Thunder roars, lightning spars the land, and rain can be seen pouring miles away.
In the sea of forest stand great stone statues carved by dwarves. Massive strongholds stood guard over the massive roads made of cobblestones. Giant ballistae were positioned at all corners, and strange cannons were made of pure dark metal. Powerful ward stones and strange magic devices were placed three hundred meters from each stronghold. Even frontier posts checked every caravan and wagon. And one could say this is what merchants dream of on every road.
Farther across the border, thousands of miles past strongholds, municipalities, villages, and teleportation terminals, we enter the heart of Dolvathur. There, on the side of the giant mountain that sits in the centre of Dolvathur, stood a massive dwarven entrance and a gate so massive it could be seen hundreds of miles away—dare say only magic and dwarven technology could bring it to motion. Below the gates lies a city that rumbles with life: four semicircles, each with magnificent walls that fortify the massive door. The fifth had no walls, but it was full of buildings set for non-dwarven folks only, and a large fortress that kept watch.
Closer to the outer wall, the fourth wall, Roland and his companions stood facing the dwarven guards.
"You and your kin ain't welcome here, human." A displeased tone emanates from the dwarven guard.
"Listen here, dwarf, we've travelled weeks to get here!" Riza responds.
"Pff… so what if I do, dang human. The king has ordered us not to. Even if ye all are bragging, your ticket was given by that priestess of yours." Replies the dwarf.
"But—" Roland steps in, only to be interrupted by Ulgar.
"Is there anything that we can do to enter your kingdom?" Ulgar appeal.
"There's only one way, human. Leave and never come back." The dwarf sneered.
"I'm tired of this!" Riza murmurs, walking towards the dwarves, yet after only two steps, Ulgar gave her a look of warning. And with a single gaze from the paladin, Riza halts her intention.
"I apologise for my companions' behaviour. The roads were not pleasant to get here. But this is a delicate matter for our task. I'm sure your king might have decent validity for even a day or two." Ulgar steps closer to the guards.
"Aye, I like your tone, human, but it's the king's order. And I, me not me see me own head on a sack." The dwarf says now with a pleasing tone.
"I understand." Ulgar nods, leaving the guards. "We should head ourselves to some inn. Rain is coming." He continues.
A few corners later, and before rain could arrive, the party enters a noble merchant's inn. Paid in six silvers full, and two for the dinner.
"That hits the spot," Riza says after drinking half a tankard of grog.
"Clearly those dwarfs weren't very unwelcome to us. I've seen other gnomes and humans enter with their goods and caravans." Falnia said.
"Why don't we try that? We could make a sneak towards the gates." Riza responde.
"We're not burglars," Roland responded. "We're adventurers."
"Even if we conceal ourselves with illusions, it's not enough to bypass their magic. Also, the entrance is protected by powerful magic, perhaps more powerful than Starhim. I did try to conceal my magic when we were transacting with the guards, but the ones who cast it are even more powerful. If we use my illusion magic, we can be easily detected, leading to more trouble." Said Rein, swirling a mug of wine.
"Sounds like retrieving that other half of the sword is harder than expected," Irish said before gulping a slice of seared meat.
Ulgar sighed, pondering other ways of entering the dwarven kingdom. That is, before the group enters a night of rest—
"There are other ways to enter the city, legal or not... if you wish."
The inn holds few distant people enough for the man to utter his words. Hearing this, the adventurers turn toward the voice and see a man drinking alone in a long grey leather trench coat, a wide-brimmed hat placed on the table.
"You seem troubled, adventurers." The man adds, moving two silver coins smoothly across his fingers.
Upon hearing his words, the adventurers stopped and focused all their attention on the man. A silence fell among them, broken only by the overwhelming noise of the inn's bustling crowd. And as the man awaits their response—in the inner chamber of the dwarven kingdom of Dolvathur, a dwarven priest of Aziru enters the immense throne chamber.
A chamber of cold stones and gold, and magic that resonates. Massive chiselled statues stand guard, and behind the throne, cascading lava radiates warmth throughout the room.
Old and frail, the dwarven priest bows down in the presence of the king.
"A message for you, my Lord." The priest speaks as he extends his hand, and water begins to drip from his palm until the droplets form a figure: a woman, the priestess of Endregar.
Taking three steps towards the throne, Ferish's water image kneels. The king's presence was hidden by magic, distorting the sight as they could only see a shimmering figure.
"Humbly I come to you, King Korug Fenggrin. Humbly I ask for your aid—"
"Aid?" Korug interrupts; his voice is calm yet full of abhorrence. "Have you come to do what you did back then?"
"I beg you, King Korug. I know how you felt in the past, but please, if you could allow them to enter for just a day or two—"
"Enough. I have heard your words before, guile human. Don't you think I won't let go of what happened in the past? Tell me, did you really feel the way my people are sacrificed like pigs? Twice, I was entrusted with your promises, MY PEOPLE'S LIVES! And what did your miserable hero, the one you adore so much, huh?... NOTHING, HE DID NOTHING! LEFT US TO NEAR EXTINCTION!"
Ferish stayed silent, for there was nothing she could say when deep wounds haven't mended.
"If I hadn't been there, either of you and your hero wouldn't be so lucky. Now get out of my sight; your presence sickens me." Implores the king.
And so, still kneeling, Ferish slowly fades into mist until nothing was left to be seen.
After the priest had stepped out of the chamber, the massive black door closed, and silence once again filled the place.
At the Inn—
"Interested, I see. As I said, there are many ways to enter the kingdom, but not everything is free." The man in a grey leather tunic said.
"Just get to the point. If you want money, we can make a bargain." Ulgar respond.
"Hmm… It's not money that I'm after, but rather a more delicate thing. You see, there's a creature living in this land. A creature that scares the living folks near this town. If you can slay it, I can help you with your tickets." The man then sips a mug of beer.
Ulgar sighs, giving a look to his companions.
"We have no other choice," Riza said,
"Fine, I'm in." Irish agrees; so do the others.
"Then it's settled, though it's a little bit late for details." The man said, his eyes sweeping over the group. "We can discuss this in the morning. Oh… And pardon my low fraternity for not introducing myself. Name's Lonveran, or people call me Lon. We'll meet at the same place, same table, if you want." Lon suggested before departing the inn.
"Are we sure we can trust that guy?" Irish said after sensing Lon's presence was no more.
"If he's playing cards with us, then we must prepare ourselves for when the time comes. I didn't sense any ill intention from that man. As for us, we should get some rest; we've come a long way from Keshoval to here." Ulgar said, going to his room.
Dispersing into their designated room, and just before Roland could take his sleep, Ferish was sitting, waiting on his bed.
"Lady Ferish… w-what brings you here," Roland asks respectfully.
"You've been well, I see. How are your friends?" She asks, stepping towards the balcony.
"Can't say; the road was rough, and the sea was even rougher. But the journey was quite fun."
"I see…" Ferish responds, staring at the night sky.
"My lady, if I may, I… about the dwarves."
"It seems the past finally caught up to you… Perhaps it's best to tell you." Ferish replies, sitting on a chair as she gazes at the large gate from the mountain. "In past, before Seth was just a simple adventurer, there was a friend of his. His name is Kalen, or rather King Korug of today."
"I… I never knew that, even from my father and my grandfather."
"Some past can be forgotten, but never cease to exist in existence. Perhaps Kalen went to great lengths to erase the memories of those who knew. Thankfully, I was able to avoid his tricks."
Roland stood silent.
"I think you might be familiar with the Eastern Crisis."
Roland nods. "I do."
"Kalen managed to overcome the odds, but the kingdom of Dolvathur suffered greatly."
When said, silence fell between the two, and as the night grew late, the soon-crowded noise begins to diminish, leaving only the voices of the guards gossiping while they patrolled the area.
"But we mustn't fumble ourselves in this time of crisis. Deep beneath this land is where Seth may have placed the other half of your sword." The priestess says, conjuring a blue orb dangling in her palms. "Take this… it will aid you in times of trouble."
And as she gave him the orb, it quickly disappeared in his hand.
"Take no worries; it will appear when you need it the most. And sleep well, Sir Roland." The priestess assures him with a smile, then slowly vanishes.
Disappearing from his sight, Roland's eyes stiffen with determination. Gripping his hand, he stared at the night sky and said to himself.
"I will, no matter the cost."
Dawn Arrives…
"Early I see," Lon said.
"Care to enlighten us on what type of creature we are hunting?" Riza implores.
Lon chuckles. "Straightforward, are we. It's a monster that turns flesh to stone."
"A Basilisk," Rein utters.
"That's right, it lives just to the southeast of this land, a half-day journey from here. You see, hunting a full-fledged Basilisk is quite difficult for me. But it may be very different for you adventurers."
"And what type of Basilisk are we going to deal with?" Rein asks, with a striking face.
"I'm not exactly sure, but the locals told me it was a green type," Lon responds, fondling his chin.
Rein looks at Ulgar, and somehow Lonveran tells no lies.
Ulgar sighs, "We'll see what we can do, but we need to register it with the guild. We are adventurers, not mercenaries."
"But of course. Though the closest place I know is near the southern port. At the Arkedian border." Lon responds, putting on his hat.
"We have coin for teleportation." Riza gave Lon a distrustful look.
"Well, if that's the case, shall we?" Lon responded, pointing towards the exit.
"You'll go on ahead; we'll meet at the place where the Basilisks are," Ulgar suggest.
Lon nods, tipping his hat. "As you wish, Sir Paladin."
At the Teleportation Terminal. A shone of light appears through the teleportation station.
"Papers and passports." The customs officer urges Roland and his companions forward.
After filling out documents and making payments, the party makes its way toward the southern borders of Arkedian by wagon. And when dusk fell, the party reached the Guild's branch—an Inn.
After filling out forms and getting a night's rest, the group then returned to where their mission was waiting for them. Only this time, it cost them two days to reach the place.
"Just the teleportation cost us thirty silvers," Riza grumbles. "I don't get why Dolvathur didn't have a single guild."
"Quit whining; I know you've got fifteen gold Shars in your bank account." Irish responds.
"Enough, you two," Roland said as they stepped out of the forest clearing. "I sense someone—"
What presence he'd sensed was nothing more than Lon quietly sleeping on a flat rock, basking in the morning sun and using his hat to cover his face. In it is the sound of running water, a creek just a dozen meters from where they are.
Ulgar clears his throat. "We're here."
"Ah…" Lon lifts his hat. "Took you a while."
"Maybe if your nation had one of our guild's branches, we wouldn't have to travel back and forth." Riza responde.
"Hmm… just beyond this creek lies the creature." Lon looks towards the creek.
Upon their arrival, the adventurers faced a large cave, large enough to swallow a two-storey building.
"It's best we draw it out from its den," Falnia suggest
"Riza and I will enter," Ulgar said. "We'll take it out in an ambush."
Roland nods. "We'll position ourselves at the entrance."
Prepared and well equipped, the two enter the cave. Thanks to Ulgar's shared vision, they can see without torches or other light. A foul smell quickly hits them within a few tens of metres from the entrance. Still, the smell didn't slow down their pace until they'd reached nearly fifty metres from the entrance. It's there; four glowing eyes stare at them, crouched in wait—a creature sculpted from the very malice of the swamp.
Like a frilled lizard melds with a frog, its four-metre tail of pure muscle whips like a chain. Its size was that of a bus, and its hide was of a dragon's scales. Powerful hind legs that can tear an elephant apart, both flesh and bones. Spikes like fins sprout from its back, like a fish's. And when it unfurls its grey fans—
"That's not a green Basilisk," Riza whispered. "It's a grey one."
"Run!" Ulgar exclaimed, and right away the two dashed out.
And before they took their exit, Riza threw a glowing ball, signalling her companions. Hidden on both sides were Rein and Falnia, and at the top of the entrance were Roland and Irish with their weapons ready.
"IT'S A GREY ONE!" Shouted Ulgar as they emerged from the entrance; at that time, Lon was nowhere to be found, not even his essence.
As soon as the two appeared, the creature lunged forward—its claws aiming to strike, and its mouth opened, exposing dripping, razor-sharp teeth poised to bite. At that moment, Roland and Irish jumped down and swung their weapons at its neck, successfully disturbing the Basilisk's motion.
The creature thrashed wildly, with no visible wound to be seen. Its whip struck outward in all directions, unaffected by Rein's powerful spell. Even the glowing roots that were conjured on the ground couldn't suppress the monster's rampaging movement. Worse, when Falnia struck directly at its eye, it paused and exhaled invisible toxic air.
"I can't move!" Rein's body stiffened after she smelled the toxins. So too was Irish, tying her best to escape the miasma.
Riza tried to rescue her companions, but the toxins slowly claimed the air. Ulgar and Falnia did their best to draw the creature's attention, but it was futile. And before Rein could succumb, Roland leapt towards the monster, and when Ragarish unsheathed the blade, it glowed in azure, cleansing the miasma.
Striking its nape, the sword cut through its thick scales, slicing its shoulder and releasing dark-green blood, nearly bisecting the creature. In response, Roland sensed his body's fluids being absorbed by the blade, prompting him to relinquish.
The Basilisk tried to scream, but all it shrieked was blood. And in the moment of its desperation, it retreated to its den but was quickly stopped when Ulgar gave a blow to the head five times before it stopped moving.
"Riza! The Antidote!" Ulgar shouted, prompting the elf and rogue to swiftly administer the antidote to Irish and Rein.
When given the injection, both the knight and the mage gasped for air as if they had been submerged underwater. Roland, meanwhile, was given a glowing emerald seed that restored his life force. While their companions recovered, Lon emerged.
"Ah, so you managed to kill it. I have to say, you clearly are the hero they have spoken—"
Before Lon could continue, Riza punched him in the face.
"You cowardly scumbag, you've used us! You said it was a green Basilisk!" Riza exclaimed right before Ulgar stopped her second punch.
"That's enough, Riza! Go assist the others," Ulgar commanded, and she obeyed. "And I trust you will uphold your part of the deal." He shifted his eyes towards Lon.
"Aye." Lon resets his jaw. "This." He added, handing over a pouch containing six essence vials, each glowing in amber.
"Care to explain what these are?" Ulgar said.
"It's a transformation vial. This will help you enter the dwarven under-realm city of Dolvathur in a new, different face. But we'll need to forge you a ticket… fortunately, I'm a loyal merchant to the dwarves. And those vials are worth more than two gold pieces."
Sensing no lies, Ulgar sighs as he carefully places the vials into his satchel. "We'll give you the other Shars back at the Inn, the same place where we met."
The two agreed, and once the adventurers teleported back, Lon pulled out a flask; atop it sat a silver pyramid device humming and glowing with clear light.
Raising the flask, the silver pyramid unfolded like a flower; the device then vacuumed the remaining invisible energy from Roland's sword and the rest of his companions.
Lon smiles. "Now I just need to separate it from the other."
Suddenly, Lon paused when he noticed the Basilisk gave a pulse.
"Still alive, eh." Lon conjured a shimmering silver liquid which slowly turned into a one-meter needle-like form. "Sorry, boy, oh… this is life." He added before shooting towards its cracked head, ending the creature's life.