The anxiousness in the Kampfergilde camp seemed infectious. Every man could barely hold still for a minute. Some chatted with excitement while reminiscing about old tales of valor from their previous battles. Others sharpened their blades with unsteady hands. Though most of those unsteady hands belonged to new recruits, there were a select few regulars who had heard the stories of the infamous Wolbung.
The camp was situated in a field of lush grass about two miles from the base of Wolbung. There was hardly a tree in the area, with the only visible woods being several miles behind them. At least, they would be visible if it weren’t for the intense fog that had settled into the area. The journey to the camp was a miserable one because of the constant rain, but the fog seemed to taunt the whole Kampfergilde with its diabolical presence. It covered all but the base of Wolbung, giving the illusion of grandeur to the mountain hardly worthy of being called one.
Alaric and Johannes stood at the edge of the camp looking toward that dreaded place. From where they stood, not even one foe could be clearly seen. They both knew enemies were all over the base of Wolbung, and not being able to see their movements sent shivers all over Johannes’s body. Though Alaric hardly ever let a worried glance or slight expression of anxiety show, Johannes knew he felt it, too. Alaric glanced down at the old map of the mines. Any number of changes could’ve been made to the old tunnels. It was doubtful that even the Diebstahl would be able to occupy the whole mine, but they had shown many surprises before. Johannes and Alaric looked at each other and nodded before returning to the camp, each going his separate way.
Lucullus and Aela sat by a small campfire, taking in the calm before the storm, though it looked like the storm had already arrived in some form. They enjoyed a hearty breakfast of smoked bass and porridge as much as they could with the ominous fog looming in the distance.
Lucullus looked out at the foreboding backdrop as he sipped his mead. “I wish Lucium had a guild like the Kampfergilde.” He slurped down the last part of his porridge. “Our roads would’ve been safe enough to travel with a gold plate on your head.”
“That’s why guard patrols are set along the roads,” Aela replied dismissively.
“If you lived in Lucium in any of the last five years, you would understand.” He chugged the last of his mead. “It’s a miracle that I never died from all my trips in Lucium.”
“Did Lucium not have guards along the road?”
He shook his head. “Hardly. Maybe there were more in the north, but in my home province… if I had a coin for every guard there was, I wouldn’t even have enough to buy bread. Most manpower was diverted to dealing with the border issues in the west. I’m amazed my village had as many guards as it did.”
“Admittedly, before you came to the college, I only ever saw the world from atop the mountains. I saw a great part of the lowlands, but the events of the outside world were largely a mystery to me. Because of my work in the archives, I occasionally heard news as it was discussed between those above me. In a way, I was fortunate to have heard any news, as most of my peers, and even those who were technically my superiors, never heard the things I heard.”
As Lucullus was about to open his mouth, all through the camp Johannes’s words suddenly rang out, “Zu den waffen!” Like a bell frantically ringing, he repeated, “Zu den waffen!” His words filled the ears of everyone in the camp as they all sprang into action. The men gathered their weapons, dawned their helmets, and prepared to march on Wolbung.
Lucullus and Aela prepared their gear and went to find Johannes. The rest of the camp divided between Alaric and Johannes, forming two sizable forces, about twenty per group. Alaric’s group were to attack the entrance directly, or rather, where they hoped it still was. Their assault, Alaric figured, would be enough to break in. It was Johannes’s group that would follow some distance behind to keep anyone from cutting them off on both sides.
As the two groups marched to the base of Wolbung the fog cleared somewhat, and they could see brigands dotting the mountainside. Arrows were loosed by both sides as they locked into a fierce battle. The entrance was still where the old maps indicated, but the path to it was littered with bandits and barricades of wood. Swords clashed and the men with bows drew their knives at close range as they neared the large entryway to the mines. The fighting was scrappy on both sides, but Alaric’s men showed their prowess and why they have the reputation of elite fighters. The veterans dispatched of the entrance guards with little trouble, and even the fresh recruits, despite their difficulties, managed to prove their worth, though some died.
Seeing the first group go in the mines, Johannes ordered his men to hurry toward the entrance and clean up the scraps. Any remaining brigand was cut down as the group pressed on. As they followed Alaric’s group into the old mine shafts, the open battlefield quickly turned into claustrophobic tunnels, and it was not long before the fog outside was a distant memory. The present anxiety among the men now came from the unfamiliarity of the tunnels and the dim lighting.
To their left was a short tunnel with a door at the end. As soon as their footsteps echoed in through the old mines, the door burst open, and a group of five brigands were upon them. Once more, Alaric’s group carried the fight, and Johannes’s group came in to secure the rear. The close quarters kept the battle close, but was nothing a simple numbers advantage couldn’t overcome. Aela kept her senses sharp and remained vigilant for any spiritual disturbances. After the fight was over, she began to feel a dark presence, but couldn’t figure out where it came from.
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She leaned over to Johannes and whispered, “Chaodites are present somewhere in these mines.”
He whispered back, “Can you tell how close they are?”
She shook her head. “It’s a weak energy. Most likely just novices, or perhaps one or two more skilled Chaodites.”
“No Masters?”
“None.”
Her eyes went wide as she suddenly felt a much stronger wave of energy. She grabbed Johannes’s sleeve as he was about to relay the information to Alaric. “They’re in a room on the right. It’s twenty paces ahead.”
He nodded, and gave Alaric the warning.
Both groups prepared for another ambush as they crept to where the room was. Some of the men were uneasy and could barely hold their swords steady. Brigands of the Diebstahl were nothing but simple foes. The Chaodites, however, were a group that no one could truly prepare for. Seeing several of the men quaking in the torchlight, Lucullus began to realize that only Aela had more experience or knowledge about Chaodites than he did. The thought sent shivers up his spine, and he gripped his sword and shield tighter.
Aela put her arms out in front of Johannes and Lucullus. “Stop! We shouldn’t take another step.” She repeated it in the Hellhautig tongue.
Lucullus looked at her with immense concern. “Why not?”
Alaric looked back, but simply barked an order that must have been for the men to continue.
“The Chaodite has cast a spell.”
“How do you know?”
She flinched for a moment. “I felt it.”
Lucullus shrugged. “I trust your judgment.” He assumed a wide stance, and took a deep breath.
Johannes, unsure of whether to press forward, decided to ready his knife and assume a defensive stance.
In a matter of seconds Alaric’s group, sixteen of which remained after the previous encounters, was halved. He and his men began to look like they had never held a sword before, swinging like confused drunks.
Johannes, seeing the dire situation, ordered his men to charge in. Despite Aela’s protests, they moved ahead to join the battle. She cast several wards before moving up with Lucullus to join the fray. As they approached, the environment suddenly changed.
Lucullus felt the urge to vomit as he closed in on the enemy. The flames coming off of the torches seemed to point downward. He looked up, or maybe it was down. Before he could orient himself, the torches were once again upright, and he could swing his sword without feeling sick. It was just in time for him to block an attack from a brigand with his shield, though he stumbled back from the hit and smacked into the ground.
Aela locked eyes with the Chaodite, and the two shot fire at each other. The flames collided and caused a small explosion with enough force to send both of them tumbling back into the dirt. As they recovered, the battle quickly turned to a battle of wits. A normal person would think their eyes were crossed, but Aela knew the two copies of the Chaodite were illusions. With a bit of strain, she recited a short prayer, and the illusions vanished. The Chaodite clutched his head and dropped to one knee.
She moved in with a flame spell, but he was able to somewhat counter it. What he could not counter was Lucullus’s sword as it pierced through his heart.
Lucullus mocked the Chaodite, “A coward does not deserve to see his enemy’s face. Woe upon you, Chaodite.”
The Chaodite simply laughed.
Lucullus, in a panic, frantically recited the prayer of that mysterious spirit. Before he could finish, the Chaodite screamed a wretched, ear-piercing scream. Alaric, his men, and even the brigands stopped fighting for a second to cover their ears. And with one last screech, the Chaodite fell silent and collapsed on the ground. Soon after, the battle was finished, and the immediate area was littered with the bodies of friend and foe alike.
They swiftly moved into the room, which was now devoid of any life. All along the floor there were mangled bodies strewn about. The center of the room was adorned with a large stone altar, stained with the blood of past victims. It was crude in its construction, but was unmistakably a Chaodite altar. Off to the side was a table littered with knives and bowls. At the center of the altar laid a heart, though it was unclear who the heart belonged to, it belonged to one of the corpses in the room because of how fresh it was.
The stench in the room made Lucullus dizzy, and his stomach was in knots. He held his nose, but it was useless. Not even the rotting intestines of swine could compete with the odor of this room.
Aela closed her eyes, and almost jumped when she felt the surge of Chaodite energy lingering in the room. “This place will need to be exorcised,” she said in a low voice. “It isn’t good for us to stay in this room.”
“I agree,” Lucullus declared. “I would rather live in a chamber pot than in here.” He turned around and made his way to the door, with Aela following close behind.
Alaric, also holding his nose, ordered his men to press on.
Lucullus leaned over and whispered to Aela, “I’ve never been assaulted by such a foul stench before. I have to wonder how many of those people died from just the smell.”
She whispered back, “The natural stench is not what made it so foul.”
He looked at her in disbelief.
“It is because of the evil spirits and energy. They cause an unnatural stench. Such sacrifices to Chaodis are so putrid that I don’t need to sense the energy. Even you felt its effects.”
Lucullus shivered at the thought of those sacrifices.
“I’m not an exorcist, but I know some of the prayers. It would do you some good to say them after this is over.”
Round another corner to the left the path continued to where a few large caves were. One was off to the right, connected by a short corridor. Another, also along the right side, was connected by a winding tunnel. Alaric decided not to branch off of the main path as he looked back at his dwindling squad. The next cave would be the biggest one, and the main path intersected with it.
Johannes called Aela and Lucullus over to him. “The large cavern is not far. I expect we’ll encounter a lot of resistance, so prepare yourselves.”