Eli and Trish held their ears to the door, trying to listen in on the conversation going on in the room beyond.
The guard that was shouting earlier had finally attracted the attention of Cain, who requested for Lori and Oboros to join in on the the talk.
Inside, Cain, Oboros, and Lori each listened with a grim expression as the guard explained what a few of his colleagues had found.
"So a couple guardsman were made aware of an odd smell, which they then investigated the area to find the source. Thus leading them to a basement full of bodies?" Cain practically repeated what the guard had said in a condensed manner.
"Yes sir," the guard nodded.
"And what state were these bodies in? How many of them? Were they all demon kind?" Cain asked.
The guard hesitated for a moment, "Well I didn't exactly go down there myself sir. One of the guards who found the site ran off to let the captain know. I was with him when he went to see the place for himself. He went in for a minute before bursting out ordering me to report directly to you sir."
Cain rubbed the bridge of his nose, a headache was already starting to take place.
"Oboros, Lori, can you accompany me to their? I would like your input on whether you two believe it could potentially be related to that thing."
"Of course."
"Yes, we'll go."
"Let us make haste then." Cain stood, then gestured towards the door, "Lead the way guardsman."
Eli and Trish nearly toppled over each other running down the hallway and around a corner before the group could leave the room.
"Should we follow them?" Trish asked in a hushed voice.
"I certainly am," Eli whispered back.
*sniff* "You stink," Trish held her nostrils closed as she took a small step back from Eli.
Of course, he hadn't showered after his spar, simply choosing to dress and follow after Oboros instead.
The door opened as the group walked out, making their way opposite of where to two were hiding.
"Wait till their down the steps, then we'll follow them," Eli said, Trish nodding shortly after.
***
Eli and Trish had secretly followed the group through the city, eventually stopping near the opening of a closed off alleyway in a dilapidated part of Undgarten.
The entrance was guarded by the city's guardsman, and multiple voices could be heard coming from further into the valley.
"City Master," the two guards at the entrance of the alleyway saluted as Cain and the others made their way between the stone buildings.
Trish and Eli watched from afar as the group entered, the two guards stepping back in the center of the alleyway, closely surveying their surroundings.
"Shit," Trish cursed, "What do we do now Eli?"
Eli thought for a moment, trying to find a way they could get closer. After a minute of silence, Eli quietly said, "Come on, follow me. I've got an idea."
***
Entering the damp, dim alleyway, a strange musky smell entered everyone's noses. The energy in the air here felt different. Much colder and more sinister.
Lori and Oboros shared a serious look, and Cain looked at them with a question on his mind. "Does the air seem off to you two?"
Lori and Oboros nodded. Oboros said, "It feels the same as when we entered that forsaken castle those years ago. The energy in the air then felt like this now, but much worse at the time. This feels familiar, but not nearly as invasive to the senses as back then."
Cain gave a single nod, then continued further into the alleyway. Eventually the guard they had followed stopped when they arrived next to a hatch. Beside it, the city guard captain stood, pale and sweat lining his brow as he watched them approach.
Instead of saluting, the Captain bowed his head briefly before stating, "It's bad, sir."
"Is there anyone else inside?" Cain asked.
The Captain shook his head, "I've forbad any man and woman from entering. I've already sent the two guards who found this place to the church for prayer and healing."
"The church for prayer and healing?" Cain gave a confused look.
"The men needed mental prayer, Sir. We may be called demons by the human church, but by the gods what happened in there is a crime against all that is living." The Captain wasn't just sick, he seemed afraid.
Lori and Oboros knew what they were about to walk into. From the ominous energy in the air, the smell throughout the alley, and even the guardsmen's reactions, they knew this was related to that being Eli had run into.
"Alright then, make sure to keep the area secure," Cain said to the Captain, who nodded and left to delegate men around the area.
Leaning down and grabbing the old, rusted handles, Cain separated the doors, revealing a blood stained stairway down into the earth.
The smell in the alleyway was nowhere near what emitted from the dark corridor below.
Cain's nose scrunched as Lori and Oboros put either a hand or arm over their own noses.
The trio slowly made their way down into the rotten smelling basement, each step sounding louder than the last.
Once at the bottom, the group finally saw what lay inside. A large, cavernous room was lined with blood, gore, and viscera.
Bodies in varying states of destruction and decay were spread throughout. Limbs, appendages, and different chunks of flesh coated the floor, walls, and even ceiling.
A couple sets of rusty chains hung from the ceiling, suspending mutilated corpses in mid air.
In a few corner sat a cluster of metal cages, each containing bodies. Some of them were so full, not an ounce of space could be seen within the bars.
In one particular cage, sat a single body, limbless and charred, with empty sockets staring back at the trio. A quiet gurgle came from its throat, as if trying to cry for help.
"Oh gods they're still alive," Lori gagged at the scene before her, trying hard to contain her stomachs contents.
In the center of the room, a large circle containing a star painted in blood sat.
Cain began to chant in the same language he used with Eli a few weeks ago. This time, after some lessons, Oboros knew it was a prayer in a long forgotten language.
Lori excused herself from the room, for she no longer wanted to be within such a vile place. The sickening smell of a multitude of bodily fluids and rotten flesh along with the scene was too much. It brought up memories of a similar situation. One that had been years since they saw something like this.
A creak came from a far corner of the room, catching Oboros' attention while Cain continued his chant with both eyes closed.
Stealthily, Oboros approached the door. Once beside it, Oboros forced the door open to reveal three wide eyes.