Valknar
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Chapter 77
🕑 Added 2024-10-23 18:30:46 +0000 UTCThe descent went without issue, as everyone they spoke to had told them it would. Nimora and her team found the bottom of the stairwell and were standing in a room that looked like a half-finished construction site. Checking a compass, she got a sense of direction. To the east was an open-door portal and to the north was a large, sturdy-looking door.
Xerack went to the door and looked it over. He ran his hands over the door and its frame, checking for locks and traps. After a few minutes, he turned back to Nimora.
“The door is designed to open from the other side.” He informed them.
She was unsure why, but Dungeons were known for their quirks. The open-door portal was the route they took to leave the stairwell room. She looked through the doorway into the next room. There was a short corridor that led into a… cavern. It was hard to tell. What she could see was tall grass and other plants. The space was lit by large amounts of blue moss on the ceiling. The whole area was coloured blue from the moss’s light.
It gave everything a surreal and almost alien look.
“Xerack had led. The rest of us will follow as normal.” She pulled two wands from her belt. “Take it easy and slowly, no, heroics.”
Xerack takes the lead, and they follow. He moves gracefully and silently, his new armour blending his form with the shadows created by the moss around them. The moss on the ceiling is far more concentrated than the moss on the stairwell, and it brightens the room. However, the dominant blue tone still makes everything seem strange.
The room turns out to be a cavern, and the southern exit is clearly visible. Multiple species of plants grow in it. The floor is dominated by tall grass with ivy vines growing up the walls. Several large bushes are also spotted around, breaking up the line of sight of her team. They walk into the grass, which is close to a meter in height.
Xerack is alert and is looking in every direction: where are the monsters?
Fredrick suddenly turns, raising his shield. A blur leaps out of the grass at him. A massive snake collides with his shield but latches onto it, biting into the reinforced wood. He is forced to step back with the impact and add additional weight.
The team reacted to the attack. Kyle shot an arrow into the snake's flank, causing it to let go of the shield. Fredrick attacked the snake, slashing at it. The snake avoided the blow as it pulled back and the blade cut only air.
Randle moved up to help but cried out in pain as another snake attacked from the grass, biting into his leg. This distracted the group from the first. He stabbed down, wounding the snake, causing it to let go.
Xerack twisted, stabbing out as a third snake attacked from another angle. Nimora took it all in and started giving orders.
“Fredrick, Randle, Xerack keep the snakes engaged. Kyle shot any target; Randle, I am about to use magic.” They all heard her but stayed on mission and did not answer. She moved closer to Randle and then around him to get a view of the snake.
It had been striking at Randle and was colliding with the shield he set before him. It tried to use its length as an advantage, keeping him at a distance. This was the first good look at the snakes, but she found it hard to see them. The snake's scales shifted in colour and pattern to reflect the grass around it.
“Casting.” She said and Randle raised his shield. She pointed her wands.
The snake thought this was a sign to attack again, and as it struck forward, it was intercepted by two [Air Blade] spells. She felt the sudden weariness from the mana drain from casting two spells simultaneously but was, by now, used to it. Both hit the snake behind its head, decapitating it and causing blood to splatter about. The body collapsed, and the head bounced off Randles' shield.
“Shifting to Xerack.” He said, moving with a slight limp.
“Good.” Nimora looked around and knew that with the surprise attack over, the snakes were being overwhelmed. Xerack was finishing off his opponent and Kyle shot the other, who was full of arrows, killing it. As soon as the third hit the ground dead, the flash of the reward told her it was over.
“Xerack, check the rest of the cavern. Mealina, see to Randle. Ator check the reward.” Her instructions were clipped and delivered with authority. The group sprang into action.
Mealina knelt next to Randle, and he and Fredrick watched the space around them, ready for more trouble. Ator went through the trampled grass to collect coins. Xerack moved through the cavern, seeking any hidden dangers or surprises. Nimora turns to see Elian standing next to the headless body of her kill, scribbling on the vellum on her board and muttering notes into a recording crystal in her collar.
“…. a snake that can blend in with its environment…” She heard some of what the Guild Leader was recording but turned her attention away.
“Mealina?” She asked. The other woman was still kneeling with her hand on his plated thigh, which glowed slightly with a soft white light.
“Light wound. The snake's fangs punched straight through the steel. No poison- praise Ilina- I have given him a healing tonic. He will be fine in a few minutes.” She reported.
“Xerack?” She calls out.
“Clear!” was his reply.
“Kyle?” She asked the hunter as she walked over to him. He had retrieved his arrows from the snake he helped kill. Now he stood with Elian, holding the snake head in his hands, inspecting it.
“Never seen the likes. It has the ability to blend with its surroundings, making it an ambusher by nature.” He said, still looking into the snake head's mouth. “Look at the fangs. They are not normal teeth; they are more crystal-like. I do not see any venom glands.”
She nodded at everything he said, taking it all in. As a [Monster Hunter], she trusted his observations. Elian recorded everything he said. She could see the damage to Kyle’s shield from the bite. She would have to take this into account moving forward.
“Ator, what did we get?” She turned and asked the last man.
“Eighteen copper coins. Old empire quality is the standard fare from this Dungeon.” He showed her one. She took it and looked it over. It was odd in the blue light, but she could feel the weight of it.
“Respectable. See if you can salvage anything from the snakes.” She turned back to Elian. “Anything to add, Elian?”
“No, everything is going well.” She did not look up from the board.
Nimora was not insulted or slighted by this, as the Guild Leader had a highly complex task to perform. What was concerning her was the environment and monsters they just fought. She had heard stories that this Dungeon was without a mana type but thought they were just rumours or a tactic to confuse other adventurers. The sharoon at the entry point reinforced to her that this was a shadow-type dungeon. Now, she was not so sure.
She stepped away from Ator and Elian, Xerack and Kyle joined her.
“What have we walked into?” She asked in a quiet voice. The other's expressions told her they had been thinking along similar lines.
“It seems the stories we heard are true.” Xerack ventured. “Are we still following the plan?”
“Yes, we are.” She said, thinking after a few seconds.
They moved on from the cavern. Ator was unable to get much but did skin one of the snakes. The exit was to the south, and Xerack went through the doorway. A short corridor linked the two.
They walked into another cavern of a different size but with the same environment. They all expected more snakes. The cavern’s ceiling was again covered with moss, so dense that it lit the space with pale blue light.
Xerack was out front and stopped suddenly. Everyone tensed, knowing he stopped because he thought he saw something. They all looked around, seeking to spot any danger.
An arrow shot out into the grass; it was impossible to see if it hit anything. The grass started shifting as snakes moved through it. This alerted the team to the possible routes of attack.
This time, there were four snakes, the same as before, but they were ready. Randle and Kyle blocked one each. Xerack and Kyle engaged the other two. Nimora watched the fighting, looking for a point at which she needed to step in and help.
Kyle’s was the first to fall. Several arrows protruding from its body were the cause of its death. The other three died to the blades of her team. While dangerous, the snakes were not as dangerous as when striking from ambush. Xerack was fast enough to dodge his attacker. Her melee fighters blocked their attacker and then hacked them down. The flash of reward arrived, signalling the fight was over.
“Xerack, check the room. Ator collect the reward. Everyone else hold.” Nimora gave everyone their orders. Xerack moved away, checking the room. Ator was down in the grass.
“We have thirty copper coins here.” Ator told her. Xerack signalled that the room was clear. Elian entered, recording everything she saw.
“We continue. Same gain.” Nimora instructed her team. They were more confident now they had a feel for their opponents.
The next exit was to the west and Xerack walked into the short linking corridor. He was a few steps into the next cavern when he stopped. The rest stopped in response. He motioned that the room had multiple monsters in it.
He started forward again slower. This cavern was larger but had the same environment as the first two. The tall grass and bushes hide the snakes. Xerack had spotted something and was looking to the north side of the cavern.
The attack came from there but also from the south. Five snakes came from both directions three north and two south. They were ready for the three the other two were a nasty surprise.
Xerack, Randle and Fredrick were soon engaged. Kyle was looking for a shot when the two attacked from the opposite direction. Nimora spotted them.
“Kyle behind you!” Nimora called out. He turned adjusting his aim for the new attackers. Nimora cast two [Air Blades] one at each snake. The mana drain was sharp but she remained focused. The blade hit the snake, attacking her, but she missed the other. Kyle released his arrow, but he, too, missed as the snake was weaving and dodging. Even wounded the snake attacking her continued on.
“[Air Shield].” She cast as it leapt at her. The snake impacted the magically created and infused wall of air. It bounced back from the impact as she allowed the barrier to collapse.
“[Air Blade].” She pointed a wand as she spoke. The spell impacted the snake cutting into its hide with another wound.
“[Air Blade].” Was cast again through the other wand. Fatigue swept across her as she was burning through her mana pool faster than she liked. This spell caught the snake on its head and gouged deep into its skull. It was knocked back and collapsed dead.
Turning, she found Kyle stabbing his attacker with a knife as it had bitten into his arm and was holding on to it. His face was pale, but he concentrated on killing the snake. She moved to help him, but he could kill it before she took action.
“Mealina!” Nimora pointed her wand at Kyle and then looked at the others. Two snakes were down and the third was being cut down. The fight was nearly over. Mealina ran past her to get to Kyle.
The snake’s death triggered the flash of the reward. Nimora let out a breath as she observed her team and the cavern.
“Xerack, search the room. Altor, collect the reward. Mealina, how is he?” Nimora snapped out. The first two went to work. Randle and Fredrick were standing in a defensive posture ready to react.
“His arm has been bitten into deep this will take a few minutes for me to treat.” She told her not looking away from the wounded arm.
“We will rest here for a few minutes. How are you two?” she asked her fighters. They looked at each other, shrugged and then Randle answered.
“We can fight. No injuries.” He did not stop looking around as he spoke.
“Good. Altor what have we got?” She turned her attention to the man digging through the flattened grass.
“We have twenty-eight… No thirty copper coins.” He said as he collected them. They were being placed in a pouch on his belt.
“Clear, but I found something.” Xerack called over from where he was standing, looking at the cavern wall.
Nimora, Elian and Ator went over to see what the had found. As they got closer the detail of the cavern wall showed veins of discolouration running through it.
“I think I know what that is. Ator, what do you think?” Nimora asked. Ator was not here just to carry things but was a multi-skilled individual. He walked right up to the wall and ran his hand over the veins. He lit a flame, and the firelight overcame the blue light of the moss. They all inhaled a deep breath.
“Sliver vein and it’s a big one.” He said, getting even closer to inspect it.
“How much do you think?” Elain asking not looking up from her board and the notes she was taking.
“Is hard to say. It's running at least nine-tenths of this wall.” He looked across the length of the cavern wall, making mental calculations. “Got to be an easy eighty pounds in ore, maybe more.”
Now, this was a find that made Nimora happy. There were only a few teams that could do escort missions this deep into the dungeon and hers was one. They could make some serious coin from such work before moving on. Altor dropped his pack and pulled a small pick from it and set about getting a sample.
Elian walked away, making a rough sketch of the cavern. As she looked around, she made eye contact with Nimora and indicated that she to come over. Nimora walked over to her to see what she wanted.
“Your team is doing well, Nimora.” She said to her.
“Thank you. We have over a decade of working together.” Nimora was proud of her team and with some justification, she believed.
“What are your thoughts on the floor and monsters?” Elain had stopped working and was looking straight at her. Nimora noted the recording crystal was still on.
“The environment was not what we were expecting. These snakes are dangerous when ambushing but can be handled when exposed. The silver is a pleasant surprise.” Nimora gave her opinions, knowing from previous experience that they would be added to the report for the Guild.
“What threat level do you rank this floor at so far?” Ekain asked. Nimora took a minute to consider that question.
“So far, low Copper or high Iron.” She said. Elian was surprised by her words.
“The floor above is rated Copper tier. Do you think you are being too harsh with your judgement?” Elian asked.
“Any competent team should be able to handle the snakes at Copper grade. But then again, we have not finished the floor.”
“That is true. I will ask again when you have time.” Why Elain said it hinted that she was expecting something Nimora was unaware of.
