by Allan Joyal
“Practice for how the fighting in the dungeon will go,” Gee’if said.
The kobolds were working to encircle the two adventurers. Gee’if and Kalacho angled their bodies to try to cover their flanks as the braver kobolds began darting forward and swiping their claws towards the men.
“Steady men!” Thanul shouted. “There are more of us. Just work together. Watch your sides.”
Roquel rushed over to cover Koristal. Several of the kobolds had turned towards the young priestess. They bounded over the snow charging the woman as she tried to rescue the archer.
“Save that villager!” the lead soldier shouted. He was standing to the left of a tight formation. The soldiers were standing six men wide and three deep, as they charged forward to crash into the right side of the mass of kobolds.
The kobolds recoiled from the soldiers. Kalacho and Gee’if took advantage of their initial distraction and drove forward, breaking the mass of kobolds apart and reaching the still scrambling archer.
“Save me,” the archer screamed out.
“Koristal, drop your shield, and we’ll get this guy back. You’ll need to be ready to save the villagers should the kobolds keep coming,” Kalacho shouted as Gee’if reached down and pulled the archer to his feet.
“How many are there?” one of the villagers called out in a voice filled with terror.
Before anyone could answer, the flow of kobolds from the snow abruptly halted. The twenty or so that were standing on the snow began to scatter. Most dove down the hole, but a few headed southward, racing away from the soldiers.
“They ran?” the lead soldier asked as his men finished off the few kobolds wounded by their initial charge.
“They are outside the dungeon’s domain and their first charge had been broken. It’s not a huge surprise that they tried to run away,” Roquel said. “Kobolds aren’t naturally brave and they had no reason to keep fighting.”
“What about the rest of their clan?” the soldier asked.
“I don’t think they are a clan anymore,” Roquel said softly. “The power of the dungeon has definitely disrupted the clan.”
“What should we do?” the soldier asked.
“Wait here and watch for the kobolds to attack or try to escape towards Fairview. If they head westward, let them go,” Roquel said.
“Why?” the soldier asked as the formation rotated to face the overhang.
“If the dungeon has modified the kobolds, they won’t survive long once the dungeon is destroyed. If it hasn’t, they’ll avoid humanity and disappear into the mountains,” Roquel said.
“Are you sure?” Thanul asked. “The kobolds released by the dungeon have destroyed nearly a dozen hamlets.”
“The dungeon feeds them mana to keep them alive. They can’t survive long once the dungeon heart is destroyed,” Roquel said as she knelt down in the snow. She was muttering strange phrases.
Gee’if and Kalacho carefully set their packs down as Kerytyn returned after looking down into the hole in the snow the kobolds had emerged from.
“Don’t try to enter through the hole,” he said. “It’s going to collapse.”
“I wasn’t going to suggest it,” Kalacho said. “The goal is to kill the dungeon, not kill all the kobolds. Taking care of the dungeon will handle that problem.”
Gee’if nodded. “Roquel, are you ready?”
Roquel was standing back up. The woman shivered in the cold air. “Let’s get started. It’s too cold to be standing out here.”
“Thanul, you don’t have to stay here, but if you do, watch the dungeon. It might send out more kobolds once we enter,” Kalacho said. “Koristal, I know you don’t want to do this.”
“No, I never said that,” Koristal said firmly. “Cuan Bi is against needless violence. This is a just cause. The kobolds in this dungeon are being warped into true monsters, that know nothing but pain and conflict. It is very proper that we as adventurers put an end to the problem.”
“Wow,” Gee’if said. “I’d hate to hear what your mistress has to say about Faestari.”
“I want to talk to her more,” Koristal said.
Kalacho snorted as he and Gee’if started walking towards the overhang where the dungeon entrance was. “I think we all do.”
The group found that there was a strange narrow staircase cut into the packed snow leading under the overhang. With Kalacho leading they carefully and quietly descended under the overhang, heading into the dungeon they had come to destroy.
Chapter 30: Welcome to the Dungeon
Once they reached the bottom of the icy stairway, they could see the entrance to the dungeon. Kalacho had to duck his head and bend forward as he started down. He held his shield up so that he could still see, but kept it close to the roof of the cave as he moved forward.
Gee’if also ducked down as the two men led the way. His shield was held a bit lower as he tried to navigate the tiny passageway.
“This is the original entrance?” Koristal asked.
“Probably,” Gee’if whispered back after Koristal’s voice echoed in the cave. They could hear some barks of alarm from ahead. “And we’ve confirmed kobolds are in this cave.”
“I can’t really use my sword in these passages if I keep my shield in front,” Kalacho said. “There’s just no space.”
“Hopefully the passage opens up,” Gee’if said as he closed up behind Kalacho. “We should move just a bit faster so they can’t rush us in these passages. You could knock over one or two, but a crowd might just take us down.”
The duo sped up slightly. Moving forward to the limit of the pale light cast by the torch Koristal had quietly lit once they entered. Koristal looked over her shoulder at Roquel in surprise.
“They have it right,” Roquel said. “This tunnel is too small for us to fight in and the kobolds would have too much of an advantage. We need to move faster. I’m not seeing any side passages.”
The adventurer’s voice echoed in the cave. The barks grew louder as Koristal and Roquel moved to keep the group close together. They rounded a corner and the barks became distinct. The passage started to widen. Kalacho and Gee’if moved to stand side-by-side as they took advantage of the increased space.
“Don’t try any kind of overhead swing,” Kalacho observed. “We have space to the side, but I can just barely stand up without hitting my head.”
“We’re going to have to stand shoulder to shoulder anyway. I expect we’ll be stabbing with our swords. Haven’t done fighting like this since I was a recruit in Count Thorkul’s Legion,” Gee’if said.
“You fought with him?” Roquel said. “I thought he retired more than two decades ago.”
“One of his sons decided to take over,” Gee’if said. “They maintained the infantry portion, but they no longer field any cavalry. I fought with them for two campaign seasons. They were hired to take on a lizard man clan that organized in Shipwrack’s Swamp.”
“I heard about that,” Kalacho said as they rounded a corner and could see an open chamber in front of them. At least a dozen kobolds were standing in a disorganized mass in front of them. A couple attempted to pounce towards Kalacho and Gee’if, but they backed down after crashing into the shields the men held.
“We found the entrance,” Roquel said as light from Koristal’s torch cast shadows of the two men into the room.
The quartet watched the kobolds. Once again, a couple of kobolds approached. This time Gee’if risked a quick thrust with his sword. He caught one of the attacking kobolds in the hip, tearing a huge gash in its side as he withdrew his arm.
The stricken kobold collapsed to the ground. The other kobolds barked in alarm and near panic. The other attacker fell back. It snapped at Kalacho as it rejoined the disorganized mass of the kobold clan.
There was a faint swirl of air in the back corner of the room, on the far side of the room from the adventurers. The kobolds ignored the disturbance as two of the larger members of the group started barking. They appeared to want to
attack, but were struggling to convince the others in the group.
“They aren’t very organized fighters,” Kalacho observed.
“They aren’t using normal kobold tactics,” Gee’if pointed out as the two men started to slowly advance. The kobolds appeared confused. Several tried to advance and attack, but the creatures did not have weapons and despite grabbing desperately at the shields held by Gee’if and Kalacho were unable to get close to the men.
“Where are the weapons?” Kalacho asked. “Most kobolds have some weapons, even if it’s just stone knifes or clubs.”
The swirling in the back corner of the room ended and Faestari’s avatar appeared. She turned to look at the adventurers.
“It’s good to see you are all well,” Faestari said.
“I’m not sure we can get past these kobolds,” Kalacho said as he stabbed one of the ones attempting to grab at his shield. The kobolds were starting to push Kalacho and Gee’if back. The ones in the back were pressing forward, preventing the others from backing up.
“Gee’if, Kalacho, kneel!” Roquel shouted.
The two men took another step back and knelt. As soon as both had their right knee on the ground a massive blast of wind roared over their heads, pushing the kobolds back. The attack caused the kobolds to tumble into a pile as several were swept out of the chamber.
“We’re a little busy,” Kalacho called out. “Unless you can help us.”
Faestari watched as Kalacho and Gee’if stood back up and pressed their shields forward. The duo stabbed out with their swords repeatedly as they tried to force the kobolds out of the room.
“I’m limited in what I can do. I’m primarily here to guide you and to protect you from the other dungeon,” Faestari said. “I’m going to be in a lot of trouble for helping you.”
“What?” Gee’if said as he raised his shield and caught a kobold that had attempted to leap over the others to attack him. The adventurer used his sword to slash the kobold’s neck before shaking it off his shield.
The caverns were now shaking as loud barks rang out from deep underground. The kobolds the adventurers were fighting retreated from the chamber. A couple stopped in the tunnel, turning to fill it and block the adventurers from going deeper.
Faestari dropped down to the ground. Her avatar walked over to the adventurers as Kalacho and Gee’if made sure all the fallen kobolds in the chamber were dead. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“No,” Roquel said as she advanced towards the kobolds guarding the passageway. “I think we knew this was going to be a difficult fight. We are a bit surprised to see that the kobolds don’t have any weapons.”
“I think any weapons they do have are being used in their other fight,” Faestari said. “They opened up a passage into tunnels claimed by another subterranean humanoid race and they’ve been fighting ever since.”
Koristal nodded as she examined the dead kobolds. “These kobolds are definitely not normal, but we expected that.”
Kalacho nodded. He and Gee’if turned to look at the two kobolds standing in the tunnel. One had found some badly damaged pitchfork and was holding it in shaking hands. The two remaining tines wavered in the air as the creatures barked in alarm.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Gee’if said as he walked forward. He casually caught the tines of the pitchfork on his shield. Once the pitchfork was impaled into the shield, he raised his left arm to pull the weapon out of the kobold’s hand and then stepped forward while thrusting his sword.
The kobold tried to jump back, but the pitchfork rammed into its side causing it to stumble into the path of the thrust. The sword caught the kobold in the shoulder, causing a rush of blood from the stricken creature.
The other kobold in the tunnel leapt forward, but aimed low. It crashed into Gee’if’s legs knocking the adventurer down. Gee’if dropped his sword and tried to bring his shield down onto the creature’s back as it attempted to ravage his leg.
“Gee!” Koristal screamed out. She tried to rush forward as Kalacho slammed his shield into the kobold. It fell back, but a couple of his teeth caught on Gee’if’s thigh tearing a deep gouge.
The experienced adventurer groaned in pain. He rolled away from the kobold as Kalacho stepped over him and stabbed at the kobold with his sword.
Koristal ran over to Gee’if. She put her arms on his shoulders and forced him to lie on his back. “Let me check your wound,” she insisted loudly.
“It’s not too bad,” Gee’if said through clenched teeth.
“Let me heal it,” Koristal said. “We still have to fight to the dungeon center.”
“Not the center,” Faestari said. “I’m not sure how this dungeon does it, but the domain is anchored, but its heart is not. When we find his avatar, we’ll find the heart crystal.”
“Where is it?” Roquel asked.
“The dungeon must have sensed me. I can’t isolate the heart right now. When I first appeared, it felt like it was near the bottom of the domain. I think it had recently led another generation of kobolds into the fight with the other humanoids,” Faestari said.
Roquel moved to check the tunnel. The kobold that Gee’if stabbed had tried to crawl away while carrying his sword. She found its motionless body right at the edge of the light provided by the torch. She carefully picked it up as she looked out into the darkness.
“Faestari,” Roquel said. “Are you willing to provide light for us? Koristal should probably have both hands free so that she can concentrate on healing and protecting us.”
“If the kobolds don’t get weapons, we can stop any attack from in front,” Kalacho said confidently.
“Yes, but we could do that anywhere. Kobolds aren’t great fighters,” Gee’if said quietly as he got back to his feet.
“I’m surprised we haven’t seen any more just a bit deeper in the tunnels,” Kalacho said quietly as he looked past Roquel.
Faestari moved behind the quartet. She allowed a ball of mana to form over hear head. This one cast bright light in all directions, lighting up the tunnels. The adventurers could see multiple kobolds darting out of the light and heading deeper into the tunnels.
“Thanks,” Roquel said quietly. “And it’s clear they will try to fight back once we head deeper. Can you make sure that the dungeon heart can’t escape?”
“I don’t think it can leave the domain,” Faestari said. “Not without using mana, and from what I can feel the dungeon is very low on mana. Oh, try to avoid killing too many kobolds. It will gain mana from every death.”
“Now you warn us,” Roquel said. “But at least we know that currently its low on mana. Do you think it will recall the kobolds fighting in the depths?”
“I’m pretty sure it believes it can’t afford to. Remember it awoke because the kobolds were fighting against some other humanoid they encountered. There must be questions about what might happen should the other humanoids win,” Faestari said.
“Won’t it end up believing the same of us?” Koristal asked.
“Probably,” Faestari admitted quietly. She stopped talking and just followed the others as they advanced towards an intersection of multiple tunnels.
Kalacho and Gee’if paused at the intersection. They carefully checked all of the smaller tunnels. Barking coming from many of the tunnels made it clear that kobolds were nearby, but none attacked.
“This is disappointing,” Kalacho said. “We’re going to have to slow our advance because we have to watch for attacks from any and all directions.”
“It’s mad,” Roquel said quietly. “I’ve heard of dungeons that become dangerous after adventurers do something to anger it, but this one seems to behave like one of those without any adventurer ever entering.”
“Faestari?” Gee’if asked.
“I would not be the best to ask. While there was a time, I feared that there were attempts to capture my heart stone, I have no fear of anyone in the village. This makes me a bit different from most dungeons. They don’t have any real relati
onship with the adventurers who enter,” Faestari said.
Kalacho laughed. “Good point. I can’t think of any dungeon that would politely ask adventurers for help eliminating a dangerous dungeon.”
“The other dungeons that I do talk to hinted that they wanted me to help take care of the problem,” Faestari said.
“Did they threaten you?” Roquel asked angrily.
Faestari’s avatar seemed to blush. “They hinted that my efforts were being watched by other dungeons.”
There was a roar from the tunnels. The adventurers quickly spread out around Koristal. The young priestess raised her right hand. Her fist glowed brightly throwing beams of light down the passages.
The passages ahead and behind were filled by kobolds. The one leading back to the entrance held mostly frightened female kobolds. The females had no weapons and were leaning away as the few males in the pack pushed them forward.
The other passage contained a much better armed pack. Most of the weapons were picks and hammers, but some of the kobolds had crude metal breastplates. There were even a few of the larger ones that had clearly been modified by the dungeon. A faint red glow at the rear of this pack revealed that the dungeon spirit was the one pushing them to advance.
“I can hold off the ones behind us,” Gee’if said. He turned so that his shield filled the passage and crouched down slightly.
“It’s a large group,” Kalacho pointed out.
“The females clearly don’t want to fight,” Gee’if said. “If you and Roquel can get rid of the dungeon, they’ll run away.”
The kobold avatar roared. The few giant kobolds escorting him charged forward. One on the side of the formation ran his claws down the wall of the cavern. The stone glowed and the scratches melted away as the creature advanced.
“That might take a moment,” Kalacho said. “We have to get through the avatar’s defenders. And he’s definitely boosted them.”
“Kal! Switch with me,” Roquel shouted. “I’ll take the fire one.”
