Chronicles of Domaria - Book I – The Awakening
Chapter IV – Below and beyond

The smoke from the fire of last night could be seen from afar. The floating soot and the smell of charred wood were perceived even by that were a few miles away. It was a beautiful day, after the storm that had passed. The only thing that remained was the curiosity of the residents, who came up from the lower part to see what had happened.

- Sir, that’s what’s left of him – said one of the guards to the captain, dragging a coffin with the help of another soldier.

The coffin was certainly lighter if it carried the intact body. The captain looked with some suspense and found: there really wasn’t much left of his Lord. The smell of burning flesh was nauseating; he protected his nose with a red scarf and spoke:

- Get it out of here and replace the family. The way he is, it will be impossible to know how it all happened - said the captain. – Maybe a sudden illness caused the lamp to fall, triggering the fire – he concluded.

Miklos didn’t have family over there. A long time ago his wife left with their children, pushing him away as he led a dirty life of corruption and adultery. He lived alone, and was very wealthy thanks to the shady business in the mines, gambling, and even with a network of thieves and robbers of goods through the region. Everyone in town knew of his misdeeds, and he didn’t make a point of hiding them. He will be buried alone. No tributes or tears. It was his fate.

The men closed the skiff and took him away. Even with the tragic death of someone so bad, nothing would change in that old and poor city. The curious people pressed against each other to try to view the remains, disturbing the work of the guard.

-How did it happen? - some asked. - Divine justice was done! - other screamed. What no one really knows is who or what had rid the people of the tyrant. Maybe someone very close to them.

*

Next to the tragedy, the adventurers raised camp. The storm had not fallen on the big woods. Just a slight drizzle stopped by the leaves of tall trees. The ground was dry, as well as the youngsters who got up in the sunshine in the middle of the remains of the last night bonfire. They rubbed their eyes and checked around, making sure that everything and everyone was there.

- We’re going to leave with an empty stomach - said Rune, showing the last travel ration.

- I’m fine - said Andariel, lively.

- Let’s split that last one - Ilyn said.

Sofia agreed with a positive gesture.

Rune shared the last food among the three. It wasn’t exactly a breakfast, but it was enough to silence the stomach until they reached their final destination. The fighter distributed it among companions, who were walking and eating.

- Hey, I have an idea! We can go straight to the mines this morning to advance our path. On the way back, we eat in town and we rest before leaving – argued Sofia.

- Bad idea. Let’s take the child home soon. She’s going to be late - Ilyn retorted.

Rune was silent. Maybe he was sick of that whole mess and wanted action. He thought the idea was good, although a little unconventional for his sensible and planned patterns.

- Count me in. Let’s go! - said the young warrior.

- And the girl? - questioned Ilyn, referring to Andariel.

- She’s going with us. At her own risk – the warrior said. After all, she can defend herself – replied Rune, supported by the girl.

- I know how to go through the woods! In a faster way! – said Andariel, confident with the daylight showing the way.

Sofia and Rune looked at each other and knew the girl could be useful. Except Ilyn, which faced the option with disbelief. They left towards Durunthir’s Mines, believing in the alternative route, since they passed through the worst: the night. They were just a few hours of hiking. The day was beautiful and the woods seemed quite secure.

*

The news came quickly to Eldania. Durunthir was an independent land, but as it belonged to the human kingdoms, they had strong ties to the capital. Aside from a few messages of carrier pigeons, for some days there were no supplies of ores, and metals, raising the concerns of the King. Even with the busy schedule, Thalion took the opportunity to meet Mir early in Real Office.

-So you sent three people to the situation of the Durunthir mines. I hope they are competent. – said the monarch. - The situation is worsening: Miklos is dead!

-I’m sure that everything will be resolved, Sir. - replied Mir, trying to calm him down.

- How can you be so naive? Don’t you see? There’s something going on. That old bastard can be an idiot, but he would never set fire at his home, let alone would he die as well. I knew him. We fought together in many battles – The King retorted.

- And what does Your Majesty suggest? Mir said, predicting some King’s plan.

- Double the security throughout the Kingdom. Where there is a guard, I want two. Let us not create panic. Tell them we’re increasing the defenses to the encounter of the kingdoms. Keep secret about the events and send two knights to the mines, cutting through the woods.

- But, Sir...

- Your recruits are in big trouble - said Thalion, without casting the eyes from the parchments on his desk.

The giant thought for a moment that he wouldn’t be fully informed of the situation. He felt weird for sending the inexperienced youths into the unknown. What awaited them in those dark and dismal mines? - thought Mir.

The horses were fast. Probably they would arrive in the afternoon in the mines. However, the adventurers were quite early: they would step at the entrance still in the morning. Thalion was informed of something. The note arrived from Durunthir, attached to the foot of the carrier pigeon, and it was more than a simple request for help. It was also a bad omen, a sign that something bad had happened.

Mir agreed and left to give orders to the scouts. Thalion was at his desk, worried, while reading and signing his daily quote of contracts and scrolls. He was waiting for news. If it was good or bad he didn’t know, but for his anxiety it didn’t matter: he wanted to act. He missed some action and sensed that the time was coming.

*

The two riders left in a hurry towards the Howling Woods. They were well equipped and prepared for the worst. Legends said that an old Druid inhabited the region for centuries. It was known that he was a wandering citizen of Eldania, owner of great magical gifts, but went into exile in the woods being chased by the order of Talanthir.

Some say he still lives there and he is head of a mysterious order known as Grey Wolves. Mysteries aside, officially no one ever saw him. The only facts relied on missing farmers and brutal attacks of wild beasts.

The horses seemed scared entering the woods. They stopped and balked before penetrating the region in the shadow of the treetops. With some insistence, the Knights controlled them by halters and calmed the animals rubbing gently on their horsehair. In a minute, the animals trotted quickly down the path between the trees. They continued so a few miles into the woods.

The strange quietness didn’t last long. A swift arrow flew through the air and hit the chest of one of the scouts, who fell from his horse. He rolled on the floor, over the dry leaves, still in the movement of the race. The horse, sensing the danger, ran away scared. Certainly the shot required a great skill.

The other horse got agitated, tearing down the remaining batter.

- Holy god, what’s going on? – said the rider lying on the ground with great fear.

He barely knew that his mount had saved his life. Another arrow almost hit him in the head, but shot a fallen trunk, right next to him. His mount abandoned him, running free through the woods while he was still trying to get up stunned.

- Man. You shouldn’t come here alone – a shadowy figure warned, revealing himself from behind a large tree.

Two men also appeared, surrounding the scout. With bows in hand, ready to shoot, they pointed to the fallen knight, who got up hardly. The warriors were strong, tall and dressed with brown and green leather armors and gray robes. Their bodies were hairy, as well as their faces, and their features were pretty wild.

The shadowy man approached the back of the rider, which looked intently at the arrow pointed to him. He felt something resting on the skin of a wolf that he used as lining of their shoulder pads. The scout looked at the hand and saw dirty and large nails, and a wrinkled hand.

An aged voice said:

- Bad. Very bad. What do you think of being skinned to use you like cover? – He threatened. – In fact, forget it, your thin skin is weak and wouldn’t protect me from cold or pain.

Frightened, he tried to turn around to see the face of the mystery man, but he couldn’t move. He appeared to be paralyzed by the touch of the old man for some kind of spell. Desperate and helpless, his eyes popped out and he was sweating with terror.

A high pitched whistling raised several wolves who quickly grouped. They came from behind the trees, woods, and ancient trunks that rested on the floor of the forest.

- Let’s go. It’s lunchtime. - said the old man, walking calmly into the woods, bent by age, and supported on a large staff of petrified wood.

The wolves salivated and snarled at him. With great fury, they jumped on the paralyzed knight. The pack reveled in his blood. The screams of horror of the rider echoed the silence of the woods, drowned out by the wild expanse of nature. The wolves did not forget the other scout, which served as a feast for the hungry creatures.

*

Almost at the entrance of Durunthir mines, the forest was becoming increasingly thin, and the trees, more evenly spaced. The old structures were seen by the adventurers, as well as a large tunnel dug into the rock. The area there had been cleared to make room for the exploitation of minerals and ancient artifacts from an antique civilization.

Entering the great clearing, they spotted the solid wood machineries, used to move stones and heavy loads. There were mine carts, disorganized on the outside of the tunnel, old wooden railings, almost rotten, and two large iron rails who served as a guide for the carts that came and went in the mines during its operation.

The place was abandoned. There were only the birds and the wind blowing in the woods and in the weeds that have grown fast. Some cracks and large fallen rocks could be seen on the ground and on the surface of the hill, confirming the damage of the great quake that happened a few days ago.

- Wow, that’s really weird! Where did the people go? – asked Sofia.

-This place gives me the creeps. Let’s go take a look and get out - completed Ilyn.

Rune drew his sword. He went in front, leading the group. The fighter knew he was better equipped than the others. Maybe he waited for a wild animal or even a thief who could be hiding. But, in fact, his fear was another one. The unknown always gave him the creeps. Near the mouth of the tunnel, the smell of death was evident. The stuffy place along with the humidity favored the foul odor.

- Is the carcass of a bear or deer? - thought out loud the warrior. A bad feeling overtook him.

The darkness was beginning to annul the group’s vision. The torches on the walls were off, consumed over the days when they were abandoned. Sofia took one of them and, with a snap of her fingers she lit the tip of it, made of old linen.

There was the light. The suspense grew with each step that was given by the adventurers, as well as the stench. The shadows grew, decreased and danced as the dark corridor of the entrance to the cave was discovered.

They came to a hall at the end of the passage. The stillness was interrupted by Sofia screaming. The torch fell from the hands of the nervous girl and almost went out on the wet floor. Everybody was alert, wielding their weapons. Even the little short arc was pulled by a trembling Andariel, pointing no enemies, and looking for something in the darkness.

- I-I-I… think it was just a rat! – Sofia stammered. Her heart was pounding. She picked up the torch again with weak hands and wobbly legs.

While Ilyn walked behind, distracted, he stumbled on something. He looked sideways, afraid of what he might replace out. It was a corpse. Beside him there was another and also some rats that ran into the tunnels to notice the presence of the poacher there.

- God! What is this?! – exclaimed the rogue seeing the face of one of the cadavers.

His face was full of black pustules and some worms. The stage of decomposition was advanced by the heat and humidity inside the mines. The thief moved away, frightened, and didn’t even have the curiosity to examine the other body.

- Let’s get out of here? We’ve seen enough! - he pleaded, walking quickly to the exit.

Rune and Sofia approached the corpses slowly. The young girl lit them, while the warrior analyzed:

- Definitely, they are guards. Something killed them here. They don’t seem to have been wounded with weapons.

Rune bent down, fighting off the nauseating odor. He was going to pull the guard’s clothes to turn it when he was interrupted by Sofia:

- Do not touch! It can be contagious!

Sofia had seen the swollen wounds and pustules, somewhat unusual even for those abandoned corpses.

A great noise came from one of the tunnels, to the right of where they were. It spooked them. It sounded like the noise of a door that fell after it was forced. There was a noise of footsteps and a creeping and constant murmur. Sophie screamed again when she saw the silhouette of a human running awkwardly towards the adventurers.

Andariel promptly pointed her bow, closing her eyes. She shot and hit him in the head. The lucky shot, between the eyes of the creature, caused him to fall instantly. It wasn’t a guard. It wasn’t even human. The sharp projectile of the girl would kill anyone, and it was no different for even that bizarre creature.

-Nice shot! – exclaimed Rune, attentive to the slightest movement of fallen creature.

The girl was in shock. Her hands were trembling more than before. She didn’t know how she had shot so accurately that arrow.

- Oh, my! Is he dead? Did I kill him? - she was desperate.

Others approached slowly even without understanding what had happened. The silence lasted in the room, while they looked around and sharpened the ears to every suspect sound of the tunnels.

- Burn it all! We have to make sure they won’t get up again! - Ilyn said recklessly, taking the torch from the hands of Sofia.

-You fool! You will intoxicate us with the smoke! – exclaimed Rune, pulling it out of the hands of the thief.

- I think we have no choice - said Sofia, arguing in favour of Ilyn.

- Let’s walk! If we hurry we will be okay. I’m going in the front - said the warrior, excited, trying to bring some courage to the group.

Rune guided the four through the tunnel, with the torch held high in one hand, and the sword in the other. He saw a fallen door on a small nook which the undead may have come. He entered with caution and saw another body, which was on a bed and wielded the same marks of the others.

Andariel entered the room with her bow ready to shoot, while Ilyn and Sofia stood guard outside. The little girl saw clothes soaked in blood and an old boot next to the body. The footwear seemed very familiar to her. She was certain that she saw it every day, next to her bed.

- My brother! Certainly this is his boot!

She picked up the shirt and recognized it, mainly through holes and tatters of the few garments that Andarion had. Andariel, stunned, began to cry. Rune tried to comfort her:

- Hey… Easy! Don’t be like that! -warrior said, hugging her.

- Are we going to replace him? – she asked, showing her brother’s bloody robes.

Rune felt the pain. He imagined that her brother had worked there and had not returned. He probably was one of the victims of mines and had not managed to escape. Maybe he was injured and was resting in peace somewhere.

- We will replace your brother – promised the warrior, in a determined voice, leading the girl away from the den.

It was a matter of honor to fulfill his promise. He felt a strange heaviness in his heart, as if his words unfolded a whole epic. A feeling that something very big was coming made the young guy very serious. He knew something had changed. It was the time to be strong right now.

- Let’s move – he said to the group, while the girl whimpered still holding the rags.

- Andariel - Sofia called, comforting too the kid.

Still recovering from the shock, the group heard rumblings again in the tunnels. This time it came from both sides. It took no longer until they saw the shambling figures coming in a rush for the group.

- We’re surrounded! Get ready! -warned Rune.

The adventurers turned their backs on each other and stayed in position to fight.

Andariel was furious. She imagined that one of those creatures could have taken the life of her brother. The girl shot an arrow which pierced the torso of one of the creatures, causing it to fall like a sack of potatoes in the ground.

- One less! – Sofia gestured, preparing one of her spells.

- Fiera! - she screamed.

A flaming shot came out of her finger and hit one of the creatures, scorching it.

When she looked at the side, she saw Ilyn struggling with the last zombie, who was trying to bite him.

- Help! – cried the thief, trying to escape while the disgusting creature’s saliva dripped on his shoulder.

A firm blow made the zombie drop the thief. Ilyn, at the same time, threw himself on the floor. Rune had nailed his sword on the back of the creature, causing it to collapse.

- You could have hit me, you moron! – claimed the bandit ungratefully.

- You’re welcome. - said the young man, sheathing the blade. -Even the girl did better than you.

They continued to walk through the tunnels, searching for clues. The four entered into each old and dark nook but didn’t replace anything besides the foremen fallen with the strange signs. More confident, the adventurers had the courage to complete the search, except for a grim, long and dark hallway.

- I don’t know… I have a bad feeling about this - said Sofia, looking into it.

Rune silenced and went ahead, lighting the way with the torch. Gradually, it turned out to be a passage left ajar, which was different from the other tunnels excavated there.

- It looks like a secret passage! - The young warrior said, putting his hands on the stone blocks. – Someone help me here! - completed, preparing to push it.

The blocks moved, making an echoing roar through the tunnel. Small spiders walked down the stairs and through the walls when they felt the presence of the curious people.

- I’m not going down! - Ilyn said, after he saw the sinister descent.

- Good. You can stay - said Rune, already in the first steps.

The fighter opened space between the spider webs with the flame of the torch. The smell, similar to burned hair, annoyed the noses of the explorers.

- I hate spiders – complained Sofia, following behind the warrior.

Andariel went down then. The little girl was terrified, but wanted to make sure that she would explore every centimeter of the caves. She needed to replace another clue of her brother, dead or alive.

When they made through the passage, the trio saw a great hall carved into the rock. The webs became huge and intimidating. They were thick and resistant as woolen threads and sticky like tar. The young warrior stretched his arm, lighting around and looking up, trying to figure out that place. -What kind of creature would do something like that? - he thought.

- Be careful. We don’t want to get stuck here – he said to the others, feeling a chill down his spine.

A fast shadow moved through the precarious lighting of the cave. Scared, all of them sought his direction, but it was gone in the darkness.

- Have you seen this? Sofia said, stepping back and wielding the staff in front of her.

Before they could answer, a sticky spit hit the group. Rune and Andariel were stuck to the floor, and Sofia was spared, because she was a step behind. From the darkness, hideous forms emerged, showing a giant spider. Their eight legs moved graciously through a network of webs that came and went from the ceiling. Its wingspan was about a man’s size, and probably it could easily feed from one. Its appearance was horrendous, and its hair was big and thick like boar hair.

Rune, desperate, threw the torch at the creature. It was his immediate reaction to scare it away. Andariel struggled to stretch her arms, trying to get the arrows in her quiver.

The torch, sliding through the ground, held itself to a tangle of webs and ignited the whole room. The major fire made them see the hideous creature running again in their direction.

- Fiera! - stammered Sofia, taken by fear.

The flaming shot failed. It made just a little pop and smoke like a wet firecracker. They were in serious trouble. The arthropod ran in the direction of Rune and jumped on him, rolling him swiftly with the paws and the web that arose from its mouth.

A rock flew towards the monster, hitting it right in the head. It was Ilyn. Even against his will, he walked down the stairs. The blow stunned the creature, which walked away, but returned promptly.

Andariel draw an arrow from the quiver. The monster was quick, but couldn’t dodge the shot that pierced its bulb. Wounded, the spider moved away toward the darkness leaving a trail of its disgusting blood. Ilyn tried to throw another rock at it, but missed.

Finally, Sofia in her last effort, shouted:

- Orbis Magica!

A purple ball lit the room, while it flew as an arrow pointed to the arachnid. The creature tried to escape climbing the walls, but it had no chance against the young sorceress magic dart. The spider fell right there, making a thump in the darkness. The torch still lit up the room, lying on the ground.

-Wow! That was close - said Andariel, loosening the string of the bow.

Rune was still cleaning the webs and slime that held him, helped by Sofia. Ilyn approached and teased the warrior who was saved by his action:

- You’re welcome, kid.

There was just silence and the smell of scorched meat. Rune saw death up close. It would be much worse if his teammates hadn’t been there to help him. He walked to the center of the hall, where he took again the torch and walked carefully ahead. The others followed him carefully, watching any noise or strange movement. They saw large fallen gates and statues that held it also toppled.

-Wow! This is stunning! – exclaimed Sofia, accompanied by feelings of joy from the others.

The warrior moved the torch through the breach of the gates and debris, then the body. It was only possible to pass one at a time. He squeezed into a short platform on the corner of the lounge and saw in his front a great abyss and a narrow passage, leading to a small altar in the middle. It was a big downfall, totally unsafe to be standing there. The lighting of the day entered for a few cracks at the top, pretty tall, complementing the clarity of the torch.

- End of the line. No treasures or clues – spoke the warrior, secured on the wall behind the small platform.

Andariel followed him through the gap. She looked at the big black abyss and threw a small rock, waiting to hear some noise or echo. She didn’t hear anything.

- That’s pretty deep. – said the girl, making her voice reach the top of the hall.

They were hungry and had seen what they wanted. It seemed that something great had indeed happened. They just didn’t know what it was. Certainly the tremor had collapsed that old structure, and the big hole and the strange creatures were signs that something had awakened, and it wasn’t good. Andariel was intrigued. She had not found her brother. Otherwise, with a smile, she lit a small spark of hope in her heart. Was he alive?

*

The adventurers arrived in the city of Durunthir on the late afternoon. The journey didn’t go as they had planned it. They ate some apples found in an old barrel in the mines to keep the stomach a bit full, empty since the morning. Tired, hungry, but relieved, they went straight to the house of Andariel, passing through the alleys and narrow streets of the old town. It was impossible not to notice people’s commotion, from the night before, when the house of Miklos caught fire.

- Hey, little girl! I have a word for you! - said the old beggar on the corner. - But it’s going to cost you a dime!

Anxious, the child imagined that it could be something about her brother. Andariel looked at Sofia, who took a gold coin and gave him. It was the smallest value that she carried, saved from the pieces received from Mir. For the old beggar it was a treasure. He had never seen so much money in his life. Andariel didn’t think too much, and gave him the coin, causing him to fill his face with joy and gratitude.

- Someone broke into your house yesterday, in the afternoon. – He said, carefully - it looked like a guard. At least dressed like one. He spent a little time inside, and then left in a hurry. Oh, it also wore a black hood!

Andariel was surprised and thought a little. It didn’t seem Andarion, but also there were no reasons for a guard rummage through her hovel. Not before the fire. The door was closed, so only someone with the key could open it, or break it. The girl ran down the alley and checked the door, which was ajar, and no signs of having been forced.

The adventurers followed the girl and entered the house. Everything was there in its place. Nothing had been stolen or trashed. Andariel went into her small bedroom, checking the door too. Her mother’s jewel box was open, with some gold coins inside. The brooch was no longer there.

The little girl was filled with joy. She knew her brother was alive. Nobody but him would leave those coins there. - But where had he gotten that gold from? - she thought, already dispelling her joy.

To examine the gold, she saw the seal of Miklos. She freaked out with them in hand. There were only two options: either her brother had done business with him, or he had stolen the Lord, which was even worse.

Andariel did the math. Considering that the pudgy man had died last night and her brother was missing, the coins were a bad sign.

- Are you all right? – asked Sofia, entering slowly the room.

The girl was scared and hid fast the coins in her trousers.

- Yes! All right! – she said, smiling nervously for Sofia.

- Look... We’ll help you replace your brother, right? Meanwhile you can come with us - completed Sofia, without noticing the apprehension of the child.

- I’m sure that my brother is alive. We need to replace him! – said the kid, disguising, while Rune also entered the room.

Ilyn was taking a nap, stretched out on the room’s chair.

Rune and Sofia didn’t even suspect the girl. They still felt sorry for her, but were grateful to replace a place to rest at night. As their plans went downhill, they rested in the old hovel until sundown.

Later, Rune went out to get something to eat. The four ate a nice roast chicken from the tavern with some vegetables and bread. A good part of the mission’s income was spent in the sumptuous dinner, but it was worth it: they talked and laughed about the adventure, even worried about the return. What dangers would the heroes still face?

- Will we arrive in time in Eldania? – asked the sorcerer.

A silence followed. Rune and Ilyn stared at each other.

- We have to. There is no other choice - said the Warrior.

Domaria was no longer the same. The four knew it, but they had to keep it a secret until they came to the old capital. They prepared to rest for the next day. In the bedroom, Sofia and Andariel slept comfortably; the men rested on the plank floor in the main room.