Chapter 18

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[Sigurd]

I awoke with sleep still fresh in my eyes. My back sore and my arms leaden. A rough night for sure. I took a few deep breaths of the crisp air. Surprisingly fresh for air in the deep dark of the dungeon. Usually it had the stale dry quality that you’d imagine for a place so far underground. Like a crypt perhaps. I wouldn’t know as I didn’t tend to spend my free time skulking around crypts. Kael though? He might know. He seemed like just the sort to frequent crypts and other uncivilised places. Not like me, the noble dwarf. I smiled at the image.

Strapping on the last of my equipment I slid out of the doorway into the corridor. It was a rough-hewn wooden floor, like big tree trunks had been split down the middle and shaped with a rough hand before being fit into place. Not the work of a master craftsman like you would find in the capital. But it was a pleasant surprise and it suited the environment very nicely. As I shuffled down the corridor and descended the stairs my body creaked and protested. The hard work yesterday had worn me out. Though decades at this adventurer lark had told me that as soon as the rush of battle fell over me, I would forget all about the aches and hurts that I was experiencing.

In fact, as soon as I stepped out of the little log cabin that I had spent the night in, the pains of the previous days battle faded away like water on a scorching day. The scene that presented me was so unlike a dungeon that I had trouble believing I was even underground at all. Rather, it felt like I was in one of the sacred groves of the dryads of Bel’na’noir or perhaps a nature mages secret hideaway. I was still contemplating that everything so far was a dream or that I was slowly going insane.

A heavy clap on the back shattered that thought though as the big man stepped up to me.

“A sight eh” he asked in a deep voice, echoing from underneath his silver helm. I had no idea how on earth he’d snuck up on me. He was bedamned twice my height and wider still than a healthy dwarf. Unnatural I tell you. Unnatural.

“Yes, I find it hard to believe we’re underground at all” I replied, telling him what was on my mind.

“It’s the wind that gets you” he responded. “you never expect it when you’re hidden away like this.”

“Yes, how astute” I said in surprise. I hadn’t taken Jackson for the type of man who would have spotted that. But then I wouldn’t have taken him for the kind who could sneak up on me either. It seemed I still had plenty to learn about my new companions.

The rest of them joined us a few moments later and without a word we all set off to the next level. We didn’t need to speak to know what to do and we naturally arranged ourselves as we had before. The soft squishy mages protected in the centre with the big man up front. Ready to take the hits.

The steps, as always with this dungeon went on for far too far and as the anticipation climbed, we all naturally sped up as the end slowly grew upon us.

A dark doorway loomed at the end of the staircases. And as we descended a bluish white light seemed to emanate from it. I felt a series of shivers creep up my spine as we drew nearer. I glanced at the others as the chill intensified. The world seemed to go silent as the ambiance loomed overhead. A metaphorical cloud that seemed ready to burst, like a thunderstorm waiting for that first piercing strike of lightening and without a word spoken or sound made it seemed to pop as a fierce wind blew from the doorway, carrying with it a biting cold and shining pinpricks of light that floated on the wind like little razor blades. Following the gale that slammed into the walls of the staircase sounded a roar that echoed around and around and set my teeth on edge. Chattering and making clack clack sounds as I shivered stiffly.

“Shit I’m cold” said Kael as nonchalantly as anyone could. And I burst out laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of it.

“Same” I said with relief as the foreboding gloom that had settled over my mind disappeared with the very wind that had brought it on.

“Bah, your both just pansies” said Lore with mock distain as we shivered. Glancing over I saw her wrapped in a soft red glow as her fire magic kept her warm. A ball of fire floating above her hand. She turned to look at the fire

“Don’t you think my darling, they just don’t have the fortitude to deal with it, not like us we’re superior to these foolish men. Aren’t we? Yes, stupid I know. Its only a bit of a cold room. Ridiculous? Yes just what I was thinking. I suppose we could help them out a little my friend. No?

Sorry guys but fire.. uh… fire..ey says we cant help you” she said carrying on a perfectly innocent conversation with her little fireball.

We all glowered at her, but she pretended not to notice. By now we had reached the doorway and with a silent look we all knew what we had to do.

“Lore…” kael wined putting as much childish pain in his voice as he could manage.

“Yes” she asked turning to him.

“Nothing, I was just trying to distract you” he said smiling like a little scamp.

“Wha…” she started but too late as we grabbed her and chucked her headfirst into a snow drift just by the door.

As she popped her head out of the snow little bits sat, perched on her ears and nose and no-one could hold back the laughter any longer. We were in a dangerous place, but it was too funny, and we collapsed around in fits of giggles. Hearing the man mountain Jackson laugh in high pitched squeaks only made it funnier as she fumed at getting tricked.

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“I’ll get you lot back for this…” Lore swore at us with a barely hidden smile.

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[Lorelei]

Getting chucked headfirst into the snow may have been what I deserved, but it wasn’t any less unpleasant. And though I tried to hold onto any semblance of anger, Jacksons squeals of laughter were so out of character that I found it impossible and started laughing too.

“I’ll get you lot back for this…” I said in a huff, trying to be intimidating. Since they started laughing again, I think I failed.

Standing up, I spotted another snow pile and a devious thought crossed my mind. Snowball fight here we come, with a little help of my trusty fireball and I would get them soaking wet. Hahahahaha, I cackled internally, letting my inner evil witch out. Oh, they would get it, and get it bad.

I advanced on the unsuspecting snow pile with thoughts of revenge on my mind, sneaky sneaky.

One step, two step and on my third step a loud roar split the sound of girlish laughter as the snow drift seemed to come alive. Glancing down I saw that the snow I had stepped on was not deforming under my weight. Not snow after all. I stumbled back in shock as a huge shaggy monster stood up its icy blue eyes glowing with rage.

As I retreated it took a step forwards and roared again its vicious horns glinting in the pale light as they framed a jaw that bristled with sharp black teeth. Thin wispy claws slid out of the tough black skin on its hands. Though delicate looking I was sure they could tear and rend as good as my sword.

Sliding back on the ice I unleashed a fireball at the monster with a shout.

“Yeti!!!” shouted Sebastien. “Ready yourself”

My fireball did disappointingly against the yeti’s tough matted fur and snow-covered form, melting off the ice and snow and burning through a small section of its fur. The nauseating smell of burning hair filled the room for a short burst.

As the others got over their laughter and settled into the fight I slid back behind the protective wall of Jackson and Sigurd.

They rushed forward in perfect synchronisation, Jackson slamming his shield into the battering arm of the yeti and Sigurd slashing into the chest of the creature as he ducked under the deflected arm. Roaring, the yeti slammed its other arm down trying to squish Sigurd. But the little dwarf managed to deflect the blow and Jackson slammed the sharp edge of his shield down on the arm hard before bringing it up into the creature’s jaw with a slamming crunch as he knocked out a couple of teeth. It stumbled back at the blow and the two warriors split to either side for a few moments allowing Kael and I to send bolts of steel and fire plunging into its chest. As t stumbled back under the barrage of attacks, Sigurd chopped into its knees with his axe and Jackson knocked it over its wounded legs. Crippled and defeated Jackson finished it off, be heading the monster with as single powerful blow of his axe.

Hmm, I thought appreciatively.

They were a good team, in fact all of us there performed in perfect harmony. Glancing over at Seb I saw him nodding appreciatively as well. Sigurd was fitting in well, and if he wanted to pick up this adventuring again then I’m sure we could find a fit for him, just tackling that yeti showed how he worked so well with us and personality wise he was golden. He made us all smile and there was none of that naïve foolishness of newbie adventurers.

“Ooohhh, there’s a chest here” Kael said as he scampered over to where the yeti had laid sleeping.

“A few coins and an ice mana crystal, not bad” that was quite a good haul for a simple fight. Though we hadn’t taken any damage from the yeti to know just how dangerous it might be.

“That’s pretty good there” muttered Sebastien as he jotted it down in his ever expanding noted.

The battle rush of a good fight had warmed our spirits, but our bodies were still freezing cold, even if we hadn’t noticed yet. It was time to warm everyone up, but first, just a little revenge. Being careful to avoid any more snow drifts that went I scraped up some snow and threw it at Kael as he stood up, it caught him right in the face, causing him to cough and splutter.

“Lore!!” he called in shock, “Its gone in my mouth, ewwww…”

I burst out laughing as he started to spit it out.

“Serves you right” I responded with a chuckle.

Deciding to forgive him I set about warming everyone up with the fire aura spell, it drained my mana pretty quickly, but it was better than everyone freezing in the frigid cold.

“It’s taking all my natural recovery to keep up the spells guys so I’m going to be limited on how much I can contribute.

“That’s ok Lorelei, we’re just glad not to be freezing our asses off.” Sebastien said. “Alright look sharp lads, the yeti was hidden and who knows what else this level has to offer, standard formation.”

We took our places quickly and took a look around. It was a beautiful landscape with, twisting shards of ice jutting abruptly from the floor and a soft blanket of snow falling over everything. But ice was harsh and deadly and only the hardiest of creatures called it home so we would have to be careful. Anything that could live here was sure to pose a threat.

As we took careful steps through the ice land we encountered many more yetis but with the teamwork we had, they went down just as easily as the first one, netting us a few more coins and mana crystals, well worth the fights they put us through.

Many many times as we marched along, I thought that I saw something zip in and out of view between the cracked battered ice boulders and stalagmites. But I never managed a solid look at it. Whatever it was it didn’t seem to be very hostile as it left us well enough alone. Flitting around in the higher vestiges of the ice chamber were little pinpricks of light, that swam and danced in the air like a spirit. They flited to and fro with ease and when they drew closer, I could see the outline of a butterfly. They looked like they might be worth a lot, but Sebastien said we didn’t have the time to be wasting, chasing everything in the dungeon. A shame I thought as they were ever so pretty.

“Wow” we all seemed to say as the central piece of the room fully came into view. An exquisite dragon with an immaculate precision to its sculpture stood proudly under an arching beam of ice. Its very presence seemed to exude an undeniable chill that sank into my bones despite the fire aura trying to warm us up.

We stood stock still as we stared at the outstanding dragon. Predictably Kael was the first to get over the shock of finding it and braved taking a few steps closer. We followed moments later, despite the chill.

The dragon seemed to have a heart, some sort of gem that sat in its breast radiating out a faint warmth that gave the dragon its ethereal presence. It sung out to me, tendrils of magic curling around my core, restricting. I felt my breath hitch as I struggled with it. With a gasp I turned away and took a few steps feeling the magic retreat from me, whatever that was it wasn’t something we should mess with.

“No one should touch that, its powerful. I… I can’t explain it, but it calls out to me. I think it’s some sort of artefact.”

With my warning heard we set off again, getting through the level in short order. I was relieved to see the stairs come into view. Normally a sad sight as I didn’t look forward to descending the stairs.

Fortunately, there were only a few stairs going down before we reached the next level.

“What in the hells is this then?” Jackson said. I found couldn’t disagree with him.

“I’m confused” said Jenna mirroring the thoughts of the rest of us.