At the same time Ashton arrived at the lake, Duke Randal Hammer's estate; the mass graveyard.
Randal was dressed ready for war. The only part of him that was currently visible was his face, which would change soon enough. Four of his most trusted companions, twelve of his death soldiers were about to see what exactly was behind this sealed door. The doors was directly under the mass grave of the four leaf herb that had haunted his dreams for as long as he could remember.
"Randy… those bones… are like the enchantment in the capital yeah?" His mage friend asked.
Randal gritted his teeth. These were the men he'd fought with when he'd been a mercenary. Now his closest aids, not even his wife could question them. "Yeah." He gritted out. With his companions he'd lost any sense of nobility, falling back into their comradery of old.
"I be thinken, nothin down there be good." A giant axe wielding mountain man stated looking over their heads. His accent was so thick many had a hard time understanding him.
"I have ten gems, they can protect our lives from a fatal attack. Each of us carry one. First, pick four men to join us. The rest remain to kill anything not us that comes out." Randal ordered pulling a pouch from his chest pocket.
"Ahh Randy! Ye be holdin out agin! Good man!" The mountain man chuckled holding his hand out. His palm was larger than Randy's head.
"I go in first, we want at least one alive, but not if it will cost us one of our own. Ya hear?" Randal demanded pulling his enchanted helmet down. Now even his eyes were obscured, at least, from other's view. He didn't wield a sword. No, his ancestors used giant hammers in battle. When he didn't have his hammer, he used his fists. He'd learned from monks, boxers, all manner of men who fought barehanded.
"We hear ya!" The four growled. The mage enhanced them all with stamina, strength, agility, perception, and dexterity.
"Like ol times yeah?" The ranger asked equipping his crossbow. He preferred his longbow… but underground wasn't always a good place for that.
"Oh ai, goin into doors made ah bone! Like every other Tuesday." The healer quipped. He may have done the most healing, but he was better at short bursts of rapid fire spells. Why he always needed to hold a wooden knife, no one knew. But without it none of his spells worked. He didn't understand it either. Anyway, most of the time he wore it on a chain around his neck.
"First, ya ready?" Randal asked in little more than a whisper. If anyone was down there… no doubt they knew someone was coming.
"Yes your grace." The masked death soldier confirmed drawing two daggers. Coated in paralytic poison.
Randal took a deep breath, then kicked the bone door in. Since they had to dig out half the graveyard there was nothing around for several miles. It had taken First months to find this place. Watching it for the last several weeks had revealed nothing.
Torches along the corridor of bone started to light themselves. The eerie blue light was far from reassuring.
"Ai, jus another Tuesday." The healer groused as Randal started down the steps.
The only sound their muffled steps as they walked. Even though there was torch light, the mage cast light along the floor and ceiling. So far, there was only a single path.
After a few moments they heard several somethings approaching. It didn't sound like armor… or feet. At least not human feet. They held steady, waiting for the group to come to them.
The ranger stood far enough off to the side so his arrows wouldn't hit anyone he didn't want. First and the other death soldiers held their daggers at the ready.
Randal cursed, it wasn't bad enough that the passage was made of bone, the guards were skeletons. Not the easy kind either. All were oozing blood. Randal didn't wait any longer. Rushing forward with his hammer high. Each swing crumbled three or four skeletons. That wouldn't be enough though. The healer and mage quickly cast undead rite over the fallen bones before they could piece themselves back together.
First and the others pulled out blessed daggers for such situations. Quickly darting around the narrow passage, each flash of light beheaded a skeleton. When the blood splashed on the dagger, it started to rust.
"Your Grace, the blood rusts blessed weapons!" First called out.
"Ah fuckin course!" Randal snarled as he crushed another set of skeletons. "Bash em in! Group em up!" Randal ordered. First and the death soldiers darted past the approaching skeletons, then started herding them together.
The mage cast three simultaneous undead rites. "Well! Les hope no more ah that yeah?" He asked as the bones crumbled away.
Randal checked his hammer, then the rest of his armor. "Anyone need to swap gear?"
After everyone confirmed they were good, they continued. As nothing else came at them… they grew more tense. The skulls along the walls would have been eerie in broad daylight. A few dozen skeletons couldn't be the only defenses for a place like this.
"Ain't no way no one be guarden this creepy arse of a tunnel. We goin looney?" The ranger asked as he tried to see if they were in an illusion. Those skeletons had been… too weak to be any real kind of protection.
The mage and healer both cast several spells, nothing. After a short bit of walking in the dark they found another door. The mage approached, "Oi, Randy, this be blood warded. I be thinkin, your land…" the mage trailed off.
Randal stepped forward, he wasn't sure what he was even looking at. Well, other than bones. He tried pushing the door, nothing.
The mage coughed, "It be ah pull Randy."
Randal groused, looking for something to pull. Eventually, with a silent apology, he used the eye sockets of a skull to pull the door open. No way he was sticking his hand in the open mouth.
Half a dozen spells came flying before he'd opened the door more than a crack. The mage leapt forward with a precast barrier or wind and earth. The spells were redirected into the wall.
First and the other death soldiers leapt into the room. Randal saw three people… two he half expected… the last… should have died decades ago. "Take em alive!" He roared.
The mage threw a dozen precast spell cages. Each could hold a leader class beast of a different element. If they worked… they didn't work. The older female brushed them aside with a single spell.
She was using an archaic wand, no doubt made of bone. The two women behind her were casting any spell they could think of. Fire, ice, water, wind, earth, lightening. It was chaos. A wall, most likely filled with books, had already been blown to bits, if the fluttering, burning paper was any indication. One of the death soldiers was already laying in a crumpled heap on the floor. Blood trickling from an ice arrow.
Randal clenched his jaw as he rushed forward, "Veronica!" He roared aiming straight at his wife with his hammer. He drew all three's attention, his wife, his mother… and his daughter. His twelve year old daughter!
His mother, who should have died more than twenty years ago, pulled up a wall of bones. Randal used a precast undead rite attached to his hammer, the wall was blown away. Bones piercing the wall as he continued his charge. He had two left.
Another beast capturing cage was thrown in the split second his hammer tore through the wall of bone. The mage had captured his daughter! The cage immediately electrified her until she was unconscious. At the same time, he was swinging his hammer at his mother's stomach.
A gust of air sent him flying back. His friend, the mountain man caught him, spinning with the momentum then unceremoniously dropping him to keep charging forward. Four crossbow arrows were fired at the women the second the air spell was over. The ranger had activated his iron boots enchantment to keep from being blown away. It was a temporary barrier that could withstand the full force of a charging ogre.
The ranger didn't even blink as he hit Veronica in both shoulders twice. This would keep her from most casting. That split second of inattention allowed the mage to throw another cage, it pulled Veronica in and shocked her several seconds longer than their daughter.
Now, the only one left standing was his mother. She glared, hands glowing as she prepared for their attack.
"Chloe! You can't escape! Just give in!" Randal growled gripping his hammer. So far, two of the death mages had activated the gems. The quick but fierce battle had left the room in tatters. She couldn't get past all of them.
Chloe sneered, "If you're here for that pathetic excuse of an emperor, I should have left you to die. Mark my words, if I fall, so does the empire!"
"You can come willingly, or in chains, mother. Either way, you're coming." Randal snarled.
Chloe didn't hesitate, summoning more than two dozen bloody skeletons, and two death knights. She couldn't be taken, she couldn't let the ritual stop… they didn't understand. No, if they understood… there was no turning back now. She would not let the empire fall because some bleeding hearts wouldn't do what needed to be done.
The healer didn't bother trying to destroy the skeletons, they were bleeding, he cast a small scale blizzard. The mage kept them safe behind a wall of fire. "Ye timing be better than yer ale!"
"Ha! Only cause ye drink worse than a babe!" The mage retorted as First and the last remaining death soldier went after one of the death knights. The mountain man charged the second with a battle cry that made the mage's ears ring.
The mountain man laughed uproariously as he exchanged a dozen blows with the dark knight with a broadsword. The ranger was always impressed with how well the mountain man wielded the axe larger than his body in tight spaces. Not once had the mountain man slashed through a wall or hit the ceiling. The death night had already done so repeatedly. The ranger continuously firing arrows as fast as he could reload, slowly forcing both groups away from Chloe.
Chloe didn't care what happened to the weak skeletons, but having her death knights so easily distracted was vexing. She didn't have time to recharge with a traditional mana crystal. She'd wanted to save the blood core for the next ritual sacrifice… but if she was caught now…
Randal saw the blood crystal, before he could register what she intended, his mother stabbed herself in the chest. The blood crystal caused her skin to take a dark reddish hue, her eyes started to glow. The bloody light did not bode well.
In a heartbeat he was in front of her, swinging his hammer only to be knocked back. He felt like he'd struck solid stone! No, he could smash through stone…
With a blast of raw mana, they were all sent flying. All the skeletons were reduced to dust, the death knights hit the walls hard. His companions hit the wall harder. The mountain man dazed, barely able to lift his axe as a death knight stabbed at him.
First had been able to twist midair, feet hitting the wall, but the sheer force had broken his ankle. He glanced at the healer who was unconscious, bleeding from his eyes and nose. It appeared, since the blow wasn't fatal the gem had not been activated.
The mage cursed, forcing himself up. His healing left much to be desired, but he just needed to heal the healer, then he could figure something out. He half crawled, half dragged himself forward.
Randal didn't have time to be dazed, on instinct he jumped up, throwing his hammer. It wasn't much, but it delayed whatever spell his mother was casting. Randal charged as he scooped up a skull, hurtling it at his mother's face. She didn't even blink as a red light enveloped her. The skull shattered on impact.
Randal crushed a precast lightening clad, it coated his gauntlets as he started to wail on his mother. At least now he had her attention. The electricity shocking her out of her spell. The backlash doing more damage as she staggered away. The blood light was protecting her from his physical blows. "Spells! Now!" Randal roared as the lightning clad started to ware off.
She was hit with water, then ice as Randal continued to punch with all the force he could muster. To his horror bones from the floor and walls started to crawl toward her. Slowly covering her like armor. Fucking bone armor.
Randal activated undead rite, blasting a sizable hole in the bone armor. A flash of lightning hit the exposed stomach just as he withdrew his fist.
First leapt in stabbing with the blessed dagger. It sank deep into her stomach, with a twist and yank he pulled back.
Randal didn't let up, smashing his fist into the bloody hole as his mother screamed. The hole was already closing up as she slapped him.
Randal took a second to realize he was enveloped in a blue light, the gem had been activated. Well, that's not good! That slap had been fatal… throwing caution aside his skin hardened, taking on a blackish hue. His body bulked up, only contained in his armor because it was enchanted to adjust to his size. His breaths causing steam to escape his helmet as he grew over a foot.
Randal clenched his hammer all the tighter as his muscles bulged. Now his strikes caused her barrier to crack the wall behind her. Still, it was enough.
The mountain man had managed to pin the death knight to the wall, the healer then healed the death knight until it no longer had any arms or legs. The other death knight was stuck in the wall.
The mage shared a look with the healer, then they both cast ice cage. They both locked down a different hand as Chloe reached for Randal. The healer was faster, casting water bubble around her head, then ice at her face. The water was half frozen around her head as Randal continued to drive her back.
The mountain man came in with a swing of his axe. His battle cry that shook the room. Randal dove to the side just in time. His mother was now embedded into the wall. The axe hadn't pierced her skin, but it was half embedded in the wall, effectively trapping her.
The mage threw a beast cage but it crumbled away. The healer cast another water ball, then lightning. Chloe screamed as she banged her head against the wall, chunks of ice starting to fall away.
The healer repeated the water, then lightning, then water, then ice. The mountain man pulled out a smaller axe, hitting her between strikes of elemental spells. He made sure to use the flat side, they did want her alive after all.
The mage started to continuously cast lightning, each cast getting just a bit stronger. Until one strike should have killed a leader class boar.
"Target the crystal!" Randal ordered between swings of his hammer, his voice more growl. The other's mana was starting to bottom out. The healer was already draining a mana stone.
The mage cursed, aiming for the crystal after the mountain man struck it with the back of his axe. As the lightning struck it started to glow brighter.
"Get the others out," Randal ordered, better to get two than none. The healer engulfed them in a water barrier.
"Randy, aye got dat gem, go!" The mountain man roared as he swung his axe again. The crystal was starting to crack.
Randal gritted his teeth, then grabbed the immobile death soldiers, dragging them out. He set his back against the door, the injured clutched to his chest, hopefully that would keep them safe if the crystal exploded.
Randal waited… hearing the lightning, the pounding of the axe, then curses as a flash of red light blinded him. Randal stumbled in to check on his companions, they were all on the ground, convulsing.
Randal staggered forward, something… something was attacking them. Ghosts? Ghost lizards? They were about the size of a large dog… he swung his fist, more claw than hand, at the first one he reached, going right through it.
Then, before he could right himself all three ghost lizards hissed in the same direction before darting off into the wall.
His friends stopped convulsing, but now they were unconscious. Randal grabbed one of the beast cages from the mage, this time, his mother was caught. Sparks of electricity zapping her every time she stirred. Randal's body shrank as he rushed to his companions. Patting the healer on the face, he slowly came too. Shivering.
"I I I I I , hhhaa ha hate hate hate, d d d dam dam damn damn it." The healer chattered, he was so cold he couldn't even concentrate. Images, memories running through his head he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy.
Randal watched as they all came too, he and the ranger the only one's who'd avoided the ghost lizards.
The ranger shuddered, "The fuck'er those?" They'd only appeared for half a minute but all three of their companions were now shivering, trembling lumps of confusion.
Randal clenched his jaw, "I think… those were… sacrificed beasts. Come on, we need a stronger cage."
The ranger whirled around, crossbow aimed at a small ring of fire… when a small… black chick in a cloak fell from it. It landed on the healer, chirping indigently.
"Wait!" Randal ordered throwing his hand up before the ranger could fire. He waited for the bird to stop hopping on his friend's chest, then it dropped a clear gem. Without pause it half leapt, half glided to his other two companions as another ring of fire appeared.
If he wasn't mistaken… it was the same bird that left the gems behind… after eating a chest of beast cores.
Randal looked through the ring to see… feathers… dozens of different colors, sliding forward. Before he could tell what he was looking at the small, cloaked chick leapt through.
The ranger almost screamed when all three of his friends popped up like daisies through snow. They were touching themselves like they didn't recognize their own bodies.
The mountain man shuddered, "Les no do that agin, yeah?" when the small thing landed on him, he felt like he'd been dunked in a soothing bath. Washing away the chill, bad memories… even all his pains. Very pleasant, but very unexpected.
Randal picked up the small clear gem, before he could get a good look at it, it flew, imbedding itself in the cage. A soothing voice started to echo throughout the room. A moment later his mother went completely limp.
The mountain man looked at the cage, then to Randy, "Ye owe us a tale, more if ya need, but, aye want ta know, yeah?" he asked rubbing his hands along his arms.
Randal started to laugh. Once he started, he couldn't stop. So, Lord Reece had been watching. No doubt having something to do with why those ghost lizards hadn't stayed longer.
The ranger watched as Randy held his stomach, his laughter turning to wheezing gasps. "Ai, a tale or two, and ale. All the ale we ken drink," Then he started to laugh. Soon, all five of them were laughing like ninnies.