Noctum Hallow_The Adventures of Thelbe Jack

Thelbe trudged through the cramped iron conduit that snaked through the underground darkness. The viscous liquid trickling from the pipe was a mystery, but its thickness suggested it bore no resemblance to water. He silently thanked his modified black leather boots. The several layers of protection he added prevented any seepage into his socks.

After what felt like an eternity, he reached an ancient ladder ascending to the tower where the dark elf leader resided. The rungs creaked against Thelbe's weight as he carried himself upwards. Struggling with the heavy cover blocking his path, Thelbe studied the hinges with a wary eye. Discovering their hidden mechanism, he deftly manipulated it and swung the entrance open.

The ladder deposited Thelbe into a dimly lit maintenance chamber. He closed the heavy cover behind him with a soft clang, the sound echoing faintly in the still air. Slipping through the room's exit, he emerged into a long, sinuous hallway that hugged the tower's curvature. Shadows danced ominously along the stone walls, casting eerie shapes in the dim light.

Cryptic runes etched into the stone marked an intersection a few paces ahead, their ancient script barely discernible from a distance. Thelbe approached cautiously, recognizing the Elvish glyphs—a language he understood only partially. Squinting to decipher their meaning, he gleaned little more than a sense of foreboding.

Turning away from the unsettling markings, he ventured deeper into the Spire, his steps silent against the cold, unforgiving floor. He stumbled upon the elevators more by chance than design. Toby's vague instructions replayed in his mind: he needed to reach the lower level of the Spire to access Velkin’s vault. As the elevator dinged and its doors began to open, Thelbe quickly ducked behind a nearby planter. The ominous murmurs of two dark elves reached his ears. "Did you hear about the latest raid in Eldenwood?" one elf muttered as they stepped out of the elevator. Thelbe held his breath, his pulse hammering in his ears. If they glanced back, he was doomed. "You don't think they would come here, do you?" the other elf replied, their voices fading as they walked away in the direction Thelbe had come. He waited until they vanished from sight before slipping into the elevator, his heart still racing.

Thelbe pressed the button for the bottom floor, two stories below ground level, and waited with mounting tension. To his dismay, the elevator jolted and began to ascend. "What the hell!" Thelbe muttered, frantically pressing the button for his desired floor. "Go down," he hissed, but the elevator ignored his plea, lighting up for the top floor instead. The doors slid open to reveal a few steps leading up into a pristine white room.

Frustration gnawed at him as he stabbed the button for the second sublevel again, but the elevator remained stubbornly still. Reluctantly, he stepped out, every instinct on high alert, and cautiously entered the unfamiliar room.

Thelbe found himself in a room dominated by a large crystal protruding into the center, an eyepiece attached for observation. As he approached, curiosity gnawing at him, he noticed two long semi-circular display cases adding to the room's enigmatic atmosphere. It appeared to be a memorial.

A painting of a fair-skinned woman dominated the case to his right. She had fierce yellow eyes and hair as dark as midnight, a spider pendant clasped around her neck. Spider webs filled the space between the painting and the other items, teeming with black widows scurrying along the silk. The sight sent a shiver down his spine instinctively tearing his gaze away, he continued toward the crystal, passing an all-white sofa that seemed oddly out of place amidst the unsettling decor.

He peered through the eyepiece and was startled to see the stars of the night sky. "It's quite a sight, isn't it?" an old man's voice came from behind Thelbe, causing him to turn slowly. A frail figure with salt-and-pepper hair, slightly unkempt, sat on the sofa, looking as if he had just woken up.

"The young prince often spends his evenings up here gazing at the stars," the man spoke softly, just loud enough for Thelbe to hear. "The crystal collects sunlight during the day, channeling the energy down to the bioluminescent lights you see below."

Thelbe's curiosity piqued. "Velkin is the leader; isn't he the King?"

The old man quickly responded, "In title alone, perhaps. I suspect he will be coming back up here any moment now."

"Why is that?" Thelbe asked, inching towards the display case.

The old man smiled kindly. "Because he forgot this magical bracelet up here. I hear there was trouble at the gate, and I'm afraid he had to leave rather quickly."

Thelbe's eyes locked onto the bracelet on the sofa. It was shaped like a long spider, its legs acting as clasps that secured it to the wrist. The old man followed his gaze, then looked back at Thelbe.

"You are going down, aren't you? Could you take it to the vault for me? My bones ache terribly," he said, tossing the bracelet to Thelbe

The bracelet was gorgeous—the obsidian stone, the ruby-red eyes, the sleek, sharp legs. Thelbe gasped in awe.

"I'd be careful," the old man chuckled, a gentle, knowing laugh. "It does have a bit of a sting if touched just right."

"Who are you?" Thelbe asked, his curiosity overtaking his caution.

The old man placed his hands behind his head and lounged on the sofa. "Just a sleepy old man who watches the Spire."

The elevator dinged and began to open, and Thelbe quickly ducked behind the display case. He glanced back at the sofa, but the old man had vanished, leaving behind nothing but questions and an eerie feeling in Thelbe's gut.

Thelbe snuck around the cases as the footsteps approached the sofa. He then dashed into the elevator, pressing the B2 button with his cane. As the doors began to close, Thelbe glanced up and caught Velkin staring angrily into the elevator, his eyes a fiery amber and his skin a dark midnight blue. The doors shut, and the elevator began to descend. Thelbe sighed in relief, his tense muscles finally relaxing.

He pulled the bracelet out in front of him and inspected it before trying it on. he placed it on top of his forearm but couldn't get the clasps to close. However, the clasps sprang close when he rotated his arm so the spider was flesh against the veins under his wrists. Thelbe brought his free hand to his mouth and let out a muffled scream of pain as the legs of the spider pierced his upper forearm. A sharp sting spread through his wrist, and the spider tightened its grip, embedding itself into his flesh. His arm burned as if it were on fire, and Thelbe felt woozy. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on his breathing, when he heard a loud snap.

The elevator began to plummet. Thelbe was thrown into the air by the sudden drop. His eyes still closed as he braced for impact, the world around him a blur of pain and impending doom. The elevator crashed against the ground with a deafening roar, metal screeching and debris flying. The impact jarred Thelbe's senses, but just as he braced for a bone-shattering collision, an invisible force seemed to catch him, holding him suspended for the briefest of seconds before dropping him to the ground. His momentum drastically reduced, he landed harmlessly amidst the wreckage.

Disoriented but unharmed, Thelbe quickly jumped to his feet, realizing his cover was blown. He pried the elevator gate open, the metal groaning in protest, and climbed out into the dimly lit corridor of sublevel 2. Shadows danced across the walls, and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and ancient secrets. Ahead lay the Vault, its entrance ominous and foreboding, promising untold dangers and perhaps the answers he sought.

The vault door loomed before Thelbe, a massive slab of iron etched with intricate runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. Its surface was marred with age, showing signs of ancient use and formidable resilience against time and trespassers alike. The edges of the door were lined with iron spikes, hinting at both its defensive purpose and the formidable treasures or secrets it safeguarded within.

As Thelbe approached, he noticed the door's surface seemed to ripple faintly, as if it were alive with some latent magic or protective enchantment. Runes danced and shifted across its surface, casting eerie shadows in the flickering torchlight that lined the corridor. The air around the door felt heavy with the weight of centuries, as if it held the echoes of countless guardians and intruders who had dared to challenge its formidable presence.

With a deep breath, Thelbe reached out cautiously, his fingers hovering just above the cold, ancient metal. A large bang behind him reawakened that sense of urgency. Thelbe reached into his bag for the amulet Toby had given him. As the sound of gears began whirling behind him, signaling the descent of the second elevator, he cursed the idea of creating an endless bag. His fingers finally wrapped around the oval gem of the Rune-Siphoning Amulet. He pulled out the pendant, its dark metal surface adorned with glowing elvish runes and a shifting gemstone at its center. He pressed the metal against the vault door, and the amulet sprang to life. The runes on its surface pulsed with a bright, ethereal light, casting a shifting kaleidoscope of colors across the dim corridor. The gemstone at its center glowed intensely, transitioning through deep crimson, sapphire blue, and emerald green as it resonated with the vault door's magic.

Thelbe struggled to hold the amulet steady as it vibrated violently in his grasp. The runes on the vault door began to react, flickering and dimming as if being drained of their energy. A soft, humming vibration emanated from the amulet, growing stronger with each passing second. Tendrils of light extended from the gemstone, weaving through the door's intricate carvings, siphoning the magical energy that protected it.

The ancient symbols on the door shuddered and faded, their glow diminishing until they were mere shadows of their former brilliance. The amulet grew hotter, and Thelbe felt the heat seeping through his leather gloves, making it difficult to maintain his grip. The air around him crackled with residual magic, dissipating into the void.

With one final, resonant hum, the amulet completed its task. The once formidable runes were now inert, and the vault door, stripped of its mystical defenses, swung open with a deep, echoing creak, revealing the darkened chamber beyond. Thelbe sighed in relief, shaking his hands to cool them down as he peered into the shadows.

Thelbe heard the sound of the elevator reaching the bottom, its gears grinding to a halt. Without hesitation, he slid into the vault and shut the door behind him. As he walked forward, the amulet's influence waned, and he felt a shift in the air. The runes on the vault door began to flicker back to life, their glow returning with a renewed intensity. Tendrils of light crept back across the surface of the door, the runes knitting together as if healing from a wound. They pulsed with a vibrant energy, casting eerie shadows across the room. The sound of metal mechanisms clicking and locking into place echoed through the chamber, signaling the vault's reactivation.

Thelbe turned to see the door sealing itself, the runes now fully recharged and glowing brighter than before. The intricate carvings shimmered with a protective aura, the ancient magic reasserting its hold. The vault was once again impenetrable, a fortress of mystical defenses ensuring that none could follow him inside, but that wouldn't be true for long.

Thelbe glanced around the vault room as the torches along the walls began to spark into flames on their own, casting flickering, ominous light across the chamber. The vault was expansive, with high ceilings and walls adorned with intricate, arcane symbols. The floor was polished black stone, reflecting the eerie light from the torches. Along the sides of the room were several display cases, each containing a relic of dark significance. In the center, elevated on a stone dais, stood a large bowl of blood, its sinister presence dominating the room.

Thelbe walked towards the bowl, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of traps. To his right, he noticed A bow, it's strange iron frame shimmering darkly in the torchlight. On his left, twin blades sat in their case, the eerie glow from their edges casting unsettling shadows. As he approached a mummified head, he felt a chill run down his spine. The hollow, glowing eye sockets of the head seemed to follow him, and the look of eternal anguish etched into its leathery skin made him uneasy.

He continued to the dais and peered into the bowl. The blood was unnaturally still, its surface smooth and reflective like dark glass. As he stared, he noticed small, spidery legs at the edges, seemingly submerged yet motionless. A wave of unease washed over him, and his stomach churned as he tried to make sense of the strange, sinister sight. The runes around the vault began to change, glowing brighter as someone on the other side initiated the spell to open the door.

A dark blur raced by in Thelbe’s peripheral vision, and he barely had time to dive out of the way as a large panther tried to pounce on him. The creature was a Black Spectral Panther, its form slightly see-through, with shadowy, ethereal fur that seemed to waver and ripple like smoke. Its eyes glowed with a haunting, otherworldly light, and its movements were almost silent, like a ghost in the darkness. Thelbe's heart pounded in his chest as he quickly regained his footing, realizing he had to act fast to avoid becoming the panther's prey.

The large beast bared its fangs as the vault door opened, revealing Velkin striding in. The dark elf's amber eyes narrowed in on Thelbe, then darted down to the spider bracelet that had secured itself to his arm. “What else have you come to steal from me, vermin?” Velkin's words were cold and pointed. The royal dark elf was a striking figure, with a short black beard framing his sharp features. He was garbed in blacks and purples, a regal combination that contrasted starkly with his menacing demeanor.

Thelbe had no reason to lie now. “I’ve come for the Whispering Dagger,” he exclaimed as he studied Velkin. He noticed the elf briefly glance at the blade tucked into his waistband, then Velkin's eyes seemed to settle with understanding. “You’re with the Arcana Coalition. Only those fools would care about this old thing.” Anger began to creep into Velkin's face, his expression darkening. “I’ve told them I will have no part in their team.” Suddenly, two bats flew into the vault, their wings flapping noisily before they transformed into elf guards. They landed gracefully before Thelbe, their eyes cold and unyielding. Velkin's face twisted with fury as he snarled, “Now, arrest him.”

Thelbe's mind raced as Velkin ordered his guards to arrest him. The closest guard lunged forward, but Thelbe was quicker. With a swift, practiced motion, he swung his cane, the reinforced iron backing connecting with the guard's head, sending him crumpling to the ground. Thelbe bolted for the door, but the spectral panther pounced, letting out a blood-curdling growl, its shadowy form hurtling towards him. Desperate, Thelbe threw up a hollow, see-through orb that expanded into a shimmering bubble, ensnaring the beast mid-air. The large cat scratched at the edges of the bubble, but its claws couldn't tear through the bubble's wall as it floated towards the ceiling.

As Thelbe reached the door, two arrows pierced the wood with deadly precision, sealing it shut. He cursed under his breath and glanced back at Velkin. The elf drew two more arrows, sliding the razor edges against his skin. The tips began to smoke with acid as they encountered his blood. He notched both arrows, and Thelbe activated a secret function in his cane. With a slight twist at the top, a thick smoke screen billowed out from the side, filling the room and obscuring everything from view within seconds.

Thelbe broke the arrows pinning the door to its frame with his cane and dashed through the door, the smoke providing just enough cover. However, Velkin was already there, waiting. The dark elf's hand shot out, pinning Thelbe's shoulder against the rough, cave-like wall of the hallway. Velkin's eyes blazed with fury as he snarled, “You’re not going anywhere, thief.” Thelbe felt a dagger slice into his cheek, he felt the wound burn and the pain shoot through his body, but as quickly as it was there it was gone. He looked into Velkin’s eyes, they showed a troubled look. Thelbe saw the moment of hesitation as an opportunity. He pulled his father's dagger from the false top of the cane and swiped at velkin’s arm. The Elf released him grabbing his wounded forearm and Thelbe sprinted down the hallway.

There was no light, but Thelbe felt the hallway coming to an end. He paused and looked behind him, but he didn’t hear any footsteps. Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Thelbe whirled around, swinging his cane, but there wasn’t a person behind him. He couldn’t believe his eyes; hovering in front of him was a black-gloved hand, holding a dagger.

The Whispering Dagger was unlike any weapon Thelbe had ever seen. The blade was forged from a rare, dark metal that shimmered with an eerie, iridescent sheen. Thin and slightly curved, it had delicate, ancient runes etched along its length that seemed to pulse with a faint, sinister light. The hilt was wrapped in black leather, smooth from use, and embedded with small, dark gemstones that glowed softly in the dim light. At the base of the hilt, a small, intricate symbol resembling an ear was carved. Thelbe reached out and grabbed it, puzzled. “Are you helping me?” he muttered to the disembodied hand.

Suddenly, he felt two hands grab his ankles, and two more pushed him hard on his side, knocking him over and out of a pit in the hallway wall he hadn’t seen. As he was falling, he heard the furious growl of the Panther as it pounced over the spot where he had just been standing. Thelbe tumbled down, disoriented and clutching the Whispering Dagger. The hallway walls blurred past him, and the darkness seemed to close in. He braced himself for impact, every muscle tense and his mind racing.

However, as his body approached the floor, he felt hands on his back push him up, rolling him down the steep incline safely onto a dirt floor. He still couldn’t see, but now he had an idea. A growl echoed through the room; it sounded large. “You’ve done it now, trapped like a little rat,” Velkin’s voice rang out. Thelbe pulled out a pair of goggles from his bag, which luckily for him were at the top. He then stared up at the two pairs of amber eyes staring down at him from the hole he fell through. Thelbe heard chittering as something began to move behind him, the hairs on the back of his neck standing straight up. “I hope you enjoy the previous ruler's hospitality,” Velkin mocked as the sound started to get closer. It was now or never.

Thelbe snapped the goggles onto his face and reached into his bag. The stone he was going for was pushed into his hand; Thelbe felt the spectral hand in the bag, but he had bigger problems. The stone was wrapped in a rag, and as Thelbe flung the stone up into the air and out of the bag, it burst with light, illuminating the entire cavern. Thelbe leapt back in horror as he saw the two beasts that approached him.

The half-elf, half-spider monstrosities were grotesque and terrifying. Their upper bodies retained some semblance of their elvish origins, with dark, sinuous muscles and angular, almost regal faces twisted into expressions of malice. Their eyes were large and multifaceted, gleaming with an unnatural intelligence. From their waists down, their bodies merged into those of enormous spiders, with eight long, hairy legs that ended in sharp, chitinous points. Their bodies were covered in a mix of tough, black exoskeleton and patches of dark, mottled skin. As the light from the stone filled the room, the creatures shielded their eyes with their spindly arms, hissing in pain and fury.

Thelbe’s eyes darted around the room; there was no escape in what appeared to be an underground nest. Velkin had his eyes covered, but the panther stared at Thelbe, and Thelbe could feel Velkin’s presence in those eyes, watching. “Now you’ll see what happens to intruders,” Velkin sneered, his voice echoing off the cavern walls. Thelbe took a deep breath, steadying himself. He knew he had to think quickly if he wanted to survive this encounter.

Thelbe’s mind raced as he took in the horrifying sight of the spider-like monstrosities. He had to act quickly. With a swift motion, he reached down and attached the bottom of his cane to a hidden mechanism on his boot, locking it in place. He pulled back sharply, and the cane's crossbow strings sprang into action, propelling a small, sleek bolt of silver into the chamber.

He took aim at the nearest beast, his heart pounding in his chest. The cane was more than just a walking stick; it was a carefully engineered weapon of precision. He released the trigger, and the silver bolt shot through the air with deadly accuracy. The silver bolt hit its mark, embedding itself into the monster's chest. The creature let out a piercing shriek, its many legs flailing as it recoiled in pain. The bolt's silver surface seemed to burn against the beast's corrupted flesh, smoke curling from the wound.

With the creatures momentarily distracted, Thelbe saw his chance. He twisted the cane back into its original form and prepared to move, hoping his quick thinking would give him the upper hand in this deadly game. He sprinted toward a pile of rocks, seeking cover from the advancing beasts, but his foot caught on something. He looked down just as he tumbled forward, realizing too late that the ground was covered in thick spider webs. Before he could hit the ground, multiple hands emerged from the shadows, grabbing him and pulling him into a standing position.

Desperation surged through Thelbe as he pushed down on his cane, forcing open a hidden vent at its base. A hissing sound filled the air as flammable gas began to leak out, creating an invisible cloud around his feet. From behind the rocks, several spiders, each the size of raccoons, scurried out of the nest, their many legs moving with eerie precision as they sped towards their trapped prey.

With a determined yank, Thelbe pulled his cane upward, snapping the vent shut and triggering a spark. The gas ignited with a whoosh, flames erupting around his feet. The spiders screeched and recoiled, their bodies skittering away from the sudden blaze. Their dark, chitinous forms reflected the firelight as they retreated, hissing in anger and fear.

The heat licked at Thelbe’s boots, but the fire provided a momentary barrier between him and the advancing arachnids. He had bought himself a precious few seconds, and he knew he had to make them count. However, there was nowhere to go. Suddenly, the ceiling above him shattered with a deafening crash, a giant club with spikes smashing through. Thelbe watched in awe and terror as the massive weapon lifted, revealing the cold, outside air of Noctum Hallow.

"I think you've done enough!" Velkin roared from his perch, his voice echoing through the cavern. "Take your prize and..." Suddenly, Thelbe felt an intense heat on his neck as Velkin's voice erupted directly in his ear, "Go!"

Thelbe didn't hesitate. He sprinted as fast as he could toward the new opening, every step supported by spectral hands that appeared just above the webbing, keeping him from getting caught.

As Thelbe reached the opening, he glanced back. Velkin was kneeling beside one of the injured spider-elves, his expression a mix of anger and concern. With a swift motion, Velkin hurled a knife at the sunstone, shattering it and plunging the cavern back into darkness.

Thelbe knew better than to stick around. He ran out of the spire, but his path was soon cut off by what the dark elves called the Abyss.

The Abyss was a vast, inky expanse that stretched out before him, an eerie pit that seemed to swallow all light. At the far edge, a massive waterfall plummeted into the darkness below, the roaring waters shimmering like liquid midnight as they vanished into an unfathomable void. Mist rose from the point where the water disappeared, swirling like ghostly serpents in the air. The pits edges were lined with jagged rocks and twisted, gnarled trees whose branches reached out towards the Abyss as if drawn by an unseen force.

As Thelbe turned around, he saw elven archers closing in on him, their bows drawn and ready. There was no escape in sight, and the Abyss loomed ominously behind him. Suddenly, grey feathers struck the men like arrows, felling them one by one. Thelbe turned to see Agnus soaring towards him. "Jump!" she shouted as she flew over the Abyss's edge.

Without hesitation, Thelbe leapt over the pit. Agnus's harpy legs lightly grasped his shoulders, lifting him into the air. He couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as they flew up and around the spire, the wind rushing past them.

Below, Thelbe spotted Spike. The little red goblin had somehow grown ten times his size, swinging his massive clubs at the flying creatures that nipped at him. The chaos was overwhelming. Then Thelbe saw Toby. The handsome elf was dancing in a strange, mesmerizing fashion, his movements fluid and graceful. All around him, the citizens of Noctum Hallow danced with him, mimicking his every move.

"This is a mess," Agnus snarled, clearly angry at the apparent loss of control over the two other members of the Coalition. "There is no way out."

Thelbe stopped listening to her as he noticed a ball of fire appearing in Toby’s hand at the end of his dance. The citizens mirrored him, each conjuring a fireball of their own. In unison, Toby and the citizens launched their fireballs into the ceiling of the cavernous town of Noctum Hallow.

Agnus and Thelbe maneuvered deftly between the fireballs, twisting and turning in mid-air to avoid the fiery projectiles. Thelbe's heart raced as he felt the heat of the flames grazing past him. The explosions from the fireballs striking the ceiling echoed through the cavern, creating a deafening roar. The ceiling began to crumble, and a massive hole opened up, letting in the fresh air from outside the cave.

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Thelbe and Agnus flew through the opening, escaping the chaos below as the town of Noctum Hallow erupted in pandemonium. The thrill of their narrow escape pumped adrenaline through Thelbe's veins, the excitement of their daring flight leaving him breathless. “What about the others,” he heard himself say. Agnus glanced down. “They will make it out okay.” They landed at their caravan parked near the entrance of the town.

One hour later.

Thelbe sat in the dark, waiting for his friends. Agnus had taken to the sky to keep an eye on the entrance, worried they would send an attack party. They thought it best not to light a fire to avoid drawing any attention their way. Trying to keep his mind off Toby and Spike, both of whom they were forced to leave behind, Thelbe inspected the spider bracelet. It had attached to his arm in a way that made it impossible to remove. Each of the spider's legs was burrowed into Thelbe’s arm. He suspected the feet of the spider had fused with his nerves, allowing the hands to act as an extension of himself. He was able to conjure up eight hands simultaneously before they started to disappear in the order they were conjured. Thelbe was fascinated, or he would be if he wasn't also worried his only friend might have been caught and fed to spiders.

A rustle in the bushes startled him, and he jumped up, prepared to fight. Toby emerged from the woods into the clearing, his sleek, feminine features softened by the moonlight. His flowing dark hair, now wet with sweat, clung to his face, dirt smudging his brow. Despite his exhaustion, his sharp, angular features gave him an almost ethereal beauty. He held a cage with a medium-sized owl inside, a green band tied to her foot. Spike was asleep, holding his club, hanging in a specially crafted harness strapped across Toby's chest. The once-enlarged red goblin had now shrunk back down to his normal small size,

Did you miss me?" Toby said with a cocky smile, his voice as smooth and melodic as ever. Thelbe felt a wave of relief wash over him. "You're alive," he breathed, lowering his guard. The owl hooted softly, and Spike snored lightly, blissfully unaware of the danger they had narrowly escaped.

"I told you, nothing can keep me down," Toby replied, his smile widening. "And look who I found along the way," he added, gesturing to the owl. "Meet our new Member." Thelbe couldn't help but chuckle, despite the tension still lingering in the air. "Always full of surprises, aren't you?"

"That's why you love me," Toby said with a wink, settling down beside Thelbe. "Now, let's figure out our next move. We can't stay here forever. "Agnus landed gracefully nearby, her harpy wings folding behind her. She looked at Toby and Thelbe with a mixture of relief and frustration. "We need to move soon. Velkin’s forces won’t be far behind."

Thelbe nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. They had the Whispering Dagger, they escaped Velkin's wrath he couldn't help but wonder what other challenges they would have to face together.