Zelotes rushed to the scene, barely clothed, and armed with his weapon, meeting Tulbrik at the bar. It was an hour before sunrise.
“What is it, Tulbrik?” Zelotes demanded, ready to strike the nearest enemy.
“They cut me off! That’s the emergency!” Tulbrik said, slamming a fist onto the bar. “They gave me some, hot, brown…” Tulbrik hesitated, almost cringing as he said the word. “Elven drink…”
“It’s called coffee!” A voice from the back of the bar cried.
“Those fockin’ elves!” Tulbrik yelled.
“You should really watch that tongue of yours! I’m quite tempted to cut it off, you uncultured shortsman!” A familiar voice exclaimed in response to Tulbrik’s obscenity. Jacqué showed herself as she approached the bar.
“What do you elitist elves know about culture? All you knife-ears do is drink five-hundred-year-old wine and eat cheese that’s even older!” Exclaimed Tulbrik.
“I will have you know that we make the best wines of any race as well as the best cheese, and I can’t say the same for your people, who just sit and dig holes all day.” Jacqué insulted.
“Well at least we find things that are valuable in those holes like iron, titanium, gold, and arcanashards, almost breaking our fockin’ backs in the process while you self-important shitheels get to go to your classy concerts and cultured wine tastings, being too scared to get your fragile little hands dirty.” Tulbrik got out of his stool, looking up at her in the eyes.
“Mes, dieux! Well we at least have a sense of hygiene and manners and know when to stop drinking, unlike you smelly, alcoholic shorthalts who are caked in days worth of filth!” Jacqué retaliated, her accent becoming stronger. The two continued insulting each other’s people until they just yelled obscenities at each other in their native tongues, regardless of ability to understand each other. Looking down at his only clothing being trunks, Zelotes quietly made his way back to his room. After his usual routine of meticulous mane care, push-ups, and morning prayer, Zelotes emerged from his room fully armored. He re-emerged into the main tavern room with the bar, Tulbrik and Jacqué’s quarrel continued on, but the familiar mask of Xiyloos was sitting at a table with a bowl of porridge at their side, whilst reading a book in a strange language.
“Good morning, Xiyloos!” Zelotes announced, sitting at a chair across from the masked arcanist.
“Morning, Zelotes.” Xiyloos dryly greeted, not moving their face from their book.
“You happen to speak dwarvish or elven by any chance?” Zelotes asked, looking over to the arguing pair.
“Some, not enough for conversing.” Xiyloos stated.
“I see.” Zelotes placed a finger to scratch his snout, briefly.
“Excuse me, would you like something for breakfast?” The goblin waitress who served him the night before appeared beside Zelotes expectantly.
“Yes, I’ll have some-” out of the corner of his vision, a strange tendril emerged from the right sleeve of Xiyloos’ coat, catching the leothien’s attention, stretching and extending into the bowl of porridge. It began sucking it up, slowly. “On second thought, I'll just take some broth.”
“Ok!” The goblin left for the kitchen, returning about ten minutes later with a steaming bowl of stock, the aroma filling Zelotes’ sense of smell. He took it, placing it before his mouth before drinking from it. He then put it down on the table, now empty.
“Ok, Xiyloos, I don’t mean to be impolite, but what are you exactly?” Zelotes asked.
“That is…” Xiyloos paused, as if to consider their words. “...unimportant.”
“Well, I’m going to look at the job board.” Zelotes said, with an uncomfortable expression as he looked at the tendril. It was still slurping porridge. He got up and went to the nearby job board, there weren’t many offerings, but one stood out. A red envelope. Zelotes picked it up. He went over to Jacqué and Tulbrik.
“Maybe you two can air out your grievances while we get some pay.”
Tulbrik and Jacqué looked at the envelope. “What is it?” Jacqué asked.
“That’s what I’m going to find out.” Zelotes announced, opening the envelope. It wasn’t sealed. There was a note, inscribed with strange characters. “Does anyone know this?” Zelotes asked, holding the note up. Xiyloos seemed to look up from their book. They approached, closing the book and storing it in their book bag, and taking the note.
“It’s written in draconic.” Xiyloos stated.
“Well then, Masked Stranger, what does it read?” Tulbrik asked.
“Meet me at the store for minor magical goods with this note. We shall discuss the job there. Do not present this note if you do not intend to take this job. By presenting this note, you have accepted the job.” The masked arcanist read. “Well, that last part doesn’t sound curious.” Xiyloos commented with sarcasm.
“I’d like to know what exactly the guy’s payin’.” Tulbrik stated.
“Of course a dwarf like you would.” Jacqué stated, crossing her arms, and turning her face away from the dwarf.
Tulbrik looked up at her “And of course an elf like you would-”
“I’ve heard enough of your bickering!” Zelotes exclaimed.
“I did find it hard to study my spellbook while you two were slurring each other.” Xiyloos commented.
“If anyone else is interested in this, follow me.” Zelotes announced, proceeding to the door.
“Well, whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll give me more of a rush than playing with the band!” Jacqué said as a smile returned to her face.
Zelotes turned to look at her. “Won’t they be expecting you?” he asked.
“Oh, I left. They’re boring, and the lead always seems to have a problem with elves." she responded.
“I wonder why.” Tulbrik commented.
“Understandable.” Zelotes exited the tavern.
Xiyloos followed. Jacqué made herself not far behind Zelotes, with a slight spring in her step, and Tulbrik shrugged, and began following as well. The group went about town asking townspeople if they knew of the store. Eventually they found it, tucked in the eastern corner of the town’s residential district. For a place that sold magical goods, it didn’t stand out. Its exterior was more akin to that of a simple cottage than any place of merchandise. Tulbrik walked up, taking the note from Zelotes’ hand and proceeded through the door. A bell rang as he entered, the others followed. There was what looked like an aging human. He was dressed in merchant’s finery. Tulbrik slammed the note on the counter.
“We’ll take whatever you’ve got!” Tulbrik announced
“Tulbrik…” Zelotes said, shaking his head.
“Ah! You got my note!” the man said, enthusiastically as he saw the paper. “You may address me as Naizter. Now, you will be investigating the abandoned mine just a couple hours outside of town. You will bring back anything you find there!”
“What’s our payment?” Tulbrik asked, patting his coin pouch.
“We’ll discuss that after you return.” The clerk stated, a sly grin forming.
“Are ya kiddin’ me! I am not accepting this job until I know what our pay is!” Tulbrik demanded angrily.
“You actually have.” Naizter answered, with a laugh.
“Remember when it read ‘By presenting this note, you have accepted the job.’” Jacqué reminded him.
Tulbrik loudly cursed out something in dwarvish.
“Where are these ruins, Naizter?” Zelotes asked.
“Two hours east of here.” Naizter answered, scratching behind his left ear.
Tulbrik cleaned his glasses before putting them back on. Zelotes turned to the rest of the party. “Well, we know what the job is now.” He then turned to Naizter once more. “Is there anything we can expect?”
The man paused for a moment as he was sorting through a tray of rings, examining them. “I don’t know, that’s why I’m sending you. Now if you don’t return in two weeks, I’ll send a search party.”
The group left, now obligated to fulfill the job request. As they left, Xiyloos seemed to notice something. The image of the old man briefly flickered, revealing something more akin to a drakgath. They traveled through the hilly forests that marked the surrounding landscape for nearly two hours. The landscape was like ridge upon ridge of ascending forest hills blanketed in fog. They made tiring climbs up and down steep hillsides with neither road or rail before coming across an entrance. It was supported by decaying timber beams and was about five feet in height. A set of rusted rails ran out of it like a tongue from a sickened maw.
“Tulbrik, you should go first.” Xiyloos suggested.
“Is this because I’m a dwarf?” Tulbrik asked, irritated.
“Yes, you’re the one who is best able to fit in this mineshaft, being just above four feet. Jacqué is just below six feet, I’m slightly over, and Zelotes is clearly within seven feet, so he should go last.” Xiyloos stated, as though he were defining a word from a dictionary.
“What if we need to escape?” Tulbrik asked. “I don’t like the idea of a seven foot tall leothien clad in steel blocking our only way out. And I don’t think I have any teleportation devices on me.”
Xiyloos paused. They then walked over to a stone, taking out a knife and carving a circular rune with it. Electricity then began to arc out of their fingertips as they knelt and ran them along the rune. They then stood up, turning to face the rest of the group. They then extended their gloved left hand, their index and middle fingers extended in a finger-gun position, before moving into a v-shape. A blast of lightning shot out, forking to hit all of the party members before anyone could react. Everyone except Xiyloos collapsed spasming as the lightning arced through their bodies for a minute.
“Remind me why we should trust you.” Zelotes stood up, drawing his blade, the hairs of his flame-like mane, now standing on end from the shock as he saw his reflection in the blade. “Do you know how long it took me to get my mane ready this morning?”
“It was part of an emergency teleportation spell, should we need it.” Xiyloos replied, coolly. they then snapped their fingers. Another jolt of electricity ran through Zelotes, staggering him before he got back up. His reflection showed his hair was once more, its flamelike appearance restored. “There.” Xiyloos stated.
“I’m startin’ to agree with ya.” Tulbrik groaned, as he got back up.
Zelotes sheathed his blade, then looked at Tulbrik, then looked at his hammer, he turned back to Tulbrik, patting the hilt of his sheathed blade, and glanced at Xiyloos, then back to Tulbrik, and nodded. Tulbrik nodded back. “Jacqué, are you alright?” He asked, turning towards her.
Jacqué pulled herself to her feet, smiling as always, patting her hair down and her clothes. “Well, that left me thunderstruck!” She joked. Zelotes held back a laugh, while Tulbrik just shook his head in amusement.
“How about a reversed order of file?” Xiyloos asked. “That way, if my magic fails, we don’t have anything large blocking us.”
“That’s fine, but next time you do something like that, warn us first. Let’s go.” Zelotes answered.
Tulbrik pulled something from his toolbelt, it looked like a mechanical firefly. “This will provide us some light, it gets dark in those mineshafts.” It came to life as it made contact with Tulbrik’s gauntlet, emitting an orange light before hovering in front of him. The group proceeded as the fluttering mechanical firefly led the way. They proceeded through the mineshaft and its darkness for what felt like hours. Finding little other than old pickaxes and abandoned minecarts. However, before long they came across something as Tulbrik knocked on the mineshaft walls. There was a hollow resonance.
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“What’s that?” Zelotes asked.
“I think it’s a cave!” answered Tulbrik. He loaded something from his toolbelt into his gauntlet. “Everyone stand back!” He then aimed at the left wall and fired.
“Although your craftsmanship is amiable, the use of explosives would be unwi-” Xiyloos’s words were cut off as a loud boom shot out of the gauntlet and a cloud of dust and shattered rock enveloped the party.
“You do realize that you could’ve killed all of us.” Xiyloos commented.
“Well I wasn’t tryin’ to, and I could've sworn ya were tryin’ to kill all of us with that ‘teleportation spell’ of yours!” Tulbrik replied.
“Please don’t start another one, you two.” Zelotes said, shaking his head.
The group entered the chamber following some path revealed as the firefly fluttered in front of them, and made it halfway over a chasm bridged by what looked like a fallen stalagmite. There was a shriek from above. Zelotes’ eyes flashed yellow as he used his Holy Sight, he felt something lost and decaying, something hungry for the living. He drew his sword. “There’s undead in here, I can feel it!” The group huddled together, back to back in anticipation. Three bat-like creatures emerged from the darkness, shrieking as they flew in to attack. Zelotes was struck and pinned right to the edge of the stalagmite as the man-sized, undead bat opened its maw, dripping with putrid juices over his face. He was faced with death from above and darkness below as he could feel himself slipping. He was nearly ready to fall to an uncertain fate as he wrestled against the bat’s hungry maw when a melody started playing as Jacqué began weaving her music into a spell. A line of magenta notes wrapped around the creature and flung it off of Zelotes. He then got up and cleaved one in half as it got within range of his blade, The other two were shot by spears of lightning released from Xiyloos’ drawn runes of electricity whilst uttering some verbal component.
“Hey, those were for me!” Zelotes complained.
“You keep complaining about how I threaten you all. Why do you complain when I save us all from those… things?” Xiyloos questioned.
Zelotes shook his head. “Let’s just continue.”
Jacqué walked over to Zelotes as the group continued. “Is our friend driving you batty?” She said with a clever smile.
The two shared a giggle. “You and your humor, old friend. Where do you get these little jokes from?” Zelotes asked.
She chuckled, “Maybe be around me more and find out.” Jacqué answered. “Besides, you need to lighten up some, have some fun, smile more!”
Zelotes rolled his eyes. The group continued until the path led them to a large, metal door big enough to fit a mammoth. Its exterior was covered in interlocking, old gears and rusted, bolted plating that made up a bearded face, and its edges were lined with writing in some dwarven text. Flanking either side, were metallic statues, almost mechanical in appearance, resembling enlarged dwarves holding axes.
“Is this what I think it is?” Tulbrik asked, taking a drink of whisky from a newly purchased bottle.
“Do you think it’s a lost dwarven stronghold?” Xiyloos asked.
“Why ya read me mind! Of course it’s not just a stronghold, it's a vault!” Tulbrik answered.
“No. I did not read your mind, Tulbrik.”
Tulbrik shook his head before taking another drink from his bottle and adjusting his glasses. “Usually they have some kind of sentries inside.”
“Well then, let’s have some fun!” Zelotes said, his sizeable blade drawn as he approached the door.
“Now, now there’s usually some kind of puzzle that we’ve got to go through to get in.” Tulbrik said as he approached the door. As he stepped closer, a pedestal rose from the ground. A curious puzzle cube containing a variety of glowing characters on its tiles was held on it. “Well then, now if we just arrange these right… I can do this.”
“With you being drunk as always, I’d like to see you prove it.” Zelotes commented.
Tulbrik began arranging the tiles into various patterns in a trial and error process, constantly twisting and turning them until all the characters on each side matched. He then placed the cube onto the pedestal. The doors began opening with Tulbrik making the right combination. “I’ve worked with these before, so there’s your proof!” Tulbrik announced. A large, partly lit stone hallway awaited them. The group entered as Zelotes led the way. It was rather clean for a structure that had been abandoned for who knew how long. As they proceeded, the hall became labyrinthine as each hallway they traveled down let to yet more, with some having dead ends, or seemingly no ends at all. Xiyloos began scratching on the walls and floor, marking where the group had been. Zelotes paused at times, looking behind the party with concern.
“Everyone, stop and listen for a moment. I think we may have followers.” Zelotes stated.
“I wouldn’t count on us being alone.” Xiyloos plainly commented in response, continuing as though they hadn’t heard Zelotes’ question.
“Well, if they’re any trouble I can take them on, bare-handed!” Tulbrik boasted.
The group continued for what felt like a day, before coming across the center of the maze. It was the most well lit area of the labyrinth and held something hovering on a pedestal at the center. It was what looked like a sphere of dark iron with lines and runes glowing a red-tinged purple inscribed on and hovering around it.
“Is that a… No it couldn’t be.” Xiyloos was paused as though in astonishment.
“What is it then?” Jacqué asked.
“The only thing that this could possibly be other than an illusion is… a memory.”
“Well, I don’t remember this!” Jacqué said, half joking.
“Nor do I. But I don’t think you quite understand what I mean. A memory is a vessel of raw power left over from the origin… If this really is a memory…”
“Of course! It’s not just some vault, this is an Artificial Vault! Looks like it's in a state of disrepair though.” Tulbrik stated.
Zelotes stepped forward, “I recall there was a memory that was associated with the Sunfather. I doubt this is the one, but any memory has-”
“World-shaking power.” Xiyloos finished.
“I’m afraid that memory belongs to me.” A voice from another entryway into the chamber announced. The group turned to view the individual, a tall, iron-clad woman stood, her armor inscribed with patterns resembling bone and ribs, and her face obscured by a helm with a skull-like visor. She carried a cruelly constructed axe, drawn and ready.
“And that is what we came here for.” A familiar voice said from behind.
“Indeed, apprentice.” Another one replied.
Zelotes and everyone else turned again to see who was behind them. There were two knights in black armor behind them. They were both within Zelotes’ height range. One was slightly taller with a winged helm that concealed his face, a dragon-skull mounted his right pauldron, and his chestplate was emblazoned with holy text and wings around a black hole under a white crown, though the text was not that of Zelotes' faith, he also wore a cape made of cinder dragon scales that resembled cracked lava. He also carried a greatsword as large as Zelotes’, wreathed in cold, black flame. Black flame that reminded Zelotes of the attacks of the strange being he and his master fought a month before he graduated. His attention turned to the knight behind him. His armor wasn’t as decorated as the one in front of him, but his helmet seemed to be made for either a drakgath or a leothien in mind and he carried a large, bladed shield colored in black and white. Zelotes visored his face, something about the knight with the shield was familiar to Zelotes. He then thought about the first voice. Squinting, he glanced past the visor of the apprentices’ helm. His eyes were a familiar hue of orange-tinged amber. Zelotes’ eyes widened. A disturbing thought came to mind. “No, it couldn’t possibly be!” He thought to himself.
Stepping forward, blade drawn, Zelotes prepared to engage the two. “Listen, all three of you, I’d rather not have to fight-” The knight with the shield charged ahead, first, clashing the blades of his shield against Zelotes’ greatsword, pushing the yellow paladin back with a blast of black energy. As he struck Zelotes once, before charging him again, this time, Zelotes held off his attack with his blade. He realized something. These weren’t mere knights; they were opposing faith paladins.
“Oh, how time changes us, Zelotes Nemean.” The apprentice spoke, his voice recognizable, yet holding back fire.
Zelotes’ heart sank, as he heard the apprentice say his name. “Please! We’re brothers, we don’t have to do this.” He retaliated, attempting to land a blow, only for his blade to be caught mid-strike.
“I do not intend to give you that choice.” the apprentice answered in a suppressed tone that bore a growl of aggression.The rest of the party began running to Zelotes’ aid, only to be blasted back by an explosion of dark energy from the palm of the apprentice’s hand. The Iron Clad woman charged in for a swing at the apprentice, the swing of her axe grazing the apprentice paladin’s backside as he just moved out of the way. She then attempted to attack Tulbrik. Reaching for something on his belt, Tulbrik pulled out a button. He pressed it. A bubble appeared around the dwarf only to be shattered by a single strike of the skull-faced warrior’s axe.
“Were you even trying to defend yourself!?!” The armored woman yelled at Tulbrik, before feeling the deflected strike of a blade from behind. She turned to face Zelotes.
“Eyes on me!” Zelotes goaded her.
“Face me, deserter!” Cried the apprentice as he charged Zelotes from behind, his shield splitting into something resembling a pincer. Zelotes just dodged the attack as the blades of the shield closed like a pair of scissors, nearly clipping his sword arm.
“Let’s drive all that fury elsewhere.” Jacqué began strumming her instrument to a hypnotic tune as magenta notes began dancing before the apprentice’s eyes, putting him into a nearly staggered state before shaking out of it with a growl.
“This is between only us, elf-wench!” the apprentice proclaimed, before raising his pincer-shield to deflect the attack of the iron-clad woman’s axe.
Xiyloos began drawing a circle of electric runes and muttering a verbal component. From the circle, a hand of electricity sprung towards the axe-wielding warrior grappling and stunning her, before Xiyloos casted another rune that sent spears of lightning flying at her, once staggering her more, twice sendinding her a step back with a grunt as the lightning surged through her, before she broke the hand’s grasp and blocked the third with the blade of her axe, absorbing the electricity, now arcing through it.
The paladin bearing the black greatsword drew a black rune and extended his hand. Tendrils seemingly woven from pure blackness extended from it to the memory, enveloping it, and began pulling the memory over into his palm. It was then sucked up into his gauntlet, before he drew another rune of black energy. It morphed into a sphere blacker than any shade of black, and launched it over to the clashing group. It was a black hole. In a cloud of black mist the apprentice teleported to his master. Both parties began struggling to maintain their footing as the black hole began pulling them in. Xiyloos suddenly lost their footing on the ground and began flying into the black hole before they were caught by the hand of Zelotes as he dug his blade into the floor.
A portal opened behind the two black paladins. “Lucias, How many more times do I need to remind you? Personal feelings have no place in the Eternal Darkness’s plan.” The master said, coldly.
The apprentice was paused. “Forgive me, Lord Tharnak. In future, I will act more out of duty than my own-.”
“Leave. ” Tharnak pushed him through the portal. He looked to the party before dispelling the black hole and leaving as the portal closed.
“This isn’t over…” The ironclad woman said before making a swing in front of her with the axe. Another portal opened, and closed as she entered it.
“Please tell me there aren’t any more of those guys.” Tulbrik said, shaking his head before taking a drink.
The place began shaking as debris began falling to the floor. “Xiyloos, get us out of here, now!” Zelotes ordered.
Xiyloos, nodded and quickly wrote a series of electric runes while reciting something. Circles of lightning appeared beneath everyone as the next thing they knew, they were back at the mine’s entrance. It was night. A fiery glow could be seen in the direction of Theltstown. With a brisk pace, the group made it back to an overlook of the town. It was on fire, and was being rampaged by creatures that ranged from horned warriors and hound-like beasts to smaller, winged creatures with tails like scorpions. All seemed to be pouring out from a portal of glowing red liquid surrounded by blood-red runes. The group was taken aback, and Zelotes could say only one word: “Demons…”