternity, the duo finally reached a solid iron door, with the insignia of an upside down cross, which held no meaning to the two of them.
This opened the door to a large furnished room, dark red carpets, red drapes along the walls. Sconces light the otherwise dark room. At the very centre was a large campfire, surrounded by three chairs. A man in a merchant’s clothes sit in it, warming his hands. The man had a scar above his eyebrow, dark red hair and a charming smile that accentuated his sharp jawlines.
However, standing along the walls were what seemed to be two dozen men, women and children. All of them unblinking and unmoving.
“Come, come, sit. Tea?” the man smiled, flashing his white teeth as he raised a bronze tea pot and held two small cups in his other hand.
“No, thank you.” Kessler said, doing his best at managing a smile, his longsword still grasped in his hand.
“No? That’s a shame. He brought the tea here.” The man said, pointing at one of the men standing along the wall.
“Who are… These people?” Kunivia asked, her voice trembling slightly. The calm, cool demeanour of the man sitting on the chair was freaking him out. The fact that two dozens or so men, women and children stood there, not moving, not blinking and not saying a word freaked him out as well.
“Well, apologies, your names again?” the man asked, standing up and straightening his clothes.
“Hansel and Gretel!” Kessler said loudly, stunning Kunivia and the man nodded.
“Well, Hansel and Gretel… these people are my guests. So you shall join them! Would you not?” the man smiled and Kessler, who was shaking a little forced a smile.
“But, who are you?” Kunivia asked, her crossbow already slightly raised.
“That, good sir and madam, is a good question. I have had many names and a slumber I was in after an ancient warrior confined me in here. Yet, these people—“ the man gestured to a pair of muscled men that had dirt all over their vests and one of them even had a mining hat on, with an extinguished candle in the front.
“-awoke me and then I realized that the world is so different now. I hear that there are no longer Paladin orders, nor Crusader Kings…”
“Oh… And my name is Venti Laughlin, people back then used to call me…”
Venti Laughlin snaps his fingers and the room that was brightly lit and well decorated suddenly felt cold and dark. The drapes and carpets disappeared, replaced with splashes of blood, flesh and guts all along the walls and floors.
The men, women and children that stood there suddenly looked as if they were rotting and moaning mindlessly and they started to amble towards the siblings, with the rotting children scampering forward, as if ready to jump them.