As they stepped through the door, a sense of foreboding filled the group. Before them lay a desolate tunnel, its ancient stones weathered and worn by the relentless passage of time. Flickering torches adorned the walls, casting eerie shadows that danced with each gust of stale air, adding to the eerie ambiance. The passageway stretched ahead, branching into multiple pathways like an intricate labyrinth, each direction shrouded in darkness.
Talax broke the silence, his curiosity evident. "Now what?" he wondered aloud. Franny rummaged through his satchel and retrieved the pulsing orb, which had previously guided them to the dungeon.
To their disappointment, this time the orb emitted a steady, solid light instead of displaying the various colors that had shown them the correct path before. Frowning in confusion, Franny speculated, "The ambient mana must be interfering with the orb's function. It's rendered useless for navigation." Talax shook his head but found another use for the glowing sphere. "We can still use it as a simple light. There are fewer torches in this passage, so Qalo should carry it since he is leading the way," he suggested.
With the orb in Qalo's possession, they resumed their journey through the labyrinthine tunnel. Talax surveyed their surroundings, his face a blend of caution and intrigue. "It appears we have entered a true dungeon," he observed, his voice tinged with excitement. Unlike the previous rooms they had traversed, this passage lacked the polish and care, adding an air of unpredictability to their exploration.
It was a dug-out tunnel, supported by rotten beams that appeared ready to crumble into kindling with the slightest breeze, as they struggled to uphold the rocky ceiling. Uneven intervals of columns lined the walls, constructed with large, worn square stones, smoothed out by the passage of countless years.
From the central passage, smaller tunnels branched off, their darkness making the three companions reluctant, dissuading them from venturing into those ominous holes. Talax's curiosity urged him to stealthily explore the black tunnels to uncover potential threats and treasures, but he hesitated due to Franny's ever-watchful, judgmental expression that seemed to hold him in check.
Glancing at the labyrinthine paths, Talax felt a mixture of trepidation and determination surging within him. Despite the lingering disorienting thoughts in the back of his mind, he resolved to press on. There was something alluring about this forgotten place, something that tugged at his very core.
Guided by the luminous orb and Franny's conjured light, they continued their walk through the tunnel. Suddenly, Talax came to an abrupt halt, feeling an unsettling presence, as if someone were watching his every move. His eyes darted frantically, attempting to pinpoint the source of his unease. Franny noticed his strange behavior and looked over with a worried expression.
The dancing shadows on the tunnel walls and the meager torchlight made it challenging to thoroughly examine their surroundings. With deft fingers, Talax snatched the orb from Qalo's hands and shone its light into every nook and cranny, revealing nothing but hard-packed earth and broken pebbles scattered across the dusty floor.
“Talax, what's happening?” Franny inquired, a hint of fear lingering in his voice.
Talax looked around, visibly confused and unable to find anything suspicious or dangerous that could have triggered such a reaction. "I... I thought I sensed something," he murmured, subconsciously lowering his voice.
He stilled, attempting to reconnect with that peculiar feeling that had alarmed him, but it was as if whatever was spying on him had vanished long ago. "Perhaps my imagination is running wild; those shadows are disconcerting," he said, trying to rationalize his unease. Qalo nodded, seemingly wanting to believe Talax's words, while Franny remained skeptical, his eyes scanning the surroundings with suspicion.
With Qalo leading the way, tightly clutching the orb and Franny casting his conjured light intermittently to illuminate their path, the group ventured deeper into the twisting tunnels. Each turn and fork they encountered became a test of their intuition and instincts. The air grew heavy with unease, as if the very walls of the dungeon were closing in on them.
Time seemed to lose its grip as they traversed the winding corridors. Footsteps echoed, mingling with the occasional distant drip of water, creating an eerie symphony that accompanied their journey. With every step, the dungeon's atmosphere grew more suffocating, the tension becoming palpable. They opted to stick to the central passage, avoiding any unnecessary changes in their course.
However, since the last chamber, there was no evidence to be found from the group they were seeking, no slayed monsters, no tracks, nothing. The absence of life made them increasingly uneasy, as if they were experiencing the calm before the storm, and at any moment, a calamity would befall them.
The labyrinth played tricks on their senses, distorting their perception of space and time. At every turn, they encountered dead ends, forcing them to backtrack and reconsider their path. It became evident that this ancient structure was designed to challenge the very essence of those who dared venture within its confines.
Just as their spirits began to waver, a subtle change in the air caught their attention. The torchlight, which had dwindled to dying embers the deeper they went, flickered with renewed intensity, casting long shadows that seemed to guide them forward. Following this newfound guidance, they arrived at a towering door.
They passed through side tunnels until they reached the imposing door. "It's locked," Qalo informed them as he searched for a way to open it. Stepping back, Talax inspected the seemingly simple door and soon discovered a symbol, identical to the ones they had found earlier, etched on the metal frame. With mounting suspicion, he noticed three more symbols lining the door and then examined the corridor they had walked through, leaving Franny and Qalo to fruitlessly inspect the door.
Talax walked the long corridor multiple times, meticulously inspecting every available surface. The dusty ground, the rocky ceiling, and the walls full of holes and sharp edges. His frustration grew with every lap. He was certain that the key to opening the door lay in finding hidden symbols somewhere in the ancient tunnel. Perhaps he needed to retrace his steps even further back? Ugh! He groaned and, like a petulant child, stomped his foot in frustration.
A metallic sound echoed through the dim tunnel, and Talax's eyes widened with excitement. He looked down, full of hope, but all he saw was a thick layer of dirt. No... He was sure he heard the impact!
Without much thought, he dropped on all fours and began swiping away the dusty floor with his hands. Dirt and dust billowed out like a small cloud, making his throat itchy and his eyes water, but he worked with focused determination until a small, dulled, metallic plaque emerged from the dirt.
The plaque had lost all its shine and could barely be distinguished from the dull brown of the earth. Nevertheless, the flowing lines comprising the mysterious symbol were unmistakable. With a satisfied smile, having his hunch confirmed, Talax flopped down on his butt and glanced around. The smile froze on his face when he realized that the plaque was situated right in front of a narrow side tunnel. Its dark depth resembled a yawning maw ready to devour him, even the sharp stalactites hanging from the ceiling looked like sharp teeth.
Sighing, he murmured, "Of course, I bet the tunnel is full of monsters too." Shaking his head, he stood up and dusted off his trousers. "Guys! Over here," he called to his friends, barely making out their silhouettes down the dark tunnel.
After some grumbled words, they abandoned their examination and joined him. They looked at him with questioning eyes, and Talax pointed down with a proud expression. Qalo looked down and then up at Talax with vacant eyes, asking, "What?" On the other hand, Franny inhaled sharply and spoke with a serious voice, "You really know your way around the dungeon."
Talax shrugged, trying to downplay the sense of victory he felt, and said, "Now we have to find the other three hidden symbols. I'm pretty sure they will reveal the side tunnels we have to explore to find the key." Qalo looked at him, impressed, and Franny nodded in agreement. Then the noble's expression clouded, and he said, "That means my uncle hasn't passed through here! We have to go back!" The man looked back the way they had come with dejection.
"Go back where? Your uncle must have gone through some side tunnel. We have no way of knowing which one he chose. Our best option is to press on. I am sure at some point we will find him," Talax countered, while Franny looked distressed.
"How are we going to find him? This place is a maze!" Talax shook his head. "You may be right, but every path leads to the heart of this dungeon. It doesn't matter which path we choose; what matters is that we continue on our way. We will eventually find him," he replied, though he couldn't explain the source of his confidence. Franny looked at him with suspicion, clearly perplexed.
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"How do you know all these things?" Franny's question was met with Talax’s blank gaze.
"I'm afraid I have no answer for you. I just know I am right. Now, let's stop wasting time and find the rest of the plaques," Talax urged, determined to move forward. Reluctantly, Franny agreed to search.
It took them over an hour to locate the three symbols. They meticulously searched the entrance of every single tunnel branching off from the main passage, swiping the dirt with their bare hands. Even the haughty noble, who usually had a nervous breakdown at the slightest smudge on his clothes, was on all fours digging for the symbols.
With all four tunnels identified, they stood at the entrance of the one furthest from the door when Talax spoke up, "You know there will be fighting, right? Getting the key won't be easy." His two companions nodded with grim determination.
"Alright, let's go," he announced with confidence he didn't really feel.
Once they stepped into the side tunnel, the air grew colder, and the eerie silence was interrupted by a faint whispering sound. The shining orb revealed a tunnel leading into a chamber lined with stone shelves filled with rows upon rows of ancient sarcophagi, their stone surfaces worn and cracked with age. Franny's expression turned grim, and he tightened his grip on his sword, preparing for any unexpected encounters.
Talax unsheathed his sword, realizing that his bow would be inefficient in such a confined space. The tunnel could barely hold Qalo and Franny standing next to each other. Talax inspected his surroundings, spotting urns of different sizes placed next to the stone slabs.
He could also make out the faint gleam of metal within the urns. Greed seemed to overtake the orc's face, and without conscious thought, Qalo stepped closer to inspect the contents. Talax hurried to warn him not to get any closer, but the sight of treasure made the orc reckless, and he picked up a small urn and started shaking it. Franny exclaimed in dismay, and Talax facepalmed, groaning in frustration.
Suddenly, a creaking noise echoed through the tunnels, followed by the sound of shifting stone. Franny's conjured light flickered, casting eerie shadows that danced across the sarcophagi. From within, skeletal fingers emerged as the skeletons rose from their slumber. The dim light reflected in their empty eye sockets, showing only the bone within.
"Damn it, Qalo!" Talax yelled as he quickly began casting a spell.
The skeleton closest to Qalo grasped the lid of its coffin with its bony fingers and sent it crashing to the floor with an awe-inspiring force. A cloud of dust filled the narrow passage as the lid broke into pieces, and more skeletons rose from their eternal slumber.
The skeletal hand gripped Qalo's hand that was still clutching the urn, applying pressure that made the orc wince in pain. Qalo let the urn crumble to the ground, and a shower of copper coins flew out of the destroyed object, filling the room with the tinkling sound of metal.
Thankfully, Franny was quick to react, and with a precise downward slash, he severed the skeleton's hand. More coffin lids crashed to the floor, and more skeletons emerged, some grasping weapons that had lain undisturbed for centuries, while others approached unarmed but with eerie determination.
Franny attacked the injured skeleton that was trying to climb out of the sarcophagus while Qalo clutched his reddened hand. Franny continued hacking at the offending skeleton, before the rest could reach them. Using one of his abilities, heroic strike, he added 20% more damage to his hit and the skeleton’s head fell to the floor with a clatter. The rest of its body fell in a heap of dry bones that broke into tiny little pieces.
Talax completed his casting with a flourish of his hand, and a heavy fog enveloped the narrow tunnel. The incoming skeletons halted and looked around in confusion, giving Qalo an opportunity to retaliate. With a bellow, he attacked the closest skeleton, wielding his sword to strike. In a twist of fate, his sword pierced the exposed ribcage of the skeleton and got stuck. The orc huffed in frustration and then punched the skeleton's face in an act of raw determination.
The skeleton's head snapped back from the force of Qalo's punch, and with an audible click, its lower jaw dropped to the floor. The skeleton retaliated, landing a punch on Qalo, who was struggling to dislodge his sword from the skeletal body.
Qalo wasn't fast enough to dodge the bony hand, and it found its mark, tearing apart his cheek, sending a shower of blood. The orc bellowed in pain and finally managed to pull his sword free with a mighty tug, breaking bones in the process.
Franny was locked in combat with another skeleton, exchanging blows with the armed adversary. Swords clashed as Talax watched on impotently, unable to join the fight due to the lack of space. He decided to use his bow, but when he realized how few of his arrows were left, he opted to use his remaining spells.
As his spell Fog of Mystica was about to expire, Talax started casting Bubble of Confusion, trying to assist his friends as best he could. Qalo finally destroyed the skeleton that had injured him and swiftly moved on to his next target.
Still disoriented by Fog of Mystica, the next skeleton couldn't react in time and was hit by a powerful blow that shattered its right leg, toppling it over. The orc laughed triumphantly and unleashed a relentless barrage of blows upon the incapacitated skeleton.
Meanwhile, Talax focused his spell on a skeleton in the back, armed with a ferocious hammer, but then, an arrow whistled past his ear, narrowly missing him. Fear coursed through him, and he jumped to the side, breaking off his spell. The pain of the wasted mana resonated in his mind, but with gritted teeth, he frantically looked around to locate the archer's position.
After a moment, he spotted a skeleton with a wooden bow aiming at an unsuspecting Qalo. Fear surged within Talax, and he leaped back to his feet. Without hesitation, he started casting again, and a twenty-centimeter spike formed in front of his right hand, hurtling towards the archer.
The archer noticed the stone spike at the last moment, but it was too late. The spike collided squarely with its face, sending bone fragments flying everywhere. The arrow that had been ready to fly towards Qalo fell to the ground with a soft plop.
Talax smiled, casting another spike in rapid succession. He didn't let up, determined not to give the skeleton the chance to use its bow. As Talax kept the archer occupied, his two companions decimated the assaulting skeletons. One by one, the skeletons fell into a heap of bones, even after the disorienting effects of Fog of Mystica had worn off.
Qalo, with his overwhelming strength, and Franny, with his fighting expertise, dismantled the skeletons one by one. Talax felt a little let down by his role as a support in this fight, but he knew that his two friends were better suited for this kind of confrontation.
"Franny! There's an archer in the back!" Talax shouted when he saw Ferdinand vanquishing another opponent. The noble looked back and nodded. Scouting for a moment, he spotted the skeleton trying to find cover after facing Talax's stone spikes, and he raced towards it.
Talax sent a couple of stone spikes to cover Franny's approach and then turned his attention to Qalo. The orc was facing off against the skeleton with the huge hammer. Talax tried to send a couple of spikes its way, but Qalo's formidable frame made it difficult to find an opening.
Frustrated, Talax unsheathed his sword, ready to help, when he felt a bruising pain on his ankle. Looking down, he saw a skeletal arm grasping his leg, and a lifeless face peering out from below the stone shelf.
Gripping his rusty short sword, he swung downward. The blade met bone, creating cracks on the weathered surface, but it was unable to penetrate. The skeleton crawled out of its hiding place like a spider emerging from its lair. Talax continued hacking until he heard a loud crack, and the hand broke in half.
However, the half of the hand latched to his leg remained in place. The bruising force that had shot piercing pain up his leg disappeared, leaving behind a dull throb. The skeleton opened its mouth in a silent scream and lunged forward. Talax sidestepped and brought his sword down, striking the skeleton on its back. The monster stumbled but managed to remain upright, its head swiveling around in a horrific manner as it opened its mouth in another soundless scream.
Its body turned, aligning itself with its head, and lunged with outstretched hands. Talax jumped back, but he miscalculated, and his back collided with the stone shelf, sending pain up his spine that made him see stars.
Dazed for a moment, he let his guard down. The skeleton took advantage of the opportunity and its fingers dug into his flesh, drawing blood. Talax stifled a scream, but his mind cleared by the pain, and he focused on breaking free from the skeletal grip.
He felt his ability Armor of the Deep activate, and a rock-hard coral encased his wounded flesh, pulsing with an eerie light. Talax didn't pay it any attention and tackled the skeleton, trying to create some space. His shoulder crashed into the bony figure, and with a simple thought, he activated his new ability, Mighty Blow.
Mana rushed towards his hand, and he felt a surge of power like never before as he swung his sword. The impact left Talax in awe. The sword collided with the skeleton, sending it flying, and it fell in a heap with cracks crisscrossing its bones.
Talax seized the opportunity and started striking the skeleton until he heard a loud crack, and its head rolled lazily like a deflated ball. A sense of accomplishment filled his veins, and he smiled. He looked over at his companions and said, "Well, that was fun!"
Franny rolled his eyes, but Qalo agreed wholeheartedly. Beads of sweat dotted their foreheads, and their breaths came in ragged gasps, a testament to the short but intense battle.
Franny cast a weary glance at the remaining sarcophagi lining the tunnels, his expression a mixture of concern and curiosity. "It seems these sarcophagi were not mere tombs but rather a guard against those who seek the labyrinth's secrets," he mused.
"Well, we knew those tunnels would be full of monsters. And if someone wasn't so greedy, we could have been more prepared," Qalo ignored him as he inspected his newest acquisition, the metal hammer. It was a slab of metal on a wooden haft, lined with faded leather. It didn't look very impressive, but it was an improvement over the needle-like sword that Qalo had been using, which looked like a toothpick in his large hand.
"Mine," Qalo announced, clutching the hammer protectively. Talax waved his hand dismissively. "You can have it," and went to check the urns. After combing the chamber, they found a number of coins that were divided between him and Qalo, since the noble couldn't be bothered with money. A couple of figurines were left behind since they didn't look valuable, along with some other decorative items that looked like trash.
Talax, however, found a small knife that he kept despite Franny's protests. It had a serrated edge that, even though it looked dulled due to lack of care, could still inflict some pain. Besides, his past experiences had taught him that he could never have enough weapons.
He placed his new knife inside his boot and joined his companions. Franny had refreshed his spell Luminous Spark, and the small ball of light illuminated the adjoining room. The two companions were looking into the dark crypt with trepidation when Talax waltzed by.
With a careless tone, he said, "What are you waiting for?" The moment he stepped into the next room, the whispering sound of skeletons and the dragging noise of stone filled the dark space.
With a manic smile, Talax looked back and waved his sword in invitation. "Come on!"