This choice: Syndra Theric, a spellblade • Go Back... Deep in the dark, you softly whispered “Shriiatis Vexateom” while applying a little focus to the task.
Within a moment, you felt the familiar warm pulse spreading from your chest down your arms. Scant seconds later, your sword started to glow as the spell took effect. Before long the glow was enough to see by without being blinding. Now that you could see again, you shook the map off, trying to get the worst of the water off before it was totally ruined. Going to have to really renegotiate the deal with that wizard once I’m out of here you mentally grumbled. You had a torch before, but had slipped on an unseen stone and plunged into the knee deep water that filled this section of the cave soaking the torch and everything else. The old man had incorrectly deduced that the cave would be only marginally damp.
Holding your sword aloft, you tried to make heads or tails of the map and which direction you were supposed to go now. The crude drawing had been hard enough to follow before some of the ink had started to run, and you didn’t feel like getting lost down in the twisting passages beneath the ground. Deciding on one of the branches, you set off again, senses alert for whatever had been following you since you came down here. It was subtle at first: a quiet scratch here, a soft sniff there, and the barest glint of something hiding in the shadows beyond your light. When you went under and your torch went out however, you could tell it rushed to get closer to you in the sudden darkness. With your sword illuminating the area around you now, it had backed off again. Whatever it was, it was obviously tracking you, but remaining away from the light as much as it could.
You also kept an eye on the floor below in order to avoid another fall if possible. The clear water gave you fleeting glimpses of your reflection before the ripples washed it away. Your midnight black hair was mostly hidden beneath your helmet except for a stray lock that peeked out at the edge. Thick plates hid most of your curvy body, but a careful observation could give a hint of the shape that lay beneath. Your sword was practical and without much ornamentation, except for the pommel: a gemstone that swirled with an inner light, serving as a focus for your spells. You typically went without a shield on the other arm to leave your hand free to cast spells, but could summon a magical replacement if it was truly required.
Several branches and backtracks from dead ends later, you came to what had to be your destination: a large grotto in some of the deepest reaches of the cavern. Within the shimmering depths, vast deposits of crystals sprouted from the walls. Releasing the spell on your sword, you saw that the crystals indeed cast a gleaming glow of their own; something the wizard did get correct. He said he needed several of the crystals to help maintain the barrier around the city, as well as for his own experiments, and he was paying you good money to get them. Before you left, he went into a longwinded explanation about the nature of the crystals, but the only bit you remembered was that the cave was a nexus of magical energy that allowed the crystals to constantly replenish given enough time.
You hoped that the glow of the crystals would be enough to keep whatever was out there at bay. Drawing the provided rock pick from your belt, you found a cluster of easily reachable crystals and set to work. Before long, you had a double handful of the glowing crystals tucked in a pouch hanging from your waist. You turned towards the exit but stopped and swiveled back again. On the side of one of the pillars was a crystal that caught your eye; rather than the usual greens or blues of the rest, this particular cluster was shot through with a reddish hue. Nibbling on your lip for a moment, you decided to take one of those as well, but not for the wizard, you had something else in mind for that one. It proved a bit more stubborn than the others, but after pounding for what felt to be a long time, a large piece finally broke free. You stared at the almost blood colored glow for a moment before tucking it into pocket and put the pick away.
You started to say the spell to relight your sword when you heard the plop of a stone hitting the water, right next to you. Glancing up, you just managed to see a dark shape clinging to a stalactite above you; apparently the light of the crystals wasn’t enough. In a flash, the shape dropped from the rock, slamming into the spot where you had been standing a split second before, sending a wave of water in all directions. Your quick dodge had left you sprawled in the water again, and you had only barely managed to get back to your feet before the creature was on you again, slashing at you with sickle-shaped claws and trying to take your head off. Bobbing and weaving, you managed to avoid the creature’s first swipe and the subsequent follow ups, but you couldn’t seem to hit it either. The dim glow of the crystals around the chamber didn’t allow you to see much of whatever it was that was attacking you, but you managed to see that it was both scaly and shaggy at the same time, with big eyes and an even larger tooth filled mouth. The beast was quite surefooted on the rough floor, even with the layer of water churned up by the motion hiding what lay beneath. You, on the other hand, were often stumbling and barely managing to recover to avoid a lethal blow. Sparks fell from your armor as one blow came far too close for comfort, the claws scrapping across your breastplate.
Eventually, you managed to duck into a cramped crevice in the stone wall that provided nearly enough room for you to get in while still keeping the claws just out of range. It kept trying though, slamming into the stone and breaking bits free in its rush to get to you. Now with a moment to breathe, you focused again, drawing on the magic within. You weren’t just going to light up your sword this time however.
“Flarulsi Caniecto!” you shouted, screwing your eyes shut as a tremendous flash of light burst from your hand.
The beast howled in pain and reared back. Grabbing a hold of a rocky outcropping above you, you pulled yourself up. Jumping out of the crevice with a cry of “Incenticum Consilendio!” you felt a rush of energy flow into the blade before it burst into flames. The creature was just starting to recover, but it was too late. You fell atop its head, driving the point of your sword through the top of its skull, searing the meat as it penetrated. With one last gurgle, the beast collapsed into the water releasing some steam from the toothy maw before giving a final shudder and falling still.
Panting heavily, you pulled your sword free, before wiping the dark blood off on the matted fur of the corpse. You gave the sword a quick inspection, as well as the beast, but you had no idea what it was. Thankful that you had taken only minor injuries, you illuminated your sword again before heading for the surface. The smell of charred meat and the damp clung to the inside of your nose, nearly making you gag on the short trip back to the city. Once there, you explained the trouble you had encountered and was able to get some bonus funds in compensation. He thanked you for a job well done nevertheless, and was quickly at work, even before you were out the door. Patting the pocket with your earnings, you set off again for your next destination.  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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