S2E3 - The Deep

Its just down this way” Vix called back softly as they made their way down the musty stone corridor looking back briefly to make sure they were all together. There was power in numbers after all. He saw Sophie in her chain and plate armor now, the jovial court attire stowed back in her guest room. She seemed a bit apprehensive when Vix had fetched her to talk of the discovery in the deep. This only grew when one by one they fetched the others. All but 3 joined them late in that evening around the witching hour. Zorin and Zane simply were too tired to have been woken from their rooms, snoring in what seemed concert with each other. Keldor little known to them had gone out to the courtyard alone to think of another time under the stars while slowly puffing on a longstem pipe.
“I don’t like traveling this far from the others.” Cordelia said plainly to Benedict “I agree but they may be safer where they are. Besides we shall come back to retrieve them once we ensure Vix has found it.
“So doubting.” Vix sneered. “Of course I found it.”
“I just wanted to find some more of that turkey honestly.” Skotmir retorted.
“I hope you did Vix. And I agree we will need to come back for the others as soon as we can.”
“They’ll be fine. Something tells me they will be fine.” Benedict smiled at the others. They had come to trust in his intuition and faith more over the past few months. There was a peace that followed Benedict when he prophesied that that could calm the spirit.
At the end of the hall the smell disappeared and the dry dust of time lingered in the air. Vix approached the door and drawing a wide diamond with his hand spoke “SHEE-FA-TEF-SHLAK” the door shifted to the side as it had done before. Vix looked back with a proud grin “Come. Let us press on to confirm.”

Down the stairs they went for what seemed like an eternity. The 20 minute hourglass cordelia carried still dropped its dark red sand and only showed 3 quarters empty. She nodded to them that they still had time and they continued into the dark depths of the endless cavern on those stone steps. The steps hugged a rough cavern wall and were wide enough for 2 though everyone marched on in single file. Partly due to the sheer drop at the other side of each step plunging into darkness the blue green fire of the torches never revealing the end of those endless stairs. A wet and musty breeze was gently flowing around them as they descended. They could only imagine the size of this cavern as the torches disappeared far behind them in the distance as well.
Sophie had moved to the front of the group in case of any danger and now led them down into the depths driven by curiosity as much as the mission itself.
“Look at that.” She said to Benedict close behind. “By the knight’s shield, Sophie. Is.. is that a town?”
Sprawling below them the faint glow of many fires was beginning to illuminate the fog far below. “It must be. Its not unheard of to have those people of the underground build settlements of immense size. Though I never thought I would see one.”
Skotmir ran his hands on the rough cut wall. “This isn’t the work of Dwarves. Too rough, too… Hasty.” He spat on the ground in slight disgust. The stone deserved better than this he thought.
Continuing on they completed the stairs to find the ground transitioned into a polished cobbletone street. The buildings themselves flanked the sides of the street with many people walking along the side to various merchants or inside the small shops of the marketplace.
The people themselves were varied from Elves to dwarves some with Grey ashenlike skin and red eyes to the more familiar tones they themselves bore. Halflings worked some shops and occasionally humans dressed in dark robes would bring baskets of glowing fungus to various shopkeepers, who smiled back taking a share of them with a nod.
They soon came to a long building, A few barrels outside on the long deck stood stacked for additional storage to the tavern inside.
“Hello there.” The voice startled them slightly as one of the humans in the long dark robe approached them. He was followed by a female elf with long dark red hair. His eyes were like pale sapphires as they gleamed from under the hood as he spoke.
“You are the heroes of Ellington are you not?” They hesitated before Sophie spoke. “We are here seeking a…”
“Seeking a great artifact.” he smiled “yes, yes i know and we are here to help you.” He nodded at the elf to his right. “This is Jade. She will be a light in the darkness for you. She has come to know this world very well and can guide you.”
Benedict bowed as the others nodded gently. “Welcome Jade. Thank you.” She nodded and walked to the rear of the group by Cordelia. Cordelia and Jade smiled courteously in greeting.
The man opened his hands and 3 flames sprung from his palms. Red, Green and Blue.
“There are 3 paths presented to you. One an old man needs help with the marauding bandits plaguing his home thus providing a slow and small impact on the world around you, A merchant holds path to great riches provided you can allow yourselves servitude to him, and the other can heal the heart of your world though it may come with great risk and sacrifice.”
He smiled allowing the glow of the lights illuminating his face gently. Sophie turned to her friends.
“What should we do?” “Should we help the old man? Hes someone that needs help?” “What about the riches?” “I won’t be anyone's servant, no matter the prize.” they paused all knowing the obvious choice. Sophie looked back at his crystal clear eyes. “The blue flame has the great risk correct?” He smiled. “Are you sure Sophie? I forsee a path few can understand let alone tread but that YOU… will have to walk yourself. Though you will all be together…” he nodded at the group, “you will feel absolutely alone.”
Sophie closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She thought of herself alone in Olan-ak-khan waiting for her sister who never came back home. Waiting for Zane for so many years. “I am no stranger to being alone. I…” She stood straight. “I.. know it better than anything else.”
The man closed his eyes, nodded and smiled gently. He looked at the rest of the party. “Are your minds made up too? Will you accompany Sophie on this journey?” They smiled and nodded in agreement. “Then step into the room behind me adventurers. I wish you find that which you seek and can heal your world.”
They looked at each other smiling before stepping into the door.

Zane sat in a meadow of white flowers as a bright midday sun shone on his face and shoulders. The sweet grass he gently chewed in the corner of his mouth was welcome mixing with the perfume of the flowers and nearby Lavender. He turned and saw Sophie in a white dress. A white bridal dress he noted. She held a small bird in her hand, gently stroking the brown and red feathers of the robin. She smiled at it before turning to zane. He smiled back. She gently brought it up to her cheek for a gentle caress before setting it free to fly. It spread its wings and gently ascended into the warm light.
She walked over to Zane the dress billowing behind her dancing in the gentle wind. She knelt down to him leaning in to kiss his cheek gently. She sat next to him and she said.
“Zane…” Zorin was gently shaking Zane to wake him up. Zane mumbled “…oh mah gaw…snickerdoodle mumble” “ZANE!” “Huh wha…” “They’re gone. Everyone went down in the cellar. Vix left a note saying they were going to explore and be back but they aren’t.” zane shot up. “We. we gotta go. Is it just us missing?” “Yeah I think so” “ok well lets move.”
Zane and Zorin peeked around the corner of the kitchen where they could hear some of the preparation for the next day beginning though the sun itself was barely peeking up. The beige and white outfits those in the kitchen wore were covered in flour as they kneaded out the dough rolling into loaves to bake. There was a sweet smell of cinnamon and cranberries floating from the room. Zane was washed in memory. Zorin smiled and nodded almost reading his mind. They knew they had no time to steal one of the breakfast pastries, plus it appeared these were made for those working in the kitchen and that didn’t seem like a very nice thing to do. Stealing someone’s breakfast.
They waited for the bakers to turn and load the large wood fired oven and made thier dash down the hallway. They smiled as they reached a long musty corridor. “Those rolls sure smelled good!” “Almost like the ones back home from the howling mountain inn!” “hahaha, we would have snagged them for sure 10 years ago. Mmmm I bet they taste great.” “hahaha” the 2 old friends chuckled as they made their way down the long stone brick hallway.

Why did we come here again?” Cordelia was furious. They were sitting down on the side of a dimly lit pathway cut in the floor of a long cavern. The light of the luminescent mushrooms and lichen cast a blue green glow about the walls where they were. In front of them the path ended 30 feet in the darkness of the cave opposite themselves. Behind them benedict leaned against the cavern wall that once was the doorway they used to enter the room.
“I don’t understand… It was a tavern, you saw it!” Sophie turned to cordelia “Yeah i saw it, but not as much as I saw you just trust ol blue eyes back there.” Cordelia shook her arms in frustration. “He was a pretty cool fella I probably would have…” “Shut up Skotmir!” “All of you quiet!” Her voice rang out like a bell. This was the first time Jade had spoke to them since joining the party and the sudden change in her throat was surprising even to herself. There was no time for that now however. She could tell the change in the air slightly, a smell of oiled leather and cold iron. Something was coming from the darkness. Something not friendly.
“What is it?” Benedict said as he cautiously stepped from the wall. Vix spread his fingers from balled fists in anticipation.
Jade drew the bow from her back and drawing the arrow back to her cheek she spoke a single command “SHIRAK” The arrow glowed like torch without heat. Radiating an amber light in the darkness. She fired into the dark hall the arrow illuminating the cavern walls before disappearing with a “UGH” “Ambush!” Sophie yelled. Cordelia and Vix began weaving their hands as Benedict and Skotmir charged into the darkness with Sophie.
The opening erupted as 6 pitch black forms sprung out as if made of the darkness itself. “CALLAY” one hissed as a web sprung around thier feet anchoring them to the rough floor. Cordelia let a bolt of fire fly before she lost balance falling backwards into the sticky web. “AKTAY” Vix flung his arms in an arc an wave of superheated fire drifting at 2 of the assailants. They shrieked in pain one of them dropping to a knee to clutch a smoldering cheek. The other caught Vix across the face with one gauntleted hand dropping him into the web as well.
His vision blurred as he saw Sophie skotmir and benedict all fall into the web. He could feel himself being rolled up in the threads and found himself unable to move. His vision was darkening now some tranquilizing effect of the webs he imagined. They rolled him face up a hazy green blue illuminating the ceiling. Stepping into view he saw one of the onyx colored assassins take off thier hood. Silver hair bounced across thier shoulders, red eyes reflecting in the light. “A surface elf. *chuckle* what a rare treat to meet you my cousin.” another shape stepped into view. This one a huge monstrosity, Vix recoiled internally in horror, his eyes paralysed and frozen open. “Shall I take them back Mistress?” “Yes. We shall get them ready for the slave market I think. There should be a nice price for this lot.” She turned and walked away as the large muscular arms of the other shadow reached down to pick him up. His fears were realised as the monstrosity revealed the lower half of a spider.

|CAST|
| THE STRANGER – Phill Usher – Aethuran Dark Saga Podcast – https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/aethuran-dark-saga-634354 | VIX – Daniel Nichols – The Happy Go Lukky Podcast – https://happygolukky.com/
| MISTRESS VALYA and JANICK – Bridgett and Stephan Farruggia – https://www.seraphimtheatricalentertainment.com/ | DRIDER – Benjamin Corley | SOPHIE – Sarah Jenkins | CORDELIA – Joleen Fresquez | BENEDICT – Brian Dowling | ZORIN – Cody Miller | NARRATOR – Mike Atchley