The Cave Maze- Wizard Warrior Quest

by C A A Allen

  Dread sat up, smiled, and pointed at Chaz. “Ha. You got a mouth full of sweaty orc ass Chaz. You know that loincloth had some diseased parasites marinating up in it. And you had that nastyness in your mouth.”

  Chaz slung the specimen in Dread’s direction.

  “Not today.” Dread put his injured leg in hand and rolled sideways to avoid the foul linen.

  “Stop playing, you two,” I said. “Did you hear what Chawett said? We’re in an orc sector captain’s closet fourteen levels deep in the Maze.”

  “I heard him,” Chaz said. “We also got a lame thief, a no-nose sniffer, and a spent magic user with no spell power. I understand that this can’t get any worse.”

  I made my way over to the door and looked through the crack. A dying oil lamp lit a huge muscle bound orc sprawled out on a crudely constructed hammock. The brute swung low due to his mass. The stressed bed looked ready to burst. The orc snored and snorted loudly through the grotesque snotty snout that orcs were known for. A cache of weapons hung on the wall behind him, including a heavy-duty battle-axe, and a few rusty longswords.

  The room had two closed doors, one at either end. The door on the right had a small open peek hatch. Through it, clanking cups, and vivacious conversation could be heard.

  “I got something to say about that ‘can’t get any worse’ statement Chaz,” I said. “The grimy slob of an orc whose closet we’re in is passed out in there.”

  Dread hobbled over to the door, knelt down, and peeked through the crack below me. “He still has a half empty bottle of wine in hand, and I sure am thirsty. It looks like there are some potential valuables on the shelf above his head too. I see a stack of at least thirty gold coins on the left, a mystery box in the middle, and—bless his heart—that sure looks like a mini bottle of Chugalug’s sparkling green fairy on the right. I’m going to get it all.”

  Tigress wedged her way between us to view the room. “That’s no mystery box Dread. That’s one of Talhoffer’s personal treasure boxes. It looks just like the one above the bar at King Heads.”

  Dread shot up. “Really?”

  Chaz barged his head through us. “Let me see. Yes, yes that’s undoubtedly one of Talhoffer’s treasure boxes. Our fortunes have officially changed, we must have it.”

  Chawett peered through the crack from one knee. “Agreed, but we don’t want to wake up that orc, he’s definitely a captain, and we’re in no shape to take him on. Do you see that knotted rope hanging from the ceiling by his bed? If he pulls it we’ll have to contend with his unruly clan of drunken guards in the other room.”

  I pushed on the door. It creaked a little but the orc didn’t move. “Well we don’t want to be in this closet when the captain comes for his loin cloth. Let’s make this theft quick. Dread, can you grab the goods with your bum leg?”

  “Raff, when treasure’s involved, nothing could stop me.”

  That was my cousin. A bad leg wouldn’t make him flinch. Not when there was gold, and green fairy in the balance. “We’ll wait for you at the door on the other side of the room.”

  Dread dropped back down to a knee and studied the area. “The box looks heavy. I don’t think I’ll be able to lift it without standing directly on that monster’s greasy forehead. I can sneak up from the side, lift the box open, and take the item out though. That is if my leg cooperates, it’s a little tender.”

  “What happened to ‘nothing could stop me’?” I ask.

  Tigress poked Dread’s leg. “I saw the way you shot up when you heard that was one of Talhoffer’s boxes. Stop being such a big baby.”

  “It’s like magic,” he said. “Seeing Talhoffer’s box made my leg all better, or maybe it’s just a strain.”

  “Well that’s the plan then,” I said. “Be quiet as a mouse, the fat cat is near.”

  We tiptoed to the door at the far end of the room and carefully opened it. I gave Dread a thumb up—time for him to do what he did best.

  Hobbling alongside the wall, Dread crept his way toward the shelf. He gently closed the peek hatch when passing the guardroom door, and then studied himself at the orc’s bedside. Smiling, he gave me a wink when snatching the easily accessible bottle of green fairy. He stuffed it into the heavynessless bag then focused on Talhoffer’s box. With his tongue hanging out, Dread balanced on one wobbly foot and leaned over the orc.

  Tigress held Mustela tight in her arms. “Steady Dread.”

  With one hand Dread flipped and held open the box, with the other he pinched the item and flicked it into the heavynessless bag.

  I waved for Dread to come back, but his eyes already locked on the teetering stack of gold coins. He pulled the curved stick from his belt and stretched it out toward the far end of the shelf.

  Chawett crowded the door. “Dread’s using the butt scratcher to reach the gold.”

  Fully extended, Dread was just able to reach the valuable gold coin tower. Then, hovering dangerously above the orc, he slowly started dragging the stack his way with the stick. A clump of displaced dust floated down to the heavy snoring orc’s nostrils.

  “Haahh-haahh-ACHOO!” The orc made a savage turn in the hammock, dropping his bottle of booze to the floor.

  Dread swept the gold into the bag, snatched up the fallen bottle, and fast-hobbled for the open door.

  After he whisked by me I took a last look at the orc. He was still passed out cold. I closed the door and breathed a sigh as I leaned against it on the other side.

  Dread gulped down of the remainder of the orc’s wine then smashed the bottle down to the floor. “Aaaaa, this guy had the good stuff.” He pounded his chest three times and squinted. “That’s a harsh burn right there.”

  I held my ear to the door. “Did you have to smash the bottle? Nobody wants to fight that big ugly thing in there.”

  Dread stood slack-mouthed. “Let a thief celebrate a taste. I just stole one of Talhoffer’s personal treasures from an orc sector captain’s bedroom. While he was in it. It’s called master thievery.”

  Chaz strode over to Dread’s side. “Well done thief. Let’s have a look at that Talhoffer item. What was that in the box?”

  Dread stuck his hand into the bag, felt around, and then pulled out a simple gold ring engraved with Talhoffer’s crest. We all surrounded Dread to get a good look at the prize.

  Chawett gawked. “That’s Talhoffer’s Gold Ring of Enhanced Wizardry.”

  “What are its powers?” Tigress asked.

  “On a normal man’s finger it has no power,” Chawett said. “But on the finger of a magic user it means everything. That ring will take even a lowly magician to the level of wizard instantaneously. With the added power of Talhoffer’s ring I would be the most highly sought after magic user in all of Broxington.”

  Chaz cleared his throat. “Uuummm, yeaaah, that’s not going to happen. The ring will be put up for sale to the highest bidder. Let me get a closer look at that.”

  Dread hesitantly handed Chaz the ring.

  Chaz put it on his finger and made a fist. “There have got to be magic users out there willing to pay upwards of a few thousand gold coins for this.”

  “Why can’t Chawett use it until we get out of the Maze?” I ask.

  “Yeah.” Tigress lifted Mustela to her shoulder. “That ring won’t do us any good if we don’t get out of here alive.”

  Chaz acted as though he didn’t hear. Now wasn’t the time to pry it off his hand. We needed to escape. “Chawett, do you recognize this place?”

  Ahead of us stretched a long hallway with a stone floor. I could barely make out a door just like the one we came through all the way down at the other end. In the middle of the hall stood a vestibule with double doors to the left, and a bench facing it to the right.

  “This is the longest hallway I have ever seen in the Maze,” Chawett said. “I’ve definitely never run into anything like this before, but then again, I’ve never been in this deep.”

  Tigress started walking ahead of us. “Let’s go before t
hat orc realizes his ring and wine are gone. Drinking in the Maze is foolish.” She glared at Dread.

  He stumbled. “What Tigress? I deserve a little something after securing our payday. There was really only a swallow in the container. It made my leg feel better. I’m injured, remember? Chaz, we need you to give Chawett the ring. He might even be able to heal my leg with its power.”

  Chawett looked down at his hand and spread his fingers. “Full disclosure though.” He looked up. “Once I don the ring it magically cannot be removed. That’s the way it is when magic users wear Talhoffer items.” He held his ring finger out toward Chaz. “Lace me with it.”

  Chaz made a fist, covered it with his other hand, and brought them both into his chest. “That is not true. We can simply have your finger amputated once we get out. That’s how we get the ring back.”

  Chawett dropped his arm down. “Oh I’m not losing another finger. It’s not going down like that.”

  Bam! A loud thump and deep grunt came from the orc sector captain’s room.

  “See that?” Chaz started running down the hall. “You’re wasting time with all the bickering. Now he’s awake! I’ll give you the ring down the hall. Let’s go before we’re discovered.”

  We all ran to the center of the hall and the vestibule. Chawett took a seat on the bench and tried to catch his breath. Dread and I examined the wrought iron double doors. Three heavy locks lined evenly down the middle.

  I gave one of the locks a tug. “Do you have any idea what could be behind this monstrosity, Chawett?”

  “A door like this might just access a stairwell out of these depths,” he said. “A treasure room, or monster allocation center are also possibilities. Talhoffer is full of surprises when you reach these levels.”

  Dread pulled a small tool from his kit and began working it into the bottom lock. “No good, it will take me half a day to get all these open.”

  “Set the chest-busters with the quickness Dread,” I said. “Let’s hope this is a way out of here, and Chaz, give up the ring already!”

  Chaz pulled and spun the ring on his finger. “It seems to be stuck.”

  Dread mounted the explosives and began unraveling the igniter cord. “If you don’t pull that ring off your finger in the next three seconds I’m amputating your—”

  “Stop taking so long!” Tigress fast walked down the hall. “Let’s go for the door at the other end. It’s only a matter of time before—”

  Boom! The door we had entered in came crashing down. The orc captain stepped into the hall and threw Talhoffer’s empty treasure box against the wall, breaking it into pieces. He let out an intense roar and peered down the hall at us.

  Chawett faced the orc and rubbed his palms together. “Time to see if I can muster up some five-finger miracle magic power. I just may be able to save this team one more time.”

  He held out his good hand and smacked it with his palm. A melon sized lava sphere formed, and flickered firelight against the walls of the hall.

  The sphere’s heat hit the side of my face. “Yes!” He still had power.

  The orc captain’s hoard of twelve guards rumbled into the hall behind him. With his unit in place the captain led their charge with steady pounding stomps.

  Chawett cocked his hand back, took four running steps, and rolled the lava sphere toward our approaching enemies. The sphere grew like a snowball rolling downhill into a tremendous ball of red hell fire.

  Three of the orcs turned around and sprinted for the exit squealing. The others stopped in their tracks, knelt down, and raised shields as a wall of defense of the magic.

  As the sphere got close to the orcs it lost its fire, turned a cool shade of blue, and shrunk to the size of an egg. It wobbled to a slow stop directly in front of the captain’s foot.

  The brute stood up, trapped the sphere under his boot, and stepped down to crush the sphere—and our hopes—into the floor. He then burst into laughter and let out a shrieking call. With that, the door at the opposite end of the hall swung open. A pack of hellhounds streamed out of the door. They barked and howled in a bloodthirsty frenzy. The captain then waved on his gang to continue their rabid march.

  Chawett spun around to Chaz. “The ring!”

  Dread took a quick glance at the wave of oncoming hounds. “Are those crotch masticators?”

  “Quick!” I turned to Chaz. “Give Chawett the ring!”

  Chaz yanked the heavynessless bag from Dread’s belt and backed up to the wall. He drank back a potion and threw the triangle-shaped bottle at my chest—the same style bottle that contained Entry Cave teleportation potion at Moe’s. “I guess that skirmish with the troll was worthwhile after all. I knew this potion would come in useful. Farewell idiots.”

  A snake-like swirl of light twisted up Chaz’s body. In an instant he transported out of the Maze.

  PART III

  “THE SPOILS”

  CHAPTER 22

  Dread lunged for Chaz but it was to late. “Son of a wench! He got the gold.”

  “Damn that, cuz!” I said. “Pull the string, bust the door!”

  Chawett, Tigress, and I propped up the bench as a barrier against the blow. Dread slid under it and pulled the igniter string. The explosion blew a thick cloud of black smoke our way. Shrapnel whizzed all around us.

  “Go, go, go!” I said.

  We rushed forward using the bench to ram whatever remained of the doors. Upon contact they burst open. “We’re through!”

  A few fleeting steps down a short vestibule led to an enormous arena with a giant arched ceiling. We tossed the bench aside and skid to a stop. A monumental battle between a large party of questers and an entire orc tribe filled the corridor. Various groups of questers engaged in vicious weapon-clanking battle all around the arena.

  “This just gets better and better!” Dread wrapped his hands around his bum leg.

  The robust quester in front of me pulled the spiked end of his battle-axe out of an orc’s head then kicked the dead body away. He turned around-questing Captain Castillo Gabbiano.

  “What are you people doing here?” Castillo roared.

  “We got orcs and hounds coming in hot behind us.” I said.

  “You got what?” Castillo yelled.

  Five hellhounds leaped from the smoky vestibule with fire breath ablaze. Dread and I raised our shields in unison, deflecting two of them off to our left.

  The three others cut to our right where they ambushed one of Castillo’s team members. The man was entangled with an orc in face-to-face combat when the attack began. The first hound snatched the sniffer smooth off his shoulder and ripped it in half. The other two bit down on his arms and began to shred. When he spun to fight off the hounds, the orc he was entangled with sunk its sword in and up his back.

  “Nooooooo!” Castillo swung his axe with a frantic thrust slicing completely through all three of the hounds. He then spun around and sliced his weapon through the orc’s neck that killed his team member. “Rearguard to arms!”

  Tigress and Chawett took on the two deflected hounds leaving Dread and I standing directly in front of the rushing orc sector captain and his guard. We took our best battle stance and prepared for impact when six of Castillo’s men rushed past us and collided with them. They bucked off the Captain and his first two grunts but were swarmed by the preceding orc rank.

  Dread and I joined forces with the men giving us the upper hand, and a pile of dead orc scum in no time. The sector captain ended up with the spiked end of Castillo’s battle-axe logged directly in his heart.

  Our team regrouped and joined in fighting alongside Castillo’s team until all the orcs and hounds in the room were slain.

  I sheathed my sword, leaned against a wall, and slid down slowly to the floor.

  A bloody, stomped-out hound near me had foam bubbling, and smoke smoldering from its mouth. The half-dead animal struggled, but managed to shakily stand on its three remaining legs, then lunge at me.

  Dread stomped his foot d
own in front of the dog. “This won’t be no flesh wound, ya three-legged bitch!”

  He upper cut the dog’s jaw with a speedy swing of his sword. The impact sent the animal up and down with a deadened thud.

  “Thanks cousin,” I said.

  Dread, and Tigress leaned against the wall next to me. Chawett took a knee in front of us and tried to catch his breath. Dead and mangled bodies littered the arena.

  Tigress scrunched her lips. “I really hope I can get this horrendous image out of my mind one day. I doubt I will ever forget the smell.”

  Castillo’s team was very well organized. They collected gold, weapons and anything else of value from their victims. After dealing with their dead they made camp. Three fighters stood in a line blocking the darkened East end of the arena.

  “Chawett, what do you think is going on behind those men?” I asked. “It looks like Castillo doesn’t want anyone over there. I’m going to investigate.”

  “Not a good idea Raff,” he said. “We don’t want to get on Castillo’s bad side anymore then we already are. You do know we need his help to get out of here. We got to work out some kind of deal to tag along with his team on their way to the top. It’s the only chance we have to get out of these depths alive.”

  Tigress dragged her boot across the floor. “But we just killed all the orcs. Let’s explore for a while. We might find treasure, and a way out on our own.”

  “We only killed all the orcs in this arena.” Chawett pointed to the large arched wooden double doors at the arenas end. “Outside those doors we got at least thirteenth level perils to contend with, and a lot of them. I’m talking about vile wandering monsters, heavily armed orc tribes, and of course the undead. Not to mention Talhoffer’s worst death traps. Even if we could deal with those things we would be endlessly lost without a map of this area.”

  “Let’s go talk to Castillo now then,” I said. “Come on team.”

  Castillo and several of his men stood in a semi circle. A female thief was in the middle scuffling to open a chest. She worked one of her long, dingy, pick-like fingernails into the lock.