From above, the dwarf tied one end of the rope to the shaft and threw the other down into it. He descended slowly due to his bulky build. Stalactites and stalagmites grew throughout the cave, some having merged into solid pillars. Water dripped from the ceiling, forming shallow puddles on the floor. Light spilled from the shaft above, scattering across the cavern as it hit the water's surface.
"And why did you jump down here? With meat, no less," the dwarf, Oak, grumbled. "Oh, shut it. One more, one less—what's the difference?" Balinor replied. A puzzled grimace crossed Oak's face, as if he hadn't quite understood. They moved deeper in. I approached the rope, intent on leaving.
"Where do you think you're going?" Balinor barked. "You're coming into the cave with us." Submissively, I followed them into the depths. Droplets constantly fell on me. I could feel the tension rising; we all heard something faint—a sound somewhere between a grunt and a growl. The light from the shaft receded until everything was plunged into darkness, save for the torch Balinor held to light our path.
"So, what happened to your father, boy?" Balinor asked. God, what should I come up with? A fire? A battle? "He set a battle on fire... I mean, he was set on fire during a battle," I stammered. "And who was he fighting?" Oak asked with a smirk. "A fiend. A Hellcat." In the game, those three-meter-tall literal hellcats killed me every time I ventured into the underworld. Oak burst out laughing, while Balinor only offered a thin smile.
CRACK! The cave walls shattered with a loud explosion. We immediately stood back-to-back. Something was circling us, searching for a weak point in our formation like a true predator—or predators.
Flames erupted from Balinor's hand, illuminating the cavern. Right in front of my face, a terrifying visage appeared. It had the body of a three-meter bat; a face protruded from its dark gray fur, featuring a long, wart-covered nose and deep-set red eyes. Tusks and fangs jutted from beneath its snout, and saliva dripped from its jaws.
I gasped, my mouth hanging open in terror. Our faces went pale. Balinor instantly pulled a crossbow from beneath his coat. "Duck!" he roared. He fired. As the bolt hit the creature's face, it exploded in a blinding flash. I didn't even think about fighting; I turned and ran without looking back. Balinor was ahead of me, with Oak clutching onto him.
"Let go of me!" Balinor yelled. "Run faster!" Oak shouted back.
[It was then I realized: if I split my consciousness in two, I could activate two spells at once.] Ryu Manju, the Great Dragon who opened the Kir. I concentrated on dividing my mind. It was easier than it seemed. "Phantom hand, woven from mist, I summon thee—execute my will!"
Two massive spectral hands sprouted from my back. They helped me flee, slamming against the ground in a great sweep and launching me several meters forward. Balinor summoned a wolf, which Oak scrambled to mount.
We could no longer sense the monsters, but we had run into a dead end, surrounded by nothing but stone walls. "So, you're not a slave after all," Balinor panted, laughing at the absurdity of the situation. There was no point in pretending anymore. "You only just noticed?" I asked, breathing hard. "Why, you little pest! Do you have any idea what's going to happen to you?" Oak snapped, irritated as usual. "Leave it, he's going to die anyway," Balinor said. "You got lucky," Oak muttered.
"Maybe we should come up with a plan?" I suggested. "You still want to know about our abilities?" Oak asked. "It's a fair proposal," said Balinor.
We sat in a circle, facing each other. I began: "I am Sven. I have no class. I've trained with a sword my whole life and know two spells: Warding Bond and Mage Hand. I have no combat experience." "I am Balinor. Paladin, Oath of Devotion. Feats: Tough, Alert, and Beast Master. I only have basic spells." Oak looked at us with a dark, distrustful scowl. Then he exhaled. "I am Oak. Sorcerer, Wild Magic. I have the basics and my own unique spells. Plus, I have more spell slots than any other dwarf here."
Not bad, I thought. I once beat a boss at Level 2. I figured we should set Balinor's hounds on the "bat" first. Oak would cast from a distance while we made our escape.
"Oak, did you tell anyone we were coming to the cave?" Balinor asked. "No, didn't have time," Oak replied. "Then we need a plan to kill this thing." "But we could just run away," I said. "If we run, they'll attack the children." "You care about the children?" Oak asked, surprised. "Are you kidding? Have you seen how much they're worth?" Balinor replied.
Oak and I stared at him with deadpan expressions. And this is what he's willing to risk his life for? God, he really is a Paladin.
"I'll be on the front line hitting it with Smites. Oak, you attack from the other side so your wild magic doesn't hit us. And you, Sven, you keep the protection spells up," Balinor commanded. "I've got no choice, so let's do it," Oak said. "I'll help," I added.
Balinor drew a sword from his bracers and ignited it. Oak and I followed behind. I opened my system window to check my stats:
Intelligence: Magic 9 -> 11
Intelligence: Analysis 10 -> 11
Agility: Acrobatics 11 -> 13
Agility: Stealth 9 -> 10
I have to... Suddenly, I felt like I was flying. An incredible pain pierced the left side of my face. Sound began to blur into a single drone. "Sven!" Oak's scream sounded like a distant echo.
I saw the beast attacking Oak; he parried, his left arm transforming into that of a tiger. I lay on the ground as voices echoed through the cave.
+3 to Wisdom. Wisdom 11 -> 12: Survival 10 -> 3
You have grown wiser. ---
My body was growing cold. The air began to dry my throat. My left eye was sinking into darkness.