He took the lead and asked Sarella to stay close by. She held her hands close together and whispered an incantation. A blue orb, the same shade as her eyes, floated several inches above her palms. Along with its soft glow, it let out a magical warmth that counteracted the cold of the cavern. Gathar and the rest of the group welcomed the warmth and tried to stay close to the orb. Buun, especially, felt the need to walk along Agar’s side and stay close to Sarella’s blue orb. He felt a connection to nature that was different from his usual feelings. The lizard that had been riding with him crawled out of his pocket and up to his shoulder looking ahead.
They traveled down a long tunnel that twisted and turned. Gathar felt uneasy and looked over at his son. Ptolemy did not appear to be concerned in the least. Gathar was proud of his son for being brave but was also jealous. Ptolemy, at age ten, with a birthday approaching, showed the courage of a seasoned warrior.
Ungo slipped on a wet rock and cursed when he fell onto his backside. The warriors chuckled lightly but helped him up. He gave them a cold, hard stare while rubbing his lower back. His armor clanked as he reached around.
Thoris was the only one who did not laugh. He felt terrible for Ungo and remembered a time when he started training and something very similar happened to him. Thoris gave two pats on Ungo’s shoulder pads and continued on down the tunnel. Ungo stood still for a moment and mentally prepared himself for the remainder of their journey. When the laughter stopped, he continued walking taking his steps more carefully. If the ground looked shiny and wet he avoided it.
Gathar felt the back of his neck tingle. He reached back expecting to find a spider crawling on him. There was nothing there and the tingle remained even as he rubbed his neck. He knew then what the feeling meant. He felt it before when the giant worms were attacking Centuria. He withdrew Caled, his long sword with the hilt crafted in Salidonian steel. The Salidonian steel was heavy, but very strong, brilliant red in color, with sparkles of diamond molded into the hand-crafted metal.
Agar coughed and grunted. The air became so cool his breath could be seen. Sarella had to brighten the orb due to the darkness. Even flames didn’t stay well-lit in certain parts of the catacombs. As the orb brightened, it let out more heat and the group huddled in closer to each other. Risaldora enjoyed being close to Gathar. He had been there to comfort her in her darkest hours and felt he was a kind of close friend. Agar took notice of Risaldora getting in close to Gathar but said nothing of it. He thought that it might be a companionship like his own with Sarella.
Sarella had a hint of a grin on her face as the group huddled close to her and her magic. She thanked all of nature in silence. Then she heard a voice whispering deeper in the tunnel. “You are lovely, my dear. Yes, lovely, very lovely.” It sounded like a troll. Sarella hated trolls. They were very selfish and useless, she thought. Her opinion of them was mostly influenced from a time when she found a troll in her house stealing things.
Sarella had entered her home late one night and found the house in shambles. Furniture was tipped over, torn, or missing, the walls had been scorched from tipped over candlesticks, food was gone from the kitchen, the bedspreads had been scattered across the floor and soiled, and what annoyed her most was that her undergarments had been stolen too.
The whispering grew louder. Sarella aimed her light down the tunnel to see farther. It was empty, but there were entrances to the left, right, straight ahead, and above. She couldn’t tell which of the tunnels the voice was coming from. Instead of splitting up as they were advised not to do, Sarella spoke to Gathar, “Can we have one person stand at the beginning of each separate path but stay near the main tunnel? I would like to know where the voice is coming from. It might be the path to the artifact.”
“Yes. Agar and you will cover the path straight ahead. Ptolemy and Thoris take the first tunnel on the right. Ben and Ungo take the second tunnel on the right. Risaldora, you stay with me, and we’ll stand by the tunnel on the left. Rigel, I need you to stay in the main tunnel to guide us back. Nobody go farther than five paces into the path. I want everyone to stay within eyesight of each other. Does everyone understand?”
“Yes, sir,” they answered in unison. They split up as directed but didn’t go far. After everyone reached their position they remained as quiet as possible to hear the voice that echoed in the main tunnel.
“Lovely, very lovely,” the voice repeated. Gathar and Risaldora signaled to the group that the voice was coming from the tunnel on the left. Everyone regrouped and listened carefully. There was only one voice. It kept repeating itself too. Gathar said is sounded similar to a troll but also different. The voice was raspier and a bit deeper too.
The phrase, “Lovely, very lovely!” was repeated and followed by a tinkering sound, a sound of metal touching metal. The high pitch echoed through the tunnel. Clank. Clank.
Gathar started to move faster. Sarella created a second orb of light. She started leaving behind small torches on the catacomb walls where enchantments did not hinder her spells. She would have done it sooner, but it was a draining task that she put off as long as she could. The group understood. Risaldora was able to cast similar magic, but the light or warmth wouldn’t be as comforting and did not last as long. Ptolemy had a skill set he was not yet practiced in and didn’t want to risk hurting his comrades.
Gathar found the source of the voice. It belonged to a being slightly taller than a troll. It was beating a dagger against a gemstone-embedded sword in a fallen warrior’s skeleton grasp. The thing saw them, paused, and then took off running into the darkness. Sarella threw one of her blue glowing orbs into the darkness behind it. It was gone. “What was that?” she asked as Gathar studied the skeleton.
Gathar did not answer, but Rigel stepped up beside her and said, “A gnome. Timid little creatures. Harmless as a tit mouse. Some say they are part human, but I have to disagree. They stay in cool, dark places away from sunlight. Your orbs probably scared the pale little freak away.”
The orb Sarella had thrown started moving back toward the group. It was being pushed along by a large and slimy worm.
Gathar called, “Stand guard.” The group all took positions and watched the worm move steadily toward them. When it was near enough, Gathar swung Caled into the worm’s green body and brown blood gushed out of the wound. The worm didn’t put up much of a fight, but was dangerous nonetheless. It slithered away down the dark tunnel leaving behind a wet trail.
The party moved continuously deeper, making quick work of anything but the stray worm or two that required some quick rerouting by the group. Eventually, after hours, perhaps days, Reznek began to focus more on a side tunnel. Sarella’s torches lit up the path they took so they could find their way back in the twisting caverns that could make any lost soul go mad. Rigel noticed right away that the floor had been untouched for quite some time. “These walls have been cut, not eroded,” whispered Agar as the tunnel began to narrow.
A faint light could be seen at what appeared to be a small alcove at the end of the tunnel. It moved and flickered in the dark like a firefly on a hot summer eve. “Only the fairies can make the crystal give up its location,” Reznek murmured as he stared at the soft light, made not from Sarella’s magic, but something floating about. “I gave it to them for safekeeping,” Reznek chuckled. “Fool of a demon thinks I’d make it easy.” he said to himself.
There were only three fairies, but the little creatures seemed to be enjoying the moment. The air was full of whispering laughter as the fairies darted about filling the small niche with light. And there it was. No bigger than a small pebble, glowing brilliantly on a rock shelf. Reznek carefully plucked the small jewel from its perch and, again, began to move his hands in a mystical fashion. The earth started to move. “Time to go,” he said. The glow lit up Reznek’s face and Gathar saw an image of his dragon form, but thought his imagination and his fatigue were playing tricks on him. The group knew there was something unique about Reznek and did not question him taking t
he jewel or his words.
The caves moaned. Reznek looked at the group, his eyes glowing bright from the light cast by the small jewel. His usually serious expression broke and a small smile appeared at his lips. Crow’s feet wrinkled at the sides of his eyes. He was pleased with himself to find the jewel before the Lord Emalf did. His hiding place for the relic had been successful, and he had outsmarted his foe. The caves moaned again and the smile across Reznek’s face disappeared. Something large was near, and Reznek could sense it. The others were wary enough to know something was coming, but they couldn’t possibly know of its monstrous size or so Reznek thought. “It is time for us to go.” Reznek repeated in a commanding voice.
The others nodded in agreement and remained quiet. Sarella took the lead and started retracing the path they had taken by way of torches she left behind. Reznek remained in the back. When the group could no longer see the fairies that were guarding the crystal, he turned around, cast a spell, and the fairies disappeared into thin air leaving behind a poof of blue smoke.
The path back remained well-lit for thousands of paces until they reached a large opening surrounded by tunnels in all directions. They did not recall entering such a large opening nor could they see any sign of the torches Sarella had left behind. Agar studied the paths carefully. “These have been made recently. You can see the slime of worms still dripping on the walls.” He pointed at the wet goo shining in several places including the dirt above their heads. Each tunnel was smooth and round as well.
“Only a carrion crawler could have made these new paths so quickly and quietly,” Gathar added. “We must continue and get out of here swiftly. Reznek, can you lead us out of here?”
“Yes,” Reznek answered as he walked up to Sarella’s orbs. The light made his skin appear even paler than before, almost as if all the blood had drained from his face. Gathar took note of it but did not draw unneeded attention to something that might have meant nothing. Gathar started to suspect that Reznek was a dragon but did not know a lot about dragons and their abilities to change form and color. Did the others suspect too?
* * *
Hours passed and the group began to tire. Just as they were about to give up and regroup to find their way out they saw an opening with sunlight pouring in. Hope had rejuvenated their beaten spirits and tired bodies as a surge of energy drove them to keep moving. Reznek stopped and Sarella bumped into him. One of her orbs dropped but hovered inches above the ground. Reznek sniffed the air. “What is it?” Sarella asked.
“It smells similar to that of dragons, yet different. More human.” Gathar withdrew his sword, Caled, and Agar swung his battle axe over his shoulder with one hand. Risaldora stood quietly and waited for an order. Yet no one spoke. Sarella waved her hands in a fluid motion and the orbs flew into her palms. Gathar spoke, “Let me go first to see what it is. Agar, you stay close behind in case I need a second hand. Sarella, keep a watchful eye in the paths before us. Risaldora, your magic and your protection may prove quite useful here. Let us hope it is not required. Reznek, well, I can’t give orders to a dragon. Everyone else, follow us as we go.” He smiled a bit in his last statement and quickly moved toward the sunlight. The others’ faces held puzzled expressions at this revelation, but no one spoke. Agar had to double step his pace in a fast run to keep up with Gathar.
They stepped into the opening of the catacombs to meet a steep mountainside dropping down several hundred feet. The sky was a sea-worthy blue. Below the clear sky, a city of gold temples and pyramids glistened in the thick forest. Gathar recalled a premonition he once had as a child of the sight that lay before his eyes. It took him a moment to remember what sparked that dream. The wave of thoughts overcame him like wildfire. The dream came from tales told by his grandfather. He pushed the thoughts aside when Ptolemy spoke, “I know this place. It is home to the lagartos. How we found it is too hard to comprehend. It is their hidden city.”
Tap. Tap. Tap. The sound reverberated through the catacombs behind them. Gathar still had Caled drawn and looked into the darkness dimly lit by Sarella’s last torch. The tapping sound was followed by the rustling of feet, many feet. Gathar, Ben, Ungo, Buun, Ptolemy, Thoris, Risaldora, Agar, Sarella, Reznek, and Rigel recognized the sound right away. They heard the same skitter of feet when the gnome ran off. Now, it was many more than one and they were approaching instead of retreating. Gathar could tell by the sounds alone that they were coming for blood. “Here we go!” Agar said.
The group prepared themselves for battle, standing in defensive stances, shields up, and weapons at the ready. The lizard on Buun climbed up to his shoulder and watched eagerly. It was not afraid of the approaching army and it sensed that Buun was not either. Eyes lit up in the tunnel from Sarella’s lights. The torches left behind were extinguished one by one as the army moved closer. The footsteps grew louder, heartbeats pounded harder, sweat appeared on Ben’s forehead, and Ungo was surprised by his shaking hand. The feelings were unusual for them. All their training and experience in battle had hardened them into seasoned warriors, but something in the cold tunnels had shaken their nerves. Was it the cold? they thought.
Ben wiped his forehead, Ungo put his hand against his side to stop it from shaking, and Gathar walked up beside them to provide reassurance that they could handle the situation. The eyes were attached to small bodies that started to appear in great numbers. Thoris whispered under his breath, “Gnomes!” The majority of them had scruffy brown beards and beady black eyes. They looked furious. Gathar and the group knew immediately that there was no talking their way out of this conflict.
The gnomes started swarming into the light of Sarella’s orbs. They were angry but hesitant to attack. Rigel was correct. They were harmless little beings or so they thought. Gathar studied them carefully as they did in return. Their bushy beards twitched and they shifted slightly when Sarella repositioned her orbs to cast light upon them. One of the gnomes stepped forward, “Hail!” Reznek walked over to Sarella and gave her a small object hidden in between their hands.
Gathar answered the gnome, “Hail!”
The gnome was slightly under two feet tall and had unusual bright green eyes. Most of the other gnomes had black eyes to help them see in the dark. Gathar studied the gnome even more and realized he was blind. The green-eyed gnome had waited for the others to tell him it was safe to step forward. “I am Frendel, leader of the gnomes in the underworld. What business do you have here?” he asked Gathar.
“We have come here seeking a treasure to aid us in relieving our world of a demon plague,” answered Gathar. “There is one that leads the demons that goes by the name Lord Emalf. He has been captured and held prisoner in the citadel in Khalan. We cannot hold him forever because the wizards fear their magic will not be enough to keep him imprisoned. They are interrogating him as we speak to learn more about his native world and powers, but I believe they will get nothing useful out of him. Wherever he goes there is death and destruction, and he will purposefully lead the wizards into a false sense of security. I tried to warn them, but they were unwilling to listen and they tried to reassure me they had it under control. The citadel is a mighty wizard fortress, but Lord Emalf is exactly that, a lord. He will use his power and stop at nothing to overtake our lands to claim as his own.
“The demons’ numbers are growing and I am afraid to admit that we will need magic on our side to stop them. The treasure we came here for holds such magical abilities.”
“We are aware of the relic you came here for,” Frendel the gnome said. “The dragons had placed it here for safekeeping. We sensed you had a dragon in your presence so we did not intervene earlier.” He walked over to Reznek. “What do you plan on doing with this crystal?”
Reznek lied. “I am not sure. The Council of the Elemental Guardians had entrusted us to come here and retrieve it. I hid this crystal long ago knowing it would be important for the survival of all, but I am not certain how or why.” Reznek knew the power of the crystal, how it would be used, a
nd it was not long ago when he had hid it. He had snuck into the catacombs and hid the crystal when Lord Emalf first started attacking the humans. Reznek could not yet trust these gnomes. Gathar sensed it too but said nothing.
“Let me see it,” demanded Frendel. Sarella had possession of the crystal but looked to Reznek before making a move. He nodded. Sarella pulled out the glowing crystal from her satchel and held it firmly while the gnomes stared at it. Frendel’s eyes turned a blood red and he reached for the crystal. Sarella pulled away. “Get it!” Frendel growled to the other gnomes. Their eyes turned a blood red as well and they surrounded Sarella before Gathar’s group could react. They stole the crystal, handed it to one another until Frendel had it in his possession. Frendel took off running down the catacombs and disappeared in the dark.
The gnomes greatly outnumbered the humans and Reznek, but they were not powerful. Agar protected Sarella from the assault. Risaldora stood back and cast spells left and right to enchant the warriors’ weapons. Swords, axes, and daggers glowed a vibrant yellow as they knocked out the horde of gnomes. Gathar and Ptolemy both knew what had happened to the gnomes. The gnomes had become possessed by the demonic magic and it made them pity the innocent beings. Gathar commanded, “We must get the crystal back. Ben, Ungo, Thoris, I need you to follow Frendel now. We’ll handle it here. Sarella, go with them to light the way. Agar, you too!”
“Aye,” Agar said with slight disdain. They quickly moved down the tunnel with Sarella lighting the way with her magical torches. Gathar continued to wrestle with the remaining gnomes. They were trying to be violent, but their lack of strength and military skills made them useless in battle. Reznek, Buun, Risaldora, Ptolemy, and Rigel attacked them in such a manner to only knock them unconscious or scare them away. They did not strike to kill.
Rise of Centuria: Fall of Centuria Volume 2 Page 10