by Wolfe Locke
A horrible scraping noise followed. The door, rusted from age, was torn off of its hinges and fell to the ground, making far too much noise. Zander expected the Draugr or worse creatures to swarm the area immediately but heard nothing. Maybe we’ll be ok to keep searching.
They waited, but nothing came for them from within the dark. It’s not too late to call this off Zander. Zander shook his head. The golem knew his thoughts on the matter. Rocktooth went through first, and Zander followed behind. The light from his magic staff lit up the stairway, showing the stairwell went up for many floors and down just one. I’ll try down this time. I’ve struck out too many times heading up.
Rocktooth led the way and Zander followed behind, keeping his eyes peeled above them for signs of Draugr. They went down the stairs, and Rocktooth opened the door on the bottom floor, revealing what seemed to be a large kitchen. Something like this could have made enough food to feed my entire village.
It shocked Zander to see. Many cans lay strewn about, having been ripped and torn open. Whatever they contained had long since turned to dust. At least for those cans that hadn’t been opened yet. Zander moved passed the cans, careful not to step or trip on any of them. Next, he checked what he thought might be a pantry. He was wrong.
That’s just a linen closet, Zander. The golem was right, but Zander still had to check, he reached out to see if any of it was usable, but as soon as the lit of his staff illuminated the material, he saw it was rotted and heavy with mold. Nothing here is salvageable. This is going to take a minute; I need to find something at least.
He gestured for Rocktooth to wait outside for him and watch out for Draugr. The golem grumbled something unrepeatable. He frowned at the golem, and Rocktooth looked away. Is Rocktooth trying to hide a grin? Something scampered past the golem, and Zander aimed his staff at it, using a quick [Arcane Bolt] to kill it. Just a rat, he realized afterward.
Zander sighed in frustration. Nothing yet, and I’m already super jumpy. Maybe Rocktooth was right. We’re risking ourselves for nothing. He was ready to call it and move to another floor of the ancient ruin when he caught sight of the handle of a thick iron door with some boxes placed in front of it. I doubt anyone has been there before. What’s behind that door? Thick doors protect treasures, right?
He directed Rocktooth to clear the boxes and opened the door. Zander, the words you’re looking for are “Thank you”. Zander nodded and stepped through. He found himself in a hallway leading further down. But beneath the musty smell of stale air, something unnatural drifted on the breeze towards him, coming from the stairwell they’d left behind. The Draugr, I need to get moving before they reach us. He couldn’t see far into the hallway and charged more magic into his staff, commanding it to form into a ball of light. [Illuminate Sphere]. The ball was pushed out from his staff and traveled down the hall. If a Draugr had seen that, it would have attacked me already.
The hallway was long and damp, made of concrete with a single door at its end. The smell of the Draugr drifted closer. Rocktooth, close the door and watch my back. I’m going forward. He could only hope that the summon could keep out the coming Draugr, even if all the golem did was brace the iron door.
Zander walked down the hall, and though the smell of the Draugr had faded, the anxiety he was feeling hadn’t. Something is wrong here. A chipped piece of the wall fell down, and Zander looked up, noticing for the first time the holes in the cement ceiling. He lifted his staff up and the light illuminated the overhead dangling body of a monster. That’s far worse than a Draugr.
It dropped to the ground in a humanish mass of spidery limbs, and Zander wasted no time in casting another [Arcane Bolt] before it could get up. The magic sped towards the monster in a blast of light, and though it did damage, Zander grimaced when the monster was still standing after the attack. It turned to him. Half of its face was gone, while the other was contorted into the grimacing face of a woman.
How long has it been up there in the dark? The monster looked at him for a moment, curiously studying him as the monster salivated and licked its lips. Visitors Zander, I’ll hold the door. A glance toward the far end of the hall showed Rocktooth was no help, the golem was planted firmly in front of the door, and Zander could hear the banging of hungry Draugr on the other side. There will be no escape that way. Alright Rocktooth. Hold it as long as you can, I’ll manage.
Zander pointed his staff again at the monster and used a spell he had seen the Elders of his village use. [Cleanse Abomination]. Amber light shot out of his staff directly at the monster. The light enveloped the monster immediately and the effect was instantaneous. Once the light covered the monster, it flared light the sun and flashed out of existence. The monster remained behind and made a wheezing sound before it collapsed on the floor. Still not dead?
He pointed the tip of his staff at the undead and said a spell he had heard almost everyone who could do magic say. It was a simple cleansing spell. The undead snarled at him. A soothing white light emerged from his staff. The monster made a wheezing sound much like a death knell, and then seized breathing at all. Now it’s dead.
Notification: You have killed a creature worthy of notice. An Emergent Darkling.
Even an emergent is still a darkling. That could have gone bad for me. Zander took a moment to look over the body to try and see if the Darkling had any loot. With the sounds from the other side of the door, Zander almost didn’t hear another monster running towards him, He turned, but he was too late. It slammed into him, shoving him against something hard. He groaned. His side burned with pain.
I was too focused. I didn’t hear it. How did it get the drop on me? Zander rolled out of the way and scrambled up. He found himself face to face with another of the snarling abominations. This one was older than the last, and thankfully much weaker from injury and damage. One hand was gone entirely, and its entire face drooped uselessly. A clawed hand reached out, trying to tear into him, but Zander was able to get his staff in place to parry and moved past it further down the tunnel.
It’s too soon for another [Cleanse Abomination]. The monster howled and came after him. Zander! I hope you can handle this. You’re running out of time. The pounding against the door got louder. The Draugr kept locked out by Rocktooth redoubled their efforts, and Zander could see the door was starting to buckle and bend in places. He grimaced when pieces of both the door and Rocktooth were beginning to flake off from the strain.
Rocktooth, I’ll summon you again. I promise. Zander told the golem through their connection as he charged a different spell through his staff and used a lesser ability. [Flare]. Bright light filled the room, blinding the monstrous female and the host of Draugr that were peeking through the door. He slammed his staff into the stunned monster and ran past it, straight towards the end of the hall and the door he had seen earlier.
Relief flooded his body as the door opened easily enough. Without even waiting to see if the room was safe, He slammed it closed behind him, feeling an instant sense of gratification when he pulled an iron bar over the door, further securing it. His staff’s light revealed a green circle, and Zander was drawn to it, compelled by it. He touched it and overhead a row of electric lights turned on, revealing 12 pods. Each as cold as ice.
I need to get Rocktooth back here. Though he’d already used a lot of his magic, Zander knew better than to try and forge ahead without Rocktooth. He reached into a small pouch secured to the base of his staff and pulled out a small river stone, and set it on the ground, aiming the spell [Summon Guardian]. Within seconds, Rocktooth was revived, but the golem looked at him strangely as if to say, why did you call me back so early? But actually said nothing.
Guard the door Rocktooth, he commanded as he moved closer to the frozen pods. He held his staff, using an [Scan] on each of the pods. Only one showed any sign of life. That’s amazing. He walked closer to the pod. The top surface was made of glass, revealing through the glass the face of a sleeping woman. The door started to thump; it wouldn’t hold mu
ch longer. Zander, we’ve done this before. I’ll need your help.
I’ll try, but this is amazing. Zander was stunned. An ancient, here? A human! He had not seen a human in a long time, not a live one anyway. Zander didn’t know how to open the pod, so he smashed open the pod with his staff. It took six hits in all, to reveal the blue hair of a woman within. He pulled her out and held her head in his hands as he used a [Scan] to check for life, or at least the strand of it that was remaining. Zander was sure he felt it. It was faint, but it was there. He closed his eyes and imagined the stream of mana within him, and this time, Zander channeled that stream of power all into the woman as he tried to cast [Heal].
Notification: Class Unlocked - Necromancer
Details: Necromancers subvert the natural order of the land to raise their minions. Once the pathways of Necromancy have been unlocked, it cannot be forgotten and leaves those touched permanently changed.
Notification: New Minion Unlocked - The Frozen Dame
Details: ?????
Chapter Two: Welcome to the Future!
The woman sat up with a start. Her eyes were unfocused, and she was frantically gasping for breath. She had blue skin and was covered in ice crystals, and Zander could feel the frost magic spilling off of her. He slowly moved away, trying not to startle her. She was still desperately struggling to inhale, almost choking as she fought for air.
“I don’t think you need to breathe,” he said as gently as was possible under the circumstances. “You’re undead. At least something close enough to undead that it doesn’t matter the distinction.”
“Undead?” she said. “That can’t be true. I just fell asleep a few minutes ago.”
Notification: You have gained a party member, Celeste.
Details: Found in a Cryopod, this ancient human has been reborn as a frost spirit bound to your service.
She looked down at herself and yelped in surprise at the trails of ice that covered her. She tried to brush the frost off of her body. It didn’t work.
“What’s the last thing you remember?” Zander said, ignoring the door and the summon who needed assistance. Zander. Hurry it up.
Celeste frowned as she tried to recall. In her daze the pounding at the door went unnoticed. “I was…I was fighting. We were in the city and…something bad was happening. I don’t remember what it was. The memory is hard to reach. Only that they were chasing us. I think they were something…inhuman. Dark things. I remember I turned—there was a little boy. My friends went on ahead, but I went back to save the little boy. He was crying. I was able to reach him, to touch his arm and get him out of there. And then, whatever was chasing us caught up. It got him first, then me. It was—”
She winced, remembering one of the worst nights of her life.
“—It was very bad.”
“That sounds like the Harrowing,” Zander said. "But none of that explain how you ended up in the pod."
“The Harrowing?” she asked, the word and its meaning unfamiliar to her.
Zander! You’re taking too long.
“I’ll explain later.” he replied. Zander knew this wasn't the time.
She still had the same glossy look on her face. “Oh, I remember. When I woke up, the boy was gone. My friend Maxwell was carrying me on his back. He was running from something—from the same things that had been chasing us before. I was wounded, but still alive. He brought me into this building where he worked and sealed me into the pod. I think he hoped something like this would happen: that someone would find me in the future and heal me. As the pod sent me to sleep, I saw them break in. They killed Maxwell like they killed the little boy—”
“And now you’ve been resurrected,” Zander said. “You’re a frost spirit now. You’re bound to my service—but in exchange, you can do powerful magic.”
“Magic?” Celeste said, wrinkling her brow in confusion.
The door thumped again, more loudly this time, and started to splinter. Zander could hear the Draugr shrieking outside.
Enough talking, you’ll have plenty of time to make her think you’re interesting as we survive this. Rocktooth said, glaring at them. We’re going to have some action soon.
“Let’s hope you know how to use your new powers,” Zander said, reaching for his own magic. “We’re going to need them.”
“Powers!” Celeste said. “I don’t have any powers. I’m only human.”
“I think you’re a little bit more than that!” Zander said, gesturing at her blue, ice-covered body. “I trust you can figure it out!”
The Draugr smashed at the door again, and it splintered even further. Through the hole the monsters had created, Zander could see them milling about in the hallway outside. They were chittering to each other eagerly, and hungry for blood.
Here we go, Rocktooth boomed. Are you ready?
“Ready as we’ll ever be!” Zander shouted.
He was worried. He’d already used a lot of his magic navigating the building and in the resurrecting of Celeste and the subsequent binding of her to him had drained him even more. He wasn’t sure if he had it in him to fight off the Draugr horde.
The door was a mass of writhing hands, trying to get through. It seemed like every monster in the building had converged on the room, hoping to rip him and the undead woman apart with their teeth. This must have been why the ancient building had been so empty before. The monsters had all been waiting for him to travel down into the depths of the building, wanting to draw him in.
Another blow rang out and it widened the hole the monsters had already created. Hands pulled back along with portions of the metal sheeting of the door and the first of the Draugr shoved its head through. It was hideous, vaguely human in form but bloated with death and black with rot. One eyeball dangled down its cheek, leaking fluid. Its teeth were jagged and yellow, and its mouth was coated with blood and gore.
The monster glared at him with its one remaining eye, the Draugr screamed and scrabbled at the door with its hands. Zander cast an [Arcane Bolt] that passed over Rocktooth and hit the Draugr, the monster fell back. Almost immediately, another one took its place. He used [Arcane Bolt] again, blowing the new monster’s head off, only for it to be replaced with yet another. More Draugr clustered behind it, pushing their way forward in a mindless rage.
There are too many Zander, you need to get out of here. The golem was right. He wasn’t going to be able to pick them off one at a time like this. He’d be fully drained of his magic long before he was able to destroy all the Draugr. Worse, they were still smashing at the door. They could swarm them. The door wouldn’t last much longer at this rate. There had to be another way.
As if on cue, another piece of the door splintered off with a metallic clang. The monsters wasted no time and started to push their way into the chamber. Their eyes were wild, and their mouths opened and closed relentlessly, with an unholy hunger that could never be satiated.
Rocktooth! Your turn. Can you handle this? Zander yelled through their connection.
The golem stepped forward obediently. I’ve been handling it, but such as the way of a summon. At your service.
Rocktooth struck out violently with its smooth and powerful arms of stone. The heavy blow knocking three Draugr across the room into the wall with a wet sounding splat. They shrieked and lay still, limbs contorted into unnatural positions from the force of the blow. Rocktooth held the line, smashing Draugr with its hands and crushing them beneath its feet. The monsters couldn’t get past the powerful golem—at least for now. You’d think these Draugr would be used to the power of the Nether by now.
Zander turned back to look at Celeste and check on her. I need her power. But instead, Zander saw she was cowering in a corner of the room, eyes wide with fear.
“Wha—what are those things?” she said, almost sobbing. “They look like the monsters that were chasing us back in—back before.”
“They probably are the same monsters,” Zander said with a grunt as he tried to gather more magic into hims
elf. “Or similar ones. Draugr don’t age like we do. Eventually they wear out, but only if they get attacked or injured.”
“Draugr?” She asked, still confused.
“I will explain,” Zander said exasperated. “I promise. But not right now. How’s it going? Do you think you’ll be able to work any frost magic soon?”
“Frost magic?” Celeste said, looking baffled. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, I swear. I believe you when you say I do have that power, but I have no idea how to access it.”
Zander hissed with frustration and looked back at Rocktooth. The golem was still doing well, but the gap in the door was widening and more Draugr were pushing their way through every second. That’s correct Zander, and I can only destroy so many of them at a time. It wasn’t long before his summon would be overwhelmed.
“You need to figure it out!” Zander said. “I’m drained, and Rocktooth can only do so much! I resurrected you for this purpose!”
“Resurrected—me?” The woman responded, an edge of anger in her voice.
A bloodcurdling shriek echoed through the chamber, and Zander’s stomach dropped. It was a Monster of the Abyss. He’d only seen the creatures once or twice in his life, and he’d always run from them immediately. The stories he’d heard from those who’d tried to fight them chilled his blood.
They were vicious and relentless creatures, reanimated corpses that had mutated into hideous forms. A Monster of the Abyss, once aggravated, would stop at nothing until its opponents were dead on the ground and it was feasting on their flesh. And they were stuck with one in a doorless chamber, unable to escape.