The discovery of the buried dwarven ruins beneath Oswell’s Crossing had thrown Jace’s plans into disarray. What was supposed to be a straightforward job to eliminate bandits had instead uncovered a mystery far older and more dangerous than anything he had expected. Captain Merra, intrigued but cautious, had insisted on assembling a small group to investigate. Now, with the town’s trust in him growing, Jace found himself part of the expedition.
The morning sun was still low in the sky as Jace joined Merra and the others near the entrance to the ruins. The air was crisp, carrying the earthy scent of freshly disturbed soil. The excavation had revealed a massive stone door adorned with intricate carvings of unfamiliar symbols. Darrin, the blacksmith, stood nearby, inspecting the markings with a mixture of awe and apprehension.
“Never seen anything like it,” he muttered, running a calloused hand over the weathered stone. “This isn’t human work. Too precise.”
Merra nodded, her sharp eyes scanning the entrance. “Dwarven craftsmanship, no doubt. But what’s it doing here? Oswell’s Crossing is miles from any known dwarven settlements.”
Jace’s curiosity was piqued. He stepped closer, his interface flickering to life as it identified the carvings as part of a magical locking mechanism. A tooltip appeared, offering a brief description:
Ancient Dwarven Seal—Requires activation by a compatible artifact or rune.
“Looks like we’re not getting in without the right key,” Jace said, gesturing to the tooltip. “Any ideas where we might find it?”
Merra frowned. “If the bandits had anything like that, they didn’t leave it behind. But…” She trailed off, her expression thoughtful. “There’s an old legend about a relic hidden in these parts. Some kind of dwarven artifact. Most folks dismissed it as a fairy tale, but now I’m not so sure.”
“What kind of artifact?” Jace asked, his interest sharpening.
“A hammer,” Merra replied. “The story goes that it belonged to a dwarven king. Said to have the power to shape stone and command earth. If it’s real, it might be what we need.”
“And where do we start looking?”
Merra glanced at Darrin, who hesitated before speaking. “There’s a cave system a few miles to the west. Locals avoid it—say it’s haunted. But if the legends are true, that’s where the hammer would be.”
By midday, the group had reached the cave system. The entrance was wide and jagged, framed by moss-covered rocks. The air inside was cool and damp, carrying the faint echo of dripping water. Jace’s interface illuminated the path ahead, highlighting faint traces of magic that lingered in the stone walls.
“Stay close,” Merra instructed, her voice low. She led the way, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Jace followed, his senses on high alert. Behind them, Darrin carried a lantern, its warm light casting flickering shadows across the cavern.
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The cave’s interior was a maze of tunnels and chambers, some natural, others clearly shaped by tools. As they ventured deeper, they began to encounter signs of dwarven craftsmanship: stone pillars carved with intricate runes, remnants of broken machinery, and abandoned tools scattered across the ground.
“This place is ancient,” Darrin said, his voice tinged with reverence. “Whatever happened here, it must have been centuries ago.”
Jace paused to examine one of the runes, his interface identifying it as part of a defensive ward. Though faint, the magic still held a trace of its original power. “Looks like they were trying to protect something,” he said. “Or keep something out.”
Merra’s expression hardened. “Let’s hope it’s the former.”
The first sign of trouble came in the form of a low growl. The group froze, weapons drawn as the sound echoed through the tunnel. From the shadows emerged a creature unlike anything Jace had seen: a hulking, wolf-like beast with glowing red eyes and jagged stone-like growths protruding from its body.
Stonebound Stalker – Level 10
The tooltip flashed in Jace’s interface, and his heart sank. This wasn’t a fight they could take lightly.
“Spread out!” Merra ordered, drawing her sword. The Stalker lunged, its movements unnaturally fluid despite its bulky frame. Jace activated Twin Strike, darting to the side as his blades found their mark. The creature snarled, its stone armor absorbing much of the damage.
Darrin swung his hammer, aiming for the creature’s legs. The blow connected, cracking the stone and forcing the Stalker to stagger. Merra capitalized on the opening, her blade flashing as she struck its exposed flank. Talla, the young archer from their last encounter, loosed an arrow that embedded itself in the creature’s glowing eye.
With a final coordinated strike, Jace drove his sword into the beast’s neck, and it collapsed with a guttural roar. A chime echoed in his mind.
Experience Gained.
The group regrouped, breathing heavily. “If there’s one of those, there’s bound to be more,” Merra said grimly. “We need to move quickly.”
The tunnels eventually opened into a vast chamber, its ceiling supported by massive stone arches. At its center stood a pedestal, upon which rested a hammer of extraordinary craftsmanship. Its head was adorned with runes that glowed faintly, and the haft was wrapped in intricately tooled leather.
“That must be it,” Darrin breathed, his eyes wide.
As they approached, a low hum filled the air. The hammer began to glow brighter, and the ground beneath them trembled. From the shadows emerged more Stonebound Stalkers, their numbers far greater than before.
“Defensive positions!” Merra shouted. “Jace, get that hammer!”
Jace nodded, sprinting toward the pedestal as the others formed a perimeter. Activating Quickstep, he dodged between the charging Stalkers, his heart pounding. He reached the pedestal and grasped the hammer, its weight surprisingly light in his hands. A surge of energy coursed through him, and his interface lit up with new abilities.
Item Acquired: King’s Hammer Abilities Unlocked: Earthshatter, Stoneforge
Turning back to the battle, Jace raised the hammer and activated Earthshatter. The ground trembled violently as cracks radiated outward, toppling the Stalkers and sending them crashing to the ground. The remaining creatures fled, their howls fading into the distance.
The chamber fell silent. Jace turned to find the others staring at him in awe.
“Well,” Merra said, a wry smile tugging at her lips. “I think we’ve found our key.”
The group returned to Oswell’s Crossing late that evening, their spirits lifted despite their exhaustion. The townsfolk gathered to hear their tale, their eyes alight with wonder at the sight of the hammer.
As Jace lay in his cot that night, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The ruins, the hammer, the Stalkers—they were pieces of a larger puzzle, one that he was now inexorably tied to. For better or worse, his journey had taken a turn he never could have anticipated.