Year 133 F.I.S 27th of Hay moon

Small rays of afternoon sunlight pierced through the caved-in ground. Even now small pieces of loose dirt from above would fall from the edge of the hole under its own weight.  There was a strong, moist smell that hung in the air but unlike the normal earthy tone you would get, it felt a bit more rancid. This however would not disturb the beauty sleep of thoses who had just fallen through hole.

“Ah… fuck…. my head.”

With a clattering of rocks falling to ground from the sudden movement, the yellow temple robed figure sat up with some effort, clutching his wisteria staff for support. Even though it was dim, his striking ginger hair stood out like a saw thumb. Running his hand across his temple to support the pounding headache, he looked round, his sharper ears beginning to pick up the soft sounds of breathing nearby.

“What was I doing again…” the half-elf slowly gathered his thoughts.

Commission, head merchant, Roland Tress, missing merchants, hired, hollowed rock Hills. Almost as if he was hit by a water balloon, his memory came back, almost overwhelming the half-elf who had only just regained his consciousness. His sister, ohhhh, his sister!

“Eva, Eva you awake,” half sliding, half scampering on his four, he rushed to where another person lay but was clearly entirely an elf, though on the smaller and thinner side, denotating to the almost ethereal beauty of her race,” nt, I cut myself.”

“Kaleb, you there?” rubbing her eyes as they quickly acclimatised to the dimness of the area,” wow, my head.”

“It should go with time, but still,” Kaleb looked at the remains of the ground above, a good 60ft up,” it seems like the earth beneath could hold out combined weight, you should prob lose some weight sis.”

As if any sibling would know, the only correct answer was to punch Kaleb.

“Fuck, I think I lost a point of health there.”

“You’ll live,” Eva brushed off the dirt of her leather leggings,” let’s get the others awake and we can then work out how to get out cause I'm pretty sure we are not getting out the way we came in.”

“I mean like, we could just, you know, get Mr Blue muscle over there to throw you up,” Kaleb proceeded to walk over the Triton.

The triton had a muscular build, his shoulders globed like a sail full strung, his hands filled with callouses from years of pulling and tying ropes. A strong stench of the sea waved off him to the point where you would not be able to tell the difference between him and the actual sea. The triton himself was dressed in a loose garment under a long windbreaker that clearly needed replacing due to years of use. Through the holes in the clothes you could see the scars that bore on the man's body. A large well-crafted steel anchor, that was clearly well looked after compared to the man who wielded it himself, lay against a larger boulder to one side of the triton.

“Uhh… Gordon, Goron,” Kaleb scratched his head,” Eva what was his name again?”

“It was Gorton,” Eva said sharply as she took a swig of water before proceeding to head over to where one of their companions seemed to be stuck under a rock.

“Ahh yes, Big man Gorton,” Kaleb proceeded to try and shake the large man awake but was only greeted with snoring,” Fuck it.”

With a flick of his wrist, a small spectral hand began to float next to his right hand. With ease Kaleb directed it to slap Gorton awake in a gentlemanly manner.

“Aight’, who d’fuck did that!” with a deep voice the triton stirred awake, before immediately wincing in pain from a headache.

“She did.”

“Oh shut up Kaleb.”

“But one speaks the truth.”

Eva’s head flicked round like an owl, before sighing” just help with this. The boulder is too heavy and if it wasn’t for the fact that his body is covered entirely in this strange metal, I don’t think this one would be alive.”

“Alright, big man, help us with this.”

Kaleb and Gorton swiftly made their way over to the east of the cavern, noting the fact that there seemed to be a broken cart at the far end of the room they were in, hidden by stalagmites. Putting the thought aside, they quickly moved over to help Eva lift the boulder.

“Aight, put your backs into it.”

Despite Eva’s hand slipping from a firm grip, Gorton almost single-handedly managed to push the boulder off their almost seemingly robotic companion. Garbed in metal armour which had intricate lines of dark grey and a dull blue, seemingly reminiscent of a monkey in a weird robotic way, the white and red face plate, although chipped at places, was still holding firm.

“Either of you two remember this one’s name?” Gorton turned to siblings, struggling with all one brain cell, trying to remember the fellow hired for their task.

“He was a silent one but I think he wrote his name down as Teshin,” Eva recalled, “ He hasn’t really spoken to any of us though.”

“I thought he was just a mute,” Kaleb noted.

Reactivating body support system…

Please stand by…

“You hear that, it was his weird suit thingy again,” Kaleb said,” I will never get use to the fact that he or she or whatever, still don't know, although probably male, has a sentient armour.”

Host brain activity has stabilised

With a sudden jerk, Teshin shot up to his feet, his arms poised for any potential threats.

“Chill man, no one is here to stab you.” 

After doing a sweeping gaze across the cavern the robot seemed to relax a little, but there was still a sense of alertness to every movement it took. 

“Well just two more,” Eva turned to the other two girls who were laying still unconscious.

“Just one, I think Gorton could have woken up a slumbering good with that roar earlier,” a silver haired, young, human girl sat up, the few glass vials filled with liquid metal that surprisingly remained intact during the fall clinking ever so slightly,” although does anyone have a pain killer because if not. I have this.”

Alice reached to her waist and offered a small flask to her group, the soft scent of alcohol lingering in the air.

“Don’t mind if I do,” swaggering over kaleb took a swish of the flask,” Good stuff.”

“Thanks, I made it,” Alice replied, “ it's a family recipe.”

Nodding approvingly Kaleb turned his attention to the sleeping beauty, who was now being woken by Gorton and Eva. The curly pink haired satyr seemed to breathe with a radiance of charm but that was quickly destroyed by a swift spell.

Water formed in a small ball in Eva’s hand before proceeding to be ceremoniously dumped onto the poor fey satyr who was enjoying her sleep. Drenching the tight leather clothes and hair, Strusae quickly woke up, sputtering from the cold water that had entered her airways.

“I would ask… you not do that,” Strusae glared at Eva,” why couldn’t you have just tapped me.”

“We did, many times in fact, you seem to be very out of it at least.”

“Nevermind.”

After offering her hands to strusae, Eva pulled her to her feet before they moved to join everyone else. 

“We should probably look round first, see if there is another way out,” Eva turned to the party.

“I mean I still think Gorton could throw us up there,” Kaleb pointed to the hole in the ceiling.

“You have rope?” Gorton countered.

“Yeah I should dooooo not,” Kaleb sighed,” how did I fail the basics of adventuring 101.”

“We all did apparently,” Alice sighed,” we must have all somehow lost it during the fall.”

“Or maybe hear me out, some otherworldly force took it from us,” Strusae suggested, before the party looked at her strangely,” What, just saying, we all don’t have it.”

Striking a fire torch alight, Alice held it in her right arm, the cavern glowed up as the party began to work out more features of the area they were working in. 

Beneath was sturdy but cracked ground from where they fell but also wooden beams that seemed to have supported the cavern they were in from the inside but clearly they had rotted away. The cavern itself, although seemingly mostly naturally forming, clearly had a mortal element of excavating done to it. In the distance was a broken horse drawn cart that clearly had all of its content taken from it. 

Alice began to walk forward to the cart as the room began to slowly bend around a gentle corner, the rest of them following closely behind. 

“HMMMM!”

From the otherside of the cart was a middle-aged man, who was wearing fine clothes that had clearly been ruined, bound in thick ropes and a gag. 

“HMMM!”

“You know, I am not into that kinda thing,” Kaleb muttered,” unless I am the Dom, I mean some of the nuns back in the temple…”

“You think he is the one of the ones we are looking for, the missing merchants?” Alice asked the group.

“I mean just ask him yourself,” Eva proceeded to remove the gag that had been tightly bound.

“Ah, I can breathe comfortably again, thank you,” the man only received silence as the 6 individuals stared him down, particularly the robot shadow that seemed to loom in the back,” What?”

“You didn’t answer the question,” Alice pointed out.

“Which one, oh, do you mean if I am a merchant that you might be looking for? Well probably, I am a merchant myself and I wouldn’t be surprised if I was reported missing based on the fact I did not clock in at the Meadhaven merchant house when I was supposed to,” the merchant said with confidence,” at any rate, the name’s Olly, what’s yours?”

“Do you think this is a trap?” Kaleb turned to Eva.

“Huh,” a confused noise left Olly's mouth.

“I mean maybe, his story seems to be very good but he could have just been well rehearsed,” Eva responded with almost complete disregard of Olly, pondering in deep thought,” What do you think, Alice?”

“Well I mean he is probably who we were looking for but it would not explain why it is just him and not the other merchants as well, and if this is a trap, it would be better to kill him now rather than take a risk later.”

“Kill me!”

“Maybe killing might be a bit too much,” Strusae chirped,” But if it is a trap, we could always extract information from him, back where I grew up, this happened all the time.”

“You grew up in the Eveagar Galapagos as well,” Gorton noted,before turning his steady gaze to Olly,” Yeah that place is a real shit hole but it does teach you a few things on how to make a man speak.”

“Torture…”

As if life was draining from his eyes, Olly began to ponder whether his new saviour would become his last tormentors.

“Wait wait wait, just unbind and I can show you proof of who I am, the other merchants were taken away by some people dressed in dark red robes, who spoke an unsettling language,” Olly pleaded.

During this entire time Teshin had been searching the cart only to find a small hidden compartment in the side of the cart that seemed to contain a familiar token showing the merchant guild membership, a red potion and around 10gp and 8sp. Turning back to his party, he silently presented it to them and Olly.

“Yes, that’s it, that’s my token, thank Waukeen.”

“He is probably truthful then,” Kaleb deduced in a Sherlock- like manner,” should we untie him.”

“It would be easier than carrying him and if what he was saying about robed people getting his fellow merchants then I’d rather not be the one carrying the lad,” Gorton grumbled,” He can fend for himself.”

Lifting the poor merchant to his feet, Gorton's muscles began to tense as he ripped the hemp rope apart, as if it was made out of paper.

“Ahh nooo!!” Kaleb fell to his knees.

“What,” Gorton grumbled,” Do you want to carry olly then-”

“Not that,” Kaleb interrupted,” We could have used the rope to get out.”

“Oh.”

“Yes oh.”

An awkward moment happened.

“So when do you think those people in robes will come back?” Eva asked.

“They grabbed Tavion like 2 hours ago, I think, my sense of time has kinda been lost, being in darkness for a while does that to people,” Olly muttered,” they should not be back for at least another hour or so.”

“So we still have time to prepare to get the jump on them if we need to,” Alice muttered before looking towards the very end of the cavern then seemed to have a door with a unknown language written on it,” anyone read that.”

“Eva might,” Kaleb said.

“Let me have a look first before you say that,” Eva approached the door.

“Let me have a look first, she says,” Kaleb sarcastically muttered,” Which language do you not know.”

“Well I don’t know quite a few, including auran-”

“It was rhetorical.”

Eva began to run her hands over the letters that had been carved into the stone door frame,” This, this seems to be some kind of warning, written in infernal I believe. That can’t be good.”

“What does it say?” Strusae asked.

“Something on the lines of ‘Disturb at your own risk’, I believe it says that.”

“Wow, that could not be anymore generic,” Alice said as Teshin nodded in agreement.

“Regardless of what it says, it does mean they have the legal grounds to sue us if we are caught trespassing-” Strusae began.

“Can you just unlock the door Strusae,” Eva gestured towards the keyhole,” there is no magic on the door, so it should just be a mechanical lock.”

“Jeez alright, calm your tits, no fun are you,” Strusae rolled her eyes as she reached into her back pocket,” Alice could you bring the torch over and give me some light.”

Taking out first a small tension wrench and then her curtain pick, Strusae quickly began her work. It took roughly a minute of rhythmic clicks, before strusae strusae wiped her brow of imaginary sweat and took her tools away.

“Well is it open?” Gorton asked.

“Nah, the last pin is rusted through, I don’t know how you can even lock this door, let alone open it,” Strusae complained.

“Well move aside then, let me handle it,” Gorton gently shoved strusae to one side.

“Wait you know how to lockpick-” Strusae began before realising,” So much for stealth I guess.”

BANG!

Using his large frame, gorton charged the door and proceeded to send the door flying against the rock stone wall behind it, splintering on impact as small shards flew in all directions. 

“And that’s how you fix stiff doors.”

“I would like to stealth,” Alice said.

“Who are you asking?” Eva sent a confused look over.

“Ah, don’t worry,” Alice said as her figure began to blend seamlessly into the shadow of the cave wall,” I recommend we still try and be quiet though, there might be a chance that they didn’t hear, admittedly low but a chance.”

With relative silence, despite Gorton’s anchor hitting the cave roof every now and then, the group made their way through the narrow corridor, leaving the large cavern behind to venture further into the unknown.

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At first it was barely audible but as the party made their way through, ascending deeper, they could hear a hum. The cave itself did not help due to the lack of stable lighting and the fact it seemed to echo every noise that was being made of its walls, floors and ceiling. Unsettling as it was, the party swiftly reached another door, one that had clearly been used more frequently. A quiet but distinct chatter could be heard from the otherside. 

“Infernal, sounds humanoid,” Eva whispered,” guys they are probably cultists, not gonna lie.”

“How many are there?” Kaleb asked.

Teshin held up 4 fingers. 

“They seem to be playing cards,” Eva said,” Distracted, that’s good.”

“So what’s our plan then?” Strusae asked from the back.

Teshin reached for the door handle to check if it was locked, turning the metal ring handle ever so slightly before gesturing it could be opened the entire way. There was a slight clink in the handle as Teshin put it back down before waiting on the rest of the party.

“We will have Gorton go first, create an explosive entrance, then Teshin, pick off any of them that try to immediately run away while the rest of us will provide range to clean up, Olly, you are useless in this situation so just stay out of sight,” Alice turned to each of her comrades,” You guys ready?”

“Never ask a sailor if he is ready, you must always be ready at sea,” Gorton moved forward to the front of the party next to the door before rearing one of his legs back and front kicking the door in.

“But it was open…” Kaleb muttered as he watched the door fly off its hinges and smash into  one of the robed men, who was in the middle of dealing the cards across the small table,” Door abuse laws should be a thing.”

The room that now laid in front of was well lit up compared to where they had just been through. It was small with only 3 doors and a small round table with 4 stools but the room itself was clearly well made. The walls and floors were adorned with demonic engravings and carvings. Unlike the rest of the cave, the room itself was clearly made of marble that had been brought in. It wouldn’t take a genius to work out that whoever brought it in would need a more permanent entrance to bring large slabs of marble in.

“Coming through!” Gorton rushed in as using his momentum he swung his huge anchor, bringing it crashing down onto the table that did not deserve this.

Immediately it shattered under the weight of the steel, sending parts of oaken table scattering, the ground beneath the table further cracking as the anchor made it stop. Scurrying around the triton with incredible nimbleness, Teshin quickly launched 2 of his ninja stars at the furthest cultist who had proceeded to run to the door on the opposite side of the room. The two shards of metal lodging itself into the shoulder blades.

“Argg fuck!”

“Kill them quickly,” one of the cultists, seemingly dressed in finer garments when compared to the others in the room, moved himself to the side before grabbing the medallion around his neck,” Burn in the unholy!”

His eyes locked onto Gorton’s figure as a wisp of hellish flame whipped itself to light before it descended onto the triton. Scorching Gorton upper arm, the cultist then proceeded to further move himself behind another cultist who had by this point drawn his scimitar from his waist.

Doing a diving forward roll and taking the crossbow off her back in one swift motion in the corner of the room, one one knee she aimed at cultist number, let’s say two, if one is the more important looking one of the 4, nailing a bolt in the leg and then further pinning it against the wall behind.   

“ты сука,” the cultist cursed, as he swung his scimitar overhead towards Alice who proceeded to barely move herself out of the way of the cleaving motion, the blade ringing against the wall it now collided with.

“Was that Russian?” Eva asked as she began to prepare her own spell as a thorny vine began to snake down her arm into her left hand,” Thorn whip.”

“Don’t stress the details,” Kaleb said as he began to channel the arcane energy from his body into the staff, making it magically ring,” also what is russian.Toll the dead.”

Both the siblings had turned their attention to the lead cultist who seemed to be the only spellcaster. With a nasty crack, the whip swiftly its target as terrible lateration made its mark across the cultist chest, ripping the robes a new hole and dying it with a fresh red. 

With a venomous glare cultist number one turned his attention to his new attacker but his world began to spin as his eardrums rang with a volatile intensity. Feeling a new liquid beginning to leave his now what he presumed was his ruptured drums he struggled to find his bearing.

“Get that one,” he said to his fellow cultist, not realising he was pointing at Gorton and not Kaleb.

“Uh, no!” using one her hand to rip a playing card apart in her hand before it being reduced immediately into cinders, a small mote of flame grew off the remnants as Strusae fired it towards the now rushing cultist number three who was beaming towards Gorton,” Firebolt.”

Due to the narrow window of attack due Strusae being behind everyone else, the firebolt whistled past the cultist’s head but just before it scorched the wall behind, Strusae reached into her deck of playing cards in her waist before pulling one out.

“I burn a card,” the card lit a purple flame and burnt as quickly as flash paper as the world around her seemed to slow.

All the movement of everyone seemed to come to a halt before time itself seemed to fix itself slowly as if fate was being rewritten to point of just before the firebolt missed. In the eyes else the firebolt seemed to bend unnaturally mid flight, striking the cultist directly on the top of his head. 

“Fancy tricks you have strudel,” Kaleb commented.

“All in a day's work.”

The fourth, who had been knocked to the ground from the door bursting inwards, quickly jumped to his feet before swinging his scimitar upwards with intention of cutting Gorton’s arm off. Due to the sudden nature of the attack Gorton succumbing to the reaction speed of his age could only adjust his arm out of the way slightly as his wrist was cut and began to drip.

“Shit, I forgot to rage,” Gorton furiously mused as he proceeded to step backwards as cultist number 3 swung at him as well,” I rage.”

A deep primal roar bellowed out from Gorton’s chest as his eyes rapidly became bloodshot,”RiGhT, WhO WaNtS tO vOlUnTeEr FiRsT.”

Jumping in straight into the centre of the room, gorton swung his anchor like a spinning top, the sheet weight sending one of the cultists flying into the wall whilst cracking the rips. Cultist three died from ruptured organs and a caved in chest, not a pleasant way to die but this dnd so, eh.

Cultist number four managed to dodge underneath, almost slipping from the rate he dropped it down low, before pulling number two out of the way, using the robes to drag him out. Cultist number two decided to swing his scimitar again but changing his target to Teshin only to quickly find out that he did not put enough force as a clang of metal against metal only served as comic relief. 

A long iron staff appeared in Teshin’s right hand before, despite the relatively little space, teshin thrusted it forward in the stomach of his attacker and then in an upward motion, clocking the jaw. With unfocused eyes the cultist fell backwards like a ragdoll.

“Shit, they got Jacques,” cultist number 4 turned to his leader.

“And we have you as well,” Alice stated before taking a swig of, what look like to the others, liquid metal, as the metal scimitar of the cultist began to hum before Alice did some motions with her hand.

The scimitar seemed to swirl in the air, escaping from the grip of the cultist before it was shunted into the body of the cultist, carving a hole in his chest. Alice gasped for breath, as the grey light that was glowing from her eyes began to dip although not entirely. Regaining her composure she turned to fact the last cultist in the room. 

“So what do we do with him-” Kaleb began.

“FuCk YoU!” Gorton roared as he cleaved the cultist’s head through the sheer weight of the anchor’s point, the grey matter splattering against the wall in a visceral manner.

“Gods dammit!” Eva cried out,” the information lost.”

“Nevermind about that, is it just me or is the humming now louder and more like chanting…” Kaleb said.

“I mean we should explore the room first to make sure we have missed-” a crossbow whistled through the air, piercing an inch into the marble wall next to the strusae.

The group turned to the direction only to find Teshin with an open chest which had a crossbow built into it. Teshin shrugged with indifference as he reached back to grab the 5gp within the chest.

“Teshin, I will fucking stab you next time,” Strusae glared, as she began searching the room.

It didn't take a genius to work out that there was not much in the room other than the scimitars and the coin pouches on the cultist totaling to less than 10gp in total. 

“So which door should we go through,” Kaleb began,” One of them would probably lead us to the source of the humming but the other might be worth checking out before we head to the final boss.”

“You make it sound as if we are in one of those storytelling tavern games,” Eva commented.

“We might be, you never know,” Kaleb replied.

“How about we explore the room without the humming first to see what we can find, maybe it will help us and provide us with more context for the fact that we have somehow stumbled into a cavern of cultists,” Alice suggested.

“Well there doesn’t seem to be any noise from the other side of this door and it's unlocked so let’s go,” Strusae took her ear away from the door as she swung it open revealing a much larger cavern with a strong musky smell of the earth.

This larger cavern seemed to have reached almost 20ft tall and about 60ft & 80ft in width and length and was considerably darker, having no torches in the room to light it up. With each footstep into the room the mudder surface seemed to squelched as in the distance the light from Alice's torch seemed to reflect off a watery surface towards the right, showing the murky water remained tranquil. To the left wafted a pungent odour of a junk pile that seemed to have started to decay, at least anything biological had.

“Doesn’t seem to be much here,” Kaleb started but his eyes trained onto a small glint in front of the junk pile,” Although…”

Kaleb walked over only to be tackled byTeshin build as an arrow sailed above their heads. The two crashed to the ground as everyone else moved in swiftly to cover them from their unseen attackers.

“In the water,” Eva pointed,” Goblins! Guys, do you think I can use animal friendship on them?”

“I hope that is not a serious question,” Strusae responded as,” Firebolt.”

As the crackling flame sailed through the air, it proceeded a glimpse of the small figures who dared to have the courage to attack these intrepid protagonists. Their beady eyes rising above the surface of the water, their heads covered in mud, dirt and a random assortment of other earthy materials. Their scale green skin began dripping with water as they rose up onto the shore. 3 in total, 2 with swords and one with a bow, all ready to strike.

The fight itself was quick and decisive, no words were needed as the party proceeded to rapidly dismember the goblins after the fight began with Kaleb casting Sleep, followed by Eva casting Faerie fire. This effectively ended the fight less than 12 seconds after it began with only strusae getting hit by a stray arrow that might give her tetanus going through her calf.

“Could you pass me the healing potion Teshin,” Strusae winced as she pulled the lodged arrow out.

“Ahh here it is,” Kaleb reached into the junk pile before pulling a vial of a vicious orange liquid,” This is what I saw earlier.”

“What is it?” Gorton asked.

“This,I think is… a useful potion that I don’t know,” Kaleb analysed.

“It's alchemist’s fire,” Alice said,” Throw it, when you want to set something on fire.”

“Yeah, I knew that,” Kaleb responded,” just, the name lapsed my memory.”

“Sure it did.”

Alice glanced through the looted cavern,” Let’s go, that chanting is getting more intense, maybe it was a bad idea to go this way first.”

“We will never know so don’t stress over it,” Kaleb said as he started to walk back to the small communal room of cultists,” You guys coming.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Eva said.

The six of them swiftly made their way back to the communal room. Kicking up a few stones on the way, Teshin put his ear against the stone door, before turning to the rest of the group.

“Are you able to work out where they are?” Eva asked.

Teshin shrugged.

“Sis, just a reminder, you are asking a mute for an answer when we don’t know sign language,” Kaleb pointed out.

Downing a vial of liquid steel alice wiped the excess of her mouth,” Well I am ready, let’s go.”

Gently pushing open the stone, weapons at the ready incase of any immediate threats, the second the door was open they felt their heads rattle from the sheer amount of necrotic energy that was gathering towards the middle of the room, surrounded by 6 demonic statues, all of the same figure. Looking towards the centre there was a giant well that seemed to be filled with blood. A bony, withered man dressed in similar robes stood in front, chanting. The well itself seemed to have runes glowing black that served to darken the already minimal light that was in there. The room itself was a large semi-circle with a series of stone coffins and statues that were placed symmetrically around the edge. A sense of eeriness radiated from the entire room.

“I think those are statues of Moloch,” Eva began, squinting to make out the feature.

“Moloch?” Strusae asked.

“Yeah the former arch- demon who fell from power during his failed rebellion in hell,” Eva explained.

“Well they are certainly grotesque, I will give them bonus points for that, 11/10,” Kaleb nervously chuckled.

“I don’t want to be here brother,” Eva started,” It looks like that guy hasn’t noticed us yet.”

“Well I hope so,” Kaleb replied,” Gorton, you first, you are the least likely to get decked immediately.”

“Hehehe, you should get stronger then,” Gorton chuckled as he swung his anchor over his shoulder.

Making their way through the darkness, they approached the figure as the stench of iron grew stronger. 

“So you finally stand before me,” a hallowing voice, as if it had no soul, rang low as the figure turned around.

Seeing the face of the man who stood before them would only leave them with a nightmare. Drooping, ghostly white skin, it seemed to almost hang loose from the bare bone skeletal figure that seemed to have all vitality drained from it. His eyes were a pupiless darkness that seemed to be windows into the abyss. In his right hand he held a golden sceptre that seemed to be embedded with veins that almost pulsed with life despite it being an inanimate object.

“I thought you said he didn’t know we were here,” Kaleb whispered only to have Eva glare back at him.

“Welcome, I suppose you were not invited but we can make do with guests, but in the end how I welcome you is more on your part,” the man slowly gazed over them,” The name is Crassus by the way.”

“Nice to meet you crassus,” Kaleb rubbed the back of his head,” You don’t suppose, we can just leave right...”

“I mean if you don’t really wish to disturb me further I see no reason to stop you leaving,” Crassus gestured behind them,”Here let me get the door next to you.”

Crassus moved to the torch on his right before pulling it down like a lever. The room began to rumbling as the wall behind them began to sink down into the earth. 

“See, you are free to go,” Crassus offered.

“Wait, just like that?” Strusae asked.

“I mean, you don’t plan to disturb me further,” Crassus said.

“Well then I guess we will… just go then…” Eva said.

“I mean, I did say you could go but I am assuming the merchant is not part of your group, I would ask you if you could let him stay behind,” Crassus announced with a more authoritative tone,” We have some prior… business… already arranged.”

Olly eyes widened with terror as he swiftly moved behind the Gorton,” You gotta help me, I mean isn’t your job.”

“I mean, like we could also just give you up and we would be home free,” Kaleb pointed out to Olly.

“I mean, you won’t do that though…” Olly nervously chuckled upon seeing the situation beginning to turn in an unfavourable way,”right?”

Six sets of eyes turned to him, and began to assess his worth. If only for a brief moment, Olly again felt like the situation was out of his hands. A strong desire to leave this group increased as he turned his attention to the open door that led to the outside world. It was so close, he could get there in less than 5 seconds if he just ran.

He should go. 

Now.

They haven’t stopped him.

Almost there-

Olly’s body snapped back as a vice-like grip snatched his collar from the back. His body rubbing banding, he twisted his head like a deer in headlights only to see Gorton sighing.

“Why are you doing this? Just let me go!” Olly cried out in dismay,” I don’t want to die.”

“Haaa…” Gorton breathed out,” your an idiot.”

“How am I an idiot for wanting to live,” Olly retorted.

“You are an idiot for accelerating your death, you were so stressed that you missed the obvious,” Gorton pointed towards the ground where Olly was about to step.

“I feel the DM should have not made it so obvious though that it is a trap,” Eva said.

“DM?” Kaleb asked.

“I mean the entire floor is stone apart from the wooden trapdoor that spans the length of the entire doorway,” Alice explained to Olly,” If that is not a trap, then what is?”

“Oh, I see,” Olly furiously nodded.

“I will be honest, Crassus was it, I am afraid we have to agree to disagree,” Eva began,” Our client kinda wanted his merchants back if we could, and I don’t really feel like lying my way free.”

“I definitely would have lied,” Kaleb muttered quietly.

“Oh shush.”

“I see you have chosen the path of most resistance, I guess this is a little troublesome but no matter,” Crassus muttered,” if this is how it is then. Harghh!”

Crassus began chanting in infernal as the room itself began to rumble. The grinding sound of stone moving on stone as the coffin lids began to slide off their base.

BOOOM!

Crashing to the ground, 8 shadow figures rose from within. Although hard to make out through the darkness, it was evident that there were strong signs of decay. A putrid smell, skin flaking or just falling off. The skin itself was made of typical colours of decay, a mix of dark green and grey hues with brown and black mixed in.

“Fuck they reek, someone needs to give them a shower,” Strusae barfed as she pinched her noise.

A deep cacophony of groans echoed through the chamber as cackled bellowed from Crassus himself,” You  fools, you could have just left, but I suppose not everyone has a brain to work with.”

With an unnaturally fast gait, the awakened horde of zombies rushed over to the party only to be immediately greeted by the blunt force of a steel anchor. The sounds of cracking bones and the ripping of rotten flesh raised the adrenaline as almost immediately the party dove full force into the frey. 

“You guys cover us, Teshin and I will get Crassus,” Alice ordered as she slunk off to one side and out of the frey whilst Teshin proceeded to vault off the zombie head, using its shoulders as a springboard.

Loading a bolt into her crossbow in a swift motion, Alice raised it towards Crassus and aimed it towards his right arm in an effort to disarm the staff that was gripped in that hand.

Shoom…

The sound of glass shattering told Crassus everything as feared raised from his eyes, realising he had put his barrier up too slowly. The metal tip easily pierced through his loose robes only for the bolt itself to lodge easily into his wrist.

“Ahh fuck!” Crass cried as he felt himself drop his staff.

Immediately beginning a sprint, Crassus ran backwards with full sprint as he redirected the zombie towards Alice and Teshin, the more immediate threats to his life. Reaching into his robes, he pulled a dagger that was dripping with viscous liquid out.

Teshin, like a silent shadow, had by this point almost been in striking distance only for his movements to be halted as he was forced to recoil from the sudden blade flying towards his temple.

“Keep up,” Alice rushed by teshin as she loaded another bolt and fired it, only for it to crack one of the many demonic marble statues that were placed around the room as Crassus dived behind it.

“Sacred Flame,” a purplish-black lit between in the space in front of Alice as she dived to one side, only singing part of her back as the mote of fire burst.

“You guys got him yet,” Eva cried,” These zombies aren’t dying any time soon.”

With a crack of the whip she lacerated one of the zombies that was moving towards her only for that same zombie to be sent flying into another as Gorton shoulder checked it, his eyes lacking any reasoning thoughts behind it.

“Ah, barbarian things,” Eva said.

“Teshin, try to stop his movement, I am going to try something,” Alice called out as she drank a vial of liquid iron,” umm… nasty.”

The ornate stone stuff in teshin hands began to increase in length, going from only 7ft to 20ft in length. Raising it above his shoulders, he shoved it directly through a coffin and into Crassus.

“Guh!” feeling the wind leaving his lungs, he was knocked flying into the wall and collapsed onto the ground,” Wow… that staff… fancy things.”

The room began to rumble as the epicentre of it all, Alice, began to blur as a strong magnetic field began to surround her hands, covering it in an aura.

“Teshin…Move,” Alice thrusted her palms forwards, towards crassus as a shockwave of electromagnetic force was sent flying towards crassus.

Time seemed to slow as crassus’ pupils widened. It could feel the incoming demise, whatever that girl sent at him definitely would rupture his body. He tried to move his muscles but his body wasn’t moving quick enough. 

“Well this is shi-”

What could only be described as the rupturing of every cell simultaneously, Crassus’s body evaporated, leaving only a mess of parts and blood splatter all over the surface of the cavern wall and floor. Like as if their strings were cut loose, the zombies just fell to the ground like ragdolls before quickly turning into ash.

“Well, not gonna lie,”Kaleb began, before looking at the scratches around his neck” surprisingly close.”

“Well you lived so let's check to make sure there isn’t anything else here,” Eva began as she began to look around the room.

It didn’t take long to scour the place from head to toe, with the only thing found was an eerie blood red gem that seemed to sloshing blood inside of it.

“Unsettling isn’t it,” Alice held it in her hands as the group looked at it.

“DM, can I roll for arcana,” Alice, Kaleb, Eva and Strusae said.

…

“Hmm, I am not that well versed in blood magic but using all my acquired knowledge of magic, sorcerer by the way, and the fact that we found it on the altar as well as the fact that there is a magic glass funnel above it, it is probably to do with hemomancy,” Kaleb wiped out an imaginary monocle.

“And for the non big word users?” Gorton asked.

 “It was a blood magic ritual,” Eva chipped.

“Oooh,” Gorton said, still unsure about the significance, but it sounded important,” So what do we do now?”

“We go back to Meadhaven, and report this to the captain of the town watch after we dropped off Olly with Roland,” Alice said.

“Roland?” Strusae asked.

“The Head merchant of the local merchant guild, the one who commissioned us,” Alice explained,” although I am not really surprised you don’t remember, you were busy drinking.”

“Oh yeah,” Strusae said.

“Well let’s go then,” Kaleb ushered the rest to follow as they took a wide berth around the obvious trap before they left the cave and into the outside world, a soft afternoon sun, greeting their presence,” back to Meadhaven, and a drink to a job well done.”