by TJ Reynolds
The sheer ingenuity of the building made Ban’s mind spin round with ideas.
Its top floor, was in essence, its bottom. An attacking force would have to take the bridge and the top floor of the tower before descending.
And if I were making a wager, I’d guess that each floor had its own defenses. The cost of such an invasion would be staggering.
Ban trotted around the edge of the chasm, heading toward the bridge. As they traveled around the keep, Ban saw what had become of the third stream. Beyond the foot of the bridge, another creek bed dove down from the heights of the Zargan Mountains.
The river at first seemed to be dried up and depleted. A closer inspection showed that a trickle remained, and as it neared the spillway where it had once poured down into the Sunken Keep, a large, muddy sink hole could be found.
Ban wished he could press down into the sink hole with his consciousness. I swear it must have simply gone underground. I suspect water flows however it may. If only I had the freedom to explore it, the Earth Core lamented.
Soon enough, friend. I know the Sunken Keep is important for you… for us, Kai amended. But I’d sooner be taking you into those mountains. Somewhere up there, we’ll find a deep cave with your name on it.
The notion sent Ban’s core swirling anew with hope and excitement. Thank you, Kai. It is sweet of you to say so. Do you think… Ban’s thoughts trailed off as his champion craned up its neck to the tumbling heights of the Zargan Mountains. Do you think we shall find rare and valuable new ores? Or novel creatures for me to map out? I would simply love a new array of minions.
Oh, for certain, Ban, Kai offered with confidence. This is Hintar. Who knows what fine beasts we will find. And I’m sure there’ll be a hundred different gem stones and a vein of iron and gold as well.
Ban resisted the urge to school the boy that a single vein of ore would most commonly contain but a single type of metal.
That hadn’t been the point. Kai was simply encouraging him.
Having explored most of the canyon, Ban trotted back to the bridge.
Crossing the chasm didn’t make Ban feel warm and cozy in his core, but it would be necessary.
Ban stared across the modest bridge, wondering about the integrity of the structure. He might have done so indefinitely had Kai not taken the first bold step across.
Caution, Kai! We don’t know— Ban tried to warn but Kai shushed him.
Not while I’m walking across it, Ban. This is the only way across, is it not? And I weigh less than you. How else are we supposed to proceed?
Ban knew his dragon was speaking sense, but it didn’t make watching Kai cross the dilapidated stone bridge any easier. Still, no collapsing stones followed, and soon, Kai stood at the opposite end.
Kai turned back and held up his hands. Your turn, Ban! Just remember, should you fall to your death, I’ll recover your core and we’ll make you a new body once we’ve found you a new dungeon to occupy. But, I would prefer you to help me clear this keep first. I am not at all confident that it’s empty.
Ban sniffed, trying to portray as much reproach by the gesture as the reptilian hound was capable of. If the bridge collapses, I’ll blame you, Kai. Now, quiet while I cross. I’m sure all will be well.
The bridge remained solid despite its years of disuse, and not a single stone wobbled as Ban slunk over the expanse.
Despite his renewed opinion of the keep’s integrity, relief flooded Ban’s senses when he found himself standing side by side with Kai on the doorstep of the Sunken Keep.
The roof hung over with ample space to accommodate even Ban’s champion. Five horses could ride across and rest before the gate that sealed off the keep proper.
Ban examined the black scorched wood, shattered in places, and couldn’t help a shiver from running down his spine.
The keep had most certainly been taken by force.
See if you can open the gate, Kai. I wish I had a smaller body to explore this ruins with you. We’ll just have to hope the hallways are accommodating enough that I’ll be able to maneuver within.
Kai, holding his trusted glaive in one hand, strode toward the shattered gate. He spent a few moments inspecting the gate, then moved to one of the holes that marred it.
Then, without consulting Ban even once, the young dragon stepped through into the keep’s upper floor.
Kai! What are you doing? I can’t be of any assistance should you find trouble… Kai?
A few minutes passed, and Ban suppressed his breathing so that he could better listen for sounds of struggle. I’ll simply have to knock the gate down by force, Ban promised himself, yet kept his thoughts to himself. He’d be damned if he were the one to ruin Kai’s concentration when he needed it most.
When the wait proved nearly insurmountable, a screeching erupted from the gate before him.
At first, Ban suspected a squadron of monstrous rats mounting an assault on his companion. But then he noted how the gate shuddered, lifting up a few inches.
Grating metal sang out in protest as the gate hoisted upward in small increments.
Ban turned around, his eyes searching for any signs of pursuit. Should any enemies remain hidden in this canyon, all would know their business by now. But nothing but grass and scattered pebbles stood at the opposite end of the bridge.
At last, the cacophonous bridge quieted, and Ban turned back to see Kai standing beneath it with a triumphant grin on his face. You coming in, Ban? Or shall I clear the keep alone?
11
From the Top, First Trial
Ban
You would never do such a thing, Kai. Enough of this jesting, Ban answered reproachfully.
Wickedly, Kai’s grin refused to leave. What? No thank you?
Ban sighed, letting a bit of the tension in his reptilian body escape. Of course. I’m sorry, Kai, you’ve done a marvelous job. I’m surprised the gate still functions.
Kai looked up at the rickety gate and scratched his head. Me too. I think it was battered until enough people could crawl through and take the gate room.
Suppressing the banter of his own pressing thoughts, Ban walked under the gate and into the first chamber of the keep alongside Kai. The two let their conversation die as they stared into the gloomy hallway leading into the top floor of the keep.
The ceiling was ten feet high, yet the oppressive weight of all that stone gave Ban the impression it would collapse at any moment. Certainly in need of some repairs and a renovation, he mused.
Ban registered a subtle difference in the Sunken Keep that made the experience distinct from Imogen’s dungeon. The air here was empty of mana, lifeless as an abandoned cave. Ban thought that if an Earth Core had once occupied the keep, it had either been killed outright or taken.
Either possibility left him more than a little anxious.
The room was empty, but connected to a hallway at the far left corner. Kai moved through the hall first, but made no mention of resistance beyond.
Each floor of the keep must have been somewhere over a hundred feet wide, and perfectly square. Ban just hoped the interior had been designed with some notion of dragons or other large beasts moving about freely. Getting trapped in a narrow passageway would be a terrible way to lose a champion.
As they entered the second room, they found only a few piles of rubble, evidence of a long row of beds. This must have been where the guards took their rest, Ban assumed.
At last, they passed through the second room and found the hall at its end. In Ban’s mind, he could see how they had wound around half of the top floor, and were now moving into the other half. It was a clever design that ensured only a single pathway led deeper into the keep.
Everything, it seemed, revolved around defense.
Kai walked into the third room, and Ban followed once more. He saw his dragon disappear around the corner ahead, and then a growl reverberated in the air. It was high-pitched and vicious.
A flash of light lit the room, and Ban hustled through the hall
to find Kai standing above a blackened corpse.
This third room was as wide as the other, around forty feet or so, but seemed to run the full length of the top floor.
Ban saw a flash of worry pass over Kai’s face, but then the two faced the gloom beyond. Subtle noises came from the dark room, the only light spilling down through cracks in the ceiling.
What did you kill? Ban asked his friend.
Not sure. Small and humanoid. Came at me from around that pile of fallen stone.
Kai! You don’t go killing any little beast you find!
The sound of Kai’s indignant scoff echoed through the chamber. Ban, it wasn’t as if I—
Kai didn’t have time to finish his thought.
The rattle of a dozen or more creatures attacking at once filled the room.
Shadows swarmed over and around the piles of stone strewn about the chamber, and Ban prepared for battle.
His Beam Roar would be his only real defense in the keep unless he could find ample space. So close to Kai, however, he feared he might cause his companion harm should he employ his Tail Whip or Reptilian Roll.
Then the beasts emerged from the gloom, and Ban’s fears diminished.
Ban counted thirteen little beasts with hunched-over postures and scrawny limbs. They clutched various pieces of rubble as weapons.
Kai had begun charging up a spell, so Ban lunged toward their attackers in a mock charge.
It was enough to slow their approach.
The creatures stopped and found cover behind a few piles of stone.
Their forms were still hard to make out, but Ban figured each was less than half the size of Kai. Such foes were easy to discredit, but Ban hadn’t forgotten the ferocity of his gargen friends. The group of beasts had done for that lousy soldier who’d nearly cracked his core.
When their caution abated, the group charged once more.
Kai released Confounded Core.
As it had in Imogen’s dungeon, the spell charged around Kai’s hands and arms, and at the last minute, pulled back into Kai’s belly before shooting out in a thick beam.
The purple energy struck one of the creatures in the chest, splashing off of its tiny body and hitting three more.
While their companions ran ahead, the four affected creatures froze in their footsteps. One remained locked in place while another sprinted away in terror. The other two turned, held up their feeble weapons, and attacked their fellows.
By the time the group reached them, much of the force behind the assault had been blunted. The two confused creatures knocked down a few of the others in a frenzy.
Kai let his glaive loose, and in three quick thrusts, felled as many enemies.
Ban had but to slash out with his great claws to bring three more down. Their unarmored bodies had no way of resisting his attack, and he almost felt sorry for them as they screeched in pain and bled out on the stones.
The chaotic sounds of battle died down, and only a shrill scream continued, coming from the terrified mouth of the single retreating creature.
Ban and Kai took stock of the situation.
All of their foes lay dead on the stone floor of the keep but for the one still frozen in shock. Kai cut out the monster’s throat mercifully and turned to face the other two still under the power of his spell.
They stared blankly up at Kai, their black eyes devoid of thought.
Having a better vantage of the creatures, Ban inspected them.
Daldrim Outcast
Goblinoid
Amber 2
The daldrim outcasts were dressed only in tattered strips of leather, their wiry frames emaciated and covered in sores. Each stood at most four feet tall, but Ban noted how their bodies seemed shrunken. He had some notion that other daldrim might be considerably larger and more powerful.
Three thick fingers and a huge thumb emerged from each hand, and they were bald all over. Their pale skin shone sickly under the stream of sunlight falling down from the roof.
Ban had never seen the likeness of a goblin before, but he had expected them to be green. Still, the daldrim looked more like hybrids, a cross between goblins and humans. Such a union was unsettling, yet the long limbs and upright posture made his guess likely.
“Not what I’d call an honorable victory,” Kai muttered in disgust.
The dragon sighed, examining the face of his enthralled opponent.
No, suppose not, Ban agreed. Still, rather them dead than us bludgeoned to a pulp. The only question remains… what do you do with them?
Kai chuckled. “No clue. Honestly, this is the first time one has survived. Eventually, the spell will wear off, but until then…”
Ban’s curiosity piqued, imagining a potential use for their dull-eyed friends. Kai, will you try something for me? I think those two are waiting on your command. Can you send them down to the next floor? They might save us even more trouble.
Kai nodded, then faced the grubby daldrim again. “You two, are there more daldrim close by?”
Slowly, the creatures nodded.
Ban examined Kai’s face as he spoke. The dragonling looked almost familiar, like a painting or a statue Ban had seen long ago. Kai’s usual kind features were strained somewhat, just a touch of pleasure in his voice as he gave his orders.
“I want you to go and attack them. Kill as many as you can, okay?”
Both daldrim outcasts growled at once, their mouths opening to reveal crooked and jagged teeth. Then they spun around, held their weapons aloft, and charged away toward the back of the large room.
Feeling ridiculous, Ban followed with Kai at his side.
The lighting didn’t improve as they wove around the piles of rubble, heading for the end of the long room. A torch would be necessary if they were to continue further. Ban’s champion could see well in low lighting, but Kai did not have such an ability.
Watching the two daldrim race ahead, Ban noticed they turned and descended a stairwell that led deeper into the keep.
Sure enough, when Ban and Kai reached the same position, they found a broad set of stairs leading straight down into the next floor.
Kai fished out a torch from their baggage, an invaluable piece of equipment that Rhona had thought to prepare and disperse among their small party before leaving Imogen’s dungeon.
Ban sent off a silent thank you to the capable woman. She was a truly valuable ally. Though curiosity tugged at him, Ban refused to let his attention drift from the moment at hand.
Shrieks emerged from the dark room before them followed by curses or shouts in a crude language.
Kai held his torch aloft and strode forward into the room.
Where the previous chamber lay filled with scattered piles of stone, this one held ancient furniture, collecting dust in a terrible way.
It wasn’t as large of a room as the last, and Ban estimated it was perhaps a quarter of the floor, some fifty by fifty feet. A tall wooden divider came into view, behind which the daldrim fought.
If the sounds of their struggle were any indication, it had quickly become a nasty fight.
Kai moved around the left of the divider, and Ban the right.
The room fell silent but for a continued murmuring growl.
Then Ban saw them, huddled around the crumpled forms of their enchanted friends. A group of five or six daldrim at the end of the room, one poking the body of their weaker kin with a staff.
They spotted Kai first, bearing the torch aloft and unguarded.
The creatures howled in rage and charged the young dragon.
Ban saw a flash of light as Kai called on the power of Flame Spear.
Wanting to be of use himself, Ban ran around to flank the little beasts.
When he came within range, he saw that his earlier suspicions were correct. These were two feet taller than the daldrim outcasts. Their increased stature, improved clothing and weapons, were of little use against Kai and Ban, however.
In moments, Ban had sunk his teeth into the hind legs of one
, tossing it aside into the stone wall twenty feet away. Then he slashed down another who’d turned to see who’d done for his friend.
Kai used his glaive to dispatch the other three, and the skirmish was over.
Perhaps we should search their bodies, Kai suggested. Do you think they might have dropped any loot?
Ban snorted. I doubt it, Kai. There’s no mana here, not any that I can detect anyhow. These little monsters will only have mundane items, most of which seem little more than moldering leather and wood.
Encouraged by the ease with which they defeated their second confrontation, the party continued.
No other daldrim were found on their current floor, so they descended once more. The third floor was a vast open space. Only a central column, used to provide the structure with additional strength, broke up the emptiness of the chamber.
The floor was strange, for not a single scrap of furniture, no loose stones, and certainly no creatures were inside.
Ban grew nervous, fearing the worst of their resistance might lie below. I wonder if the daldrim that live further down might have scrounged everything in this room and taken it all with them.
Maybe, Kai admitted. We came upon outcasts first. The second group were called daldrim misfits. I’ll bet they keep getting more powerful the lower we go. The question remains, how many floors does this tower have?
Ban spent a few moments calculating. Well, the chasm looked to be a little over a hundred feet deep, though it was hard to tell from outside. The ceilings are fairly tall, maybe fifteen feet thick when you count the stone itself. If it continues like this, my guess would be six or seven levels.
Kai held his torch a little higher, eying the large room. Makes sense. Let’s keep moving then. At least three more to go.
The two found the next staircase in the center of the vast chamber. This one was spiraled, and even wider than the last. Kai strode ahead of Ban by a few feet, his torch flickering in the cool, dank air.
The light it provided was just enough to see the crowd of grubby faces surrounding them when they strode out onto the fourth floor. Then the first rock pelted Kai, taking the young man in the face.
