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Chapter 27: Temple of Kitu

Through the underwater city the adventurers swam, till their limbs burned and breaths came in labored gasps. For hours they’d engaged in a tight game of cat and mouse with their sea elven pursuers. Several times their journey came inches from meeting an unceremonious end. Their salvation came in the form of a spacious cavern of worked stone, where thousands of glowing grubs clung to the walls and ceiling, casting the area in a ghostly glow.

At first glance it revealed why this place was empty, they’d stumbled across a resting place for the dead. There were headstones for the important figures, heroes and saints counted among their number, decorated in colorful shells. Those of lesser worth only had a single stone on the wall, their name painstaking engraved upon it. Each softly whispered a prayer to the dead, not one wanting to disturb them. It was here that Achaaz found a hidden cavern, large enough for them to slip inside.

It would suit them well, despite the face it was almost caved in. They crawled along, hissing to themselves as jagged points jabbed in at their sides. Feku had already scouted ahead, ensuring their journey didn’t meet a dead end. Behind them they could hear the distant cry of the drums, ever reminding them their foe’s hunger hadn’t ceased. It would hunt for as long as was necessary. For long, cold minutes wrapped in just a faint light they continued, until the tunnel gave way to a sizable cavern. Large enough for at least Achaaz’s true size, minus the spreading of her wings.

They flopped against the stone, saying their thanks to the gods. For now they were safe, free to catch their breaths. As they relaxed and closed their eyes, the hardness of the stone beneath them was as welcome as a kingly mattress. When their nerves had calmed, a refresh of breath water had been cast. They were free to plan their stay for the night, breathing easy that they’d not drown in their sleep.

“Are you sure we should stay?” Achaaz asked, peering with curiosity around the cavern. Even here the grubs had found, at least granting the adventurers some faint, natural light.

“It will do for now. It’s not the most hospitable.” She glanced to the entrance; certain she’d heard the phantom call of the drums. She swallowed the lump in her throat, telling herself they were safe. “But its better than being out there.”

The others agreed with tired nods, Achaaz offering to collapse the cavern behind them. It would make it harder to find them, plus reach them.

“I have a spell for such an occasion.” Asterion wheezed within their minds, long having been added to their mental link. It drew Feku’s attentive snout. She told him to save his breath. Not worry except for the here and now. Worried eyes were upon him, he didn’t look any better than when they’d found him. No one said a word as the cleric insisted, he was fine.

“For which?” The dragoness tried to laugh away the lingering anxiousness.

“Both.” He grunted, collapsing to the floor.

As the dragoness wiggled her way back down the tunnel to ensure their safety, Nivra got to work on other manners. What she wouldn’t give for a crackling fire and a warm environment in which to enjoy it. Perhaps a comfy sleeping bag and gryphon to aid in her comfort. Lucky for her a spell in her book had just the thing, minus the gryphon of course. She’d given a heavy sigh, twirling one of Voidwing’s feathers from her pack. She wondered if he’d be optimistic right now, or narrating the entire evening thus far? Either way she’d have welcomed it with open arms. Hell, she’d have squeezed him till the spirit left his body.

The spell in question was called magical hut, a magical epiphany for wizards that needed a place to stay and not worry about intruders. Unfortunately for her the wizard who’d invented the spell hadn’t thought about his protective bubble being seen. Luckily they were hidden away so the sea elves wouldn’t see the vibrant, neon green on the exterior of the safe haven. She grimaced as she’d found the spell within Shandalar’s book beforehand, it would of course be her looking out for her again. With cold lingering within her fingertips she got to work.

First she needed some better light than these grubs. She drew out her staff, knocking it against the stone to summon a pale white light. She started to draw out a circle for the spell, trying to distract herself as the others found yet another mystery to solve.

Tehya and Feku were hunched over Asterion’s beaten form, twin looks of concern painted on their faces. The bull was now propped up against the cavern wall, gasping and wheezing for breath. The kobold was already trying to heal his wounds with whatever spells she had left at her disposal, while Tehya watched on in silent contemplation.

“You should have left me.” Asterion groaned. “It was stupid to come back for a single man.”

“You were one of the crew. It wasn’t a choice.” Tehya replied sternly, leaving no doubt within her words. “I’d have gone back for any of them. I’ll have you know I slew about twelve of their number. Many more will follow once we rest and get a plan into action.” She nodded to Nivra, who was busy forming the motions for her coming spell. “Spell slinger was rather useful. Take back everything I said about her kind after my third shot.”

Nivra ignored her, focusing on the spell. Certain spells could be cast in a special way, lengthening the time required to perform the incantation. It ensured that magicians would not be taxed by it’s casting, but left them totally exposed at they did so. Often why such things were only reserved where they were in relative safety, or hoped no one would come phasing through the stone after them. She just kept telling herself they didn’t know where they were. They were safe.

“But will his wounds heal?” Tehya asked as Asterion weakly rested his head back, blood shot eyes not seeming able to rest upon them. “I’ve never seen wounds such as this.” She gestured to some deep crimson marks along his left and right sides. The wounds appeared to have been caused by at least a dozen hooks. They had already been sealed, but rather crudely. Someone had burned them after for good measure, some of the flesh still seared.

“I don’t know. It not working!” Feku flung out her claws, frustration clear in her voice. “Whatever they did, it bad.”

“How about you mage?” Tehya turned to Nivra, not missing a beat. “You get a good look at the sickness our cleric has? You got to have learned some stuff in your books.”

Nivra shook her head, busy spinning and thrusting out her arms as if she were flying. Magical strands flowed from her finger, down her arm and spun around her waist.

“Step forward, two steps back. That’s what I get for trusting a glorified librarian for the answers.” Tehya scoffed, turning to Asterion instead. Her tone instantly turned softer the moment she took in his pained groans. She crouched low, tenderly placing a hand upon him. “What made these marks, a weapon? Did you see it? It’s alright if you’re too tired to explain. I can’t fathom being held as you were.”

He didn’t say anything at first, merely clutching at himself with trembling limbs. When he spoke it was forced, his words haggard. “The creature that did this…I saw the eel like body, the many grasping limbs. It matches the description what we thought…Abolyth.” He said within his thoughts, “Grabbed us all with its arms, covered in thousands of tiny barbs. None of the crew were spared. Beyu, Aeros, even myself were dragged one after the other. Some screamed in terror, begged for their pitiful lives, others tried to free themselves in one last desperate act. His eyes grew solemn. “They failed of course. It only validated the worst reaction from the crew. The acceptance on some, they hung their heads in defeat, their spirits broken.” He coughed himself into silence, letting them linger upon his words. “Thank you for the rescue. I thought myself lost. Doomed to rest within these walls as a puppet for that monster’s amusement.

He turned to Nivra, willing up his brow to furrow. “Though this rescue was reckless and stupid. You could have been captured, forced into servitude. Do you know what could be done with the enthrallment of a queen? I thought you had more sense! What if I had been enthralled? I could have aided in your demise!” The bull returned to coughing, Feku insisting he settle down.

“You give heart assault!” She shouted.

Nivra stopped dead, the thought chilling her to the bone. After all their methodical planning, they’d forgotten about that glaring detail? Dread churned in her gut like a stormy sea, all their struggle could have been for naught. Undone by a sliver of trust. She composed herself with a deep breath, focusing instead the tiny threads of magic waiting her next motions.

Tehya unsheathed her blade, the metal gleaming cruelly in the light. “Enthralled by the beast eh?”

“What you doing?” Feku cried, reaching out with her claws. She found herself shoved aside as Tehya strode forward.

“You heard what slithered from his lips.” Her eyes were colder than the winter winds. “The abolyth could have his mind. All it has to do is think and we will be undone.” She forged a fist with her free hand banging it against the stone wall. “To the hells with that wretched creature.” The minotaur took a labored breath before crouching to Asterion with dark purpose. It had to be done, for their safety. “I don’t wish to do it, but I have no choice. These are desperate times.”

“No stop! He good, stop!” Feku screamed, leaping upon Tehya’s sword arm to drag it down. It did little to hinder the muscular warrior, who waved the kobold off like a fly.

“Don’t stop her.” Asterion stated bluntly, “The worst we could do is let emotions get in the way of cold truth. Trust me, my death is not appealing.” He squirmed, facing the female’s blade head on. “Do what you must.”

“No you goods, you speak truths! You resisted, tell them!”

“But whatever I tell you about my capture and resistance could be a lie. Something to gain your trust, what then?”

“Stop trying to get yourself killed!” The kobold shrieked, “Lady Nivra stop her! Use a spell!”

“Tehya, if you kill my friend, you’ll find yourself decorating our new lodgings.” Nivra snapped to the warrior woman, a look of fire in her eyes that could kill a dragon. “If he were enchanted, they would have fallen upon us at any moment in our departure. You think we would have eluded them for so long? And you.” Her gaze traveled to Asterion, who lowered his snout. “Stop trying to get yourself killed! Or I’m going to have the kobold or dragon slap you to your senses! God damnt! See what you’ve made me fucking do?” She lost the spell in a spectacular fashion, the magic exploded mere feet from her fingers. There was a blinding flash of multicolored light, followed by dozens of miniature motes continuing to flicker shades of the rainbow.

No one said a thing, the mage’s apparent cursing having stunned them into silence. Nivra paced, squeezing the bridge of her nose with an aggravated groan. “Now I must start again.” She composed herself with a deep breath and began the arduous task of beginning anew.

“Apologies.” Tehya grunted, turning to Asterion, and sheathing her sword. “We can’t be too careful. We stand on a razer’s edge. Stray but a little bit and we’re all doomed.”

Asterion nodded, “I don’t blame you Tehya, I’d have done the same in your hooves.”

The minotaurs exchanged a final nod of understanding, there would be no more words over the potential execution of one of their number. Feku was left snapping her head between the two, her mouth falling open and closing several times. Her scales were brimming with red tints as Tehya simply returned to the entrance as if to inspect Achaaz’s handiwork.

“How goes the work dragon? I’ve seen faster work by the trader’s guild of Struport.” Tehya thought aloud, “Should we also be paying you by the hour?”

“We can trade places if you wish.” The dragoness’ growl radiated across the cavern,

“Oh right, you can only swing a weapon around. Continue just sitting there, relaxing.”

Tehya chuckled, little bubbles trailing her snout. “I can show you how good I am with my hands dragon. I’m sure you’ll be quite impressed.”

Unknowing or uncaring, Feku paid little mind to the now bickering between dragon and minotaur. There was some mention of lewd acts and other bits to relieve the tension, but all that mattered to the little kobold was the sickly color of Asterion’s wounds.

“How did you get these?” She asked softly, gesturing to the jelly like flesh he possessed. “Was it magic?”

Bloodshot eyes of the cleric traveled up, the rest of his body shivering like a newborn calf. He seemed to look past her, focusing on a far distant place. “I am not sure it is a magical or disease that I am afflicted with.” He grimly gestured to his wretched skin, unable to look at it. “From the beast’s touch came such a malus.” He coughed and spasmed until Feku’s eyes were wide, her scales white as bone. With stars now bursting in his vision he gestured to several burn marks on the side of his torso. “You can see the puncture marks here, burned with the intensity of a man of war.” He fell back as Feku shivered, biting her claws at the thought of such a thing. “It went deeper than I thought. The burn pumped through my veins, entered the marrow of my bones. It felt like an eternity it held him.” He gulped closing tight his eyes from the memory. “I’ve never felt so much pain as was forced upon me.”

“Is that so brother?” Tehya crouched beside them, her expression one of warmth and comfort. She clasped his shoulder with a gentle nod. “We’ll make sure that thing dies for the dishonor it inflicted upon you this day. Mark my words, that thing dies for what it done to the ship, the crew, and you.”

“Of course.” He replied sternly, failing to hide the redness in his cheeks as he looked away. “As is what is expected of us.”

“Know that I feared what happened to you.” Tehya said bluntly, laying a tender hand on his shoulder, “I’m glad you still draw breath. It brings hope for the others.” She laughed in her throat, to hide the concern. “What I’d give for the venom of that beast. Can you imagine it on arrows and blades?”

The minotaur chuckled together, letting the tension between them drift away. Though when she inquired about the crew again, the minotaur grew silent. He found his snout gently tugged to stare her in the face.

“Tell me. I can bear the news. What became of the crew? Are they alive? Dead?” Each questioned sounded more desperate than the last. “Did it simply mean to torture them?”

“They…live.” He sighed, “But it wasn’t just the creature’s touch the others fell to. It held them before its blackened void like eyes, trying to pierce their mind with its.”

“How did you know?” She asked softly.

“It tried to do the same to me and failed. There was a pressure between us as stars burst before my eyes. Up was down, left was right, the entire temple was spinning around me. It was all I could do to hang onto myself as the mountain that was it’s spirit tried to consume me.” Asterion coughed, forming a tight fist when he was done. “I held out by the grace of korde, but barely just. It tossed me into the cell, waiting until my mental defenses weakened. It had the time to wait, I wasn’t going anywhere.” He looked to them with a bitter grin, “Who would have guessed their were survivors crazy enough to try and rescue me?”

“That’s us.” Tehya replied bitterly, caressing her chin. “Total lunatics. But how can you be certain you were unaffected?” Her eyes grew suspicious once more, Feku looked to the warrior’s belt.

“It threw me back into that cell. The others it had carted off to whatever fate befell them. No doubt it wanted it’s handiwork to be done and my mind to grow tired. When my mental faculties were fading it would strike.” Asterion winced, clutching his side. “You have to admire it’s tactics.”

She shook her head, flicked her tail. “Don’t start this again brother, if you’re charmed, I’m going to have to kill you.”

“And the spell is complete!” Nivra announced with a flick of her wrist and a twirl. She held out her arms as the wall of light that she had been constructing raced out to build what would be their place of refuge. Like a river, the luminescent threads flowed from wall to wall, coating each surface with their brilliance. They flared as bright as lighting, nearly blinding them all. From it’s wake came sturdy looking wood, elegant chairs sprung from the floor, a table came next. Around them popped in a hearth, cushions of crimson silk, water started to drain. There was a dartboard complete with darts stuck within it, tankards for drinks, even a coat rack to hang a weary wizard’s robe. Nivra sighed, taking in the ever warming air, sighing deeply as a crackling fire reached her ears. She couldn’t help but cross her arms in pride at this display of spellmanship. She couldn’t but smile, already picturing herself laying back, flicking through her spellbook and plucking which spells she’d cast tomorrow. To get dry after such a long day of the wretched wet and cold? It sounded like heaven to her.

“Thoughts anyone?” The mage turned to take in the other’s no doubt compliments.

Feku flung up her claws, a wide smile spread across her snout. “Yay! We can be drys!”

“Something we can both agree on.” Tehya closed her eyes, letting the atmosphere wash over her. She flicked her soggy tail, looking as though a drowned rat was chomping at the end of it. “You have my thanks mage. Once more you’ve moved yourself to the alright column in my book.”

Nivra smiled and gave a gentle bow. That just left getting acclimated to their haven. Clothes to dry, plans to think of, summon up some food to quell the whining of her gut. The darkness of the day seemed further than ever, that was until Asterion started screaming.

Like anguish filled wails of a banshee, the minotaur’s cry resounded off the walls. The scraping of his hooves against the floor was drowned out within its pain filled fury. He convulsed and thrashed like a fish out of water as the others sprung to his side, looks of concern spread about their faces. Muscular flesh that protected him like armor now bubbled and boiled like fat in the afternoon sun. What breath he had soon failed him, then he suffered in silence.

“Asterion!” Tehya’s voice cracked for a second before the warrior was upon the cleric in a flash. With all her strength she held him down, desperate to cease the slamming of his head. She turned to Nivra, fire was in her eyes, failing to mask the concern within. “What did you do?”

She didn’t know. The spell she cast shouldn’t have done anything like this. All it was supposed to do was to provide them with a place to rest, a warm fire and oxygen to breathe. Her heart raced as she stood frozen, contemplating what had to be done, and what could possibly be the problem. She was sputtering and grasping at straws when Achaaz came scrambling back in, her frills stitched to her snout.

Feku tried to heal the flailing warrior but it proved little help. The spell whirled around him but instantly died. The other’s bickered about what to do, eventually trying to shove a potion down the minotaur’s face twisted in pain. That too failed. Asterion collapsed, his body giving a final spasm. Then came nothing, he was motionless upon the floor. They had at most minutes before the cleric would be beyond their reach, and Nivra still hadn’t moved.

The problem was he couldn’t breathe that much was certain. But why? The air around them was fresh and clean, even the smoke from the hearth wasn’t actually there. Even still, that didn’t explain the putrid smelling wounds shifting before their eyes. Her fingers pressed to her temples until her knuckles turned white as she ran through countless scenarios in her mind. Eventually it occurred to her, it wasn’t the magic or the freshness of the air, but the actual air itself! “Quick, roll him out into the cavern!” She shot to his side, unable to move his bulk. “Well don’t just stand there and help me!”

Not in the mood for debate or questions, the others soon joined her. Effortlessly they grunted, rolling the bull up and over, passing him through the magical wall. With Nivra’s passing the spell faded in an instant, leaving the collected group in the pale light of the mage’s staff that gently floated to the floor. There they waited with baited breaths as Asterion’s flesh stopped its horrific dance. Feku was clinging to her side, Tehya was hovering over the cleric like a hawk. Achaaz had her tail curled in, head drooped. After recent events they expected the worst.

In defiance to this the cleric gave a haggard cough, clawing his way back to the living. His chest convulsed his arms beat the stone, but there was no doubt he’d survive. His eyes opened as he rested his head against the floor. His companions swooped in with teary eyes and prayers to the gods, Asterion had to defend himself with exhausted arm swings.

“What are you crying for?” He groaned at them, unable to resist in his condition. “Can’t a man rest in a cavern? You act like you’ve never seen someone almost die before.”

“Still doesn’t mean we want to see it everyday.” Tehya wiped her snout, giving the bull a gentle punch on the shoulder. “Gave us a rightful fright you did.”

Nivra was not one to shy away from the deed and pulled the warrior close, trapping in the tightest hug she could manage. Her eyes were strained, her nerves shot. It was all she could do to not start sobbing as she cradled him. She managed to swallow it down with a deep breath, retreating to curl back her hair. “What on earth was that display? Last I recall, the very air didn’t get you in such a state.”

In silence they remained, relief still filling every breath as the cleric formulated his response. He clenched fists tight, stumbling through his words, the pain ever apparent in his eyes. “It was like my skin had been set aflame.” He rose a jelly flesh hand, blisters had already started to form. “It must have been from the Abolyth. A way to trap it’s victims beneath the waves.” He pulled himself against the wall, a hardness lingering in his eyes as he realized his predicament. His voice was tired. “Just a box full of tricks that thing is. What you think is next?”

“Sunshine, puppies, kitties, candy…Dragons.” Feku approached with a feigned smile, clicking her claws together. “One can hope.”

“Probably not that little one.” He sighed.

It could do that? Nivra trembled, folding her arms across her chest as the others let the cleric’s words sink in. Crossing paths with this creature not only meant losing themselves to it’s mental abilities, but it’s touch also trapped them here as well? She closed her eyes, wishing Voidwing were here to cling to. He’d have been the shoulder to lean on, or at least quell the racing of her heart with his gentle narrations. She turned back, breaking the grim silence. “I take it, you can free yourself of this affliction?” She stood tall, brushing her robes in a royal manner. If Voidwing wasn’t here, someone had to be the pillar.

“I don’t want to give you false hope Nivra.” He replied softly, not looking her in the eye. “I couldn’t figure out what afflicted the captain above. The answer could elude me yet again.” When she didn’t reply he continued with a heave. “Long as we stay here it doesn’t matter. It’s only when we wish to leave will it rear it’s ugly head.”

“Then you best get to work on it.” She sniffed, grabbing her staff off the ground. “I forbid you from being left behind. Is that clear? I can’t very well go on without my bodyguard. It’s not proper, and I’d curse your very name.”

He nodded silently in understanding. “I’ll have to be sleeping outside that spell tonight won’t I?”

“Don’t worry.” Tehya nudged at him as everyone laughed to breath the tension. “I’ll cuddle up real close to you. We’ll make a date of it, you can even sing poetry.”

“I don’t think I have the strength to avoid your rocks.” He frowned, laughing as she nudged him and let him in on the joke.

Tehya turned back to Nivra with a grin, “Think you can have that fire spread its warmth through the wall? Otherwise it’s going to be a cold night. Dragon says the breath water makes it not matter, but I feel it in me bones.”

“It shouldn’t be affecting you.” Achaaz countered with a thump of her tail. “It’s in your imagination.”

“Still, imagination or no. I be wanting a proper warmth to cast away the chill in my bones. Isn’t that right Asterion? Warriors needs such things before the eve of continued battle.” Asterion nodded along in agreement. “See?”

While not certain if she could, Nivra insisted that she would try. With a sigh she rose her hands and went back to redrawing the circle for the ritual. She just hoped that it was the last time she’d need to be casting it for the evening.

“Just make sure you have a dragon sized bed.” Achaaz placed a paw to her chest. “I’ve grown tired of a tiny perch.”

*

With a recasting of breath water, Nivra and the others could rest easy knowing they would not drown in their slumber. Their belongings were long since dried, Nivra’s talents had seen to that. Feku filled the silence with her songs, her skillful claws a shield against the over looming dread within their thoughts. Nivra flicked through her spell books to keep herself busy, pondering magical key should need to solve tomorrows various locks. Achaaz fallen asleep the moment she curled around the hearth, unable to resist the exhaustion in her limbs. Tehya and Asterion were but a few feet away, regaling each other with stories from their youth and their villages. Unlike the usual minotaur courting of fist fights and physical feats, they were pressed up close, their arms around one another.

Dinner had taken the form of bland, magically summoned biscuits from Feku’s claws. It quelled the hunger, but Nivra couldn’t wait until something more flavorful graced her pallet. After that, the fire’s light had dimmed, Nivra had instructed it to do so. They agreed to set watches, with herself being the first. She was left with an audience of snorting friends as she gently flicked through the pages of her spellbook.

Awakening in a pile, the adventurers thanked the gods for their survival. Breakfast was shared, morning spells were being prepared. This unfortunately meant the return of the water’s chilly embrace. As Achaaz insisted the spell she cast would take care of it, Nivra couldn’t help but shiver when the waters came to replace her hut.

For the hour the group remained in silence, that was until Tehya and Achaaz had taken to tossing back and forth their ideas what course of action they should take. They had at least three choices on their paws, one more heroic than the last. First, they could go rescue the crew, though they knew not where they were. The second would be to simply go investigate the temple, it had dragons on it, and they agreed it might just be the one they had been searching for. The last was to simply retreat to the ship, that one was unacceptable.

“I say we find the others.” Tehya stated firmly, folding her arms across her chest. “We owe them that much. They’d do the same for us.” She gestured to Nivra and Asterion as they finished with their spells, joining the group with nods.

“Important as the crew would be, the temple is more so.” Asterion replied without emotion, having been added to the mental connection by another refresh of the spell. “They knew the reason we embarked upon this quest. We should make sure that they-” He gestured to Nivra, “And her didn’t come out here for nothing.”

Tehya was less than convinced, “How can a cleric of korde be saying such a thing?” The warrior stomped into Asterion’s face, flaring her nostrils. “About his fellow warriors that have the dishonor of being captured? We should do everything we can to rescue them! We….You owe them your very life! On Hesue’s beard can you hear yourself?” She was shouting now, jabbing a finger into Asterion’s chest.

He brushed aside her motions with a calm of a mountain. “There is most honor in victory. You should know that. Our goal should be the temple, besides.” His brow furrowed as he gestured to his chest, “How would we escape if we share the same malus?”

“We would use magic!” Feku shouted, not knowing it was rhetorical. She’d taken to sitting on a ledge, casually swinging her legs. When everyone looked to her she sighed and rolled a claw, “Fine, we use powerful magics. I thought you’d know.”

“You’re just a coward is what it is.” Tehya pulled Asterion towards her. “I can see it in your eyes. Is that fear I see in your eyes? Of death?”

He disregarded her with a scoff, not being pulled into her obvious goad. “If our road was not so dire, I would be pulled into your obvious trap. You must learn that victory requires sacrifice, even if that means your friends and brothers.” His voice grew grim as he maintained his stone like stare. “Its not an easy lesson to learn sister Tehya.”

She slipped away with a shake of her head, warding off any that drew near her. “its just an excuse and you know it.” Replied with narrowed eyes, colder than the depths of the sea. “I expected more of you.”

No one spoke for a time as the warrior’s parted, leaving a thick tension between them. Achaaz was the one to break it, time was ticking. “Who cares what the lady here thinks? Lets go explore the temple and get what we came here for. I have no wish to die saving a bunch of pirates.” She turned to Tehya with a skeptical look, “And I doubt they’d be putting their lives on the line for us.” She rolled her eyes, “I’m not that naive. The whole lot of them were just a bunch of mangy, good for nothing pirates. The world will not miss their passing.”

“

If they were looking to settle down the problem, that only made it worse. Blood boiled, eyes flared with fire, the muscular woman’s arms shot out in accusing jabs. She was soon shaking the cavern with her fury, practically challenging them all to combat this very instant. She pulled out a blade and leveled it with Achaaz’s snout.

“And don’t speak about what you don’t understand dragon. Any of you. When I say they’d give their lives I meant it. Or are you calling me a liar?”

“No one is calling you that.” Nivra planted her staff down, blinding the others with a burst of light. She was almost at her wit’s end. “This is getting us nowhere, our delay only increases the beasts advantage.” She stayed stern as they all looked to her, rubbing their eyes or waiting her decision. “Do you want my decision? Or are you going to run off and fight them single handedly?”

“If I have to.” Tehya growled.

“You wouldn’t die you know.” She countered, “It would drag you off, make you like Asterion and turn you into a slave. Is that preferrable to you?” She stared daggers and the warrior huffed and was forced to look away.

“No.”

“Good.” She paced around them, contemplating the decision to go after the crew or not. How could she find herself in this decision again? Already she could hear Arcturus and Veledar on one side, arguing to save what lives they could, maybe even free the elves while they were at it. Meanwhile Nigel and Shandalar were to her other side, insisting to take the more logical path forward. She nearly laughed grimly at Shandalar and Nigel agreeing on something. She couldn’t stray from the unknowns piling upon the plan to rescue the crew. They didn’t even know where they were being kept, or if they were just more thralls. She had to sigh, looking to Tehya with as much sympathy as she could.

“We’re going to the temple.” She rose a hand to cut off the warrior’s blunt rebuttal. “Its more feasible and you know it. How would you even locate them? We have Aero’s feather, but that’s finding one man not the crew.”

Tehya didn’t have an answer, the warrior’s fire died. She sputtered and started to speak several times, words failing into defeated silence. “Ok, I didn’t have a plan persay.” She finally sighed, “But we have a cleric, wizard, bard and a dragon. You can’t tell me there had to be some magical finger wiggle dance that could have worked.”

“Well I don’t have one.” Nivra looked to Asterion, he nodded.

“Sending.” The bull stated sternly, “It can connect you with another’s mind. If they have no protections you can share twenty words between each other back and forth. Though each send and receive takes ten minutes of time.”

“Not the speediest methods is it?” Tehya quipped.

“But it works.” The bull replied, “That’s what you wanted.”

“And you sure that would work?”

“And you’re certain that would work?” Tehya approached him, her demeanor softened. “I know you to be an honorable minotaur. Help me rescue the crew. They’ll aid us in searching the temple I know of it. Whatever spell you cast to find them, I’m sure the effort will be worth a few dozen hands!”

He mulled it over, tugging at his goatee as he paced. Finally, he turned to Nivra with eyes filled with indecision. He was waiting for her opinion. “In the end it isn’t my decision. It’s up to the queen.”

Like that, all eyes were on Nivra, hanging for her next word. She composed herself, held her head high. “We should find them regardless of the plan.”

Tehya’s face brightened, “You mean it queenie? You’re going to res-“

She cut the cheerfulness off with a palm. “You heard what they tried to do with Asterion, it’s more than likely they did the same to him.”

“Which means-“ Tehya’s brow furrowed as she rolled her hand.

“That the others undoubtedly compromised. If I were this Abolyth, I’d use them as bait. Meant to play off our emotions and lure us in. Once we slipped in they’d spring their trap. Our empathy would be our destruction.”

Silence fell, the air between them grew still. Most had the nagging feeling in the back of their skulls, but hadn’t the courage to utter it. They had to leave the crew behind, no matter how terrible their fate. The question only remained who among them could live with it?

“I’m getting sick of this bastard.” Tehya remarked, punching the wall with a savage lash of her tail.

Nivra couldn’t face her as she breathed hard, ready to bring the hammer home and crush this woman’s hope. Would this be how she would act facing Veledar, insisting that her choice had been the pragmatic one? He had to see it. She’d make him. “You and the others set out to help us find what lay within the temple of elbis.” She gestured to the glowwurm lit walls. “Out there is the temple. While we draw breath and survive, your crew have not been lost in vain. As it stands…” She gave a heavy sigh, turning back to face the hungry eyes of the minotaur woman, begging her to help. “If we help them, the likely outcome is we’re captured or killed, if we escape, betrayed and then captured.”

“Fine, we kill the beast then!” Tehya protested, thrusting a finger to Asterion’s blood encrusted horn. “He told me he gored the beast as he resisted, surely you can use that like the fur!”

Asterion was the one to speak up, his voice low and mournful. “The beast travels with an honor guard of twelve individuals. What you want to kill is larger than our dragon, with mental abilities that we’re not sure we can counter.” As her glare washed over him, he held his ground, unyielding. “Our focus should be the temple and victory. There is no greater honor to be found, a follower of korde knows this.” He swallowed a lump in his throat, his voice lowering. “No matter the cost.”

No one said nothing as Tehya creeped through the cavern, lost within her thoughts. Her eyes once hardened shifted across the stonework, seeming to pierce it towards her lost crew. Her breaths became deeper with every gentle hoof beat, eventually giving way to a defeated sigh. Her spirit was broken, her friends beyond her reach. Under her breath she muttered a silent prayer, welcoming Asterion’s clasp of her shoulder when he offered.

“I’ll see to it the mission is completed.” She turned, speaking with rising strength. “None of them will be forgotten.” She turned to Nivra, a curious look in her eye, “Why must we contact them if we’re heading to the temple? Shouldn’t we save your strength?”

Nivra sat, plucking a few shells Achaaz had gathered in the cave. She arranged them like a war map, pieces to play. “The abolyth controls the city, the elves, and it very well has the crew. The way I figure it, the beast is arrogant and thinks itself superior. It has years upon years over us.”

“Hundreds if not thousands.” Tehya said as Feku shivered.

“Indeed, so I think we play into it’s arrogance. It expects us to rescue our friends and escape, I say we use this to our advantage. We contact say Aeros, inform him of our plan to rescue him and the others, he gives us the location.”

Tehya’s conviction wavered, the deception shaking her horns. “You want to give my people false hope of our rescue? Then never arrive?”

Nivra grimaced, almost repulsed by her coldness as well. “With our deception played the Abolyth will move it’s forces, thinking it’s being clever. While it revels in its arrogance we sneak inside the temple, get what we need.” Eyes traveled to Asterion, “Then we can figure out what to do about your condition.”.

“And leave the others behind.” Tehya spoke softly, staring wide at the shells. She took a deep breath as Asterion approached, trying to provide what comfort he could. She brushed aside his hand. “You needn’t worry, I’ll ensure victory will be had.” Snapping to Nivra, a fiery look swelled within her gaze. “If the chance arises, I’m ending that beast where it swims. If I do, take the others and escape. Don’t question me on this.”

The statement was blunt and unsurprising. Those were her family; she’d do anything to free them. Nivra nodded , fighting the urge to remind the warrior she most likely wouldn’t die how she wanted, but figured it would be the gesture that counted. As the others discussed the coming plans and spells, Nivra dug into her pack, procuring one of Voidwing’s feathers. She stroked it with a sad smile, wishing he were here to impart his advice, be the rock on which she could cling to for strength. Closing her eyes she held it close, taking a deep breath to compose herself. One thing was certain, when they finally reunited, she was going to hug the life out of him.

Silently as a feather falls, the group creeped from their hidden refuge, after sending their message to the scattered crew. None of them had felt proud to lie to them, anchors attached to their hearts when Aeros, with desperation in his voice, begged them to come rescue him. They sat in silence for a few minutes after, swallowing the truth in what they’d done. It was Tehya that put it to an end, willing them to continue. She was the first one through the stone as Asterion enchanted them with a passwall spell.

“So this is how you snuck out of the castle? When the guards had you surrounded?” Nivra side eyed the stoic cleric.

“Most places don’t count on you passing through the walls. I was only glad Lumara hadn’t thought of it as well.”

“Next time, I can assure you that will not be the case.” She gestured, following after Tehya as Invisibility was soon cast upon them.

As predicted, the city was alive with the movements of their enemy. The sea elf streets were packed from top to bottom with the rank and file. They were armed to the teeth, clad in ample amounts of armor, and had not a single look of doubt on any of them. If there were citizens they were hidden away, stashed within their homes, waiting for the intruders to be caught.

Sunlight gleamed off dozens of mirrors, bringing natural illumination to the darkened corners of this undersea world. Among the guards they held leashes to malformed humanoids with gnarled legs and arms. These creature’s eyes glowed a vibrant red, signaling their detection of magic.

“Searching for us.” Nivra had said softly in their heads. “Our invisibility won’t protect us. Distance will be our only ally.”

They pressed on through the winding caverns, trying to recall their journey from the previous day. They got turned around on several occasions, lost within a spiraling network of shops, homes and guard houses. With each passing minute, their hearts would beat ever harder, wondering if they would ever find the temple again. Eventually the guards grew thinner and they recognized several of the landmarks. The return trip through the field of corpses was just as soul crushing as the first, laced with suspicions that this might befall those of the crew. No one said anything, knowing the trouble within Tehya’s soul. Instead, they lowered their heads and pressed on, whispering prayers beneath their breaths.

Into the temple they swam, their sparse foes none the wiser. It seemed that the abolyth had taken the bait. After all, how could a handful of insignificant specks rival the machinations of a god? They counted their blessings and passed un-noticed, despite Tehya’s insistence for bloodshed. The hardest foe they had to face was that of the towering door of granite, invisibility might have suited them well up until this point, but a door randomly opening would be suspicious. The minutes passed as they studied and waited, pondering which move to make.

The door had a trio of guards that floated around, their spears shouldered. Each had a dull expression, searching the no doubt empty cavern before them. Their master’s quarry should be far away from here, swimming right into a trap. There was no need for concern. Shock ran through them in a flash as the adventurer’s chose a more physical path. Spells and weapons were soon upon them, felling them before they could scream. Their bodies fell limply, quick to be grabbed and stashed in what rocky corners that could be found.

“Hopefully we’ll be long gone before they find them.” Nivra said coldly, gesturing to the others. She only hoped that it would pass, maybe with the aid of a few glasses of mulled wine.

With a gentle crack, the vast doors lay open, quiet as a breeze they slipped inside. They closed the door with hardly a sound, there would be no evidence of their passing. As they turned to congratulate their success they paused, frozen in the gargantuan atrium they found themselves in.

It was large enough for a dragon twice Veledar’s size to spread it’s wings comfortable and then have some room. Floors of polished marble stretched before them like rivers, broken up by onyx islands. Columns rose like mountains, kissing upon the ceiling that distantly above their heads. Buttresses lined the walls, gilded with gold adorned with loving paintings that contained every color dragon imaginable. They had their wings spread, lost within flight, beating the clouds beneath their wings. They were like thousands of leaves, caught within an autumn wind. From that delightful display dangled lanterns built for giants, held together by metal links the size of a humans. Where glass would be there dwelled a crystal so pristine that they couldn’t even begin to fathom the value. From within it pulsed a golden light, reminding them of the sun. It was a wonder to behold, capturing their awe and hope, it made the ground floor ever more terrible.

In grim detail they were trapped to witness a horrific collage of suffering and death. Every few feet along the walls were vivisected elves, humans, and minotaur. They were hung up like paintings on grim display, jaws hung open in silent screams, their eye sockets nothing but sunken valleys of blackened flesh. Spindly arms ending in boney fingers dangled in a ghostly current, reaching out for salvation that would never come. Down the main corridor this went, far as the eye could see, no one spoke, their souls shivering with cold. Even the minotaur had no words, simply clenching fists and narrowing their eyes. Tehya readied her weapon with a curse, as Asterion did the same. (The warrior having given him one of her swords earlier.)

Nivra couldn’t let it go. To bend the will of another was one thing, but to desecrate an ancient place like this? She almost stumbled with her first step in shock. “How…How could it do such a thing?” No one replied. She swallowed her fear and composed herself, holding her staff in a vice like grip. What else was she expecting? She saw the horrific field outside the temple, how was this to be any different?

“Such a travesty.” Achaaz’s frills pinned, making sure to not stray too far from the others. “Perhaps it hated the decorum?”

“You’ll excuse me if I care little of it tarnishing the furnishings.” Tehya grumbled, motioning for the others to follow. Diligent eyes flung to every corner, scanning for the slightest bit of movement. She wasn’t going to be caught unaware again. “Keep your eyes peeled, your chatter short. We know not what horrors await within. Outside and this were only the entrances.”

“Also, for traps…” Nivra gestured to the body of a sea elf upon the floor, jagged javelins were lodged into a skeleton which grisly decayed flesh still defiantly clung to.

“If it even bothered.” Asterion remarked bluntly. “I wouldn’t put it passed it to simply crack the whip and send them forward. Waves upon waves of elves to the slaughter.”

No one spoke, averting their gaze of the elvish victim. Nivra followed closer, letting the more observant of the group search the corridor ahead. She thought to the crew they were sacrificing to get this far. At least they were troubled by the deed. She thought with a furrowed brow, Not discarding them like trash.

The air between them grew tense as the adventurers swam through the rubble strewn corridors. Wonderful displays of mortals and dragons were destroyed one after they other. Victim to some beasts violent thrashes of dozens of picks hewing the stone. Where tapestries of the grandest silk had once lay unspoiled, they instead where shredded down to mere fibers. Each hallway and room had Nivra’s mood was darkening. Priceless splendors and works of art, that would have any scholar drooling at the find were nothing more than trash to this creature. Within her a fire built, raging around in silence. Asterion met her eye and guessed her feelings, but she gestured for him to continue. She could endure a few destroyed artifacts.

The deeper they traveled through this sacred place, draconic runes started to cover every surface. From the lavish floor, the support beams above, even to the dangling lanterns, no reprieve was given. What mysteries did they hold? Was it a loving poem that enacted a spell? Or was it just a simple word to describe what it was, for a dragon that long since lost its sight? Caught within her thoughts they passed through what could only be kitchens with long dorment stoves of massive scale, tables whose legs dwarfed each of them in turn. There were places for servants, a smithy, they even thought they saw what had been once a long-forgotten garden. Each of them exchanged a curious look, getting the suspicion this place was never intended to be under water.

“Was it sunken?” Achaaz asked softly, resting a paw on an ancient shattered pen, one probably meant for livestock in some fashion. She visibly shivered eyes traveling to this haunted place, picturing long lost ghosts, caught within their normal lives.

“Perhaps it was the wards that failed.” Nivra replied, giving a curiosity glance. Her mind was still on task, this isn’t what they needed. Though the question had merit, it flickered within the mage’s mind. If it had sunken as the dragoness suggested, what powers could have done such a thing? The ancient gods? The dragons of old? Or some angry magician taking out his spite on dragon kind?

“I’m thinking they sunk it themselves.” Tehya scoffed at a statue of a dancing dragon, pressed into shape out of pure onyx. Her voice had a steel edge to it as she turned away, clenching her fists. “Shame the Abolyth found it first.”

“That it is.” Asterion added with a low tone, tapping the statue with the hilt of his sword. “Not even the temple at the forest of despair could compare. That place was like a mere child to this wizened elder.” Satisfied it wasn’t alive he snorted, joining Tehya’s side. “Either this place was of greater importance than even the Emerald Lady, or the dragon who constructed this had a larger ego than our red.”

“What of you Achaaz?” Nivra turned back, the dragoness had been oddly silent for the last few rooms. “What say you of this? I know you were a fan of artwork.”

She seemed to collect her thoughts, striding passed the princess in a daze. She stopped as her tail brushed the statue. “Its almost out of a dream. A temple dedicated to dragons that shows them helping mortals?” She gestured to a painting contained with a gleaming, golden frame. Unlike the others, this one hadn’t been felt a hammer’s kiss. There was a dragon of golden scales, with the ivory, feathery wings of an angel. It stood proudly before a mass of kneeling mortals, their heads bowed in great reverence. The dragon had a paw extended in friendship to a pile of gifts that lay before his paws. Exquisite carts were packed with bundles of food, pulled by the most magnificent white horses that anyone had ever seen. “You usually don’t see things like this. Whoever this was, seemed to love the humans. At least enough to give them gifts.”

Nivra paused, awestruck by it’s detail. Part of her wanted to reach out, confirm that this wasn’t real. She restrained herself. “So sink this place to the bottom of the ocean? Or hide it here from wandering eyes?” She turned to gaze down the lengthy corridor. Her spine shivered; almost certain she caught the stray sight of an eel darting behind a column of stone.

“Old dragons evil.” Feku mumbled, wrinkling her snout. This statue was far too big to carry off. “Perhaps this one go to hiding. That what smart kobold do.”

The kobold had a point, Nivra told her so. Yet she followed along in silence, trying to figure out what lay inside to bring an end to her country’s dark ways. Was there an alternative source to the mana crystals? A resource that would make souls redundant? Or was it merely a boon given to them by the benevolent dragon in the painting? One last hope that someone like them would come? She bumped into Achaaz’s flank, the dragon had stopped dead in her tracks.

“What’s the matter? Why have you stopped?” She strode forward, not even catching the dragon’s eye. The dragoness didn’t flinch or reply, simply extending a paw to rotate Nivra’s head to the hall they’d arrived in.

They were flanked by statues of various sizes, all of them reaching above Achaaz’s head. Dragons of every species were on display. From the strong reds with their proud expressions, to the graceful whites with their angel like wings. The dragons were seated, their heads bowed in reverence before a massive door that lay at the end of this grandiose hall. Standing alone by the door was a statue of solid ivory, reaching up with it’s paws like it was lost in prayer. Massive wings were spread across the ceiling, dotted with thousands of gems that winked in the light. By its shape, the dragon was the golden benefactor from before, draped in massive golden jewelry.

Though his feat should have been stranious upon his features, the dragon had a look of serenety on his snout. He was like a caring father, offering his approving attention to children returning home. Silence of a winter morning swept over them, holding the adventurer’s in awe. They could feel the weight of thousands of dragons that had existed within these halls, died to maintain the ideals of coexistence. This one of course had been their leader, never given up, this temple built as a reminder to that fact. They bowed their heads in reverence, even the minotaurs.

“This is a holy place.” Asterion muttered softly, sheathing his weapon. “The water grows warm and welcoming, the spark of divinity is strong.” He took a deep breath of the water, his eyes closing in content. He smiled like a child.

“I’ll take your word for it.” Tehya remarked, striding along as she returned her weapon to it’s holster. “Guess this is what we’re looking for. A thieves wetdream of looting.”

“I’d never take from a dragon!” Feku rebutteled, hiding the desire within her eyes. She turned to Nivra to tug at her robes, “Who that pretty dragon anyway? It not look like Bahamut.”

“It doesn’t?” Nivra sputtered, almost dropping her staff as followed the warrior. Despite Feku then explaining the platinum dragoness that Arcturus served, this one had an almost divine radiance about it. The mage couldn’t place it, but she knew deep within her bones this creature was a god.

“So, I say we name it. I make song, everyone has to know of this beauty!” Feku was already bouncing along, an excited wiggle in her tail. “The lost god of pretty. With the sparkly gems, everyone love it!”

While silent praises were whispered back and forth between the minotaur and shouted by the kobold, it was Achaaz that padded along with concern painted on her snout. She was searching the distant hallways, stopping to linger on scattered debris that littered the hall. She snapped to a large gash taken out of the center, like a gigantic sword had crashed into it. The dragon shivered, curling her head to Nivra, her eyes wide. “Something doesn’t feel right. There is something wrong about this place. If you ask me I don’t know, but I can feel it in my gut.”

Intrigued, the mage turned to her with a raised brow. How could she be weirded out in such a place as this? A place so beautiful, as if the gods themselves had woven it? “I thought you’d be most pleased at this sight. The craftsmanship that must have gone into this grand display is clearly of the most skilled hands in history! You even said it yourself, this temple is a grand testament to our people’s peace and coexistence.” She sighed, pulling her staff close. “If only the others were here now. Arcturus, Lyndis, Veledar. They’d all be enchanted by it.”

She shook her head. “I’m aware the sights are marvelous, the stonework stunning. Trust me, I would be stark raving mad if I met the artists. Yet still…” She turned to the statues of the dragons, lingering upon their frozen features. “I can’t shake the feeling it’s all a façade. Something dark to lure us in with promises of rewards and treats. Just look, its everything we ever wanted to see. Isn’t that strange?”

“How is that strange?” She scoffed, “For years my people held stories of dragons as these selfish, evil, gluttonous beasts of destruction. Here we have proof that not all the old tales were as such. There was a time of peace, lives seeking to bridge the divide between our peoples.” She tapped Achaaz’s snout, “Not just recent ideas of the young.”

She wrinkled her snout, lashed her tail as she closed her eyes and took a lengthy sniff. “I still don’t trust it. There has to be magic at work.”

Nivra did the same with a swish of her staff, turning her eyes to a shimmering red. Around the room she scanned, searching for any magical auras she might find. Nothing came up during their journey to the golden dragon’s feet, much to Achaaz’s grumbling disappointment. “See nothing out of the ordinary! No traps, curses of any kind.”

“Still feels off.” She snorted, looking away with a tail swish. The wizard chuckled and patted her neck.

“That’s fine, we all deserve to be jumpy with the days we’ve had. No one will hold it against you if you grow a tad suspicious.” Their conversation was brought to a hault as Tehya silently waved them forward, gesturing when they got close to what had summoned the grim look upon her snout.

On the other side of the dragon, hidden by his curled tail was another grim display of sacrifices. Boney corpses with bloated flesh all lay scattered about the floor, hunched over as if in prayer to this ivory god. They were elves that was certain by their regal attire. Weapons and staffs were held within their gnarled fingers, clutched firmly to their deaths. Mouths were sewn shut with blackened twine, their eyes scooped out by some unseen hand. Men, woman, children, no one had been spared by whatever this cruel ritual had been.

“Again with the sacrifices.” Nivra sputtered, fighting the churning of her insides. She was forced to look away.

“Maybe it be Abolyth?” Feku’s whimpered, clacking her claws together. “Trying to open door? Couldn’t figure out how?”

“The others outside were warnings. These sacrifices though?” Asterion tugged his beard, “Such things only exist for the dark gods. Ones that Korde helped slay in the time before.”

“All except hades.” Tehya added, “Don’t his followers collect the heads of those that break their vows?”

Asterion nodded. “He helped the gods if you remember. Dark ways he has, but not evil.”

“Sounds like a delightful religion.” Achaaz rolled her eyes. “Remind me to never visit a temple.”

“I’ll admit its rather harsh…” Tehya waved her hand, “But it’s a reason to stick to your oath when given.”

“There so many.” Feku made sure to keep her distance as they wandered around the gruesome display. “Hope they dead when it happen?” Her voice puttered out into a dreadful silence like a tiny drop of rain.

Nivra squeezed her nose, shuttering to think about the abolyth’s grip. “Hopefully those it enchants are not aware of themselves….I don’t think it cares if they suffer or not.” Guilt gnawed at her sides as the lizard’s snout drooped, her scales a dark azure. Nivra strode away to collect her thoughts.

Surely, we have to kill this thing. She thought, glancing over the field of corpses, recalling all those empty ships above. The ones who had countless souls of innocents, who in turn were robbed from their loved ones. If the beast couldn’t be slain here, surely they had to return and finish the deed. Bring an entire armada of brave men and woman if it was needed. She held her head low, whispering a silent prayer for all the lives that had been destroyed, never to see their families again. She went to brush aside a tugging at her robes, she didn’t want to have more words on this. The sooner they just inspect the door and move on, the better she’d feel.

“Feku, we can talk about this later I-“ Her hands touched bone, Feku was on the other side talking to Asterion. Nivra was holding the gnarled hand of a sea elven corpse, one that’d grabbed at her robes. She whirled back in a panic, brandishing her staff like a sword. The corpse’s arm shuttered and snapped, not releasing its grip. “Let go let go!” She shouted by instinct, whirling her arm back and forth.

“What’s wrong?” Asterion shouted in alarm, racing to her side with his weapon drawn. The others joined him with snarls and weapons, puzzled looks soon coming over them as the queen plucked the skeletal arm and hurled it to the ground.

“I know what it looks like.” Her cheeks flushed a bright red. “But its quite a natural reaction.” She composed herself with a breath, brushing her forehead. She leaned down, plucked the arm and went back to return it to its owner. She didn’t want to risk getting bad luck, or angering the spirits of these once dead elves. Not seeing a way to reattach the arm to the skeleton’s socked, she laid it down upon the thing’s lap, hoping that would be enough.

Unlike the other corpses around, this one was adorned in golden jewelry of the finest order, even a necklace of glistening pearls. His face was ivory white, pristine, and frozen in a state of pure serenity. If Nivra hadn’t known any better, this elf almost seemed content to die. She bit her lip, recalling the Abolyth might have very well instilled it into him. What caught her eye was not the crown on his brow, but the staff held within his shriveled hand. It was of thin design, brown and adorned in various runes. The obsidian shaft was the typical six feet in length, an amber crystal sitting silently as its head. Around this crystal was clung a platinum dragon, it’s maw frozen in a silent roar. The skeleton then shuttered and cracked, folding forward to thrust the staff into her open arms. Nivra did the only sane thing anyone would do in this situation. She screamed and ran for her life.

“I didn’t mean to do it! I’m sorry!” She raced passed the others, terror clutching tight her throat. She just knew there would be a flock of spirits that would soon assail them with their undead fury. “Honestly, it was an accident. I have the upmost respect for the elven people!”

Yet as she hid behind the muscular frames of the minotaur and dragon, no attack came, no aggression. Reserved silence swept over her, only filled with the ever racing of her heart. Once more redness flushed to her cheeks. She realized her foolishness and stood tall, trying to hide her outburst with a raised head. “Ok, so they’re not alive. Anyone could have made that mistake.”

They laughed in response, not to belittle, but to merely break the tension. Nivra too found herself chuckling along as they recounted her mad dash to safety. When they asked her what had happened, she explained with an exasperated breath. That the undead king had thrust this staff into her. She glared at Tehya as the warrior couldn’t help but burst out a crude laugh. “Not that kind of thrusting! Also not that kind of staff!” Again her cheeks were bright red and stinging as Asterion motioned for them to search the bodies for more signs of life.

“Who knows, perhaps the dead have more gifts to offer.” He grunted.

This left the others to stare in wonderment at the staff resting within Nivra’s hands. From the shaft their seemed to be a heartbeat flickering across her palm. Warmth flowed from where she touched it, bringing a sense of calm, belonging. There was a greatness here whispering to her thoughts. She’d experienced such things before with minor staffs and wands through her years, but never to this degree of strength. Whatever secret power it possessed was a greater margin than she’d ever seen. Even now as they rested in silence, there was an invisible sensation reaching out to her, begging her to unlock it’s secrets. Achaaz thrust her snout, flaring her nostrils as she sniffed it from base to head. The dragoness wiggled her tail, rumbling in interest. Then she froze, her head shot up like an arrow.

“That things old, insanely old!” She wiggled her snout, stamping her paw. “What magic flows…It’s like a solid chunk of the weave!” She rose a paw with a tentative motion, then tapped it with a claw. Nothing happened. Her face grew worried as careful eyes flicked across the draconic runes. “I’d be careful with messing with it. Who knows what could be within?”

“So, it just reached out and gave it to you?” Asterion his voice floated over to them. He’d been inspecting one of the corpses. “It doesn’t seem to be alive. Maybe you just imagined it?”

She shook her head, the hairs on her neck standing tall. It had been more than that. She’d almost felt certain there were hundreds of eyes upon her. Desperate, pained, willing to entrust this item into the hands of the first sign of hope. Even if it were to a stranger of a different species. Nivra stalled, clutching the staff tightly as she gazed upon the scores of dead. Even in the silence she could feel the weight of their deaths hang oppressively on her shoulders.

“It says here upon his pendant. He was the king of the city.” Asterion added, pulling her attention. “Only fitting that he didn’t see the depravity of his people.”

“Perhaps they gave it to us.” She relied, her voice fading. “Some, final act of will. Has that ever happened?” She met the bull’s eye, certain he knew more about matters of the afterlife. Arcane was her domain after all, his the divine.

He silently nodded, doing a check of his own. “Ghosts certainly exist. It’s not out of the realm of impossibility.”

“Then that’s a sign is it not?” Tehya snapped to them, a renewed fire in her eye. “We take that staff and slay the beast that inflicted such acts. That’s their wish, for us to be the method of their revenge.”

She shook her head, “We can’t make that promise, not today. We’re here for the temple, not a foolish assault on the creature.” She turned to the empty faces of the dead, a lead weight settling in her gut. “I’m sorry, but we can’t do what you demand. Perhaps in the future, but not now.”

“Then take the gift and never forget.” Asterion stated bluntly, bowing his head. “One day these people may be avenged, but it is not this day. It’s your choice if you wish to swear it, just remember promises like that don’t come lightly.” Nivra nodded along side him, silently vowing to return.

One day these halls will be restored, she thought. She stood tall, clacking the staff on the stone.

“I think I found way to open door!” Feku called to them, waving her arm frantically as she stood proudly on a raised dais she’d stumbled across while everyone had been talking. “Or at least something important! It has draconic words!”

“She means we found the way in.” Achaaz rolled her eyes, placing a paw to her chest.

“Yes, we.” Feku wrinkled her snout as the dragon settled onto her haunches, tail curling around her. “It say if we right guests, we will have the key.”

“The right guests? The key?” Nivra briskly strolled to the dragon’s side, gently pushing away Feku as she happily danced towards her. The meaning of the phrase was obvious, if they were guests of this dragon, they’d know the passphrase. She wrung her hands, smiling in delight. She always loved riddles and mysteries. “We just need the passphrase to enter.” She squeezed her temples, trying to recall anything they’d stumbled across. “Is there anything else? Any more clues?”

“Dragon?” Feku called out. Nothing happened. She slumped with a defeated look.

Nivra turned to the entryway with a sigh, glancing upon all the different statues. For a moment she felt their pain, the betrayal, the want to see a world united and without hate. Her thoughts drifted back to all the images of dragon kind and their wish to help the mortals they met. “Unity?” She spoke with purpose, with strength, the truth that she’d make her people better. Yet to her dismay nothing happened. Even when Achaaz spoke the words in the draconic tongue it had no effect. Feku looked heartbroken.

“We tried everything, there no hope.” The kobold wailed, collapsing onto the floor and sulking. “Dragon should make easier, then we help.”

“And let just anyone in?” Nivra remarked, offering a comforting hand on her shoulder. “That wouldn’t be very secure. We just need some time. Trust me, Voidwing and I used to do things like this all the time. Just hold your chin up and we’ll figure it out faster than a gryphon flies.”

“That’s fast.” She replied, wiggling her feet.

The dias in which they had found was of solid jasper, bronze swirls were like waves across the surface. Around the fine edges were solitary slots, very much like the minutes of a clock. On each hour there was a different shape, a draconic rune for a color. There was one for each color of dragon. She paced around, saying each of their names aloud, punctuating it with a gentle tap of the staff. At the center of the work of art was great golden eye, a reptilian slash across its surface. Nivra took on a reserved air as a terrible shiver coursed down her spine. She shook it off and crouched low, finding a solitary slot within its center. It was large enough for the inquisitive future queen to prod with her finger.

“Sure, that’s wise?” Achaaz said fearfully, stitched themselves to her head. Over her shoulder she looked, lingering with narrowed eyes.

Had that feeling returned? Nivra calmed the dragon down as the followers of korde tapped and inspected the dais for traps. “Do you see anything amidst the ruins?” Achaaz shook her snout, shivering like a wet cat. Was it more than nerves? Were dragons more sensitive to magic than she thought? The minutes passed in comforting silence until they were given the go ahead to proceed.

“Now I’m not saying there isn’t any traps.” Asterion stated bluntly, “Just that I couldn’t find any.”

The queen smirked, “You need not worry about me judging your ability.” She winked, “Just be ready to cure me incase we encounter one.” They chuckled together as Feku just sat mortified over their jovial behavior over a trap.

Studying was never a joyous task for most, but for Nivra it was what she thrived on. While she paced and stroked her chin with utter captivation, the others were soon bored and looking to distract themselves. Feku had taken to summoning soggy biscuits, to which everyone downright refused. If hurt, she didn’t show it and shoved the slop right into her maw. Tehya and Asterion had taken to being resolute guards, their eyes never shifting from the hall. They talked little and held their weapons close, muscles ready to spring. Achaaz meanwhile had tried to quell the racing of her heart but proven incapable. She’d been instructed to take a swim around the hall when she’d been circling the dais, muttering to herself in the draconic tongue.

Just as the fourth hour had ended, Nivra perked up. She’d been meditating for a solid hour now in the center of the dais. Why hadn’t she thought of this before? She glided her hands over the staff, finding that its end fit perfectly into the slots. Spurred on with promises of success she went around sliding it into every opening. Gentle clunks fluttered through the water but brought little change, only chinking away at the mage’s spirit. By the time she’d gone the entire way round, she hadn’t come any closer to solving the problem. Tehya suggested shouting random passwords again.

“We’ve only tried two hundred after all.”

“Two hundred and six.” Nivra corrected, holding her nose.

“Well excuse me princess.” She nudged at Asterion with a chuckle, “Two hundred and six.”

While they laughed to break up the tension, Nivra eyed the golden eye with interest. She shrugged; it was the only place she hadn’t tried after all. She jammed it in with a glimmer of satisfaction, her eyes growing wide as it slid into place with a thunderous clunk. All around her their idle chatter ceased, all eyes locked onto her motions. With bated breath she turned the staff, the edge of the dais moved with her. It came to a solid stop with another clack, the staff began to vibrate beneath her hand so violently she had to retreat.

Around them the hall began to quake as if a slumbering giant had risen. Power coursed outward from the dais, long flowing rivers of golden light. It pulsed with such intensity the darkened hall became day; everyone had to shield their eyes or be blinded. With it’s passing came the sounds of ancient gears thundering from within the stone, drowning out any voices or startled thoughts they might have had. Sections that had worn from the ages began to separate from their ancient homes, crashing like cannonballs against the floor. Stone exploded, the floor cracked, the adventurers clung to each other for support.

Quickly as it came, everything stopped. Silence swept over them like a wave. The water around them grew still as clouds of dirt floated lazily around. Their attentions were drawn to the staff, whose crystal had started to pule a soft, golden light.

“Did we get it right or wrong?” Feku trembled, having climbed upon Asterion’s shoulders.

“We’re not dead.” He replied bluntly, “That must mean whatever she did was correct.”

So, it would seem. Nivra grabbed the powerful staff. The light faded with her touch. It was frightening cold, like it had been lost within the arctics for months. She nearly dropped it but grit her teeth and endured the burn. As she continued to hold it one thing was apparent, whatever power it possessed had departed, it felt drained, empty, like an empty chasm to be filled.

“So, all it did was move the dais?” Achaaz groaned, rolling her eyes with a dramatic tail thrash. “I can say that’s really unsatisfying. I thought it was going to be mounds of treasure or something. Maybe after the years the gears gave way?”

That couldn’t be it. The power had been drained, but to do what? Hairs stood tall on the mages neck as she slowly stepped off the dais. She looked to the ivory statue again, finding a soft blue light had condensed around his eye sockets. It almost seemed to be looking right at her. She motioned to the others, silencing their questions, just in time for a thin, brilliant blue web of light to sweep across the room. The ran for cover, shouted in alarm, hearts threatened to burst from their chest, but it was relentless.

Across the room it swept, not slowed down by water or debris. Its brilliant light swam across rock, marble, stone, even lingering upon those it found. No matter how fast they swam or where they hid, this magical web found them. For a few moments it flickered and pulsed with a golden light before vanishing in a breath where it’d come from. They padded themselves down in relief, finding nothing about them injured or changed.

“What on the gods’ earth was that?” Tehya was the first to shout, rubbing her chest to hide the shout of fear she’d let out. “Some draconic trick to make us shriek?”

Asterion gave her a knowing look as she coughed into her fist. “Perhaps scanning us for something.”

“Ew.” Feku wiggled her snout, “That sounds nasty.”

“But scanning us for what?” Nivra hid her excitement as they gathered back at the dais. To make sure we were the proper guests?

As if to answer her question, the sound of gears once more returned to grace their ears. The massive door that had been silently watching opened with a resounding thunk. With it came a bitter cold that swept across the room, piercing down the bone. Teeth chattered; arms clung tight, draconic hisses of contempt graced their ears. Then came the silence, the stunned looks, only broken by Feku shouting out as her scales turned green.

“We did it! We did it!” She bounced, making sure to tug at them and point. “Do you see that? We did it!”

Talk soon broke about waited for them within, unable to hide the thrill of adventure in their voices. Asterion was just glad to be done with it, Tehya spoke of great weapons that would rival none the world had ever seen.

“Just you wait, that Abolyth won’t stand a chance.”

“Keep your weapons.” Achaaz waved her off with a paw. “Just give me something one of a kind, maybe smaller than those statues and paintings we passed. Something to really remember this by. What of you Asterion?”

He gestured to Tehya, tapping his weapon.

“Oh, you’re all single minded. If it’s not killing or a metal dress, you don’t care.”

“I want magical instrument!” Feku chimed in, getting an approving nod.

“See, she gets it.”

Nivra shook her head as they continued their little squabble. Her heart started to race, knowing what she’d searched for was practically within her grasp. Thoughts drifted to Shandalar, hoping the elf would forgive her, her work seen to its end. Nivra tapped the staff with a clack, drawing all eyes upon her. “The time for treasure talk is when it’s within our grasp and we’re the victor. Maybe not even then on account of some draconic trickery.”

Asterion nodded in approval as Achaaz and Feku insisted she was spoiling the mood, “No she’s right. No sense in counting your dragons before they hatched.” He motioned for the others to follow as the two in question groaned in contempt. “Complain later when we have what we’re looking for.”

It was only Tehya that didn’t move, her expression like stone and her ears perked tall. Something had caught her attention. Before they could ask her eyes widened, her nostrils flared, and she surged forward to pull Nivra crashing to the ground. Crossbow bolts splintered against the stone, right where the mage had been standing mere moments ago. They were under attack.

* * * * * * * * * *

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