“What is it uncle?” Broda asked, responding to his strong reaction.
“There is no way you could know that,” the King whispered.
“Know what?” I asked.
“It is a secret, passed down only from one King to the next,” he replied in awe. “Not even revealed to our closest advisors. A hidden passage that leads to a sealed chamber beneath this very room.”
“The purpose of this secret chamber is unknown, lost with so much of our history. All that I know is that I am charged with keeping the secret, permitted to reveal it only to one who would come seeking what lies there.”
“I can open the passage for you, but I cannot accompany you beyond the portal. Only you, the seeker and your companions, may enter there.”
“Much of the story of that chamber is lost, as I have said, but the arrival of the seeker has been perceived as a harbinger of great change across the land. Most of my predecessors feared it augured the end of times, a time of disaster. I can only pray that is not the case.”
“As do I,” I replied.
The King did not speak again as he led us across the room. Stepping into a small alcove, he slid behind a large statue and placed his signet ring inside a tiny crack in the wall. The small fissure spread apart, revealing a cleverly hidden passage descending down into the darkness.
We followed the stairs downwards and I cast Enhanced Sight as I peered into the gloom. The details of the narrow staircase were instantly revealed, and I strode confidently down the stairs to the floor below.
There was only a short hallway before another door blocked our advance. There was no knob or keyhole, but I instantly recognized the small outline carved into the face of the doorway.
Taking out my amulet, I pressed it into the depression, and the two matched flawlessly together. With a soft click, the door slid open to reveal the confines of the secret chamber.
As the door came to a halt, a series of torches along the wall burst into flames, illuminating the room. The flickering light was clearly magical in nature, as the flames shone in shades of bright blue rather than orange or crimson.
In the center of the chamber was a large stone sarcophagus. The flickering blue light highlighted the runes and figures that had been painstakingly carved across its surface. Save for that solitary stone capsule, the room was empty. Tási was the last to enter the chamber, and the door ominously slammed shut behind her as she walked inside the room.
As we cast about the room looking for any threats, a faint blue mist arose from the sarcophagus. We braced for an attack as the mist gathered itself into the form of a noble-looking dwarf. The apparition glanced at each of us, finally stopping when his gaze met mine.
“I have waited a long time for you to arrive, Sintári,” the dwarf seemed to sigh.
“I am here now,” I replied, hoping the spirit might be helpful. “I do not fully understand what is required of me, or the true nature of my quest—is there anything you can tell me?”
“Not I, Sintári,” the apparition replied. “But once you get past me, the elf King will have much more to tell you.”
“Past you?” I asked.
“You must defeat me to prove yourself worthy, Sintári,” the spirit intoned.
“I have no wish to fight you.”
“Yet you must,” he replied. “It is the only way for you to gain what you seek, and the only way for me to be released from the oath that binds me here.”
“What if I can’t defeat you?”
“Oh, I’m certain that you cannot,” the spirit laughed. “Not by yourself at least; that is why your companions must fight alongside you. You are not the only one who must prove your worth—this is a test they must pass as well.”
A large two-handed hammer materialized in the apparition’s hands, almost larger than the dwarven spirit himself. Then, he simply waited there before us, allowing us a moment to draw our own weapons as well, and as we pulled out our arms, we each took up our usual battle positions.
Stel, Broda, and Venna formed a quick front line with Khorim immediately behind them, while Tási and I prepared to deal out deadly damage from a distance. The apparition charged us, and with a single swipe of his hammer, wiped out our entire front line. The power behind his blow was incredible, sweeping aside my three heavily armored friends almost effortlessly. With the path between us clear, I released a Swarm arrow and watched as all three shafts lodged in his chest.
“You’ll have to do far better than that, Sintári,” the dwarf said, shrugging off the impacts of my shot.
The confines of the room were too close for me to even consider a follow-up shot, and I slung my bow quickly before drawing the Essence Blade and Dagger of Laceration.
The apparition was upon me in no time, and I rolled to the side as his hammer slammed into the ground where I had been standing. I whipped the Essence Blade around in its long sword form and struck back at the dwarf. Although the blade seemed to simply pass through his form, he howled in pain, nonetheless. As he tried to recover, Tási hit him with a bolt of fire. Her magic flames also flew right through his immaterial body, but he cried out in pain yet again.
Khorim and Stel lay on the floor, badly injured, but the rest of us took the opportunity to strike back. Broda’s hammers struck out relentlessly but seemed unable to cause any harm—only my enchanted blades and Tási and Venna’s spells appeared to have any effect on the dwarven apparition.
The dwarf seemed well-aware of this fact and focused his attacks on the three of us. He was fast and struck with lightning speed, and in a moment of opportunity, as he bore down on Venna, I launched a desperate attack. Swinging the Essence Blade at his legs, I channeled Achilles Strike into it as I swung through his body.
The apparition screamed in agony as the enchanted blade ripped through his ephemeral form. For the first time, I saw the mists of his body shimmer and falter as the blade parted his legs. Although he quickly reformed, the apparition had taken a grievous injury.
Limping now, his eyes glared at me angrily, but instead of retreating from that gaze, I charged. Realizing that channeling one of my talents into the blade had been the reason I had caused him so much harm, I summoned Flurry as I closed in and launched my attack.
But the dwarf was ready for my assault, and I saw my doom coming for me as his hammer descended in a preemptive strike. I would have been crushed by the blow had it not been for Tási and Venna. As he swung, they both cast their magic at him. Tási’s bolt of fire made contact just as Venna’s own shaft of light struck him from behind.
The dwarf spasmed in pain and his hammer whistled past me, missing my head by mere inches. The dwarf fell to his knees and I hit him hard with three quick slices of the Essence Blade, and with the final pass of the blade through his body, the apparition shimmered and then slowly faded away.
With his disappearance, the torches flared brightly for a moment before returning to their normal glow. When the burst of light faded, Khorim and Stel rose from the floor, their injuries from the battle healed by the magical light. The light had not only healed their serious wounds, but also the more minor scrapes and bruises the rest of us had received during the fight.
“Is everyone alright?” Venna inquired.
When we all confirmed that we were indeed fine, she breathed a sigh of relief. I was about to ask if anyone had an idea about what we should do next, when a voice called out to me.
“Well done, Sintári,” the now familiar voice of the spirit called out.
I turned to see that the apparition had reformed over the sarcophagus once again. He no longer held his war hammer and seemed to be pleased with his defeat.
“My duty is now over, and I can finally leave this place,” he told me. “But yours has only just begun.”
“Who are you?” I asked, suddenly curious.
“My name, like the name of the elf King you have yet to meet, has been lost in the passing of time many years ago. It is better for us all that it remains that way, as it is we t
hat are the past, and you who represents the future.”
“Where will I find the elf King you speak of?”
“He awaits you with the final token, Sintári. We worked together in our time, preparing the way for you when we saw that things were hopeless for us. He will be able to tell you much more, as that was the task he chose for himself.”
“We saw your coming Sintári, and the coming of your companions with you. You will need them if you are to succeed, as you needed them to defeat me—never forget that. They will each have a role to play in the great events that lie ahead.”
“I can only hold this form for a short while longer, and when I am gone, the sarcophagus will open. Inside, you will find the token you seek, along with weapons I have left for your dwarven companions; their arrival with you was anticipated as well. There is also a sealed scroll. You are not to open it—the elf King will let you know what to do with that. Tell no one what has transpired here, but take everything you find and journey to where the elf King awaits you.”
With a bow of his head, the dwarf’s form began to dissipate before my eyes, vanishing quickly into the air. My amazement at his departure was cut short by the grating sound of the sarcophagus lid sliding open, and a loud crash sounded as the cover tumbled to the ground, leaving the container uncovered.
We approached cautiously, wary of the powerful magics that were at play. Peering inside the sarcophagus, everything was as the apparition had said.
At one end, resting against the sides of the sarcophagus was a matching pair of dwarven steel hammers. Even in the dim light inside the box, the intricate scrollwork and engraving on the hammers glistened brightly. Picking them up gingerly, I moved to hand them to Broda, for whom they were clearly intended. As I lifted them up, a notification flashed briefly before my eyes.
Sintári Mauls – Twin hammers destined for one of the Sintári’s companions. These hammers inflict bonus magical damage based on the wielder’s Constitution. Additional damage is also added against enemies diametrically opposed to the Sintári’s goals. These weapons may only be wielded by one specifically chosen by the Sintári. The recipient will become aware of the weapons’ properties once they are gifted by the Sintári.
Reading the message quickly, I handed them to Broda without hesitation.
“Broda, please honor me by accepting this gift,” I said solemnly, hoping to invoke their power correctly.
Having heard the apparition apparently declare that the weapons were hers, she looked at me with an odd expression as she took them from my hands. Broda froze in place as soon as the metal touched her skin and she learned the true nature of the hammers she had received.
“By the forge!” She whispered. “Nothing like this has been crafted in an age!”
“I take it that they meet with your approval then?” I teased.
“It’s more than I deserve,” Broda whispered.
“No, Broda,” I replied softly. “They are far less than you’re worth.”
She looked at me with tears in her eyes, understanding the full meaning of my words. Unable to speak, she nodded her thanks and I left her to marvel at her new hammers as I turned my attention back to the contents of the sarcophagus.
At the opposite end of the stone box lay a crossed pair of short swords. Again, there was no doubt over whom these were meant for and I lifted them out, drawing one of the blades slightly as I did so. The unmistakable luster of pure Khelduin shone back at me in the blade’s mirror-like finish as a notification once again appeared in my vision.
Sintári Fangs – Twin blades destined for one of the Sintári’s companions. These swords inflict bonus magical damage based on the wielder’s Constitution. Additional damage is also added against enemies diametrically opposed to the Sintári’s goals. These weapons may only be wielded by one specifically chosen by the Sintári. The recipient will become aware of the weapons’ properties once they are gifted by the Sintári.
Though the weapons were quite different, the properties were nearly identical. Passing them over to Khorim, I repeated my pronouncement.
“Khorim, please honor me by accepting this gift,” I intoned.
While he was unaware of the weapon’s properties, Khorim had observed Broda’s reaction to receiving hers. He accepted my offer of the blades reverently before he too became overwhelmed when he became aware of their properties.
“Holy fuck!” Khorim exclaimed.
“Eloquent as usual, master dwarf,” I replied.
Khorim stared blankly at the blades in his hands, unfazed by my retort.
“Do you have any idea what these are worth?” He finally said.
“Less than your life to me, Khorim,” I answered.
He looked at me then with eyes full of gratitude, knowing that I had not only gifted him thus, but also his wife. Avoiding any further awkwardness, I reached into the sarcophagus and pulled out the last item, a small wooden box.
Opening the small container, I saw the scroll that the apparition had mentioned and tucked it into my backpack for safety. Once it was safely away, all that was left was the token I had originally come for.
Carved from a thin plate of Khelduin, the token was delicately engraved with a sequence of natural scenery. Mountains rose in the distance, and a small stream wandered through a forest of trees carved into the foreground. Looking closely, there were even a few animals carefully worked into the metal. As I marveled at the intricate work, its properties flashed before my eyes.
Minor Token of Fortitude – This charm increases the wearer’s Constitution by one point. This effect is permanent until the token is given away freely or sold willingly.
Removing my Amulet, I drew the new token towards it, and it snapped into place, becoming the background for the entire piece.
The Amulet, now with five of its tokens joined together, flared to life in my hands. A flash of light blinded me, and I fell to the floor. Dazed, I sat there for a moment, unable to move. Stel and Venna were by my side in an instant, helping me regain my feet.
“What happened?” Venna asked, clearly concerned for me.
“You didn’t see that?” I replied incredulously.
“See what?” Stel asked.
“You didn’t see that bright light?”
“There was no light, Dreya. At least not for us,” Venna offered.
I looked down at the Amulet I still clutched in my hand and wondered just what had happened. Examining it closely, I discovered the cause.
Unidentified Amulet, Soul Bound – With the addition of the fifth Token, the power of this Artifact has increased. All Tokens now apply a 10% bonus to their affected Abilities.
My head hurt—too many things were happening all at once. I slipped from Venna and Stel’s grasp and slid down to the floor again, and when they tried to pick me back up, I just waved them off.
“Give me a minute,” I told them when they tried lifting me up.
Venna sat down beside me on the cold stone floor.
“What is it? What’s happening right now?” She asked.
“I don’t know,” I answered candidly. “I think I just need a little time to process all of this.”
Venna sat quietly beside me, reassuring me with her presence while allowing me the time I needed to gather my thoughts, but in the end, I found there really wasn’t all that much for me to gather. I only had one path forward, and it led straight to the next and final piece of the Amulet. Pulling myself together, I stood up and let out a deep breath.
“I’m good, let’s get out of here,” I announced unceremoniously.
“Are you sure?” Tási asked.
“Sure enough.”
With that, I started climbing the stairs leading back to the Throne Room. Left with no other choice, my companions followed immediately behind me, and as we reentered the chamber, Broda’s uncle awaited us anxiously as we emerged from the stairway.
“What’s happened?” He asked in a rush. “I heard a great deal of noise, but it was all so unclear
, as if coming from underwater.”
“We have completed the task we came for,” Broda glanced at me as she answered the King. “Apologies dear uncle, but we can say nothing more.”
Since Broda was his niece, it was probably best that she had been the one to turn away his inquiry. Had any of the rest of us done so, he might not have taken it so well.
“As you wish. It’s probably for the best; this secret has been passed down for so many centuries,” the King replied. “I should count myself lucky that I will be the last to bear its weight.”
“Uncle,” Broda said when he had finished. “Although I have only just returned, we must be leaving again in the morning. The quest we are on simply will not wait, but my friends and I will need a place to stay for the night. Discreetly—It is best that we remain unnoticed as much as possible.”
“Say no more, Broda,” the King replied. “I am sorry that you are unable to stay with us; many will regret having missed the chance to see you again, but considering what you have just done here and knowing that it is only a part of something even larger, I understand both your haste and need for discretion.”
The King summoned forth several of his retainers, instructing them to provide not only for our lodging, but anything else we might need before we moved on the next morning. He would have done so himself, but we had interrupted a full session of the Royal Court, and the King still had many important matters to attend to.
We were led to several adjacent rooms in a small out-of-the-way corner of the palace. The dwarves who brought us to our chambers assured us that no one else would disturb us while we were there, and as promised, the retainers the King had assigned to us also saw to our other needs.
We had passed through Dhagboro so quickly that Tási had not been able to send her message back home. The King’s people handled the task for her, promising that the letter she drafted would be delivered quickly.
They also took care of pawning off all of our loot. Again, having rushed through Dhagboro, we had somehow neglected to get rid of our plunder from the orcs’ attack on our caravan, and when we inquired about the possibility of selling the items for us, the King’s men offered their assistance without reservation. They gathered our assortment of armor and weapons and carted away the entire collection. Having upgraded to the Bow of Impact, I tossed my old back-up bow on top of the pile as well.
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