Skrakch ran his paw over the engravings slowly. Doubling checking your work was always prudent. Especially when it came to random Demonic Engraved doors, hidden deep below a long-dead city.

He’d so far passed this job off as just another one of Zacharias’ get-rich-quick schemes. But this…this was something much more. Secret passages? Demon doors? That was the stuff of a true adventure. An indication that their brains would be tested alongside their mettle. A chance that he could prove himself in a trial. A step closer to becoming Chosen!

Of course, Zacharias and Winifred were stumped by the engravings. And the less said about Meek the better. While they simply stared at the door in bafflement, Meek was now perched on Ornn’s left shoulder, digging around inside his ear absentmindedly. The Goblin was keeping remarkably calm, but Skrakch figured the nitwit simply didn’t realize what was going on.

Skrakch grinned. There was only one logical answer to what the engraved sigils on the door were about. It was a relatively easy translation, the words written in a dead language, something that started with an S. Seotate, Seotades? It hardly mattered as Skrakch was familiar enough to get the broad strokes. He felt his heart start to beat faster as the etched words reinforced his certainty in the solution.

“Beware…Dungeon…Death…” Skrakch muttered to himself. It was a long-dead language with some relatively simple wordplay within the verse. Still, the message itself was clear. It was a Trial of sorts, the perfect place to show his mettle.

“Well that’s not fucking ominous,” Zacharias muttered sarcastically, casting his torch over the letters and trying to parse them for himself. Skrakch shoved him aside in annoyance. Of course, the idiot had no clue what he was looking at. The next time the Halfling started up one of his rants about only needing Common to get by in Dray’Mel, Skrakch was going to bring this up!

“Don’t you realize what this place is, you fool?” Skrakch asked, relishing the situation. His tail was rigid with excitement as he rubbed his paws together. “It’s a Dungeon! With a capital D! These things are all across the world. Hidden away and just waiting for someone to clear them out,” He grinned. “There’s any number of treasures behind this. Forget about that stupid Dragon’s Blood haul. Even if this isn’t the place, what we have here is far more worthy of our time!”

His companions blinked at him. Meek continued to dig around in the depths of his ear-hole, seemingly unroused by Skrakch’s little speech.

“Are ye trying to tell me this is one o’ them Dungeons of legend?” Winifred asked doubtfully. “The ones that are supposed to kill most of whom enter?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “I dinnae about you fellas but I’d rather have the Dragon’s Blood!”

“Bah!” Skrakch waved a paw dismissively. “That’s just to scare off kids and common thieves! Not an accomplished crew like us. We have to enter it,” He entreated with a nod. “Think of the rewards that lay beyond this door! Think of the power!” He was practically dancing on the spot with pleasure, itching to get inside. “I’m talking magical artifacts…mountains of gold..”

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“The chance to become Chosen?” Zacharias asked wryly, arms clamped across his chest. “Not sure I wanna die for your stupid crusade Squeakers. Why don’t you just bring it down a notch or five? I ain’t trying to piss on your campfire-”

“Ye are though,” Winifred cut in with a smirk.

“I’m not saying we don’t go in,” Zacharias continued, ignoring her. “But let’s think about this for a moment, and yeah, it’s me saying that,” He held his torch aloft to illuminate the walls around them. “This is exactly where those two blokes in the pub were talking about right? Which means someone has already been down here. There’s no way this is an old smuggler’s run. Not if it leads to a bloody Dungeon. I reckon we’ve been had good and proper.”

“Me not sure it good idea,” Meek suddenly piped up from Ornn’s shoulder. “Meek not want die. Not even for chance of power!” He let out a shudder. “Better to play safe. There always more cheese to find!”

“I knew ye’d lead us up the garden path, wee man!” Winifred said, shaking her head and scowling. She kicked out at a nearby pile of dirt. “Bloody smuggler’s run! Dragon’s Blood! An’ I was stupid to believe your shite! Now we’re stuck at a fucking Dungeon and whoever led ye here’s probably waitin’ back up top for our hides!”

“There could still be Dragon’s Blood in there!” Zacharias protested with a dramatic gesture towards the sealed door. It seemed he was trying to convince himself more than any of the others.

“Aye an’ I’m the Queen of Dray’Mel!” Winifred spat. “I say we go back up, see what’s waitin’ for us. If some fool sent us down here, there’ll be men waiting for us when we leave. I reckon we could take ‘em, especially with this rock man here. Between me and this brick shithouse, we’d be good!” She added, clenching her fists.

Skrakch shook his head as the bickering broke out in earnest. Winifred calling Zacharias all the names under the sun while the Halfling protested that the plan was still a valid one. They were fools. All of them. They didn’t realize just how rare the opportunity was. The two of them had killed for a Hells of a lot less. Still, Skrakch told himself as he adjusted his bandolier and straightened his leather armor. Let the lower mortals prattle. He didn’t care about stupid legends and wives' tales. This was his new chance at becoming Chosen and he was going to take it!

Summoning up all his strength, he pushed on the pertinent parts scrawling text below the door and watched as the Dungeon door slowly swung open inwards. His fur bristled as a cold blast of air hit him, and a rush of awe overcame him.

Behind the door lay a glimmering wall of water, rippling in random patterns. Arcane power roiled off it in spades, almost drowning out Skrakch’s ability to sense any Mana. Whatever had created the Dungeon and whatever it was protecting, it was powerful. Almost overwhelmingly so.

“Well, now ye’ve done it.” The Ratling heard Winifred say as he took a step forward towards the water, almost hypnotized by the beautiful patterns. Giving a quick look behind him to his idiotic companions, Skrakch did the only sensible thing. Taking a deep breath, he rushed forward, plunging into the unknown depths.

Winifred and Zach paused their arguement as they watched the Iskrin disappear into the shimmering magic, before shrugging at each other.

“In for a copper”, the ginger haired Halfling muttered, stepping through the doorway. “In for a gold.” the brunette pit fighter finished, following in Skrakch’s footsteps.

Suddenly left alone in the dark tunnel, Meekknuckle turned to Ornn. “Well we’d be in trouble if we didn’t follow, I suppose. It’d be best not to be left behind.” The runt of a Goblin said with a smirk, grabbing the Golem’s hand. “It’d be a pain getting back into the City if they get themselves killed, after all.”

As the last of the rogues stepped through the door, it slowly closed tight, cutting off the rampaging Mana and leaving the tunnel once more pitched in darkness.