“Stay sharp,” Aria warned. “We can’t afford to be caught off guard.”
The idle chatter had lessened as they descended further into the gloom. Even Eric’s usual smile was gone. Instead, the werewolf regarded their surroundings with alert wariness. As for Roger, the raccoon had used a Word to create a handful of small ash creatures. Susannah had explained that at his command, the creatures would charge toward their enemies, grab them, and then explode.
“That’s easier said than done.” Eric stopped for a moment, listening, and all of them stopped too. Finally, he nodded, and they continued forward. “This whole place gives me the creeps.”
Miles nodded silently and ushered his master forward. Jonathan’s curiosity had been replaced by concern. What little artwork remained this far down seemed to be devoted entirely to cataloguing the misfortune that had befallen the dwarves. Hastily carved reliefs showed massed ranks of dwarves trying to hold various corridors while half-ruined frescoes showed the dwarves trying desperately to stem the tide of rising water.
Down they went, down through the whispering dark, the tattered remnants of the dwarves’ glory scattered around them. Here there were signs of intense fighting. Broken weapons and mangled armour were everywhere. Again and again, Miles caught flashes of movement out of the corners of his eyes. The others must have too if the wary way they studied their surroundings was anything to go by.
“I hate ghosts,” Eric growled. “Although I’m not surprised this damn place is haunted.”
The crabs must be fearsome foes indeed if they could do such damage to dwarf weapons and armour, which were renowned for their quality. He had never seen solid dwarf plate damaged so badly. Still, he and the others were not dwarves. Dwarves had incredible strength and endurance, but they lacked speed and agility. As a result, they had to rely heavily on armour. In contrast, everyone in the group was quick on their feet. Provided they could avoid the crushing claws of the crabs, they could still win. In his youth, Miles had won more than one fight by avoiding the blows of a far stronger opponent while striking at their weak points and slowly but surely whittling them down. Perhaps he would have to do so again.
Elsewhere, the masonry bore the marks of water erosion, and the decorations on the walls bore similar damage. The area might be free of water now, but that had not always been the case. Had the dwarves managed to rid the place of water themselves, or had the crabs removed it after dealing with the dwarves? As they continued their descent, they passed several passageways that were full of water. However, that water did not spill into the main passageway, something his master remarked upon before examining the doorframes and walls more closely.
“Fascinating.”
“Sir?”
“We know that modern dwarves possess runes and other magic capable of repelling and removing water.” He pointed to the doorframe. “These runes and seals are still active, which means they must be drawing from the ambient magic in the area. However, I have no doubt they could be overwhelmed by a large enough volume of water. Yet modern dwarves also take advantage of advanced pumps, pipes, and drains to deal with flooding, and it seems the dwarves of Mordrath had access to at least some of that technology as well.” He pointed. “Do you see the holes in the walls and floor? I’d be willing to bet that those connect to a drainage system of some kind. Of course, if the crabs were able to overrun this area, they must have a limited capacity, but the dwarves of Mordrath were remarkably advanced for their time. I’d be surprised if we could do any better.” He sighed. “It is a marvel that any of their magic or technology still works, yet their confidence in both is probably what got them into trouble in the first place. They couldn’t imagine running into a problem they couldn’t solve – until they did.”
Miles nodded grimly. He knew the effects that confidence could have on people. As a young man, his confidence and his anger had very nearly been his undoing. “We’d best move along, sir. This place unsettles me. The sooner we leave, the better.” He paused. “And I can hear voices in the water. I do not like what I think they’re saying.”
“Yeah.” Eric chuckled mirthlessly. “Knowing the dwarves’ defences are still partially active isn’t reassuring considering the dwarves had all of their defences completely active plus an army and still lost.”
The group’s mood continued to darken as they continued, but there was a brief moment of amusement when they stumbled across a tattered fresco that depicted the dwarves trading with raccoons. Roger waved excitedly at it and made a litany of noises.
“You do realise,” Eric drawled. “That only three other people in this group can understand you.”
Roger could only scowl and gesture more animatedly as Susannah gave him a comforting scratch behind the ears. Still, Miles had to admit it was odd seeing the dwarves towering over someone else.
Alas, the uneasy peace could not last forever. Miles knew his master well, and he had a tendency to babble when he was worried. He was therefore not the least bit surprised when he began to murmur, as much to himself as the others. It got particularly bad as they walked across a slender stone bridge that spanned a yawning chasm. At least, Jonathan hadn’t looked down. Miles had, and he’d immediately regretted it. Beneath them were other bridges, but at the very bottom of the chasm were the dark, churning waters that filled the lowest levels of Mordrath. It was better not to think of what might be lurking down there.
“Great was the glory of ancient Mordrath and long was its reign. Yet the dwarves grew greedy and never ceased their delving. The price of their greed and their hubris was everything. But they did not go quietly. Witness the splendour of the Last King of the Empty Sea, a son of earth and stone, unbroken and steadfast.” Jonathan took a deep breath. “It was truly a pity the dwarves here were destroyed. Few have ever understood the union of magic and mechanics the way they did.”
Jonathan looked around as they went from the bridge to a large chamber. The lower section of the chamber was flooded and filled with debris, but the rest of it was clear of water. Magic had turned parts of the floor into a maze of makeshift walls and spikes. “Anywhere else would have flooded within days, but the dwarves held on for far longer.” He shook his head. “The dark water rises, and our foes come with it. The passageways are flooded. There is no getting out. The mountain has become an island again, and they command the waves. No ship will make it to safety. We are going to die here in the cold, wet dark. This is no death for a dwarf. The king means to fight and draw out their full strength, so some of the women and children can flee. I don’t know if it will work, but I plan to go with him. Better to die in battle than die a slow, lingering death in the water and the cold. I would rather die as a dwarf with my axe in hand and my armour broken than starve or drown in the dark.” His lips twitched. “Those words were written by a dwarf on a tablet discovered by adventurers several centuries ago. It gives you some idea of what sort of folk the dwarves were.”
Eric raised one eyebrow. “You know, you’re not exactly helping the mood.” He would have said more, but his gaze snapped to the area ahead of them. “Wait! There’s something here.”
Susannah followed his gaze. “Yeah.” She gestured. “I’ll go in from this side, how about you take the other side?”
Eric nodded and loped off to the right as Susannah went to the left. Blue Scales stepped to the front, and Miles squinted into the gloom. Around them, he could just barely hear the buzz of some of the insect-like summons Eileen had used at the beach. He couldn’t see much, but it wasn’t long before Eric signalled for them to come forward. Whatever it was, he must have deemed it safe for them to advance.
“Adventurers,” Eric said quietly. “Dead.”
Jonathan shuddered. “From our mission?”
“No – but they’ve only been dead for a few months, I think.” The werewolf tilted his head. “But you might want to take a look. One of them was holding a lantern. It looks valuable – and magical.”
As soon as his master saw the lantern, h
e froze. It was hard to blame him. The lantern was an elaborate thing, and most of it was made out of a metal Miles didn’t recognise. It was inlaid with a combination of gold, silver, platinum, and a handful of gemstones. Instead of glass, it used transparent crystal of some kind. The lantern was equal parts intricate and sturdy, and the obvious dwarf aesthetic was tinged with what looked to Miles’s untrained eyes like some elf influence. Runes and seals covered the lantern, and the harsher style favoured by the dwarves was joined by more flowing script. But what truly caught his attention was the eerie light that shone within the lantern. Had it not been covered by one of the adventurer’s bodies, it could easily have lit the whole chamber. Yet it was definitely not a flame, at least, not a normal one.
“Is that really a lantern?” Aria asked. Like Miles and Eileen, she was keeping one eye on their surroundings. This could easily be a trap. It was a simple tactic: leave something enticing out in the open and then ambush anyone who came to claim it. “It doesn’t look like a normal dwarf lantern.”
“It is most definitely a lantern – of a sort.” Jonathan gently eased it out of the grasp of the fallen adventurer and whispered a prayer for the man. “Unless I badly miss my guess, this is a spirit lantern.” He paused in the peculiar way he always did when he was conversing with the Blood Emperor. “Yes, I’m certain of it. They can be used to provide light, but more importantly, they can be used to attract, bind, and even summon spirits.”
Eric took a step back. As a werewolf, he was rightfully wary of binding magic. Given their immense strength, endurance, and regeneration, binding magic was one of the more popular ways of dealing with werewolves. Their encounter with the Dagger of the Crimson Dawn could not have helped either. “Why would the dwarves need something like that?”
“There are spirits that can purify air or sense precious gemstones and metals. The dwarves likely used it for that. Moreover, spirit lanterns can produce light by drawing on the power of the spirit they contain, which is useful since there are many places in mines where an open flame would be an awful idea.” Jonathan lifted the lantern up. It emitted a cold, white light. “With the right spirits, this might even be able to emit holy light.”
“Which would make it very useful against the crabs – who are apparently necromancers.” Eric smiled. “We should take it and see if we can find any more.” He pointed at the necklaces the downed adventurers wore. “What about those?”
“I recognise these.” Blue Scales carefully took one of the necklaces. It had a small, shimmering blue stone that seemed to be made of scales. “These are magical stones created from the scales of mermen. The scales must be given willingly, or they lose much of their power. They allow someone to breathe underwater for a limited time. Based on the size of this one, I’d say it should work for an hour or so at a time. I would have made them for all of you, but I do not know how. Such things were left to the craftsmen of my people. We should take them. In a place like this…”
“It would be very useful.” Aria nodded. They all had charms too but nothing as effective as the necklaces. “I will say a prayer for them. Taking from the dead does not sit well with me, but the dead have no use for such things, and we may be able to avenge them.” Her brows furrowed. “This is a fortunate find – perhaps too fortunate.”
Miles frowned. “If the crabs have necromancers, then surely they must have recognised the value of the lantern.”
Abruptly, Susannah and Eric both stopped what they were doing. Around them, the light buzz of Eileen’s summons became an angry hum.
“We have company,” Eric growled. “And not the friendly kind.” He closed his eyes and listened intently. “It sounds like claws on stone.”
I’ll spread my summons out. Eileen held up a sign. I can only hear sounds coming from one direction, but they might be trying to distract us before surrounding us.
“Form up,” Aria said quietly but firmly. “I doubt we’ll be able to outrun them. They know this place better than we do, and they might be waiting for us to run before ambushing us.” She studied the chamber, as did Miles. In his eyes, it wasn’t a bad place to make their stand. They were on an upraised section with several pillars and other obstacles to keep them from being surrounded, and the waterlogged section of the chamber was on the other end. It was far from ideal, but he could see why Aria had chosen to stand and fight. They were unlikely to do better elsewhere. “We need to keep our frontline together. Roger, you’re a war wizard. Do what you do best.” The raccoon cackled evilly, and the sounds he made needed no translation. “Susannah, aim for any leaders or powerful magic users amongst them. Blue Scales, if they try to flood this place, do your best to keep the waters at bay. Eileen, be mindful of your stamina. We can’t risk you getting tired after only one battle. We need to work together.”
“Master,” Miles murmured. “Can you discern the nature of our foe?”
His master used [Scry], and his expression turned grim. “Crabs, more than a dozen of them, as big as Blue Scales said they would be. They’re coming from one of the flooded passageways we passed.”
“Remember my advice,” Blue Scales said. “Their shells are hard and thick. Aim for their joints, soft tissue, or underbelly. Avoid being caught in their claws at all costs. They can sever a limb through armour. They aren’t especially fast outside of water, but they are vicious and determined. Expect no quarter and give none either.”
“Right.” Aria tightened her hold on her sword, and the blade began to emit a warm, white light. The gathering chill of necromantic magic abated slightly. “Stay sharp and take care of each other.”
An unearthly chittering sound filled the air along with the clacking of pointed, crustacean legs on stone, and Miles finally got his first look at the crabs. In most circumstances, he would find the sight of a crab that stood as tall as a man to be an odd but interesting sight. Now, however, it was truly menacing. They each had ten limbs in total, and their shells had an eerie matte effect that seemed to drink in the light cast by the spirit lantern and Aria’s sword rather than reflect it. Instead of the orange he had expected, the crabs were a collection of mottled browns, greys, blues, and greens that he supposed might fit in well in the depths of the ocean.
With a warrior’s keen eye, he moved from studying their appearance to assessing their combat potential. The ends of their legs looked as though they could easily pierce flesh and perhaps even armour as well if the crabs put their weight behind them. However, it was their claws that truly concerned him. They were gigantic. Each could easily seize the torso of a grown man in armour and tear him in half. And now that he looked more closely, the crabs varied not only in the colours of their shells but also in the patterns on them. Was it natural, or was it a way to indicate rank or position? Also concerning was their movement. Some of the crabs were moving in perfect synchrony, an even more impressive feat given how many limbs they had. His brows furrowed, and he sniffed the air. Even he, a human, could not miss the stench of death and decay that hung about them. They must be zombies. His lips curled. How foul. These creatures were even willing to animate their own dead. The analytical part of his mind considered how best to fight the crabs. Close combat would be tricky. With the equipment he wore and his own skills, he was confident he could do some damage despite the thickness of their shells. However, all ten of their limbs could do damage, and he would likely be killed or seriously wounded if they managed to hit him with their claws.
“Normally,” Eric muttered. “I’d laugh at the thought of fighting giant crabs, but it suddenly doesn’t seem so funny anymore.”
“Indeed.” Blue Scales readied his trident. The metal glowed, and Miles realised that small bolts of electricity had begun to course along its length. “They will not be easy foes.” He pointed. “If they are like the ones my people have faced, then the ones with stripes are higher ranking. If you see any with geometric patterns on their shells, kill them at once. They are higher-ranking still.”
Two of the crabs at the back –
both with stripes – raised their claws into the air. Miles stiffened as the sound of surging water filled the air. They were going to flood the chamber. A wave of dark, choppy water thundered into the room, and he could feel the malicious glee radiating off the crabs as the wave swept aside debris and smashed through ancient, makeshift barriers.
“Blue Scales!” Aria cried.
The merman was already in motion. His power swelled, and he thrust his trident forward, every muscle taut as he threw his power into [Control Water]. The wave parted to either side of them, and the raging waters swirled around the upraised section of the chamber where they had chosen to make their stand. Blue Scales grit his teeth, and the water was shoved further back.
“[Light of Day]!” Aria shouted, holding her sword aloft. The white light it emitted became a blaze of radiance. For a moment, Jonathan reeled, but as with her other light-based techniques, it seemed as though it could distinguish friend from foe. His master was hardly comfortable, but he wasn’t on fire. Yet wherever the light touched the zombie crabs, their shells began to burn and crack, and their flesh boiled and began to slough away. Even their movements grew sluggish and weak. “Roger, attack! I won’t be able to keep this up forever.”
Attempted Adventuring (The Attempted Vampirism Series Book 2) Page 16